PSG went into Sunday’s Ligue 1 clash with Monaco 14 points ahead at the summit of the table. With classic French elegance, the side from the capital dethroned the reigning champions, netting seven to mark their seventh league title.
Prior to the game, PSG and Monaco had locked horns three times already this season and the Parisians had emerged victorious each and every time. They now found themselves gifted with the chance to reclaim their crown from the French Riviera side that robbed them of their glory last season.
Things started out rather bleakly for PSG when Edinson Cavani missed a sitter 10 minutes into the match. The Uruguayan lashed at the ball with his swinger and plunged his head into his hands when he saw his volley whistle past the far post.
- Four goals in 12 minutes -
Giovanni Lo Celso drew first blood when he rounded of a masterfully worked team move. A few one-touch passes saw the Parisians ghost past Monaco’s backline before Dani Alves squared to Lo Celso. Unmarked, the Argentine swept the easiest goal he’ll ever score into an open net on the 15 minute mark.
Just 60 seconds later, Cavani made up for his earlier howler when he lept highest to drill a bullet header beyond the helpless Danijel Subasic. With his luscious locks dancing in the wind, Cavani celebrated his 36th goal of what has been a formidable season for the striker.
El Matador then turned provider for Angel Di Maria when he lumped the ball over the top for the Argentine to chase. Di Maria took the ball down, looked up, and lifted a delightful lob over Subasic for 3-0. Magnifique.
With 27 minutes on the clock and three goals already under their belt, PSG were still hungry. With the outside of his boot, Javier Pastore floated an inviting ball into the front post for the oncoming Lo Celso who, channelling his inner-Cavani, nodded home for a tidy first-half brace.
Nevertheless, Rony Lopes managed to pull one back for the visitors before half-time. Almamy Toure whipped a low ball across the face of Alphonse Areola’s goal to Lopes who was waiting patiently to turn into an empty net at the back post. The Portuguese midfielder brought his tally up to nine goals in eight games, but that one looked to be but a consolation at the Parc des Princes...
A stunning first-half four-goal haul sent the Parisians cruising into the break and well on their way to getting their hands back on the Ligue 1 trophy.
- An Argentinian masterclass -
Just before the hour mark, Di Maria had his second. Laid on by compatriot Pastore, PSG’s No. 11 fired low to net the second Argentinian brace of the tie.
5-1 down, things were about to get worse for Monaco. From a driven corner, Radamel Falcao bottled his defensive header and saw the ball sail into his own net of his shoulder. It was a particularly bad day at the office for the Colombian who was whisked off the pitch with ten minutes to go.
Julian Draxler, refusing to be left out of the goalfest, put his stamp on the scoresheet when he slotted a side-footed effort beyond Subasic who was well and truly sick of picking the ball out of his net.
Opting to go without added time, the referee called an end to PSG’s savage slaughter of Monaco and Unai Emery’s side restored their spot on France’s throne. The scoreboard read ‘7-1’ at full-time - an apt result to mark the club’s seventh Ligue 1 title.
Now unbeaten in 40 games at home, PSG’s class has been unparalleled this season.They end the week 17 points ahead of their opponents at the summit of France's top flight and with another piece of silverware in their ever-expanding trophy cabinet. Simply magique.