Unbeaten PSG clinches league title

PARIS — Luis Enrique was mobbed by his staff and hoisted into the air in celebration after Paris Saint-Germain won the Ligue 1 title on Saturday with six games to spare.

The coach did not escape a drenching either, as he was doused from water bottles after the 1-0 win over Angers secured the record-extending 13th French title, with the team unbeaten so far this season.

Only a draw was needed, but teenage forward Desire Doue — who was born in Angers — got the only goal at a festive Parc des Princes, bathed in the spring sunshine.

That made it 23 wins in 28 games so far, with 80 goals scored and 26 conceded.

After second-placed Monaco lost 2-1 to Brest, PSG's lead was a massive 24 points.

It was PSG's 11th French championship and a fourth straight in the 13 seasons since Qatari backers took over the club. The previous two titles came in 1986 and 1994.

"The club has so many achievements. The objectives are to play attractive soccer and to go and win trophies," Enrique said.

On a lap of honor, they stopped at the Auteuil stand in the stadium and celebrated with the fans.

"The fans are so proud of us, and we gave them this title," Enrique said. "Throughout the season, this team has shown something. The fact that other soccer fans, who are not PSG fans, like our style of play is a huge honor for us."

For PSG captain Marquinhos, it was a 10th Ligue 1 winners' medal since joining the club in 2013 from Roma as a highly rated 19-year-old central defender.

In the post-galactico era, with the team shorn of stars such as Lionel Messi, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar, Marquinhos felt there was more unity.

"We're seeing beautiful things this year, a communion. This title recognizes the work we've done," he said. "I didn't win the title twice (in 2017 it went to Monaco and in 2021 to Lille). That's why I told everyone to celebrate the title, because it hurts when you don't win it.

Having won the French Super Cup and Ligue 1, PSG remains in the hunt for a quadruple.

It hosts Aston Villa on Wednesday in the quarterfinals of the Champions League, a trophy PSG has never won. Then, on May 24, it has the French Cup final against Reims.

"Our ambition is to win everything," said Marquinhos. "It is a nice feeling. It is the reward for the work we have put in throughout the season, for our consistency, and the team deserves it," added the Brazilian centerback, who will be suspended for the first leg against Villa.

And, to cap a dominant season, made easier by the lack of a consistent rival, with Marseille and Monaco failing to sustain a challenge, PSG could also become the first French side to go through an entire league season unbeaten.

"Celebrating a title in early April shows that we've reached a very high level this season. We've achieved this target, but we have more games to play," Enrique told reporters.

"We are motivated to try and finish this season unbeaten. Nobody has done that in France before, so that's something that we want to achieve. That would help us in the Champions League and the French Cup."

Agencies