Kylian Mbappe scored during his final home appearance as a Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) player in a 3-1 defeat to Toulouse. The tenth-ranked team spoiled the Ligue 1 leaders' championship party by handing them only their second league defeat of the season.
Last Friday, Mbappe confirmed in a video posted on social media that he would be leaving PSG when his contract expires at the end of the season, ending a seven-year association with the club.
Real Madrid is expected to be the next destination for a player whose departure from Paris had been an open secret since February, when he privately informed the club of his intention to move on.
Kylian Mbappe gestures to spectators after his last home game as a PSG player in Paris, France, May 12, 2024. /CFP
Mbappe wore the captain's armband and opened the scoring early on against Toulouse to take his tally for the season to 44 goals in all competitions.
However, Thijs Dallinga quickly equalized for the visitors against a PSG side which showed 10 changes to the team knocked out of the Champions League by Borussia Dortmund in the semi-finals in midweek, with Mbappe the only player to keep his place.
Yann Gboho put Toulouse ahead with a brilliant strike in the second half, and Frank Magri wrapped up the win in stoppage time as PSG suffered just their second Ligue 1 loss this season, and their first in 27 games since September.
Mbappe has now scored 256 times for PSG, a club-record tally, since signing from Monaco in 2017 in a deal worth 180 million euros ($194 million).
His tally of 191 goals in France's top flight - including 16 with Monaco at the beginning of his career - puts him in seventh place in the all-time list. Coach Luis Enrique described the 25-year-old as "a club legend" when he spoke to the media on the eve of the game.
Elsewhere in Europe, Leverkusen extended their unbeaten streak to 50 games after a dominant 5-0 victory over 10-man Bochum in the German Bundesliga. Bayern Munich secured the second spot with a 2-0 win over Wolfsburg in the closing matches of league's 33rd round.
Leverkusen players celebrate their 50-game unbeaten streak in a single season in Bochum, Germany, May 12, 2024. /CFP
Bochum, facing relegation, started strong but couldn't capitalize on their early opportunities. In the 11th minute, Philipp Hofmann narrowly missed a header from Kevin Stoger's corner. The game's momentum shifted dramatically in the 15th minute when Felix Passlack was sent off for a last-man foul on Nathan Tella.
Despite initial misses by Patrik Schick and Granit Xhaka, Leverkusen capitalized on their numerical advantage by opening the scoring in the 41st minute. It was Schick who volleyed the ball into the net, connecting perfectly with Arthur's precise cross. Shortly before halftime, they further solidified their lead with a penalty converted by Viktor Boniface.
In the second half, Bochum defended deeply, with goalkeeper Manuel Riemann repelling several shots. However, Leverkusen's pressure was relentless, and they tripled their lead at the 75-minute mark when Amine Adli headed in a corner from Jonas Hofmann. Josip Stanisic and Alejandro Grimaldo added two more goals, sealing the 5-0 rout.
"After the red card, the game changed. It wasn't easy, but we are happy with the result," said Leverkusen coach Alonso.
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich fielded a younger, second-string side against Wolfsburg, emerging victorious with a 2-0 scoreline.
"We had a few debuts with a few young guys today. In the end, it was a deserved victory, I'm very satisfied with the performance," said Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel.
(With input from AFP, Xinhua)