Ligue 1 McDonald’s MD8 Round-Up: Rennes go top as Marseille emerge victorious in 7-goal thriller

Rennes moved to the top of Ligue 1 McDonald’s after beating Strasbourg 3-0, while Marseille survived a late fightback to defeat Le Havre 4-3 in one of the weekend’s most exciting matches.

Matchday 8 of the 2026/27 French top-flight season has produced important results at both ends of the table, with Lille and Monaco dropping points and Lens securing a home victory over Paris FC.

READ ALSO: Ligue 1 McDonald's MD7 Round-Up: Lyon lead, PSG fight back, Marseille thrash Angers

The round began on Friday, October 23, with Nice beating Brest 2-1. Paris Saint-Germain’s meeting with Lyon is scheduled for Monday, October 26.

Rennes now lead the standings with 16 points, one point ahead of Lille and Monaco.

Rennes produced one of the standout performances of the weekend, defeating Strasbourg 3-0 at Roazhon Park on Sunday.

Boulaye Dia opened the scoring in the 34th minute before Sebastian Szymański added a second seven minutes later. The Polish midfielder completed his brace in the 61st minute to seal the victory.

The result took Rennes to 16 points, putting them at the top of the table ahead of Lille and Monaco, who both have 15 points.

Strasbourg, meanwhile, missed the opportunity to improve their position after suffering 4 consecutive league defeats.

READ ALSO: Ligue 1 McDonald’s Matchday 7 Preview: PSG Face Strasbourg as Monaco aim to defend top spot – Full fixtures

Marseille recorded a dramatic 4-3 victory over Le Havre at the Stade Vélodrome on Sunday. The hosts appeared to be heading for a comfortable win after taking a 4-0 lead. CJ Egan-Riley scored in the fifth minute, while Timothy Weah made it 2-0 in the 33rd minute.

Igor Paixão and Himad Abdelli then scored in the 50th and 55th minutes respectively, putting Marseille firmly in control.

However, Le Havre mounted a late comeback. Josh Maja converted a penalty in the 77th minute before Mouhamed N’Diaye scored in the 86th minute. Maja struck again three minutes later to reduce the deficit to one goal.

Marseille managed to hold on for all three points despite the late pressure. The victory marked Marseille’s third consecutive league win and moved them to eighth place with 12 points. Le Havre remained at the bottom of the table with two points from eight matches, according to Reuters’ matchday report.

Lille and Monaco played out a 1-1 draw at the Stade Louis-II on Sunday, leaving both sides on 15 points. Lille took the lead in the 24th minute through Ethan Mbappé, who finished after a pass from Soriba Diaoune.

Monaco faced a numerical advantage after Lille defender Tanguy Nianzou was sent off in the 66th minute. The hosts took advantage when Edan Diop equalised in the 74th minute.

READ ALSO: Ligue 1 McDonald's MD7 Round-Up: Lyon lead, PSG fight back, Marseille thrash Angers

Despite their numerical disadvantage, Lille held on for a point.

The final match of Matchday 8 will see Paris Saint-Germain host Lyon on Monday, October 26. The fixture was moved from Sunday following security concerns linked to protests in Paris, Reuters reported.