With just two matches remaining in the 2024-25 Ligue 1 campaign, Paris Saint-Germain has moved to the brink of claiming an unprecedented fifth straight domestic championship, following a tense 1-0 victory over Brest on Sunday. The result leaves Luis Enrique’s side six points clear of second-placed Lens, with an overwhelming 15-goal advantage in goal difference that all but guarantees the title regardless of next week’s result.
Fresh off a hard-fought Champions League semi-final victory over Bayern Munich just four days prior, PSG made nine changes to their starting lineup to rest key first-team stars, including young French international Desire Doue. The 19-year-old was brought off the bench in the second half, and made an immediate impact, curling home the match-winning strike from the edge of the 18-yard box in the 83rd minute to secure all three points.
PSG will formally claim their 12th Ligue 1 crown in 14 seasons if they avoid defeat away to Lens this coming Wednesday. Even in the highly unlikely scenario that the Parisians drop points in both remaining fixtures and Lens win out, Lens would need to erase the 15-goal gap in goal difference – a statistical near-impossibility for Pierre Sage’s side.
Off the pitch, PSG is already looking ahead to a Champions League final against Inter Milan later this month, having edged past Bayern 6-5 on aggregate to secure their spot in the season-ending showpiece.
For their part, Lens had already secured a guaranteed place in next season’s Champions League group stage with a 1-0 win over Nantes on Friday, and will round out their season ahead of a French Cup final against Nice on May 22.
The race for the final Champions League spots intensified over the penultimate matchweek, with northern rivals Lille climbing into third place after a 1-0 away win over Monaco on Sunday. An own goal from Monaco captain Denis Zakaria in the second half handed all three points to Lille, who extended their unbeaten run in Ligue 1 to 13 matches. The result pushed Lille above Lyon, who fell to a 2-1 away defeat to Toulouse. After Corentin Tolisso put Lyon ahead following an early equaliser from Dayann Methalie, Warren Kamanzi netted what proved to be the match-winner for the hosts, who held on despite having Aron Donnum sent off late in the game.
Under Ligue 1’s qualification rules, the top three sides qualify directly for the Champions League league phase, while the fourth-place side must navigate two rounds of two-legged qualifying ties to reach the group stage. Fifth-placed Rennes kept their hopes of a top-three finish alive with a 2-1 come-from-behind win over Paris FC. Division top scorer Esteban Lepaul netted his 20th goal of the season to cancel out an opening strike from Willem Geubbels, before Breel Embolo scored the winner for the home side. Rennes currently sit two points behind third-placed Lille and one point behind fourth-placed Lyon, putting them firmly in contention for a Champions League spot, and are on track to qualify for the Europa League if they hold their current position.
Sixth-placed Marseille, three points behind Rennes, kept their own European hopes alive with a 1-0 away win over Le Havre, with Mason Greenwood scoring his 16th league goal of the campaign from the penalty spot. After Greenwood’s opener, Le Havre missed a chance to equalise when Sofiane Boufal’s penalty was saved. Marseille will face Rennes away on the final matchday next Sunday, with a win lifting them to fifth, a draw leaving them sixth, and a defeat potentially dropping them as low as seventh behind current seventh-placed Monaco. Sixth place currently earns a spot in the UEFA Conference League, but would upgrade to a Europa League place if Lens lifts the French Cup next week, with seventh inheriting the Conference League spot in that scenario.
At the bottom of the table, the relegation battle delivered a late twist, as Auxerre climbed out of the relegation play-off spot with a 2-1 come-from-behind win over Nice. Sofiane Diop opened the scoring for Nice, but Sekou Mara equalised for the hosts before Lassine Sinayoko got the winner, leaving Nice below Auxerre on goal difference in the drop play-off spot. Auxerre’s win shook up the bottom of the table, with Metz and Nantes already confirmed as relegated, and Lorient rounding out the matchweek with a 4-0 away win over already-relegated Metz.
In Ligue 2, Troyes have already been confirmed as champions and will promoted to the top flight next season, while Le Mans is on the cusp of joining them. However, their final match of the season away to Bastia was suspended late in the second half with Le Mans leading 2-0, after crowd trouble broke out in the stands. If the current scoreline is upheld, Le Mans will claim the second automatic promotion spot, and Saint-Etienne will face the relegation play-off against the 18th-placed Ligue 1 side for a spot in the top flight next season.