Lille let slip a chance to cement their claims on Champions League football next season when held to a goalless draw at home by Nantes in Ligue 1 on Saturday.

The northern French side, who were assured of remaining in third place irrespective of the result, are now on 53 points, six adrift of Monaco who are away to Lyon on Sunday.

Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint Germain are also in action on Sunday, Laurent Blanc's team welcoming fourth-placed Saint-Etienne to the Parc des Princes.

Lyon and St-Etienne are Lille's main rivals for Champions League qualification.

Rene Girard's Lille were devoid of any real attacking menace and were booed by their home supporters.

"I'm disappointed," said Girard.

"We were very average. We were beaten in the one on ones, we lacked rhythm, it was a non-match."

Later Saturday Sochaux beat Lortient 2-0 in a result that confirmed their recent good form which has seen them harvest 10 points from their last five games.

It left them five points above the relegation zone.

Elsewhere, third from bottom Evian lost 1-0 at home to Valenciennes, Nice beat Bastia 2-0, Guingamp defeated bottom side Ajaccio 2-1 and Toulouse edged Rennes 3-2.

Friday's lone fixture saw Marseille held 1-1 at Reims in a result that did neither side's European qualification aspirations any good.

Antoine Devaux gave the hosts the lead midway through the second period when he headed home a cross from full-back Franck Signorino.

But the 1993 European champions earned a deserved equaliser 10 minutes from time when France forward Andre-Pierre Gignac tapped home at the back post after Reims goalkeeper Kossi Agassa missed a cross from Rod Fanni.

"It's no doubt the lack of clinical finishing that cost us victory," said Marseille coach Jose Anigo.

On Sunday, PSG, having sealed their place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League in midweek, will hope to get the better of bogey team Saint-Etienne.

Blanc's side are unbeaten in 12 league games and come into the weekend eight points clear of nearest challengers Monaco at the top of the table.

Les Verts, European Cup runners-up in 1976, have a good recent record against PSG, although they did squander a two-goal lead in a 2-2 draw at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in October and lost in extra time in Paris in the League Cup in December.