Paris Saint-Germain shut down Bayern Munich, reach CWC semis

Paris Saint-Germain shut down Bayern Munich, reach CWC semis
Paris Saint-Germain’s Desire Doue scores the game’s opening goal during their Club World Cup quarterfinal match against Bayern Munich in Atlanta, July 5, 2025. (AP)
Short Url
Updated 05 July 2025
Follow

Paris Saint-Germain shut down Bayern Munich, reach CWC semis

Paris Saint-Germain shut down Bayern Munich, reach CWC semis
  • PSG played the closing minutes with just nine players after a pair of red cards
  • Bayern exits the tournament after being held scoreless for the first time

ATLANTA: Desire Doué scored in the 78th minute, Ousmane Dembele added a second in stoppage time and Paris Saint-Germain sealed their place in the FIFA Club World Cup semifinals with a 2-0 quarterfinal win over Bayern Munich on Saturday in Atlanta.

Pairs Saint-Germain played the closing minutes with just nine players after a pair of red cards and still added a goal to seal the victory.

Referee Anthony Taylor dismissed Willian Pacho in the 82nd minute for his dangerous challenge on Bayern’s Thomas Muller, and sent off Lucas Hernandez in the second minute of second-half stoppage time for an elbow in the direction of Raphael Guerreiro.

But Doue and Dembele’s first goals of the tournament were enough to seal a meeting in East Rutherford, N.J., on Wednesday with the winner of Saturday’s second semifinal between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund.

Gianluigi Donnarumma made five saves to keep PSG’s fourth clean sheet of the tournament.

Bayern exits the tournament after being held scoreless for the first time, on a day when they lost Josip Stanisic and Jamal Musiala to first-half injuries.

It was still 11-on-11 when Doue took Joao Neves’ pass, created some space near the edge of the penalty area, then unleashed a left-footed strike that found the bottom right corner as Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer slipped while trying to change direction.

Dembele doubled the advantage on a stunning foray forward despite the numerical disadvantage and some brilliant setup work by Achraf Hakimi, who beat three defenders off the dribble.

Hakimi then fed Dembele in stride for a first-time low finish that left Neuer little chance.

Bayern thought they had a chance to pull a late goal back when Taylor whistled for a penalty even later in stoppage time, only to reverse his decision following a video review.

Musiala departed on a stretcher at halftime after suffering a gruesome ankle injury following a tangle for the ball with Donnarumma that did not show any signs of ill intent.

Even Donnaruma was distraught after seeing the extent of Musiala’s injury, which came in the final seconds of the first half.

Twelve minutes earlier, Stanisic exited with an apparent hamstring injury.

Donnaruma made a pair of exceptional first-half saves.

In the 27th minute, he sprung to his right to parry Michael Olize’s goal-bound effort from just beyond the corner of the 6-yard box. In the 41st, he sprawled the opposite direction to keep Aleksandar Pavlovic’s effort — an intended early cross that was inches in front of Musiala near the penalty spot — from bounding inside the right post.

Neuer was also called into action during the first half, thwarting Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s effort from close range at the near post with an outstretched arm in the 32nd minute.

Four minutes into the second half, he dove left to deny Bradley Barcola on the break.


Bayern Munich shift away from ‘Visit Rwanda’ sponsorship after criticism

Bayern Munich shift away from ‘Visit Rwanda’ sponsorship after criticism
Updated 08 August 2025
Follow

Bayern Munich shift away from ‘Visit Rwanda’ sponsorship after criticism

Bayern Munich shift away from ‘Visit Rwanda’ sponsorship after criticism
  • Some Bayern fans displayed a large banner at a game in February protesting the deal
  • Now the German soccer champion say they have reached a new deal with Rwanda

MUNICH: Bayern Munich signaled Friday they will cut down on “Visit Rwanda” branding as they move “away from a commercial sponsorship” with the African nation facing a backlash over alleged support for rebels in neighboring Congo.

Bayern dismissed allegations of “sportswashing” when they signed a five-year Rwanda deal in 2023. It included advertisements in the stadium and what Bayern called events “to promote tourism and investment opportunities in Rwanda.”

At the time, they replaced a controversial sponsorship deal with Qatar. Rwanda has similar sponsorships with European soccer giants like Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal and Atletico Madrid.

Some Bayern fans displayed a large banner at a game in February protesting the deal, amid accusations from the United Nations that Rwanda has backed rebels in neighboring Congo.

Now the German soccer champion say they have reached a new deal with Rwanda which turns the existing sponsorship deal into a three-year agreement focusing on developing young soccer players at a Bayern-affiliated academy in the country.

“In constructive talks about our future direction, we agreed that a very special part of our relationship with (the Rwanda Development Board) was the developmental nature of our work in Kigali through the FC Bayern Academy,” Bayern chief executive Jan-Christian Dreesen said in a statement.

“We are therefore transforming our commercial partnership into a talent program and expanding the FC Bayern Academy in (Rwanda’s capital) Kigali together with the RDB as both a football and social initiative. This remains perfectly aligned to our strategic objective of developing playing talent in Africa.”

Bayern didn’t specify how soon they would drop “Visit Rwanda” branding as part of the move, which is described as a transition. As of Friday afternoon local time, the branding was still displayed under a section of the Bayern website listing club sponsors and partners.

The RDB’s chief executive, Jean-Guy Afrika, was quoted by Bayern as saying the changes to the partnership aimed to “accelerate sports development,” adding: “This continued partnership with FC Bayern helps ensure that talent development remains anchored in our broader vision to position Rwanda as a global hub for tourism, investment, and high-performance sport.”

Rwanda’s presence in European soccer has grown steadily since 2018, when it first partnered with Arsenal to put “Visit Rwanda” branding on the London club’s shirt sleeves.

An agreement with PSG was signed in 2019 and renewed in April this year. It covers branding in the stadium and included shirt-sleeve sponsorship at the Club World Cup. A three-year deal to sponsor Atletico was agreed in April including branding on training and warm-up shirts.

Rwanda is accused of supporting the M23 rebel group, the most potent of more than 100 armed

groups vying for dominance in mineral-rich eastern Congo just across the border with Rwanda. Rwanda also has been accused of exploiting eastern Congo’s minerals, used in smartphones, advanced fighter jets and much more.

However, Rwandan authorities allege some of those who participated in the 1994 Rwandan genocide fled into Congo and are either working with or are being protected by the Congolese army. They have denied involvement in Congo’s minerals sector and said any security action taken is to protect its territory.


Man United unveil state-of-the-art training base they hope will return them to soccer’s elite

Man United unveil state-of-the-art training base they hope will return them to soccer’s elite
Updated 08 August 2025
Follow

Man United unveil state-of-the-art training base they hope will return them to soccer’s elite

Man United unveil state-of-the-art training base they hope will return them to soccer’s elite
  • A $67m revamp of the club’s Carrington training base has been completed in time for the start of the new Premier League season
  • “The big thing that I like the most is now there’s going to be no excuses,” Dalot said

MANCHESTER: Manchester United opened their new “world class” training complex Friday that they hope will help return the fallen giant to the top of European soccer.

A 50 million pound ($67 million) revamp of the club’s Carrington training base has been completed in time for the start of the new Premier League season as the storied club aim to bounce back from their worst campaign in the modern era.

“The big thing that I like the most is now there’s going to be no excuses,” defender Diogo Dalot said.

United have gone 12 years since last winning the Premier League title in 2013 and last season recorded their lowest finish when placing 15th.

They also suffered a club record 18 losses in the Premier League and amassed their lowest points total, 42, as they failed to qualify for any European competition.

“It’s what we’re going to do on the pitch that obviously will determine what we do and where we put the club back on top,” Dalot said.

But he added that the new training center meant players had “everything that you need to be on your best shape mentally and physically.”

State-of-the-art performance and rehabilitation equipment has been installed, including altitude training facilities. Sleeping pods, oxygen chambers and cryotherapy treatment facilities are to be added imminently.

The project was funded by minority owner Jim Ratcliffe as part of the British billionaire’s $1.3 billion investment in the storied club last year.

“I hope it helps take Manchester United where Manchester United need to go,” he said.

Ratcliffe, who has also outlined plans to rebuild the club’s iconic Old Trafford stadium, said he had quickly made a decision to “invest significantly in the creation of a world class performance environment for staff and players to reflect our ambition and vision for Manchester United.”

“The club have to compete at the highest level. That’s appropriate to the brand and the size and the history of the club,” he said. “So whilst a world class training facility won’t take us to that place alone, it is one of the key ingredients in the modern world.”

As well as performance equipment, the redesign of the campus, led by architect Foster + Partners, includes facilities like a barber shop, a Formula 1 simulator and pool table, with a padel court due to be installed at the request of players.


Vitesse Arnhem lose last bid to save professional status, angering supporters

Vitesse Arnhem lose last bid to save professional status, angering supporters
Updated 08 August 2025
Follow

Vitesse Arnhem lose last bid to save professional status, angering supporters

Vitesse Arnhem lose last bid to save professional status, angering supporters
  • The Central Netherlands Court rejected the club’s appeal to overturn a decision by the Dutch Football Association to revoke their professional license
  • Dutch media showed images of scuffles in Arnhem city center as supporters gathered

AMSTERDAM: One of the Netherlands’ oldest clubs, Vitesse Arnhem, lost a final bid to save their professional license on Friday and were effectively kicked out of the league, sparking fan protests.

The Central Netherlands Court rejected the club’s appeal to overturn a decision by the Dutch Football Association (KNVB) to revoke their professional license.

Dutch media showed images of scuffles in Arnhem city center as supporters gathered. One journalist was slapped, the Algemeen Dagblad newspaper reported, as anger was directed against media.

The court upheld the KNVB decision after the football association said the club had circumvented and undermined the licensing system for years and had spurned repeated opportunities to regularise their affairs, including debt reported to be around 14 million euros ($16.3 million).

The club, established in 1892, had been sanctioned last year and relegated to the Dutch second division because of financial irregularities, which the KNVB said included the absence of a bank account, the absence of a controlling accountant, and the fact that no conclusive budget could be provided.

Vitesse were the first Dutch club to have foreign owners in 2010 when Georgian businessman Merab Jordania took over the club with Russian Valeriy Oyf becoming majority owner in 2018.

The club’s financial fortunes changed drastically after sanctions that followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The decision means Saturday’s scheduled match against Almere City has been canceled and leaves the Dutch second division with 19 clubs.

In a statement, Vitesse said they were “devastated” by the verdict. “What the future holds is unclear,” the statement said.

“The club is exploring options and continues to talk to stakeholders to safeguard football in Arnhem.”

Vitesse, who were four-time runners-up in the Dutch league but never won the championship, will be forced to either continue as an amateur club or cease to exist.

The Dutch league has two divisions, but there is no mandatory promotion and relegation between the second tier of the professional competition and the amateur ranks.

“The worst-case scenario has come true,” said Arnhem’s Alderman for Sports Affairs Bob Roelofs.

“This is a tragedy for the city, for the supporters, for Vitesse. The city has lost a large part of its DNA.”


Lewandowski a doubt for Barca’s season opener after thigh issue

Lewandowski a doubt for Barca’s season opener after thigh issue
Updated 08 August 2025
Follow

Lewandowski a doubt for Barca’s season opener after thigh issue

Lewandowski a doubt for Barca’s season opener after thigh issue
  • Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski has suffered a hamstring injury and may miss the start of the La Liga season, the Catalan club announced on Friday

BARCELONA: Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski has suffered a hamstring injury and may miss the start of the La Liga season, the Catalan club announced on Friday.

“The first team player Robert Lewandowski has a hamstring problem in his left thigh,” Barcelona said in a statement, without specifying how long the Polish striker would be out of action.

The 36-year-old is “unavailable” for Sunday’s friendly match against Como, which casts doubt on his presence in the matchday squad for Barcelona’s La Liga opener against Mallorca on August 16.

Lewandowski netted 42 times in 52 appearances in all competitions for the Catalan club last season as Hansi Flick’s side won the Spanish league, cup and super cup.


Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister in contention for Crystal Palace match after recovering from injury

Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister in contention for Crystal Palace match after recovering from injury
Updated 08 August 2025
Follow

Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister in contention for Crystal Palace match after recovering from injury

Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister in contention for Crystal Palace match after recovering from injury
  • The Argentina international missed some of Liverpool’s preseason preparations when recovering from injury

LIVERPOOL: Alexis Mac Allister will be in Liverpool’s squad for Sunday’s Community Shield match against Crystal Palace.

The Argentina international missed some of Liverpool’s preseason preparations when recovering from injury. But he played in the last two friendlies against Yokohama F. Marinos and Atletico Madrid and will be in contention to play some part of the game against Palace at Wembley, coach Arne Slot said.

“He was out for two months I think, or longer because we didn’t play him in the last four games of the season. He trained with us since a week now, played 30 minutes, 45 minutes,” Slot said Friday. “So that’s not a situation where you would start a player... play him for 90 minutes. Starting is possible but definitely not for 90 minutes.”

The 26-year-old Mac Allister’s last competitive game was against Arsenal on May 11. He missed the Premier League champion’s last two games of the season.

Last month the midfielder said his absence was due to a series of issues, rather than one specific injury.

“It’s hard to explain because it’s not just one spot that you say, ‘OK, we have to focus on this,’” Mac Allister said. “It’s like two or three different things that I’ve been struggling (with) for a couple of months.

“At the end, we found the solution; we have been working a lot in the gym, on my structure.”

Liverpool defender Joe Gomez has been ruled out of the match with a “minor” injury, Slot said.