Despite its draw at the La Meinau stadium (1-1) on Saturday, the capital club is now the most successful team in the history of the French championship.
It was almost done, it is now irremediable. Paris Saint-Germain is champion of France 2022-2023. This is the main lesson of the 37th and penultimate day of Ligue 1. Thanks to its 11th coronation, the capital club is now the most successful in the history of the French championship. Behind him, Lens validated his qualification for the next Champions League and Rennes signed a good operation for a European place. At the bottom of the classification, Strasbourg has ensured maintenance, but the suspense remains unresolved concerning the identity of the last relegated. Nantes and Auxerre will fight from distance on the last day.
Paris still champion
No victory, no fireworks but the mission was accomplished. As a symbol of its chaotic season, the club from the capital did not shine to mathematically ensure its eleventh coronation. Christophe Galtier’s players settled for a draw in Strasbourg (1-1) on Saturday to keep RC Lens out of reach before the last day. They have a four-point lead when the Blood and Gold can only collect a maximum of three. The easy victory of the latter against Ajaccio (3-0), at the same time, was not enough to revive the suspense.
At La Meinau, the Parisians failed to enforce the hierarchy, even though they opened the scoring thanks to Lionel Messi on a nice service Kylian Mbappé (59th). They were surprised twenty minutes later by a goal from a former home, Kevin Gameiro (79th). A goal which did not call into question the outcome of the evening of the players of the capital, but which allowed the Alsatians to formalize their maintenance in the elite.
Nantes on an ejection seat, Auxerre still threatened
Who will be the last club to join Angers, Ajaccio and Troyes, already relegated to Ligue 2 next season? Everything will be decided on the last day in a distance duel between Auxerre and Nantes. Saturday evening, the Auxerrois slightly increased their lead over the Canaries by taking a point on the lawn of Toulouse (1-1), while the Nantes were overthrown in Lille (2-1) at the end of an infuriating evening.
They had ideally started their rescue mission by opening the scoring quickly thanks to Quentin Merlin (18th), but they then conceded two goals from the penalty spot from Jonathan David (51st, 88th), the second having been scored after being withdrawn. Alban Lafont was picked up by patrol, with VAR noting he had neither of his two feet on the line when David was fired.
AJA experienced such a scenario, opening the scoring thanks to Rayan Raveloson (24th), before suffering the equalizer from Zakaria Aboukhlal (44th). On the other hand, the Burgundians avoided the worst twice, blowing after the cancellation of the expulsion of Isaak Touré (51st) then on the strike on the crossbar of Ado Onaiwu at the end of the match (87th). They keep the cards in hand before the last day. Only one scenario would see them leave the top flight next Saturday: a Nantes victory against Angers while they do not win against Lens.
Rennes overtakes Monaco in the race for Europe
The good operation of the evening is to be put to the credit of Rennes which offered Monaco (2-0), a direct competitor for a European qualification. Thanks to goals from Lovro Majer (52nd) and Amine Gouiri (73rd), Bruno Génésio’s players came back up to ASM, in terms of points, but moved ahead thanks to a better goal difference (+ 29 against +13). They are virtually qualified for the Europa League conference play-offs, but can still hope to overtake Lille, 4th and on its side provisionally expected in the Europa League. Monaco is not yet excluded from this race, but no longer has the cards in hand before its last match against Toulouse.
Despite their resounding victory at home against Reims (3-0), Alexandre Lacazette’s 27th goal of the season and Jean-Michel Aulas’ farewell with great fanfare, Lyon will not get involved in the fight for Europe, less than a miracle. Only two joint defeats for Rennes and Monaco, coupled with a success for OL in Nice, as well as a spectacular comeback of at least nine goals on goal difference, would see the Lyonnais recover fifth place.
The results of the 37th day:
Angers 2-1 Troyes
Clermont 2-0 Lorient
Lille 2-1 Nantes
Montpellier 2-3 Nice
Lyons 3-0 Reims
Marseilles 1-2 Brest
lens 3-0 Ajaccio
Strasbourg 1-1 Paris
reindeer 2-0 Monaco
Toulouse 1-1 Auxerre