Latest news with #QatarSportsInvestment
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
NBA star Durant takes minority PSG stake
Kevin Durant, who won gold in the Paris 2024 basketball, has taken a stake in the city's best-known football club Paris Saint-Germain (Aris MESSINIS) Basketball star Kevin Durant has taken a minority stake in Paris Saint-Germain, the European champions announced Friday, without saying how many shares the power forward had acquired. The club said in a statement that owners Qatar Sports Investment (QSI) had "signed an investment and strategic partnership agreement with Kevin Durant, one of the most decorated US basketball players of all time and a leading investor in sports and entertainment properties." Advertisement It said Durant would acquire the stake "via his media and investment arm Boardroom". The club said QSI would cooperate with Boardroom "on a wide-series of commercial, investment, and content initiatives" including merchandise, media content US and international strategy and "potential Basketball/Multi-Sport expansion." "With Kevin, we look forward to developing ambitious initiatives that will drive the continued global growth of Paris Saint-Germain and QSI," said Nasser Al-Khelaifi, Chairman of QSI. Durant, 36, is a power forward with the Phoenix Suns. He won two NBA titles with the Golden State Warriors and has four Olympic gold medals, the last from the 2024 Paris Games. Advertisement He said in the PSG statement that PSG and Paris were "a Club and a city that is so close to my heart. This club has big plans ahead, and I can't wait to be a part of the next phase of growth." eba/pb/pi
BreakingNews.ie
31-05-2025
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
Luis Enrique hopes ‘very difficult journey' to CL final ends with glory for PSG
Luis Enrique hopes Paris St Germain's difficult journey to the Champions League final will help them make history on Saturday. PSG will contest their second European final when they face Inter Milan at Allianz Arena and aim to go one better than in the 2020 loss to Bayern Munich. Advertisement Champions League success has been the holy grail for PSG's owners Qatar Sports Investment since they acquired a majority share in 2011, but Luis Enrique's team were in dangerous of a league-phase exit after a run of three defeats in four. Paris St Germain manager Luis Enrique has challenged his players to write themselves into the club's history (Adam Davy/PA) A 4-2 win over Manchester City in January revitalised their campaign and after tricky knockout ties with Brest, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal were navigated, Ligue 1 champions PSG enter this final with 28 wins from the 34 fixtures they have played in 2025. Luis Enrique, a winner in this competition with Barcelona a decade ago, plans a repeat against 2023 runners-up Inter. 'What I tried to transmit to the players is that we have been on a very difficult journey,' Luis Enrique told a press conference. Advertisement 'We have had to play in top-level games since the start of the Champions League. The fact that it was hard at the start could be an advantage for us now because we are used to playing in these games. 'We played in the stadium against Munich, a team that is one of the best in Europe and we played in finals before. We are ready. We have not been scared at all this season so we are going to take to the pitch at our best tomorrow. 'I have more experience now from the last few years. I try to transmit to my team and my players the importance of playing in the Champions League final and the chance to make history. When does it start? 😬 — Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) May 30, 2025 'Making history means doing something that nobody has ever done before you at a club like Paris St Germain, so that is very important and it needs to be managed carefully so that it doesn't overwhelm us. Advertisement 'I have the loved the way we have looked at training. Inter don't have any doubts either and it will be a brilliant final that we want to win.' PSG captain Marquinhos featured in the 2020 loss to Bayern, which occurred behind closed doors due to coronavirus restrictions. Marquinhos has shared a dressing room with superstars Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, but expressed his love for this current group. He said: 'I have played in so many teams over the years here, but we are certainly enjoying it here on a daily basis and in every match. Advertisement 'You can see the way we all run together, how we understand one another on the pitch, so there is the influence in our results. I am in love with this team, with everything we do on the pitch for one another and it is a pleasure to be a part of it. 'It is a great opportunity tomorrow to make history here as a club and for all the players here. It is a second opportunity for me to play in the Champions League final and I don't want to let if pass me by.' 🎙️ Ousmane Dembélé: "I'm very proud to be here in the final. Nothing has been easy. It's just a pleasure to be at this stage of the competition." #UCLfinal — Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) May 30, 2025 Ousmane Dembele has enjoyed an extraordinary campaign with 33 goals to become one of the favourites for the Ballon d'Or, but played down its significance. 'When you are a player at Paris St Germain, the most important thing is to win the Champions League. I am focused on the team and not on individual accolades,' Dembele insisted. Advertisement 'I am pleased with what we have done since January. We have changed our mentality and we are going to try to keep it going and go all the way.'
The Herald Scotland
30-05-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Luis Enrique hopes ‘very difficult journey' to CL final ends with glory for PSG
Champions League success has been the holy grail for PSG's owners Qatar Sports Investment since they acquired a majority share in 2011, but Luis Enrique's team were in dangerous of a league-phase exit after a run of three defeats in four. Paris St Germain manager Luis Enrique has challenged his players to write themselves into the club's history (Adam Davy/PA) A 4-2 win over Manchester City in January revitalised their campaign and after tricky knockout ties with Brest, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal were navigated, Ligue 1 champions PSG enter this final with 28 wins from the 34 fixtures they have played in 2025. Luis Enrique, a winner in this competition with Barcelona a decade ago, plans a repeat against 2023 runners-up Inter. 'What I tried to transmit to the players is that we have been on a very difficult journey,' Luis Enrique told a press conference. 'We have had to play in top-level games since the start of the Champions League. The fact that it was hard at the start could be an advantage for us now because we are used to playing in these games. 'We played in the stadium against Munich, a team that is one of the best in Europe and we played in finals before. We are ready. We have not been scared at all this season so we are going to take to the pitch at our best tomorrow. 'I have more experience now from the last few years. I try to transmit to my team and my players the importance of playing in the Champions League final and the chance to make history. 'Making history means doing something that nobody has ever done before you at a club like Paris St Germain, so that is very important and it needs to be managed carefully so that it doesn't overwhelm us. 'I have the loved the way we have looked at training. Inter don't have any doubts either and it will be a brilliant final that we want to win.' PSG captain Marquinhos featured in the 2020 loss to Bayern, which occurred behind closed doors due to coronavirus restrictions. Marquinhos has shared a dressing room with superstars Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, but expressed his love for this current group. He said: 'I have played in so many teams over the years here, but we are certainly enjoying it here on a daily basis and in every match. 'You can see the way we all run together, how we understand one another on the pitch, so there is the influence in our results. I am in love with this team, with everything we do on the pitch for one another and it is a pleasure to be a part of it. 'It is a great opportunity tomorrow to make history here as a club and for all the players here. It is a second opportunity for me to play in the Champions League final and I don't want to let if pass me by.' 🎙️ Ousmane Dembélé: "I'm very proud to be here in the final. Nothing has been easy. It's just a pleasure to be at this stage of the competition."#UCLfinal — Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) May 30, 2025 Ousmane Dembele has enjoyed an extraordinary campaign with 33 goals to become one of the favourites for the Ballon d'Or, but played down its significance. 'When you are a player at Paris St Germain, the most important thing is to win the Champions League. I am focused on the team and not on individual accolades,' Dembele insisted. 'I am pleased with what we have done since January. We have changed our mentality and we are going to try to keep it going and go all the way.'
The Independent
30-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Luis Enrique hopes ‘very difficult journey' to CL final ends with glory for PSG
Luis Enrique hopes Paris St Germain's difficult journey to the Champions League final will help them make history on Saturday. PSG will contest their second European final when they face Inter Milan at Allianz Arena and aim to go one better than in the 2020 loss to Bayern Munich. Champions League success has been the holy grail for PSG's owners Qatar Sports Investment since they acquired a majority share in 2011, but Luis Enrique's team were in dangerous of a league-phase exit after a run of three defeats in four. A 4-2 win over Manchester City in January revitalised their campaign and after tricky knockout ties with Brest, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal were navigated, Ligue 1 champions PSG enter this final with 28 wins from the 34 fixtures they have played in 2025. Luis Enrique, a winner in this competition with Barcelona a decade ago, plans a repeat against 2023 runners-up Inter. 'What I tried to transmit to the players is that we have been on a very difficult journey,' Luis Enrique told a press conference. 'We have had to play in top-level games since the start of the Champions League. The fact that it was hard at the start could be an advantage for us now because we are used to playing in these games. 'We played in the stadium against Munich, a team that is one of the best in Europe and we played in finals before. We are ready. We have not been scared at all this season so we are going to take to the pitch at our best tomorrow. 'I have more experience now from the last few years. I try to transmit to my team and my players the importance of playing in the Champions League final and the chance to make history. 'Making history means doing something that nobody has ever done before you at a club like Paris St Germain, so that is very important and it needs to be managed carefully so that it doesn't overwhelm us. 'I have the loved the way we have looked at training. Inter don't have any doubts either and it will be a brilliant final that we want to win.' PSG captain Marquinhos featured in the 2020 loss to Bayern, which occurred behind closed doors due to coronavirus restrictions. Marquinhos has shared a dressing room with superstars Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, but expressed his love for this current group. He said: 'I have played in so many teams over the years here, but we are certainly enjoying it here on a daily basis and in every match. 'You can see the way we all run together, how we understand one another on the pitch, so there is the influence in our results. I am in love with this team, with everything we do on the pitch for one another and it is a pleasure to be a part of it. 'It is a great opportunity tomorrow to make history here as a club and for all the players here. It is a second opportunity for me to play in the Champions League final and I don't want to let if pass me by.' Ousmane Dembele has enjoyed an extraordinary campaign with 33 goals to become one of the favourites for the Ballon d'Or, but played down its significance. 'When you are a player at Paris St Germain, the most important thing is to win the Champions League. I am focused on the team and not on individual accolades,' Dembele insisted. 'I am pleased with what we have done since January. We have changed our mentality and we are going to try to keep it going and go all the way.'
The Independent
16-05-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
The Leicester of Ligue 1: Remembering Montpellier's famous title triumph on the eve of their relegation
Everyone knows the story of Leicester City. On the brink of Premier League relegation one season, to Champions of England the next. It's the footballing fairytale of our time. Leicester's miraculous triumph of 2015/16 felt unheard of, like nothing of the sort had ever happened before. But indeed, it had. Across the channel, an ever-unlikely champion had risen to the French throne just four years earlier. Montpellier were the pre-gen of Claudio Rainieri's famed Foxes. Powered by breakout star Olivier Giroud, this humble family-run side from southern France warded off the biggest of hitters to reign over France. Two of the greatest underdog stories in the game's history, both now share the ignominy of a stark fall from grace. While Leicester have suffered their second relegation in the space of three seasons, the Ligue 1 final matchday marks a first demotion for Montpellier since their crowning glory of 13 years ago. Drifting into obscurity, broke and divided, La Paillade will seek comfort from the memories of their unfathomable title win, knowing that while a return to the upper echelons may now seem a pipedream, they've defied worse odds before. Ahead of the 2011/12 campaign, Ligue 1 had been rocked by the news of Paris-Saint Germain's takeover by Qatar Sports Investment (QSI). Turning into an uber-wealthy European powerhouse almost overnight, it became inevitable that the division would come under a chokehold of the Parisiens. But despite embarking on a summer of intense spending under Carlo Ancelotti, the Qataris would not enjoy title success in their first season. They were tripped up in that pursuit not by defending champions Lille, or French giants Marseille or Lyon – but by Montpelllier. Led by Rene Girard, La Paillade stunned the footballing world. Three seasons prior, they were fighting for promotion in the second tier. But with a team of hidden gems valued at a fraction of their competitors, Montpellier pulled off the unthinkable to top Ligue 1 for the first time in their history. From the outset, they were the surprise package of the 2011/12 season. Five wins in their first seven saw them record their best-ever start to a Ligue 1 season. But at the back-end of September, having briefly sat atop the table, they were sharply brought back to reality. PSG dismantled Montpellier 3-0 on their own turf to showcase what everyone already assumed was the gulf in quality between the two sides. Yet despite this setback, Montpellier kept up the pace going into the winter break. This was in significant part due to Giroud, an all but unknown entity at the start of the year. The Mosson talisman, who had signed from Montpellier in 2010 for what was then a club-record fee of €2m (£1.7m), was taking France by storm. The 25-year-old may have been something of a late bloomer, but with 18 goal contributions in as many appearances, he had put European football on notice as the rocket fuel behind Montpellier's shock title charge. By the end of the winter break, Montpellier had reeled the Parisians in. Fans began to truly believe when Girard's men passed their toughest test, a trip to the Parc des Princes in February. Against the financial muscle of the division, Montpellier held PSG to a 2-2 draw to ensure they stayed within touching distance of the leaders, setting them up for the near-flawless season run-in that was to come. Just two losses in their final 14 outings saw Montpellier leapfrog their title rivals going into the final weeks, with everything coming down to the final day in Auxerre. Three points ahead of PSG at the top but on an identical goal difference, La Paillade needed just a point to make history. A double from ex-Pompey frontman John Utaka put the outcome beyond doubt as Montpellier came out 2-1 victors. They had done the impossible. Giroud, branded 'Le Buteur de Charme' – or 'The Charm Striker' – was the posterboy of Girard's champions. He finished the season as the league's joint-top goalscorer with 21 goals, solely responsible for 13 of the club's points that year, with his tireless, all-action performances earning the attention of Premier League giants Arsenal and a France call-up for Euro 2012. However, Montpellier were hardly a one-man team. Pulling the strings behind the Frenchman were two homegrown midfield maestros. The first, Moroccan magician Younes Belhanda, was one of the stars of the season. Once a holding player in the academy, the versatile Belhanda was shifted to a playmaker by Girard for 2011/12, a move that paid dividends as he notched 12 goals and four assists across a highly influential campaign. The second was Remy Cabella, another academy product who burst onto the scene that season. Then 21, the promising Frenchman, who would later be picked up by Newcastle, was a one of a handful of young talents to earn continental recognition at Montpellier during 2011/12. Cabella, just like Giroud, Belhanda and Mosson-bred defensive midfield starlet Benjamin Stambouli, was quickly touted for bigger things following Montpellier's shock title triumph. Giroud, rightly seeing his name in lights, jumped at Arsenal's advances that summer to embark on what would be a fruitful nine-year spell in the English top tier. But local lads Cabella, Belhanda and Stambouli stayed put to try and cement Montpellier's status as a top contender. In this effort, they failed. Montpellier's title defence resulted in a ninth-place finish in 2012/13, before dropping to 15th the following year. Rapidly falling off their perch, this period was enough to see their homegrown midfield trio abandon the project for pastures new. Belhanda had moved to Dynamo Kyiv, Stambouli to Spurs, and Cabella to the Magpies – all transfers of which proved pretty ill-fated. Montpellier's downfall was sparked by a failure to build on their shock success. They lost their star players and did not adequately replace. They also threw in the towel on coach Rene Girard just a year after he led La Paillade to uncomprehensible heights, with founding club president Louis 'LouLou' Nicollin not offering him a new contract at the end of 2012/13. The club never consolidated their newfound identity as winners and over the 13 years that followed, they never broke the top five again. This failure to live up to potential was reflected by the careers of their title-winning squad, many of whom – with the exception of Giroud – didn't come close to the heights once pegged for them. Having floated back into mediocrity, the past season has seen Montpellier crumble at a time of degradation in French football. Now under the ownership of Laurent Nicollin, who took over from father LouLou following his 2017 passing, the club have been hit hard by the financial crisis that has Ligue 1 on the brink of collapse. Last year's accounts showed the wage bill as almost equivalent to the club's entire income. Fiscal struggles, combined with dismal performances, have incited widespread disunity in the club. Players, fans and leadership have turned on each other. During a meeting with Monaco, supporters unfurled a banner that told the team: 'You embody the worst version of our club: shame on you.' A month earlier, long-time skipper Teji Savanier besmirched his reputation after responding to an embarrassing Coupe de France thrashing to fourth-tier Le Puy by flaunting his eye-watering wage. When a Le Puy fan teased the midfielder by asking if sitting rock bottom of Ligue 1 hurt, Savanier responded: 'When you're being paid €210,000 a month, no.' He was stripped of the captaincy after being condemned by the club. And while fans have also taken issue with the hierarchy, Nicollin has pointed his finger at his squad. 'There are people whose story with the club is over, whatever happens,' he said after defeat to Angers in April. 'We will go forward with a healthy base of people who want to fight for the club and people who aren't just there for their own sake.' Montpellier, a club whose success 13 years ago was built off a unified effort to overcome the odds, are now embroiled in an internal war. A shadow of their former selves, Montpellier now face the serious threat of ending up like Bordeaux - a former giant now dwindling in the fourth tier after suffering a drawn-out demise. While there will be hope of a rebuild in the second division, weak foundations in the French football system may not facilitate it. Long gone are the dreams of established success in France. The objective is now to avoid becoming the nation's next footballing cautionary tale.
