Paris Saint-Germain, once again champion in French football

The draw against Le Havre on Saturday at the Parc des Princes (3-3) had delayed this new crown, but Lyon closed the suspense by relegating the Monegasques to 12 points behind the Parisians with only nine points left in the race.

The Parisians were never afraid to win the title throughout a season that they have dominated from beginning to end, unlike in the previous year in which they felt the breath of Lens on their necks until the end.

The start of the season was not, however, easy for a team that had not yet started with the arrival of former Spain coach Luis Enrique. PSG did not rise to the top of the table until November 11 in Reims (3-0).

No rival managed to keep up with the Parisian roller, determined to win the title, and as soon as possible. The team, whose attacking play and intensity were taking on the seal of the former Barcelona coach, dominated its duels against greats of French football such as Lyon, Marseille, Lens, and Monaco, conceding only one defeat, against Nice in the Parc de the Princes on a now distant September 15.

For several months now, PSG has had a ten-point lead over Monaco, Brest or Nice, annihilating all suspense over the identity of the French league champion. It was therefore the most logical outcome, but also due to the astronomical budget of the Parisian club, which spent 90 million to acquire Randal Kolo Muani and can afford Kylian Mbappé's salary. But he was also helped by the irregularity of teams like Marseille or Lyon, who fell out of the title race very early on.

Luis Enrique had expressed days ago the lack of “urgency” to certify the title. “The important thing is not when it happens. The most important thing is how we play.” The coach is also aware of his advantages: “We have the best squad, the best budget, so it is almost mandatory to win the championship, but we achieved it by being superior.”

That early title allows PSG to focus on the French Cup and the Champions League. Not winning the first in the final on May 25 against Lyon, whom they recently crushed 4-1, would be a disappointment after having fallen in the round of 16 the last two seasons. But the priority objective of the club and its Qatari property QSI since its arrival in 2011, appears more complicated, with heavyweights such as Real Madrid and Bayern Munich still in the running.

But first, PSG awaits a semi-final against the German Borussia Dortmund, on May 1 and 7. The prospect of playing the return leg at the Parc des Princes and the euphoria born after eliminating FC Barcelona in April (3-2 defeat at the Parc des Princes, 4-1 victory at Montjuïc) could give extra confidence to the Parisians. Luis Enrique does not hide his ambition for the treble: “It is a motivation to do something that has never been done in France to mark the history of our club, the city and the country.” But he warns: “The road is still long and tortuous.”