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Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'We deserve to be here' - Inzaghi calls on Inter to seize chance in Champions League final
Inter coach Simone Inzaghi (R) with striker Marcus Thuram during a team training session on the pitch in Munich on Friday ahead of the Champions League final (FRANCK FIFE) Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi believes his side's superb run to the Champions League final can give them the confidence needed to get the better of a much-fancied Paris Saint-Germain team in Saturday's showdown in Munich. "It is always hugely exciting before every Champions League match, and especially when it is the final. We fully deserve to be here because we have shown huge desire right from our very first match in Manchester," Inzaghi told reporters at the Allianz Arena, where the final will be played. Advertisement Inter's European campaign began with a 0-0 draw away to Pep Guardiola's Manchester City in September, in a rematch with the team that beat them narrowly in the 2023 final in Istanbul. The Nerazzurri finished fourth in the 36-team league phase, losing just once and conceding only one goal in eight matches. They then beat Feyenoord in the last 16 before seeing off two of the tournament favourites, Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals and Barcelona in an epic last-four tie. "These have been great opponents, so our place here is merited even though we know we still have to take the last step, which is the most important one," added Inzaghi, who brushed off questions about his future amid speculation he could depart following the final. Advertisement It is likely that seven of the players who started the final against City two years ago will again line up for Inter at kick-off against a youthful PSG, with the Italian team's extra experience something that could help them. "Every game is different, and finals can be decided by key moments," he said ahead of the clash with the French side who have, like City, become one of the wealthiest superpowers in the European game over the last decade. "Two years ago we were not the favourites but we went toe to toe with City on the pitch and maybe we could have deserved more." One of the grand old names of the European game, Inter will now have another chance to win their fourth title, following victories in 1964, 1965 and 2010. Advertisement However, they must pick themselves up from the disappointment of losing out to Napoli for the Serie A crown last weekend. "The mental side of the game is important. The players have worked very hard and of course we have put that domestic disappointment to one side," said Inzaghi, who has a fully fit squad to choose from. "The players are all available and so it comes down to me to select my team. The players must not be obsessed, but they need to have the right degree of determination." as/dmc
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
In Luis Enrique's new-look PSG, the coach is the superstar
Luis Enrique is looking to cap a highly successful two years in charge at PSG with victory in Saturday's Champions League final (FRANCK FIFE) In the new-look Paris Saint-Germain side which has made it to this weekend's Champions League final, the superstar is no longer on the pitch but instead in the dugout. In transforming a team not always taken seriously by their rivals into arguably the most feared side on the continent, PSG coach Luis Enrique has also revived his own reputation after being sacked from his previous job. Advertisement Now 55, Luis Enrique was appointed in July 2023, just after Lionel Messi left the French side following an underwhelming two-year spell. Neymar then departed later that summer. The former Barcelona boss was dismissed by Spain six months earlier after their disappointing exit from the 2022 World Cup to Morocco in the last 16. The PSG job appeared something of a poisoned chalice, with his predecessors unable to deliver the success in the Champions League that the club's Qatari owners desired. The team was handicapped by the presence of Neymar, Messi and Kylian Mbappe all together, three great forwards who naturally did not much care for defending. Advertisement With the first two gone and Mbappe's eventual departure inevitable, Luis Enrique understood he would be allowed time to mould a team in his shape. "We are in the middle of building a new identity, our own style and way of playing, and a new culture," PSG president Nasser al-Khelaifi said early last season, adding that winning the Champions League was no longer "something we are obsessed with". Last year they still reached the semi-finals in Europe before losing to Borussia Dortmund -- with a domestic league and cup double also in the bag, it was a promising start for the new coach. The problem was that Mbappe, with his contract expiring, was on the way out. Yet the manager kept insisting PSG would be better without their all-time top scorer. Advertisement "If everything goes well I'm convinced we'll have a much better team than this year," Luis Enrique said in February 2024. It was hard to believe at the time, even less so after PSG opted last summer not to sign a new striker. Luis Enrique insists on playing a style of football characterised by dominating possession as well as high-octane pressing. But his critics have accused him of being stubborn and rigidly sticking to one way of playing, even when it is not working. "Luis Enrique had a very clear game plan, and when plan A didn't work, there was no plan B," Spain's Iago Aspas said of his former coach. Advertisement - Better without Mbappe - Earlier this season PSG were dominating games but not scoring, and Luis Enrique's refusal to play with a traditional centre-forward appeared mistaken. When one interviewer questioned his tactics following a defeat to Arsenal, the coach's response seemed arrogant and unpleasant. "I have no intention of explaining my tactics to you. You wouldn't understand," he said. A defeat against Bayern Munich in November left PSG in danger of going out of the Champions League early, but the turnaround since has been remarkable. His energetic young side suffocated Manchester City before they saw off Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal in a triumphant tour of England. Advertisement The decision to play without a recognised number nine? No problem. Instead he turned winger Ousmane Dembele into a lethal finisher with 33 goals this season. PSG really are better without Mbappe, and Luis Enrique deserves huge credit for that. Now he is one game away from joining an elite group of coaches to have won the Champions League twice. His last success was in 2015 when he led a Barcelona side spearheaded by Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez to the title. "Getting to a Champions League final is always difficult. All players and coaches dream of it, but not everyone gets there," said the Asturian. Advertisement "The job I did at Barca was extraordinary. Even if people said it was easy to win the Champions League with that team, it wasn't." After three years at Barcelona he had two spells in charge of Spain, taking a time out in 2019 when his daughter Xana died of bone cancer. Now he believes the experience of those years has helped him become a better coach in Paris. "I have more experience now. I remember before my first final I was really stressed," he said. "This time I hope to transmit a message of calm. Otherwise I think I have learnt from my mistakes and that has helped me get where I am now." as/bsp
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
PSG are deserving Champions League finalists, says Luis Enrique
PSG coach Luis Enrique (R) celebrates his team's victory over Arsenal in Wednesday's Champions League semi-final (FRANCK FIFE) Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique insisted his team deserved their place in the Champions League final and were determined to go on and lift the trophy after winning their last-four tie against Arsenal on Wednesday. "Over the two legs we scored more goals than them and in football it's the most important thing, but Arsenal played a great game and we suffered a lot," the Spaniard said after PSG's 2-1 win in the second leg in Paris secured a 3-1 aggregate triumph. Goals either side of half-time by Fabian Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi put the French champions out of sight in the tie before Bukayo Saka pulled one back for Arsenal, while PSG's Vitinha had a penalty saved. However, the hosts needed goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to make several vital saves and Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta claimed his team had been better over the two legs. "It is the match in which we suffered the most (in the Champions League) but we deserve to get to the final," added Luis Enrique. PSG will now face Inter Milan in the final in Munich on May 31 after an extraordinary run in the competition which has also seen them knock out two other Premier League sides in Liverpool and Aston Villa. It comes after they had been in real danger of elimination due to a poor run of results in the league phase -- they lost three of their first five matches, including a 2-0 defeat against Arsenal. That meant they came 15th out of 36 teams and finished eight points behind the best team, Liverpool. "I think throughout the competition it is clear that the results are what counts, we know that, but in the league phase there is no doubt we deserved nine points more," Luis Enrique claimed. "The fact we had such a difficult set of fixtures in the league phase helped the team improve and grow. "The statistics showed we were one of the best teams in Europe, and when we started to be more clinical, in a short competition, I think we have showed that we deserve to be in the final." It will be PSG's second Champions League final, five years after they lost 1-0 to Bayern Munich in Lisbon. Last year, in Luis Enrique's first season with the club, they were beaten in the semi-finals by Borussia Dortmund. "There is no logic in football, but the first day I was here I said the objective was to work towards being able to make history, and that is our objective, to be the first to win this so-desired trophy," for PSG, added the former Barcelona coach, who turns 55 on Thursday. as/mw
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Donnarumma stands tall on PSG's Champions League run
Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma has been outstanding on Paris Saint-Germain's run in this season's Champions League (FRANCK FIFE) Ousmane Dembele and his fellow attacking players may have stolen most of the limelight on Paris Saint-Germain's run in this season's Champions League, but the form of goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma has been just as important in taking the French giants to the brink of the final. PSG host Arsenal at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday in the second leg of their semi-final and come into the match with a 1-0 lead following last week's clash in London. Advertisement Dembele scored the only goal at the Emirates Stadium, his 33rd of the season in all competitions further underlining his status as the leader of the Paris attack in the wake of Kylian Mbappe's departure. But Donnarumma played a key part too with five saves, including two of the highest class to deny Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard. The Italian was also posted missing when Arsenal scored early in the second half, coming off his line at a free-kick and getting nowhere near the ball, only to be rescued by an offside decision. But Donnarumma's shot-stopping allowed Luis Enrique's side to thwart the Gunners and followed decisive contributions against Liverpool and Aston Villa in each of the two previous rounds. Advertisement "To be champions you need a great goalkeeper," said PSG captain Marquinhos after Donnarumma's array of saves prevented them from caving in completely to a Villa fightback in the second leg of their quarter-final. PSG won the first leg 3-1 at home and were two goals ahead at half-time in the return, only for Villa to score three times and threaten to level the tie. Donnarumma came to the rescue with superb interventions to keep out a Marcus Rashford shot and a Youri Tielemans header in particular. "We are aware of the goalkeeper we have, he's one of the best. Lots of people have doubts about him, but not us," said Achraf Hakimi after that game. Advertisement "We know he is one of the best goalkeepers in the world. We are pleased to have him at PSG and we hope he stays for as long as possible." The Italian had already been the hero in the penalty shoot-out win away to Liverpool in the last 16, saving from Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones. - New contract? - There is a sense in Paris of the 26-year-old, who stands 1.96m tall, finally imposing himself at the club he joined in 2021. Donnarumma had just starred for Italy in their European Championship triumph, performing heroics as they beat England at Wembley to win the trophy. But he was forced to share the gloves with Keylor Navas in his first season, in which he was notably guilty of a costly error in a Champions League collapse against Real Madrid. Advertisement Donnarumma did go on to establish himself as PSG's first-choice goalkeeper, but he has not always convinced. There has been plenty of speculation that the club might look to replace the goalkeeper whose contract expires at the end of next season. PSG have even been linked with Lille's Lucas Chevalier, an outstanding prospect at the age of just 23 who has already broken into the full France squad. Donnarumma's quality as a shot-stopper has never really been called into question, but his ability to play out with the ball at his feet has. That is an issue given the way coach Luis Enrique likes his team to play, and the Spaniard notably dropped Donnarumma for a game at Bayern Munich in November. Advertisement Matvey Safonov, the Russian signed ahead of this season, took his place. "I felt Safonov was better placed to deal with Bayern's pressing," insisted Luis Enrique. Safonov was at fault for the goal which gave Bayern a 1-0 win, and Donnarumma was promptly restored to the team. The former AC Milan goalkeeper, who recently played his 150th game for PSG, now hopes to stay at the club beyond 2026. "I am keen to stay and extend my contract because this is my home," he said earlier this year. Before thinking about the long-term future, however, Donnarumma and PSG have a Champions League final to aim for. as/nf
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
PSG beat Le Havre to stay on course for unbeaten Ligue 1 season
PSG beat Le Havre to stay on course for unbeaten Ligue 1 season Goncalo Ramos was on target for Paris Saint-Germain in their Ligue 1 clash with Le Havre (FRANCK FIFE) Paris Saint-Germain stayed on course to complete the Ligue 1 season without losing a game as the Champions League semi-finalists beat struggling Le Havre 2-1 on Saturday. Desire Doue and Goncalo Ramos scored the goals for PSG either side of half-time at the Parc des Princes, as coach Luis Enrique changed almost his entire starting line-up following the midweek European clash with Aston Villa. Advertisement PSG had already secured a fourth successive Ligue 1 title before this game, and their 10th consecutive league win leaves them on 77 points with five matches remaining. No side has ever completed an entire French top-flight campaign unbeaten. Achraf Hakimi and Bradley Barcola were the only players to keep their place in the PSG line-up at kick-off, following the 3-2 defeat away to Aston Villa which saw them edge through to the last four of the Champions League and a tie against Arsenal. Doue gave PSG the lead inside eight minutes, and Ramos made the most of his chance in the starting line-up by making it 2-0 shortly after half-time. Advertisement Issa Soumare pulled one back for Le Havre, but the result leaves the Normandy side still in the relegation play-off places. Saturday's other Ligue 1 games see second-placed Monaco host Strasbourg, who are sixth, and third-placed Marseille entertain doomed Montpellier. as/gj
