Messi is about to win Ligue 1 with PSG

The main match at Parc des Princes was decided in the first half. Neymar soon gave PSG took the lead from the 12th minute, before Duje Caleta-Car equalized the score. In the minutes of injury time, Kylian Mbappe successfully scored a penalty to set the score 2-1.

This result helps PSG strengthen the top of the table with 74 points, widening the gap with Marseille itself to 15 points. With six rounds remaining in the season, Mauricio Pochettino’s army will officially take the throne if they win four more points. Even PSG can be crowned in the next round if they beat Angers, while Marseille did not beat Nantes in the same match on April 20. Ligue 1 will also be PSG’s only title this season, as they are soon knocked out of the Champions League and French Cup, as well as losing to Lille in the French Super Cup.

Pochettino has only one change compared to win against Clermont 6-1 last round, when Marquinhos replaced Sergio Ramos. On the attack is still the appearance of the trio of Messi, Mbappe and Neymar.

PSG entered the game jubilantly and soon opened the scoring. Messi broke through in front of two visitors and released the ball to Marco Verratti. After a beat of control, the Italian midfielder fished into the penalty area for Neymar to lean in and finish in the empty net, when goalkeeper Pau Lopez slipped out. The Brazilian star became the highest-scoring foreign player in Ligue 1 this season, with eight goals, one less than last season’s record.

More than five minutes later, PSG missed a delicious opportunity to double the gap. Danilo Pereira poked a slot for Mbappe to get down, but he missed the post in the face-to-face position. Immediately, Marseille punished them. In the 30th minute, Dimitri Payet’s corner kick caused chaos in the PSG penalty area, and Caleta-Car quickly kicked into the empty net.

After that, PSG continuously created opportunities with the explosion of the three stars in attack. In the 34th minute, from a free kick with a distance of nearly 30 meters, Neymar kicked over the fence but was blocked by Lopez. A few minutes later, Messi put the ball into the net after a close-range shot. But the goal was disallowed because Nuno Mendes was offside before passing it on to a teammate.

The difference only comes in the extra time. Neymar dribbled the ball inside the box and then hit Valentin Rongier’s hand. Initially, the referee did not give a penalty. In the next situation on the ball, Verratti dropped the ball to let Messi down to hit the away team’s net. But the Argentina star continued to be denied a goal for offside.

After that, VAR stepped in and gave PSG a penalty. On the 11m mark, Mbappe finished the stretch to the left corner. Lopez guessed in the right direction but couldn’t get his hands on the ball. This is the French striker’s 32nd goal this season, including 21 in Ligue 1, six in the Champions League and five in the French Cup.

In the second half, each team was denied a goal due to offside. In the 76th minute, Messi passed the ball to Mbappe to hit the corner near the net. A few minutes later, it was the turn of center-back William Saliba to make Marseille fans happy with a close-range ball to beat Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Squad

PSG: Donnarumma, Hakimi, Marquinhos, Kimpembe, Mendes, Pereira, Idrissa Gueye (Wijnaldum 81), Verratti (Ramos 88), Messi, Neymar, Mbappe (Icardi 90).

Marseille: Pau Lopez, Rongier (Lirola 77), Saliba, Caleta Car (Bakambu 90), Peres, Guendouzi, Kamara, Gerson, Pape Gueye (Bamba Dieng 81), Under (Harit 46), Payet.

Hong Duy