Fourth-placed Saint-Etienne, who were the country's top club in the 1960s and 1970s, visit Lille needing to make up a two-point gap on Olympique Lyon to finish third and book a place in the Champions League qualifying round.
Champions League regulars Lyon, who did not play in the Champions League this season after getting into the knockout stages of Europe's top club competition every year since 2002/03, host mid-table Stade Rennes. They have a worse goal difference than Saint-Etienne and cannot afford to slip up.
Under coach Christophe Galtier, who shared the manager of the year award with Paris Saint-Germain's Carlo Ancelotti, the 1976 European Cup runners-up have rediscovered some brilliance on the pitch.
"The season has already been beautiful. If we have the luck to win on Sunday, it would be really exceptional," midfielder Fabien Lemoine told reporters.
"The coach's deal extension is a very good thing for the club. Since he took charge of the team [in 2010], he managed to create a collective momentum and bring quality to the squad," Lemoine said.
"His work has produced results. We have already won the trophy the club have waited for so long. Now, we face the last challenge in the league."
The League Cup victory secured Saint-Etienne a place in next season's Europa League but they would have to go through the preliminary rounds.
"This is our last chance. We have no right to fail," captain Rio Mavuba told the club's website.
"Let's beat Saint-Etienne first, then we'll see what happens as for the third spot."
While they still can book their place in the lucrative top club's competition, the 2011 champions are also threatened of not playing any European ties next season if sixth-placed Nice get a better result at Ajaccio.
Champions Paris Saint-Germain travel to mid-table Lorient with the uncertainty over Carlo Ancelotti's situation overshadowing the sporting side.
