Paris Saint-Germain were held at home by Lens in the dying minutes of the league match. Despite that, the Parisian outfit secured the Ligue 1 title in their history thanks to Lionel Messi’s goal, which put them ahead in the contest.
Going into the matchday weekend, PSG were aware that they needed only a single point to reclaim the league title after yet another topsy-turvy campaign on all fronts. That is exactly what Mauricio Pochettino’s side ended up achieving, with Messi’s second-half goal enough to secure the 10th domestic crown in their history.
Messi and Neymar, who both missed PSG’s last clash with Angers (3-0) due to of injury and suspension, respectively, returned for what ended up being PSG’s title party on the night. Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, and Achraf Hakimi all had chances from close range to put the Parisians into the lead after an underwhelming start.
The hosts, who continue to have a strained relationship with their fans, were booed off the pitch after a goalless first half. That misunderstanding went from bad to worse during the final stages of the game at Parc de Princes.
The club’s ultras, still angry about PSG’s recent Champions League humiliation at the hands of Real Madrid, started to vacate the stands 15 minutes before the final whistle. The ground was completely empty 10 minutes after the final whistle had been blown, and the players didn’t even get to do the lap of honour with the title afterwards.
Midfielder Marco Verratti and centre-back Marquinhos were both left surprised by the action and vented their frustrations.
“That’s something I don’t understand. I know that they were disappointed about Madrid, but at some point you have to move on,”
Verratti said.
“The atmosphere is a shame. Football is our passion. We’ll try to have as much fun as possible. It’s a shame that won’t be with the supporters but we have to deal with it,”
Marquinhos told Canal+.
Messi, who has been booed and criticized in his maiden Ligue 1 campaign, scored the goal that sealed the title for the side. The Argentine curled the ball home from outside of the box to find the back of the net in Ligue 1 for the fourth time since making the move from Barcelona.
Although Corentin Jean grabbed an all-important equalizer for Lens late in the match, it wasn’t enough to deter PSG’s title confirmation. They now have 10 Ligue 1 trophies in their cabinet and are level with Saint-Etienne and Marseille as the most successful club in France.
