Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) delivered a commanding performance with a 6-1 victory over Saint-Etienne, bringing them tantalizingly close to securing a record-extending 13th Ligue 1 title. This win on Saturday put PSG 22 points ahead of their closest rivals Marseille, with just seven matches remaining in the season. Consequently, PSG’s title claim would be solidified if the late game between Monaco and Nice ended in a draw.
Despite an early setback when Lucas Stassin from Saint-Etienne headed in a cross from Zuriko Davitashvili, PSG soon equalized with a penalty from Gonçalo Ramos late in the first half. After the break, Saint-Etienne, stranded at 17th place, faltered dramatically as Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored, followed by two goals from Désiré Doué around a strike from João Neves. Sealing the victory, young substitute Ibrahim Mbaye scored in the 90th minute, marking his first goal for PSG.
In another encounter, Marseille appeared dominant initially but went behind in the 29th minute. Keito Nakamura from Japan outmaneuvered a defender inside the box to score his ninth league goal. Carelessness by Marseille allowed Reims to capitalize as Nakamura progressed from midfield to set up Mamadou Diakhon for another score. Valentin Atangana added a third for Reims before Valentin Rongier managed to pull one back for the struggling Marseille, which now faces its fourth loss in five matches. Marseille’s midfielder Adrien Rabiot criticized his teammates harshly, expressing frustration over the apparent lack of desire to qualify for the Champions League, a sentiment he shared during a post-match interview.
Additionally, the match took place against a backdrop of protests from Saint-Etienne fans against a government move to dissolve the club’s main supporter groups, the Magic Fans and the Green Angels, due to their association with violence at games. Thousands participated in a march carrying a banner reading “Le Chaudron Ne Se Dissout Pas,” a nod to the intense atmosphere of their home stadium, affectionately known as The Cauldron. Saint-Etienne’s club president, Ivan Gazidis, expressed his support for fans, calling the unified demonstration a “wonderful response” to the situation. The French interior ministry reported that soccer-related incidents have been frequent, leading to numerous arrests throughout the season.