logo
Paris Saint-Germain win the Champions League in style

Paris Saint-Germain win the Champions League in style

Gulf Today4 days ago

Paris Saint-Germain won the Champions League for the first time by thrashing Inter Milan 5-0 on Saturday in the most one-sided final in the competition's history.
Teenager Desire Doue scored twice for PSG and set up the opening goal for Achraf Hakimi in Munich's Allianz Arena before Khvicha Kvaratskhelia made it four and then 19-year-old substitute Senny Mayulu completed the scoring.
PSG took the lead after 12 minutes when Hakimi sidefooted home a pass from Doue.
The Parisians went 2-0 ahead eight minutes later when their defender Willian Pacho improbably kept the ball from going out at the PSG end and the resulting fast-flowing move led to Doue firing in a deflected shot that evaded Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer.
PSG made it 3-0 with a goal created by Vitinha's surging run. He exchanged passes with Ousmane Dembele, before delivering a pass into the path of 19-year-old Doue who drilled the ball into the net.
The match was put beyond doubt by Georgian international Kvaratskhelia's brilliant low finish before Mayulu rounded off a slick passing move.
Qatari-owned PSG are just the second French club since Marseille in 1993 to win European football's top trophy.
Agence France-Presse

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Man City set to sign Dutch midfielder Reijnders from AC Milan
Man City set to sign Dutch midfielder Reijnders from AC Milan

Al Etihad

time6 hours ago

  • Al Etihad

Man City set to sign Dutch midfielder Reijnders from AC Milan

4 June 2025 14:30 MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) Manchester City have agreed a deal to sign Netherlands midfielder Tijjani Reijnders from Serie A side AC Milan on a five-year contract worth 55 million euros ($62.60 million), a team source confirmed on 26-year-old Reijnders joined Milan in 2023 on a five-year contract, which he further extended until 2030 in March. He has made 104 appearances for the club in all competitions, winning one Italian Supercup impressed during the 2024-25 season, scoring 15 goals in all competitions as he was named the Serie A's best midfielder, despite Milan finishing eighth in the who has also made 22 appearances for the Netherlands and is part of the squad for their World Cup 2026 qualifiers against Finland and Malta this month, confirmed negotiations between the clubs were ongoing."The clubs are still in talks. For me it's wait and see now," Reijnders told Dutch weekly Voetbal International on Wednesday."The Premier League is of course great, you dream of that as a little boy. I haven't had any contact with (coach) Pep Guardiola yet."His signing will boost Guardiola's options in midfield following Kevin De Bruyne's departure, who will leave after a decade at the club having lifted six Premier League titles, as well as winning the Champions League and Club World Cup in finished third in the 2024-25 Premier League season and only secured a Champions League berth on the final day of the campaign. They are next in action at the Club World Cup and face Wydad AC in their opening game on June 18, before taking on Al-Ain and Juventus in their Group G fixtures.

Simone Inzaghi leaves Inter Milan - what can Al Hilal expect if he takes charge?
Simone Inzaghi leaves Inter Milan - what can Al Hilal expect if he takes charge?

The National

time11 hours ago

  • The National

Simone Inzaghi leaves Inter Milan - what can Al Hilal expect if he takes charge?

Simone Inzaghi has left Inter Milan by mutual consent and is widely expected to take charge of Saudi Arabian giants Al Hilal. Following a meeting with Inter officials on Tuesday, Inzaghi decided the time was right to leave the Nerazzurri. His final match was Saturday's 5-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Uefa Champions League final. After four seasons, Inzaghi, 49, leaves behind a trophy-filled legacy at Inter. During his tenure, the Italian guided the club to a Serie A title, two Coppa Italia trophies, and three Supercoppa Italiana triumphs. They twice reached the Champions League final. Renowned for his tactical ingenuity and exceptional man-management skills, Inzaghi is the favourite to fill the vacancy at Al Hilal following Jorge Jesus' sacking last month. Should he take on the job, Inzaghi's first official match in charge will be a high-profile clash against Real Madrid at the Fifa Club World Cup on June 14. What led to his departure? Results can alter perceptions. On Saturday evening, Inzaghi's Inter Milan suffered the ignominy of the heaviest ever defeat in a European Cup final. In a season where Inter were chasing a treble, they finished with no trophies and plenty of regrets. Italian media and pundits were scathing in their analysis of a side that was built to win but that fell at the final hurdle. Just getting to the final was an achievement in itself. But despite the club's cost-cutting, limited squad depth and ageing stars, such is the nature of football; success is celebrated as a collective effort, but in defeat, it's often the coach who becomes the scapegoat. He may have finished his final season without a trophy, but that owed more to the club's overambition than any personal failure on Inzaghi's part. What can Inzaghi bring to Al Hilal? A master of man-management, Inzaghi has earned widespread praise for cultivating a cohesive, squad where players consistently raise their level. Meticulous in his preparation and deeply attentive to player relationships, Inzaghi is often credited with unlocking the full potential of those under his guidance. 'His secret is that sometimes he still thinks like a player, so he understands us really well and lives things the way we do," said Inter captain Lautaro Martínez. 'With Inzaghi, I feel like I've grown to an even higher level.' Marcus Thuram echoed this sentiment: 'He's given me a vision of football where everything you do is meant to achieve something.' Known for his quiet discipline off the pitch, Inzaghi transforms into a fiery presence on the touchline, wildly gesticulating to spur his team forward. Inzaghi's success An immodest Inzaghi once said: 'Wherever I go, revenues increase, losses decrease, and trophies arrive.' The stats certainly back up those claims. Antonio Conte, Inzaghi's predecessor, recorded a win rate of 62.75% during his two seasons at Inter, averaging 2.11 points per game. He led the team to a Serie A title in his second year, backed by substantial investment that saw the club post a net spend of €169 million over that period. Key signings such as Romelu Lukaku and Achraf Hakimi were brought in to strengthen the squad. In contrast, Inzaghi took over from Conte amid a period of financial uncertainty. The club was forced to sell several key players, and transfer spending was drastically reduced. Under his tenure, Inter recorded a net profit of €114m in transfers. More importantly, Inzaghi oversaw a sharp rise in revenues, guiding the team to two Champions League finals that generated over €300m for the club. On the pitch, he averaged 2.15 points per game across four seasons – surpassing Conte's rate – and achieved a higher overall win percentage. At his previous club Lazio, Inzaghi gradually developed a competitive squad, culminating in a final season where they led the Serie A table up to March 1, 2020. However, following the league's suspension due to Covid and subsequent restart, the team faltered and ultimately finished fourth. Nonetheless, under Inzaghi, Lazio won the Coppa Italia and two Supercoppas. They have not won a trophy since. Tactics Inzaghi's tactical approach blends structure with purposeful attacking play. It's a style of football rooted in control that goes beyond mere possession. Inzaghi favours direct vertical play. Transitions are seamless, allowing the team to shift from defence to attack in a matter of moments, often catching opponents unbalanced. His sides look to move quickly through midfield, exploiting gaps behind the defence with sharp, incisive passing and intelligent forward movement. This calculated approach makes Inzaghi's sides difficult to defend against. His wing-backs are crucial, often tasked with advancing into wide attacking zones, stretching opposition lines. Defensively, his teams maintain a compact, resilient shape. The 3-5-2 morphs into a 5-3-2 when defending, with wing-backs dropping deep to support a solid central block that's tough to penetrate. Inzaghi's philosophy is that his team always adapts to the moment. At times, they press aggressively, eager to win back possession; at others, they are content to drop deep and concede the ball. This confidence in shifting their approach is one of Inzaghi's defining hallmarks. Conclusion Al Hilal can expect a meticulous, detail-driven manager with a strong desire to win. How Inzaghi adapts to life in the kingdom remains to be seen. He has neither coached outside Italy nor speaks Arabic. But throughout his career, Inzaghi has consistently risen to every challenge. Given their disappointing 2024/25 season, in which they finished second and won no trophies, Inzaghi could be a perfect fit.

Swiatek sweeps aside Svitolina to set up semis showdown with Sabalenka
Swiatek sweeps aside Svitolina to set up semis showdown with Sabalenka

Gulf Today

time11 hours ago

  • Gulf Today

Swiatek sweeps aside Svitolina to set up semis showdown with Sabalenka

Four-times champion Iga Swiatek of Poland swept aside Ukraine's Elina Svitolina 6-1 7-5 on a windy day at the French Open on Tuesday to earn a semi-final spot and stay in the hunt for a record-breaking victory in Paris. The 24-year-old, who accepted a one-month doping ban late last year, is looking to become the first woman in the professional era since 1968 to win four consecutive titles in Paris. Although she failed to win a title going into the French Open this season, she looks to have rediscovered her remarkable claycourt form in Paris. She will next play world number one Aryna Sabalenka in a mouth-watering semi-final after the Belarusian beat China's Zheng Qinwen 7-6 (7/3), 6-3. 'I should have had better intensity in the beginning of the second set,' Swiatek said in a post-match interview. 'When I saw my intensity go low I got it high again. I am happy I did it at the end of the set. 'Against Aryna it is always a challenge. She has a game for every surface. I have to do the work, be brave with my shots and go for it. She is having a great season.' 'I will not lie. It will be a tough match but am happy for the challenge,' she said. The Pole is now on a 26-match winning streak at the French Open, following her title three-peat between 2022-24 to add to her 2020 crown. Swiatek, playing in an initially sparsely filled Philipp Chatrier stadium, broke the Ukrainian, in her fifth quarter-final appearance in Paris, early and kept her on the back foot with her heavy top-spin forehand and rapid changes in pace and direction. Svitolina desperately tried to hang on but she could not match her opponent's power in rallies, sending a forehand into the net to hand her another break as Swiatek bagged the set on her serve in the next game. With her husband, French tennis player Gael Monfils, watching from the stands, Svitolina ignited hope among the crowd when she moved 5-4 up in the second set. Three unforced forehand errors in the next game, however, proved too many and Swiatek raced through the next three games to seal victory, firing three aces in the final game including one on match point. Earlier, reigning US Open champion Sabalenka defied the windy conditions and Zheng to avenge her recent loss to the Chinese star in Rome. 'The last tournament I was pretty exhausted,' said Sabalenka. 'Today I was more fresh I was ready to battle.' Sabalenka once again got the upper hand on Zheng, who had been on a winning streak of 10 matches on the Paris clay after her run to Olympic gold last year. Zheng broke and led 4-2 in the first set. But numerous unforced errors — 31 in total — allowed the Belarusian to come back. The second set was also tight before Sabalenka broke back to lead 4-3, taking advantage of her opponent's errors. 'I gave her the chance, so easy,' said Zheng, who has lost seven times in eight meetings to Sabalenka, including in last year's Australian Open final. Madrid Open champion Sabalenka feels she is ready to go all the way in Paris, where her previous best performance was reaching the semi-finals two years ago. 'It's high-level matches. I'm super excited to go out there and to fight and to do everything I need to get the win,' said Sabalenka of her tie against Swiatek. Meanwhile, Italian craftsman Lorenzo Musetti used his full palette of shots to decorate Court Philippe Chatrier with blistering baseline winners, beating American Frances Tiafoe 6-2 4-6 7-5 6-2 to reach the French Open semi-finals for the first time on Tuesday. Musetti, who said he put some order in his mind and game, did not let frustration take the best of him after losing the second set and once he found his groove, there was no stopping him as 15th seed Tiafoe gradually lost the plot, twice arguing with the chair umpire over line calls. He bowed out with yet another routine shot into the net, his 'Big Foe' neck chain dripping with sweat as a testimony of the battle just fought. 'Definitely Frances did not start the way he wanted but today was really complicated, it was so windy and difficult to mange to properly hit the ball,' said Musetti. Agencies

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store