Paris piledriver: PSG smash five past sorry Inter to seal first Euro crown in record romp
MUNICH, June 1 — Paris Saint-Germain won the Champions League for the first time as Luis Enrique's brilliant young side outclassed Inter Milan yesterday in the most one-sided final ever with teenager Desire Doue scoring twice in an astonishing 5-0 victory.
Doue supplied the pass for Achraf Hakimi to give PSG an early lead and the 19-year-old went from provider to finisher as his deflected shot doubled the advantage in the 20th minute.
Doue scored again just after the hour mark, ending any doubt about the outcome before Khvicha Kvaratskhelia ran away to get the fourth and substitute Senny Mayulu, another teenager, made it five.
Inter were simply no match for the French club, who recorded the biggest victory by any team in the final in the 70-year history of the European Cup and Champions League.
'This means everything. It's our dream. It's incredible. The result is not by magic. I'm happy we did it like this,' said PSG's Portuguese midfielder Vitinha.
The triumph for the Parisians follows over a decade of huge investment from their Qatari owners, and comes five years after they lost to Bayern Munich in their only previous final appearance.
Already domestic league and cup double winners, they are just the second French winners of European football's biggest prize — Marseille were the first in 1993, when they beat AC Milan in a final also played in Munich.
It is also a second Champions League for PSG coach Luis Enrique, who won with Lionel Messi's Barcelona in 2015.
This youthful PSG side is arguably the best the competition has seen since, one that has been intelligently pieced together over the last two years and fully unleashed this season following the departure of Kylian Mbappe.
'It was the objective since the start of last season to make history. I have felt a really strong connection with the players and the supporters,' Luis Enrique told broadcaster Canal Plus.
For a bewildered Inter, there was to be no first Champions League title since 2010 as they failed to add to their three previous triumphs in the competition.
Simone Inzaghi's side have got to the final twice in three seasons and lost both, and this defeat comes a week after they missed out on the Serie A title to Napoli.
They end the campaign trophyless, and their ageing side will need to be rebuilt.
'PSG absolutely deserved to win this match. We are very disappointed,' admitted Inzaghi.
'As a coach I am proud of our campaign, but we're not satisfied with tonight's game. PSG outplayed us.
'I thanked the players for what they did this season. We won no silverware, but I'm proud.'
Doue at the double
PSG gave their opponents no chance from the off on a sweaty night at the Allianz Arena, going ahead in the 12th minute.
It was a glorious goal, Vitinha threading a pass to Doue who squared for Hakimi to finish before refusing to celebrate against his former club.
It was also the earliest goal in a Champions League final since 2019, and recent history was firmly against Inter.
The last final in which both teams scored was in 2018, while the last team to concede first but still win were Real Madrid in 2014.
But soon Inter were further behind with a goal from a counterattack.
Willian Pacho prevented Inter from winning a corner, his clearance falling to Kvaratskhelia, who released Ousmane Dembele. His pass found Doue and the youngster, preferred in the starting line-up to Bradley Barcola, fired home via a deflection off Federico Dimarco.
Inter only really came close to scoring in the first half when Marcus Thuram headed wide at a corner, but things got worse after the break.
Their back line was in disarray as PSG made it 3-0 on 63 minutes, Dembele's flick releasing Vitinha before he set up Doue to beat goalkeeper Yann Sommer.
Doue came off shortly after to rapturous applause, but his teammates were far from done.
Dembele sent Kvaratskhelia away to to make it 4-0 in the 73rd minute, and the 19-year-old Mayulu played a one-two with Barcola before lashing in the fifth on 86 minutes.
That rounded off an incredible night, with PSG becoming the first team to score five goals in the final since Benfica in 1962. — AFP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malay Mail
an hour ago
- Malay Mail
Ubisoft's dark mode exposed: Former executives on trial in Paris for toxic work culture
PARIS, June 2 — Three former top executives from French video game giant Ubisoft, the maker of 'Assassin's Creed' and 'Far Cry', went on trial on Monday accused of psychologically and sexually harassing employees for years. The trial, to last until Friday, was supposed to be held in March but was adjourned after lawyers complained they received some documents too late. The industry has been scrutinised for years over its treatment of women and minorities in the workplace – and the way they are depicted in games. Ubisoft launched an internal inquiry in 2020 after anonymous testimonies emerged on social media accusing the company of a toxic work culture. Several senior executives later left the firm. The executive shake-up at Ubisoft was hailed by some as a #Metoo moment in the male-dominated video game publishing industry, which has faced criticism for misogynistic imagery often found in games. One of the accused, Serge Hascoet, resigned from his post as chief creative officer. The other two – Thomas 'Tommy' Francois, vice-president of editorial and creative services, and game director Guillaume Patrux – were dismissed for serious misconduct. All three men deny the claims. Hascoet and Francois arrived at the Bobigny court outside Paris on Monday morning. Employees had complained of regular public humiliation and hazing. Francois is the focus of the most damning claims of systematic psychological and sexual harassment at the company's offices in the eastern Paris suburb of Montreuil. Between January 2012 and July 2020, Francois is alleged to have often watched pornographic films in the open-plan office and commented on the appearance of female employees. Headstand in a skirt Francois was also accused of forcing a young employee he had just hired to do a headstand in the open-plan office while wearing a skirt. He is also accused of tying the same woman to a chair and putting her in an elevator, sending her to another floor. He also allegedly forced her to attend a work meeting after he painted her face with a felt-tip pen. In addition to the accusations of sexual and psychological harassment, Francois is being prosecuted for an attempted sexual assault when he tried to forcibly kiss a young employee during a Christmas party as she was held by other colleagues. According to an investigative report seen by AFP, Francois encouraged 'his subordinates to act in the same way'. Hascoet is accused of lewd behaviour and posing intrusive questions of a sexual nature, as well as racist comments and behaviour. Following deadly jihadist attacks in Paris in 2015, he allegedly asked a Muslim employee if she agreed with the ideas of the Islamic State group. The woman had her computer desktop background changed to images of bacon sandwiches and food was placed on her desk during the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan. The third defendant, former game director Patrux, 39, has been accused of psychological harassment. Investigators spoke to dozens of witnesses during the probe, but 'many refused to file a complaint for fear of reactions from the video game community,' according to the report seen by AFP. — AFP
Free Malaysia Today
2 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Russia, Ukraine in Istanbul for fresh peace talks
Kyiv yesterday said it had damaged some 40 strategic Russian bombers in a major special operation. (Ukrainian security service/AP pic) ISTANBUL : Russian and Ukrainian officials will meet today in Istanbul to exchange their plans on how to end the three-year war, Europe's largest conflict since World War II, after Kyiv said it carried out one of its most successful attacks, hitting bombers parked at airbases deep inside Russia. Urged on by US President Donald Trump, Moscow and Kyiv have opened direct negotiations for the first time since the early weeks of Russia's invasion, but have yet to make significant progress towards an elusive agreement. Today's talks come a day after Ukraine carried out one of its most brazen and successful attacks ever on Russian soil – hitting dozens of strategic bombers parked at airbases thousands of kilometres behind the frontline. At the first round of talks in Istanbul last month, the two sides agreed to a large-scale prisoner exchange and to swap notes on what their vision of a peace deal might look like. The second set of negotiations is scheduled to get underway at 1pm at the Ciragan Palace in Istanbul, an Ottoman imperial house on the banks of the Bosphorus that is now a luxury five-star hotel. Russia's negotiators arrived late yesterday, with Ukraine's team touching down this morning. Moscow says it will present a 'memorandum' of its peace terms, having resisted pressure by Ukraine to send its demands in advance. Despite the flurry of diplomacy, the two sides remain far apart over a possible deal – either for a truce or a longer-term settlement. Outlining Kyiv's position ahead of the talks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky refreshed his call for an immediate halt to the fighting. 'First – a full and unconditional ceasefire. Second – the release of prisoners. Third – the return of abducted children,' he said today in a post on social media. He also called for the sides to discuss a direct meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. 'The key issues can only be resolved by the leaders,' Zelensky said. The Kremlin has repeatedly pushed back on that prospect, saying a Putin-Zelensky meeting could only happen after the negotiating delegations reach wider 'agreements'. Russia has questioned Zelensky's legitimacy throughout the war and repeatedly called for him to be toppled. Moscow says it wants to address the 'root causes' of the conflict – language typically used to refer to a mix of sweeping demands including limiting Ukraine's military, banning the country from joining Nato and massive territorial concessions. Kyiv and the west have rejected those calls and cast Russia's assault as nothing but an imperialist land grab. Tens of thousands have been killed since Russia invaded, with swathes of eastern and southern Ukraine destroyed and millions forced to flee their homes, in Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. Russia's top negotiator in Istanbul will be Vladimir Medinsky, an ideological Putin aide who led failed talks in 2022, has written school textbooks justifying the invasion and has questioned Ukraine's right to exist as a nation. Ukraine's team will be led by defence minister Rustem Umerov, seen as a skilled and pragmatic negotiator, but who has been mired in domestic scandal over alleged abuse of power and a lack of transparency. 'Diplomatic advisors' from Germany, France and Britain will be 'on the ground… in close coordination with the Ukrainian negotiating team,' a German government spokesman said today. Ukraine yesterday said it had damaged some 40 strategic Russian bombers, worth US$7 billion, in a major special operation after months of setbacks for Kyiv's military. Kyiv's security service said the plan, 18 months in the making, had involved smuggling drones into Russia which were then launched from near the airbases, thousands of kilometres away from the frontlines. Russian troops have meanwhile been advancing on the ground, particularly in the northeastern Sumy region, where Putin ordered his forces to establish a 'buffer zone' along the border. Ahead of the talks, Russian officials have called for Ukraine to be cut off from western military support and cede territory still controlled by its army. Ukraine has pushed Russia to agree to a full, unconditional and immediate ceasefire – saying a pause in the fighting is necessary to then discuss what a long-term settlement could look like. Kyiv has conceded it may only be able to get territory taken by Russia through diplomacy, not fighting. It also wants concrete western-backed security guarantees – like Nato protections or troops on the ground – that have also been ruled out by Russia.
Malay Mail
3 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Natascha Thomas is the new PDLN President
Annual conference of the international network for the legally compliant marketing of media content in Warsaw Natascha Thomas, Deputy Managing Director of german PMG Presse-Monitor, is new elected President of the international PDLN Press Data Licensing Network./ Anke Illing BERLIN, GERMANY - Newsaktuell – 2 June 2025 - The international PDLN network has elected Natascha Thomas as its new president. She succeeds Javier Diaz da Olarte, from CEDRO, Centro Español de Derechos Reprográficos. Thomas has already been active as Vice President of the network for the past two years. The newly elected Vice President is Carlos Eugénio from Visapress in her election as the new PDLN President in Warsaw, Thomas said: "At first I would like to thank Javier for his dedicated work at the head of the PDLN. It´s my firm intention to build on this and further promote our international cooperation. I am sure we can make the most of the opportunities offered by AI by sharing experiences and learning from each other. The same also applies to the risks that the rapid technological development entails. The PDLN network with its established structures makes it possible to further advance our common goal of protecting the interests of content producers and preventing abuse on a global scale."Natascha Thomas has been Deputy Managing Director of PMG Presse-Monitor since 2020 and is responsible for sales, marketing and business development. In this position, the graduate communications researcher is passionate about driving forward the digitalisation of processes and products. The most recent result of her commitment is the launch of the newly developed, highly available PMG MediaHub portal. Here, over 900 publishers offer the content of more than 3,000 publications for legally compliant secondary utilisation. PR professionals from over 5,000 companies and organisations use this one-stop shop for their daily media monitoring and legally compliant press review graduated in communication studies, Natascha Thomas held positions as a digital consultant and research analyst among others, before joining Axel Springer AG, where she was in charge of digital products. As a member of the executive board of AFP GmbH and its subsidiary SID Sport-Informations-Dienst GmbH, Thomas was responsible in particular for the areas of Marketing and Sales. Since 2020, Natascha Thomas has been the deputy managing director of PMG Presse-Monitor GmbH & Co. KG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. About PDLN Press Database and Licensing Network The Press Database and Licensing Network (PDLN) is the international association of press databases and licensing companies that license and supply newspaper, magazine and website material for media monitoring and for use in press reviews ( Within PDLN, which was founded in 2008, its 39 members from 25 countries coordinate with the aim of protecting and promoting the interests of publishing houses and content publishers in the media evaluation market About PMG Presse-Monitor GmbH & Co. KG PMG Presse-Monitor GmbH & Co. KG is one of the leading providers of digital media monitoring, press review creation and media analysis in the German-speaking world. With the comprehensive relaunch in spring 2025, PMG is launching the newly developed PMG MediaHub. Over 900 publishers and content producers from all over the world make their content available here daily for legally compliant secondary utilisation. Of around 5,000 print and online media, more than 3,000 are available digitally via the integrated PMG MediaMonitor portal. PMG markets content and rights to PR professionals and communications departments in companies and public authorities as well as to professional media observers. In 2021, PMG acquires the internationally successful data conversion specialist X-CAGO from the Netherlands. PMG now offers publishers customised solutions for the multiple digital exploitation of their content. The range of services extends from the high-quality preparation of digital data for all distribution channels to targeted marketing in the most comprehensive daily press database in the DACH region. PMG has been providing the Press Portal for Schools (PfS) since 2023 on the basis of a framework agreement with the federal states. Teachers can use it to centrally access the content of German press coverage in order to organise their in 2001, PMG is a joint venture of German newspaper and magazine publishers with the shareholders Axel Springer, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Gruner + Jahr, Handelsblatt Media Group, Hubert Burda Media, Spiegel-Verlag, Süddeutsche Zeitung and the Bundesverband Digitalpublisher und Zeitungsverleger as well as the Medienverband der freien Presse.
