Latest news with #FranzBeckenbauer
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
🎥 OTD 2001: Bayern Munich won their fourth UCL trophy in dramatic fashion
Only Real Madrid and Milan have won more Champions League/European Cups than Bayern Munich, but the gap between their third and fourth title was an agonising and pain-riddled 25 years. On this day in 2001, Oliver Kahn's heroics saw them end that wait in a dramatic all-penalty final. Bayern's first three European Cups came in successive seasons, as Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Müller and co. ruled with both club and country in the mid-to-late 1970s. 1982 saw a final loss to Aston Villa, before Porto stunned them five years later with a late comeback. Things got worse in 1999 when Manchester United famously won with even later goals in Barcelona, and the scars had yet to heal by 2001. That appeared obvious when Gaizka Mendieta opened the scoring from the spot inside three minutes, and even more so when Mehmet Scholl missed another penalty minutes later. Stefan Effenberg would level things up with the third penalty of normal time, before Kahn became immortalised in the shootout. Bayern have since been crowned kings of Europe in 2013 and 2020, but for many, the 2001 win remains the most important in the club's recent history. 📸 GABRIEL BOUYS
The Sun
09-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
French monuments in trouble while PSG prepare for Champions League final
PARIS: While Paris Saint-Germain are looking forward to the Champions League final and have already wrapped up another Ligue 1 title, two of France's biggest clubs with proud European track records are facing the end of the season with trepidation. PSG beat Arsenal in their semi-final on Wednesday to set up a final at the end of May in Munich against Inter Milan, the second in their history after a defeat by Bayern Munich in 2020. It will be the eighth time that a French side has appeared in the final of Europe's elite club competition, with Marseille in 1993 still the only team from the country to have won the trophy. Saint-Etienne were beaten finalists in 1976, when they lost 1-0 to Franz Beckenbauer's Bayern in Glasgow. Almost half a century later, they stand on the brink of being relegated to Ligue 2, just a year after coming back up and then being bought by Canadian billionaire Larry Tanenbaum. With two games of the season remaining they sit in the automatic relegation places, above only a Montpellier side who are already down. Les Verts, whose tally of 10 French titles is bettered only by PSG on 13, are four points adrift of Le Havre in the relegation play-off spot and five away from outright safety. That means a defeat away to Reims on Saturday will send them down, while a draw will effectively mean relegation too due to their poor goal difference. However, a win will keep their hopes alive going into the last day, provided they also get some favours from elsewhere. 'The whole season has been a struggle and a fight for our lives. There is nothing new about that,' said Saint-Etienne's Norwegian coach, Eirik Horneland. 'We cannot wait for others anymore. We have to help ourselves. We need two victories to stay in the league.' Saint-Etienne's great rivals Lyon are seventh with two games to play, their hopes of Champions League qualification were dealt a huge blow when they lost 2-1 to Lens last weekend. Lyon appointed Paulo Fonseca as coach at the end of January in the belief that he could take the seven-time French champions back to Europe's top table. However, they were three points off the top four then and they still are now, meaning it appears a first Champions League campaign since they got to the semi-finals in 2020 is probably beyond them. Saturday's trip to third-placed Monaco is a game they simply must win, with the consequences of failing to reach the Champions League potentially disastrous for Lyon. The club owned by the American John Textor's Eagle Football Group have huge debts and were warned earlier this season by the French footballing authorities that they would be relegated if drastic action was not taken to reduce their liabilities. 'We need to win our last two games and then see where that leaves us,' Fonseca said this week. 'It is six years since the club qualified for the Champions League so this is important. 'I want to be the coach who takes OL (Lyon) back there. It will be hard but it is possible.' Player to watch: Andre Ayew The 35-year-old Ghanaian is hoping to fire Le Havre to survival for the second season running. On Saturday he will come up against Marseille, the club where he starred at the beginning of his career, making over 200 appearances. It is also the club where his father Abedi Pele played, winning the Champions League in 1993. Ayew is in line to make the 500th league appearance of his career, spread across stints in England, Qatar and Turkey as well as in France. Key stats 3 - PSG have lost their last two Ligue 1 games but have not suffered three consecutive league defeats since 2010 6 - Saint-Etienne are on the brink of being relegated for the sixth time in their history 2 - Just two points separate five teams, from Marseille in second to Strasbourg in sixth, in the fight for Champions League qualification Fixtures on Saturday (kick-offs 1900 GMT) Angers v Strasbourg, Auxerre v Nantes, Brest v Lille, Le Havre v Marseille, Monaco v Lyon, Montpellier v Paris Saint-Germain, Reims v Saint-Etienne, Rennes v Nice, Toulouse v Lens
The Sun
09-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Saint-Etienne, Lyon face crunch time as PSG eye UCL glory
PARIS: While Paris Saint-Germain are looking forward to the Champions League final and have already wrapped up another Ligue 1 title, two of France's biggest clubs with proud European track records are facing the end of the season with trepidation. PSG beat Arsenal in their semi-final on Wednesday to set up a final at the end of May in Munich against Inter Milan, the second in their history after a defeat by Bayern Munich in 2020. It will be the eighth time that a French side has appeared in the final of Europe's elite club competition, with Marseille in 1993 still the only team from the country to have won the trophy. Saint-Etienne were beaten finalists in 1976, when they lost 1-0 to Franz Beckenbauer's Bayern in Glasgow. Almost half a century later, they stand on the brink of being relegated to Ligue 2, just a year after coming back up and then being bought by Canadian billionaire Larry Tanenbaum. With two games of the season remaining they sit in the automatic relegation places, above only a Montpellier side who are already down. Les Verts, whose tally of 10 French titles is bettered only by PSG on 13, are four points adrift of Le Havre in the relegation play-off spot and five away from outright safety. That means a defeat away to Reims on Saturday will send them down, while a draw will effectively mean relegation too due to their poor goal difference. However, a win will keep their hopes alive going into the last day, provided they also get some favours from elsewhere. 'The whole season has been a struggle and a fight for our lives. There is nothing new about that,' said Saint-Etienne's Norwegian coach, Eirik Horneland. 'We cannot wait for others anymore. We have to help ourselves. We need two victories to stay in the league.' Saint-Etienne's great rivals Lyon are seventh with two games to play, their hopes of Champions League qualification were dealt a huge blow when they lost 2-1 to Lens last weekend. Lyon appointed Paulo Fonseca as coach at the end of January in the belief that he could take the seven-time French champions back to Europe's top table. However, they were three points off the top four then and they still are now, meaning it appears a first Champions League campaign since they got to the semi-finals in 2020 is probably beyond them. Saturday's trip to third-placed Monaco is a game they simply must win, with the consequences of failing to reach the Champions League potentially disastrous for Lyon. The club owned by the American John Textor's Eagle Football Group have huge debts and were warned earlier this season by the French footballing authorities that they would be relegated if drastic action was not taken to reduce their liabilities. 'We need to win our last two games and then see where that leaves us,' Fonseca said this week. 'It is six years since the club qualified for the Champions League so this is important. 'I want to be the coach who takes OL (Lyon) back there. It will be hard but it is possible.' Player to watch: Andre Ayew The 35-year-old Ghanaian is hoping to fire Le Havre to survival for the second season running. On Saturday he will come up against Marseille, the club where he starred at the beginning of his career, making over 200 appearances. It is also the club where his father Abedi Pele played, winning the Champions League in 1993. Ayew is in line to make the 500th league appearance of his career, spread across stints in England, Qatar and Turkey as well as in France. Key stats 3 - PSG have lost their last two Ligue 1 games but have not suffered three consecutive league defeats since 2010 6 - Saint-Etienne are on the brink of being relegated for the sixth time in their history 2 - Just two points separate five teams, from Marseille in second to Strasbourg in sixth, in the fight for Champions League qualification Fixtures on Saturday (kick-offs 1900 GMT) Angers v Strasbourg, Auxerre v Nantes, Brest v Lille, Le Havre v Marseille, Monaco v Lyon, Montpellier v Paris Saint-Germain, Reims v Saint-Etienne, Rennes v Nice, Toulouse v Lens
France 24
09-05-2025
- Sport
- France 24
French monuments in trouble while PSG prepare for Champions League final
PSG beat Arsenal in their semi-final on Wednesday to set up a final at the end of May in Munich against Inter Milan, the second in their history after a defeat by Bayern Munich in 2020. It will be the eighth time that a French side has appeared in the final of Europe's elite club competition, with Marseille in 1993 still the only team from the country to have won the trophy. Saint-Etienne were beaten finalists in 1976, when they lost 1-0 to Franz Beckenbauer's Bayern in Glasgow. Almost half a century later, they stand on the brink of being relegated to Ligue 2, just a year after coming back up and then being bought by Canadian billionaire Larry Tanenbaum. With two games of the season remaining they sit in the automatic relegation places, above only a Montpellier side who are already down. Les Verts, whose tally of 10 French titles is bettered only by PSG on 13, are four points adrift of Le Havre in the relegation play-off spot and five away from outright safety. That means a defeat away to Reims on Saturday will send them down, while a draw will effectively mean relegation too due to their poor goal difference. However, a win will keep their hopes alive going into the last day, provided they also get some favours from elsewhere. "The whole season has been a struggle and a fight for our lives. There is nothing new about that," said Saint-Etienne's Norwegian coach, Eirik Horneland. "We cannot wait for others anymore. We have to help ourselves. We need two victories to stay in the league." Saint-Etienne's great rivals Lyon are seventh with two games to play, their hopes of Champions League qualification were dealt a huge blow when they lost 2-1 to Lens last weekend. Lyon appointed Paulo Fonseca as coach at the end of January in the belief that he could take the seven-time French champions back to Europe's top table. However, they were three points off the top four then and they still are now, meaning it appears a first Champions League campaign since they got to the semi-finals in 2020 is probably beyond them. Saturday's trip to third-placed Monaco is a game they simply must win, with the consequences of failing to reach the Champions League potentially disastrous for Lyon. The club owned by the American John Textor's Eagle Football Group have huge debts and were warned earlier this season by the French footballing authorities that they would be relegated if drastic action was not taken to reduce their liabilities. "We need to win our last two games and then see where that leaves us," Fonseca said this week. "It is six years since the club qualified for the Champions League so this is important. "I want to be the coach who takes OL (Lyon) back there. It will be hard but it is possible." Player to watch: Andre Ayew The 35-year-old Ghanaian is hoping to fire Le Havre to survival for the second season running. On Saturday he will come up against Marseille, the club where he starred at the beginning of his career, making over 200 appearances. It is also the club where his father Abedi Pele played, winning the Champions League in 1993. Ayew is in line to make the 500th league appearance of his career, spread across stints in England, Qatar and Turkey as well as in France. Key stats 3 - PSG have lost their last two Ligue 1 games but have not suffered three consecutive league defeats since 2010 6 - Saint-Etienne are on the brink of being relegated for the sixth time in their history 2 - Just two points separate five teams, from Marseille in second to Strasbourg in sixth, in the fight for Champions League qualification Fixtures on Saturday (kick-offs 1900 GMT) © 2025 AFP
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
French monuments in trouble while PSG prepare for Champions League final
Saint-Etienne and Lyon, who are local rivals, are facing up to the end of the French season with trepidation (JEAN-PHILIPPE KSIAZEK) While Paris Saint-Germain are looking forward to the Champions League final and have already wrapped up another Ligue 1 title, two of France's biggest clubs with proud European track records are facing the end of the season with trepidation. PSG beat Arsenal in their semi-final on Wednesday to set up a final at the end of May in Munich against Inter Milan, the second in their history after a defeat by Bayern Munich in 2020. Advertisement It will be the eighth time that a French side has appeared in the final of Europe's elite club competition, with Marseille in 1993 still the only team from the country to have won the trophy. Saint-Etienne were beaten finalists in 1976, when they lost 1-0 to Franz Beckenbauer's Bayern in Glasgow. Almost half a century later, they stand on the brink of being relegated to Ligue 2, just a year after coming back up and then being bought by Canadian billionaire Larry Tanenbaum. With two games of the season remaining they sit in the automatic relegation places, above only a Montpellier side who are already down. Advertisement Les Verts, whose tally of 10 French titles is bettered only by PSG on 13, are four points adrift of Le Havre in the relegation play-off spot and five away from outright safety. That means a defeat away to Reims on Saturday will send them down, while a draw will effectively mean relegation too due to their poor goal difference. However, a win will keep their hopes alive going into the last day, provided they also get some favours from elsewhere. "The whole season has been a struggle and a fight for our lives. There is nothing new about that," said Saint-Etienne's Norwegian coach, Eirik Horneland. Advertisement "We cannot wait for others anymore. We have to help ourselves. We need two victories to stay in the league." Saint-Etienne's great rivals Lyon are seventh with two games to play, their hopes of Champions League qualification were dealt a huge blow when they lost 2-1 to Lens last weekend. Lyon appointed Paulo Fonseca as coach at the end of January in the belief that he could take the seven-time French champions back to Europe's top table. However, they were three points off the top four then and they still are now, meaning it appears a first Champions League campaign since they got to the semi-finals in 2020 is probably beyond them. Advertisement Saturday's trip to third-placed Monaco is a game they simply must win, with the consequences of failing to reach the Champions League potentially disastrous for Lyon. The club owned by the American John Textor's Eagle Football Group have huge debts and were warned earlier this season by the French footballing authorities that they would be relegated if drastic action was not taken to reduce their liabilities. "We need to win our last two games and then see where that leaves us," Fonseca said this week. "It is six years since the club qualified for the Champions League so this is important. Advertisement "I want to be the coach who takes OL (Lyon) back there. It will be hard but it is possible." Player to watch: Andre Ayew The 35-year-old Ghanaian is hoping to fire Le Havre to survival for the second season running. On Saturday he will come up against Marseille, the club where he starred at the beginning of his career, making over 200 appearances. It is also the club where his father Abedi Pele played, winning the Champions League in 1993. Ayew is in line to make the 500th league appearance of his career, spread across stints in England, Qatar and Turkey as well as in France. Key stats 3 - PSG have lost their last two Ligue 1 games but have not suffered three consecutive league defeats since 2010 Advertisement 6 - Saint-Etienne are on the brink of being relegated for the sixth time in their history 2 - Just two points separate five teams, from Marseille in second to Strasbourg in sixth, in the fight for Champions League qualification Fixtures on Saturday (kick-offs 1900 GMT) Angers v Strasbourg, Auxerre v Nantes, Brest v Lille, Le Havre v Marseille, Monaco v Lyon, Montpellier v Paris Saint-Germain, Reims v Saint-Etienne, Rennes v Nice, Toulouse v Lens as/nf
