Sat | May 18, 2024

PSG win record-extending 12th French league title

Published:Monday | April 29, 2024 | 12:13 AM
PSG’s Kylian Mbappe gets away from Le Havre’s Yoann Salmier during the French League One match between Paris Saint-Germain and Le Havre at the Parc des Princes in Paris on Saturday, April 27, 2024.
AP
PSG’s Kylian Mbappe gets away from Le Havre’s Yoann Salmier during the French League One match between Paris Saint-Germain and Le Havre at the Parc des Princes in Paris on Saturday, April 27, 2024.

PARIS (AP):

Paris Saint-Germain won the French league in Kylian Mbappé’s last season at the club after Monaco lost 3-2 at Lyon yesterday.

PSG have an unassailable 12-point lead over second-place Monaco, who have three games left.

The Ligue 1 triumph is PSG’s third in a row and a record-extending 12th overall.

Mbappé has been involved in six of them but comes off contract at the end of the season. He is expected to be signed by Real Madrid.

PSG are on course for a potential historic treble as they will play at Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals on Wednesday and face Lyon in the French Cup final on May 25.

In coach Luis Enrique’s first season at the club, PSG produced one of the most dominant seasons in league history with just one loss in 31 games so far.

PSG could have secured the title a day earlier but were held 3-3 by Le Havre on Saturday.

“Our fans are incredible. We were losing 1-0, 3-1, and they kept supporting us,” Luis Enrique said after the draw. “We managed to draw later on and effectively win the league thanks to the supporters, thanks to their positive attitude.”

That was quite a contrast with the past couple of seasons.

Last season, PSG supporters were booing Lionel Messi even though the football great was the player who helped the club clinch an 11th league title by scoring in a 1-1 draw with Strasbourg.

Two years ago, there was a similar disconnect between the supporters and the club. PSG supporters kept protesting at Parc des Princes by giving their team the silent treatment.

Now this season could be the most exciting of all.

Lyon substitute Malick Fofana capitalised on a counterattack in the 84th minute to score the winner and snap Monaco’s four-game winning streak.

Monaco striker Wissam Ben Yedder scored twice while Lyon winger Said Benrahma notched a goal and an assist.

Lyon kept alive their European hopes while Monaco are only two points clear of Brest.

Brest made club history by qualifying for any European competition for the first time with a 5-4 win over Rennes.

In an emotional roller coaster for Brest, defender Lilian Brassier scored the winner in the seventh minute of stoppage time by heading home a free kick. Brest remained third – in the last automatic Champions League spot – and secured a top-six finish, which means a Europa Conference League playoff spot at least.