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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.'
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kylian Mbappe files lawsuit against PSG for attempted extorsion
Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe is always quick to espouse his affection for Paris Saint-Germain, his boyhood club. Yet when it comes to those leading the institution, the relationship remains fraught after a controversial exit from Parc des Princes. Mbappe left PSG last summer on a free at the end of his contract, agreeing a five-year deal with Real Madrid to much fanfare. However this did not go down well at PSG, and in particular with Qatar Sports Investment CEO and PSG CEO Nasser Al-Khelaifi, and Mbappe claims he was not paid for the months of April, May and June of 2024. Mbappe now has a long-running legal dispute with PSG over €55m in unpaid wages. Mbappe files fresh lawsuit against PSG Now Mbappe has returned to the courts again. As per Diario AS, who carry the report from AFP, this Tuesday Mbappe's lawyers filed a lawsuit against an unnamed individual at PSG for attempted extorsion and harassment. The French forward is referring to his isolation from the rest of the team in the summer of 2023, as a method of applying pressure on him to sign a new contract, and be allowed to return to action. Mbappe is fighting the case on the basis that his separation from action is illegal. Image via Real Madrid CF Should clubs be allowed to drop players over contract disputes? It is not an uncommon practice for clubs to drop players who are not open to signing a new deal, or in some cases, accept a transfer elsewhere. On the one hand, clubs are protecting their own interests, and if a player is not going to sign a new contract, they would argue that they may as well focus their resources on other with a longer term future at the club. On the flipside, players should also have the choice and freedom to take decisions on their future, without fearing action from clubs that may have a negative impact on their career. Just as in any other profession, players should have a degree of free will to decide how to proceed in their professional capacity.
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
NBA star Durant takes minority PSG stake
Kevin Durant, who won gold in the Paris 2024 basketball, has taken a stake in the city's best-known football club Paris Saint-Germain (Aris MESSINIS) Basketball star Kevin Durant has taken a minority stake in Paris Saint-Germain, the European champions announced Friday, without saying how many shares the power forward had acquired. The club said in a statement that owners Qatar Sports Investment (QSI) had "signed an investment and strategic partnership agreement with Kevin Durant, one of the most decorated US basketball players of all time and a leading investor in sports and entertainment properties." Advertisement It said Durant would acquire the stake "via his media and investment arm Boardroom". The club said QSI would cooperate with Boardroom "on a wide-series of commercial, investment, and content initiatives" including merchandise, media content US and international strategy and "potential Basketball/Multi-Sport expansion." "With Kevin, we look forward to developing ambitious initiatives that will drive the continued global growth of Paris Saint-Germain and QSI," said Nasser Al-Khelaifi, Chairman of QSI. Durant, 36, is a power forward with the Phoenix Suns. He won two NBA titles with the Golden State Warriors and has four Olympic gold medals, the last from the 2024 Paris Games. Advertisement He said in the PSG statement that PSG and Paris were "a Club and a city that is so close to my heart. This club has big plans ahead, and I can't wait to be a part of the next phase of growth." eba/pb/pi
BreakingNews.ie
31-05-2025
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
Luis Enrique hopes ‘very difficult journey' to CL final ends with glory for PSG
Luis Enrique hopes Paris St Germain's difficult journey to the Champions League final will help them make history on Saturday. PSG will contest their second European final when they face Inter Milan at Allianz Arena and aim to go one better than in the 2020 loss to Bayern Munich. Advertisement Champions League success has been the holy grail for PSG's owners Qatar Sports Investment since they acquired a majority share in 2011, but Luis Enrique's team were in dangerous of a league-phase exit after a run of three defeats in four. Paris St Germain manager Luis Enrique has challenged his players to write themselves into the club's history (Adam Davy/PA) A 4-2 win over Manchester City in January revitalised their campaign and after tricky knockout ties with Brest, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal were navigated, Ligue 1 champions PSG enter this final with 28 wins from the 34 fixtures they have played in 2025. Luis Enrique, a winner in this competition with Barcelona a decade ago, plans a repeat against 2023 runners-up Inter. 'What I tried to transmit to the players is that we have been on a very difficult journey,' Luis Enrique told a press conference. Advertisement 'We have had to play in top-level games since the start of the Champions League. The fact that it was hard at the start could be an advantage for us now because we are used to playing in these games. 'We played in the stadium against Munich, a team that is one of the best in Europe and we played in finals before. We are ready. We have not been scared at all this season so we are going to take to the pitch at our best tomorrow. 'I have more experience now from the last few years. I try to transmit to my team and my players the importance of playing in the Champions League final and the chance to make history. When does it start? 😬 — Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) May 30, 2025 'Making history means doing something that nobody has ever done before you at a club like Paris St Germain, so that is very important and it needs to be managed carefully so that it doesn't overwhelm us. Advertisement 'I have the loved the way we have looked at training. Inter don't have any doubts either and it will be a brilliant final that we want to win.' PSG captain Marquinhos featured in the 2020 loss to Bayern, which occurred behind closed doors due to coronavirus restrictions. Marquinhos has shared a dressing room with superstars Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, but expressed his love for this current group. He said: 'I have played in so many teams over the years here, but we are certainly enjoying it here on a daily basis and in every match. Advertisement 'You can see the way we all run together, how we understand one another on the pitch, so there is the influence in our results. I am in love with this team, with everything we do on the pitch for one another and it is a pleasure to be a part of it. 'It is a great opportunity tomorrow to make history here as a club and for all the players here. It is a second opportunity for me to play in the Champions League final and I don't want to let if pass me by.' 🎙️ Ousmane Dembélé: "I'm very proud to be here in the final. Nothing has been easy. It's just a pleasure to be at this stage of the competition." #UCLfinal — Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) May 30, 2025 Ousmane Dembele has enjoyed an extraordinary campaign with 33 goals to become one of the favourites for the Ballon d'Or, but played down its significance. 'When you are a player at Paris St Germain, the most important thing is to win the Champions League. I am focused on the team and not on individual accolades,' Dembele insisted. Advertisement 'I am pleased with what we have done since January. We have changed our mentality and we are going to try to keep it going and go all the way.'
The Herald Scotland
30-05-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Luis Enrique hopes ‘very difficult journey' to CL final ends with glory for PSG
Champions League success has been the holy grail for PSG's owners Qatar Sports Investment since they acquired a majority share in 2011, but Luis Enrique's team were in dangerous of a league-phase exit after a run of three defeats in four. Paris St Germain manager Luis Enrique has challenged his players to write themselves into the club's history (Adam Davy/PA) A 4-2 win over Manchester City in January revitalised their campaign and after tricky knockout ties with Brest, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal were navigated, Ligue 1 champions PSG enter this final with 28 wins from the 34 fixtures they have played in 2025. Luis Enrique, a winner in this competition with Barcelona a decade ago, plans a repeat against 2023 runners-up Inter. 'What I tried to transmit to the players is that we have been on a very difficult journey,' Luis Enrique told a press conference. 'We have had to play in top-level games since the start of the Champions League. The fact that it was hard at the start could be an advantage for us now because we are used to playing in these games. 'We played in the stadium against Munich, a team that is one of the best in Europe and we played in finals before. We are ready. We have not been scared at all this season so we are going to take to the pitch at our best tomorrow. 'I have more experience now from the last few years. I try to transmit to my team and my players the importance of playing in the Champions League final and the chance to make history. 'Making history means doing something that nobody has ever done before you at a club like Paris St Germain, so that is very important and it needs to be managed carefully so that it doesn't overwhelm us. 'I have the loved the way we have looked at training. Inter don't have any doubts either and it will be a brilliant final that we want to win.' PSG captain Marquinhos featured in the 2020 loss to Bayern, which occurred behind closed doors due to coronavirus restrictions. Marquinhos has shared a dressing room with superstars Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, but expressed his love for this current group. He said: 'I have played in so many teams over the years here, but we are certainly enjoying it here on a daily basis and in every match. 'You can see the way we all run together, how we understand one another on the pitch, so there is the influence in our results. I am in love with this team, with everything we do on the pitch for one another and it is a pleasure to be a part of it. 'It is a great opportunity tomorrow to make history here as a club and for all the players here. It is a second opportunity for me to play in the Champions League final and I don't want to let if pass me by.' 🎙️ Ousmane Dembélé: "I'm very proud to be here in the final. Nothing has been easy. It's just a pleasure to be at this stage of the competition."#UCLfinal — Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) May 30, 2025 Ousmane Dembele has enjoyed an extraordinary campaign with 33 goals to become one of the favourites for the Ballon d'Or, but played down its significance. 'When you are a player at Paris St Germain, the most important thing is to win the Champions League. I am focused on the team and not on individual accolades,' Dembele insisted. 'I am pleased with what we have done since January. We have changed our mentality and we are going to try to keep it going and go all the way.'
