Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has amplified its lead and moved a step closer to their eleventh title, after a 5-0 win against AC Ajaccio on Saturday. The match also resulted in Ajaccio losing their position in Ligue 1 and being demoted to Ligue 2. The PSG supporters, however, were not pleased with their star player Lionel Messi, who had been suspended for missing training last month, and gave him a hostile reception during the game.
The win took PSG to a total of 81 points, a lead of six points over second-placed RC Lens, who managed to defeat Stade de Reims 2-1 despite losing a player to a red card. In third place is Olympique de Marseille, who host Angers on Sunday, trailing behind Lens by five points.
The home crowd at the Parc des Princes booed Messi, who returned to the squad after a club-imposed suspension. French media reported that he had been suspended for two weeks after he made a private trip to Saudi Arabia on the day he was supposed to train with the team, following their defeat to Lorient last month. Messi later apologized for his actions to his team and PSG officials. He was left out of the squad in PSG‘s subsequent match against Troyes, which they won 3-1.
Fabian Ruiz opened the scoring and gave PSG the lead in the 22nd minute with a stunning whipped shot. Ten minutes later, the Moroccan Achraf Hakimi doubled the tally by poking home the ball from Kylian Mbappe’s deflected shot. At the start of the second half, Mbappe added two more goals to take PSG‘s lead to 4-0. He scored first, two minutes into the half, with a shot from a cross before adding another, a spectacular volley from the edge of the box in the 54th minute. In the 73rd minute, Ajaccio’s defender Mohamed Youssouf deflected a cross by Marquinhos into his own goal, increasing PSG‘s lead to five goals.
After a brutal challenge, Hakimi was sent off along with Thomas Mangani from Ajaccio, and both teams ended up with ten players. The win sent Ajaccio down to Ligue 2, along with the last four clubs in the 20-team Ligue 1.
The victory against Ajaccio has put PSG in a better position. However, the title race is not over as there are still three games to play. PSG is looking forward to getting back to their top form, hoping to seal the title before the end of the season.
In the end, the game was more about PSG‘s dominant performance and their fans’ disappointment with their star player, Messi’s, return. The spectacle was a telling example of how fans’ emotional investment in sports can negatively impact their behavior. It demonstrates the collective mindset that fans operate with and how it ties to their club’s success.
As PSG approaches their eleventh title, the club must remain committed to the values of hard work, discipline and professionalism to guarantee continued success in the future. Fans and players alike must reflect on the values of sport that lead to creating meaningful and joyous experiences that go beyond individual performances or personal grudges.
Overall, PSG‘s win proved to be a crucial step in their quest for the Ligue 1 title. It demonstrated the remarkable firepower that the team possesses and reminds us of the fickle nature of fandom.
<< photo by Anastasia Shuraeva >>
