Zlatan quadruple gives PSG title
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French giants Paris Saint-Germain, inspired by four stunning Zlatan Ibrahimovic goals, turned on the style Sunday to beat Troyes 9-0 and clinch a fourth consecutive Ligue 1 crown in record time.
Just four days after advancing to the Champions League quarter-finals, PSG wrapped up the club's sixth French title with eight games to spare by beating a Troyes side destined for an immediate return to the second tier.
Laurent Blanc's men obliterated the French record for the quickest league victory, currently held by Lyon who won the 2007 title under Gerard Houllier with five games to go.
Three goals in six early first-half minutes settled PSG's nerves at Troyes' sun-kissed Stade de l'Aube.
First up was Edinson Cavani, the Uruguyan capitalising on a poor back pass to sneak in to beat goalkeeper Matthieu Dreyer on the second attempt.
Pastore made it 2-0 shortly after, a David Luiz interception played quickly to Ibrahimovic, whose sublime backheel found the Argentinian who toe-poked a looped finish past a despairing Dreyer.
No sooner had the game been restarted than Adrien Rabiot was the welcome recipient for PSG's third after following up on a Cavani shot that rebounded off Dreyer.
It was then time for Ibrahimovic to take centre stage in 10 magical minutes.
The towering Swede made it 4-0 just seconds into the second-half after Cavani intercepted another poor clearance, "Ibra" gifted too much space on the edge of the box and making no mistake as he drilled the ball low into the left-hand corner.
Ibrahimovic's second was a gem, a first-time mid-air volley of an inch-perfect Angel di Maria cross as PSG swamped Troyes. His third -- and 100th in Ligue 1 action -- was equally sublime, the 34-year-old Swede meeting a Layvin Kurzawa cross at full speed and unleashing a blinding right-footed shot that swerved into the far corner of the net.
Matthieu Saunier compounded Troyes' woes with an own goal, while Lossemy Karaboue saw red for hauling Cavani down in the box. Dreyer saved the penalty, but Cavani tapped in at the second bite.
It was left to Ibrahimovic to wrap up the 9-0 rout, the striker showing great strength to ride a tackle and unleash an unstoppable shot.
Zlatan afterwards that he may be tempted to stay with the French champions -- if a statue of himself is erected in place of the city's iconic Eiffel Tower.
"For the moment, I won't be at PSG next season," said Ibrahimovic whose current deal ends in July. "What happens next year, for the moment, I don't know. If they replace the Eiffel Tower with a statue of me, I will stay at PSG. I can promise that!"
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