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Tag: Paris St-Germain

  • Christophe Galtier: Frenchman named Paris St-Germain boss after Mauricio Pochettino exit

    Christophe Galtier has been named Paris St-Germain manager immediately after the departure of Mauricio Pochettino.

    Galtier has signed a two-year deal until the summer of 2024.

    He left Nice last month after guiding them to fifth in Ligue 1 and a runner-up finish in the French Cup last season.

    The 55-year-old, who led Lille to the Ligue 1 title in 2021, is PSG’s seventh coach since the Qatari takeover of the club in 2011.

    “I am delighted to join Paris Saint-Germain, I would like to thank the chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi, [football advisor] Luis Campos and the club for their confidence in me,” he said.

    “I am fully aware of the responsibilities involved to coach this extraordinary team, which is one of the most competitive and spectacular squads in Europe.”

    Galtier is one of only two managers to stop PSG winning Ligue 1 in the past decade, along with Leonardo Jardim’s Monaco in 2016-17.

    He resigned after leading Lille to that unexpected title success in May 2021 before spending 12 months at Nice. He previously managed Saint-Etienne.

    Pochettino, 50, leaves PSG after just 18 months in charge having guided them to a record-equalling 10th French title last season, his first league success as a manager.

    The exit of the former Tottenham boss had been expected for almost a month now – but was only announced shortly before Galtier’s appointment was confirmed on Tuesday.

    A club statement read: “Paris Saint-Germain confirm that Mauricio Pochettino has ended his role at the club.

    “The club would like to thank Mauricio Pochettino and his staff for their work and wish them the best for the future.”

    The former PSG defender oversaw an unbeaten home record in the league this season, ending the campaign with 16 wins in 19 games.

    PSG regained the title but their last-16 Champions League exit – with Lionel Messi in the team – was seen as a major failure.

    They squandered a 2-0 aggregate lead in the Champions League against eventual champions Real Madrid to cast a serious question mark over the Argentine’s future.

    It was the first time Les Parisiens, who reached the semi-finals in 2021 and were the beaten finalists in 2020, had lost a Champions League away game after leading at half-time since 2001.

    Pochettino was sacked by Spurs in November 2019 after five years in charge of the Premier League club, months after leading them to the 2019 Champions League final.

    After taking charge of PSG in January last year, they finished second in Ligue 1 behind Galtier’s Lille and were beaten in that year’s Champions League semi-finals by Manchester City.

    However, they won the Coupe de France and the Trophee des Champions, which were the first trophies of Pochettino’s managerial career.

    The former Argentina defender began his managerial career at Espanyol and spent 18 months at Southampton before joining Tottenham in May 2014.

    Source: BBC

  • Kylian Mbappe: France forward wants to ‘write more wonderful chapters’ at Paris St-Germain

    Kylian Mbappe says his decision to remain at Paris St-Germain was partly based on sentimental reasons – and believes there are “more wonderful chapters to write” at the club.

    The France striker, 23, rejected a move to Real Madrid to sign a new three-year contract with the Ligue 1 champions at the weekend.

    Spain’s La Liga reacted angrily to the news, calling the deal “scandalous”.

    “Leaving my country isn’t the right thing,” Mbappe said.

    “There is a sentimental aspect to this. It is my country.

    “The ongoing project has changed as well. That has made me want to stay here because I don’t think my story is over yet.

    “That goes for me collectively and individually. I think there are many more wonderful chapters to write.”

    ‘We want to win the Champions League’

    Mbappe started his career at Monaco before moving to PSG in 2017, initially on loan before joining permanently.

    Since being at the club he has won four Ligue 1 titles and three French Cups.

    Champions League success has so far eluded PSG but the club’s president Nasser Al-Khelaifi believes that, with Mbappe now staying, European glory can be achieved.

    “We want to create more trophies. We have won plenty so far, we want to win many more,” he said.

    “We want to win the Champions League. We are headed down the same path with our sporting goals.”

    There had been reports PSG offered Mbappe more control over sporting decisions in an effort to convince him to stay.

    But the forward said his sole focus and responsibility for the club is what he can do on the pitch.

    “I remain a footballer, who is part of a team, and I will not go beyond this role,” added Mbappe.

    “Everyone knows that last year I wanted to leave and I was convinced that it was the best choice, but the years go by and things change.”

    ‘Ligue 1 needs respect as well’

    In its response to Mbappe’s decision to stay at PSG, La Liga announced plans to file a complaint to Uefa as well as French and EU authorities.

    As well as calling the deal “scandalous”, La Liga president Javier Tebas said it “threatens the economic sustainability of European football”.

    But Al-Khelaifi responded: “Maybe it is a good thing if Ligue 1 is doing better than La Liga.

    “La Liga isn’t what it was three or four years ago. I have respect for all the clubs, but we need respect as well.

    “We have the best player in the world, that’s what matters to us. As for what other people are saying, that is not an issue. I am not listening to that.”

    Source: BBC

  • Kylian Mbappe: Paris St-Germain forward agrees in principle to stay at French champions

    France forward Kylian Mbappe has agreed in principle to stay at Paris St-Germain.

    The 2018 World Cup winner, 23, had been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid but has committed his future to the French champions.

    Mbappe will sign a lucrative new three-year contract with PSG.

    The deal is still to be signed but PSG are likely to make an announcement around their final game of the season with Metz on Saturday evening.

    According to Spanish football expert Guillem Balague, writing last month, PSG were prepared to offer him a £150m signing-on fee to keep him for another two seasons.

    Mbappe had agreed a financial package with Real months ago for a potential switch to Spain, but has decided not to join Carlo Ancelotti’s side.

    He initially joined PSG on a season-long loan from Monaco in August 2017 and has helped them win four Ligue 1 titles in five seasons.

    The Qatari-owned side were desperate to keep him and were prepared to offer the player a £21m net annual salary.

    Mbappe scored in each leg against Real in the Champions League last 16 this season, but it was not enough to prevent PSG from going out 3-2 on aggregate.

    He is Ligue 1’s leading scorer with 25 goals and provided a further 17 assists in 34 games as PSG won the domestic title with four games to spare.

    PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino said on Friday he had no idea where Mbappe would play his club football next season.

    “I hope Kylian is still here for many years to come but I also can’t lie. I don’t know what is going to happen,” said the former Tottenham boss.

    “There are lots of rumours going around but the player is the one who will have to talk about this.”

    Source: BBC

  • UCL: PSG produce dramatic comeback to draw 2-2 at Real Madrid

    Paris St Germain scored two late goals in the space of three minutes to battle back for a 2-2 draw at Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday and secure top spot in Group A at the Santiago Bernabeu.

    Real had sealed their place in the knockout stages for a record-extending 23rd successive year thanks to Club Bruges’ 1-1 draw at Galatasaray earlier while PSG had also already qualified.

    Read:UCL round-up: Rodrygo nets hat-trick in Real romp, PSG through, Atleti stumble

    Yet they still served up a thrilling game with top spot on the line.

    Karim Benzema knocked into an empty net to give Real the lead in the 17th minute and doubled the advantage with a 79th minute header.

    Yet Kylian Mbappe immediately reduced the deficit down the other end in the 81st minute before Pablo Sarabia equalised in the 82nd.

    Read:PSG stunned by controversial last-gasp Manchester United penalty

    PSG’s fightback added to concern in the stands after Real winger Eden Hazard hobbled off in the second half with an ankle injury, although substitute Gareth Bale almost snatched a winner when he struck the post in added time from a free kick.

    PSG top Group A with 13 points from five games while Real are second on eight. Club Bruges, who Real visit in their final game next month, are third on three points, while Galatasaray, who will travel to PSG, are bottom with two.

    Source: Reuters

  • Paris St-Germain: Uefa cannot reopen closed investigation, says Cas

    Paris St-Germain have won a legal challenge that means Uefa cannot re-open an investigation into the French champions’ finances up to June 2017.

    The Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) upheld PSG’s appeal against Uefa.

    Uefa had initially ruled the accounts complied with financial fair play (FFP) before launching a review. Cas ruled European football’s governing body had missed a deadline for its review.

    However, PSG remain under investigation for their 2017-18 finances.

    Read:PSG reject Barcelona, Real Madrid bids for Neymar

    During this season they signed Neymar from Barcelona for a world record £222m euros (£200m) and Kylian Mbappe from Monaco, initially on loan, for 180m euros (£165.7m).

    Uefa released a statement after the Cas ruling saying it would “analyse” the decision and “consider implementing as soon as possible any clarifications or amendments to its rules that may result from the analysis of the abovementioned award”.

    “The Cas decision does not put in doubt the objectives of the Uefa Club Licensing & Financial Fair Play system,” it added.

    Ligue 1 club PSG were initially cleared of breaking FFP rules in June 2018, but Uefa reopened the case in September.

    Read:Man Utd penalty against PSG was right Uefa

    Cas said Uefa’s application to reopen fell outside the 10-day deadline from the initial decision.

    FFP ‘break-even’ rules require clubs to balance spending with their revenue.

    PSG were in 2014 fined after being found guilty of breaking them.

    A sponsorship deal with the Qatar Tourism Authority was deemed to have an unfair value by Uefa’s independent investigation panel.

    The French club, purchased by Qatar Sports Investments in 2011, were also forced to play with a restricted 21-man squad in European competition for a season.

    Source: bbc.com