PSG claim seventh Ligue 1 title

PARIS, Apr 16 (Reuters): Paris Saint-Germain claimed their seventh Ligue 1 title in emphatic style with a 7-1 home win against defending champion AS Monaco on Sunday.

PSG, who netted four goals in the opening half-hour, have 87 points with five games remaining and lead second-placed Monaco by 17 points after doubles by Giovani Lo Celso and Angel Di Maria, goals by Edison Cavani and Julian Draxler and a Radamel Falcao own goal.

Monaco, who could only reply through Rony Lopes, are now threatened by third-placed Olympique Lyonnais and fourth-placed Olympique de Marseille who are four points behind them after wins at the weekend.

Playing at the Parc des Princes against the team who denied them the title last year was the perfect occasion for PSG, owned by big-spenders Qatar Sports Investments since 2011, to wrap up their fifth title in the Qatari era.

They joined Lyon in fifth place in the rankings of the clubs with the most French titles -- three behind record holders St Etienne.

"The team maintained the pressure throughout the game," said coach Unai Emery, who failed to take PSG past the last 16 in the Champions League this season. Kylian Mbappe sat on the bench as Emery, whose contract is unlikely to be renewed at the end of the season, gave Javier Pastore a rare start.

Monaco, who were humbled 3-0 by PSG in the League Cup final, got off to a good start but the home side had the first clear chance in the 10th minute when Cavani volleyed just wide from Dani Alves's cross. In the space of seven minutes, PSG took a three-goal lead.

Lo Celso tapped in from Alves's cross from close range in the 14th before Cavani beat Danijel Subasic with a powerful downward header, sending the home crowd into raptures three minutes later. In the 20th, Di Maria beat the offside trap to collect Cavani's through ball and lob over Subasic.

Ligue 1 2017/18 champions Paris Saint-Germain's record — AFP