PSG can stay in title race a few days longer with a win at Saint-Etienne

PSG can stay in title race a few days longer with a win at Saint-Etienne [ad_1]

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PARIS -- Paris Saint-Germain's clash away at AS Saint-Etienne in the penultimate round of Ligue 1 fixtures on Sunday promises to be an emotional affair, and one the French champions need to rise above if they are to keep their slim title hopes alive.

Christophe Galtier will coach Les Verts for the final time at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard this weekend and the club's supporters will be keen to see the popular tactician leave on a high after nearly eight years in charge. Saint-Etienne confirmed the news earlier this week and plan to pay tribute to the 50-year-old tactician at Le Chaudron and it is PSG who have the unenviable task of being the final team to face Galtier's Stephanois side there.

It has not been the best of seasons for the 10-time Ligue 1 champions -- nor PSG -- but Galtier still deserves plenty of credit for the work he has done during his time at the helm and notably his longevity.

After such a disappointing debut campaign, opposite number Unai Emery will be lucky to see the same sort of job security that the French tactician has enjoyed over the years. If the Spaniard wants a crack at a second term, though, he needs to make sure Les Parisiens do not fall further adrift of leaders AS Monaco.

Emery admitted on Saturday that his team are now hoping for a miracle in order to win a fourth consecutive French title, and he is correct.

However, Galtier and Saint-Etienne could yet have a significant say in the title race in the dying moments.

If PSG can spoil the outgoing boss' farewell party this weekend and Lille OSC manage to trip up Monaco at Stade Louis II, it is ASSE who will then face Leonardo Jardim's men in their game in hand with the opportunity to push the title race in Le Championnat into the final weekend.

It is a lot for the men from the capital to hope for, admittedly, but it is all they can do to avoid waving the white flag on their title chances.

"This is a very important match," Emery told journalists at his pre-match news conference at Camp des Loges on Saturday. "Our chances of winning Ligue 1 are low but they do still exist.

"If we can win against Saint-Etienne, we can continue to hope and it is essential to maintain this hope.

"It is also important, in my eyes, to maintain a certain regularity in order to progress. This will come with a good performance in Saint-Etienne at a stadium that will almost certainly be full. I am looking forward to a good tussle."

Unai Emery reiterated that his PSG still have hope of winning Ligue 1, but they need a win at Saint-Etienne.

Emery should get what he is after as not only will Saint-Etienne be keen to send the long-serving Galtier off in style, PSG will once again be under-strength as well.

The Basque tactician was already without Layvin Kurzawa after the France international underwent season-ending midweek surgery on a hernia issue but he will also be missing Angel Di Maria, Thiago Motta, Javier Pastore, Grzegorz Krychowiak, Hatem Ben Arfa and Jean-Kevin Augustin through a variety of injuries and suspensions.

PSG's list of absentees is so lengthy that Emery has called up Gaetan Robail and Lorenzo Callegari from the reserves to possess a squad big enough for the match.

Saint-Etienne away is never one of the easiest Ligue 1 fixtures but considering the hosts' stagnation this term, it looked like it would be a relatively straightforward affair. However, Galtier's departure has changed that and now it looks a far tougher task -- especially with so many absentees.

Ultimately, all three points at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard might not be enough to avoid Monaco being crowned French champions on Sunday. A loss or a draw, though, would further emphasise the gulf in quality between PSG and the principality and it is already sizeable enough without another loss adding to it.

Les Parisiens need results to go in their favour elsewhere but if they do their part in Saint-Etienne, they could be granted a stay of execution for at least a few more days in order to hope that Les Verts can throw a spanner in the works for Monaco next Wednesday.

Jonathan Johnson covers PSG and the French national team for ESPN FC. Twitter: @Jon_LeGossip.

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