Saint-Etienne Vs PSG

Paris Saint-Germain stand on the brink of securing yet another Ligue 1 title, with the possibility of clinching the championship as early as this weekend. If they emerge victorious in their clash against Saint-Etienne at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard on Saturday and other results align in their favor, the Parisian giants will be celebrating another domestic triumph.

Under the guidance of Luis Enrique, PSG continue their relentless pursuit of an unprecedented quadruple, with this potential league title set to be their second trophy of the season. Their focus will soon shift to a Champions League quarter-final showdown against Aston Villa, but first, they have an opportunity to wrap up the Ligue 1 campaign in emphatic fashion.

The title race remains mathematically open, yet the reality is that only two wins separate PSG from certainty. However, their coronation could come even sooner if a combination of favorable results unfolds. Should Marseille suffer defeat in their early fixture on Saturday, and if PSG claim victory while Monaco and Nice play out a draw, the championship will be officially sealed with seven games still remaining. This would mark the second-earliest title clinching in Ligue 1 history, only surpassed by the 2015-16 PSG squad, who secured the league with eight matches left to play. That season, PSG utterly dominated, finishing 31 points ahead of their closest rivals, and the current side appears set for a similarly commanding conclusion to the campaign.

PSG's latest triumph in Le Classique before the international break served as another major step towards the inevitable, as they secured a convincing 3-1 win over second-placed Marseille. That result propelled them a staggering 19 points clear at the summit of the table, reinforcing their dominance. In addition to their commanding position, the victory also extended their bid to set a new club-record unbeaten streak at the start of a season.

In their historic 2015-16 campaign, PSG managed to go unbeaten in their opening 27 matches. Coincidentally, this weekend's fixture against Saint-Etienne will be their 27th game of the current season. The prospect of matching that feat is undoubtedly enticing, but Enrique’s men have their sights set on an even greater milestone—becoming the first team in French football history to complete an entire league season without defeat. The closest any club has come to achieving this remarkable feat was Nantes in 1994-95, who remained unbeaten for 32 matches in a 38-game season. Given PSG’s relentless form, surpassing that record seems well within reach, placing them in a position to emulate the legendary AC Milan squad of the early 1990s, which went an entire Serie A campaign without tasting defeat.

Beyond domestic aspirations, PSG have the chance to enter the record books on another front. Should they avoid defeat against Saint-Etienne, they will have completed 38 consecutive away league matches without losing—a milestone that would equal the all-time record for Europe’s top five leagues, set by Milan between 1991 and 1993. Such a streak underscores the remarkable consistency and dominance that PSG have established under Enrique’s tenure.

Saint-Etienne, on the other hand, appear ill-equipped to pose any serious threat to PSG’s historic march. Their recent record against the Parisians paints a grim picture, as they have failed to register a single victory in their last 27 encounters with PSG. This represents the longest winless streak against any opponent in Saint-Etienne’s history. PSG, for their part, have only extended longer unbeaten runs against two other teams—Brest (32 matches) and Angers (30 matches)—both of which remain active.

Despite their daunting assignment, Saint-Etienne enter the fixture with a renewed sense of hope following a controversial but ultimately beneficial development in their battle against relegation. Their abandoned clash against Montpellier—where they led 2-0 before crowd disturbances forced the match to be halted—will see them awarded three points upon the finalization of an official investigation. These additional points will lift them out of the automatic relegation zone, placing them level on points with 15th-placed Reims, a team currently struggling for form. This decision significantly bolsters Saint-Etienne’s survival prospects in their first season back in the top flight.

While Saint-Etienne have been far more formidable at home—collecting 17 of their 23 provisional points at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard—the challenge they face against PSG is formidable. Given the Parisians’ ruthless efficiency, it would take an improbable turn of events for the hosts to even secure a draw. With Enrique’s side in relentless pursuit of multiple records and silverware, this contest could effectively be decided before halftime, leaving little suspense over the final outcome.