Paris Saint-Germain were held to a 1-1 draw at Nantes in a rearranged Ligue 1 game on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, a result which maintains their unbeaten domestic record this season with the Champions League semifinal against Arsenal on the horizon.
It looked like Vitinha's first-half strike might be enough for PSG, who have already secured a fourth consecutive Ligue 1 title, to leave the Stade de la Beaujoire with the victory. However, Nantes hit back to equalize with six minutes remaining through their Brazilian midfielder Douglas Augusto, earning the hosts a precious point in their battle for survival.
PSG might still have won the game at the death, but a header by substitute Goncalo Ramos from a Desire Doue cross came back off the crossbar. Nevertheless, the draw means they have still not lost a game against domestic opposition since May last year, and leaves them just four Ligue 1 matches away from becoming the first team ever to complete a French top-flight campaign without losing.
The closest a team has ever come to doing that remains Nantes, who went undefeated through their first 32 matches before suffering their only loss on the way to becoming champions in 1994/95.
This Nantes team are now four points clear of the relegation zone with four games to play, and three of their remaining matches will be at home. This encounter was initially due to be played on the weekend of 12 and 13 April before being postponed to give PSG a rest in between the two legs of their Champions League quarterfinal against Aston Villa.
Coach Luis Enrique is likely to once again heavily rotate his team for that match, having notably left out Achraf Hakimi altogether here and used the likes of Bradley Barcola and Doue from the bench. "Today is a special day for us, beating AC Milan's record. I congratulate my players for that," said Luis Enrique, referring to PSG's record of 39 consecutive away matches unbeaten in Ligue 1.
In the match, PSG dominated possession early on, holding 80% of the ball by the half-hour mark, but struggled to create clear chances. It was Vitinha who broke the deadlock in the 33rd minute, finishing emphatically on a half-volley just inside the penalty area.
Nantes had their moments, with Jean-Charles Castelletto's low shot saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 60th minute, and the home side continued to press forward, showing resilience against the champions.
As the match approached its conclusion, it was Matthis Abline's incisive run that set up Douglas Augusto for the equalizer in the 83rd minute, sending the home crowd of over 34,000 into raptures.
PSG's late surge for a winner saw Goncalo Ramos come close, but his header in stoppage time ricocheted off the crossbar, leaving both teams to settle for a point.
The draw moved PSG 23 points clear of second-place Marseille, while Nantes now sits four points above the relegation playoff spot, a crucial result in their fight to avoid relegation.
Looking ahead, PSG will host Nice on Friday, April 25, 2025, as they continue their pursuit of an unbeaten league season. Meanwhile, Nantes will aim to build on this momentum as they face tough challenges in their remaining fixtures.
With their eyes firmly set on the Champions League semifinal against Arsenal next Tuesday, April 29, 2025, PSG's coach Luis Enrique will need to balance squad rotation with the desire to maintain their historic unbeaten run in Ligue 1.
As the season draws to a close, all eyes will be on whether PSG can achieve this remarkable feat, while Nantes will be hoping to secure their top-flight status in the coming weeks.
