Paris Saint-Germain have won seven of the past eight Ligue 1 titles. This weekend, they might make it eight out of nine.
But this time, the odds are against them.
In the Qatari Sports Investment era, PSG have turned Ligue 1 into their own personal playground, away from the heartache that Champions League tilts tend the bring.
In 2016-17, they missed out to Monaco, whose lavishly gifted young squad came together at the perfect time.
Kylian Mbappe's supernova emergence inconvenienced PSG so much they decided they had to sign him once the campaign ended, but the France sensation had quite the supporting cast.
Bernardo Silva, Thomas Lemar, Fabinho, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Benjamin Mendy all went on to rake in hundreds of millions of euros collectively as Europe's elite embarked upon a feeding frenzy.
Monaco's triumph spoke of the improbability of PSG being unseated again any time soon, given the extent to which numerous stars would have to align at just the right moment and for long enough before being ripped apart.
However, something feels different as leaders Lille head into Sunday's final matchday needing to match PSG's result at Brest when they travel to face Angers.
Once again, a vibrant youthful core are seeking to take down the kings of France, but if Christophe Galtier's fearless insurgents pull off their heist, it is unlikely their star attacker will have Parisian eyelashes fluttered in his direction.
That is because he is a 35-year-old veteran Turkey striker who, before this season, had never played anywhere outside his home country in Europe.
A free transfer to replace the €70m man
If there was a parallel to Burak Yilmaz in that shimmering Monaco team, it was Radamel Falcao, whose goalscoring nous and experience proved invaluable to Leonardo Jardim's side.
But the Colombia international was enjoying a resurgence, having established himself as one of the most lethal strikers in the world at Atletico Madrid before falling on hard times, initially at Monaco and then during fruitless loan stints at Manchester United and Chelsea.
Yilmaz's CV provides a who's who of Turkish football, counting Besiktas, Fenerbahce, Trabzonspor and Galatasaray among his former employers. While Monaco were getting to work in 2016-17, he enjoyed a hop aboard the fleeting Chinese Super League gravy train at Beijing Guoan.
He arrived at Stade Pierre-Mauroy on a free transfer last August with 224 league goals to his name over the course of a career impressive in its consistency. Nevertheless, it was impossible for the man brought in following Victor Osimhen's €70million departure to Napoli not to feel like an underwhelming replacement.
"During my career, I played in big clubs with a lot of pressure," Yilmaz said during his presentation to the media at Lille.
"I realised that this pressure was an advantage, something positive for me. It continues here in another way, with other objectives. I want to write a new page with LOSC."
Even calling upon all that experience, all that title pedigree from his homeland, Yilmaz surely could not have imagined the fairy tale to which he now only needs to apply the final pieces of punctuation and a definitive full-stop on Sunday.
Bearing teeth for Les Dogues
He went without a goal in Lille's opening four games, but the solid foundation that has become the bedrock of their title change ensured Galtier's men went unbeaten and picked up eight points.
In their fifth match, a late Yilmaz penalty sealed a 2-0 win over Nantes and, next time out, he crowned a fluid team move by outmuscling his marker and sliding home in a supreme piece of centre-forward play. Strasbourg were beaten 3-0 and Lille's attacking fulcrum was off and running, not to look back.
He has 15 goals and five assists in Ligue 1 this season, more goal involvements than any of his team-mates. Jonathan David has two assists alongside his 12 goals and Jonathan Bamba has six goals having laid on nine others.
Yilmaz has equalled the most goals scored in France's top-flight in a single season by a Turkish player, level with Melvut Erdinc's haul for PSG in 2009-10.
In terms of goals alone, his is the best debut season for Lille in Ligue 1 since Moussa Sow fired 25 in 2010-11 – the club's previous title success.
Golden autumns and heavy goals
It feels like a good time to be an experienced hitman in Europe right now and Yilmaz is among the most prolific.
Only Cristiano Ronaldo, with 29 despite Juventus' Serie A woes, has more goals across the top five leagues among players aged 35 and over.
Yilmaz is level with Zlatan Ibrahimovic on 15, with Sampdoria's evergreen Fabio Quagliarella up next on 12.
Like Ibrahimovic, Yilmaz has been forced to spend some time on the sidelines since the turn of the year and it is tempting to wonder whether Lille might already have the title in the bag were it not for a calf injury that ruled their talisman out for two months.
Yilmaz was on a run of three in three games before being forced to watch on for nine Ligue 1 rounds. His team-mates ploughed on, winning seven and drawing two of those games and he returned as a man on a mission.
Lille were 2-0 down at Lyon when he thundered home a magnificent 25-yard free-kick. Yilmaz crossed for David to equalise with an hour played and he then charged through to dink in an 85th-minute winner.
That was a truly bravura performance, with the calmness under pressure he boldly highlighted eight months earlier proving unshakable. An astonishing 30-yarder as part of a brace in a 3-0 win at Lens was his 15th and best of the campaign, taking Lille to the brink of glory.
Lille's 12 strikes from outside the box are the most in Ligue 1 in 2020-21 and goals of such quality mean Yilmaz is performing well in excess of his expected goals (xG) figure of 9.2. A positive differential of 5.8 is the sixth-best in the elite divisions behind Robert Lewandowski, Marcos Llorente, Son Heung-min, Luis Muriel and Lionel Messi.
Don't look back in Angers
Yilmaz was unable to whip up another dose of magic last weekend, with a frustrating 0-0 draw at home to Saint-Etienne meaning Lille's advantage heading into Sunday's decisive fixtures is down to a point.
Their 80 points is already the club's record tally and is built as much on a watertight defence as it is on Yilmaz's attacking fireworks.
Only PSG in 2015-16 (19) have conceded fewer after 37 games than Les Dogues' 22. During the second half of the season, they have kept things improbably tight – letting in just six goals, eight fewer than any other team in the top five leagues over this time. Atletico Madrid, also on the verge of an unforgettable triumph this weekend, are up next with a typically miserly 14.
Lille's Mike Maignan closed out a 21st clean sheet of the campaign against Saint-Etienne, a continental best that puts him three clear of Atleti's Jan Oblak and Manchester City's Premier League Golden Glove winner Ederson.
Alongside his clean sheet percentage of 56.8, another leading mark in the elite competitions, he has saved 79.1 per cent of shots faced, which can only be bettered by Oblak (80.2) and Keylor Navas (79.3) of PSG.
Obviously, this makes Lille very hard to beat. They have only lost three Ligue 1 games, although one of those was against Angers in January.
That might set nerves jangling when it comes to the crunch this weekend, but they need only look towards Yilmaz and his air of a man who will not be denied.
Klopp has '500 reasons' for Liverpool revenge against Spurs after VAR controversy
Jurgen Klopp may be out for a slight revenge on Sunday when Liverpool meet Tottenham at Anfield, having fallen foul of VAR controversy in the reverse Premier League clash.
Spurs won 2-1 at home in the previous meeting in September thanks to Joel Matip's last-gasp own goal as a nine-man Liverpool were unable to hold on at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The Reds also had a first-half goal from Luis Diaz ruled out for offside by the VAR after a miscommunication between the video officials and the assistant referee.
With third-placed Liverpool winless in two league games after their 2-2 draw with West Ham last time out, Klopp has that controversy on his mind ahead of the second clash at Anfield.
"It's always a challenge [against Spurs]," the Liverpool manager said at his pre-match press conference.
"I don't want to make it the biggest subject, but I can't forget the Tottenham game as well, it's just so strange.
"So, now we play Tottenham and that was obviously not their fault that night, they just played the game, but I would like to win that game for 500 reasons, that we lost there and the way we lost is one of them."
Tottenham have struggled recently, losing each of their last three after a 2-0 defeat against Chelsea that left them seven points adrift of fourth-placed Aston Villa, who have played a game more.
Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou was visibly furious in the first half at Stamford Bridge on Thursday, and acknowledged Tottenham have a long way to go to compete with the elite.
He said: "We need change. Change has to happen. You can’t want to alter your course, and quite dramatically for this club because we went down a certain direction and now we’re pivoting to a whole different direction.
"To expect the same people are going to be on that… it's just not going to happen.
"We've had two windows and we've had some development of players but when I say we've still got a long way to go, that's what I'm talking about."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Liverpool – Mohamed Salah
Mohamed Salah may have a point to prove against Tottenham, after his disagreement with Klopp before coming on at London Stadium in Liverpool's last outing.
The Egypt forward has gone four Premier League games without a goal or assist – and now is the time for Salah to step up and deliver for the Reds.
Tottenham – Son Heung-min
Son Heung-min has scored in each of his last four Premier League appearances against Liverpool, putting Spurs 1-0 up in the reverse fixture in September.
The only player to score in five consecutive Premier League games against the Reds is Jamie Vardy (between 2016 and 2017).
MATCH PREDICTION – LIVERPOOL WIN
Liverpool may not have won in two Premier League games but they are the favourites in this clash, owing to their remarkable head-to-head record with Spurs at Anfield.
The Reds have lost just one of their last 29 home league matches against Tottenham (W19 D9), a 2-0 defeat way back in May 2011.
Yet it will be no walkover as Spurs are looking to complete their first league double over Liverpool since the 2010-11 season, beating two different Reds managers that season (Roy Hodgson and Kenny Dalglish).
Their last league double over the Reds beating the same manager twice was in Dalglish’s first spell in 1986-87, and this one could be filled with more late drama, too.
Liverpool (3) v Tottenham (3) has provided six 90th-minute winners in the Premier League, the most of any fixture in the competition’s history.
Indeed, both of the last two league meetings between the two sides have been won courtesy of a 90th-minute winner for the home team – will there be another here?
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Liverpool win – 55.7%
Tottenham win – 19.5%
Draw – 24.8%
Vancouver Whitecaps v Austin FC: Sartini hails 'special' White ahead of enticing BC Place meeting
Vancouver Whitecaps head coach Vanni Sartini labelled Brian White as a "special" player ahead of Sunday's enticing MLS meeting with Austin FC at BC Place.
The Whitecaps are third in the Western Conference after a 1-1 draw with New York Red Bulls last time out, completing a fine April that saw them lose just one of four matches.
Whitecaps forward White scored in that draw and may get somewhat of a hero's welcome at a packed-out BC Place after becoming Vancouver's all-time leading scorer.
"I'm really happy he could make history here at home in front of his family, in front of his friends," Sartini said of White, who moved past Camilo Sanvezzo as the club's all-time leading scorer.
"It adds a special, special flair to that, so I'm really happy for him.
"He's a player so committed that it doesn't matter if he misses a goal, or he scores the first goal, or if he misses the first touch because he's going to adjust."
Sartini even suggested his coaching has improved White, albeit in a playful manner.
"I think he scored 99% of the goals with me as a coach, so I can even tell that maybe that it's [to] my credit," he joked. "Because I put him in the right position."
Austin are just two points but four places behind Vancouver in the West after winning four of their last five outings, having swept aside LA Galaxy 2-0 in their last match.
Verde and Black head coach Josh Wolff is not getting overly excited with that form, though.
"It's 10 games into the season so we don't get carried away," Wolff said. "When you guys [the media] are slaughtering us earlier this year, I don't get too bummed out.
"You guys do what you do. You got to pump out headlines and you got to get readers, I understand it. Whether I agree with that or not, that's what you guys choose to do."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Vancouver Whitecaps – Brian White
With a goal against the Red Bulls on Saturday, White has contributed to at least one goal in six straight matches, the longest streak by a Whitecaps player in the club’s MLS history.
The 28-year-old has found the net – or assisted – in every game since failing to do so against San Jose Earthquakes on March 10, with the Whitecaps reaping the rewards from their star forward.
Austin FC – Brad Stuver
Austin have kept clean sheets in two straight matches for only the second time in club history, also doing so in June-July 2023.
Austin kept just one clean sheet in the 25 matches in all competitions between the two streaks and their upturn in form should be somewhat credited to goalkeeper Brad Stuver, who continues to impress.
MATCH PREDICTION – VANCOUVER WHITECAPS WIN
The Whitecaps are the heavy favourites for this one, having won four of their six meetings with Austin FC (D1 L1), including recording victories in all three meetings between the sides at BC Place.
Vancouver have also equalled their best nine-match start in club history with 17 points, yet the Whitecaps have never reached the 20-point mark within their first 10 games of an MLS season.
It will be far from a routine victory, though, as Austin have won four of their last five matches (L1) following a 2-0 win over the Galaxy, including the last two in a row.
Austin have had only one winning streak longer than two games in all competitions in club history, a four-match run in June-July 2022 – but that could come to an end here.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Vancouver Whitecaps win – 46.7%
Austin FC win – 27.2%
Draw – 26.1%
Real Salt Lake v Sporting Kansas City: Mastroeni lauds team effort of Western Conference leaders
Real Salt Lake head coach Pablo Mastroeni credited the collective effort of his league-leading side as they prepare to host Sporting Kansas City at America First Field for Sunday's MLS clash.
Salt Lake sit atop of the Western Conference table after a six-game undefeated streak, having overcome Philadelphia Union 2-1 in their last outing.
Alexandros Katranis provided a remarkable 89th-minute winner in that victory over the Union, with RSL not losing an MLS game since March 9 against Colorado Rapids.
"I think it is everything so far, every aspect of the team has been competitive – sometimes the offense clicks, sometimes it is the defense," Mastroeni said.
"For me, it is really the collective; from the staff, to the players, to me and the work we do every day. Scoring the first goal has been really important for us in most of the games.
"Defensively we have been a really good team, it starts at the top, though. We're getting a lot of great contributions from all around the pitch.
"When you tie that all together, we've got a great group firing on all cylinders."
Peter Vermes' Wizards were defeated 2-1 by Minnesota United in their last match, leaving them 10th in the West with just 11 points to their name after 10 games.
Kansas City head coach Vermes knows another difficult task awaits on the road this weekend.
"They are the best team in the West at the moment," Vermes said of RSL.
"They are always a tough defensive team. With the strike power they have up front, we will have to be focused and concentrated, it will be a tough match for us."
Vermes' high praise of Salt Lake comes as no surprise given Mastroeni's men have only conceded nine times this season – a joint-low in MLS.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Real Salt Lake – Cristian Arango
Cristian Arango has 16 goal contributions through 10 matches this season, equalling the most in a player’s first 10 appearances of a season in MLS history (Carlos Vela in 2019, Cobi Jones in 1998).
With eight goals in just 10 appearances so far this term, the Real Salt Lake star has already surpassed his six strikes in 2023 – and will hope to further his tally here.
Sporting Kansas City – Johnny Russell
Johnny Russell has scored six goals in 13 career MLS matches against Real Salt Lake (also considering playoffs), including scoring at least once against RSL in each of the last five seasons.
The Scottish winger is yet to score in league competition this year, though, failing to find the net in any of his seven appearances – though Russell has only played 90 minutes twice in that run.
MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW
It will be hard to split these two sides with a draw appearing probable, despite the Opta supercomputer suggesting Real Salt Lake have the likelier chance of victory.
Sporting have never recorded back-to-back victories when visiting Salt Lake in all competitions, though they did win the last meeting between these two sides 3-2 in October.
SKC may have also lost their last outing but they have not suffered consecutive defeats across all competitions since April 2023, avoiding defeat in the match following each of its previous 14 losses (W10 D4).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Real Salt Lake win – 45.5%
Sporting Kansas City win – 26.8%
Draw – 27.7%
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