Latest news with #Messi
The Herald Scotland
7 hours ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
How PSG got rid of the GOAT and became Champions League contenders
When Rothen claimed the presence of Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe at the Parc des Princes was preventing the Ligue 1 champions from fulfilling their vast potential in Europe, many fans asked if he had drunk one too many glasses of Chateauneuf-du-Pape. However, somebody at Qatar Sports Investments, who had turned PSG into one of the wealthiest clubs in the world game when they had bought a majority shareholding in them in 2011, was clearly paying attention to the one-time Scottish title winner. Read more: There has been a definite shift away from the superstar-centric strategy since. Messi, Neymar and Mbappe, who had cost in excess of €400m, have all been allowed to depart. There has been a move towards a more collective mindset. The change has worked wonders. Paris Saint-Germain are, having swatted aside Manchester City, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal in Europe this year, favourites to beat Inter Milan in the Champions League final in the Allianz Arena in Munich tonight and win the competition for the first time. Rothen, who has covered Les Parisiens' exploits on the continent for RMC Sport in France this term and who will be cheering on his boyhood heroes this evening along with millions of others around the globe, has been proved emphatically correct in his assessment. 'Managing Messi, Neymar and Mbappe was complicated,' he said ahead of the eagerly anticipated encounter between Luis Enrique's team and Simone Inzaghi's side. 'They also had to pay huge sums to cover their salaries, which were very high. I thought it was a bad idea to renew their deals. 'Messi in particular made no attempt to engage with the club or with the fans when he was here. It looked like he was only interested in his image rights. He never waved to the fans or acknowledged their backing. I thought it was best for him to go. The money they have saved since he has gone has allowed them to improve the squad.' (Image: Nick Potts) Enrique, the former Barcelona, Real Madrid and Spain midfielder and Roma, Celta Vigo, Barcelona and Spain manager who took over from Christophe Galtier in the summer of 2023, has transformed PSG from show ponies into work horses during his two year tenure. His charges have run for 117.94 kilometres on average in every game in the Champions League this season, far more than any other side in the competition. In addition, they have completed more passes, created more scoring chances and had more shots on goal than any other team. They have been nothing short of relentless in the past five months. John McGinn, the Scotland midfielder and Villa captain, was helpless to prevent his Premier League outfit from slumping to a 5-4 aggregate defeat against them in their last eight double header last month. However, he claimed that he and his team mates could be satisfied of how they acquitted themselves against opponents he rated highly following the final whistle. 'We should be proud that we turned the game around against one of the best teams in the world and fought to the very end,' he said. 'PSG are the best team I've ever played against. I definitely wouldn't want to face them every week.' Enrique, whose team recorded just one win during their first five Champions League league phase games and at one stage looked set to miss out on qualification for the knockout rounds, has made important tactical changes as well as an inspired signing. He moved Ousmane Dembele from the right wing to striker, deployed Vitinha as a holding midfielder and gave right-back Achraf Hakimi the freedom to move upfield and infield. Read more: On top of that, he landed Khvicha Kvaratskhelia from Napoli for €60m in January. The wide man has established himself as a regular starter alongside Dembele, Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola in his front three. Enrique's insistence that PSG attack together and defend together – something which did not happen when Messi, Mbappe and Neymar formed the forward line – has impressed Rothen. 'Everything has gone well this year,' he said. 'There are no problems with the team, no problems behind the scenes, no problems in the media. That is unheard of at PSG. They have won a lot in previous years, but there was never the same atmosphere. 'It hasn't been perfect. They switched off against Aston Villa after scoring two early goals and allowed their opponents to come back into the game. They fell asleep. But they have been a blessing in disguise because they will know now they can't afford that sort of slackness. But everything has gone well for the club. All of the planets are aligned.' Inter, who beat Barcelona 4-3 after extra-time in the second leg of the semi-final in the San Siro last month to complete a remarkable 7-6 aggregate triumph, can certainly be crowned European champions for a fourth time in Germany this evening. They, too, have an abundance of talent in every area of the pitch. But if Paris Saint-Germain scale the heights they are capable of they should prevail and make history.
The National
7 hours ago
- Business
- The National
How PSG got rid of the GOAT and became Champions League contenders
But when Jeremy Rothen, the former Rangers midfielder who is now an outspoken television and radio analyst in his native France, described the decision by his old club Paris Saint-Germain to offer Lionel Messi a contract extension two years ago as 'a joke' viewers across his homeland exclaimed 'sacre bleu' in unison. When Rothen claimed the presence of Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe at the Parc des Princes was preventing the Ligue 1 champions from fulfilling their vast potential in Europe, many fans asked if he had drunk one too many glasses of Chateauneuf-du-Pape. However, somebody at Qatar Sports Investments, who had turned PSG into one of the wealthiest clubs in the world game when they had bought a majority shareholding in them in 2011, was clearly paying attention to the one-time Scottish title winner. Read more: There has been a definite shift away from the superstar-centric strategy since. Messi, Neymar and Mbappe, who had cost in excess of €400m, have all been allowed to depart. There has been a move towards a more collective mindset. The change has worked wonders. Paris Saint-Germain are, having swatted aside Manchester City, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal in Europe this year, favourites to beat Inter Milan in the Champions League final in the Allianz Arena in Munich tonight and win the competition for the first time. Rothen, who has covered Les Parisiens' exploits on the continent for RMC Sport in France this term and who will be cheering on his boyhood heroes this evening along with millions of others around the globe, has been proved emphatically correct in his assessment. 'Managing Messi, Neymar and Mbappe was complicated,' he said ahead of the eagerly anticipated encounter between Luis Enrique's team and Simone Inzaghi's side. 'They also had to pay huge sums to cover their salaries, which were very high. I thought it was a bad idea to renew their deals. 'Messi in particular made no attempt to engage with the club or with the fans when he was here. It looked like he was only interested in his image rights. He never waved to the fans or acknowledged their backing. I thought it was best for him to go. The money they have saved since he has gone has allowed them to improve the squad.' (Image: Nick Potts) Enrique, the former Barcelona, Real Madrid and Spain midfielder and Roma, Celta Vigo, Barcelona and Spain manager who took over from Christophe Galtier in the summer of 2023, has transformed PSG from show ponies into work horses during his two year tenure. His charges have run for 117.94 kilometres on average in every game in the Champions League this season, far more than any other side in the competition. In addition, they have completed more passes, created more scoring chances and had more shots on goal than any other team. They have been nothing short of relentless in the past five months. John McGinn, the Scotland midfielder and Villa captain, was helpless to prevent his Premier League outfit from slumping to a 5-4 aggregate defeat against them in their last eight double header last month. However, he claimed that he and his team mates could be satisfied of how they acquitted themselves against opponents he rated highly following the final whistle. 'We should be proud that we turned the game around against one of the best teams in the world and fought to the very end,' he said. 'PSG are the best team I've ever played against. I definitely wouldn't want to face them every week.' Enrique, whose team recorded just one win during their first five Champions League league phase games and at one stage looked set to miss out on qualification for the knockout rounds, has made important tactical changes as well as an inspired signing. He moved Ousmane Dembele from the right wing to striker, deployed Vitinha as a holding midfielder and gave right-back Achraf Hakimi the freedom to move upfield and infield. Read more: On top of that, he landed Khvicha Kvaratskhelia from Napoli for €60m in January. The wide man has established himself as a regular starter alongside Dembele, Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola in his front three. Enrique's insistence that PSG attack together and defend together – something which did not happen when Messi, Mbappe and Neymar formed the forward line – has impressed Rothen. 'Everything has gone well this year,' he said. 'There are no problems with the team, no problems behind the scenes, no problems in the media. That is unheard of at PSG. They have won a lot in previous years, but there was never the same atmosphere. 'It hasn't been perfect. They switched off against Aston Villa after scoring two early goals and allowed their opponents to come back into the game. They fell asleep. But they have been a blessing in disguise because they will know now they can't afford that sort of slackness. But everything has gone well for the club. All of the planets are aligned.' Inter, who beat Barcelona 4-3 after extra-time in the second leg of the semi-final in the San Siro last month to complete a remarkable 7-6 aggregate triumph, can certainly be crowned European champions for a fourth time in Germany this evening. They, too, have an abundance of talent in every area of the pitch. But if Paris Saint-Germain scale the heights they are capable of they should prevail and make history.
Glasgow Times
7 hours ago
- Business
- Glasgow Times
How PSG got rid of the GOAT and became Champions League contenders
But when Jeremy Rothen, the former Rangers midfielder who is now an outspoken television and radio analyst in his native France, described the decision by his old club Paris Saint-Germain to offer Lionel Messi a contract extension two years ago as 'a joke' viewers across his homeland exclaimed 'sacre bleu' in unison. When Rothen claimed the presence of Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe at the Parc des Princes was preventing the Ligue 1 champions from fulfilling their vast potential in Europe, many fans asked if he had drunk one too many glasses of Chateauneuf-du-Pape. However, somebody at Qatar Sports Investments, who had turned PSG into one of the wealthiest clubs in the world game when they had bought a majority shareholding in them in 2011, was clearly paying attention to the one-time Scottish title winner. Read more: There has been a definite shift away from the superstar-centric strategy since. Messi, Neymar and Mbappe, who had cost in excess of €400m, have all been allowed to depart. There has been a move towards a more collective mindset. The change has worked wonders. Paris Saint-Germain are, having swatted aside Manchester City, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal in Europe this year, favourites to beat Inter Milan in the Champions League final in the Allianz Arena in Munich tonight and win the competition for the first time. Rothen, who has covered Les Parisiens' exploits on the continent for RMC Sport in France this term and who will be cheering on his boyhood heroes this evening along with millions of others around the globe, has been proved emphatically correct in his assessment. 'Managing Messi, Neymar and Mbappe was complicated,' he said ahead of the eagerly anticipated encounter between Luis Enrique's team and Simone Inzaghi's side. 'They also had to pay huge sums to cover their salaries, which were very high. I thought it was a bad idea to renew their deals. 'Messi in particular made no attempt to engage with the club or with the fans when he was here. It looked like he was only interested in his image rights. He never waved to the fans or acknowledged their backing. I thought it was best for him to go. The money they have saved since he has gone has allowed them to improve the squad.' (Image: Nick Potts) Enrique, the former Barcelona, Real Madrid and Spain midfielder and Roma, Celta Vigo, Barcelona and Spain manager who took over from Christophe Galtier in the summer of 2023, has transformed PSG from show ponies into work horses during his two year tenure. His charges have run for 117.94 kilometres on average in every game in the Champions League this season, far more than any other side in the competition. In addition, they have completed more passes, created more scoring chances and had more shots on goal than any other team. They have been nothing short of relentless in the past five months. John McGinn, the Scotland midfielder and Villa captain, was helpless to prevent his Premier League outfit from slumping to a 5-4 aggregate defeat against them in their last eight double header last month. However, he claimed that he and his team mates could be satisfied of how they acquitted themselves against opponents he rated highly following the final whistle. 'We should be proud that we turned the game around against one of the best teams in the world and fought to the very end,' he said. 'PSG are the best team I've ever played against. I definitely wouldn't want to face them every week.' Enrique, whose team recorded just one win during their first five Champions League league phase games and at one stage looked set to miss out on qualification for the knockout rounds, has made important tactical changes as well as an inspired signing. He moved Ousmane Dembele from the right wing to striker, deployed Vitinha as a holding midfielder and gave right-back Achraf Hakimi the freedom to move upfield and infield. Read more: On top of that, he landed Khvicha Kvaratskhelia from Napoli for €60m in January. The wide man has established himself as a regular starter alongside Dembele, Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola in his front three. Enrique's insistence that PSG attack together and defend together – something which did not happen when Messi, Mbappe and Neymar formed the forward line – has impressed Rothen. 'Everything has gone well this year,' he said. 'There are no problems with the team, no problems behind the scenes, no problems in the media. That is unheard of at PSG. They have won a lot in previous years, but there was never the same atmosphere. 'It hasn't been perfect. They switched off against Aston Villa after scoring two early goals and allowed their opponents to come back into the game. They fell asleep. But they have been a blessing in disguise because they will know now they can't afford that sort of slackness. But everything has gone well for the club. All of the planets are aligned.' Inter, who beat Barcelona 4-3 after extra-time in the second leg of the semi-final in the San Siro last month to complete a remarkable 7-6 aggregate triumph, can certainly be crowned European champions for a fourth time in Germany this evening. They, too, have an abundance of talent in every area of the pitch. But if Paris Saint-Germain scale the heights they are capable of they should prevail and make history.
CNBC
8 hours ago
- Sport
- CNBC
European soccer heavyweights clash in Champions League final
Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain will meet at the UEFA Champions League final in Munich on Saturday to compete for club soccer's most prestigious trophy. For the Parisian team, a victory would cement the squad in the pantheon of soccer royalty. Paris Saint-Germain, colloquially known as PSG, was once mediocrity personified. Before 2011, the team languished in the French soccer league Ligue 1 and twice narrowly escaped relegation to a lower division. But 14 years ago, everything changed. Qatar Sports Investments, a state-backed subsidiary of Qatar's sovereign wealth fund, bought the team and injected billions of dollars. Superstars like Zlatan Ibrahimović and David Beckham joined in the early days of PSG's new era. More recently, the Qatari cash brought in the tantalizing trio of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappé. In the 14 seasons since the new ownership took hold, PSG has dominated its domestic league, winning Ligue 1 11 times. espite clobbering the competition in France, a Champions League title has always evaded PSG. It was close in 2020, losing to German giant Bayern Munich in the final. Failure to bring home that trophy led neutral fans to dismiss its merits. PSG has long been considered the rich kid on the field, with fancy cleats but without the play to back it up. Then came the summer of 2023, when PSG began its transformation. Messi and Neymar departed the French capital, with Mbappe soon following their lead. In came Spanish tactician Luis Enrique, who implemented a cultural revolution. Gone were the days of superstar players and a reliance on individual skill and big moments to carry the team to victory. Cue young, tenacious talent who weren't as recognizable to fair-weather fans but were willing to graft and play as a team. Out went the world's most recognized soccer name, Messi. In came the less sexy Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who's last name haunts soccer commentators around the globe. "I think that the team has grown and reached an even higher level than what we were expecting," Enrique said in an interview with his club on Monday. "We all want to make history and to win Paris Saint-Germain's first-ever Champions League," he added. Standing in the way of PSG's unprecedented success is a member of soccer's old guard, Inter Milan. Unlike PSG, Inter is more used to soccer's biggest stage, taking home the European championship three times in its vaunted history, most recently in 2010. Its last appearance in a Champions League final was just three seasons ago. Despite his club's comfort in the limelight, its coach, Italian Simone Inzaghi, isn't underestimating the competition. "PSG is an excellent team with incredibly strong players. They have quality, a coach who has instilled clear playing principles," the manager said at a press conference on Monday. "We will prepare as best as we can, knowing it will take a great Inter performance to win." Inter will need to pull itself up from its bootstraps on Saturday after heartbreak a week ago. The Italian juggernaut narrowly missed out on winning its domestic league, pushing rivals Napoli to the brink and missing out on the Serie A championship, referred to as the "scudetto," by just one point. But it'll be bolstered by the health of its captain and talisman, Argentine Lautaro Martínez. The 27-year-old World Cup winner is Inter's leading goal scorer this season in the Champions League, with nine goals in 14 matches. Known for his tenacity and nicknamed "El Toro," Martínez shocked Barcelona in the semifinals by playing through injury and notching the opening goal in the second leg. Nearly a month later, Inzaghi said his star player was fit and raring to go despite not playing in Inter's final game of the Italian season. But Inter isn't reliant on just its star player. Like PSG, Inter leaned on teamwork and organization to propel its success this season. Throughout all competitions, all 21 of Inter's outfield players have scored a goal, a nearly unprecedented statistic in modern soccer. Inzaghi believes that cooperation and camaraderie are what make his squad special this year. "I like the way they stick together on the pitch: the joy in victories and the tears in defeats," Inzaghi said of his team. "In the final, there's no room for mistakes. … We'll need intensity, determination and all the qualities this team has shown throughout our journey."
NBC News
9 hours ago
- Sport
- NBC News
European soccer heavyweights clash in Champions League final
Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain will meet at the UEFA Champions League final in Munich on Saturday to compete for club soccer's most prestigious trophy. For the Parisian team, a victory would cement the squad in the pantheon of soccer royalty. Paris Saint-Germain, colloquially known as PSG, was once mediocrity personified. Before 2011, the team languished in the French soccer league Ligue 1 and twice narrowly escaped relegation to a lower division. But 14 years ago, everything changed. Qatar Sports Investments, a state-backed subsidiary of Qatar's sovereign wealth fund, bought the team and injected billions of dollars. Superstars like Zlatan Ibrahimović and David Beckham joined in the early days of PSG's new era. More recently, the Qatari cash brought in the tantalizing trio of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappé. In the 14 seasons since the new ownership took hold, PSG has dominated its domestic league, winning Ligue 1 11 times. Despite clobbering the competition in France, a Champions League title has always evaded PSG. It was close in 2020, losing to German giant Bayern Munich in the final. Failure to bring home that trophy led neutral fans to dismiss its merits. PSG has long been considered the rich kid on the field, with fancy cleats but without the play to back it up. Then came the summer of 2023, when PSG began its transformation. Messi and Neymar departed the French capital, with Mbappe soon following their lead. In came Spanish tactician Luis Enrique, who implemented a cultural revolution. Gone were the days of superstar players and a reliance on individual skill and big moments to carry the team to victory. Cue young, tenacious talent who weren't as recognizable to fair-weather fans but were willing to graft and play as a team. Out went the world's most recognized soccer name, Messi. In came the less sexy Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who's last name haunts soccer commentators around the globe. 'I think that the team has grown and reached an even higher level than what we were expecting,' Enrique said in an interview with his club on Monday. 'We all want to make history and to win Paris Saint-Germain's first-ever Champions League,' he added. Standing in the way of PSG's unprecedented success is a member of soccer's old guard, Inter Milan. Unlike PSG, Inter is more used to soccer's biggest stage, taking home the European championship three times in its vaunted history, most recently in 2010. Its last appearance in a Champions League final was just three seasons ago. Despite his club's comfort in the limelight, its coach, Italian Simone Inzaghi, isn't underestimating the competition. 'PSG is an excellent team with incredibly strong players. They have quality, a coach who has instilled clear playing principles,' the manager said at a press conference on Monday. 'We will prepare as best as we can, knowing it will take a great Inter performance to win.' Inter will need to pull itself up from its bootstraps on Saturday after heartbreak a week ago. The Italian juggernaut narrowly missed out on winning its domestic league, pushing rivals Napoli to the brink and missing out on the Serie A championship, referred to as the 'scudetto,' by just one point. But it'll be bolstered by the health of its captain and talisman, Argentine Lautaro Martínez. The 27-year-old World Cup winner is Inter's leading goal scorer this season in the Champions League, with nine goals in 14 matches. Known for his tenacity and nicknamed 'El Toro,' Martínez shocked Barcelona in the semifinals by playing through injury and notching the opening goal in the second leg. Nearly a month later, Inzaghi said his star player was fit and raring to go despite not playing in Inter's final game of the Italian season. But Inter isn't reliant on just its star player. Like PSG, Inter leaned on teamwork and organization to propel its success this season. Throughout all competitions, all 21 of Inter's outfield players have scored a goal, a nearly unprecedented statistic in modern soccer. Inzaghi believes that cooperation and camaraderie are what make his squad special this year. 'I like the way they stick together on the pitch: the joy in victories and the tears in defeats,' Inzaghi said of his team. 'In the final, there's no room for mistakes. … We'll need intensity, determination and all the qualities this team has shown throughout our journey.'
