Paris Saint-Germain has taken another step towards the league title. The Ligue 1 leaders won the top clash against Olympique Marseille, extending their lead to 19 points with the victory.
Paris Saint-Germain moved one step closer to securing another Ligue 1 title with a commanding 3-1 victory over Olympique Marseille, further asserting their dominance in French football.
The result extended PSG’s lead at the top to 19 points, leaving their rivals with little hope of catching up. With only eight matches left in the season, the title is now virtually within reach for the Parisians, who continue to demonstrate their superiority on both domestic and European fronts.
Olympique Marseille came into the match knowing that a victory was essential to keeping the title race somewhat competitive. However, facing a PSG side in peak form, fresh off eliminating Liverpool from the Champions League earlier in the week, proved to be too great a challenge. Luis Enrique’s team, playing with confidence and precision, controlled the game from the outset and rarely looked in danger.
From the opening whistle, PSG dominated possession and dictated the tempo, forcing Marseille into a defensive posture. The visitors attempted to press high and disrupt PSG’s build-up play, but their efforts were largely ineffective against the home side’s technical quality and movement. It didn’t take long for PSG to break through, and in the 17th minute, Ousmane Dembélé opened the scoring. The French winger, who had also found the net at Anfield, capitalized on a perfectly timed pass from Fabián Ruiz and slotted the ball past former Ajax goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli. The early goal put Marseille on the back foot and forced them to adopt a more reactive approach for the remainder of the first half.
Despite their struggles, Marseille managed to create a few half-chances. Amine Harit and Jonathan Clauss both tested Gianluigi Donnarumma from distance, but the Italian goalkeeper was equal to the task. Meanwhile, PSG continued to push forward in search of a second goal to further tighten their grip on the match. Their persistence paid off just before halftime when Nuno Mendes doubled the advantage. Once again, it was Fabián Ruiz who provided the assist, delivering a precise cross into the box that Mendes met with a powerful header, leaving Rulli helpless as the ball nestled into the back of the net. With a 2-0 lead at halftime, PSG looked firmly in control and well on their way to another three points.
Knowing that a loss would effectively end their slim title hopes, Marseille came out with renewed energy in the second half. They pressed higher up the pitch and showed more intent going forward. Their efforts were rewarded in the 52nd minute when Amine Gouiri pulled one back, briefly injecting tension into the match. A well-worked move saw the ball played into Gouiri’s path, and the forward made no mistake with his finish, calmly placing the ball past Donnarumma to make it 2-1.
For a brief period, it seemed like Marseille might find a way back into the game. The goal gave them a renewed sense of belief, and they pushed forward in search of an equalizer. However, PSG managed the situation well, absorbing the pressure and looking for opportunities to hit Marseille on the counterattack. The visitors’ hopes of a comeback were dashed in the 70th minute when disaster struck for Pol Lirola. The defender, under pressure inside his own box, inadvertently turned the ball into his own net while attempting to block a cross from Achraf Hakimi. The own goal restored PSG’s two-goal cushion and effectively sealed the result.
With the game firmly in their grasp, PSG played out the remaining minutes with composure, controlling possession and ensuring that Marseille had no further opportunities to get back into the contest. The victory put PSG in an almost unassailable position at the top of the Ligue 1 table. Their closest challengers can still reach a maximum of 73 points, but if results go their way, PSG could unofficially secure the title as early as April 5, when they face Angers.
Beyond the immediate significance of the result, this victory reinforced PSG’s strength on multiple fronts. The team’s ability to balance their domestic and European commitments has been evident in recent weeks, with Luis Enrique successfully rotating his squad to maintain performance levels. Ousmane Dembélé and Fabián Ruiz were particularly influential in this match, with the former continuing his fine form in front of goal and the latter dictating play from midfield with two assists.
Meanwhile, for Marseille, this defeat was a crushing blow not only to their faint title aspirations but also to their hopes of securing an automatic Champions League qualification spot. With their recent inconsistencies, they now face a battle to ensure they finish in the top three, as other teams in Ligue 1 look to capitalize on their struggles.
For PSG, the remaining matches will likely serve as a formality before the inevitable confirmation of their latest league triumph. More importantly, the focus will soon shift toward their ambitions in the Champions League, where they will look to translate their domestic dominance into European success. If their recent performances are anything to go by, PSG are peaking at the right time, and with key players delivering consistently, they appear well-positioned to chase silverware on multiple fronts.
