French League title beckons for treble-chasers PSG
PARIS: Paris Saint-germain (PSG) can complete the first step of a potential treble on Saturday knowing a victory at home to Le Havre will wrap up a record-extending 12th French League title with three matches to spare.
Ousmane Dembele and Kylian Mbappe both scored twice as PSG cruised to a 4-1 win at Lorient on Wednesday, but Monaco’s 1-0 victory over Lille delayed the party for Luis Enrique’s side a few more days at least.
For PSG, it will represent a 10th Ligue 1 crown in the last 12 campaigns going back to the start of the Qatar era which has transformed French football.
Indeed it could get even beter for the champions-elect, with an upcoming Champions League semi-final against Borussia Dortmund and the French Cup final against Lyon next month offering the chance for a treble.
“We’re in a splendid period and we have almost all the players available. The supporters are happy and it’s a very positive end to the season,” Luis Enrique told reporters.
PSG are unbeaten in 25 league matches since their only loss this term, at home to Nice in September.
“We’re a more mature team now. But that’s part of a process, PSG have changed a lot of things since the summer,” said Luis Enrique.
“It’s a building phase, we’ll see at the end of the campaign what we’ve been able to achieve. And I’m convinced next year we’ll be even beter.”
Le Havre, on the other hand, risk an immediate return to the second tier ater a dreadful 2024, and a run that has seen them win just once in 12 matches with goals scarce.
Monaco are on course to finish second ater five wins in their past six, with Brest now clinging on to the third automatic Champions League qualifying spot ater successive defeats.
Lille are a point behind Brest, who travel to Breton rivals Rennes on Sunday, while Nice are not entirely out of the running for a top-three finish either despite a challenging second half of the season.
Marseille, winless in five domestically, warm up for their Europa League semi-final first leg against Atalanta with the visit of Lens.
French League fixtures (all times GMT) Saturday: PSG vs Le Havre (1900) Sunday: Metz vs Lille (1100), Clermont vs Reims, Lorient vs Toulouse, Strasbourg vs Nice (all 1300), Rennes vs Brest (1505), Lyon vs Monaco (1700), Marseille vs Lens (1900)