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Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Inter Milan's outclassed old men left to mourn the death of a Champions League dream
Reach a certain age and it isn't uncommon to develop a greater interest in history. Inter Milan's old-timers made it: the heaviest defeat ever in a European Cup or Champions League final, a rout still greater than the spectacular scorelines in 1960, 1974, 1989 and 1994, a thrashing that removed two of AC Milan's routs from the record books. This was a performance that will echo through the ages. Not by them, however, but to them. Inter conceded three goals to teenagers, Desire Doue's double followed by the historic fifth from Senny Mayulu. Advertisement Inter are old. It isn't a secret. Barcelona and Bayern Munich probably noticed it, and Arsenal and Manchester City before them. Yet only Paris Saint-Germain succeeded in making them look old. The newest champions of Europe won a generation game so emphatically and dramatically it felt like a case of elder abuse. PSG celebrate after tearing Inter apart (Getty Images) In a Champions League final of opposites – European Cup winners in the 1960s against the club not founded until 1970, bargain buys against big spenders, old against young – the team built for the future discovered their time is now. The side trying to resist the passing of time were overwhelmed by the waves of Parisian attacks. The biggest game of their lives proved one of the worst. It finished with them stood, heads bowed, in front of an emptying away end. Inter are left bereft by defeat (AP) Their throwback campaign ended with Inter dominated and demoralised. No one else had done this to them, to the obdurate old-timers. Their only defeat in 14 European games this season had come to Bayer Leverkusen. Go on consistency of results in Europe and group-stage finish and they might have been deemed favourites. Yet PSG's 2025 surge has shown a team on the rise, a side imbued with talent and explosiveness. Advertisement Then there was Inter, carrying the hopes of everyone who is desperate for their best days to not be confined to the past. On average this side was 30 years and 19 days old, more than a decade the senior of Doue. A man born after the 2005 Champions League final struck twice in the 2025 showpiece. He was a symbolic scorer. PSG showed the merits of youth and pace. Inter were outnumbered on the flanks, overpowered in midfield. There was room behind their defence, outside it, anywhere and everywhere. It was not a day to espouse the merits of the 3-5-2 formation. Not when Inter seemed to have fewer players in every part of the pitch. That is what speed can do. Inter's positional sense proved no asset when subjected to an assault. They were scythed apart by a team too slick and quick for them. PSG scythed Inter apart, with 18-year-old Senny Mayulu scoring the fifth (Getty Images) Desire Doue, 19, is sublime for the Parisians (Reuters) PSG made their trademark fast start; they have scored in the first dozen minutes against each of Liverpool, Aston Villa, Arsenal and Inter in the knockout stages. But they sustained it, too. Advertisement Behind for only 16 minutes in the Champions League, Inter trailed after 12 and were two down after 20, five adrift after 90. If their strategy was to use their experience to stay in the game, it was destroyed by the relentlessness of PSG's running, by the elusiveness of Doue and Ousmane Dembele, by the combination of confidence and class. And, not least, by Vitinha's capacity to play penetrative forward passes with deceptive ease. One brought Doue's second goal. Another produced PSG's first. The scorer, Achraf Hakimi, was one of the players Inter sold in the cost-cutting as Steven Zhang's ownership unravelled, as Antonio Conte's spending spree required a return. And yet, four years later, those past financial problems bit Inter, courtesy of a club whose budget can seem limitless. Hakimi was apologetic; PSG's later celebrations were far more emphatic. In fairness, Denzel Dumfries, Hakimi's replacement, was a rarity in bringing dynamism to this Inter team. Yet Inter's wing-backs are often a strength; PSG used the space behind them to turn them into a weakness. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, the more charismatic of dribblers, ran at Dumfries. PSG had still more joy on the opposite flank, helped by the ability to transfer the ball from one wing to another. Denzel Dumfries replaced Achraf Hakimi at Inter but endured defeat (Getty Images) And this was a disaster for Federico Dimarco, the Interista; he has a Scudetto tattoo, but he may never need a Champions League one. Hakimi escaped behind him for the first goal; he deflected in Doue's shot for the second. Perhaps it didn't help Dimarco that the left of Inter's midfield trio was 36-year-old Henrikh Mkhitaryan, a player so old he was born behind the Iron Curtain. Advertisement But still younger than Francesco Acerbi, who was down on his haunches after Kvaratskhelia made it four. A 37-year-old required protection but Inter were ragged, wretched. It seemed a belated recognition of their problems when manager Simone Inzaghi's first changes were to bring on players aged 23 and 24 yet the latter, Yann Bisseck, was promptly hamstrung. Inzaghi was dressed, as ever, like a minor character from The Sopranos at a funeral. As Inter unravelled, he could mourn the death of a dream.
The National
18 hours ago
- Business
- The National
Junior Ndiaye eyes UAE debut and to follow in footsteps of illustrious French cohort
Three years ago, a group of the best teenagers in French football touched down in Paris, fresh from an adventure in the Middle East with gold medals in their luggage. With mutual embraces and good wishes, went their separate ways, sensing that ahead of them were futures of great, but uncertain promise. These kids had just won the European Under-17 championship in Israel, coming from a goal down in the final to defeat a talented Netherlands team. A gifted playmaker named Desire Doue had caught the eye for the French. The maturity of midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery and striker Mathys Tel, given the captain's armband for the final, had made an impression, too, as had France's strength in depth. 'A very talented generation,' the coach of that junior French side, Jose Alcocer, reflected. Fast forward to the here and now, and the climax of the European club season, a number of those players are making space for new medals in the grown-up homes they have since moved into. Zaire-Emery now has a Uefa Champions League title on his honours list, to add to the three French league championships and two French Cups he had already won with Paris Saint-Germain. And he's still only 19. Tel picked up a Europa League gold with Tottenham Hotspur, where he spent the second half of last season on loan from Bayern Munich, the club he joined soon after France's Under-17 triumph and where his yield has been two Bundesliga titles so far. As for Doue, he celebrates turning 20 on Tuesday as, very suddenly, a huge global superstar. He scored twice, and set up another goal, for PSG in their 5-0 demolition of Inter in Munich at the weekend, man of the match in delivering a first Uefa Champions League to Paris. This time three years ago, he was a fresh junior champion with France but yet to play a senior club match for anybody. Others from that cohort of French youngsters have had to be more patient in reaching their significant senior landmarks. But in the next week or so, a striker who jostled with Tel and Doue for opportunities in that French Under-17 side hopes to match Doue and Zaire-Emery in winning a full international cap. While that pair of PSG prodigies have graduated to the senior team of France, where they were born, Junior Ndiaye is in line to make his bow, most likely off the bench, for his native UAE, hopeful his moment arrives in the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers at home to Uzbekistan and in Kyrgyzstan. Ndiaye was born in Dubai, where his father, Samba, was a successful goalscorer for Al Nasr in the mid 2000s, a late stop-off in a varied career whose inheritance for Junior Ndiaye was some expert tutoring in how to be a top-division striker but also a broad range of options about where, if his sporting career were to soar, he might build an international future. Samba Ndiaye was born in Senegal, but became a French citizen and a junior France international on the way to representing various French Ligue 1 clubs. He settled in France after retiring as a player and so Junior Ndiaye did much of his growing up there. His sporting ability took him into the admired French academy system and he shone so brightly at Montpellier, he was picked for France's Under-17s. Under Fifa rules, he still remained eligible for his country of birth, or for France, for Senegal and, via the maternal branch of his family tree, for Cameroon. The commitment to UAE was made last year, when, with the striker continuing to make a strong impression in Montpellier's age-group teams, he was invited into the then UAE head coach Paulo Bento 's preparations for the November World Cup qualifiers. He trained with Bento's squad, but watched the thumping wins over Kyrgyzstan and Qatar from the sidelines. A more refined assessment of how Ndiaye might develop in the UAE set-up would be gained playing for the national Under-23s in the West Asian Championship. Still a teenager, Ndiaye scored two goals in his three outings for Marcelo Broli's team of up-and-coming players. Ndiaye has moved up the gears since then. He turned 20 at the end of March and the following month made his first start for the Montpellier senior side in France's top division. Until then, his promotion from the junior ranks had followed a sketchy path of substitute appearances, almost always in tough circumstances. Montpellier, France's club champions in 2012, have had a dreadful season, finishing bottom of a league that Doue and Zaire-Emery's PSG have, as usual, dominated. But adversity can mean opportunity. As Alcocer advised his young players after they had won the Under-17 Euros, 'the challenge now is to go on through the next steps, to establish a place in a senior team. Some players are very good as kids but don't take that on into adulthood. Diamonds need polishing.' If Doue and Zaire-Emery have enjoyed the privileged polish of a slick and serially successful PSG, Ndiaye has graduated to grown-up football in front of Montpellier fans angry at the club's drop to the second division, a relegation confirmed with four games still left of the French league season. He's had to play up front in a side struggling to keep possession or create openings for forwards. He's had to read in L'Equipe, France's main sports newspaper, that he'd been awarded a match ranking of three out of 10 in the April defeat to Brest, although L'Equipe did acknowledge that being asked to play as a lone striker in a dispirited Montpellier put a impossibly heavy load on a young man and that Ndiaye had applied himself 'diligently to the defensive tasks' for the very long periods his team were out of possession. Three different head coaches have taken charge of Montpellier over the past nine months, too. The one blessing amid the turmoil at the club, was the last of those was Zoumana Camara, who came in to oversee the final weeks of a doomed campaign. Camara has a fine record with young players, most recently working with PSG's Under-19s. Last weekend, he watched two of his graduates, Zaire-Emery and the scorer of PSG's fifth goal against Inter, Senny Mayulu, take part in club football's most prestigious final. Camara's eye for potential led him to recommend to Montpellier's executives that they ensure Junior Ndiaye spearheads the club's attempt to rise back quickly into the top division in France. Ndiaye signed his first senior contract there two weeks ago. Camara saw plenty from Ndiaye's first four starts in the senior league team to trust that his speed and his tireless running are a strong basis for the next phase of polishing a striker who can operate across the attacking positions. It is now down to Cosmin Olaroiu, UAE's new head coach, to judge how ready for high-pressure World Cup football Ndiaye may be.
IOL News
21 hours ago
- Sport
- IOL News
PSG lead new revolution rooted in youth, unity and smart spending
Paris Saint-Germain's Desire Doue, centre, celebrates with Joao Neves and Marquinhos after scoring PSG's third goal during the Uefa Champions League final against Inter Milan in Munich on Saturday night. Photo: AFP Image: AFP The revolution in Paris that led Luis Enrique's team to Uefa Champions League glory for the first time is being echoed across Europe, as even clubs that once embodied the Galácticos-era have abandoned efforts to 'buy' the top prize in European football. The PSG coach is now reaping the plaudits for building an energetic, youthful and dynamic team that is mesmerising to watch. It is built on teamwork and unity of purpose, rather than relying on the individual brilliance of former megastars, such as Kylian Mbappé, Neymar or Lionel Messi. Youngsters like Désiré Doué, Warren Zaïre-Emery, Bradley Barcola and Senny Mayulu have Paris fans salivating at the prospect of years of European dominance. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading The change in direction at PSG, majority-owned by Qatari government-backed investment fund Qatar Sports Investments, is not unique. Barcelona won La Liga with a modestly priced squad — by their former lofty standards — and an increasing reliance on young, homegrown talent. Even the pioneers of the Galácticos-era, Real Madrid, are no longer throwing 'silly money' at the world's best players. Then again, they don't need to — playing at the Bernabéu remains the dream of countless players, particularly those nearing the end of their contracts. The relatively slow pace of deals announced so far in the current transfer market may indicate a more cautious approach to player recruitment, even among teams with clear squad gaps. The need to abide by financial fair play rules may be a factor, but it does not entirely explain the shift in mentality. Kylian Mbappe left PSG for Real Madrid. His former team seem to have only got stronger since his departure. Image: Ander Gillenea / AFP In England, traditional big spenders Manchester City recently withdrew from the race for Germany international star Florian Wirtz, citing an unrealistic price tag. That has left the door open for champions Liverpool, who are reportedly closing in on a deal worth more than £100 million for one of the most in-demand players in Europe. There was a time when such high-profile signings were considered the exclusive preserve of only a handful of clubs, but the times are changing. City also made no blockbuster signings during the January transfer window, despite being one of the more active clubs historically. Newcastle United are yet to fully flex the financial muscle of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), but that could change with a return to the Champions League for Eddie Howe's overachievers. The party has seemingly not stopped in Paris since PSG won the Uefa Champions League. Photo: AFP Image: AFP
The National
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The National
Luis Enrique – the mentor who has transformed PSG from luxury into legacy
Luis Enrique paced the touchline in Munich as if walking a familiar path. On a night laden with expectation, he remained composed, arms folded, gaze steely, his Paris Saint-Germain side dismantling Inter Milan with a cruelty only matched by its brilliance. By the end of 90 minutes, the scoreline read 5-0, magnified on the Allianz Arena scoreboard for all to see, engrained in the memory of all those that had witnessed it. It was the kind of score that doesn't just win trophies and ruin careers, but etches names into history. For all the money and ambition that has powered PSG's rise since the 2011 takeover by Qatar Sports Investments, they have often been a gilded idea rather than a galvanised team. Managers have come and gone. Players, too. But in Enrique they have found something rare – a head coach who doesn't just tolerate pressure, but seems to thrive on it. He did not flinch when Kylian Mbappe left last summer for Real Madrid, did not beg PSG's owners to keep Lionel Messi, a player whose own brilliant past is inextricably linked to the Spaniard's, upon his arrival in Paris just under two years ago. He didn't protest when Neymar was jettisoned and the club pivoted from superstar signings to investment in youth. He welcomed it. What he built was not just a team, but an ideal. Vitinha became a midfield maestro. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, plucked from Napoli, sliced through defences like a winger of a bygone era. And then there was Desire Doue – still a teenager – whose two goals and an assist in the final will remain preserved in football's collective memory. This wasn't just a win. It was a reckoning. And at the centre of it all was a coach who has made a habit of silencing doubters, a serial winner who in his spare time runs ultra-marathons, whose principles are grounded in discipline and the unwavering belief that, above all, the team comes first. 'Since day one, I said I wanted to win important trophies and Paris had never won the Champions League,' Enrique said. 'We did it for the first time. It's a great feeling to make many people happy.' It is tempting to view Enrique purely through the prism of his achievements. The trophies – 16 in all, including three this season – demand admiration. But to understand his work is to understand the depth of his conviction. After stepping away from Spain's national team to care for his daughter Xana – who tragically passed away from cancer age nine – Enrique returned to football not diminished, but even more determined. He does not play to the gallery, does not seek approval or redemption. He only coaches – intensely, with the focus of a man who has already had the worst thing that could happen to him happen to him. In the delirium that followed the final whistle, PSG's ultras unveiled a tifo that said everything words could not. A depiction of Enrique and Xana planting a club flag into the field. The symbolism was impossible to miss – Enrique had done the same thing with his daughter after guiding Barcelona to the 2015 Champions League title on their way to a treble. Emotional in the extreme, it also symbolised the green shoots of optimism that the club can expect more nights like this in years to come. It was a full-circle moment in a career defined by evolution. The firebrand of the Roma years, the calm conductor of Barcelona's golden symphony, the resolute leader who steered Spain through chaos, and now, the mentor who transformed PSG from luxury into legacy. It also cemented Enrique's place in the pantheon of greats, becoming only the second coach, alongside Pep Guardiola, to win trebles at two clubs.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Second Night Of Paris Mayhem: Looting, Arson On Cam After PSG Parade; 500+ Arrested
/ Jun 02, 2025, 10:32AM IST Paris descended into chaos for a second night as violent riots erupted following PSG's Champions League victory parade. What began as jubilant celebrations quickly turned destructive, with fans clashing with riot police across central Paris. The unrest left burned cars, shattered glass, and looted shops in its wake. At least 563 arrests were made amid scenes of street violence and looting, including a ransacked sports store on the Champs Elysées. The violence followed PSG's 5–0 win over Inter Milan, completing a treble-winning season. French officials condemned the rioting, calling it a disgraceful response to a historic sporting moment.#PSG #ChampionsLeague #PSGWin #DesireDoue #FootballNews #ParisCelebrations
