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The Guardian
31-05-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
PSG won the Ligue 1 title 57 days ago. Will the break disrupt their rhythm?
'We aren't boxing in the same category,' said Reims manager Samba Diawara after his team were beaten 3-0 by Paris Saint-Germain in the Coupe de France final on Saturday. In truth, few opponents have been worthy of sharing the ring with PSG this season. Domestically at least, they have been peerless. The only concern is that their domination may have broken their rhythm in the final weeks of the season. By the time PSG face Inter in the Champions League final, it will have been 57 days since they wrapped up their fourth consecutive Ligue 1 title. In the eight weeks since they clinched the title with an unspectacular 1-0 win over Angers, the stakes have been low in Ligue 1, especially after a surprising defeat to Nice in late April ended their chances of an invincible campaign. 'Records aren't our primary objective, titles are,' said Luis Enrique, who roused his troops for Champions League ties against Aston Villa and Arsenal. Doing it again in Munich will be a tougher task. That second-leg win over Arsenal marked the start of the holidays for some in the squad. Gianluigi Donnarumma, Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, Willian Pacho, Fabián Ruiz and Vitinha were all given almost a week off after sealing the club's place in the Champions League final. 'Rest is very important,' insisted Luis Enrique, who accords a great level of importance to the mental aspect of management. 'Every player has a personal plan,' he added. That plan has seen some of the pillars of PSG's success feature sparingly in recent weeks. Donnarumma has played just one game in the past three weeks, with Matvei Safonov once again preferred in goal for the Coupe de France final. Ousmane Dembélé did start against Reims but it was his first full 90 minutes since 15 April. Unlike Bradley Barcola, whose quickfire brace early in the first half killed the game, Dembélé looked out of rhythm. The Frenchman, touted as a frontrunner in the race for the Ballon d'Or, has scored 25 goals in 2025 but only three of them have come in the past two months. His wastefulness was reminiscent of the old Dembélé, the one who dazzled and frustrated in equal measure. Like Donnarumma, he is going into the Champions League final with no momentum. The policy to rest key members has naturally come under scrutiny. A former member of PSG's medical staff said that giving players a break was a 'bad idea, strictly from a physical standpoint'. He added: 'For players who are used to playing every three days, stopping for almost a week is like turning off the engine. You then lose a lot of time when they come back to get the machine going again.' That said, Ruiz and Hakimi showed no signs of rust in the Coupe de France final, with the latter getting on the scoresheet. But drawing any conclusions from a match against Reims feels difficult. L'Équipe's front page on the day of the game read: 'A Funny Final.' PSG had one eye on their date with destiny in Munich, even if Luis Enrique pushed back on the notion. 'It isn't difficult to motivate oneself,' he said. There won't be any players thinking about the next final.' Diawara was more open about the distractions facing his club. 'If any player isn't at 100%, he will be rested,' said the Reims manager. 'It is clear that, more than anything, we want to stay in Ligue 1.' The cup final was sandwiched between more important games – two legs of a relegation playoff against Ligue 2 side Metz, with a place in Ligue 1 next season on the line. Ultimately, Reims came off second best in that encounter, losing the second leg and going down 4-2 on aggregate. Reims had posed PSG problems earlier in the season, fighting for a draw in both league meetings, but resistance on Saturday was feeble. The 'two finals' discourse spouted by Luis Enrique put the matches against Reims and Inter almost on a level footing, but the game at the Stade de France felt like a warmup act. PSG's games since their victory over Arsenal – comfortable wins over Montpellier, Auxerre and Reims – have not tested them. There has been almost an ambivalence to their matches, particularly in Ligue 1. That is not their fault, but the contrast with Inter is stark. Luis Enrique has cut a serene figure for several weeks. All the while, an agitated Simone Inzaghi has presided over a Serie A title race with Napoli that went to the final day of the season. His tensions boiled over as he and his managerial counterpart, Marco Baroni, were sent to the stands during the defining 2-2 draw against Lazio on the penultimate weekend of the campaign. That result allowed Antonio Conte's side to wrap up the title a week later. Inter have not performed at their best in recent weeks, but intensity and pressure have not been lacking; Luis Enrique has had to conjure those conditions artificially. 'You have seen a bit of our training, how we prepare, how intense it is,' said club captain Marquinhos after journalists were invited to the training ground for a glimpse of Luis Enrique's methods. The Spaniard was suspended on a platform metres high above the pitch, directing the session. 'When you only have one match per week, it is normal to have intense sessions – we make sure that the session represents a match,' said the PSG manager. Replicating those conditions physically is the easy part, especially given the strength in depth in the squad, but replicating the pressure, nerves and expectation is impossible. PSG have not been put through that emotional wringer for several weeks, unlike their opponents. And such pressure will be new to almost every player in this PSG squad. Marquinhos and Presnel Kimpembe are the only players remaining from the team that reached the Champions League final in 2020. Being the youngest squad in this year's competition is worn like a badge of honour at PSG, but it means they are foraying into the unknown at the Allianz Arena. On the other hand, eight of the 11 players who started for Inter against Manchester City in the final two years ago are still at the club. Inter's players, unlike PSG's, are in a familiar position. But there is no sense of unfamiliarity for Luis Enrique, a Champions League winner with Barcelona. His decision to give key players leave is a risk taken within a peculiar context by a man who has already lifted the trophy. Come full-time on Saturday night, PSG's preparations will be deemed sub-optimal or idyllic. Either way, they certainly won't be inconsequential. This is an article by Get French Football News
Tom's Guide
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Tom's Guide
PSG vs Reims live stream: How to watch 2025 Coupe de France final online for FREE
On Saturday night, Reims could win their first major trophy in 63 years and qualify for the Europa League in the process. On Wednesday, they might be relegated to Ligue 2. It's an extraordinary situation, and although the Coupe de France final could set PSG on their way to a quadruple, they have a distraction of their own. You can watch PSG vs Reims live streams from anywhere with a VPN and potentially for free. The PSG vs Reims live stream takes place on Saturday, May 24. ► Time: 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. BST / 5 a.m. AEST (Sunday)• FREE STREAM — France TV (France)• U.S. — Fox Soccer Plus via Fubo• U.K. — Prime Video (FREE TRIAL)• Australia — beIN Sports (FREE TRIAL)• Watch anywhere — try NordVPN 100% risk free Wigan, Birmingham and Ipswich are proof that the lesser-spotted Europe-relegation combination isn't out of the realms of possibility, and Reims have a very respectable record against PSG. Five of their last six meetings have ended all-square, with Les Parisiens last getting the better of the Grand Est outfit back in 2023. The fixture tends to bring out the best of Keito Nakamura in particular. Novice coach Samba Diawara, however, only took over from Luka Elsner in February, a fortnight after Reims' latest PSG encounter. Having slipped into the relegation playoffs in stoppage time of the final game of the season, they only managed a draw against promotion hopefuls Metz in midweek, setting up a tense reverse fixture back at the Stade Auguste Delane. Luis Enrique has completely re-engineered PSG this season, turning them from gaudy underachievers into a relentless winning machine, but he has a challenge in his hands here. PSG may well have half an eye on next weekend's Champions League final, the biggest game in the club's history, a game they need Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembele for. However, while both sides have arguably more important games in the near future they will have to ensure they are fully focused at the Stade de France as they look to win France's oldest soccer competition. Read on for how to watch a PSG vs Reims live stream in the Coupe de France final wherever you are and potentially for FREE. Soccer fans in France can watch PSG vs Reims live streams for FREE. The Coupe de France final will be shown on free-to-air France 2 and the France TV streaming service. Away from home? You may not be able to watch the action like you normally would due to regional restrictions. Fortunately, there's an easy solution. Use a VPN to watch the Coupe de France final for free — we'll show you how to do that below. Away from home at the moment and blocked from watching the Coupe de France final on your usual subscription? You can still watch PSG vs Reims live thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The software allows your devices to appear as if it's back in your home country regardless of where in the world you are, making it ideal for viewers away on vacation or on business. Our favorite is NordVPN — we explain why in our NordVPN review. There's a good reason you've heard of NordVPN. We specialize in testing and reviewing VPN services and NordVPN is the one we rate best. It's outstanding at unblocking streaming services, it's fast and it has top-level security features too. With over 7,000 servers, across 110+ countries, and at a great price too, it's easy to recommend. Get 70% off NordVPN with this deal Using a VPN is incredibly simple. 1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite. 2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're in the U.S. and want to view a French service, you'd select France from the list. 3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to France TV or another streaming service and watch the Coupe de France final. Soccer fans in the U.S. can watch PSG vs Reims on FOX Soccer Plus. If you don't have the channel on cable, FOX Soccer Plus is available through the International Sports Plus add-on on Fubo. Fubo packages start from $84.99/month after a 7-day FREE trial, though new users get $20 off their first month. The add-on is an additional $6.99. If you're outside of the U.S. and would normally have access to one of the above options, you can watch a Coupe de France final live stream by using a VPN, such as NordVPN. Fubo offers a 7-day free trial so you check out all of its features without paying upfront. Fubo's channel lineup includes local networks like ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox as well as cable favorites such as ESPN, AMC, Food Network, FX, MTV, Syfy and more. In the U.K., the Coupe de France final is exclusive to Prime Video. You can get Amazon Prime with a 30-day free trial (cancel anytime). The usual cost is £8.99 per month or £95 per year. Prime Video on its own is £4.49 per month. Traveling outside the U.K.? You can still follow your usual live stream by using one of the best VPN services, such as NordVPN. Unfortunately, the Coupe de France final appears to have slipped through the cracks in Canada. If you're currently on holiday in Canada from France, one of the best VPN services will help tap into your FREE home coverage of the PSG vs Reims game. We recommend NordVPN. In Australia, PSG vs Reims is being shown on beIN Sports which also has the rights to La Liga, Serie A, rugby and tennis. The game will be shown on beIn Sports 3. beIN can be added to most TV packages, or you can sign up for it as a separate subscription costing AU$14.99/month or $149/year after a 7-day FREE trial. You can also catch full match replays via the platform if you're in bed (or still out) when the game kicks off. On vacation outside Oz right now? You can simply use NordVPN to watch all the action on your travels as if you were back home. New Zealand residents can catch the Coupe de France final on beIN Sports as well. Plans begin at NZ$14.99, but you can grab a 7-day FREE trial right now. If you're on holiday outside New Zealand We recommend NordVPN. Kick-off is at 7 a.m. NZST on Sunday morning. We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
