There was to be no repeat of final season’s fairy-tale ending, and certainly no repeat of PSG failing to transform their monetary dominance into trophies as Carlo Ancelotti led the capital membership to their first league title in 21 years with two video games to spare.
PSG wrapped up the title with two video games to go, beating Marseille to the punch.
L’OM themselves loved a surprisingly good season, qualifying for the Champions League after a yr away from the premier competitors. They had been joined by Lyon who beat high-flying Good to the ultimate spot.
Champions Montpellier got here again right down to earth with a bump, solely managing ninth place this time round, whereas Nancy, Troyes and Brest suffered relegation
CHANGES
After the false begin they endured in 2011-12, PSG hit the acceleration button on their switch spending to make sure there have been no extra slip-ups of their quest to be topped French champions. Thiago Silva and Zlatan Ibrahimovic had been the marquee signings from Serie A, they usually had been joined by Ezequiel Lavezzi, Marco Verratti, Gregory van der Wiel and (within the winter window), Lucas Moura and one David Beckham.
For nearly all people else in Ligue 1, the switch window proved to be a promoting recreation. Every of the opposite main golf equipment in France cashed in on their expertise – headed by Eden Hazard who departed Lille for Champions League winners Chelsea within the shut season.
Montpellier had been additionally hit exhausting, with Rene Girard seeing his championship profitable facet pulled aside by larger golf equipment. Olivier Giroud moved to Arsenal, whereas membership captain Mapou Yanga Mbiwa was additionally lured to England by Newcastle United.
Marseille bought Cesar Azpilicueta to Chelsea and Stephane Mbia to QPR, with Joey Barton – contemporary right into a 12-match ban within the Premier League – shifting the opposite manner on mortgage. For L’OM nonetheless, they went into the marketing campaign with out supervisor Didier Deschamps, who stop the Stade Velodrome for the nationwide crew. He was changed by Elie Baup.
SEASON SUMMARY
PSG started their quest for the title in stumbling trend. They wanted 2 objectives from debut star Ibrahimovic to take a share of the factors in opposition to FC Lorient on the Parc des Princes. It was Marseille who set the early tone, regardless of a transitional summer time. OM gained their first six video games, one thing that had not been achieved in 52 years in Ligue 1.
However PSG rapidly rallied to take over the lead earlier than a difficult winter for Carlo Ancelotti. The Parisiens had solely taken 4 factors from a complete of 15 simply earlier than the winter break, and there was speak of the Italian coach being changed. Nonetheless, a tactical swap and probably some stern phrases produced a run of 13 video games with out defeat, earlier than they finally clinched the title away to Lyon in Might.
OM completed 2nd, choosing up 13 1-0 wins alongside the way in which and scoring solely 42 instances throughout the whole marketing campaign. Elsewhere, it was Brest who suffered relegation first, on the again of 11 consecutive defeats – earlier than Nancy and Troyes had been demoted on a frantic remaining day.
PLAYER OF THE SEASON
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Ibrahimovic gained the Participant of the Season award in his maiden marketing campaign in France, main PSG to the title with a return of 29 objectives in 33 video games.
MANAGER OF THE SEASON
Carlo Ancelotti / Christophe Galtier
A uncommon shared win for the Supervisor of the Season award as Christophe Galtier was honoured for delivering the Coupe de la Ligue and European soccer to Saint-Etienne alongside Carlo Ancelotti.
YOUNG PLAYER OF THE SEASON
Florian Thauvin
The 20-year-old struck 10 objectives for Bastia, proving his potential and securing a switch to Lille halfway via the season earlier than profitable the U20 World Cup with France.
TOP GOALSCORER
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
With 29 objectives, Ibrahimovic spearheaded PSG’s assault on the title, ending 10 away from Saint-Etienne’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
TEAM OF THE SEASON
SIRIGU; JALLET, T SILVA, NKOULOU, MAXWELL; VERRATTI, MATUIDI, PAYET; VALBUENA, IBRAHIMOVIC, AUBAMEYANG
MOST EXPENSIVE TRANSFER
Thiago Silva
AC Milan to PSG
€42m
KEY MOMENT OF THE SEASON
Two video games earlier than the tip of the marketing campaign, Jeremy Menez’s solitary strike at Stade Gerland was sufficient to seal PSG’s first league title since 1994 on an evening of celebration.
