Latest news with #MatveySafonov
The National
05-07-2025
- Sport
- The National
PSG v Bayern: How a defeat in Munich turbocharged Luis Enrique's record breakers
Back in late November, Paris Saint-Germain travelled to Bavaria for a meeting with Bayern Munich that looked, from the French club's lowly perspective in the Uefa Champions League table, genuinely perilous. They were sitting 25th in the 36-team hierarchy, stuck in the basement of the competition's new format with just four points from as many fixtures. At Bayern they added no points to that tally, losing 1-0 on an evening peppered with conspicuous individual errors. They played the last 33 minutes with 10 men, Ousmane Dembele, the senior striker, having received two yellow cards. By the time of his departure, PSG had long been trailing, the goalkeeper, Matvey Safonov, promoted to the starting XI ahead of Gianluigi Donnarumma, having fumbled at a Bayern corner, inviting Kim Min-jae to head Bayern in front. PSG head coach Luis Enrique returned to Paris to read, in some French media, fevered speculation that he might very soon be sacked. That all seems a long time ago. Since then, Luis Enrique had been elevated to a peerless status, the only coach ever to have guided PSG to a European Cup, the most prestigious trophy in club football, and something that in over a decade of costly striving, via a long line of coaches with proven expertise in European competitions, the club had never managed to find the right formula for. Carlo Ancelotti, Thomas Tuchel and Unai Emery all came and left Paris without the big prize that the club's backers, the deep-pocketed Qatar Sports Investment group who took majority ownership of PSG in 2011, have targeted above any other. When, last month in Munich, they achieved it with the widest margin of victory in a final – 5-0 against Internazionale – in all the European Cup's 70 years of existence, Luis Enrique stepped into sporting immortality. Hindsight suggests the exasperating defeat to Bayern in late autumn had been a turning point, the impulse for corrections that would transform Luis Enrique's PSG from the old caricature of a team who are domestic bullies – they have won 11 of the last 13 French titles – but always brittle against Europe's elite, into confident, swaggering masters of their continent. Or maybe even the world, if they can overcome Bayern in Atalanta in the quarter-final of the Club World Cup on Saturday, and put themselves in prospect of a semi-final against Real Madrid or Borussia Dortmund. Since that trip to Bayern, PSG have lost only five matches of 45. None of those defeats were consequential: They had already wrapped up the Ligue 1 title when they lost twice, late on the French season; the narrow losses in single legs against Liverpool and Aston Villa in the Uefa Champions League were both part of aggregate wins in knockout ties. Botafogo beat them in the group stage of the Club World Cup last month, but PSG won both other pool-phase games to secure progress. And among the heroes of this momentum are, very prominently, Donnarumma, whose No 1 status was put into doubt back in November, and Dembele, who since his red card in Munich, has been smartly polishing his candidacy for the 2025 Ballon d'Or. He is the leading goalscorer for a goal-rich team. Dembele has 33 PSG goals from his 50 club matches so far, and 25 of those have been scored in the period, since the turn of the year, that the positive momentum truly gathered. It's a fine tally for a player sometimes deemed as erratic, and asked to shoulder big responsibilities in a squad that last July waved goodbye to the prolific Kylian Mbappe. Dembele has not been short of allies, either. Bradley Barcola has 21 goals across competitions, Goncalo Ramos 18 and Desire Doue, the 20-year-old who has been rapidly overtaking Barcola and Ramos in the hierarchy of forwards, has scored 15 times. Achraf Hakimi, the tireless marauder from right-back, has reached double figures for club goals in 2024/25. 'In this team, everyone can score and set up goals,' observes Dembele. The appetite for more goals is not easily stated, either. In the calendar year so far, PSG have dealt out a series of pummellings. Poor Brest conceded 15 in the space of three games against PSG in February – one in Ligue 1, and across two legs of a Champions League last-16 tie – but if results like a 6-1 away win at Saint-Etienne and 4-1 against Monaco are not so exceptional in PSG's domination of their own league, the thumping scorelines against foreign clubs do catch the eye. The 4-0 victory over Lionel Messi's Inter Miami last weekend that earned PSG's place in the Club World Cup's last eight was the 15th time since January 1 they have scored at least four goals in a single fixture. The juggernaut has rolled over some high-class opponents, too. Along this highway into history Manchester City, Liverpool, Villa and Arsenal were all beaten on the way to the routing of Inter. The Club World Cup campaign began with a 4-0 thrashing of Atletico Madrid. Yet if PSG have, over the last six months, put a heavy dent in their enduring, past reputation for regularly failing against the heavyweights of Europe, Bayern still have an ominous aura for the French champions. There was the loss in November. There was a deeply dispiriting elimination in the knockout phase of the Uefa Champions League two seasons ago, a 3-0 aggregate defeat that left Mbappe coldly reflecting of PSG 'this is our maximum' and resolving that his personal future would look better served at Real Madrid. Back in 2020, it was Bayern who crushed PSG's European Cup dream most cruelly. That season, PSG reached the first of their two finals in the competition. Bayern won it 1-0. But in Atlanta, PSG take on Bayern with, marginally, the status of favourites. 'When you have won the Uefa Champions League, you're automatically one of the favourites for this competition,' said Dembele. 'But this is about the 90 minutes. We saw that [in PSG's loss] against Botafogo in the group phase. What's vital is that we stay focussed.'
BBC News
06-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Football Union of Russia v Nigeria
Update: Date: 71' Title: Goal! Content: Goal! Russia 1, Nigeria 1. Tolu Arokodare (Nigeria) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Update: Date: 70' Title: Post Content: Offside, Nigeria. Christantus Uche is caught offside. Update: Date: 69' Title: Post Content: Foul by Viktor Melekhin (Russia). Update: Date: 69' Title: Post Content: Tolu Arokodare (Nigeria) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Update: Date: 68' Title: Substitution Content: Substitution, Russia. Ivan Sergeev replaces Nikolay Komlichenko. Update: Date: 68' Title: Substitution Content: Substitution, Russia. Arsen Adamov replaces Ilya Vakhania. Update: Date: 67' Title: Post Content: Matvey Safonov (Russia) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Update: Date: 67' Title: Post Content: Foul by Semi Ajayi (Nigeria). Update: Date: 67' Title: Post Content: Attempt saved. Semi Ajayi (Nigeria) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is saved in the centre of the goal by Matvey Safonov (Russia). Update: Date: 66' Title: Post Content: Corner,Nigeria. Conceded by Viktor Melekhin. Update: Date: 65' Title: Post Content: Foul by Maksim Osipenko (Russia). Update: Date: 65' Title: Post Content: Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Nigeria) wins a free kick on the right wing. Update: Date: 64' Title: Post Content: Corner,Nigeria. Conceded by Danil Glebov. Update: Date: 61' Title: Substitution Content: Substitution, Nigeria. Tolu Arokodare replaces Victor Boniface. Update: Date: 61' Title: Substitution Content: Substitution, Russia. Yaroslav Gladyshev replaces Maksim Glushenkov. Update: Date: 61' Title: Substitution Content: Substitution, Russia. Dmitri Barinov replaces Anton Miranchuk. Update: Date: 59' Title: Post Content: Nikolay Komlichenko (Russia) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Update: Date: 59' Title: Post Content: Foul by Frank Onyeka (Nigeria). Update: Date: 58' Title: Post Content: Foul by Nikolay Komlichenko (Russia). Update: Date: 58' Title: Post Content: Raphael Onyedika (Nigeria) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
CNA
24-05-2025
- Sport
- CNA
PSG stroll to French Cup triumph in perfect Champions League warm-up
PARIS :Holders Paris St Germain cruised to a 3-0 victory over Stade de Reims in the Coupe de France final on Saturday, claiming a third domestic trophy for the second successive season, and preparing for next week's Champions League final in style. Luis Enrique's Ligue 1 champions and French Super Cup winners had little trouble seeing off relegation-battling Reims, with all the goals in the opening half at the Stade de France as PSG strolled to a record-extending 16th French Cup win. PSG went on the attack from the off, and while Reims managed the first shot on target - Amadou Kone's long-range effort never troubling goalkeeper Matvey Safonov - they offered little opposition over the 90 minutes. Russian Safonov was chosen ahead of Gianluigi Donnarumma but otherwise Luis Enrique selected his strongest side, although Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, named in the initial starting 11, was replaced by Desire Doue before kickoff. PSG dominated with slick passing, constantly pressing forward with intent, and Reims' resolve was broken with two goals in quick succession from Bradley Barcola, which were both set up by Doue. Doue's pass sent Barcola free in the 16th minute and he raced past his marker before whipping a shot from the edge of the area into the bottom corner. Three minutes later Marquinhos played a defence-splitting pass into the area to the feet of Doue, whose across the goal was tapped in by the perfectly positioned Barcola. "We got off to a good start and got the job done quickly. We set a lot of pace, both defensively and offensively, and it paid off," Barcola told France 2. Even with their two-goal advantage, PSG did not take their foot off the gas, Yehvann Diouf's fine save denying Ousmane Dembele, who pulled a shot wide of the far post from a great position, but a third goal was always coming. It duly arrived two minutes from the break, with Barcola turning provider by playing the perfect ball across the box which Achraf Hakimi finished off at the back post. PSG maintained the intensity after the interval, Diouf having to be quick off his line to deny Joao Neves a close-range chance and the keeper then made a reflex save to keep out Barcola's shot. The second half was little more than a training session for PSG, with Reims again pinned back in their own half, and while they failed to add to their goal tally, Luis Enrique's players will be full of belief for the challenge ahead. PSG will aim to lift their first Champions League trophy when they take on Inter Milan in Munich next Saturday to cap off what would be the capital club's greatest season. "We knew we had to get the job done today to prepare well for the (Champions League) final, and we did it. Now, we will arrive to the next match with confidence," Barcola said. Reims must now attempt to secure Ligue 1 survival with the second leg of their relegation playoff at home to Metz on Thursday. The sides are level at 1-1 after the first leg.
Mint
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Mint
2025 UEFA Champions League final: Live streaming in India, teams, rules, timings, venue; know all details
The 2025 UEFA Champions League final is around the corner with a promising thriller as Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Inter Milan face each other. Both teams will compete for European football's greatest prize. Here's your complete guide to live streaming in India, teams, rules, timings, and venue details. The match is scheduled to begin at 12:30 AM IST (Indian Standard Time) on Sunday, 1st June 2025. The venue of the match is Munich Football Arena, Munich, Germany. Interestingly, the final will be played at the venue for the first time since 2012, when Chelsea famously defeated Bayern Munich on penalties. The Munich Football Arena, also known as Allianz Arena, is home to Bayern Munich. Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) Full Squad: Gianluigi Donnarumma, Matvey Safonov, Arnau Tenas, Willian Pacho, Marquinhos, Lucas Beraldo, Presnel Kimpembe, Naoufel El Hannach, Nuno Mendes, Lucas Hernández, Achraf Hakimi, Yoram Zague, Joao Neves, Vitinha, Warren Zaïre-Emery, Fabian Ruiz, Senny Mayulu, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Bradley Barcola, Désiré Doué, Ousmane Dembélé, Kang-in Lee, Ibrahim Mbaye, Gonçalo Ramos Josep Martínez, Yann Sommer, Raffaele Di Gennaro, Alessandro Bastoni, Benjamin Pavard, Yann Bisseck, Stefan de Vrij, Francesco Acerbi, Federico Dimarco, Carlos Augusto, Denzel Dumfries, Matteo Darmian, Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Kristjan Asllani, Nicolò Barella, Davide Frattesi, Piotr Zieliński, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Nicola Zalewski, Valentín Carboni, Joaquín Correa, Lautaro Martínez, Marcus Thuram, Mehdi Taremi, Marko Arnautovic Inter Milan became the first team to book their spot after a dramatic 7-6 win over Barcelona in the semi-finals. The next day, PSG stormed into the summit clash with a 3-1 victory over Arsenal. Paris Saint Germain: L W L W W If the score is level after 90 minutes then extra time of 30 minutes will be given including two halves of 15 minutes each. However, if the game still remains tied then the match will go to a penalty shootout to decide the winner. The winners of the 2025 final of the tournament will receive the iconic UEFA Champions League trophy. They will also get a guaranteed place in the 2025/26 Champions League league phase and a match against the Europa League 2024/25 winners in the UEFA Super Cup 2025. Indian fans can catch the live action in India on the following platforms - Television Broadcast: Sony Sports Network Live Streaming: SonyLIV app and website
