Paris Saint-Germain sealed their fourth straight Ligue 1 title on Saturday after a 1-0 win over Angers gave Luis Enrique’s side an unassailable lead in the French top flight.
The victory, courtesy of a Désiré Doué goal, moved PSG to 74 points with six rounds left, 24 points ahead of second-placed Monaco, who can reach only 68 points if they win all their remaining games.
Although the first half was goalless, PSG utterly dominated possession and took 11 shots, with Gonçalo Ramos taking nearly half of those, but the home side could not find the net.
Ten minutes into the second half, PSG took the lead when January recruit Khvicha Kvaratskhelia floated a cross into the six-yard box and the 19-year-old winger Doué connected with a volley at the far post for his fifth league goal of the season.
Luis Enrique then made a triple change, with this season’s top-scorer Ousmane Dembélé coming on, not only looking to increase his tally of 21 goals but also to get some minutes before their Champions League quarter-final against Aston Villa, though PSG could not add to their advantage.
In Spain, Vinícius Júnior missed his second penalty in less than a month as Real Madrid were shocked at home by Valencia 2-1,but Barcelona failed to take full advantage as they were held to 1-1 draw at home by Real Betis. Hansi Flick’s Barça are top on 67 points, three ahead of Real in second and nine clear third-placed Atlético Madrid.
Real Madrid dominated possession throughout the game but wasted too many chances, with the Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili putting in a brilliant performance between the posts, including blocking Vinícius’s first-half penalty.
Mouctar Diakhaby opened the scoring for Valencia with a header from an André Almeida corner in the 15th minute. Vinícius stroked in the equaliser from a corner in the 50th minute and pushed for the winner in the second half. However, Valencia held on and took advantage of a quick counter five minutes into added time as Hugo Duro’s header secured the win.
In Barcelona, the visiting defender Natan cancelling out Gavi’s early opener.
The hosts had been given further motivation by Real’s shocking loss and had a great start when Gavi opened the scoring from close range, brilliantly assisted by Ferran Torres seven minutes after kick-off. However, Natan headed the Betis equaliser from a corner in the 17th minute and though they dominated, Barcelona could not find a way past the 38-year-old goalkeeper Adrián.
In Italy, the Serie A leaders, Inter, squandered a two-goal advantage to draw 2-2 at Parma in as the visitors’ coach, Simone Inzaghi, served a touchline ban after being shown a red card last weekend.
Matteo Darmian gave Inter the lead after 15 minutes and Marcus Thuram doubled their advantage just before the break with a peculiar chipped finish. However, Parma, who threatened Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer in the first half, pulled a goal back on the hour through half-time substitute Adrián Bernabé before Jacob Ondrejka levelled in the 69th minute following a brilliant solo run.
Inter, on 68 points from 31 games, are four points above second-placed Napoli, who travel to Bologna, in fourth, on Monday.
Milan recovered from conceding two early goals to snatch a 2-2 draw against visiting Fiorentina as their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League continue to fade.
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Malick Thiaw gave Fiorentina the lead with an own goal after seven minutes before forward Moise Kean fired a first-time shot from close range to double the visitors’ advantage three minutes later.
Milan reemerged through a Tammy Abraham strike in the 23rd minute and substitute Luka Jovic levelled with a low effort from around the penalty spot. Milan are ninth in the table on 48 points, four points behind eighth-placed Fiorentina
Meanwhile, Bayer Leverkusen needed a stoppage-time goal from the substitute Emiliano Buendía to snatch a 1-0 win at Heidenheim and keep their Bundesliga title hopes alive, staying six points behind the leaders, Bayern Munich.
Xabi Alonso’s team still looked to be feeling the effects of Tuesday’s shock German Cup semi-final exit to third-tier club Arminia Bielefeld until Buendía curled a shot in off the post.
The hosts had a much livelier first half and a string of clear chances with Leverkusen lacking any punch up front. Alonso brought on fresh legs in Arthur and Patrik Schick in the 68th minute but it was Buendía, another substitute, who scored the winner.
Borussia Dortmund crushed Freiburg 4-1 to climb into eighth as the Ruhr valley club chase a top-four finish and a spot in next season’s Champions League, with six games left to play. Goals from Karim Adeyemi, Carney Chukwuemeka, Serhou Guirassy and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens took Dortmund to within five points of Mainz, in the last Champions League spot, after they were held 1-1 at home by struggling Holstein Kiel.
The Bayern Munich favourite Thomas Müller will leave the German giants at the end of the season after 25 trophy-laden years because he was not offered another contract, he has announced.
In a message on social media, the 35-year-old , who started as a youth player and won a record 12 league titles with Bayern – the most by any Bundesliga player – said: “I still really enjoy being on the pitch with the lads and fighting for titles together for our team. I could have easily imagined taking on this role next year as well. However, the club consciously decided not to negotiate a new contract with me for next season. Even if this wasn’t in line with my personal wishes, it’s important that the club follows its convictions. I respect this step, which the board and supervisory board certainly didn’t take lightly.”
