Paris Saint-Germain 4 Atletico Madrid 0 – European champions put down marker with clinical win
Paris Saint-Germain showed why they are European champions with a commanding 3-0 win over Atletico Madrid in the first match of Group B in Pasadena, California.
Fabio Ruiz opened the scoring after 19 minutes in the Rose Bowl's blazing heat, striking after the French club pressed their opponents into a mistake deep in their own half. Vitinha doubled the advantage just before half-time; Antoine Griezmann had Atletico's best chance but PSG ruthlessly broke down the other end to score.
Advertisement
Julian Alvarez had a goal disallowed in the second half after a foul by Koke on Desire Doue in the build-up play as the match became disjointed and scrappy. Clement Lenglet made things worse for Atletico by getting sent off for two yellow cards with around 15 minutes remaining. It allowed Luis Enrique's team to coast to victory — with Senny Mayulu scoring their third and Lee Kang-in scoring a penalty with the last kick of the game — ahead of the other game in the group Botafogo vs Seattle Sounders.
Here our reporters, Stuart James, Dermot Corrigan, Jack Lang and Thom Harris break down the key talking points in the game…
PSG might have been forgiven for easing off the gas under the beating sun. It's barely been two weeks since they thrashed Inter 5-0 in the UEFA Champions League final, only three since they lifted the French Cup, in which they were also dominant — and once again, champions — throughout nine months and 38 games in their domestic league.
They were having none of it.
The ball gave PSG life throughout a stylish display, as relentless rotation pulled Atletico Madrid apart. Diego Simeone's side are usually well-equipped for a defensive smash-and-grab, having beaten the Parisians back in November with just 29 per cent of the ball, but they were chasing shadows throughout much of the first half, 45 minutes that put them firmly on the back foot.
PSG's midfield three were at the heart of it all, the elusive Vitinha often dropping into a centre-back role to allow marauding full-back Nuno Mendes to push on. Ruiz was equally dynamic, drifting across the pitch and frequently driving into space behind enemy lines after neat one-twos, while Joao Neves was typically tenacious without the ball — an incredible feat in such punishing conditions.
45 + 1′ | GOAL @vitinha — brilliant strike to double the lead for @PSG_inside
WATCH Paris Saint-Germain-Atlético de Madrid in the @FIFACWC NOW! | June 14 – July 13 | Every Game | Free | https://t.co/i0K4eUtwwb | #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld #PSGATM pic.twitter.com/4J78kUhXET
— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) June 15, 2025
All three were involved in the opening goal — Ruiz and Neves both within the centre circle just 10 seconds before the former tore forward to nick back possession, and the latter smashed in from the edge of the box.
We saw right-back Achraf Hakimi pop up on the left, his opposite number Mendes drive through the middle, Desire Doue flit from flank to flank. It's dizzying to watch; one can only imagine how it feels to chase.
Thom Harris
Atletico Madrid were proud to have qualified for this tournament, and many at the club were looking forward to showing they deserved to be ranked among the elite global clubs.
So far their trip to the US for the tournament has not gone to plan. Their hotel for the tournament is in downtown LA, just 500 metres from City Hall, where a lot of protests have been taking place. Players and staff have admitted to hearing police sirens and helicopters at all hours of the day since arriving, but claimed pre-game the noise and uncertainty had not affected their preparation. The team's apparent lack of energy and ideas as they were completely overrun in the first 45 minutes suggested otherwise.
Advertisement
Simeone's Atletico can often thrive in adversity, and through the 2024-25 campaign they regularly roared back into games which had not started well. That included coming from 0-1 down in November's Champions League group game at PSG to win 2-1, a typical 'smash and grab' from Simeone's team.
After going 2-0 down at the break, Simeone sent on veteran midfielder Koke for previously anonymous left-winger Samuel Lino. This did make the team more solid — and Alvarez thought he had pulled one back with a speared 15-yard finish to the net, only for the VAR officials to spot Koke's crafty trip on Doue to help them win the ball back at the start of the move.
19′ | GOAAAAAL! @FabianRP52 puts @PSG_English ahead with a brilliant effort!
WATCH Paris Saint-Germain-Atlético de Madrid in the @FIFACWC NOW! | June 14 – July 13 | Every Game | Free | https://t.co/i0K4eUtwwb | #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld #PSGATM pic.twitter.com/MTvGi8dXDL
— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) June 15, 2025
Just past the hour mark, Simeone made one of his patented triple substitutions, meaning the Atletico team on the pitch was now much fresher and more attacking. By 70 minutes he had sent on a fifth sub in huge centre-forward Alexander Sorloth, who missed a golden opportunity with less than 10 minutes remaining, driving the ball over the bar from a few yards out. They still caused PSG little damage though, and never looked likely to get anything out of this game, especially after their growing frustration with referee Istvan Kovacs ended with a second yellow card for Lenglet for dissent.
Atletico are scheduled to be based at the Conrad through the whole group phase — except for flying up to Seattle for two days for Wednesday's second game against the Sounders. Simeone's team must hope a change of scene, and maybe a bit more calm around the camp, will help them get the result they need to keep alive in the competition.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia must be a manager's dream. A gifted dribbler with an incredible work ethic, the Georgian plays the game with a mixture of adventure, tenacity and selflessness. He made his mark on this opening group B fixture with two assists before the interval and was inches away from scoring an outstanding goal himself, only to be denied by the combination of Jan Oblak's smart goalkeeping and the crossbar.
Advertisement
PSG's first goal highlighted Kvaratskhelia's football intelligence, the winger drifting into a more central position in the Atletico penalty area, where he received with his back to goal and cleverly teed up Fabian Ruiz. His second assist came at the end of a superb PSG counter-attack, with Kvaratskhelia scampering away on the left flank before feeding Vitinha.
But it's the hunger, desire and energy that Kvaratskhelia brings to PSG's pressing that catches the eye every bit as much as his goal contributions. He is a tireless worker who epitomises the changing face of PSG's attack this season – superb with the ball and relentless without it.
It would have been fitting if Kvaratskhelia's curling shot early in the second half, after he received possession from Nuno Mendes and stepped inside onto his right foot, had found the top corner. Instead, Oblak's fingertips intervened.
50′ 🧤 Big save by Jan Oblak! A lively start to the second half in LA!
WATCH Paris Saint-Germain-Atlético de Madrid in the @FIFACWC NOW! | June 14 – July 13 | Every Game | Free | https://t.co/i0K4eUtwwb | #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld #PSGATM pic.twitter.com/6frwqAt2Q2
— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) June 15, 2025
It was 28 degrees Celsius at kick-off at the Rose Bowl. By full time that had risen to 32. For the fans, there was no respite, not a square inch of shade to be found in this lovely old ice cream scoop of a ground. You don't often see football managers wearing shorts away from the training ground, but PSG's Luis Enrique must have been pretty happy with his decision here.
How did the players cope? It was a mixed bag. PSG, in the first half especially, coped well, pressing with their usual intensity. Atleti's players did not fare so well. Think slow-motion runs, hands on hips, more panting than a trouser factory. At one point, left back Javi Galan made a rare foray forward, lost the ball and then just kind of… stood there, dazed and confused, heat stroke already on order.
We will bring you this after he has spoken at the post-match press conference.
We will bring you this after he has spoken at the post-match press conference.
Thursday, June 19: Botafogo, Club World Cup group stage (Los Angeles), 9pm ET, 2am Fri UK
Thursday, June 19: Seattle Sounders, Club World Cup group stage (Seattle), 6pm ET, 11pm UK
You can sign up to DAZN to watch every FIFA Club World Cup game for free.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
12 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Patrick Mahomes Sends Four-Word Message on J.J. Spaun
Patrick Mahomes Sends Four-Word Message on J.J. Spaun originally appeared on Athlon Sports. J.J. Spaun, who entered the final round one stroke behind 54‑hole leader Sam Burns, battled through a torrid start, bogeying five of his first six holes, before mounting a comeback for the ages. The 34‑year‑old Californian holed a nerveless 64‑foot birdie putt on the par‑5 18th to finish at 1‑under and secure his maiden major title by two strokes over Scotland's Robert MacIntyre. Advertisement Kansas City Chiefs superstar Patrick Mahomes II chimed in on J.J. Spaun's stunning U.S. Open victory with a succinct four-word tweet: 'Wow, what a putt!' His reaction, posted mere moments after Spaun sank the championship–clinching birdie on the 72nd hole at Oakmont Country Club, captured the disbelief and admiration shared by fans and fellow athletes alike. © Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Following Mahomes's lead, an outpouring of congratulations flooded Twitter. 'Holy…. That was INSANE. Congrats JJ!' Justin Thomas said. "Take a bow @JJSpaun!!!! 👏👏👏👏" Billy Horschel said. "What a historic finish after a really bad luck start today. You showed real guts. Congratulations JJ Spaun, National Open Champion!" Tom Watson said. "Dropped out of coverage to 65ft birdie putt and a US Open trophy. Unreal. Congrats to JJ!" Michael S. Kim said. Advertisement "WOW WHAT A PUTT!" Shane Bacon said. "What an ending. JJ Spaun with an unreal finish. All Guts." Dan Katz said. Spaun's victory not only marks his first major championship, but it also earned him a $4.3 million winner's cheque and a spot on the U.S. Ryder Cup team at Bethpage this September. His resilience amid Oakmont's punishing conditions and a mid‑round rain delay highlighted a career‑defining moment for the former Players Championship runner‑up. Related: PGA Tour Had No Words for Scottie Scheffler and Son Bennett Moment This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Nine things I learned about new Spurs boss Thomas Frank while covering Brentford
Thomas Frank has been announced as Tottenham Hotspur's new head coach. He spent nearly seven years in charge of Brentford and guided them from the Championship into the Premier League. But his latest role will be the biggest challenge of Frank's career. He has no experience of European competition and Spurs are competing in the Champions League next season, while sections of the fanbase and some of the players are upset about Ange Postecoglou's sacking. I covered Brentford's first three seasons in the Premier League and saw plenty of evidence to suggest he can be a success in north London. Here are the nine key things I learned from watching him up close… The list of players who have significantly improved under Frank is a long one. Ollie Watkins transformed from a left-winger into a potent centre-forward. Ivan Toney became an England international, while David Raya evolved into one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League and earned a move to Arsenal. Bryan Mbeumo only scored four goals in 35 appearances during Brentford's first season in the top flight. He has since become their star player, scoring 20 times last season. Only Mohamed Salah (29), Alexander Isak (23) and Erling Haaland (22) scored more. Mikkel Damsgaard struggled with injuries during his first two years with Brentford, but Frank kept believing in him. Frank switched to a 4-2-3-1 system for the 2024-25 campaign, which brought the best out of Damsgaard as he registered 10 assists, the joint-fourth highest in the division. Frank encourages his players to do a lot of individual work on their biggest strengths and weaknesses. He is excellent at subtly tweaking his tactics to maximise a player's potential. Kristoffer Ajer is a great example of this. Brentford signed Ajer from Celtic in July 2021 to mainly play as a centre-back. The Norway international's powerful, surging runs from deep mean he is a fantastic option at right-back and that is where he has produced his best performances. Frank gave Toney a crucial piece of advice when the forward first joined Brentford from Peterborough back in August 2020. 'I tried too hard to try to get the ball in the box,' Toney told The Athletic in July 2021. 'I was trying to do things I wouldn't normally do. But Thomas spoke to me and said, 'Just anticipate where the ball is going to be and where it should be. Nine times out of 10, it doesn't come there, but the 10th time it does. You get a chance and that's the chance you need'. Advertisement 'That was key and I took that on board. That one bit of advice made me score a lot.' In games when Brentford dominated possession and needed to break down a low block, Frank would drop midfielder Vitaly Janelt into the left-sided centre-back role to give them better precision and control on the ball from defence. Then he could deploy a more attacking midfielder ahead of him. Depending on the strength of the opposition, he would alternate between 3-5-2 and 4-3-3 during their first two years in the Premier League. They recorded two victories over Man City in the 2022-23 campaign by eliminating the supply to Erling Haaland. Frank empowers set-piece coaches and Brentford created lots of chances from throw-ins too. It is this attention to detail that will help him to make a positive impact at Spurs. Brentford recorded some incredible results under Frank, including beating Manchester City 2-1 at the Etihad in November 2022. Brentford took the lead through Toney but Man City were on top after Phil Foden's equaliser in first-half stoppage time. Frank could have tried to hold on for a point, but he saw an opportunity to win. He sent on Yoane Wissa and Josh Dasilva, and both played a key role in Toney's late winner. The previous year, Brentford were losing at home to fellow newly promoted Watford. Marcus Forss came off the bench to set up Pontus Jansson's equaliser, while fellow substitute Saman Ghoddos won a penalty in the 96th minute that Mbeumo converted. Frank's aggressive substitutions saw Brentford come from behind in the final 10 minutes to secure a crucial victory. He is proactive and always thinking of ways to disrupt the opposition. Frank had an excellent relationship with Brentford's fanbase and would take the entire team with him on a lap of appreciation after every home game. Before their play-off semi-final second leg against Bournemouth in May 2021, he ran around the entire stadium and whipped up the crowd. Following Brentford's famous 2-0 victory over Arsenal on the opening day of the 2021-22 season, he celebrated with a young supporter called Woody, who has Down's syndrome. Brentford's fanbase sing that they are 'just a bus stop in Hounslow'. This was originally a mocking chant aimed at them by Queens Park Rangers supporters, which they now consider to be a badge of honour as it highlights their humble beginnings. Frank would often talk about it in his press conferences, which only endeared him to the supporters even more. He will hope to build a similar bond with Tottenham's fans. One of the biggest differences between Frank and his predecessor Postecoglou, is the way they manage relationships with their players. The reaction from Tottenham's squad to Postecoglou's dismissal showed that they held a lot of affection for him, but the Australian still liked to keep his distance. Advertisement He let his assistants take training and did not enjoy small talk. This was all done on purpose, so he could make team selections without emotional attachment. Frank is the complete opposite. He is warm, friendly and goes out of his way to make players and staff feel welcome. When Nathan Collins made a couple of high-profile errors in a 4-1 defeat against his former club Wolverhampton Wanderers, Frank called him on the way home to offer his support and reiterate he trusted the defender. In an interview with The Athletic last year, former Brentford captain Jansson described Frank as a 'friend for life and the best coach I ever worked with'. 'What a fantastic person he is,' the defender said. 'He comes into rooms and gives people energy. I came here as a guy who wanted to show off and shine. I became a leader and people remember me as a good captain and a good person. The way he changed me, I will never forget.' Just like Postecoglou was known to make crucial phone calls that would convince a target to join his club, Frank played an active role in Brentford's recruitment strategy. He would explain to a potential new signing where they would fit into the starting XI, how their attributes would complement his team-mates and identify areas for improvement. Toney harboured doubts about joining Brentford in the summer of 2020, but Frank convinced him and told the forward he would score at least 25 times. Toney broke the Championship goalscoring record with 31 goals in 45 appearances. Frank's close relationship with Christian Eriksen was vital to the former Spurs midfielder joining Brentford in January 2022 — six months after he had suffered a cardiac arrest while playing for Denmark at the European Championship. Frank coached Eriksen when he was in charge of Denmark's youth teams and changed Brentford's tactics to suit him. Advertisement He is even willing to interrupt time with his family to convince a player to join his club. 'The first time I spoke to Pontus (Jansson), I was in Denmark,' Frank said in April 2023. 'I was visiting my oldest daughter's boarding school. I was trying to sell this fantastic project on the phone and my wife got angry at me that it took too long, but it was a very good call with Pontus, who felt the project and ambitions we had were a perfect match for him.' Frank has a strong bond with his backroom staff and places a lot of trust in them. He takes the group out for dinner multiple times a year and they regularly watch Champions League games together — now they can look forward to being in that competition with Spurs next season. He is open-minded to their suggestions but will always have the ultimate say. For example, it was assistant Claus Norgaard's idea to convert Keane Lewis-Potter from a left-winger into a full-back. Lewis-Potter was one of Brentford's most consistent performers last season as he flourished in the unfamiliar position. 'Lots of leaders have a view on things they won't change, but if you give (Frank) evidence and explain why it might make a difference, then he is all in,' Ben Ryan, Brentford's performance director, told The Athletic's audio documentary Access All Areas: Brentford in July 2023. 'It is an important part of our success that he has the fluidity to be able to make brave decisions if he thinks it's going to help us get better.' Part of the reason why Frank has such a good relationship with other members of staff is that he genuinely cares about them. He asked Brentford to install a padel court when they upgraded their training ground in 2022 and he would regularly play against his assistant, Justin Cochrane, the head of athletic performance, Chris Haslam, and head of player care, Barney Bossom. Haslam, Cochrane and analyst Joe Newton are following Frank to Spurs. He regularly took part in circuit training sessions in the gym with up to 15 staff members. In May 2022, he ran a training session for Brentford women's first team and B team. During Brentford's pre-season tour of the United States in 2023, when they took part in the Premier League's Summer Series, he went on a run, including past the White House, every morning with staff. Brian Riemer, Frank's former assistant who is now Denmark's head coach, even lived with Frank's family during his four-year spell with Brentford. Despite Brentford's success, Frank has stayed down-to-earth. He was late for their first game in the Premier League because he picked up his parents from the airport and their flight had been delayed. He keeps a photo on his desk of Brentford's former technical director Robert Rowan, who passed away in November 2018 at the age of 28 after suffering a fatal cardiomyopathy episode in his sleep. Frank and Rowan only worked together for a couple of years but became close friends. There have been a couple of occasions when Frank has lost his temper, including when he was sent off for confronting Joao Moutinho and Ruben Neves when Wolves beat Brentford in January 2022. He had to be separated from Swansea City defender Conor Roberts in stoppage time of their Championship play-off semi-final second leg in July 2020. Brentford were leading 3-2 on aggregate and Frank picked the ball up before dropping it behind his back when it went out of play for a throw-in. Frank reacted angrily to Roberts' barging past him to retrieve the ball. Advertisement He seems to have learned his lesson though and remains relatively calm after defeats now. He looks for the positives but can acknowledge when his team has underperformed. He will often say that 'my body is burning' but likes to take 24 hours to process his emotions after every result. He will speak to referees and the fourth official during games but does not tend to moan about controversial VAR decisions. Frank probably won't create as many headlines as Postecoglou, but he is thought-provoking and enjoys cracking jokes in press conferences.
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
The esports champion who is now operating as a real-life footballer for Lazio
'He literally fulfilled the real dream — winning the Champions League in the virtual world and now being close to playing it in the real world; it's incredible!' Those are the words of Raffaele 'Er_Caccia98' Cacciapuoti, an EAFC player for Ligue 2 team Clermont Foot 63, referring to Lazio defender Oliver Provstgaard. The connection between the two goes back to 2021 and involves an intriguing story that rose out of the intertwined nature of football and esports. Advertisement That year, UEFA hosted the third edition of the eChampions League, a virtual edition of the Champions League played on the erstwhile EA Sports FIFA 21 game that featured 32 teams. Provstgaard, under his username 'OliverPN', won the title, beating Cacciapuoti 3-2 on aggregate. Shortly after his victory, news emerged that Provstgaard was a real-life footballer for Danish side Vejle Boldklub's youth team and had captained Denmark at the under-16 and under-17 levels. He competed in the esports tournament while away from the football field due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered while playing for Vejle's U19 team. Provstgaard, who idolises Liverpool captain and centre-back Virgil van Dijk, continued to recuperate and eventually returned to the field, giving up a fledgling esports career. He progressed to Vejle's first team, making 91 appearances, before moving to Lazio — the club he supported as a youngster — in January. 'Maybe nobody expected him to win because of the difficulty that it means, but he was the one who played the best by far,' Ignacio 'Nacho' Abella, who Provstgaard beat in the 2021 tournament's upper bracket quarter-finals, tells The Athletic. 'It is crazy that he was playing against us a few years ago and now he's at Lazio.' The beginning of Provstgaard's eChampions League journey was sub-optimal. He lost 5-4 to Turkey's Mert 'iMertAL' Altintop — currently an EAFC player for Besiktas — in the qualifying round. The margin of defeat meant he ranked 23rd out of 47, with the top 32 making it into the main tournament. His team included legends such as Ronaldo, Pele, Ruud Gullit, and Edwin van der Sar, as well as current players Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, Bruno Fernandes, and Raphael Varane. The team for tomorrows ECL — Oliver Provstgaard (@OliverPN_) April 30, 2021 Drawn in the upper bracket, Provstgaard beat the Netherlands' Lev 'Lev' Vinken, who currently represents the Eredivisie's Fortuna Sittard in EAFC. The 4-3 win, as per Esports Charts, ranked second in peak viewership for the knockout stages of the tournament. That victory set Provstgaard up for a revenge meeting with Altintop. This time, he won 6-5 to progress to the quarter-finals. A 4-1 aggregate victory (1-1 in the first leg and 3-0 in the second) over Abella followed. Advertisement '(Provstgaard) was a very skilful player, but in the last part of the season he raised his level a lot,' Abella said. Provstgaard put in another comprehensive display against Italy's Lucio 'HHezerS' Vecchione. He won each leg 2-0 to progress to the upper bracket final against the UK's Ethan 'EthxnH' Higgins, runner-up at the 2020 FIFA eClub World Cup. Provstgaard won 5-1 on aggregate to book his place in the grand final against Cacciapuoti, the winner of the lower bracket. Provstgaard edged the first leg 2-1 but Cacciapuoti scored first in the second leg. The Dane retook the lead in the second half after some incredible Neymar trickery and held the lead to win the tournament. Thanks for all the messages, appreciate it!🏆 GG's to @Er_Caccia98, world class player! Winning goal, twisting and turning with neymar — Oliver Provstgaard (@OliverPN_) May 29, 2021 'I knew he was the best in that tournament because I saw how he was playing against other players,' Cacciapuoti tells The Athletic. 'I clearly remember a goal he scored with Pele that was crazy considering it was in a final.' Having won the tournament on May 29, Provstgaard announced his exit from the arena via X. 'Now full focus on football again, so that was the FIFA season for me. I guess it was a good one,' he signed off. Not going to play the Playoffs this weekend, as I don't have the time. Now full focus on football again, so that was the FIFA season for me. I guess it was a good one🏆😂Hopefully @TheStrxngeRFIFA will appreciate it👁️ — Oliver Provstgaard (@OliverPN_) July 8, 2021 Provstgaard's return to action for Vejle was measured. Spanish centre-back Raul Albentosa, who had joined Vejle as a free agent in January, saw Provstgaard's potential immediately. 'The first thing (I thought) when I watched Oliver was, 'This guy is amazing. Why is he not playing in the first team?',' he told The Athletic. Advertisement Provstgaard did not feature in the Danish Superliga's regular season where Vejle finished second bottom after suffering 13 defeats in 22 games. He started three of their 10 relegation-round games, featuring alongside one or both of Albentosa and captain Denis Kolinger in central defence, as Vejle won three and drew four but were still relegated. Kolinger departed in July 2022 and Albentosa became captain and Provstgaard's mentor, with the duo now Vejle's first-choice centre-back pairing. 'Oliver has a lot of quality; left-footed, good with the head, but I (told him), 'You come play a little more aggressively'. We needed him, he enjoyed with us and learnt with me the aggressive part,' Albentosa recalls. Vejle kept 13 clean sheets in 32 matches across the regular season and promotion round to secure promotion. They also made the quarter-finals of the Danish cup. The 2023-24 season proved pivotal for Provstgaard. He played every league minute for Vejle, often with Albentosa, who missed only 190 minutes of action himself. Vejle finished 11th out of 12 teams in the regular season but won five of 10 relegation-round games to finish four points clear of the drop zone. That summer he captained Denmark's under-21s in their European Championship qualifiers. He led a team with Mika Biereth, William Osula, Filip Jorgensen, and Thomas Kristensen, all of whom currently play for clubs in Europe's top five leagues. 'Vejle has big history in Denmark but is fighting to not get relegated and he captained the national team — that is his personality. Normally, the captain is a player who plays in the first league in Germany, or Copenhagen or Brondby, but he played in Vejle and was the captain,' Albentosa explains. 'Oliver is the next great centre-back in the national team and it's possible also that he is the next captain.' The later months of the season brought a moment that would soon be looked back on with fondness. Advertisement Provstgaard was named the Superliga's young player of the month award for February. While receiving the award at Vejle's training facility, he wore a vintage Lazio jersey from the 1999-2000 season when Alessandro Nesta, Diego Simeone, Pavel Nedved, Sergio Conceicao, Roberto Mancini and Simone Inzaghi helped win the club's second and most recent scudetto. 'My father deserved credit for that. I had this shirt in his closet,' Provstgaard said earlier this year while speaking to Lazio Style Channel. Provstgaard was named one of Vejle's captains that summer after Albentosa's departure. He started and completed 16 of their first 17 league games but the team struggled, winning just once. Provstgaard impressed, though, and sealed a move to Lazio during the January transfer window. In the interview with Lazio Style Channel, he called it a 'dream come true,' adding that taking over the No 25 jersey – worn by Lazio's all-time top-scorer Ciro Immobile (207 goals in 340 matches) – was 'incredible'. 'He is a fan of Lazio and then he arrives in Lazio, it's crazy. The injury, playing in Vejle's second division, the first team, Denmark U21s, you join Lazio as a fan of the club — it's like when (Kylian) Mbappe went to Madrid!' Albentosa says. The early months of Provstgaard's Lazio journey have been on the bench. He came on in two Serie A matches for a total of 33 minutes and helped Lazio see out important 1-0 wins against Empoli (with 10 men) and Atalanta. One of his first actions against Empoli, playing at left-back, was to contest an aerial duel that left him on the deck with blood streaming down his face. Provstgaard finished the game with a bandaged forehead and a few important defensive interventions. Already a virtual Champions League winner, Albentosa believes Provstgaard has what it takes to play in the actual competition. 'When I speak with TV in the Danish league, I say he could play for Real Madrid, like (former Denmark midfielder) Thomas Gravesen did,' he says. 'You never know in football — but I think he is Champions League level.'
