Next stop Europe.
Paris Saint-Germain must now prove they can succeed in the UEFA Champions League after securing a fourth straight French title so easily that it was sealed with a record eight games left and capped with a pulverizing 9-0 win over last-placed ESTAC Troyes on Sunday.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored four second-half goals against easily the league’s worst team. Forward Edinson Cavani netted twice, while midfielders Javier Pastore and Adrien Rabiot also scored in addition to an own-goal.
Photo: AP
PSG have lost just once this season — away to Olympique Lyonnais last month — and they lead second-placed AS Monaco by 25 points.
However, they will ultimately be judged by how well they do in Europe, rather than if they win another domestic treble against mediocre opposition unable to mount any sort of challenge.
A better indication of their true progress will be seen in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals next month. PSG have failed to progress beyond the last eight in the past three seasons and have only reached the semi-finals once, back in 1994-1995.
“I hope we do better [in the Champions League] than last year,” PSG president Nasser al-Khelaifi said. “We’re collectively stronger.”
Bankrolled by huge funds from Qatari investor QSI, PSG have dominated so much that they have lost only once in any domestic competition over the past calendar year.
“From the first game we said we would set a pace that others would find hard to keep up with and no teams could,” PSG coach Laurent Blanc said. “It’s amazing to win the title after 30 games.”
Blanc will keep a close eye on his players — mainly because he will be with them.
“We can celebrate for the next two days and I think I will celebrate with them, but then we have to get back to work,” he said.
PSG have an astonishing goal-difference of plus-62 — 77 goals scored, 15 conceded — more than four times better than next-best Lyon, who missed a chance to move into third place on Sunday after squandering a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at Stade Rennais.
Midfielder Rachid Ghezzal and striker Alexandre Lacazette put Lyon 2-0 up, but midfielder Fallou Diagne and forward Jeremie Boga salvaged a point for Rennes, who are in fifth place, one point behind Lyon and two behind OGC Nice.
The talismanic Ibrahimovic has scored 27 league goals and is on track to beat his career-best tally of 30 — set three seasons ago with PSG. He is PSG’s all-time leading scorer with 141 goals, including 102 in the league.
However, the 34-year-old is out of contract in June and hinted after the game that he sees his future away from the club — unless something quite extraordinary happens.
“What happens next year, I don’t know, but for the moment I’m not here,” Ibrahimovic told television channel beIN Sports, before adding:”I don’t believe they can change the Eiffel [Tower] for my statue, but if they can I will stay here, I promise you.”
Blanc had special praise for Ibrahimovic.
“He’s an exceptional competitor,” Blanc said. “The team needs leaders like that.”
PSG have only been tested in Europe, losing 1-0 away to Real Madrid in the Champions League group stages for their only other defeat this season.
The club’s owners have been desperate to win the Champions League since taking charge in June 2011, but PSG will be more confident this time around after beating Chelsea 4-2 on aggregate in the round-of-16 and with more time to prepare.
PSG have reached the Coupe de la Ligue final and the Coupe de France semi-finals, and the only serious blip on an otherwise perfect season came off the field.
Fullback Serge Aurier drew the wrath of the club during a live session with fans on social media, insulting Blanc, Ibrahimovic and Angel di Maria. It did a lot of damage to a club trying hard to improve its image following years of hooliganism and racism by the fans.
In Sunday’s other match, Nantes moved up to sixth place after beating Angers SCO 2-0, with striker Emiliano Sala scoring twice.
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