“The job is done. It has proven to be more stressful than anticipated but what many regarded as a foregone conclusion has belatedly been reached: Paris Saint-Germain are the champions of France for a record 11th time, courtesy of a rather underwhelming 1-1 draw away to Strasbourg. This is a landmark moment. French football has become accustomed to PSG title triumphs but this latest success puts that dominance on a new footing. …”
The Athletic

“Neither of PSG’s two most recent marquee signings has worked out as hoped. Both could even be classed as outright mistakes in hindsight. However, as one’s Parisian journey looks set to end in acrimony, the other may yet deserve a second chance. As PSG beat Ajaccio 5-0 on Saturday to move within one win of another underwhelming league title, hopes of revolution again returned to the Parc des Princes. …”
Guardian

“Kylian Mbappe enjoys a unique status in the French game. In the 41st minute of Paris Saint-Germain’s trip to Angers on Friday, they won a corner. By that point, Mbappe had scored twice and Angers were staring at defeat, and probable confirmation of their relegation in the days to follow. Mbappe walked over to take the set piece, in between the Colombier and Jean Bouin stands, right in front of the home supporters. These were not Angers’ most vocal ultras, it must be said. But the 24-year-old raised his arms, as if to encourage the crowd to generate some noise. They did. And they cheered him. …”
The Athletic

“From the outside, it appeared to be just an ordinary marketing video sent to Paris Saint-Germain season ticket holders to try to coax them into a renewal. But then, on Thursday, an Instagram story appeared on Kylian Mbappe’s account, expressing to his 102 million followers that he was unhappy about the whole thing. … This was not the first time Mbappe has used social media to vent his frustrations. Last October, after a 0-0 Ligue 1 draw with Reims, Mbappe dropped a subtle message on an Instagram story about his perceived unhappiness at being played as a central striker. …”
The Athletic

“Lionel Messi in Paris. Will there be another season? That is one of the most important plotlines at play at the Parc des Princes right now and, judging by this week’s latest instalment of Parisian drama, a conclusion is still some way off. On Friday, Jorge Messi, the Argentinian forward’s father, posted a dramatic message on his Instagram story. It read: ‘Danger — FAKE NEWS!!!!’, followed by emojis of an exclamation mark, a radioactive symbol and a skull. …”
The Athletic (Video)

“Football clubs are often indecisive when the stakes are high. Too often they dither over transfers, dropping players who have lost form, or dismissing managers. The dangers of this approach has been on show in Ligue 1 this season, where the relegation of four clubs rather than the usual three has made the need for success even more acute than usual. Ligue 2 is a particularly difficult division to bounce back from, as St-Étienne are discovering. Having been relegated from the top flight last season, they are now 13th in the second tier. …”
Guardian

“When PSG were trailing Lille 3-2 with 15 minutes to play, coach Christophe Galtier was joined on the touchline at the Parc des Princes. Famed sporting director Luis Campos, who engineered Lille and Monaco’s recent title-winning squads, left his usual seat in the stands to bark orders and complain about decisions. Although known to be fiercely opinionated, Campos’ ire spilling over in such a public fashion is unprecedented. After three consecutive defeats in three competitions last week, pressure is growing on Galtier. Campos, it seems, feels it too. …”
Guardian

“‘Believe in yourselves. We are right. You are right. The coaching staff are right,’ said an impassioned Damien Comolli. The former Liverpool and Tottenham director, now Toulouse president, was trying to inspire a dejected dressing room as the players slumped in their seats after a 6-1 rout by Marseille at the end of December. Comolli’s faith has proven well-placed. The team responded by going on a five-game unbeaten run that only ended this weekend, when they were narrowly defeated 2-1 by PSG in Paris. Toulouse, one of the more avant garde teams in Ligue 1, keep exceeding expectations. …”
Guardian

Le Puy players celebrate after their victory over Nice in the Coupe de France.
“There are moments in a season that can provoke profound self-reflection in a club. Nice’s shock 1-0 defeat to Le Puy-en-Velay Foot 43 Auvergne in the round of 64 of the Coupe de France represents one of those moments, laying bare the incoherence of Ineos’ project. Flashback to last May and Nice, under the stewardship of now-PSG manager Christophe Galtier, were playing in the Coupe de France final against Nantes. …”
Guardian

Will Still / Reims
“Stade de Reims’ defeat to Marseille on the opening day of the season is looking increasingly far away these days and not just because of the World Cup break. Reims’ 3-1 win over Rennes on Thursday night was their eighth match in a row without defeat, a run that has coincided with the installation of Will Still as their manager. Some of the games in that run have been against the league’s lesser lights – and Reims were not majorly disrupted by the World Cup, with only Junya Ito playing in Qatar – but the evidence of the young manager’s positive influence continues apace. …”
Guardian