Paris Saint-Germain reclaimed the Ligue 1 title from Monaco with a 7-1 thrashing on April 15 in a devastating demonstration of shock and awe. That title added to their League Cup triumph and the French Cup win meant they won the treble for the third time in the past four years. And yet one of Europe’s richest clubs brims with ennui.
PSG’s progress is now defined in the binary terms of the Champions League. Being swept 5-2 over two legs in the last 16 by the ancien regime power of Real Madrid was a final nail for coach Unai Emery.
Thomas Tuchel, the former Borussia Dortmund coach, has now been given the task of taking the Qatar-owned club to the promised land of Champions League triumph.
In European competition, the PSG project has failed to compete with the traditions of Bayern, let alone Real Madrid or Barcelona, who ended their past two Champions League campaigns. The last time les Rouge-et-Bleu were in the competition’s last four was back in 1994-5, when David Ginola and George Weah were the team’s stars. Four straight losing quarterfinals from 2012-13 to 2015-16 are as far has been breached since Nasser Al-Khelaifi became club president in 2011 as part of Qatar Sports Investments’ takeover.
Meanwhile, despite Monaco’s surprise success last season, Ligue 1 has become an unfulfilling procession.
“As PSG fans, we have the feeling that the league isn’t fair and we’re more focused on the Champions League because in the French league if you want to beat PSG you have to be amazing,” said Pierre Barthelemy, 32, a Parisian lawyer, life-long PSG supporter and elected member of the Board of the French National Fans Association (ANS) and of Football Supporters Europe (FSE). “Monaco were able to do that last season, but from a long-term perspective it’s impossible to challenge PSG domestically.”
With the league title all but a certainty each season, many fans place greater importance on PSG’s exploits in the two domestic cups in which the club has not lost a tie since January 2014.
“The league is boring. After 10-15 games we know we’ll win it, but in the cup you can be eliminated in every game and no other club in Europe has gone so long unbeaten in cup competitions,” Barthelemy said. “In the league, we could lose five games and still be champions. As a fan, it’s easier to get excited about the cups.”
How to get better in the Champions League? Tuchel requires freer rein to overhaul PSG’s squad and playing style than Emery was granted. The 4-2-3-1 pressing game with which Sevilla destroyed Liverpool in the 2016 Europa League final lasted a matter of weeks in Paris before established stars Thiago Silva and Thiago Motta bent the ear of Al-Khelaifi and PSG reverted to the 4-3-3 passing style previous coach Laurent Blanc employed.
With Motta, 35, now retired, that dressing-room power base dwindles with Silva, 33, also linked with an exit. Instead, the dynamic has shifted to the club’s Financial Fair Play-busting purchases of “galactico” stars Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.
However, Neymar’s commitment to both the disciplines required to challenge for the Ballon D’Or and PSG itself are doubtful. There have been multiple reports of a heavy dedication to partying and absent from PSG’s team since a February foot injury he chose to have treated in Brazil. Since then there have been rumors swirling around that he wants a move to Real Madrid, and when Neymar posted an Instagram image of playing online poker during that title-clinching victory over Monaco, he sparked Parisian outrage. Former France striker Christophe Duggary said Neymar had “spat on PSG” and the Brazilian was forced to explain, and somewhat unconvincingly, that poker was a key part of his recovery regime.
PSG fan and reporter Jonathan Johnson says the club’s fanbase, while happy with Neymar’s pre-injury performances, remains realistic.
“They are not under any illusion he is going to spend the rest of his career in Paris,” he said.
“It’s a vehicle for him. PSG fans are delighted to have have him but they are not too worried.”
Barthelemy concurs: “I was against signing Neymar because €220 million is unreasonable, but from a marketing perspective it was important for PSG and Qatar — it was more of a political than a sporting decision to sign him.”
With Real Madrid looking to rebuild, Neymar might well depart after this summer’s World Cup. There is always Mbappe, and there are other concerns, with Motta leaving a huge hole in defensive midfield that Adrien Rabiot, earmarked as a future captain, is reluctant to fill and where Argentinian Giovani Lo Celso struggled catastrophically against Real.
Another redevelopment process begins though only success in the Champions League will deliver true fulfilment for PSG and their fans.
Thomas Tuchel tasked with correcting PSG’s Champions League failures
Thomas Tuchel tasked with correcting PSG’s Champions League failures
Belal Muhammad confident vs. Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315
The UFC is back in Montreal for the first time in a decade on Saturday night with a pair of title fights, which includes welterweight champion Belal Muhammad and No. 5-ranked Australian challenger Jack Della Maddalena topping the 12-fight card for UFC 315.
Muhammad is making his first title defense after suffering an injury late last year. Muhammad upset former champion Leon Edwards last July in the main event of UFC 304 to usher in a new era at 170 pounds.
Muhammad, a Chicago native, said Thursday that Della Maddalena will see a new version none of Muhammad’s previous opponents have seen before: “Canelo Hands.”
“Jack goes down in three ,” Muhammad told reporters at the pre-fight presser.
UFC CEO Dana White confirmed Muhammad is in the mix for a potential super-fight against former featherweight champion Ilia Topuria or UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev if he were to be victorious. Former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira also is in the conversation for a title shot, barring possible outcomes.
“That’s pretty accurate,” White said.
Della Maddalena didn’t take too kindly to Muhammad’s words, dismissing the notion that Muhammad won’t use his potent wrestling base to win the fight.
“That’s not gonna happen,” Della Maddalena said.
Della Maddalena hasn’t lost in nine years, compiling an unblemished UFC mark after earning a UFC contract by winning his Dana White Contender Series bout against Ange Loosa in September 2021.
The co-headliner sees Valentina Shevchenko begin her second stint as UFC flyweight champion against French native Manon Fiorot. Shevchenko exacted revenge last September against Alexa Grasso to regain the belt. Meanwhile, Fiorot looks to become the first Frenchwoman to win a UFC title and extend her promotional win streak to eight.
The rest of the card features a mix of former champions, veterans and top prospects.
The main card festivities get underway at 10 p.m. ET/5 a.m. KSA time.
Main card:
• Belal Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena, welterweight — Muhammad’s UFC welterweight title
• Valentina Shevchenko vs. Manon Fiorot, flyweight — Shevchenko’s UFC flyweight title
• Jose Aldo vs. Aiemann Zahabi, bantamweight
• Alexa Grasso vs. Natalia Silva, flyweight
• Benoit Saint-Denis vs. Kyle Prepolec, lightweight
• Field Level Media
Keith Mitchell opens with 61, leads Truist Championship
- Mitchell stayed hot on the front nine with a 6-under 29 coming in, including four straight birdies at Nos. 5-8
- The Philadelphia Cricket Club is serving as a temporary host for the $20 million signature event while Quail Hollow prepares to host the PGA Championship next week
FLOURTOWN, Pennsylvania: Keith Mitchell used a late birdie run to shoot a 9-under-par 61 and take the early lead at the Truist Championship on Thursday in Flourtown, Pennsylvania.
Mitchell started his first round at the Philadelphia Cricket Club’s Wissahickon Course on the back nine and parred his first five holes. After birdieing Nos. 15, 17 and 18, he stayed hot on the front nine with a 6-under 29 coming in, including four straight birdies at Nos. 5-8.
At day’s end, it was only good for a one-stroke lead over Denny McCarthy. Tied for third at 7-under 63 are Collin Morikawa, Rickie Fowler, Akshay Bhatia and Austria’s Sepp Straka.
McCarthy had a five-birdie run, Fowler posted a front-nine 29 and Morikawa went bogey-free in his first competitive round with new caddie Joe Greiner as the Wissahickon Course made its PGA Tour debut. The Philadelphia Cricket Club is serving as a temporary host for the $20 million signature event while Quail Hollow prepares to host the PGA Championship next week.
Ireland’s Shane Lowry and US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley were part of a tie for seventh at 6-under 64. A massive tie at 65 included Patrick Cantlay, Harris English, Tony Finau, Russell Henley, Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama and South Korea’s Si Woo Kim.
Rory McIlroy is the four-time champion of the event at Quail Hollow, including last year, and he managed an opening 66 with six birdies and two bogeys. Justin Thomas, Max Homa and Will Zalatoris are among those tied with him at 66.
Only five players failed to shoot even par or better, including Canada’s Adam Hadwin (1-over 71) and Lucas Glover (2-over 72). There will be no cut after 36 holes.
Jeeno Thitikul happy to see putts go in and lead at Liberty National with a 64
- Thitikul was bogey-free at Liberty National and had the advantage of playing in the morning with virtually no wind on the course across the Hudson River from Manhattan
- Defending champion Nelly Korda had six birdies — three of them on the par 5s — to account for a few bogeys on her front nine and finished in the group at 68
JERSEY CITY, N.J.: Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand feels so much better when she sees putts going in, and Thursday was a happy occasion at the Mizuho Americas Open. She took only 26 putts, eight of them for birdie, in a clean start of 8-under 64 to lead by two shots.
Thitikul was bogey-free at Liberty National and had the advantage of playing in the morning with virtually no wind on the course across the Hudson River from Manhattan.
She finished strong, dropping a short iron into 5 feet on the 17th and judging the distance perfectly on the closing hole with a shot that stayed below the hole and left her only about 3 feet for birdie.
Celine Boutier of France ran off five straight birdies in the middle of her round to account for not taking advantage of the par 5s. She was at 66 with Hye-Jin Choi of South Korea and Lindy Duncan, who lost in a five-way playoff at the Chevron Championship two weeks ago.
“I think my putter working well, better than Chevron week,” said Thitikul, the No. 2 player in the women’s world ranking.
She opened with rounds of 71-75 at the Chevron Championship, the first major of the LPGA season. Thitikul took off last week and devoted a lot of time to her putting, almost to a fault. She found her emotions going all over the place depending on the result.
“First couple days I’ve been back home and I putt a lot, a ton,” she said. “I feel good when I see it drop but I feel bad when I see it miss. ... And I was like, ‘No, you can’t be like this.’ It’s in or it’s not. It has to be the same feelings and emotion.
“I just going to putt less and think less. That’s pretty much I want to do,” she said. “Because mental-wise, pretty important to see all putts in. I don’t want to be so tight and tense.”
Besides, she felt the greens were tough for everyone at the major.
“We’re here, hit it good, and also making the putts,” Thitikul said after her 11th round of 64 or lower over the last four seasons.
Defending champion Nelly Korda had six birdies — three of them on the par 5s — to account for a few bogeys on her front nine and finished in the group at 68.
Korda, the No. 1 player in women’s golf by a big margin, has yet to win this year. She won the Mizuho Americas Open a year ago for her sixth victory of the season. Her game hasn’t been as sharp this year, and Korda is more interested in looking ahead.
“Just got to focus on what my game plan was last year — that was one shot at a time, not to get ahead of myself,” Korda said. “I know at the beginning of the year I had a lot to defend, but I think that instead of putting pressure on myself I should be happy that I was in that moment, that I did achieve all that great success. So just go out here and do what I love.”
The group at 67 included Haeran Ryu of South Korea, coming off a victory last week at the Black Desert Championship in Utah that elevated her to No. 5 in the world. Her round included a bogey on her final hole.
Clasico the last chance saloon for Ancelotti’s Real Madrid
- The nature of Madrid’s rivalry with Barcelona means winning La Liga could either feel great or underwhelming
BARCELONA: Real Madrid’s season appeared disastrous a few weeks ago but if Carlo Ancelotti’s side can finally beat rivals Barcelona in Sunday’s La Liga Clasico, their title defense will be resuscitated.
Madrid were left licking their wounds after a Champions League quarter-final thrashing by Arsenal, and coach Ancelotti is poised to depart at the end of the season, but it could yet be with a major trophy in his hands.
Barcelona’s European exit at the hands of Inter Milan on Tuesday brightened spirits in the Spanish capital and if Madrid can overhaul the Catalans at the top of the table, they could transform their season.
The nature of Madrid’s rivalry with Barcelona means winning La Liga could either feel great or underwhelming, depending on how their nemesis fares in Europe.
With Barcelona’s quadruple dream crushed by Inter, should Madrid defend their title they could even classify their season as a success.
The Catalans, who currently lead by four points with four matches remaining, would be left with only the Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup, both of which they won by beating Real Madrid in the final.
To do that Madrid must manage something they have not been able to pull off all season — winning a Clasico.
“We will have a great opportunity, we have to prepare well — it’s an almost decisive match,” said Ancelotti.
The teams have faced off three times and Barcelona triumphed on each occasion, in the two aforementioned finals and in the first league clash at the Santiago Bernabeu in October.
Barcelona netted 12 goals across the four games, conceding four, with Hansi Flick’s side outplaying Madrid on each occasion.
However their meeting in Seville in April in the Copa del Rey final was the closest Ancelotti’s team have come.
Madrid took the game to extra-time and their Italian coach discovered a set-up which allowed his team to take Barca to the wire.
Operating in the second half with Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe as the forward, and Rodrygo Goes substituted, Madrid found the balance they have badly lacked at times this season.
“The last match was competitive, we were very close to winning and I don’t think we have to invent a lot of new things ,” said Ancelotti.
“We have to try and play a serious game, and we will do so with all the confidence in the world.
“Despite all our problems, the fact we are here and we can fight in this match is something beautiful.”
Last weekend against Celta Vigo Ancelotti also afforded Turkish 20-year-old Arda Guler a rare start and he impressed in midfield, providing impetus which the retired Toni Kroos gave last season, as Madrid won a La Liga and Champions League double.
Guler also impressed as a substitute in the Copa final and Ancelotti may start him at the Olympic stadium this weekend.
“At Madrid you have to suck it up on the bench before you become an indisputable start in this team — Arda has the profile of a player who could be a starter at Madrid,” said Ancelotti.
“He sucked it up on the bench, he didn’t get annoyed and he has evolved... he’s not the same Guler from last September.”
Atletico Madrid’s Norwegian target man has played a key role off the bench this season but in the final weeks of the campaign, coach Diego Simeone is giving him more chances from the start. He is set to lead the line against his former side Real Sociedad on Saturday.
8 — league games without a win for relegation-battling Leganes ahead of their key clash against Espanyol on Sunday.
25 — goals for La Liga top scorer, Barca’s Robert Lewandowski, with Mbappe trailing by one.
91 — times Barca have found the net this season in the top flight, no other side has reached 70.
Friday
Las Palmas v Rayo Vallecano
Saturday
Valencia v Getafe , Celta Vigo v Sevilla , Girona v Villarreal, Mallorca v Valladolid , Atletico Madrid v Real Sociedad
Sunday
Leganes v Espanyol , Barcelona v Real Madrid , Athletic Bilbao v Alaves , Real Betis v Osasuna
Chelsea ease past Djurgarden to reach Conference League final
LONDON: Chelsea advanced to the final of the UEFA Conference League after a 1-0 win over Swedish side Djurgarden on Thursday sealed a 5-1 aggregate victory in their last-four tie.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall struck the only goal at Stamford Bridge late in the first half on a night 16-year-old Reggie Walsh became the youngest player to start a European game for Chelsea.
The Blues can become the first club to win all three of UEFA’s current competitions if they beat either two-time runners-up Fiorentina or Real Betis in Wroclaw on May 28.
Defender Marc Cucurella was the only player retained from the team that beat Liverpool in the Premier League last weekend as manager Enzo Maresca made sweeping changes to his line-up with an eye on Sunday’s crucial game at Newcastle.
The Italian has been criticized for his cautious tactics but he has fifth-placed Chelsea on course to qualify for the Champions League via a top-five finish in England.
Teenage midfielder Walsh made his debut off the bench in the 4-1 win in Stockholm a week ago as Chelsea seized control of the tie, but that result didn’t deter some 6,000 Djurgarden fans from making the trip to London for the second leg.
Dewsbury-Hall and Tyrique George forced saves from Djurgarden goalkeeper Jacob Rinne before the two Chelsea players combined to put the hosts in front in the 38th minute.
George threaded a pass through for Dewsbury-Hall who accelerated past a couple of defenders before sweeping in a crisp finish via the base of the post.
That goal killed off any remote hopes for Djurgarden, the first Swedish club to appear in a European semifinal since Gothenburg won the 1986-87 UEFA Cup.
Dewsbury-Hall had a chance to double his tally when he headed Malo Gusto’s cross straight at Rinne, but the visitors rarely threatened with the exception of a long-range shot from Daniel Stensson that was tipped over by Filip Jorgensen.
Chelsea haven’t won a major trophy since the 2021 Champions League, but they will be strong favorites to win their first silverware since Todd Boehly’s consortium took over from Roman Abramovich three years ago.
