Paris Saint-Germain’s French midfielder Blaise Matuidi (left) celebrates winning the French L1 football match against Montpellier (MHSC) at La Mosson Stadium in Montpellier.
AFP/Paris
Paris Saint-Germain won a third straight French Ligue 1 title on Saturday when a 2-1 win at Montpellier gave them an unassailable lead over second-placed Lyon with just one match to play.
PSG came into the match knowing either a point, or Lyon’s failure to beat Bordeaux at home, would be enough to clinch the title—as it happened, Lyon drew 1-1.
Goals from Blaise Matuidi and Ezequiel Lavezzi powered Laurent Blanc’s Parisians to an impressive eighth consecutive league win, as they emerged victorious from a cat-and-mouse struggle over the latter part of the season with Lyon.
It was a fifth title in total for Paris Saint-Germain, who were only founded in 1970.
Blanc said he was over the moon watching his players dance around the Montpellier pitch, and the fans celebrate in the stands after the game.
“We had to wait until this penultimate game to win the title but that makes it even more pleasurable than last year in a way. I love this job and I have to thank my staff because without them a coach is nothing,” said Blanc.
Lyon may have come up short after leading the table for much of the second half of the season, but they can at least console themselves with a return to the Champions League group stages next season.
Missing injured striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic the Parisians settled their nerves in the 17th minute when Matuidi ran onto a brilliant defence splitting pass from Adrien Rabiot.
He picked up the ball on the edge of the area, ran in on goalkeeper Jonathan Ligali and whipped the ball round him into the bottom right corner for a screaming opener.
Ten minutes later, Lavezzi produced a stunning low drive to round off a piece of collective play that mesmerised the Montellier defence, leaving Ligali no chance due to the ferocity of the Argentine’s finish.
Montpellier pulled one back in the 40th minute when winger Anthony Mounier picked up the ball out on the right and produced a dipping lob that beat Salvatore Sirigu’s clutching grasp.
After a tense second half where Javier Pastore hit the crossbar for Paris, the players leapt for joy at the final whistle as their 700 travelling fans lit flares and celebrated wildly in their enclosure.
There was also a measure of closure for the Parisians, who were beaten to the 2012 title by Montpellier despite being overwhelming favourites.
Monaco go into the final round of matches next week in third following a 2-0 win over already-relegated Metz.
They can thank fine work from 20-year-old Portuguese midfielder Bernardo Silva, who scored the opener with a fine left-footed shot and generously set up Valere Germain for the clincher.
If they win away to Lorient next weekend, they will take the final Champions League qualifying place.
They can still be caught by both Marseille, who won 4-0 at Lille, and Saint-Etienne, who relegated Evian with a 2-1 away win.
Both sides trail Monaco by two points and must win their matches—Marseille host Bastia while St Etienne entertain Guingamp—to stand any chance of snatching third place.
Lyon conceded an early goal at home to Bordeaux through Enzo Crivelli but were soon level through Nabil Fekir in the ninth minute.
The club were not overly disappointed by coming second.
“We would have liked the win tonight so as to make the celebrations more beautiful,” said Lyon coach Hubert Fournier.
“It’s been an incredible season, when you think we were 17th at the end of August. This result assures us of second spot.”
Evian needed to win to keep their survival hopes alive but defeat meant they will join rock-bottom Lens and Metz in Ligue 2 next season.
There was relief for Toulouse, Lorient, Caen and Reims, who all went into the weekend threatened by relegation but survive for a further adventure in Ligue 1 next season.
