BARCELONA: Kylian Mbappe struck twice as Paris Saint-Germain battled back to beat 10-man Barcelona 4-1 and book a place in the Champions League semifinals with a 6-4 aggregate triumph on Tuesday.
Raphinha fired Barcelona ahead early on but Ronald Araujo’s 29th-minute red card turned the tide in PSG’s favor, despite the Spanish champions leading by two goals following a 3-2 quarter-final first-leg win.
Ousmane Dembele and Vitinha levelled the tie for PSG and the deadly Mbappe hit a brace to put them into the final four for the first time since 2021.
The French champions have never won the trophy despite huge investment but demonstrated they have the attacking weapons in their squad to do so.
Five-time winners Barcelona were dreaming of a first semifinal return since 2019 but Araujo’s red card for pulling down the relentless Bradley Barcola undermined their grip on the tie.
PSG coach Luis Enrique, who led Barca to the 2015 Champions League, said he believed his team would turn things around despite never having managed to after a first-leg defeat, and so it proved.
The visitors started with determination and penned Barcelona back in their own territory, but it was the hosts who took the lead.
Explosive 16-year-old starlet Lamine Yamal ripped past Nuno Mendes and crossed to the near post where Raphinha turned home despite pressure from Achraf Hakimi.
It was the Brazilian winger’s third goal of the tie after his brace in Paris.
Robert Lewandowski fired another chance over the top for Barcelona before Barcola tilted the tie in PSG’s favor. The winger was a nightmare for his French compatriot Jules Kounde to handle.
Barcola teed up Mbappe but Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen denied him well, before Araujo was sent off for bringing him down.
The Uruguayan center-back pulled Barcola back as he burst into the area, leaving Barca with 10 men.
Dembele whizzed the resulting free-kick narrowly over, but soon found the net, as he did in the first leg.
The former Barcelona winger struck after 40 minutes from another Barcola cross, which raked across the area to the back post where Dembele was arriving to fire into the roof of the net.
Barcelona sacrificed Yamal for defender Inigo Martinez after Araujo’s red card and it left them with few outlets in attack.
With PSG controlling the game Barcelona soon paid the price for their inability to keep possession.
Vitinha was given far too much space on the edge of the box and he drilled into the bottom corner to put PSG ahead on the night.
Ilkay Gundogan hit the post at the other end for Barcelona before their coach Xavi was sent off for a show of dissent on the touchline.
The Catalans were losing their heads and Joao Cancelo clumsily fouled Dembele to hand PSG a penalty.
Mbappe, who had been kept quiet in the first leg, hammered it into the top corner for his 40th goal across all competitions.
The striker’s future may lie in Spain, with Real Madrid aiming to sign him in the summer at the end of his contract, and he made no friends in Barcelona by hopping the advertising hoardings and running toward fans to celebrate.
Another member of Barcelona’s backroom staff was dismissed after Gundogan had a penalty appeal waved away and it became clear the hosts had no response.
Mbappe wrapped up the win in the 89th minute after a fine Ter Stegen double save, leaving Barcelona the victims of another bitterly disappointing night in Europe.
Mbappe’s PSG punish 10-man Barca to reach Champions League semis
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Mbappe’s PSG punish 10-man Barca to reach Champions League semis
- The visitors started with determination and penned Barcelona back in their own territory, but it was the hosts who took the lead
Arsenal seek to defy the odds against mighty Barcelona in women’s Champions League final
- Manager Renee Slegers believes her disciplined side can triumph over the Catalan giants of women’s football, who are the strong favorites to win their fourth European title
- Alessia Russo: They (Barca) are a really good football team, but we are here to win
LISBON: Arsenal will bid to defy the odds against Barcelona in Saturday’s women’s Champions League final in Lisbon, aiming to secure their second title with courage and underrated defiance.
Manager Renee Slegers believes her disciplined side can triumph over the Catalan giants of women’s football, who are the strong favorites to win their fourth European title.
“We want to show courage tomorrow. We respect Barca as a team. They are a really good football team, so we are humble, but we are here to win,” she told reporters on Friday.
“We have to find ways to win, and I am confident that the momentum of the game will shift. It’s important that we deal with every moment really well. We need courage and discipline, and we need to be switched on. If we do all those things well, we can perform well. We believe in our ability tomorrow.”
Arsenal forward Alessia Russo echoed Slegers’ sentiments.
“We want to show courage tomorrow. We respect Barca as a team,” she said. “They are a really good football team, but we are here to win. We have to find ways to win, and I am confident that, if we handle all situations well and stay focused, we can perform well.
“Belief is something we have spoken about a lot as a team this season. We have found lots of different ways to win. It’s been a season full of highs and lows, but we’ve learnt a lot,” the former Chelsea and Manchester United striker added.
Veteran midfielder Kim Little, who played in the 2007 final victory against Sweden’s Umea, looked back in time when asked about Arsenal’s first meeting with Barca in Europe’s top club competition during the 2012–13 season, when the London team won 7–0 on aggregate.
“It’s incredible for me to still be at the club. We came out on top,” Little said. “After 2007 and everything the club has achieved since then, leading the team on this occasion is so special.”
Three clubs fighting relegation in SPL Roshn League’s final round
- Two out of the three clubs — Al-Wehda, Al-Akhdood and Al-Orobah — will be relegated to join Al-Raed
- Al-Wehda will stay in the league if they win or draw against Al-Ettifaq in Dammam
RIYADH: Three clubs — Al-Wehda, Al-Akhdood and Al-Orobah — will be fighting relegation during the Saudi Pro League (Roshn League) final round on Monday with matches being played simultaneously.
Two out of the three clubs will join Al-Raed, who have already been relegated to the first division. As things stand, Al-Wehda is in 15th place with 33 points, Al-Akhdood is in 16th place with 31 points and Al-Orobah is in 17th place with 30 points.
Al-Wehda will stay in the league if they win or draw against Al-Ettifaq in Dammam. A loss means they will need both Al-Akhdood and Al-Orobah to also lose or draw.
Al-Akhdood must beat Al-Khaleej and hope that Al-Wehda lose, as that would keep Al-Akhdood in the SPL for another new season.
Al-Orobah has the most difficult task. They need to beat Al-Taawoun in Al-Jouf and then hope that both Al-Wehda and Al-Akhdood lose. If that happens, Al-Orobah will move above Al-Akhdood in points and tie with Al-Wehda.
In that case, Al-Orobah would survive because they have a better head-to-head record against Al-Wehda — losing the first match 2–1 but winning the second 4–2.
Sports City Stadium in Lebanon springs back to life after years of disuse
- Several leading political figures watch Beirut derby between Premier League football teams Nejmeh and Al-Ansar, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam
- The reopening of the stadium sends ‘message to athletes that your dreams are safe,’ says sports minister
BEIRUT: Lebanon’s Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium sprang back to life on Friday after five years of disuse, as it hosted a Beirut derby match between Lebanese Premier League football teams Nejmeh and Al-Ansar.
Several leading political figures and other officials were among the crowd watching the game, which took place under the patronage of President Joseph Aoun and ended in a 1-1 draw.
One of them was Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, who gave the signal to kick off the match at 4.45 p.m. local time. Others included Nora Bayrakdarian, minister of youth and sports; MP Wadah Al-Sadek; MP Nabil Badr, who is is also the president of Al-Ansar; and Hachem Haidar, president of the Lebanese Football Association. Their presence was seen as a clear indication of the new government’s commitment to engagement with and support for sports.
Bayrakdarian said of the renovated stadium, which was severely damaged in the 2020 Beirut Port explosion: “This is a unifying national symbol that has hosted international and national matches, uniting the Lebanese under one banner, far removed from divisions.”
The repair and reopening of the multiuse venue sends a “message to athletes that your dreams are safe, and to young people that you are a priority,” she added.
Ibrahim Zaazaa, a former Nejmeh player and coach, told Arab News: “This is an unprecedented achievement for Lebanese football. I hope such initiatives are applied across all other stadiums. It’s a great step for sports in general and football in particular.”
He thanked sporting and administrative authorities for their hard work to renovate and reopen the stadium at a time “when Lebanese football needs a distinguished renaissance to restore its glitziness and reputation,” in particular “through the most prominent competitors in the history of Lebanese football, Nejmeh and Al-Ansar.”
Abdel Fattah Chehab, a former player for Al-Ansar and the Lebanese national team, said the reopening of the stadium was a “step forward after years of abandonment.”
He called for similar projects to renovate and refurbish all stadiums in the country added: “I am 100 percent sure that such initiatives are important to develop the standard of Lebanese footballers.
“The fact that the two powerhouses (with the biggest fan bases) are the ones playing such an important game in this giant sporting complex following the major overhaul … will benefit football and footballers.”
Toufic Al-Turk, a fan of Nejmeh, said: “It is a great moment to see Beirut’s Sports City Stadium reopen and host the special derby between Nejmeh and Al-Ansar. This brings new energy to Lebanese football and gives a strong push to the whole sporting scene in Lebanon.”
Thousands of supporters of both clubs attended the match. Political chants could be heard coming from a small section of the fans.
In a message posted on social media platform X after the game, Prime Minister Salam said: “It was with great pleasure that I participated in bringing life back to Camille Chamoun Sports City, where sporting activities once again embody the spirit of unity and brotherhood among all.
“Sports are not just competition; they are a bridge that unites people of all affiliations, removing barriers and strengthening bonds of love and peace.”
Sports City Stadium, which has a capacity of 49,500 and is mostly used for football matches, was built in 1957 but completely destroyed during the 1982 invasion by Israel. Former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri initiated a project to rebuild it in preparation to host the 2000 AFC Asian Cup. The rebuilt venue also hosted the 1997 Pan Arab Games, the 1999 Arab Athletics Championship and, in April 2017, a Barcelona Legends vs. Real Madrid Legends football match. On Feb. 23 this year it was used for the funeral of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Brighton leave out joint top-scorer Pedro from Spurs trip over training incident
- Pedro did not play in Monday’s 3-2 win over champions Liverpool
- “With Joao we had a small issue in training,” Huerzeler told reporters
LONDON: Brighton & Hove Albion will be without their joint top-scorer Joao Pedro when they visit Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, with manager Fabian Huerzeler saying the Brazil striker has been left out due to a “small issue in training.”
Pedro, who equals Danny Welbeck with 10 league goals this season, did not play in Monday’s 3-2 win over champions Liverpool, with a report by The Athletic later attributing the 23-year-old’s absence to an altercation he had with a teammate during training.
“With Joao we had a small issue in training, a type which isn’t uncommon from time to time in all football clubs. We dealt with it internally and the matter is closed,” Huerzeler told reporters on Friday.
“Joao is an incredible football player. He is a match winner for us. That’s why we invested in him. But there are principles, there are values... they are non-negotiable.
“Joao is still a young player, and (there’s) still a lot of potential that he will grow. I’m sure he’ll learn from this and come back stronger next season.”
Pedro last played for Brighton on April 19, when he was sent off for flicking his hand into Brentford defender Nathan Collins’ face during a 4-2 loss, an act which got him a three-match suspension for violent conduct.
With ninth-placed Brentford three points below Brighton, a draw at Spurs will ensure Huerzeler’s men finish eighth, which could earn them a place in next season’s UEFA Conference League provided some other results go their way.
UEFA apologizes after running out of medals during Europa League final ceremony
- Spurs captain Son Heung-min and two other players, the last to line up for individual medals, were left empty-handed
- Tottenham Hotspur beat Manchester United 1-0 to win the club’s fourth European title on Wednesday
UEFA has apologized for running out of winners medals during the Europa League final trophy ceremony on Wednesday after more Tottenham Hotspur players than expected lined up to receive their individual prizes.
Spurs captain Son Heung-min and two other players, the last to line up for individual medals, were left empty-handed after their team beat Manchester United 1-0 to win the club’s fourth European title on Wednesday.
Son lifted the trophy without a medal around his neck.
“To our great displeasure, we did not have enough medals available on stage during the trophy ceremony presentation due to an unexpected discrepancy in the player count ...” British media quoted European soccer’s governing body as saying on Thursday.
“More team members – including injured players – participated in the ceremony than initially anticipated.
“The missing medals were promptly delivered to the winning team in the dressing room, along with our sincerest apologies for the oversight.”
