FC Metz sits dead last in the Ligue 1 table with a dismal 15 points from 29 matches, a league-worst -37 goal difference, and trader consensus implying near-certainty of direct relegation after recent losses like a 3-1 defeat to Marseille. Nantes occupies 17th on 19 points following a 0-0 draw at fellow strugglers Auxerre last weekend, extending their winless run to five amid leaky defending and five points above Metz. AJ Auxerre holds the 16th relegation playoff position with 24 points, while Le Havre (29 pts, 14th) and Nice (28 pts, 15th) cling to safety. Nine matchdays remain, with critical head-to-heads and tough fixtures against top-half sides shaping survival hopes and goal differences.