PSG emerge as French champions

Paris: Paris Saint-Germain clinched the French league title for the second successive season on Wednesday before going down to a 2-1 home defeat against Rennes at the Parc des Princes.

Confirmation that PSG had secured the Ligue 1 championship came through just before they kicked off their match as it emerged that nearest challengers Monaco had been held to a 1-1 draw by Guingamp, and news of the result in the principality was met with jubilation by Paris fans.

The result left second-placed Monaco seven points behind PSG with only two matches of the season remaining and means that Claudio Ranieri’s side will have to settle for the runners-up spot and automatic Champions League qualification.

Monaco took the lead against Guingamp in the 77th minute courtesy of a strike from the in-form Dimitar Berbatov, his fifth in his last four games.

However, Fatih Atik equalised for the Bretons five minutes from the end, and PSG fans cheered as it filtered through to them that Monaco had been pegged back.
Guingamp, who won the French Cup by beating Rennes 2-0 in the final at the weekend, hung on for a precious draw in their fight against relegation despite having Moustapha Diallo sent off.

Despite losing to Rennes, PSG have 83 points with two matches left, one fewer than the all-time best mark, set by Lyon in the 2005-06 season. It is PSG’s fourth French title since their foundation in 1970, following previous triumphs in 1986, 1994 and last season.