Paris Saint-Germain overcame the absence of Kylian Mbappe to secure a 2-1 victory over Nice in Wednesday's Ligue 1 clash, effectively dashing their opponents' hopes of Champions League qualification.
Mbappe, sidelined due to discomfort in his left hamstring, joined Ousmane Dembele, Achraf Hakimi, and Randal Kolo Muani on the absentee list.
Bradley Barcola opened the scoring for PSG in the 18th minute, followed by Yoram Zague marking his 18th birthday with his debut goal for the French champions.
Nice managed a response through Mohamed-Ali Cho just after the half-hour mark, but their hopes dwindled further when Melvin Bard received a red card for a challenge on Barcola with 15 minutes remaining.
The defeat leaves Nice trailing Lille and Brest by four points, who are contending for the third automatic Champions League qualification spot heading into the final round of matches this Sunday.
Nice is now assured of a fifth-place finish, securing their entry into next season's Europa League group stage.
Meanwhile, Marseille's European aspirations took a hit with a 1-0 defeat against managerless Reims. Chancel Mbemba's own goal in the first half condemned Marseille to the loss, leaving them three points behind Lens and Lyon in the race for a Europa Conference League berth.
