By Frank Kamuntu
Paris Saint-Germain have clinched a French record 11th league title as Lionel Messi scored in a 1-1 draw away at Strasbourg and broke the scoring record for Europe’s top five leagues, but questions remain over the Argentinian’s future at the club.
With one game left in the season, PSG has an unbeatable four-point advantage over Lens despite Kevin Gameiro’s equalizer canceling out Messi’s opening goal.
PSG surpassed the previous mark of 10 trophies held by Saint-Etienne from 1981, which they had previously tied under former coach Mauricio Pochettino a year earlier.
It marks PSG’s seventh championship in the last 11 years, a time frame in which they have dominated French football while being owned by Qatar.
“This afternoon I watched the last day of the season in the Bundesliga and you can see that it is very difficult to win the league, any league,” PSG coach Christophe Galtier told broadcaster Canal Plus.
“The reigning champions in all European leagues have often had problems this season, so we appreciate what this means.
“It is a title and we must not believe it is normal to win, even if we are Paris Saint-Germain.”
PSG started the penultimate weekend of the season six points clear of nearest rivals Lens with just six points to play for, and with a far better goal difference.
A Lens slip-up would have seen the capital side crowned champions with a game to spare even in defeat, but in the end they needed the draw as their challengers eased to a 3-0 win over already-relegated Ajaccio.
Kylian Mbappe set up Messi to put PSG ahead just before the hour with his 16th Ligue 1 goal this season.
Ex-Paris striker Gameiro equalised with 11 minutes left, bundling in the rebound after Gianluigi Donnarumma had saved from Morgan Sanson.
The draw ultimately suited both teams as it enabled Strasbourg to guarantee their top-flight survival.
PSG started the season superbly and did not lose a game in any competition before the World Cup.
However, they lost six of their first 17 league games in 2023 and were eliminated from the Champions League in the last 16 by Bayern Munich and in the French Cup at the same stage.
Those results increased speculation that Galtier — who also won the title with Lille two years ago — will be replaced in the close season.
Messi is expected to depart when his contract expires at the end of the campaign, meaning next weekend’s match at home to Clermont is likely to be his last in a PSG shirt.
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