Tag: PSG

Ousmane Dembele guided Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) into the Champions League semi-finals as a 2-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield on Tuesday completed a 4-0 aggregate win for the holders.

To compound the English champions’ woes, Hugo Ekitike suffered a serious-looking injury that could end his season and hinder Liverpool’s chances of being back among Europe’s elite next season.

Arne Slot’s men sit fifth in the Premier League and will end the campaign trophyless after being kept at arm’s reach by a PSG side that did not need to be at their brilliant best to reach a third consecutive semi-final.

Defeat means there will be no glorious goodbye for Mohamed Salah after nine memorable years on Merseyside.

Slot showed little sentiment as he dropped the Egyptian to the bench on his final Champions League appearance in red.

Alexander Isak was preferred up front as the most expensive player in Premier League history started for the first time since breaking his leg in December.

However, Salah was forced into action after just half an hour as Ekitike suffered a nasty-looking injury that could ruin his World Cup hopes with France.

The former PSG striker crumpled in a heap, holding his lower right leg with a suspected ruptured Achilles.

Salah nearly made an immediate impact as from his cross, Matvey Safonov made a fine save from Milos Kerkez before Marquinhos produced a remarkable block to deny Virgil van Dijk the opening goal.

PSG had plenty of chances to have put the tie to bed in the Parc des Princes last week and were profligate once more in the first half.

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Giorgi Mamardashvili scrambled back towards his line to punch away Dembele’s attempted chip before the Ballon d’Or winner blazed over from close range with just the Georgian to beat.

Slot admitted before kick-off that Isak could only last for 45 minutes due to a lack of match practice, and the Swede made way for Cody Gakpo at half-time in a further blow to Liverpool’s firepower up front.

Kerkez had the best chance to set up a grandstand finale when he sliced wide another inviting Salah delivery.

Liverpool thought they had been gifted a lifeline when Alexis Mac Allister was awarded a very generous penalty for minimal contact by Willian Pacho, but VAR intervened to instruct referee Maurizio Mariani to reverse his original decision.

But as Liverpool poured forward in desperation, they became a sitting duck for the rapid PSG counter-attack.

Dembele finally killed the tie off 18 minutes from time when he cut onto his left foot and curled into the bottom corner from outside the box.

The French international then inflicted the final blow with a cool finish from Bradley Barcola’s cross in stoppage time.

PSG will face a tougher test against the in-form Bayern Munich or 15-time winners Real Madrid in the last four.

But after ending the Qatari-backed French champions’ long wait to conquer Europe last season, Luis Enrique’s men remain on course to become the only side other than Madrid to retain the competition in the Champions League era.

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Holders Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) took a 2-0 lead over Liverpool in their Champions League quarter-final tie as Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored in Wednesday’s first leg in the French capital.

Doue’s shot in the 11th minute looped over goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili and, thanks to a big touch off Ryan Gravenberch, Kvaratskhelia then rounded his compatriot to double PSG’s lead 65 minutes into a game they bossed from start to finish.

It only remains to be seen whether the reigning European champions, who had a second-half penalty in their favour overturned after a VAR review, might regret not scoring more goals against a Liverpool side that lined up with three centre-backs and were run ragged.

Liverpool’s game plan could not stop them slumping to a second emphatic loss in five days, even if the scoreline was not as bad as the 4-0 mauling inflicted by Manchester City in the FA Cup last weekend.

It is just one win in six in all competitions for Liverpool, and this was a 16th reverse in total in a difficult campaign.

Slot’s team must try to repeat what they did in the last 16, when they overturned a 1-0 first-leg loss away to Galatasaray by winning 4-0 in the return.

This will be a far tougher task, however, as the sides clash again next Tuesday on Merseyside, where PSG won 1-0 in the second leg of their last-16 tie last season before advancing on penalties.

That was a significant step on their way to winning the Champions League, coming after they somehow lost 1-0 at the Parc des Princes despite completely dominating.

A string of Alisson Becker saves helped Liverpool smash and grab their way to victory a year ago, but the Brazilian was absent here, meaning Mamardashvili started in goal.

Mohamed Salah was also left out of the line-up by Slot, instead taking a place on the bench alongside Alexander Isak with the Swede involved again after suffering a leg fracture in December.

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Hugo Ekitike started up front for Liverpool against the club where he spent 18 months earlier in his career and failed to escape the shadows of Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar.

Joe Gomez slotted in alongside Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk as a third central defender, as Liverpool set out to press high but spent the night chasing the ball.

PSG were well in control before they scored, as Doue collected the ball just outside the box, advanced into the area and tried a shot which struck Gravenberch’s boot and took a looping trajectory which left the goalkeeper flummoxed.

Mamardashvili did later save from Kvaratskhelia and Doue, meaning there was just one goal in a one-sided first half in which PSG had 70 percent possession, and Liverpool’s only attempt came from Jeremie Frimpong when he was offside.

The pattern of the contest did not really change after the break, with Ousmane Dembele blazing over before the second goal arrived.

A superb Joao Neves pass released Kvaratskhelia through the inside-left channel, and the Georgian held off Gravenberch before rounding the goalkeeper to tuck in.

Liverpool were then rescued by the Spanish referee’s decision to change his mind after initially awarding a penalty when Konate brought down Warren Zaire-Emery, while also taking the ball.

Small mercies for Slot, who sent on Isak in a quadruple substitution on 78 minutes, but left Salah on the bench.

Dembele hit the post late on for PSG, although they are firmly in control after a ninth win in a game against Premier League opposition since the start of 2025.

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Bradley Barcola scored, and Desire Doue had a penalty saved as Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) held on for a 1-0 win away to Le Havre on Saturday to extend their lead at the top of the Ligue 1 table to four points.

PSG were looking to take advantage of another slip-up by title rivals Lens, who were held to a 1-1 draw away at Strasbourg on Friday to go two games without a win.

Luis Enrique’s side duly got the job done with Barcola heading in from a Lee Kang-in cross on 37 minutes for his ninth goal of the season.

It was not a full-strength PSG, with Ousmane Dembele again out injured along with Fabian Ruiz and Joao Neves, while skipper Marquinhos was among the players rested.

Doue came off the bench in the second half and won a penalty with just over 10 minutes remaining, but his kick was kept out by Le Havre goalkeeper Mory Diaw diving to his right. PSG have converted only five of their 10 spot-kicks this season.

Diaw also produced a fine reaction save from Nuno Mendes while PSG goalkeeper Matfei Safonov made a key stop to deny Issa Soumare at the other end.

“There are no nice and easy games for PSG because every match is important. We need to get players back and improve because we have less confidence than usual at the moment,” said Luis Enrique.

The reigning European champions are gearing up for a Champions League last-16 tie against Chelsea and have now won nine out of 10 Ligue 1 games played since the start of December.

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“It is the first time we have had a four-point gap at the top, so this is a time for us to be happy. It was important to get the win here,” added the coach.

Elsewhere in France on Saturday, Rennes made it two wins out of two under new coach Franck Haise as they beat Toulouse 1-0 in Brittany thanks to Arnaud Nordin’s first-half goal.

Monaco got back on track after losing to PSG in their Champions League play-off tie as USA star Folarin Balogun and Simon Adingra scored in a 2-0 win over Angers.

Balogun, who is expected to be a key player for the United States at the World Cup, now has 12 goals this season in all competitions, including four in his last four games.

Marseille, in fourth play host to third-placed Lyon on Sunday in a key game in the fight for Champions League qualification.

Pablo Longoria left his position as Marseille president on Saturday evening, the Spaniard departing after five years to be replaced on an interim basis by Alban Juster.

Longoria’s departure comes amid a period of turbulence at the 1993 European champions, who saw coach Roberto De Zerbi leave just under three weeks ago in the wake of a 5-0 defeat away to PSG and their elimination from the Champions League.

De Zerbi has been replaced in the dugout by Habib Beye. Director of football Medhi Benatia recently announced he was stepping down, before it was confirmed he would stay on until the end of the season at the club owned by US tycoon Frank McCourt.

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Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) came from behind and then survived a late scare against 10-man Monaco, drawing 2-2 in the second leg of their Champions League knockout phase play-off tie on Wednesday to reach the last 16 with a 5-4 aggregate victory.

The defending European champions recovered from two behind to win 3-2 in the principality in last week’s first leg, a game in which Monaco had a man sent off early in the second half.

The scenario this time was similar, with French international Maghnes Akliouche giving Monaco a deserved interval lead on the night to level the scores overall.

However, the visitors had Mamadou Coulibaly sent off on 58 minutes, and that proved the catalyst for PSG to make it 1-1 through Marquinhos before Khvicha Kvaratskhelia seemed to have clinched the aggregate triumph.

Jordan Teze did make it 2-2 in stoppage time, and Wout Faes then missed a great chance, but PSG held on to progress to the next round.

Luis Enrique’s team will now find out on Friday their potential opponents all the way to the final in Budapest, with Barcelona and Chelsea their possible rivals in the last 16.

Paris beat Barcelona 2-1 away during the league phase in October and have faced the Catalans in five knockout ties since 2013. They played Chelsea in the final of the Club World Cup last year, losing 3-0, their only blip in a remarkable campaign.

While PSG’s dream of retaining the title remains alive, Monaco go out in the play-offs for the second season running.

PSG were widely expected to get the better of their domestic rivals — Monaco are currently eighth in Ligue 1, 20 points behind the leaders, although they did beat the Parisians in November.

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The principality side had not won a Champions League knockout tie since their run to the semi-finals in 2017 with a side featuring a teenage Kylian Mbappe.

Having been 2-0 up inside 18 minutes last week, Monaco really should have scored within 10 minutes here, but Coulibaly blazed over from an Akliouche cutback. They then came close again when a Folarin Balogun chip was tipped over by Matfei Safonov.

Bradley Barcola struck the bar for PSG, who were missing the injured Ousmane Dembele, but Monaco had been the better team and took a deserved lead just before half-time.

Caio Henrique’s ball into the middle from the left found Coulibaly, and he laid it off for Akliouche to slot in.

The tie was now all square, but it swung back in the way of the defending champions when Coulibaly was sent off just before the hour, leaving his team a man short, like in the first leg when Aleksandr Golovin saw red.

Having been booked just a few minutes earlier for fouling Nuno Mendes, this time he was late into a challenge on Achraf Hakimi and a second yellow was produced by the Romanian referee.

PSG scored from the resulting free-kick, which was played short to Doue on the right and his low ball was turned in from close range by Marquinhos.

The momentum was now with PSG, and they went ahead on the night on 66 minutes as Hakimi’s powerful strike was only parried by goalkeeper Philipp Koehn, allowing Kvaratskhelia to convert the loose ball.

Monaco still came within a whisker of forcing extra time, substitute Teze turned in a deflected Simon Adingra centre in stoppage time to make it 2-2, and Faes very nearly scored another.

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Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) were ordered to pay their former forward Kylian Mbappe up to 61 million euros ($71.8 million) in unpaid wages and bonuses by a French labour court on Tuesday.

France captain Mbappe, who left PSG in June 2024 to join Real Madrid, had been claiming over 260 million euros in total from his former club.

PSG, in turn, had demanded that Mbappe pay them 440 million euros.

Mbappe, 26, also claimed that the Parisian club applied the wrong French legal classification to his contract, but the court rejected that claim.

The labour court said the final figure of between 60 million and 61 million euros was made up of 55 million euros in unpaid salary and around six million euros in holiday payments.

Qatari-owned PSG did not immediately say if they intend to appeal.

Lawyers for Mbappe said in a statement they “noted with satisfaction the decision given by the labour court”.

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“It re-establishes a simple truth — even in the professional football industry, labour laws apply to everyone,” the lawyers added in a statement.

The French club had said they were basing the figure they were claiming in part on a botched 300m-euro transfer to Saudi club Al Hilal, which Mbappe refused in June 2023.

Mbappe left for Real Madrid on a free transfer when his contract expired the following summer.

He insisted he made no agreement in 2023 to waive any payment from the club.

Mbappe initially filed a complaint in June over the way he was treated by PSG at the start of the 2023-24 season.

Mbappe argues that he was sidelined by PSG and made to train with players the club were trying to offload after refusing to agree a new contract.

It is a widespread practice that in France prompted the players’ union to lodge a complaint last year.

Mbappe was not invited to take part in PSG’s 2023 pre-season tour of Asia and missed the first game of that season, but was later recalled to the team after holding talks with the club.

After seven seasons with PSG he joined Real Madrid where he earns a reported annual salary of 30m euros.

Mbappe scored 256 goals in 308 games for PSG, but the club won the Champions League for the first time last season following his departure.

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Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi won the African Men’s African Footballer of the Year award on Wednesday, capping a season in which he lifted the UEFA Champions League with his club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

The 27-year-old also won a fourth Ligue 1 title last season and claimed the French Cup and UEFA Super Cup; however PSG came up short in the final of the Club World Cup as Hakimi was forced to settle for a runners-up medal in New York.

The right-back beat out two past winners in Liverpool’s Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah and Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen to claim the prize for the first time in his career.

Notably, he became the first defender in 52 years to win the African Footballer of the Year title.

“It’s really an honour for me to be here today and I’m proud to win such a prestigious trophy,” Hakimi said, before thanking his family, teammates and Morocco coach Walid Regragui.

“This trophy, it’s not just for me, it’s for all the strong men and women that have dreams in Africa and those that dream of becoming footballers.”

Hakimi is currently nursing a severely sprained ankle, but if fit, will lead hosts Morocco in the Africa Cup of Nations from December 21 as they seek to win the competition for the first time since 1976.

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Morocco’s Ghizlane Chebbak claimed the prize for the best women’s player on the continent, beating out fellow countrywoman Sanaa Mssoudy and Nigerian Rasheedat Ajibade.

The Al Hilal attacker was the leading scorer in the Africa Women’s Cup of Nations this year, although her side went down to Nigeria in the decider.

It was a bumper day for the ceremony’s host country, Morocco, as Yassine Bounou scooped up the best men’s goalkeeper award and the Moroccan under-20 World Cup-winning side was voted best men’s national team.

Watford 20-year-old Othmane Maamma of Morocco claimed best young men’s player, while compatriot Doha El Madani retained the title of best young women’s player.

Cape Verde boss Bubista was awarded men’s coach of the year after leading the nation with a population of 525,000 to a place at the 2026 World Cup.

Nigerian shotstopper Chiamaka Nnadozie won her third consecutive women’s goalkeeper of the year award.

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The long-running dispute between Kylian Mbappe and his former club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) moved to the French labour court on Monday, with both sides presenting staggering financial claims.

Mbappe, now a Real Madrid player, is seeking €263 million ($304m) from PSG, while the club is demanding €440 million in return, citing lost transfer revenue, reputational damage, and an alleged breach of a post-transfer agreement.

The conflict traces back to June 2023, when PSG attempted to transfer Mbappe to Saudi club Al Hilal for €300 million, a move the striker refused.

Mbappe subsequently left Paris on a free transfer when his contract expired the following summer.

PSG lawyer Renaud Semerdjian confirmed the club’s claim, explaining that the €440 million figure reflects both financial losses and damage to PSG’s image.

Mbappe, who did not attend Monday’s hearing, denies ever agreeing to waive any payments from the club and has challenged the classification of his contract under French labour law.

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The dispute also stems from Mbappe’s treatment at PSG during the 2023-24 season.

According to the France captain, he was sidelined, forced to train with players PSG were looking to offload, and excluded from the club’s pre-season tour of Asia.

The striker initially filed a complaint in June over what he described as unfair treatment by the Qatari-owned club.

Mbappe spent seven seasons at PSG, scoring 256 goals in 308 appearances, but left just before the club captured their first Champions League title. He now earns a reported €30 million annually at Real Madrid.

The tribunal is expected to take several weeks before delivering a verdict, with a decision anticipated on December 16.

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Portuguese midfielder Vitinha said Paris Saint-Germain’s (PSG) home clash with undefeated Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Tuesday will be a meeting between “the two best teams in Europe”.

PSG come into the sternest test yet of their European title defence, top of the French Ligue 1, and with three wins from three so far in the league phase.

But their opponents, Bayern, have started their season with a European record 15 wins in 15 outings, and sit second behind only PSG in the standings in the continent’s elite club competition.

“We are the two best teams in Europe. Bayern are in fantastic form. We’re also doing well, continuing our momentum from last year,” Vitinha told his pre-match press conference on Monday.

But as for who is mightiest between the two heavyweights, the 25-year-old said Tuesday’s match will tell.

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“The answer will be given tomorrow. We have to talk on the pitch,” he told reporters.

“When you’re a player, you want to play in this type of match because everyone wants to see it, and people will say, ‘this team is better because they won’.”

PSG coach Luis Enrique was, however, more temperate in his build-up to the game.

“To find out who is the best team in Europe, we have to wait until the end of the season and see how many trophies each team wins,” the 55-year-old said.

“Right now, it’s clear they are very strong… It’s incredible that they’ve won their last 15 matches. We already have trouble winning three or four matches.”

If PSG have been less dominant than Bayern domestically — drawing three matches and losing one in 11 league outings — Luis Enrique said supporters should still “trust” his side to show they can best the Bavarians.

“Do you think that I or the supporters should assess our team? I don’t think so, we deserve to have a little trust,” the Spaniard said.

“But tomorrow (Tuesday) at the Parc des Princes with our supporters, we have the confidence we need to overcome their pressing game.”

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Ousmane Dembele scored on his return from injury as defending champions Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) thrashed Bayer Leverkusen 7-2 in the Champions League on Tuesday, as both teams finished with 10 men.

Ballon d’Or winner Dembele scored PSG’s sixth just three minutes after coming on as a second-half substitute for his first appearance since suffering a hamstring injury in early September.

Desire Doue bagged a brace while Willian Pacho, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Nuno Mendes and Vitinha also hit the net at Leverkusen’s BayArena as the visitors laid down the gauntlet to their European rivals.

“We are a team that always wants to win everything. This season, we want to win everything again,” PSG coach Luis Enrique said.

“That will be difficult, but we have the confidence we gained last year. We want this title again.”

Aleix Garcia scored both of the hosts’ goals while PSG lost centre-back Illia Zabarnyi to a red card on 37 minutes, as he conceded a second spot-kick of the match.

Leverkusen also had captain Robert Andrich dismissed for crashing his elbow into Doue’s jaw a few minutes earlier.

Leverkusen coach Kasper Hjulmand told Amazon Prime that his side “lost it in seven minutes before halftime”.

“We were level, but we wanted too much,” he added. “We were too open and made too many mistakes in that seven-minute period.

“We met the best team in the world right now. They’re very strong.”

PSG have been injury-hit and inconsistent this season, but once both teams were reduced to 10 men, they dominated their hapless hosts.

PSG’s bid to go back-to-back on the European stage will face tougher tests than the rebuilding Leverkusen, who fielded six starters who only joined the club in the summer.

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The French champions showcased their attacking riches alongside the steel needed to overcome setbacks borne out of last year’s breakthrough campaign.

PSG’s preparation for the game was boosted by the news that Dembele and captain Marquinhos were fit enough to travel to Germany.

The duo, crucial to PSG’s barnstorming treble last season, watched on from the bench as PSG took the lead after just seven minutes.

Mendes hit a cross over the Leverkusen defence for Pacho to head in at the far post.

Leverkusen were awarded a penalty for a Zabarnyi handball with 25 minutes gone, but Alejandro Grimaldo hit the post with his spot-kick.

The writing looked to be on the wall for Leverkusen when they were reduced to 10 men by Andrich’s needless foul on Doue on 33 minutes.

But they were then handed a lifeline shortly afterwards when Zabarnyi’s performance went from bad to nightmarish as he gave away a second penalty and saw red for clumsily bringing down Christian Kofane as the last man, with Garcia scoring from the spot.

Rather than tighten up, the red card galvanised the French side, who reacted by scoring three goals in eight minutes to stun the hosts.

Doue scored twice, either side of a Kvaratskhelia scorcher, to go into the break 4-1 up and cruising.

Mendes scored five minutes into the second half to help PSG pick up where they had left off.

While Garcia’s long-distance stunner on 54 minutes was a rare Leverkusen highlight, PSG had the last words.

Dembele cut the ball home from a tight angle, and Vitinha added even more gloss on the final score, rounding out an incredible European night for the defending champions.

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Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele is in line to make his return from injury for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League, a source close to the club told AFP on Monday.

The news will come as a welcome boost for PSG coach Luis Enrique, whose side has been struggling with injuries this season.

Dembele, 28, has been out for six weeks with a hamstring problem he suffered on international duty with France in early September.

He had been recuperating at a specialist clinic in Qatar and returned to training last week.

He missed out on PSG’s entertaining 3-3 draw against Strasbourg on Friday but is part of the first team squad for Tuesday’s match in Germany, the source said.

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PSG published images of Dembele training normally on Saturday.

The reigning European and French champions welcomed back forwards Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who was a substitute, against Strasbourg.

They are, however, still missing midfield duo Fabian Ruiz and Joao Neves, although some media have reported that captain Marquinhos has travelled to Germany with the squad.

“I don’t know when the injured players will return,” Luis Enrique had said on Thursday, adding that the club did not want to “take risks with the players’ health”.

They have made a strong start to their Champions League defence, beating Atalanta and Barcelona in their opening two matches, while Leverkusen drew with FC Copenhagen and PSV Eindhoven.

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