0
PARIS: Paris St Germain were crowned Ligue 1 champions for a record-extending 12th time on Sunday, as their third straight title was wrapped up following another dominant domestic campaign when second-placed AS Monaco lost 3-2 at Olympique Lyonnais.
PSG, who missed the chance to secure the title on Saturday when they drew 3-3 draw with Le Havre, have 70 points, 12 ahead of Monaco with three games remaining.
“Winning the league is fantastic, but winning Ligue 1 for the twelfth time is even more special for everyone connected to Paris Saint-Germain,” PSG President Nasser Al-Khelaifi said on the club website.
“We’re going to enjoy this moment as a family. And also keep working hard, game after game, until the last moment of the season.”
Monaco were the only side left who could prevent PSG lifting the title, but their faint hopes were extinguished in Lyon as they fell to their first defeat in nine games, despite taking an early lead.
The visitors scored with a little over 20 seconds on the clock, with Wissam Ben Yedder tapping home Takumi Minamino’s cross at the back post, but Monaco were 2-1 down within 25 minutes through goals from Alexandre Lacazette and Said Benrahma.
Ben Yedder brought the sides level again on the hour mark, heading home a floated ball into the box by Youssouf Fofana, but it was Lyon who found a winner six minutes from time with Malick Fofana scoring from outside the area.
PSG have won 10 of their 12 titles in the last 12 seasons, a record which goes to show how the Qatari takeover of the club in 2011 has utterly transformed them and the face of French football as a whole.
They are on course for a clean sweep of trophies this season, with the French Cup final against Lyon to come on May 25 and the French Champions Trophy already in the bag.
Luis Enrique’s side are also hoping to see off Borussia Dortmund, beginning on Wednesday with the semi-final first leg, and win through to the final of the Champions League on June 1.
Elsewhere, Brest took another big step towards qualifying for the Champions League for the first time by scoring deep in injury time to beat Stade Rennais 5-4 in an incredible game.
Former Rennes defender Lilian Brassier popped up with the decisive goal six minutes into stoppage time to decide the Brittany derby in Brest’s favour.
Rennes striker Arnaud Kalimuendo scored a brace within nine minutes to the delight of the home fans at Roazhon Park, but Brest offered an immediate response as their captain Steve Mounie pulled one back with a close-range shot.
There was little to separate the sides after the fiery opening, which saw three goals in 11 minutes, until a 48th-minute own-goal by Rennes defender Warmed Omari allowed Brest to level things up.
Martin Satriano put Brest ahead for the first time in the match in the 54th minute, with Mahdi Camara striking 12 minutes later to double their lead.
Rennes defender Arthur Theate hit a thunderbolt from outside the box to reduce the deficit and Martin Terrier levelled from a set-piece.
The sides had looked set to share the spoils until Brest centre back Brassier headed home from close range in injury time.
It is a huge three points for Brest after they lost their previous two matches, and the win ensures they end the weekend in third place, two points behind Monaco and a point clear of Lille, who won 2-1 at Metz.
The result also means Brest are now guaranteed European football of some sort next season for the first time in their history.
The top three teams in Ligue 1 qualify automatically for next season’s expanded Champions League, with the team in fourth entering the competition in the preliminary rounds.
Ismaily and Yusuf Yazici scored Lille’s goals as they came from behind to take all three points after Georges Mikautadze put Metz ahead from the penalty spot.
Nice strengthened their grip on fifth spot by winning 3-1 at Patrick Vieira’s Strasbourg.
The Cote d’Azur club remain four points behind Lille, meaning Champions League qualification looks to be beyond them.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored his 27th goal of the season and Pape Gueye netted a late winner as Olympique de Marseille beat Lens 2-1 to go seventh.
Lorient remain in the automatic relegation spots and three points from safety after a 2-1 home loss to Toulouse.
Clermont are still bottom but are now only four points from safety with three games left after beating Reims 4-1 with Austrian international Muhammed Cham netting two penalties and Elbasan Rashani also scoring twice.
Published in Dawn, April 30th, 2024
