Strasbourg kept his hopes for the life of the Champions League next season with a 2-1 Saturday against a Paris Saint-Germain victory showing 10 changes in their mid-week victory at Arsenal. A goal by Lucas Hernandez put Strasbourg in the lead over 20 minutes and Felix Lemarechal doubled the advance of the local team first half in Alsace, although Bradley Barcola withdrawn one for PSG just after the break. The Strasbourg in the form of Liam Rosenior is now undefeated in 12 games again in early February and this victory leaves them fifth of the painting, only one point behind Monaco, which won 3-1 in Saint-Etitienne.
“Despite all the changes, PSG has always put a solid team,” said English Rosenior.
“We had to fight for each ball in the heat. The players ran for each other, celebrated the winning plated and the headers.
“We have shown this courage all season. We are the second best team in 2025 behind PSG.
“The progress that my players have made is superb. You have to suffer as much as possible to beat a team like Paris, but it was worth it.”
PSG has already finished a fourth consecutive title in Ligue 1 and saw their worldwide national record this season end last weekend.
Coach Luis Enrique therefore rested all those who started the 1-0 victory at Arsenal during the first leg of their semi-final of the Champions League on Tuesday, with the exception of the Portuguese midfielder Joao Neves.
Monaco goes second
Ousmane Dembele, who scored the winning goal against the Gunners, was completely absent from the team after being injured in the second half of this match.
It remains to be seen if Dembele, the top scorer of PSG with 33 goals this season in all competitions, will be suitable for the leg back in Paris on Wednesday.
Luis Enrique made his high -level debut at the Meinau stadium to an Axel -17 -year -old axel strip and only a third start in Ligue 1 at the winger Ibrahim Mbaye, also only 17.
“We finished with five players from the Academy on the field, all very young, but I am satisfied with what I saw,” said Luis Enrique.
“Now we have to be ready and dive into what we have to come this week.”
Strasbourg took advantage of the inexperience of their visitors when they continued at 20 minutes when Mamadou Sarr helped in a corner and the ball went to the net of the unfortunate Hernandez.
Goncalo Ramos had some chance for visitors in the first half, but Strasbourg scored again just before the interval.
Habib Diarra advanced right before soaking Lemarechal to score with a nice strike for the first time from the edge of the area, high in the distant corner.
Hernandez and Lee Kang-in, who had trouble hitting, were both replaced in restart while another teenager, the 18-year-old defender Noham Kamara, came for his Ligue 1 bow.
PSG recovered a goal within a minute in the second half while Barcola ran over half the length of the field before stabbing in its 19th goal of the campaign in all competitions.
However, Strasbourg maintained for the rest of the match, especially in eight minutes of time.
They are only one point behind Monaco, who went second thanks to their relegation to Saint-Etitian victory with Maghnes Akliouche, Moatasem al-Musrati and Folarin Balogun all on the target.
The only difference in goals in Monaco ahead of Marseille, third, who plays on Sunday in Lille – the fight for the champions League is so tight that Lille is sixth but can go second if they win this match.
Friday, Nice Beat Reims 1-0 and are ahead of Strasbourg on the difference in goals, but Lyon, seventh, can move with these teams by beating the goal on Sunday.
The first three of Ligue 1 qualify directly for the Champions League, the fourth entering the preliminary rounds.
Meanwhile, the late goal of the Norwegian international Aron Donnum gave Toulouse a 2-1 victory against Rennes, which confirmed their high level survival.
(With the exception of the title, this story has not been published by NDTV staff and is published from a unionized flow.)
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