PSG Secures 14th Ligue 1 Title After Victory Over Lens

• PSG clinched a record-extending 14th French league title with goals from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ibrahim Mbaye

• PSG needed only a draw to seal a fifth consecutive Ligue 1 crown

• Their focus now shifts to the Champions League final on May 30 in Budapest against Arsenal

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) secured its record-extending 14th French league title after defeating its closest rival, Lens, 2-0 on Wednesday.

The team needed only a draw to clinch its fifth consecutive Ligue 1 crown, and it now holds a nine-point lead over Lens with one match remaining.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia opened the scoring in the 29th minute, followed by a second goal from Ibrahim Mbaye in stoppage time, capitalizing on several missed opportunities by Lens at Stade Bollaert-Delelis.

“Without a doubt this was difficult; Lens did so well this season,” PSG coach Luis Enrique stated. “I think they deserved more tonight, but (goalkeeper Matvei) Safonov was incredible tonight.”

The match, originally scheduled for April 11, was postponed by the French league to assist PSG’s ambitions in the Champions League. The team is set to face Premier League leaders Arsenal in the final on May 30 in Budapest.

Despite Lens’s disappointment with the postponement, coach Pierre Sage’s squad had no input on the decision.

Lens is also preparing for a final, facing Nice in the French Cup on May 22. In anticipation of that match, Sage kept his top forwards, Florian Thauvin and Allan Saint-Maximin, on the bench until the hour mark against PSG.

Clinical versus Wasteful

PSG capitalized on a mistake from Lens when Dembélé intercepted a poor pass from defender Malang Sarr, feeding Kvaratskhelia, who finished expertly.

Mbaye scored in stoppage time, converting a pass from Désiré Doué off the crossbar, moments after Lens previously missed another chance.

Lens had opportunities to equalize or take the lead, but striker Wesley Saïd misjudged a close-range header and shot directly at Safonov in first-half stoppage time.

Safonov denied another chance from Abdallah Sima early in the second half and later watched Sima hit the post after a great pass from Thauvin in the 74th minute.

“I had some luck today,” acknowledged Safonov. “If my opponents had put their shots a bit more either side of me, it would have been different.”

Saint-Maximin created threats after coming on in the second half but squandered several promising situations by trying too hard to find the perfect shooting angle.

“We created a lot of chances and stopped them playing. My players deserved at least a draw tonight,” Sage reflected. “Their goalkeeper had a great game, but we missed a lot of chances. They had two chances and scored.”

The last team to stop PSG from winning the title was Lille in 2021. This season proved more competitive than the last, when PSG clinched the title without a loss and with six matches remaining.

Strasbourg Wins

In another match, Strasbourg defeated Brest 2-1 in a fixture that was also rescheduled due to Strasbourg’s participation in the UEFA Conference League, where they lost to Rayo Vallecano in the semifinals.

Defender Valentin Barco and midfielder Sebastian Nanasi each scored for Strasbourg, sandwiching a goal from Brest striker Ludovic Ajorque in an action-packed opening.

Strasbourg will finish the season in eighth place, while Brest sits 12th as they prepare for the final round of Ligue 1 games on Sunday.