Neymar and Mbappe are not enough for PSG, Lille wins the title

Mauricio Pochettino's half season with PSG didn’t end well. The Argentinian failed to secure another Champions League final and then failed to secure PSG’s fourth consecutive Ligue 1 title in a row and make it eight in the last nine seasons. Instead, LOSC Lille are new France champions, after winning 2-1 in Angers on the last day of the season. This is Lille’s fourth title in history, and the first since 2011, when Eden Hazard played for the club. All star PSG team, with players like Neymar and Mbappe were not enough for the title in the end.

PSG were hoping that Galtier’s men might slip like they did last week against St. Etienne (0-0), but the club from the Northern France was cool under pressure and managed a comfortable win. And the excitement is the main word in describing the other games too, as Lyon lost at home to Nice, failing to qualify for the Champions League, and allowing Monaco to take their spot. Apart from Lyon, Marsellie will play in the Europa League, while Rennes won 2-0 an secured a place in the Conference League.

Christophe Galtier won the title with his only second club (he previously managed St. Etienne). Before the crucial match with Angers, he was elected by his peers as the best coach of the season. It is actually his second award in a row, since no winner had been declared in 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic. And he totally deserved it. With a modest budget and players taken on loan, he managed to secure enough wins to beat the mighty PSG team to the punch.

Lille basically finished the job in the first half, when Jonathan David and Burak Yilmaz (from penalty) scored against mediocre Angers, who had the possession but not the chances.

They totally controlled the match in the second half, and they conceded a late goal but it was in deep injury time and the game finished immediately after. 

PSG were playing a nervous game in Brest, as they knew that the future is out of their hands. Di Maria again played excellent, and he looked a far better player at his 33, then superstar Neymar. The Argentinian had a magnificent shot directly from the corner which Faivre turned to an own goal, and before that he was brought down in the penalty area, only to see Neymar missing the entire goal. Mbappe scored in the second half, but it didn’t matter at the end.

At the bottom of the table, Nimes and Dijon were already relegated, and after losing at home to Montpellier, Nantes will try to secure the League spot for next season in a playoff game.  

LIGUE 1 - ROUND 38

Sunday

Angers - Lille 1-2 (0-2)

/Fulgini 90+2 - David 10, Yilmaz 45+2 (p)

Brest - PSG 0-2 (0-1)

/Faivre 37(og), Mbappe 71)

Lens - Monaco 0-0

Lyon - Nice 2-3 (2-1)

/Toko Ekambi 14, 40 - Dolberg 27, Kamara 50, Saliba 57/

Metz - Marseille 1-1 (0-0)

/Boulaya 90+7 - Millik (p) 90+14/

Nantes - Montpellier 1-2 (1-1)

/Kolo Muani 31 - Laborte 30, Delort 76/

Reims - Bordeaux 1-2 (1-1)

/Toure 15 - Adli 44 Kwateng 58/

Rennes - Nimes 2-0 (1-0)

/Guirassy 25, Bourigeaud 51/

St Etienne - Dijon 0-1 (0-1)

/Kamara 39/

Strasbourg - Lorient 1-1 (1-0)

/Diallo 18 - Chalobah 55/