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Business Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Business Times
Qatar-backed PSG's united approach puts them on brink of European football glory
[MUNICH] Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) are on the brink of a maiden Champions League title, chasing European glory in their first season since the departure of French striker Kylian Mbappe, with street-wise Inter-Milan standing between them and history in the final on Sunday (3am kickoff, Singapore time). PSG, backed by owners Qatar Sports Investments, have been impressive in Europe with a cohesive brand of football that marks a clear departure from the star-driven, sometimes disjointed squads of recent past. The focus on unity, tactical discipline and collective effort has drawn widespread plaudits ahead of their showdown with Inter in European club football's biggest match of the season. Since Qatar Sports Investments took control of the club in 2011, big-spending PSG have dominated domestic football but fallen short in Europe, with their only previous Champions League final ending in defeat by Bayern Munich in 2020. Manager Luis Enrique, who took charge of PSG last year, said his team had long targeted this moment, which comes after they won the domestic double of the French league and the French Cup. PSG enter the final with no fresh injury concerns, while Inter fullback Benjamin Pavard and striker Lautaro Martinez are expected to be fit for the Serie A runners-up. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself. Sign Up Sign Up Inter last won the Champions League in 2010, after also lifting the European Cup in 1964 and 1965, while Olympique Marseille are still the only French club to have won the trophy, back in 1993. Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer (left) and PSG's Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma will be key to their respective team's success this weekend. PHOTO: AFP While this year's finalists have displayed attacking brilliance, the match could be decided by the goalkeepers – PSG's Gianluigi Donnarumma and Inter's Yann Sommer. 'If you look at the Champions League winners over the last 10 or 15 years, it's always the teams with strong goalkeepers who win,' said former Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon. 'And if we look at this season, Donnarumma and Sommer have been the top goalkeepers in Europe. Maybe Gigio (Donnarumma) was the absolute best, but Sommer showed an impressive consistency in maintaining his very high level of performance. It will also be a final of goalkeepers.' Last chance at glory A season which once promised so much for Inter now hangs on manager Simone Inzaghi's experienced side beating PSG, giving Saturday's decider at the Allianz Arena in Munich the feel of a last-chance saloon for the Italian club. Inter, hurting from a failed league title defence, also seek redemption for the lost final two years ago against Manchester City in Istanbul and, for many of the club's elder statesmen, this will be seen as their ultimate opportunity. Inzaghi now has the difficult task of getting his team back on their feet after the players were on their knees only last Friday when the Serie A championship went to Napoli on the final day of the season. 'The championship just concluded left us with something to remember,' said Inzaghi. 'There is a lot of suffering in myself and in the players, it's pointless denying it.' Inter manager Simone Inzaghi (left) will square off against his PSG counterpart Luis Enrique in European club football's biggest match. PHOTO: AFP Not so long ago, there was plenty of treble talk around Inter, with the team impressing in Europe, mounting a comeback in Serie A and reaching the semi-finals of the Italian Cup, until it all began to unravel in a three-game spell in April. Their bid to repeat the treble feat of Jose Mourinho's Inter side of 2010 ended with a 3-0 loss to city rivals AC Milan in the second leg of their Italian Cup tie, and league defeats either side of that gave control back to Napoli in the title race. Despite their domestic failings, Inter can remain optimistic after a European campaign which has been on another level. In the Champions League, they ended the group stage fourth in the standings having conceded just one goal in eight games. Their strong defence last season (just 22 goals conceded in 38 matches) saw Inter easily secure the Serie A title, and they have brought that same spirit into Europe this campaign – at least until the knockout phase. Inter's last four Champions League matches brought a lot more goals and no shortage of drama, culminating in a thrilling semi-final tie with Barcelona. A 7-6 aggregate victory came thanks to defender Francesco Acerbi netting an added-time equaliser and substitute Davide Frattesi coming up trumps with an extra-time winner. Acerbi is one of the many Inter players still stung by the Champions League final defeat of 2023 and the 37-year-old picked the perfect moment to score his first European goal and keep his side in the competition. Inter, unlike the youthful PSG, have experience on their side with the likes of Sommer, Matteo Darmian, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Hakan Calhanoglu all on the wrong side of 30. Inzaghi will hope that experience, along with the desire to banish the ghosts of Istanbul and the league campaign just ended, can fuel Inter's push for the ultimate prize which would put their recent failings well and truly behind them. REUTERS
Indian Express
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Indian Express
‘And then Yamal arrives..' : World Cup winner Thierry Henry hails Lamine Yamal amid comparisons with Messi and Ronaldo
As Barcelona played a 3-3 draw against Inter-Milan in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final at Olympic Stadium, 17-year-old Lamine Yamal became the youngest player to score a goal in a Champions League semi-final with his opening goal for the Spanish's side's come from behind show in the semi-final. With Barcelona trailing by two goals in the match, Yamal scored the first goal in the team's 3-3 draw to create history. Former France striker and World Cup winner Thierry Henry has showered praise on the young Spanish international and terming him as the next best player in the football world and even better than Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. 'We can talk about a lot of guys who are supposed to be on the throne and whatnot. But one thing that amazes me about football is that you always think there is no way someone is going to be better – or might be better – than Messi and (Cristiano) Ronaldo. Or in my time, Pele or (Diego) Maradona… And then Yamal arrives,' Henry told CBS Sports post the match. Yamal also became the second youngest player at the age of 17 years and 291 days on Wednesday to start in a Champions League semi-final. The earlier record was held by Julian Draxler, who holds the record for playing in a Champions League Semi-final at an age of 17 years and 226 days playing for Schalke 04 against Manchester United in 2011. Yamal had earlier became the youngest player to score in both a Champions league round of 16 tie and quarterfinal during Barcelona's campaign this year. Yamal's goal was also his 20th goal in his 100 appearances at the club level. 'What I witnessed tonight from Lamine Yamal … it's not normal to be like that at 17. I am not talking about what he does when he's on the ball, his awareness, how calm he is, how he sees the game, the way he will defend, put pressure. It's just not normal. We talked about the 100 games that he already has at that age. It's just stupid, really. I don't even know what I'm watching, what I'm witnessing, but he played like a man possessed, and when I say 'a man,' he's not even a man yet, technically. It's just not normal.' Henry said during the UEFA Champions League Today post-match show. As compared to Messi and Ronaldo, Yamal has a total of 50 goals and assists in his first 100 matches at the club level. Messi had a tally of 56 goals and assists (41 goals and 15 assists) while Ronaldo had a tally of 27 goals and assists (13 goals and 14 assists) in their first 100 matches at the club level. Yamal has achieved the feat of playing 100 matches at the club level at the age of 17 years and 291 days with Messi and Ronaldo achieving the same feat at the age of 20 years and 248 days and 19 years and 348 days respectively. Barcelona coach Hansi Flick too was in praise for the young star. 'I think he's special. I said it often before, he's a genius. During the game, when I look at the match from the outside, it's not like when you see after. You see all the details and it is unbelievable how he does it. At 17 years old, he's an unbelievable player and for me the important thing is he keeps going,' Flick said post the match.
