PSG Reclaim Summit After Dramatic Night

The Ligue 1 title race has taken a compelling new twist as Paris Saint-Germain surged back to the top of the table with a commanding 3–0 victory over FC Metz at the Parc des Princes. The Parisian side’s ascent, however, was aided significantly by a dramatic collapse from their closest rivals, RC Lens, who squandered a two-goal lead to lose 3–2 against AS Monaco.

At the start of the day, Lens held a slender one-point advantage over PSG. Playing at home, they appeared firmly in control after establishing a 2–0 lead early in the second half. Yet, in a stunning turnaround, Monaco rallied to claim all three points, inflicting Lens’s first home league defeat since August. That unexpected result opened the door for PSG, who seized the opportunity with authority.

PSG wasted no time asserting dominance. Just three minutes into the match, rising talent Désiré Doué opened the scoring with a composed finish. Latching onto a precise long pass from midfield prodigy Warren Zaïre-Emery, Doué surged forward before calmly slotting the ball past the goalkeeper. The early breakthrough set the tone for a controlled and confident performance.

The hosts doubled their advantage on the stroke of half-time through Bradley Barcola. A corner delivered into the box was initially met by a header from Lucas Hernández, which the goalkeeper parried. However, Barcola reacted sharply to convert the rebound from close range, giving PSG a comfortable cushion heading into the interval.

In the closing stages, Gonçalo Ramos sealed the victory with a powerful finish, registering his 11th goal of the season. The goal underlined PSG’s attacking depth and efficiency, even in the absence of several key players.

Manager Luis Enrique opted for squad rotation ahead of an important European fixture. With Ousmane Dembélé sidelined through injury, several regular starters were rested as PSG prepare to face Monaco again in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League play-off tie on Wednesday. Notably, Doué retained his place in the starting line-up following his brace in the first leg, which PSG won 3–2.

With 11 matches remaining, PSG now lead Lens by two points, placing them firmly in control of their title destiny. Meanwhile, Olympique Lyonnais, currently in third place, could reduce the gap to six points if they secure victory against RC Strasbourg on Sunday.

Below is a snapshot of the current standings among the top contenders:

As the season approaches its  phase, the margin for error continues to shrink. PSG’s timely return to the summit, combined with Lens’s unexpected stumble, has injected fresh intrigue into the title race. With European commitments and domestic pressures converging, the coming weeks promise a gripping contest for supremacy in French football.