Monaco earned their seventh successive win in Ligue 1 on Sunday by beating Marseille 2-1 to surge to within one point of the automatic Champions League places.

US national team star Folarin Balogun was among the scorers as Monaco won 3-1 at Paris Saint-Germain on Friday.

PSG have not managed to rediscover the exhilarating form that led them to Champions League glory for the first time in their history last season, but they come into March still on course to retain their French and European titles.

Vinicius scored the winning goal in a 2-1 victory on the night to secure a 3-1 aggregate success for Real in the play-off tie in Madrid.

French league leader Lens was stunned by three second-half goals as Monaco came from behind to win 3-2 to give Paris Saint-Germain the chance to go top on Saturday.

Vinicius Junior scored and then alleged he had been racially abused during Real Madrid's 1-0 win away to Benfica in the first leg of their Champions League play-off tie on Tuesday, while Paris Saint-Germain came from two goals down to beat Monaco 3-2.

Real Madrid faces an immediate rematch with Benfica after the teams were drawn together in the Champions League playoffs on Friday.

Kylian Mbappe struck twice against his former side Monaco as Real Madrid romped to an emphatic 6-1 Champions League victory on Tuesday to ease tensions around the club.

It already seems clear Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa believes success with the record 15-time European champions will only come with the careful management of egos at the club.

Mason Greenwood scored as Marseille strolled to a 6-0 win over third-tier Bourg-Peronnas in the French Cup last 64 on Sunday, while Monaco edged an all-Ligue 1 tie with Auxerre.

Paris Saint-Germain suffered a shock 1-0 defeat at the hands of Monaco on Saturday but retained top spot in Ligue 1 after nearest rivals Marseille were held to a 2-2 draw by Toulouse.

Paul Pogba signed for French Ligue 1 side AS Monaco in the summer after serving a doping ban.

Even though he is about to turn 39, Olivier Giroud promised "this is only the beginning" after striking in added time on Sunday to give Lille a 1-0 Ligue 1 win over visiting Monaco.

Paul Pogba watched as Monaco easily beat Le Havre 3-1 in their Ligue 1 opener on Saturday as Lyon won away at Lens.

Paul Pogba has signed a two-year deal with Ligue 1 side Monaco to return to football after a near two-year absence.

PSG progress to the Champions League final should be a cause for French football to celebrate but their achievement hardly disguises the fact that the game in the country is in crisis as the Ligue 1 season ended this weekend.

Mason Greenwood's brilliant late strike helped Marseille beat Le Havre 3-1 in Ligue 1 on Saturday and clinch qualification for next season's Champions League

Monaco beat slumping Marseille 3-0 on Saturday to take second place in Ligue 1 from their opponents.