The Ligue 1 qualifying race is heating up as three teams - Paris Saint-Germain, Lens and Monaco - form a formidable trio in the battle for Europe next season.

Paris Saint-Germain have already secured their place in the Europa League with a comfortable win over Troyes last weekend. But they will face a tough test against Lorient on Saturday, before travelling to Bordeaux next week. The French giants' form has been inconsistent this season, but they remain one of the most feared sides in European football.

Lens, meanwhile, sit just two points behind PSG in fourth place, having won four out of six games since their mid-season slump. They will host Lyon on Saturday, who themselves have lost two of their last three matches. A win for Lens would take them level on points with PSG and put them back into contention for a top-four finish.

Monaco, meanwhile, are still searching for their first win of the season after a disappointing start to the campaign. They will travel to Nice on Saturday, who have struggled defensively this term. A win for Monaco would be a huge boost for their title hopes, especially given that Nice have only managed one win in their last eight league matches.

As the competition intensifies, it's clear that there is no easy path to securing a spot in Europe next season. But with the talent and experience of these three teams, the fight for qualification could be even closer than expected. It promises to be an exciting final few weeks of the season.