Paris Saint-Germain Seals Ligue 1 Title After Lionel Messi Scores

In the 2020-21 season, Lille won the French Premiere Division, giving Mauricio Pochettino’s team their title back.

PSG secured their first French league championship since Lionel Messi’s free transfer to the club in the summer of 2017, thanks to a 1-1 draw with Lens on Saturday.

Despite Lille’s unexpected success in the 2020-21 season, Mauricio Pochettino’s Spurs were able to reclaim the title with four games to spare.

Paris Saint-Germain Seals Ligue 1 Title After Lionel Messi Scores

Though they were able to easily secure the title in the end, their latest Ligue 1 success was met with whistles and jeers from the Parc des Princes crowd due to a lacklustre performance.

So, How did PSG do it?

PSG regained their championship by winning 24 of 34 games, with only six ties and four losses.

Paris has the greatest offence in the league, scoring 76 goals to put them 15 points ahead of second-place Marseille. This should come as no surprise given the talent of Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Neymar who all start up front for the club.

As a team, Pochettino’s squad has the second-best defensive record in the league (two goals more than Nice).

When it Mattered Most, Why were PSG Fans Booing?

PSG were once again booed by their own fans despite being a shoe-in to win the championship.

To express their unhappiness with what they had witnessed up to that point, the crowd sent out a chorus of boos at halftime.

Since PSG’s humiliating fall to Real Madrid in the round of 16, tensions between fans and the squad have been clear.

The heat on the South American combination of Neymar and Messi increased after they were singled out for criticism from the stands following that elimination.

How Many Championships does PSG have to its Name This Year?

The fact that Pochettino only won the Ligue 1 title with PSG in 2021-22 and not any other hardware does little to relieve the pressure he is under.

The Argentine’s team lost the final of the Trophee des Champions to Lille in August, and they also went out of the French Cup and the Champions League in the group stage.

Overall context

PSG’s season has been rocky, with newcomer Lionel Messi being booed by his own fans and the club’s leadership suffering a dramatic fall in popularity.

Even more so than their dominating performance in a league they have won four times in the last five years, PSG’s season will be remembered for their Champions League loss at the hands of Real Madrid.

There is light at the end of the tunnel with Mbappe mulling over a €50 million contract offer, but the Frenchman’s likely summer exit amid ties with Madrid casts a shadow over proceedings.

Even so, the final few games have been a relief for the French giants, as Messi and Neymar have found their form and the team has gathered momentum that they hope to carry over into next season.