PSG win the French Cup and the double in Kylian Mbappe’s last game

PSG win the French Cup and the double in Kylian Mbappe’s last game
Paris Saint-Germain's French forward Kylian Mbappe (C) lifts the trophy as he celebrates with teammates on the podium after winning the French Cup final against Olympique Lyonnais at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, northern France on May 25, 2024. (AFP)
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Updated 26 May 2024
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PSG win the French Cup and the double in Kylian Mbappe’s last game

PSG win the French Cup and the double in Kylian Mbappe’s last game
  • Mbappe: Now, I have nothing left with PSG. But I’m very happy to have been able to finish with a trophy
  • PSG won the league and cup for the first time since 2020 when they achieved a domestic treble by also lifting the now defunct League Cup

VILLENEUVE D’ASCQ, France: Paris Saint-Germain beat Lyon 2-1 in the French Cup final and completed the domestic double in Kylian Mbappé’s last game for the club on Saturday.

France winger Ousmane Dembele and Spain midfielder Fabian Ruiz scored for PSG in the first half.

Lyon defender Jake O’Brien got a consolation goal in the second half.

PSG won the league and cup for the first time since 2020 when they achieved a domestic treble by also lifting the now defunct League Cup.

Mbappe celebrated with a big roar after the final whistle. With an equally big smile on his face, he hugged and high-fived his teammates. The ecstatic PSG staff lifted Mbappe and threw him in the air.

“You feel a bit more the weight of things because you realize that it’s really over,” Mbappe told broadcaster beIN Sports. “When I said goodbye to the Parc des Princes, there were still some games left, so you are still focused on what awaits you. Now, I have nothing left with PSG. But I’m very happy to have been able to finish with a trophy.”

Despite losing in the final, Lyon still qualified for the Europa League by finishing sixth in the league.

Dembélé opened the scoring in the 22nd minute by heading home a cross from Nuno Mendes.

Ruiz doubled the lead by converting a rebound in the 34th after his header was blocked by O’Brien.

Lyon goalkeeper Lucas Perri pulled off some outstanding saves in the opening minutes, denying Bradley Barcola and Warren Zaire-Emery, but misjudged the flight of the ball when Mendes made the cross for the opener.

O’Brien cut the deficit to 2-1 by heading in a corner in the 55th.

PSG has struggled in the air this season and nearly conceded from another corner in the 64th, but goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma tipped a header from Lyon left back Nicolas Tagliafico over the bar.

“The players are disappointed but let’s not forget that we must also be proud of what we have done,” Lyon coach Pierre Sage told broadcaster beIN Sports.

Lyon was bottom of the league in December but racked up more points than any other club in the second half of the season to finish sixth.

Mbappe tried hard to find the net in his last outing for PSG. A curling shot from the edge of the box didn’t trouble Perri in the 20th and he volleyed over the bar in the 41st.

In seven seasons with PSG, Mbappe has won 15 trophies, including four French Cups.

Although Mbappe did not add to his tally, he leaves as PSG’s all-time top scorer in all competitions with 256 in 308 appearances.

“I’m happy to have been part of its history and to have made it a bit,” Mbappe said.

The French Cup final was marred by violence as Lyon and PSG supporters clashed on a highway leading to the venue a few hours before kickoff.

Supporters threw flares and windows were smashed on buses full of supporters. Some buses were set on fire.

The match was relocated to Stade Pierre Mauroy in the north of France because of preparations for the Olympic Games.

Villeneuve d’Ascq became the first city outside the Greater Paris area to host the French Cup final since the competition’s inception in 1917.


Caicedo stars as Real Madrid down Arsenal 2-0 in women’s Champions League, Lyon beat Bayern

Caicedo stars as Real Madrid down Arsenal 2-0 in women’s Champions League, Lyon beat Bayern
Updated 8 min 11 sec ago
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Caicedo stars as Real Madrid down Arsenal 2-0 in women’s Champions League, Lyon beat Bayern

Caicedo stars as Real Madrid down Arsenal 2-0 in women’s Champions League, Lyon beat Bayern
  • Lyon and Arsenal will host their respective second-leg quarterfinal matches next Wednesday
  • The big clubs’ belated investments in women’s football have had an adverse effect on clubs like Sweden’s Umeå IK and Germany’s Turbine Potsdam

LONDON: Linda Caicedo shined on a rainy evening in the Spanish capital as Real Madrid beat Arsenal 2-0 in the first leg of the women’s Champions League quarterfinals on Tuesday.

Eight-time champion Lyon is eyeing the semifinals after a 2-0 win at Bayern Munich in their first-leg quarterfinal thanks to goals from Tabitha Chawinga and Melchie Dumornay.

Bayern goalkeeper Maria-Luisa Grohs saved Lindsey Heaps’ penalty before the break and made a host of other saves, too.

Caicedo, the 20-year-old Colombia star, opened the scoring in Madrid’s Alfredo di Stéfano Stadium and proved a constant source of torment for the Arsenal defenders. Substitute Athenea grabbed the second goal late to put the Spanish side in a promising position to reach the semifinals.

Caicedo capitalized on Arsenal defender Leah Williamson’s botched effort to cut out Signe Bruun’s pass when she took a couple of strides forward to hold off Arsenal’s Emily Fox and fired the ball inside the left post in the 22nd minute.

Beth Mead went closest for Arsenal before the break.

Madrid suffered a blow in the 63rd when Melanie Leupolz went off with an apparent right knee injury after kicking the ball. The 16-year-old Irune Dorado went on in the German midfielder’s place.

Arsenal responded with a period of sustained pressure, albeit without reward, and Athenea scored on a counterattack in the 82nd. Arsenal goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger got her hand to the ball but couldn’t keep Athenea’s powerful shot out.

“We knew how to endure,” Madrid coach Alberto Toril said. “In the Champions League there are important matches that you need to know how to play and that have many mini-matches within the games, and I think we did very well.”

Lyon and Arsenal will host their respective second-leg quarterfinal matches next Wednesday.

Madrid, a powerhouse in men’s soccer with a record 15 European titles, are bidding to reach the semifinals for the first time. The Spanish club was late to women’s soccer in comparison to rivals, only forming its women’s team after completing a merger and acquisition of another women’s soccer club in 2020.

The big clubs’ belated investments in women’s football have had an adverse effect on clubs like Sweden’s Umeå IK and Germany’s Turbine Potsdam.

The other quarterfinal matches are on Wednesday, when Wolfsburg face defending champion Barcelona at home, before Manchester City host English rival Chelsea.


Courtois back and Belgium are looking to turn the page on ‘Courtoisgate’

Courtois back and Belgium are looking to turn the page on ‘Courtoisgate’
Updated 18 March 2025
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Courtois back and Belgium are looking to turn the page on ‘Courtoisgate’

Courtois back and Belgium are looking to turn the page on ‘Courtoisgate’
  • The appointment of Rudi Garcia as the new coach this year paved the way for Courtois’ return
  • The 32-year-old goalie was picked for the Nations League playoff doubleheader against Ukraine

BRUSSELS: Thibaut Courtois is back with Belgium after a 21-month absence and the Red Devils are hoping the Real Madrid goalkeeper’s return will herald the start of a new era for the national team after a lean spell.
Courtois abruptly left the team in June 2023 ahead of a European Championship qualifier after falling out with Belgium’s then-coach, Domenico Tedesco. Their feud, which began over a captaincy dispute and was dubbed “Courtoisgate,” quickly escalated and damaged their relationship beyond repair.
The appointment of Rudi Garcia as the new coach this year paved the way for Courtois’ return. The 32-year-old goalie, who has made 102 appearances for Belgium, was picked for the Nations League playoff doubleheader against Ukraine.
After being away from the group for almost two years, Thibaut met with his Belgium teammates on Monday to settle any possible lingering misunderstanding.
“We’ve put things right, the squad has fully accepted Thibaut’s decision, and now we’ve got our sights set on moving forward, winning both playoff matches and qualifying for the World Cup,” Aston Villa midfielder Youri Tielemans said on Tuesday during a press conference attended by Courtois.
Courtois said he had been in contact with other Belgium internationals over the last two years, but that speaking in front of the group this week to explain himself and clear the air was important.
“I thought it was clear to everyone. But when I got here yesterday, I saw that it wasn’t,” Courtois said. “So it’s nice to be able to speak in front of everyone. Everything is clear, we’re moving forward. Let’s not talk about it anymore from now on.”
Courtois’ comeback does not seem to please everyone, though.
Courtois doesn’t satisfy everyone
Koen Casteels, who was Belgium’s starting ‘keeper at the 2024 European Championship, has made himself unavailable for the national team reportedly because of the circumstances around Courtois’ return to the fold. Casteels also suggested that other players were not enthusiastic about Courtois’ return.
Courtois said he did not know what Casteels was talking about, adding that his fellow ‘keeper was responsible for his decision.
Asked if he had any regrets, Courtois admitted he might have overreacted, but reiterated his claim that Tedesco did not show enough respect. Courtois said he had some physical issues at the time, and that Tedesco never came to check how he felt.
“I had never seen that in my 16-year professional career,” he said. “I know I don’t have the easiest personality, I’m a winner and I speak my mind, so it didn’t help. Things should have been solved within the team.”
Tielemans praised Garcia’s efforts toward team harmony after a controversy “that unfortunately did more harm to our squad than what we wanted.”
Under Garcia’s predecessor, who was hired in February 2023 with the goal of rebooting the Red Devils, Belgium failed and Tedesco was fired after disappointing performances at both Euro 2024, when they lost to France in the round of 16, and the Nations League.
Garcia’s first match in charge is on Thursday against Ukraine, with the mission to keep the Red Devils in League A. Belgium will then start its qualifying for the World Cup in June.


Messi out of World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil due to adductor injury

Messi out of World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil due to adductor injury
Updated 18 March 2025
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Messi out of World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil due to adductor injury

Messi out of World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil due to adductor injury
  • Inter Miami said Messi underwent an MRI “to assess the extent of the discomfort in his adductor region”
  • Argentine media initially reported Messi suffered a sore left thigh on Sunday during Inter Miami’s 2-1 victory

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina: Lionel Messi will miss Argentina’s World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil over the next eight days because of an injury to his adductor.

The 37-year-old Messi was not included in the 25-man squad announced on Monday by coach Lionel Scaloni. Later Monday, Inter Miami said Messi — the reigning Major League Soccer MVP — underwent an MRI “to assess the extent of the discomfort in his adductor region,” an injury that the team said occurred in Sunday’s win over Atlanta United.

“The examination’s findings confirmed the presence of a low-grade injury in the adductor muscle,” Inter Miami said. “His clinical progress and response to treatment will determine his availability for competition.”

Argentine media initially reported Messi suffered a sore left thigh on Sunday during Inter Miami’s 2-1 victory.

Argentina, who lead South America, will visit second-placed Uruguay on Friday and host fifth-placed Brazil four days later at Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires.

Messi was not the only absentee for the two matches that could seal Argentina’s qualification. Also ruled out were Paulo Dybala, Gonzalo Montiel and Giovani Lo Celso.

Scaloni also dropped Alejandro Garnacho and Claudio Echeverri from the larger squad announced on March 2.

Messi, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner who captained and led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title, has been sidelined several times by Inter Miami this season because of injury concerns.

This month, Messi missed three games but returned on Thursday for the second leg of the round-of-16 CONCACAF Champions Cup tie against Cavalier SC.

Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said Messi was fit to start against Atlanta on Sunday. Messi scored in the 20th minute, just before he was reported to have been injured.


Barca mount late comeback to stun Atletico in thriller

Barca mount late comeback to stun Atletico in thriller
Updated 17 March 2025
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Barca mount late comeback to stun Atletico in thriller

Barca mount late comeback to stun Atletico in thriller
  • Torres bagged his second late on to round off a win which could prove decisive come the end of the season

MADRID: Barcelona battled back from two goals down to beat Atletico Madrid 4-2 and land an important blow in the Spanish title race on Sunday.
Lamine Yamal struck in the 92nd minute and Ferran Torres in the 98th to help take the Catalans back top of the table after Real Madrid beat Villarreal on Saturday to briefly claim pole position.
Barcelona have a game in hand on the champions with both sides level on 60 points, while Atletico trail the top two by four after they crumbled at home against Hansi Flick’s side to end a disastrous week following their Champions League elimination.
Having twice been caught out late by Atletico this season, this time it was Barcelona’s turn to provide the sting in the tail, extending their unbeaten streak to 18 matches across all competitions.
Julian Alvarez and Alexander Sorloth put Atletico ahead before Robert Lewandowski and Torres hit back for Barca, who went on to win in stoppage time.
Flick selected Marc Casado in midfield, with Frenkie de Jong not fit enough to be included in the matchday squad.
The German had warned his players to stay focussed after they conceded a 96th minute goal in December to surrender the lead at the top of the table to Atletico in a 2-1 home defeat.
Barcelona also conceded two late goals in the Copa del Rey semifinal first leg to draw 4-4 against Diego Simeone’s side in February.
They played within themselves in the first half, overly cautious and conserving energy, failing to create many openings.
Teenage winger Yamal created one for himself but fired wide with Jan Oblak’s goal gaping, while Lewandowski directed a header at the Slovenian stopper.
At the other end Atletico wanted a penalty when Inigo Martinez pulled back Marcos Llorente in the area but they were not given it.
Barcelona’s best chance of the first half came when Pedri played in Lewandowski, who hit the top of the crossbar with a powerful drive. From the resulting goal kick, Atletico found the opener.
The hosts worked the ball to Griezmann, who threaded a brilliant pass across the area to Giuliano Simeone, with Alvarez finishing from his cut-back.
It provided a moment of joy for the former Manchester City striker who felt deep frustration in midweek when his penalty against Real Madrid was controversially disallowed for a supposed double touch on the ball, as Atletico were eliminated in the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday.
Yamal probed after the break as Barca looked for a way back in and Simeone turned to his bench to freshen up his side, who played 120 draining minutes against Los Blancos.
The coach introduced Sorloth and Conor Gallagher and they combined for Atletico’s second goal.
Atletico put together another fine team move with Griezmann heavily involved, before Gallagher squared to perennial super-sub Sorloth to net his 11th league goal of the season, despite just nine starts.
Barcelona had complaints about a Rodrigo De Paul handball in the build-up dismissed and they turned their anger into an instant response.
Martinez drove forward with the ball and slung it into the box for Lewandowski, who controlled well and powered a low finish past Oblak to spark the comeback.
Substitute Torres netted the equalizer when Raphinha, on an othewise quiet night in the capital for the Brazilian, crossed from the right.
With Atletico shaken, Barcelona took full advantage, with Yamal’s deflected shot from distance sending them ahead in stoppage time.
Torres bagged his second late on to round off a win which could prove decisive come the end of the season.


Newcastle stun Liverpool in League Cup final to end decades-long trophy drought

Newcastle stun Liverpool in League Cup final to end decades-long trophy drought
Updated 16 March 2025
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Newcastle stun Liverpool in League Cup final to end decades-long trophy drought

Newcastle stun Liverpool in League Cup final to end decades-long trophy drought

LONDON: Newcastle ended their decades-long trophy drought in stunning style as Dan Burn and Alexander Isak sealed a 2-1 win against Liverpool in the League Cup final on Sunday.
Eddie Howe’s side made history at Wembley with a superb display that left the runaway Premier League leaders shell-shocked.
Burn put Newcastle ahead late in the first half and Isak’s 27th goal in all competitions doubled their lead after the interval.
Federico Chiesa got one back in the closing seconds, but Newcastle held on for their first major silverware since the 1969 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup.
That success in the predecessor to the Europa League is a relic of a bygone era, but this long-awaited triumph will be forever etched in the memories of the Newcastle fans who turned one half of Wembley into a roiling sea of black and white with their ecstatic celebrations.
It was also Newcastle’s first major domestic prize dating back 70 years to the 1955 FA Cup.
Since the Magpies lifted the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, 30 different English teams had won silverware, while Liverpool had clinched 38 major trophies in that time.
But after losing the 2023 League Cup final against Manchester United, Howe’s team returned to Wembley and set the record straight at last.
Newcastle had endured five relegations to the second tier since their last trophy, with club legends like Alan Shearer, Paul Gascoigne and Malcolm MacDonald failing to win silverware in their time on Tyneside.
Aside from a brief period when Kevin Keegan’s self-styled “entertainers” challenged for the title in the 1990s, Newcastle have endured decades of underachievement and self-inflicted wounds that rendered them a laughing stock for long periods.
All that changed in 2021 when a Saudi-backed consortium completed a takeover from unpopular owner Mike Ashley and quickly hired Howe as their manager.
Thanks to Howe’s astute leadership and the Saudi financial backing, Newcastle have been transformed from relegation candidates to silverware winners.
The defeat was another painful blow for Liverpool just days after their Champions League last 16 exit on penalties against Paris Saint-Germain.
But despite failing to win their first trophy under boss Arne Slot, Liverpool still sit 12 points clear at the top of the Premier League, within touching distance of a record-equalling 20th English title.
Liverpool are 23 points ahead of sixth-placed Newcastle in the league and hadn’t lost to them for 17 games dating back to 2015.
But Howe’s men were in no mood to be cowed by past failures
Newcastle fans unveiled a banner before kick-off urging their team to “write your name in the history books.”
They rose to the challenge in spectacular fashion, snapping into tackles and counter-attacking with purpose, while Liverpool were sluggish and sloppy in possession.
Bruno Guimaraes had a golden opportunity to reward Newcastle’s enterprising start when Burn headed Kieran Trippier’s corner toward the Brazil midfielder, but he nodded at Liverpool keeper Caoimhin Kelleher from close-range.
Newcastle’s desire and drive was clear to see when Joelinton tracked back from midfield to stop Jarell Quansah in his tracks and celebrated with a fist-pumping roar.
Despite nearly being caught out by Burn’s aerial prowess once before, Liverpool failed to heed the warning as the towering center-back put Newcastle ahead in the 45th minute.
Bizarrely left unmarked, with only the diminutive Alex Mac Allister anywhere near him, Burn was allowed to rise unchallenged to meet Tripper’s corner as he thumped a powerful header into far corner from 12 yards.
Burn’s goal — Newcastle’s first in a cup final since 1976 — capped an incredible week for the journeyman center-back, who received his first England call-up on Friday.
With Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah completely anonymous, the lethargic Reds had no answer as Isak put Newcastle into dreamland after 52 minutes.
Jacob Murphy met Tino Livramento’s cross with a header that found Isak, who drilled a superb first-time finish past Kelleher from 10 yards.
Chiesa’s stoppage-time strike set up an anxious finale, but good things comes to those who wait.
And all across Wembley, Newcastle players and fans celebrated with abandon as a party over half a century in the making got into full swing.