Tag: Paris Saint-Germain

Categories
football Slides Sports News

MBAPPE, ICARDI ON TARGET AS PSG EDGE MONACO TO WIN FRENCH CUP

Kylian Mbappe set up the first goal and grabbed one of his own as Paris Saint-Germain retained the French Cup with a 2-0 victory over AS Monaco in Wednesday’s final at the Stade de France.

Quick thinking by Mbappe to disposes Axel Disasi in his own penalty area, as the Monaco defender let a short pass from goalkeeper Radoslaw Majecki slip under his feet, set up a 19th-minute opener for Mauro Icardi.

Mbappe took the ball away and, displaying quick feet, passed square for Icardi to tuck the ball home from close range.

With teammate Neymar suspended and watching from the empty stands, Mbappe was able to dominate the contest with his talent and pace and added the second goal in the 81st minute.

Angel Di Maria set him up with a short through-ball and the World Cup winner lifted his finish over Majecki to make sure of the outcome.

Mbappe’s goal came a minute after he had hit the crossbar with a clever chip from outside the penalty area having spotted Majecki off his line.

It was one of few chances in a largely dour final, played behind closed doors, that only came alive in the last 15 minutes.

PSG retained their title and extended to 14 their record number of wins in the cup. Monaco had won five previous times but last in 1991. They were last in the final in 2010 when PSG also beat them.

“We work every day to experience this type of emotion, reward and recognition. The work of a whole group, the staff, and the supporters who could not be here. We think about them a lot, this title is also for them,” Mbappe said.

“When you play for PSG, one of the biggest clubs in the world, the biggest club in the country, every title counts to go down in history. We want to be part of this story, it’s a great step today.”

PSG defender Alessandro Florenzi had a powerful shot tipped over by Majecki in the first half while Monaco created the better opportunities after the break.

PSG goalkeeper Keylor Navas made two good saves from Wissam Ben Yedder and Krepin Diatta and saw an errant cross rebound back into play off his crossbar.

But any hopes of a comeback were swiftly ended by the pace and vision of Mbappe as he settled the outcome.

Both clubs now turn their attention to the end of the Ligue 1 season on Sunday where they hold out hopes of winning the title. PSG are second, one point behind leaders Lille, while Monaco are three points adrift.

Categories
football Slides Sports News

LIGUE 1: PSG PLAY DRAW WITH RENNES AS LILLE GETS CLOSER TO TITLE VICTORY

Neymar was on target the day after signing his contract extension but Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) were held to a 1-1 draw at Rennes on Sunday that leaves Lille a step closer to a remarkable league title triumph.

PSG led at half-time after Neymar converted a controversial penalty award, but they were pegged back in the second half as Serhou Guirassy headed in the equalizer.

PSG are now three points adrift of Ligue 1 leaders Lille, who know they will be champions for the first time since 2011 by taking four points from their remaining two matches of the season.

The Parisians have won the French title in seven of the last eight years but they have regularly wobbled this season and the decision to replace coach Thomas Tuchel with Mauricio Pochettino during the winter break looks like it will not have the desired impact.

“We will keep believing until the end, we won’t lose faith, but at PSG we need to do much better,” captain Marquinhos told broadcaster Canal Plus.

“Lille are a really good side and are winning every match. We have two games left and we need to believe, focus on ourselves and perform better.”

Categories
football Slides Sports News

NEYMAR SIGNS NEW PSG DEAL, EYES CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GLORY

Neymar has put an end to speculation over his future by signing a new four-year deal at Paris St Germain and pledging to help them achieve their Champions League dream.

The Brazil star has long been linked with a possible return to Barcelona, the club he left for a world record fee approaching £200million in 2017, but has now made a fresh commitment to PSG.

The 29-year-old had just one more year on his existing contract but has agreed to stay until 2025 in a deal that will reaffirm his status as one of the sport’s highest-paid players.

Securing European football’s top prize is top of the agenda, with the club having been beaten finalists in 2020 before being knocked out by Manchester City in the last four of this year’s edition.

“I’m very happy, very happy to be extending my contract with Paris until 2025,” he told PSGtv.

“The truth is that I’m very happy to be staying here for four more years, to be a part of the club’s project, to try and win titles, to try and achieve our biggest dream which is the Champions League.

“My goal when I came was to help get Paris St Germain to the top, among the very best, and we are getting close.

“We are gaining more and more experience to help us negotiate these types of games, to know how to play in the Champions League.

“Paris is on the right track, we are getting closer and closer to the taste of winning the Champions League. I’m sure we can do it.”

Neymar acknowledged that the relationship between player and club had not always been flawless but took his own share of responsibility as he looked towards a harmonious future.

“Things have happened that should not have happened. We had fights, a few sad times, but overall, the evolution has been very positive,” he said.

“I think I have improved as a person, as a human being, and as a player too. So, I am very happy to be extending my contract, to be part of the history of Paris and I hope to put many more trophies on the shelf.”

Categories
football Slides Sports News

Chelsea beat Madrid to set up all-English Champions League final vs Man City

Chelsea even made record 13-time European Cup champion Real Madrid look ordinary as goals from Timo Werner and Mason Mount sealed a 2-0 victory that ousted Madrid 3-1 on aggregate.

Chelsea’s decision to fire a club legend suddenly doesn’t seem so callous after all.

While Frank Lampard’s name has hardly been forgotten by the Chelsea fans there were chants outside Stamford Bridge before kickoff on Wednesday new manager Thomas Tuchel is quickly creating his own legacy after leading the London club into the Champions League final against Manchester City.

Chelsea even made record 13-time European Cup champion Real Madrid look ordinary as goals from Timo Werner and Mason Mount sealed a 2-0 victory that ousted Madrid 3-1 on aggregate.

Perhaps the stragglers leaving the bars near Stamford Bridge could hear the roar Tuchel let out on the field inside the empty stadium long after his players had departed the field. It will certainly have been heard in the Chelsea boardroom by the directors whose decision to dismiss Lampard in January and hire Tuchel now seems vindicated.

“I am very grateful and thankful to have this opportunity,” said Tuchel, who’d been dismissed by Paris Saint-Germain in December despite leading the French club to last year’s Champions League final. “You can never be ahead of plan as a manager and as a player — it does not exist.”

Just like when owner Roman Abramovich made mid-season managerial changes in the 2007-08 and 2011-12 seasons, Chelsea will end the campaign by contesting the biggest game in European football. And by the end of the month two Champions League trophies could be at Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea the first club to reach the men’s and women’s finals in the same season.

Even though the men’s showpiece will be an all-English encounter on May 29, the Premier League rivals will have to fly four hours to play the UEFA showpiece in Istanbul, which is currently in a coronavirus lockdown. While City has never lifted the European Cup, Chelsea’s only triumph came in 2012 when the 22-year-old Mount was in the youth system.

“It’s going to be a stunning game,” Mount said.

Unlike last season’s final — when Tuchel’s PSG lost to Bayern Munich — fans are set to be allowed in. Chelsea supporters have yet to see Tuchel managing their team in the flesh due to England’s ongoing coronavirus restrictions. But they can’t deny the impact he has made.

Chelsea was five points outside the four Champions League qualification places when he was hired, but heads into the final four games of the Premier League season in fourth place with a three-point cushion. There’s a chance to pick up a trophy before the trip to Turkey, too, with an FA Cup final against Leicester on May 15 after beating City in the semifinals.

Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane is left to focus on trying on wiping out Atletico Madrid’s two-point lead in Spain to win La Liga, rather than adding to the three Champions League titles he won from 2016 to 2018.

“I think we tried, but the truth is today Chelsea were superior and we have to congratulate them,” Zidane said. “It was complicated throughout the match because they had many chances to score more goals and they deserved their victory.”

After conceding a costly away goal last week, Madrid lacked the attacking nous or threat to turn this semifinal around as Chelsea kept an 18th clean sheet in 24 games under Tuchel.

Karim Benzema was denied by the first in a series of fine saves by Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy before Werner’s opener but the visitors were sluggish, lacking a creative spark from Eden Hazard on an ineffective return to his former home.

Even in a debut season of misfortune, not even Werner could miss in the 28th minute when presented with an unguarded net to head into from close range after Kai Havertz had lobbed former Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and hit the crossbar.

“I had to wait a long time for the ball coming down — it felt like hours,” Werner said.

The chants of “Timo” from the substitutes’ bench reflected the delight from his teammates that the Germany forward had scored only his fourth goal in 35 games for Chelsea. For all the scrutiny faced, though, Werner has still managed 12 goals and 10 assists since last year costing Chelsea up to $68 million.

For all Chelsea’s threat, Madrid only needed to score once to force the second leg into extra time. When the second half opened with Havertz heading against the crossbar and having a low shot saved it looked like the misses could prove costly.

“Keep on pushing guys,” Tuchel urged from the sideline.

And so they did, helped by the arrival of Christian Pulisic from the bench as Werner’s replacement to spark the second goal. The American headed to N’Golo Kante and received the ball back to feed Mount, who lifted a shot over Courtois in the 85th.

“I have to go on and do my bit,” Pulisic sad, “be creative and try to finish the game off strong and luckily I was able to do that.”

Not that Pulisic was satisfied waiting more than an hour to enter the game.

“Very frustrated — I wanted to play from the beginning, as I always do,” said the forward signed in 2019 from Borussia Dortmund. I’ve had to continue to prove myself over and over again. … Nothing can stop me, really.”

Categories
football Sports News

JIM BEGLIN APOLOGISES FOR “RACIAL STEREOTYPE” DURING DI MARIA INCIDENT IN MANCITY VS PSG GAME

Jim Beglin has issued an apology for using “a racial stereotype” in commentary during Manchester City’s Champions League semi-final win over Paris Saint-Germain. The former Liverpool defender was on co-commentary duty for American broadcaster CBS for Tuesday night’s second leg at the Etihad Stadium.

Two goals from Riyad Mahrez sent City into their first Champions League final as a 2-0 win on the night gave Pep Guardiola’s side a 4-1 victory on aggregate.

It was a dominant performance for City who kept Neymar quiet throughout and ensured goalkeeper Ederson did not face a single shot on target.

While the night was one of celebration for City, the second half was also notable for the number of incidents, with referee Bjorn Kuipers handing out six yellows and one red card in a fractious match.

That red was issued to PSG attacking midfielder Angel Di Maria, who lashed out at Fernandinho while trying to retrieve the ball for a throw-in.

The former Manchester United man kicked the Brazilian in the shin on the touchline and was sent off in the 69th minute as the discipline of Mauricio Pochettino’s side slipped.

Describing the incident on commentary, Beglin said, “It’s that Latino temperament.”

Social media immediately lit up with people questioning his comments and the 57-year-old quickly apologised on air.

“When Di Maria was sent off, I described it by using the word Latino,” he said. “For anybody that’s taken offense, I do apologise, sincerely apologise.”

After the match had finished, Beglin took to Twitter to make a full apology.

“I apologise for my culturally insensitive remarks during the Champions League tie between Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain,” he wrote.

“I wrongly used a racial stereotype. This was inappropriate and unacceptable. Words have a strong impact, and I fully understand the severity of what I said when Angel Di Maria was sent off.

I will learn from this and be better moving forward.”

CBS has not yet commented on Beglin’s remarks.

In his post-match interview with BT Sport, Mahrez commented on PSG’s loss of discipline in the second half.

“It was a very good game,” he said.

“We didn’t start well again. We didn’t have a good first half but we got the goal and we were more comfortable.

“We played well in the second half and we could have scored more. They lost their nerve and started to kick us and after the red card it was more comfortable.”

As well as Di Maria’s red card, Ander Herrera, Marco Verratti, Presnel Kimpembe and substitute Danilo were all booked for the away side.

Categories
football Slides Sports News

PSG players claim referee swore at them in Man City defeat

French champions PSG were left angered by the referee, who sent off PSG’s Angel Di Maria in the 69th minute for an off-the-ball stamp on Fernandinho.

Paris St Germain’s Leandro Paredes was verbally abused by Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers during Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final second leg loss to Manchester City, his team mate Ander Herrera has claimed.

City reached the final of Europe’s elite club competition for the first time thanks to a 2-0 victory at the Etihad Stadium to secure a 4-1 aggregate win.

French champions PSG were left angered by the referee, who sent off PSG’s Angel Di Maria in the 69th minute for an off-the-ball stamp on Fernandinho.

“We talk about respect towards referees,” midfielder Herrera told French multimedia outlet RMC Sport, while revealing that the official had sworn at Paredes. “If we say that, we get a three or four-match ban.”

Herrera’s team mate Marco Verratti said in his post-match interview that he too was abused by the official.

PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino told reporters he believed his players and that European soccer’s governing body UEFA could investigate the incident.”I didn’t hear anything from the touchline, if something is there and is how they explained, maybe UEFA will investigate the situation,” Pochettino said.

“But now that’s not an excuse I can put in front of you… the most important thing is we’re not in the final and that’s why we feel really sad.”

Meanwhile, CBS colour commentator Jim Beglin apologised for attributing Argentine Di Maria’s dismissal during the game to his “Latino temperament.”

“I apologise for my culturally insensitive remarks… I wrongly used a racial stereotype. This was inappropriate and unacceptable,” Beglin tweeted.”Words have a strong impact and I fully understand the severity of what I said when Di Maria was sent off. I’ll learn from this and be better moving forward.”

Categories
football Slides Sports News

Manchester City ousts PSG to reach first Champions League final

Riyad Mahrez has scored twice to complete Manchester City’s journey to a first Champions League final with a 2-0 victory eliminating Paris Saint-Germain 4-1 on aggregate.

By the time Riyad Mahrez completed the counterattack that sealed Manchester City’s spot in a first Champions League final, it looked so effortless overcoming a Paris Saint-Germain lineup that lost its cool and composure.

“Then they lost their nerve and started to kick us and it was good,” Mahrez said.

It was the Paris-born winger who netted twice before PSG had Angel Di Maria sent off. City won 2-0 to eliminate last season’s finalists 4-1 on aggregate on Tuesday.

“They had the red card,” Mahrez said, “and after, it was more comfortable for us.”

It’s been anything but comfortable for City getting a shot at lifting European football’s top prize for the first time despite 13 years of lavish investment. Even reaching this semifinal required a fight in court to overturn a ban from this season’s Champions League for breaching UEFA’s financial rules.

And it’s only two weeks since the Abu Dhabi-owned team exposed itself to fresh sanctions for joining a brief, ill-fated bid to split to help form a breakaway European Super League.

Now City could win the competition it tried to leave in what could be an all-English final on May 29 in Istanbul if Chelsea overcomes Real Madrid on Wednesday. Chelsea and Madrid played to a 1-1 draw in the first leg.

“Of course, we’ve invested money in the last decade since Sheikh Mansour took over the club, but it’s not just about this,” City manager Pep Guardiola said. “If you want to think it’s just about money, it’s OK. But there is a lot of incredible things behind the scenes.”

It’s not just City that’s endured frustration in its quest to win the biggest prize in European football. Guardiola, a Champions League winner as Barcelona coach in 2009 and 2011, has been waiting a decade to return to the final. He fell short three times with Bayern Munich and has taken until his fifth season at City to even reach the semifinals.

“To reach the Champions league final is so difficult,” Guardiola said. “It’s the toughest one, but we did it.”

City is now accustomed to success _ sitting on the brink of its third Premier League title in four seasons after already collecting the League Cup last month. But its only continental title came with the now-defunct European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1970.

“This club needed the final, these players needed the final,” City defender Kyle Walker said. “For these players to not be in a Champions League final is a disappointment every year.”

PSG missed out on a second shot at lifting a first European Cup after losing last season’s final to Bayern Munich, and Mauricio Pochettino’s lineup is even struggling to defend the French title.

“Disappointed and very sad,” said Pochettino, who lost the 2019 Champions League final as Tottenham manager. “We played well but we didn’t have the luck that you need in football.”

And in the clash of European football’s Gulf-funded big-spenders, it was the Qatari visitors from Paris on the backfoot quickly in Manchester.

After scoring City’s winner in Paris last week, Mahrez took only 11 minutes to score in the second leg. The move began with a long ball by defender Oleksandr Zinchenko running onto a long ball from goalkeeper Ederson.

“It’s something we work on all the time,” Mahrez said, “and today it worked good.”

Zinchenko passed to Kevin De Bruyne, whose shot was blocked by Keylor Navas but Mahrez was alert to the rebound to put the ball through the goalkeeper’s legs on a field covered in the remnants of a spring hailstorm.

Mauro Icardi was proving ineffective in a PSG attack shorn of Kylian Mbappe, who wasn’t fit enough to start and never entrusted with being deployed from the bench.

There were headers over from Marquinhos and Neymar but PSG could find no way past a defense that had Ruben Dias proving such a robust barrier.

The PSG back-line was easier to breach, which happened again in the 63rd minute. There was a surging run down the left flank by Phil Foden before a combination with De Bruyne and a cross delivered for Mahrez to sweep into the net.

“We fought to the end,” PSG midfielder Marco Verratti said. “When you play against big teams, it’s impossible to attack for 90 minutes without suffering. We have to accept that.”

The frustrations of PSG were clear, even without any crowd to create any intimidating atmosphere. The visitors finished the game with 10 men just like in the first leg after Di Maria was sent off with 20 minutes to go for kicking at Fernandinho.

PSG turned on the referee, with midfielder Ander Herrera in a post-match interview accusing Bjorn Kuipers of directing an expletive at PSG teammate Leandro Paredes. It wasn’t heard by Pochettino.

“Maybe UEFA will investigate the situation,“ he said. “But now I think that is not an excuse.”

Categories
football Slides Sports News

“We Lost The Battle But The War Continues” – Neymar

Brazilian star Neymar has expressed confidence that PSG are still very much in the semi-final tie against Manchester City despite suffering a home defeat in the first-leg at home.

City seized control of the last four clash thanks to Wednesday’s 2-1 victory in Paris.

PSG captain Marquinhos opened the scoring in the 15th minute as last season’s runners-up outplayed City in the opening half in the French capital.

But Kevin De Bruyne’s awkward cross-cum-shot found the back of the net just past the hour-mark and Riyad Mahrez’s free-kick put City ahead seven minutes later.

Things went from bad to worse for PSG in the 77th minute after Idrissa Gueye was sent off.

As PSG face an uphill task ahead of their return leg in Manchester, Neymar reacted to the result via social media.

“We lost the battle but the war continues,” Neymar wrote on his verified Twitter handle. “I believe in my team.

“I believe that we can be better than we were. ALLEZ PARIS. One per cent chance 99 per cent faith.”

Neymar has not scored in his last six games in the knockout stages of the Champions League, with his last goal outside the group stage coming against Borussia Dortmund in 2019-20.

The midweek collapse was the first time PSG suffered Champions League defeat when leading at half-time since 2001 – against Deportivo La Coruna.

PSG are winless in their four European games against City (D2 L2), only facing Juventus (eight) on more occasions without ever winning in their history.

Categories
football Slides Sports News

Manchester City secure win at PSG in first leg of CL semifinal

PSG led 1-0 through captain Marquinhos’ early header from a corner, but City skipper Kevin De Bruyne equalized in the 64th minute when goalkeeper Keylor Navas misread his dipping cross and it bounced inside his post.

Paris Saint-Germain lost its composure and the match as Manchester City rallied to win 2-1 away from home in the first leg of their Champions League semifinal on Wednesday.

PSG led 1-0 through captain Marquinhos’ early header from a corner, but City skipper Kevin De Bruyne equalized in the 64th minute when goalkeeper Keylor Navas misread his dipping cross and it bounced inside his post.

Riyad Mahrez’s free kick — through a wall that jumped early and left an inviting gap for the Algeria winger — put the visitors ahead in the 71st.

“We deserved the lead, but in the second half they were better than us. Physically they were a little bit more aggressive, it was difficult for us to recover the ball,” PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino said. “We’re very disappointed with the two goals. It’s difficult to accept that this happened in the semifinal, it’s really painful.”

After City’s quick 1-2 punch, PSG’s composure soon crumbled, as has often been the case in recent seasons when under pressure. Pochettino’s side finished the game with 10 players as midfielder Idrissa Gueye was shown a red card in the 77th minute for a dangerous tackle on midfielder Ilkay Gundogan.

City could have taken a bigger lead into the return leg next Tuesday, but winger Phil Foden shot straight at Navas after a brilliant jinking run through PSG’s flagging defense.

“In football you need to believe,” Pochettino said. “Of course we are under a little bit of pressure, but in football you need to try.”

City coach Pep Guardiola wants his players to stay relaxed for the return leg, rather than thinking about reaching the final for the first time in the club’s history.

“All I want is for us to be ourselves in the second leg,” he said. “We are good playing a certain way, we cannot do it differently.”

Chelsea drew 1-1 at Real Madrid in the other semifinal on Tuesday.

City made a bright start, stretching PSG with its quick passing and imposing itself in midfield with some hefty challenges.

But PSG had the first sights on goal and, after Neymar went close, Marquinhos timed his run well to meet Angel Di Maria’s corner near the front post and head in the 15th-minute opener.

It was another important goal from the Brazilian, after netting a last-gasp equalizer in the quarterfinals and then scoring in the semis last season.

Di Maria was causing problems for City’s defense with his runs from the right flank, while both Neymar and Marco Verratti were opening City up with their passing.

With City now playing on the break, Foden wasted a good chance near the break when he shot straight at Navas from just inside the penalty area, after being set up by Bernardo Silva’s pass from the right.

“In the first half we were too rushed,” De Bruyne said. “That’s not the way we’re set up as a team.”

PSG threatened early in the second half, when Di Maria’s superb pass over the midfield put Kylian Mbappe into space down the right. He twisted inside and out, putting two City defenders on the floor, but his fizzing cross was too strong and eluded his teammates.

De Bruyne set up City’s late winner in the League Cup final last Sunday and again took time to exert his influence after a brief spell out injured. The Belgium star went close with a shot on the turn that went just over on the hour mark.

Four minutes later, he was mobbed by his relieved teammates when his cross was intended for a teammate’s head but stunned Navas as it bounced past him.

“It is so hard for the keeper because he always expects someone to touch it,” De Bruyne said.

Then he gave the free kick to Mahrez, who grew up in Sarcelles but is another on a long list of talented local players overlooked by PSG over the years.

“He asked me if he could take it and I said ‘If you believe in yourself take it,’” De Bruyne said. “I have full confidence in all my team.”

He spotted a gap as PSG’s wall jumped too early, and inched City closer to its first Champions League final.

Both sides took a knee against racism just before the game.

Categories
football Slides Sports News

MBAPPE DOUBLE GUIDES PSG TO 3-1 WIN OVER METZ

Kylian Mbappe scored either side of halftime but picked up a thigh injury as Paris St Germain returned to the top of Ligue 1 with a 3-1 victory over Metz at the Stade Saint-Symphorien on Saturday.

The France forward was substituted in the closing moments with a heavily strapped thigh, casting doubts on his fitness ahead of PSG’s Champions League semi-final first leg at home to Manchester City on Wednesday.

“We hope it’s not too serious,” PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino told reporters. “Kylian was calm when he was replaced but even a simple knock is always painful.”

PSG opened the scoring inside four minutes when Mbappe latched on to a floated pass from midfielder Ander Herrera, before smashing it past Metz goalkeeper Alexandre Oukidja.

Against the run of play, Metz scored their first goal in four league matches to equalise at the start of the second half as right back Fabien Centonze headed home a dipping cross by attacking midfielder Farid Boulaya.

PSG reclaimed the lead in the 58th minute when Mbappe capitalised on a misplaced Centonze pass, before scoring his 25th league goal of the season with a deflected effort from outside the box.

Mauro Icardi’s cheeky ‘Panenka’ penalty sealed the result with two minutes remaining as PSG moved two points clear of second-placed Lille, who have a game in hand against Olympique Lyonnais on Sunday.

The result rounded off a successful week for PSG as they remained on course for an historic treble of domestic league and cup and European Cup this season, having defeated Angers to reach the French Cup semi-finals in midweek.

“We are on the right track, there is still a month of competitive football to go, we are still in the cup, in the league and in the Champions League,” Pochettino added.

“We are battling to win all three; we want to accomplish what we want to do at the end of the season.”