Race to the title: How Paris Saint-Germain secured an eighth league trophy

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We take a look back at the Rouge et Bleu’s incredible championship win in 10 key games.

12 August: Paris Saint-Germain 3 v SM Caen 0

Thomas Tuchel’s first league game at the Parc des Princes arrived on 12th August. Goals from Neymar, Rabiot and Timothy Weah gave the Parisians the perfect start!

 

23 September: Rennes 1 v Paris Saint-Germain 3

After midweek disappointment following a UEFA Champions League defeat to Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain showed they had the mental resolve to get back to winning ways immediately on a tricky visit to Rennes. Angel Di Maria, Thomas Meunier and Eric-Maxim Choupo Moting confirmed the three points.

7 October: Paris Saint-Germain 5 v Lyon 0

This five star performance was one of the stand out victories of Paris’ 2018. After helping his country lift the World Cup in Russia during the summer, all eyes were on Kylian Mbappé to see if he would maintain his incredible form with his club side. Against Lyon the teenager scored four goals in under quarter of an hour to seal victory after Neymar Jr had given the Parisians a first-half lead.

20 October: Paris Saint-Germain 5 v Amiens 0

Paris-Saint Germain showed their Ligue 1 rivals they meant business in October with a second successive 5-0 victory at the Parc. Five different scorers displayed the array of talent that manager Thomas Tuchel had at his disposal.

 

28 October: Marseille 0 v Paris Saint-Germain 2

Arguably the toughest test of the league season for the Rouge et Bleu came at the Stade Vélodrome in ‘Le Classique’. A fiery atmosphere welcomed the visitors but they were undisturbed. After a close first-half, goals from Mbappé and Draxler sealed the win in the derby!

19 January: Paris Saint-Germain 9 vs EA Guingamp 0

Many teams battling to progress in four competitions sometimes take a while to get into gear after the winter break, but Paris Saint-Germain proved the exception to the rule, hammering Guingamp at the Parc, scoring an incredible nine goals in the process. The result proved that the home side had the relentless mentality that all winning teams possess.

3 February: Lyon 2 v Paris Saint-Germain 1

After going unbeaten for the entire league season until February, a 1-2 loss away at Lyon brought Paris Saint-Germain back down to earth. The result was an important lesson, and proved that form means nothing compared to your next challenge. The outcome tested the resolve of the league leaders.

12 March: Dijon 0 v Paris Saint-Germain 4

The team from the French capital were tested further in the new year when they were dramatically knocked out of the UEFA Champions League due to a late goal from opponents Manchester United. A trip in mid-March to Dijon was a potential banana skin for a team still reeling from the midweek loss. However, Thomas Tuchel’s team silenced their critics with an emphatic 4-0 victory on the road. The result was proof that they had the fight and the desire to get back to winning ways.

17 March: Paris Saint-Germain 3 v Marseille 1

If Paris were looking for a break, they weren’t given any room to relax by the intense Ligue 1 schedule. Just five days after victory in Dijon, the Rouge et Bleu were back in action against one of their biggest rivals. Marseille came to the Parc des Princes looking to take a shot at the league leaders. Les Olympiens were in for a shock however. In a tense atmosphere, Angel Di Maria ran the show, unsettling the visitors for 90 minutes and bagging two goals for himself in the process. The final 3-1 scoreline showed that whatever the challenge, Paris Saint-Germain were equal to it, and that a league title would soon be on its way to the capital.

21 April: Paris Saint-Germain 3 vs AS Monaco 1

The Rouge et Bleu confirmed the league title in the hours before their tie against AS Monaco at the Parc des Princes owing to other results. The 90 minutes in Paris therefore summoned a party atmosphere right from the first whistle as the team ran out 3-1 winners against the club from the South of France. The welcome returns of Neymar Jr, Marquinhos and Edinson Cavani added to the celebratory mood as fans and players alike celebrated a victorious season!