PARIS (AP) -Lyon won its seventh consecutive French league title on Saturday by beating Auxerre 3-1 to finish ahead of Bordeaux.
Lyon finished with 79 points from 38 rounds, while Bordeaux only drew 2-2 at Lens to end with 75 points.
"We are very happy, very proud," Lyon winger Hatem Ben Arfa said. "We deserve it even more this year, Bordeaux pushed us and we managed to hold it together."
Last season, Lyon finished 17 points clear of Marseille, but was pushed to the last day this time after a nine-point lead over Bordeaux from seven rounds ago was cut to a two-point gap ahead of Saturday's round.
Lyon put any doubts to rest after just 24 seconds when Karim Benzema swapped passes with Fred and slotted past goalkeeper Remy Riou for his 20th league goal of the season.
Fred put Lyon up 2-0 in the 10th minute, running onto Kader Keita's floated pass over the top of the defense and placing the ball under Riou's body.
Kim Kallstrom headed in Lyon's third goal in the 53rd to put the game away before Frederic Thomas pulled a goal back for Auxerre in the 78th.
"The championship was very tight until the last day," Lyon's Brazil defender Cris said. "It's magnificent. We will have to celebrate until Monday, and then we will prepare (for the French Cup final)."
Lyon seeks its first ever league-cup double when it faces Paris Saint-Germain in next weekend's French Cup final.
Marseille beat Strasbourg 4-3 to clinch third place and a spot in the Champions League qualifying round.
Lens was relegated to the second division, while Toulouse and PSG both won to ensure their safety.
In Saturday's other results, it was: Lorient 1, Lille 1; Metz 4, Le Mans 3; Nancy 2, Rennes 3; Nice 3, Caen 1; Saint-Etienne 4, Monaco 0; Sochaux 1, Paris Saint-Germain 2; and Toulouse 2, Valenciennes 1.
Marseille ended with 62 points while Nancy finished in fourth place with 60 and Saint-Etienne took fifth place with 58 points on goal difference over Rennes, booking a place in the UEFA Cup.











