On an eventful final day of the season, Paris Saint Germain sent Metz down with a 5-0 win; AS Monaco dropped out of second place in the 96th minute, thus sending Marseille through to the Champions League group stage; Bordeaux were relegated.
Kylian Mbappe celebrated his new bumper contract with Paris Saint-Germain by scoring a hattrick in the final match of the season. PSG sent Metz down to Ligue 2 with a five-nil thrashing, courtesy of Mbappe’s treble and strikes from Neymar and an emotional Angel di Maria – the latter, who is destined to leave the club this summer.
Elsewhere, the race for a berth in the UEFA Champions League group stage heated up as Monaco, second ahead of the final day, faced Lens while third-placed Marseille faced surprise of the season Strasbourg.
Marseille cruised to a victory in their match, thanks to a brace from Gerson – one in the 32nd minute and another in the 89th – and a goal each from Cengiz Under and Cedric Bakambu. However, Monaco stuttered in their outing, conceding first in the 30th minute after Alexander Nubel spilled the ball at the feet of Przemyslaw Frankowski, who scored from close range.
Benoit Badiashile brought the principality side level just four minutes later from a corner, and Wissam Ben Yedder gave them the lead in the 62nd, applying the finishing touch to a sweeping counter-attack. However, Igantius Ganago broke Monegasque hearts in the 96th minute, firing in from a set-piece with potentially the last kick of the game.
Monaco, who had won nine games on the bounce, and gone from ninth to second in the table, finished the season with a draw, dropped down to third, and will now have to navigate the Champions League playoffs.
Meanwhile, Ligue 1 lost one of its stalwarts in Bordeaux – six-times league winners and Zinedine Zidane’s old stomping grounds – as they were relegated to the second division. Les Girondins were virtually relegated last weekend, if not mathematically, but their drop down to Ligue 2 was confirmed due to Saint-Etienne’s draw against Nantes on the final matchday of the season.
