PSG-Tottenham: Paris kicks off its season with no real preparation
Exactly one month before, the team experienced a bitter end to a dazzling season, whose high point was its Champions League final victory (5-0) over Inter Milan on May 31. The 2024-2025 season was, for the PSG's players, coach, and staff, as grueling as it was historic. "We are very tired. We played a lot of matches," said Gianluigi Donnarumma, the PSG's Italian goalkeeper – who was left out of the squad for Wednesday's match – on June 23, after the Club World Cup group stage.
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France 24
15 hours ago
- France 24
PSG begin French title defence as Pogba returns home and Paris FC step up
It is just the second time that the French top flight has boasted the Champions League winners among its ranks, with PSG's success against Inter Milan in May following Marseille's triumph in 1993. Luis Enrique's team added the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday as they came from two goals down against Tottenham before winning on penalties. The nature of that success was made all the more remarkable given they had just a week's pre-season training under their belts, and no friendly matches. That is after they went all the way to the Club World Cup final in the United States, their 3-0 defeat against Chelsea on July 13 bringing the curtain down on a marathon 65-game season. That did not take the shine off their achievement in winning the Champions League, but those exertions risk having an impact on Luis Enrique's players further down the line. "What we did last season had been the objective for all PSG supporters, for the whole club, and for everyone who played for the club," PSG's coach said this week. "Now we want to keep on making history, and that means winning consecutive Champions Leagues, so that is our objective. That is the dream." Put another way, continued European success is the priority over winning a 12th domestic title in 14 years. PSG are nevertheless overwhelming favourites to do that as they attack the season having added goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier from Lille to replace Gianluigi Donnarumma, and Ukrainian centre-back Illia Zabarnyi from Bournemouth. Lyon back from brink French football has been mired in crisis due to difficulties finding a domestic broadcast partner willing to offer the kind of money needed to help teams beyond PSG compete with their European counterparts. At the end of last season, the French league pulled the plug on a cut-price deal with streaming platform DAZN. Instead it has launched its own platform, a bold step which may succeed in the long run but for now means clubs have no guaranteed television income. Seven-time champions Lyon's woes almost led to them being relegated -- they were initially demoted to Ligue 2 by French football's financial watchdog before successfully appealing that punishment. However, they were told they would have to cut their wage bill and transfer budget for this campaign and the future still looks uncertain -- key players such as Rayan Cherki, Alexandre Lacazette and goalkeeper Lucas Perri have all departed. Marseille and Monaco completed the podium in Ligue 1 last season and surely have the best chance of challenging PSG this time. Monaco have signed Pogba on a two-year deal, giving the 2018 World Cup winner a chance to revive a career that has been stalled by injury and an 18-month doping ban. Capital derby returns Pogba is now 32 and has hardly played in three years, but Monaco are hopeful he can help them make a real push at the top of the table. "The next step for us is to have a team that is mentally stronger, that really believes it can go far in the Champions League and challenge Paris," said Monaco CEO Thiago Scuro. Pogba has never previously played in France having left Le Havre for Manchester United as a teenager. Fellow 2018 World Cup winner Olivier Giroud, meanwhile, has returned to Ligue 1 aged 38 to join Lille. It remains to be seen what impact he might have, and whether Paris FC can feature prominently following promotion. They have big ambitions after a takeover last year by the Arnaults, one of the world's wealthiest families. It is the first time since 1990 that two Parisian teams have featured in the top flight, and the rivalry between them will be stoked by the fact Paris FC will play home games at the Stade Jean-Bouin -- a stone's throw from PSG's Parc des Princes. Paris FC have already invested significant sums in the transfer market but will probably have to wait before seriously challenging their neighbours. "Everyone is eagerly looking forward to the derbies, but we know very well that the gulf between us is huge. They are on another planet," said Paris FC president Pierre Ferracci.
France 24
a day ago
- France 24
UEFA Super Cup: PSG claim title with late rally against Spurs
European champions Paris Saint-Germain began the new season by lifting more silverware on Wednesday as they beat Tottenham Hotspur 4-3 on penalties in the UEFA Super Cup after producing a late comeback to draw the match 2-2. Spurs looked set to get their hands on the trophy in their first competitive match under new coach Thomas Frank as they led 2-0 just after half-time at the Stadio Friuli in Udine, Italy. Micky van de Ven gave last season's Europa League winners the lead on 39 minutes and Cristian Romero got their second goal three minutes into the second half. However, PSG were rescued by two substitutes as Lee Kang-in pulled a goal back in the 85th minute and Goncalo Ramos headed in the equaliser four minutes into injury time. That meant a penalty shoot-out, although it started badly for PSG when Vitinha put their first kick wide. However, new Paris goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier saved from Van de Ven and Mathys Tel missed the target, allowing Nuno Mendes to convert the winning penalty for PSG. Dominic Solanke, Rodrigo Bentancur and Pedro Porro all scored from the spot for Spurs, in vain. Ramos, Ousmane Dembele and Lee converted for PSG before Mendes stepped up. It is the first time PSG, or indeed any French club, have lifted the Super Cup, as they take their tally of trophies won in 2025 to five. "I am proud. We have hadn't much preparation but you could see that football is not only about the physical aspect -- it is also about the mental aspect, being in the right place, having the right tactics," PSG captain Marquinhos told broadcaster Canal Plus. "They sat back a lot after going 2-0 up and it is dangerous to invite PSG to come at you like that." It is the perfect start to the new campaign for Luis Enrique's team, who had a shortened off-season break having lost the FIFA Club World Cup final to Chelsea exactly a month ago. Frank's debut defeat They only began pre-season training a week ago and played no friendly matches before this game. They now begin the new Ligue 1 campaign on Sunday away to Nantes, while Spurs will turn their attentions to the start of the Premier League season as they take on Burnley at home on Saturday. "I think we played a very good game against one of the best teams in the world -- maybe the best in this moment in time," Frank told TNT Sports. "I think we had them exactly where we wanted them for 80-something minutes until the 2-1 goal. Then of course that shifted a little bit the momentum, but there was so much positive. "I am so proud of the team, the players, the club, the fans. I think there is a lot to be happy with. It is a flip of a coin when you go into a penalty shoot-out." As well as Frank making his debut on the bench, new signings Mohammed Kudus and Joao Palhinha both started for Spurs. Chevalier made his debut in goal for PSG following his arrival from Lille, a move which has sidelined Italy 'keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma from Luis Enrique's team. The 23-year-old was called into action to tip over a Richarlison shot midway through the first half but he could not prevent Van de Ven giving the Premier League side the lead as the interval approached. Chevalier did tip a Palhinha shot onto the bar after Spurs sent a ball into the Paris area, but there was nothing the goalkeeper could do to stop Dutch defender Van de Ven scoring the follow-up. The new signing was then culpable as Tottenham scored again just after the break, with Chevalier too easily beaten by a header from the unmarked Romero. It looked like it would not be PSG's night as Bradley Barcola had an effort disallowed for an offside midway through the second half, but they saved the day with a remarkable late show. Lee controlled a Vitinha pass before firing low into the far corner from the edge of the box, and Ramos then equalised in the 94th minute by heading in a driven ball across the face of goal by Dembele, setting PSG up for penalties.
LeMonde
a day ago
- LeMonde
PSG beat Tottenham on penalties to win UEFA Super Cup
European champions Paris Saint-Germain began the new season by lifting more silverware on Wednesday, August 13, as they beat Tottenham Hotspur 4-3 on penalties in the UEFA Super Cup after producing a late comeback to draw the match 2-2. Spurs looked set to get their hands on the trophy in their first competitive match under new coach Thomas Frank as they led 2-0 just after half-time at the Stadio Friuli in Udine, Italy. Micky van de Ven gave last season's Europa League winners the lead on 39 minutes and Cristian Romero got their second goal three minutes into the second half. However, PSG were rescued by two substitutes as Lee Kang-in pulled a goal back in the 85th minute and Gonçalo Ramos headed in the equaliser four minutes into injury time. That meant a penalty shoot-out, but it started badly for PSG when Vitinha put their first kick wide. However, new Paris goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier saved from Van de Ven and Mathys Tel missed the target, allowing Nuno Mendes to convert the winning penalty for PSG. Dominic Solanke, Rodrigo Bentancur and Pedro Porro all scored from the spot for Spurs, in vain. Ramos, Ousmane Dembele and Lee converted for PSG before Mendes stepped up. It is the first time PSG, or any French club, have lifted the Super Cup, as they take their tally of trophies won in 2025 to five. It is also the perfect start to the new campaign for Luis Enrique's team, who had a shortened off-season break having lost the FIFA Club World Cup final to Chelsea exactly a month ago. They now begin the new Ligue 1 campaign on Sunday away to Nantes, while Spurs will turn their attentions to the start of the Premier League season as they take on Burnley at home on Saturday.
