Lyon celebrate toughest title

By Patrick Vignal - Analysis

PARIS (Reuters) - For once, winning the league title was not a formality for Olympique Lyon, now facing a challenge to remain the dominant force in French soccer.

For the first time since they claimed their first Ligue 1 crown in 2002, Lyon had to wait until the season's final round of matches to wrap it up.

Saturday's 3-1 convincing win at Auxerre gave them a record seventh successive title and they will now chase a first domestic double when they meet Paris St Germain in Saturday's French Cup final at the Stade de France.

Their league triumph, however, was far from smooth.

Nine points ahead of second-placed Girondins Bordeaux on March 30, Lyon saw that advantage dwindle to just two points five matches later after a patchy spell of form.

They were still only two points clear going into the final weekend, which ended with them on 79 points, four ahead of Bordeaux, who were held 2-2 at relegated Racing Lens.

"I admit that this seventh title was the hardest to win," said Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas, who has helped transform the club from a sleepy provincial outfit into the yardstick for French sides.

"It was an extraordinary championship. We end up with nearly 80 points and we beat our record goal tally (with 74)."