Kylian Mbappé offered himself a double in Auxerre. Federico Pestellini / PANORAMIC
With a six-point lead and a comfortable goal difference, the club from the capital is (almost) champion of France.
At the Abbé-Deschamps
PSG are almost there. With the victory of Lens in Lorient (1-3), the players of Christophe Galtier were fixed before entering the lawn of the Abbé-Deschamps on Sunday evening: they could not be officially crowned champions of France. With their success against AJ Auxerre (1-2), however, they reduced the suspense to a trickle: with a six-point lead over their Lensois runners-up in the Ligue 1 standings and a largely favorable goal difference (+ 50 against +34), the Rouge et Bleu claimed a hand and a half on what would be the 11th title in the history of the capital club, a national record. The Parisians will have a new title ball in the boiling atmosphere of Strasbourg next Saturday, before receiving Clermont on June 3, during the final day.
A title that would look like a “happy ending” after a season in hell, culminating in eliminations in the Coupe de France and the Champions League. All this without forgetting a more than average level of play, the total decompression after the World Cup and the C1, but also the controversies (sand yachting, Galtier affair, accusations against Hakimi, etc.). Many talk about the worst season in the Qatari era. It is defensible, as the nerves of Parisian fans have been sorely tested. The probable future coronation will serve to heal the wounds, a little. Not enough to forget everything that happened during the season, nor to dismiss the idea that a deep questioning is necessary.
Mbappé puts his people in orbit
One thing is certain: after the debacle against Lorient (1-3), the “general remobilizationmentioned by Galtier had its effect. Enough to overcome Troyes (3-1), Ajaccio (5-0) and therefore Auxerre, 16th, which retains a small point ahead of Nantes, 17th. Pushed by his Ultras, PSG quickly put themselves in the ideal position with this double from Mbappé (6th and 9th, 0-2). Behind, the visitors globally controlled the operations, even if Hein struggled (17th, 27th). Messi warmed Radu’s gloves (31st) and Ekitike missed… the unmissable (42nd). But it was above all Donnarumma who had work to do at the end of the first period (43rd, 45+1), he who was saved by his bar (38th). AJA left on the same basis on the restart, Donnarumma intervening in front of Hein (47th), not in front of Sinayoko (51st, 1-2). The atmosphere went up a notch, while Ekitike, injured, left his partners (55th).
From then on, we were almost going from one goal to another. A closed time, this match got carried away, with beautiful cartridges for Mbappé in the back of the Auxerre defense (54th, 58th), while Marquinhos saved the barracks (70th) and Hein (75th) still stumbled on Donnarumma. Auxerre gambled its all… in vain. Mbappé also thought of putting the coup de grace, but his goal was canceled due to an offside position and we left it there in Burgundy (1-2 final score).
In pain, like its season, PSG did the job, but it will take at least another week to saber the champagne. In Strasbourg, Saturday? Lens will receive Ajaccio at the same time. The Auxerrois, they will go to Toulouse to try to take a step closer to maintaining. Nantes will go to Lille.
