Sports

Mbappe, Neymar return for PSG as league restarts

Published

2 years ago

December 27, 2022

Mbappe, Neymar

Normal service is set to resume in France on Wednesday with Kylian Mbappe and Neymar both set to feature for leaders Paris Saint-German as they restart their Ligue 1 season, 45 days after it was popped on ice for the World Cup, with a home game against struggling Strasbourg.

Lionel Messi, however, will not be on show in round 16 as he is still at home, celebrating Argentina’s success in the World Cup final in Qatar.

The club, though, has been buoyed by reports last week that the 35-year-old Messi is set to sign a one-year extension to his contract which expires in the summer.

Mbappe, who scored a hat-trick in the World Cup final but still ended up on the losing side as France flunked the penalty shoot-out, reported back to training on Wednesday with Achraf Hakimi, one of the stand-outs in Morocco’s run to the semi-finals.

Mbappe, Messi and Hakimi were just three of the 14 Ligue 1 players — from eight different clubs — who reached the semi-finals in Qatar.

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Neymar, whose Brazil crashed out to Croatia in the quarter-finals, was back on Thursday with compatriot Marquinhos, with both expected to play a role in Wednesday’s game at the Parc des Princes.

PSG are currently five points clear of second-placed Lens who they meet in Flanders on Sunday.

Lens, meanwhile, will look to keep up the pressure on PSG going into that game when they head down to Nice on Thursday.

Third-placed Rennes have Croatia’s Lovro Majer and on-loan Wales defender Joe Rodon back from action in Qatar as they head to Reims on Thursday.

“For me, it’s a second season that’s starting up again, with the same uncertainties, the same unknowns before a first league match of the season,” said Rennes manager Bruno Genesio. “We’ll see which teams have best managed this.”

Marseille, who are just one point behind in fourth, host a Toulouse side that is bumping around in mid-table.

Messi is not the only World Cup winner in Ligue 1 — Nicolas Tagliafico has also been enjoying his moment in the sun and will be absent for Lyon’s trip to Brest on Wednesday.

“Tagliafico has become world champion and I take the opportunity to congratulate him,” said Lyon coach Laurent Blanc who took charge in October when Peter Bosz was sacked after a five-match winless run.

“He is due to return on January 1 and he is getting married on the 28th. He has a lot to celebrate at the moment.

“I hope he will come back in good shape. To be a world champion is not nothing. May he come back quickly.”

Lyon are currently eighth in the table, 10 points away from the Champions League places, prompting Blanc to insist that they will need to be busy in the January transfer window if they are to compete.

“We have to improve the team,” he said on Monday. “I am not demanding anything at all. I am telling my owners, my directors, that if we want to achieve our set objectives, we have to improve the squad. That’s all.”

There will also be focus on the relegation zone as bottom side Angers, three points behind Strasbourg, travel to Ajaccio who are only four points and two places above them.

Fixtures

Wednesday (1400 GMT unless stated)

Ajaccio v Angers, Troyes v Nantes, Auxerre v Monaco (1600), Clermont v Lille (1800), Brest v Lyon, Paris Saint-Germain v Strasbourg (both 2000)

Thursday (2000 GMT unless stated)

Lorient v Montpellier (1600), Reims v Rennes (1800), Marseille v Toulouse, Nice v Lens

Sports

Ancelotti laments after Valencia beat Real Madrid

Published

21 hours ago

April 6, 2025

Trends Admin

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti

Ancelotti laments after Valencia beat Real Madrid

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti lamented his side’s missed chances in a 2-1 home defeat by Valencia on Saturday, but urged his players to regain some focus ahead of their Champions League quarter-final clash at Arsenal next week.

Valencia did leaders Barcelona a huge favour by shocking title-chasing Real in their first win away from home in La Liga this season thanks to a brilliant performance by Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili.

Second-placed Real have 63 points from 30 games, three behind leaders Barcelona, who have a game in hand when they host Real Betis later on Saturday, with eight games remaining.

Ancelotti acknowledged that winning La Liga had become a long shot but that it should not affect their Copa del Rey and Champions League campaigns.

“We have lost the opportunity to fight for the league with more forcefulness but the (Spanish Cup final) against Barcelona and the Arsenal clash will be different,” Ancelotti told a press conference on Saturday.

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“(Arsenal and Barcelona) will attack more and the game script will be much different. Sure, we will have to be better at the back and be effective up front, but can’t lose focus.

“It’s a fact that it is not that hard for our opponents to score against us at the moment. But that is no use moaning about it.

“This is not a deserved defeat (against Valencia). Could we have done better? Sure, but it’s not a lack of attitude. We deserved to win and it was because of details. We have to move on and focus on Arsenal on Tuesday.”

Ancelotti was unsure who he will name in goal at Arsenal as he was forced to start 19-year-old academy goalkeeper Fran Gonzalez against Valencia with Thibaut Courtois and Ukrainian replacement Andriy Lunin sidelined with injuries.

“Courtois practiced today and he felt good about it. Because it is still unclear if he will be good to go, we decided not to risk by playing Lunin today. Both will have a few more days to recover and we will see on Tuesday which options we have,” Ancelotti said.

Ancelotti laments after Valencia beat Real Madrid

Sports

Jose Mourinho banned for three games, fined $7734

Published

21 hours ago

April 6, 2025

Trends Admin

Jose Mourinho

Jose Mourinho banned for three games, fined $7734

Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho has been banned for three matches and fined around 6,000 pounds ($7,734.00) after grabbing the nose of Galatasaray coach Okan Buruk in the Istanbul derby, the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) said on Saturday.

The incident occurred at the end of the Turkish Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday, which Mourinho’s side lost 2-1 at home.

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A mass scuffle had broken out between both sets of players, with the referee sending three players off, two from Galatasaray, and after the final whistle the 62-year-old Portuguese appeared to pinch Buruk’s nose who then fell dramatically to the ground.

“Mourinho shall be banned from entering the dressing room and the bench for three official matches,” TFF said in a statement.

Jose Mourinho will miss the games against Trabzonspor, Sivasspor and Kayserispor.

Fenerbahce are second in the Super Lig, trailing leaders Galatasaray by six points with a game in hand.

Jose Mourinho banned for three games, fined $7734

Sports

Ronaldo’s brace powers Al-Nassr to derby win over Al-Hilal

Published

2 days ago

April 5, 2025

Trends Admin

Ronaldo’s brace powers Al-Nassr to derby win over Al-Hilal

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice in the second half, including a penalty, to guide Al-Nassr to a 3-1 win over Al-Hilal in the race for the Saudi Pro League title on Friday.

Al-Nassr remain in the third place with 54 points but they are now three points behind second-placed Al-Hilal and seven off leaders Al-Ittihad, who visit Al-Ahli on Saturday.

Al-Nassr opened the scoring before the interval when Ali Al Hassan curled a shot past goalkeeper Yassin Bono.

Ronaldo made it 2-0 two minutes after the break with a precise shot after a pass from Sadio Mane.

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Reigning champions Al-Hilal tried to fight back playing on the counter attack and reduced the deficit in the 62nd minute through Ali Al Bulayhi’s close-range header after a corner.

However, Ronaldo wrapped up the points for Al-Nassr with a penalty in the 88th minute awarded for a handball by substitute Mouteb Al-Harbi following a VAR review.

“The team effort was crucial to this win and me scoring is important but it’s more important to win” Ronaldo told SSC.

“I work hard to help the team in the SPL and Champions League and don’t concentrate on individual records” he added.