It was the first league title for head coach Mauricio Pochettino, after last season’s second-place finish behind Lille.
Follow Us
Lionel Messi scored a stunning long-range goal as Paris Saint-Germain secured a 1-1 draw against Lens on Saturday to win their 10th Ligue 1 title. It was the first league title for head coach Mauricio Pochettino, after last season’s second-place finish behind Lille. However, the Parisians were booed by their own fans for a below par season by their standards. PSG’s success is no longer measured by domestic success, they need to excel at the European stage. Meanwhile Lens substitute Corentin Jean scored a late equaliser to share the spoils at Parc de Princes.
Read more:
Arsenal vs Manchester United: Cristiano Ronaldo scores his 100th Premier League goal
? Titres
???? – ???? – ???? – ???? – ???? – ???? – ???? – ???? – ???? – ????
? #????????? ? pic.twitter.com/5Btcym2hPg
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_inside) April 23, 2022
PSG wrapped up the title having lost four times, and scored 76 goals, the most in the division this season, while only conceding 31 times, giving them the second best defensive record. Eight of PSG’s French league titles have come in the last decade , while Lille in 2021 and Monaco in 2018 were the only other clubs to win the trophy during this time period.
After a goalless first half in Paris, the game turned on a red card for Lens defender Kevin Danso. In the 68th minute, Messi collected the ball from Neymar and unleashed a powerful left-foot strike from 25 yards out that went past the Lens keeper Jean Louis-Leca and into the far top corner. But two minutes from time, the visitors levelled the score through substitute Corentin.
Messi joined the Parisians from FC Barcelona last summer, amid much fanfare as a free agent, but the Argentine has had a lacklustre season, scoring just four Ligue 1 goals in 22 appearances. Meanwhile the 34-year-old has managed to register 13 assists in the league, only behind his teammate Kylian Mbappe who has 14. However, the six-time Ballon d’Or winner’s first campaign away from Spain has been dismal y his high standards, to say the least.
Pochettino took charge of PSG midway through the 2020-21 season with the capital club finishing second in Ligue 1. However, this season has been far more comfortable with the club racing their closest challengers early on and sitting at the summit of the standings since matchday three.
However, PSG’s success is no longer measured by the domestic success, rather they need to triumph at the continental stage in order to earn the applause, because of the amount of money being splashed in the transfer market.
Now that the Ligue 1 is wrapped up, the management’s biggest challenge would be to convince Mbappe to extend his stay at the club. The Frenchman has been linked with a move to Real Madrid for a while now.
