Marseille remains the best French club. The team from France’s oldest city has won its 42nd national championship title – the 16th in the 21st century.
In the second match of the best-of-three playoffs finals, Marseille defeated Pays d’Aix 13:5.
By securing the new domestic trophy, Marseille has made a good overture ahead of its debut at the Final Four.
Last week, Marseille defeated Pays d’Aix in Aix-en-Provence by two goals (14:12). In the second game, Marseille, having great support from its fans, quickly earned a big advantage. At the first break, the title-holder led 5:2. In the first possession in the 2nd quarter, Michael Bodegas converted a man-up to make it 6:2. By the end of the first half, Pays d’Aix reduced the gap to three (3:6). However, Marseille didn’t let the visitors come closer.
The hosts opened the third period with two quick goals (Bouet and Crousillat) for 8:3. They maintained a five-goal difference until the end of this quarter (9:4). Marseille extended the margin to eight in the final eight minutes to clinch its fifth consecutive trophy in the national league and the fourth “double crown” (Marseille has won all gold medals in the French Cup since the re-establishing this competition in 2022).
Alexandre Bouet was the top scorer of the final. He netted three goals in the first match and added five in the encounter in Marseille.
2025 French League playoffs
Final (best of three) Match 2
Marseille – Pays d’Aix 13:5 (5:2, 1:1, 3:1, 4:1) – the final score in the series 2:0
Marseille: Bouet 5, Crousillat 2, Vernoux 2, Angyal 1, Prlainovic 1, Marion-Vernoux 1, Bodegas 1.
Pays d’Aix: Watanabe 2, Beteille 1, Scorletti 1, Peisson 1.
3rd-place playoffs (best of three), Match 2
Strasbourg – Montpellier 18:8 (3:2 3:0, 5:2, 7:4) – the final score in the series 2:0
5th-place playoffs (best of two), Match 2
Reims – Sete 14:14 (4:5, 3:2, 4:4, 3:3) – first match 7:15