Metz can seal promotion back to the French top flight when they face Bastia on the final day of the season this Friday.
After relegation to Ligue 2 last season, Metz's destiny is in their own hands, knowing a win should take them up barring a remarkable set of scorelines.
Match preview
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Gaining promotion from France's second tier has been made much more arduous this season, with the playoff places being taken away as the league pyramid adjusts to accommodate 18-team leagues.
That means that just the top two will win promotion, and there was big drama on the penultimate matchday of the season last weekend.
Metz were the only one of the three sides still in the hunt who won, as league leaders Le Havre drew at Bastia meaning their promotion is not yet clinched despite being three points clear.
Bordeaux had a nightmare weekend though, with Metz's win compiling the misery as they lost to relegation-threatened Annecy to surrender second place to the Maroons.
After losing six of their first 13 league games this season, Metz are now unbeaten in 24 and need just one more result to reclaim their place at France's top table.
A win here over Bastia will be enough as long as Bordeaux do not win by four-goal margin more than them, given the current situation regarding goal difference, as the two are level on 69 points.
The Ligue 2 title is also within reach for Metz too, but they would need another collapse from Le Havre, who have somehow not yet secured promotion despite leading the way for much of the season.
Bastia are the opponents for Metz, and they disappointingly have nothing to play for having dropped out of the promotion picture in the last few weeks.
A top-five finish is guaranteed, and in a regular season that would have earned them a playoff spot, but with them taken away for this season, pride is all they have left to play for.
Bastia have been spoilers in recent weeks though, as that aforementioned draw with Le Havre stopped them from clinching promotion before the final day, and a 6-2 win at Pau FC the week previously dropped them briefly into the relegation zone.
With Le Havre and Bordeaux both playing sides near the bottom, Bastia unquestionably represent the toughest challenge any of the top three face heading into the final day.
Team News
Georges Mikautadze will be the man Metz look towards to fire them to promotion, as he is another Georgian international having a phenomenal breakout season in Europe.
With 23 goals and eight assists to his name, Mikautadze has undoubtedly been the player of the season in Ligue 2 and could play a pivotal role in sealing promotion, or even the title, for Metz.
The versatile Lamine Gueye will be missing for Laszlo Boloni's side here though, along with Albanian Xhuliano Skuka, with injury.
Bastia are without a couple of regular starters for this final day showdown, as Abdoulaye Ndiaye has missed the last two after going off early against Niort and Christophe Vincent has been absent for much of May.
Yohan Bai and Anthony Roncaglia will remain sidelined, while Luxembourg international Florian Bohnert has also missed the last two.
Metz possible starting lineup:
Oukidja; Kouao, Traore, Cande, Udol; N'Doram, Danley, Maziz; Jallow, Mikautadze, Sabaly
Bastia possible starting lineup:
Placide; Palun, Guidi, Kaiboue; Van Den Kerkhof, Ducrocq, Salles Lamonge, Dylan Tavares; Djoco, Magri, Santelli
We say: Metz 2-1 Bastia
It will be far from straightforward for Metz, but they should be able to get the job done against a good Bastia outfit who have been spoilers in recent weeks.
They just need to hope Bordeaux do not thrash Rodez and promotion should be theirs.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Andrew Delaney
