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| Seko Fofana #8 of RC Lens challenges Lionel Messi #30 of Paris Saint-Germain during the Ligue 1 Uber Eats match between Paris Saint Germain and RC Lens at Parc des Princes on April 23, 2022 in Paris, France. |
Lionel Messi scored the goal which delivered PSG its record-equalling Ligue 1 crown.
A 1-1 draw against Lens was enough for the Paris outfit to equal Marseille and Saint-Etienne’s record of 10 French top-flight championships.
At Parc des Princes Messi’s goal in the 68th minute was matched by Corentin Jean twenty minutes later.
The league title is Mauricio Pochettino’s first in his coaching career but uncertainty remains about his future at the club following the club’s round-of-16 exit to Real Madrid in the Champions League.
The win was not heartily celebrated with the fans expecting more than a league title after the additions of Messi, Donnarumma, and Sergio Ramos.
Messi, who joined amid much fanfare as a free agent from Barcelona, has had a lackluster season, scoring only four goals in Ligue 1 in 22 appearances.
The Argentine delivered 13 assists, though, but the attacking trio he formed with Kylian Mbappe and Neymar started clicking deep into the season, and after the Champions League exit.
Keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma joined from AC Milan after guiding Italy to the European title, but he has had to share his place between the posts with the experienced Keylor Navas — a situation that seemed to prevent both of them from performing at their best level.
Center-back Sergio Ramos was also announced as a major recruit but was injured for most of the season and featured in only nine league matches.
The biggest challenge for PSG’s management now is to convince Mbappe to extend his stay at the club.
Talks between PSG and Mbappe’s representatives are moving in a positive direction according to many sources with the players’ image rights issues the only thing preventing a move to Madrid in the summer.
PSG wrapped up the title having lost four times and scoring 76 goals, the most in the division this season, while only conceding 31, giving them the second-best defensive record.
Eight of PSG’s league championships have come in the last decade, with Lille in 2021 and Monaco in 2018 interrupting their unrivaled run of success.
