Paris Saint-Germain are the Ligue 1 champions - a factually correct statement today and a possible headline tomorrow, as Luis Enrique's side close in on their customary domestic crown.
Les Parisiens experienced a memorable blip in the 2020-21 season as Christophe Galtier's Lille stunned the French footballing landscape, but superstars and the stars of tomorrow helped PSG wrestle back what is rightfully theirs.
The Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Lionel Messi band were on song in 2021-22 and 2022-23, the former helped spearhead a new generation in 2023-24, and Enrique's young prospects could now make history.
The capital giants have moved away from their 'galacticos' era in favour of a cohesive team unit and nurturing the globe's finest talents, a shift in approach that has not impacted their domestic dominance as they sit 21 points clear at the top of the Ligue 1 table.
With seven games left to play, only Monaco are capable of pulling off the most extraordinary title comeback, but Les Monegasques' wafer-thin hopes could be extinguished by the time they take to the field tomorrow.
How can PSG win the Ligue 1 title this weekend?
© Iconsport
As PSG are 21 points clear of Monaco with just 21 left to fight for, Enrique's side will be crowned 2024-25 Ligue 1 champions with as little as a draw at home to 14th-placed Angers on Saturday afternoon.
Even if Les Parisiens surprisingly fail to triumph, they could still win the title on Saturday if Monaco draw with or lose to Brest a couple of hours later, but even a Monegasques win and PSG loss would only delay the inevitable.
As well as holding a staggering 21-point advantage, PSG's exceptional goal difference of +53 is highly superior to that of Monaco's +20, although one slice of history will pass them by.
PSG could win the Ligue 1 title with six games remaining, but their own record for the earliest triumph came in the 2015-16 campaign, when they sealed the crown with eight games left.
However, that Parisiens team did not go through the whole season undefeated, a feat that Enrique's current iteration could still manage having won 22 and drawn five of their 27 league games so far.
PSG could join exclusive European club with unbeaten season
© Imago
No side in French football history has ever gone through an entire top-flight season unbeaten, while only six previous teams have ever done so in Europe, most recently Bayer Leverkusen in the 2023-24 Bundesliga.
PSG could follow Leverkusen, Juventus (2011-12), Arsenal (2003-04), Milan (1991-92), Perugia (1978-79) and Preston North End (1888-89) as the seventh side in that exclusive club, which Enrique has admitted he is now pining for.
"I wasn't interested in [records] until now, but of course, we want to go unbeaten throughout the season," the PSG boss said at his pre-game press conference. "We don't just want to be champions, but we want to be competitive and perform well. We want to improve our records and statistics.
"We can always improve. The players can get individually and collectively. We are trying to train in a way that can be reflected in matches. We changed things. It's a collective sport so it's very hard to reach the highest level."
Les Parisiens are also pursuing glory in the Champions League and Coupe de France; they meet Aston Villa in the quarter-finals of the former this month and take on Reims in the Coupe de France final in late May.
Ben Knapton
