TheNewsGuru

Tag: PSG

  • We didn’t match Man City in second-half – Pochettino

    We didn’t match Man City in second-half – Pochettino

    Mauricio Pochettino admits PSG lacked enough to energy to stay with Manchester City in the second-half of the Champions League semi-final first leg.

    PSG were dominant in the first-half and deservedly lead at the break thanks to a header from Marquinhos.

    However, the home side allowed City to take control in the second stanza and eventually lost 2-1.

    Pochettino said after the game: “There were two different halves, we did well in the first half but it is difficult to eliminate a team like City. We deserved to be ahead but they were better than us and dominated the second half. The two goals were accidents, but they created more than us. It was one half for each team.

    “The two goals are very disappointing. It is difficult to accept but that can happen, and it has happened in a semi-final. It is very painful.

    “It is difficult to explain why they were better but we were better in the first half. It was difficult to cope, their physical condition, they were more aggressive. We didn’t show the energy you need. The red card could be yellow, could be red, it was an action.

    “The second leg, in football you need to believe. They have the advantage.”

  • UCL: Man City comeback to defeat PSG in Paris

    UCL: Man City comeback to defeat PSG in Paris

    Manchester City produced a superb display to come from behind and take control of their Champions League semi-final with victory against Paris St-Germain in France.

    Pep Guardiola’s side fought their way through a scintillating early PSG surge when they fell behind to Marquinhos’ header, glanced in from Angel di Maria’s corner after 15 minutes, to dominate after the break and turn this first leg tie in Paris on its head.

    City, who had threatened before the break when Phil Foden missed a great chance, were much more positive and got the reward they deserved after 64 minutes when Kevin de Bruyne’s menacing cross evaded everyone in the penalty area and drifted beyond motionless PSG keeper Kaylor Navas.

    PSG, with Neymar fading and Kylian Mbappe subdued, were ragged and Riyad Mahrez put City in a great position to reach their first Champions League final when his left-foot free-kick went through the wall to beat Navas seven minutes later.

    And to complete PSG’s misery, former Everton midfield man Idrissa Gueye was rightly shown a red card late on for a dreadful challenge on Ilkay Gundogan.

  • I hope Neymar, Mbappe continue with us – PSG midfielder

    I hope Neymar, Mbappe continue with us – PSG midfielder

    Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Ander Herrera is confident attacking stars Kylian Mbappe and Neymar want to stay.

    Ahead of their Champions League clash with Manchester City, Mbappe continues to be linked with Real Madrid, while Neymar is being mentioned in a return to Barcelona.

    Herrera told Marca: “Can PSG afford to lose Neymar and Mbappé? I want to focus on enjoying each day with them and getting all the important things done.

    “Of course, I would like them to continue with us.

    “PSG have created a structure around them. I sincerely think that they are happy, convinced by the project and that they want to stay.”

  • What fans tell me on the street about Mbappe – Madrid president

    What fans tell me on the street about Mbappe – Madrid president

    Real Madrid president Florentino Perez insists he’s not spoken to PSG star Kylian Mbappe “in years”.

    With less than 18 months to run on his contract, Mbappe has been linked with a summer move to Real.

    But Perez told El Chiringuito: “They tell me on the street, ‘Presi, sign Mbappé!’. I say ‘calm down’.

    “Madrid need a change and I’m not talking about Mbappé. We have won many things, but we have to move and recover the illusion. It is not easy with the current situation, but I am in that job.

    “I have not spoken with Mbappé, I do not know if he wants to renew. I don’t know, I haven’t talked to him for years, I don’t know more than what I read in the newspapers.

    “I do everything possible so that Madrid does not lose its rightful place. But it is true that we entered 900 million and now we enter 600.”

  • EPL: Arsenal fullback wants PSG move

    EPL: Arsenal fullback wants PSG move

    Arsenal fullback Hector Bellerin wants to move to PSG this summer.

    Arsenal are ready to sell the right-back at the end of the season and he has been linked with a return to Barcelona.

    But Sport says Bellerin is hoping to make a move to Paris.

    The Spaniard is now waiting on PSG to make a firm approach, with the Gunners seeking to sell for €25m.

    Bellerin has a deal with Arsenal to 2023.

  • I’ll fight to keep Mbappe at PSG – Pochettino

    I’ll fight to keep Mbappe at PSG – Pochettino

    Paris Saint-Germain coach Mauricio Pochettino is determined not to lose Kylian Mbappe.

    With Real Madrid and Liverpool keen, the France international’s current contract with the Ligue 1 champions expires next summer and talks over a new deal have yet to bear fruit.

    The Argentine said: “The objective is to keep the best players.

    “The club wants to win the Champions League and the objective of this club is to keep Neymar and Kylian for many years.

    “For three months we have had a very good relationship. Both players are very committed to the club. Every team wants to have them in their ranks. I am optimistic that they will stay.

    “After sharing a changing room with Kylian for three months, I will fight with all my might to keep him with us.”

  • PSG are not UEFA Champions League favourites – Pochettino

    PSG are not UEFA Champions League favourites – Pochettino

    Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) head coach Mauricio Pochettino does not believe his team are favourites to win the UEFA Champions League after eliminating title-holders Bayern Munich on Tuesday.

    PSG advanced to the semi-finals for the second successive season on away goals after the blockbuster tie ended 3-3 following Tuesday’s 1-0 loss at home to Bayern Munich.

    Ligue 1 champions PSG by this thus exacted some revenge after moving through to the final four, having lost last season’s decider to Bayern Munich.

    PSG will face either Manchester City or Borussia Dortmund in the semi-finals, while Chelsea are set to meet the winners of the Liverpool-Real Madrid clash.

    Pochettino, meanwhile, dismissed the idea that PSG are the main contenders to win the Champions League this season.

    “I don’t think so,” Pochettino told reporters when asked if PSG are favourites.

    “We have beaten FC Barcelona in the last 16 in two games, and we have beaten Bayern Munich now in two games too. I think we deserved to win both ties.

    “But I don’t think PSG are the main contenders to win the Champions League. There are still rivals in. We have qualified and Chelsea did today as well.

    “We will see in the other ties —— Manchester City versus Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool versus Real Madrid. But we also know that any team in the semi-finals have the same options to win.”

    PSG’s elimination of Bayern Munich is the first instance in Champions League history of the previous season’s losing finalists eliminating the holders in the knockout stages.

    French giants PSG have reached the semi-finals for the second season in a row.

    This was after managing to reach the final four only once in their previous 11 campaigns in the competition before that —— their first in 1994/1995.

    PSG, though, failed to score at home in the Champions League for the first time in 24 games, since a 0-0 draw with Real Madrid in October 2015.

    Asked to pick between Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund, the former Tottenham Manager —- who led Spurs to the 2018/2019 Champions League final —— was non-commitment.

    “We have faced FC Barcelona in the last 16, playing two games. We have also eliminated Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals.

    “We don’t choose one or other rival. The one we play, we will try to beat them. If you are wondering we can or not beat them, we will see.”

  • PSG knockout Champions League holders to reach semis

    PSG knockout Champions League holders to reach semis

    Paris St Germain (PSG) reached the Champions League semi-finals despite a 1-0 home defeat by holders Bayern Munich, on Tuesday, as they progressed on away goals.

    This was after a 3-3 aggregate result in a thriller that was on a knife edge until the final whistle.

    Bayern striker, Eric Choupo-Moting scored the only goal before the interval, but it was not enough to overturn the German side’s 3-2 loss in last week’s first leg.

    Mauricio Pochettino’s PSG side, who struggled at times in Munich, had the clearest chances but lacked efficiency, with Neymar hitting the woodwork twice and Kylian Mbappe’s speed proving tough to handle, but with no end product.

    PSG kept their composure in a nerve-wrecking finale to book a last-four spot against Manchester City or Borussia Dortmund, who play on Wednesday, as they aim to reach the final for the second year in a row in their third semi-final appearance.

    Bayern eventually paid for the absence of injured talismanic striker Robert Lewandowski and forward Serge Gnabry, who had tested positive for COVID-19, while PSG managed to live without captain Marquinhos and influential midfielder Marco Verrati.

    “Normally, my team has so much quality in the final third, but today they were lacking that final punch.

    “We have to accept that, even though we would have liked a different outcome,” said Bayern coach, Hansi Flick, who added that he would decide on his future at the club at the end of the season

    “Now we’re in the semi-finals and we can dream big,” said Neymar.

    Pochettino added: “We were very focused. It was a really tough match – I’m really happy because the players deserve big credit. To win and qualify for the semi-finals is an amazing moment for us.”

    PSG’s home form has been a cause for concern this season, but this time they did not freeze and proved extremely dangerous on the break throughout the match.

    Without the injured Marquinhos, Danilo started alongside Presnel Kimpembe in central defence for the French champions, while Bayern were also without Leon Goretzka in the midfield.

    Bayern applied the pressure early on, but PSG threatened on the counter with Mbappe and Neymar having the early chances in an error-strewn start.

    The visitors had their first attempt in the 25th minute when Leroy Sane’s curled short from outside the box went just wide.

    PSG came then close on a quick break as Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer denied Neymar in a one-on-one after the Brazilian had been found unmarked by Mbappe.

    Neymar was at it again three times in a handful of minutes with a powerful shot that Neuer deflected onto his post, a superb curled effort that crashed against the bar and another attempt that hit the post after he was played through by Mbappe.

    But Bayern then went in front as Choupo-Moting headed home after PSG keeper Keylor Navas deflected David Alaba’s shot into the path of the former PSG player, giving the German champions the lead on the night five minutes before the break.

    PSG went close again early in the second half when the excellent Angel Di Maria controlled Mbappe’s cross and sent the ball past a flying Neuer across the goal only for Neymar’s stretch to come up inches short as he tried to slide it home.

    Mbappe thought he had equalised in the 78th minute after being played through by Neymar from just inside Bayern’s half, but a VAR review confirmed Italian referee Daniele Orsato’s decision to rule it out for offside.

    Flick’s team created danger in the box repeatedly in the closing stages but the home defence held firm as PSG avenged last year’s 1-0 final defeat by Bayern.

  • Neymar makes positive noises over new contract with PSG

    Neymar makes positive noises over new contract with PSG

    Paris Saint Germain’s (PSG) Brazilian icon Neymar has made encouraging noises over signing a new long-term contract with the French giants. The cash-rich Parisians are looking to finally break their duck in the UEFA Champions League after knocking out last season’s winners Bayern Munich in their recent quarter-final to reach the last four. Negotiating a new deal with Neymar could be the cherry on top for boss Mauricio Pochettino.

    PSG went into their Champions League quarter final second leg 3-2 up on Bayern. The German champions won the second leg 1-0, but PSG secured their passage to the semis 3-3 on aggregate via the away goal rule. Neymar insisted in his post-match interview that extending his stay in Paris was “no longer an issue” as the club aims to lengthen his deal beyond the summer of 2022.

    Neymar told ESPN Brazil reporters that he still felt “very comfortable” in the French capital and “happier than [he] was before”. These positive comments come fresh off the back of quotes from PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, who sees no reason for Neymar or Kylian Mbappe to consider moving to pastures new. Al-Khelaifi insisted that the team “really [has] everything to win all the [major] tournaments”. Al-Khelaifi could not hide the fact that the team’s Qatari owners had “invested a lot in the club” with the primary goal of winning the club’s first UEFA Champions League trophy.

    Will PSG’s pursuit of European glory hamper their Ligue 1 chances?

    With the club’s owners making no secret of their desire to win the Champions League this season, it’s unsurprising that PSG may have taken their eyes off the ball domestically somewhat. After 32 games, PSG are not leading the way at the top of Ligue 1. A recent 1-0 loss to title rivals Lille has seen them open up a three-point gap at the summit. Even third-placed Monaco are only a point behind PSG and fourth-placed Lyon are just two points behind Pochettino’s side. Despite not even leading the way in Ligue 1 with six games remaining, the sportsbooks are still anticipating PSG to get their act together and clinch a tenth Ligue 1 title. Licensed US sports betting operator FOX Bet has still priced Les Rouge et Bleu at -154 to become champions once more.

    Question marks linger over the future of Mbappe as well as Neymar

    Although Neymar has becoming increasingly bullish about the likelihood of the Brazilian extending his time with PSG, French striker Kylian Mbappe has been rather more non-committal. Like Neymar, Mbappe’s current contract with PSG expires next summer and the club will be loathed to allow him to leave on a free transfer at the end of next season.

    Reports continue to link Mbappe with a switch to Spanish La Liga giants Real Madrid. Sources close to Mbappe have noted that it’s been his boyhood ambition to don the Real jersey and Los Blancos are planning to make him their number-one summer transfer target as they seek to refresh their forward line. Real president Florentino Perez is in the market for a new ‘Galactico’ having been recently re-elected at the Bernabeu. PSG are said to have made three separate contract offers to Mbappe in recent months, but the World Cup winner has rejected all three approaches, despite refusing to rule out remaining at the Parc des Princes.

    There are some suggestions that Mbappe will opt to remain at PSG if Neymar does. Mbappe is still just 22 years-old, with another 15 years at the top of the game ahead of him. His advisors may consider recommending him to stay with PSG for another contract cycle before making the switch to the Bernabeu as he approaches his prime.

    Were Neymar to consider leaving this summer, PSG could use their additional wage budget to entice Lionel Messi for a final project in European football. The legendary Argentine’s future remains up in the air at Barcelona, with Manchester City also said to be in hot pursuit of his services with an eye-watering eight-year contract said to be on the table. Either way, PSG’s Qatar Sports Investments owners will not want their squad to be weakened in the close season.

  • UCL: Mbappe hits double as PSG shock Bayern Munich

    UCL: Mbappe hits double as PSG shock Bayern Munich

    Kylian Mbappe scored twice as Paris St-Germain produced a superb away performance to beat title holders Bayern Munich in a thrilling Champions League quarter-final first leg.

    This was a meeting between last year’s finalists and they both contributed in a hugely entertaining game that in itself would have been worthy of being the final of the competition.

    Mbappe took just three minutes to make his mark as he was fed by Neymar and the striker thumped a drive through Manuel Neuer’s legs.

    Marquinhos doubled the lead for the French champions midway through the first half with a neat finish from a great ball by Neymar before ex-PSG striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting headed home to halve the deficit.

    Neuer made amends for his earlier mistake by denying Neymar from point-blank range early in the second half, before Keylor Navas kept out strikes from David Alaba and Benjamin Pavard at the other end.

    But Bayern Munich kept up the pressure and deservedly levelled on the hour mark when Thomas Muller guided a header into the back of the net from Joshua Kimmich’s free kick.

    However, Mbappe had the final say as he swept a low strike through Jerome Boateng’s legs late on to give PSG a third crucial away goal heading into the second leg.