Paris Saint-Germain could be crowned top flight champions for a record 11th time on Sunday night with at least a draw at relegation-threatened Auxerre should Lens fail to win at Lorient during the afternoon.
The intrigue in Ligue 1 continued into next week's 36th round of games after PSG, Lens and Marseille all won over a weekend which culminated in angry exchanges between players, coaches and politicians over participation in the campaign against homophobia in football.
On Friday night, second-placed Lens moved to within three points of pacesetters PSG with a 2-1 victory over Reims.
PSG responded on Saturday night by thumping Ajaccio 5-0 to re-establish the six-point cushion and relegate the abject Corsicans with their 24th defeat of the campaign.
Marseille emerged 3-1 winners over relegated Angers on Sunday night to notch up 73 points and stay within range of Lens for second place and the automatic slot into next season's Champions League.
"Of course we would have liked to have scored more goals because goal difference could come into it but we won which is the essential thing," said Marseille boss Igor Tudor.
First world problems.
As the top dogs fight for Ligue 1 silverware or a spot in the Champions League kennel, clubs at the other end of the food chain were scrabbling for survival while musing over their role in the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia which takes place on 17 May.
Just two weeks after winning the Coupe de France some Toulouse players were omitted from Sunday's clash against Nantes because they said they were not comfortable with wearing the rainbow colours in support of the day.
"While respecting the individual choices of its players, and after numerous exchanges, Toulouse Football Club has chosen to exclude these players from the match," said a club statement.
Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 players had the rainbow-coloured numbers on their shirts and posed with banners before this weekend's games, while coaches and officials wore rainbow armbands.
Zakaria Aboukhlal, who scored in the 5-1 Coupe de France annihilation of Nantes, said on social media that he had decided not to take part in the game.
— Zakaria Aboukhlal (@ZAboukhlal) May 14, 2023
"Respect is a value that I hold in great esteem," he tweeted. "It extends to others, but it also encompasses respect for my own personal beliefs. Hence, I don't believe I am the most suitable person to participate in this campaign."
The 0-0 stalemate at guaranteed Toulouse a place in the next season's top flight.
In Sunday's other important relegation battle, Brest beat Auxerre 1-0 to move four points clear of their fellow strugglers and five points above the drop zone with three games remaining.
"The programming of this day against homophobia is catastrophic," said Brest coach Eric Roy.
"Everyone is free to express their opinions," Roy added. "Personally, I have no problem with it. But you can see that there are players who have a problem with it.
"Then you should not schedule this campaign at that time when you know some players are fighting to avoid relegation. You could do it in December or September," he added.
Government ministers also waded into the controversy on Sunday night.
Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra called for clubs to punish players who did not take part in the day.
⚽ #STADE2 | "Il est de la responsabilité des clubs de prendre des sanctions"@AOC1978 Ministre des Sports, réagit suite à la polémique sur le refus de certains joueurs de Ligue 1 de porter le flocage arc-en-ciel pour participer à la campagne de lutte contre l'homophobie. pic.twitter.com/E0eS0polkm
— francetvsport (@francetvsport) May 14, 2023
"I deeply regret that we do not have 100 percent of the players in France who can identify with this message of non-discrimination," Oudéa-Castéra told France TV's Stade 2 programme.
Elsewhere in Europe, Barcelona clinched their first La Liga title since 2019 with a 4-2 victory over Espanyol.
The win at the RCDE Stadium took them to 85 points – 14 ahead of Real Madrid with four games remaining.
In England's Premier League, Manchester City waltzed past Everton 3-0 early on Sunday afternoon to extend their lead over Arsenal to four points who failed to reduce the deficit in the late game.
Arsenal lost 3-0 at home to Brighton to give City the chance to clinch a third successive Premier League crown on Sunday at home to Chelsea even if Arsenal were to win at Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
