Lisa Leroux – Prost International [PINT]

Abdou Diallo joins Paris Saint Germain in midst of Neymar drama

Lisa Leroux — Tue, 16 Jul 2019 19:05:30 +0000

Paris Saint Germain have confirmed today the signing of French player Abdou Diallo from Borussia Dortmund on a four-year contract for 32 million euros. The 23-year-old who can play as either a centre or left back started out at AS Monaco and was only a Dortmund player for a year before making his move to PSG.

The defender had an impressive season with the German club last year with 28 league appearances, with the defender previously at Mainz. Thomas Tuchel went to his former club for some new defensive blood in the quest for the Champions League next season.

Diallo will be a boost for the French club who bowed out of the Champions League last year against Manchester United and are hoping to end their Champions League curse.

IMAGE: YAHOO SPORTS

“It is a great honour to be involved with such a prestigious club as Paris Saint-Germain. I have always said that the Parisian project was very attractive. Joining the capital club today is another important step in my career.

I am committed to giving my all for my new club and look forward to bringing my qualities and desire to this team renowned for its high quality and high ambitions.” Stated Diallo

The club is making a conscious decision to build a strong defence and back-line with youthful players including Marquinhos, Thilo Kehrer and Presnel Kimpembe especially with an ageing Thiago Silva. Diallo is the third player the French team have added this season after Pablo Sarabia and Ander Herrera.

Credit: PSG/Twitter

The club has been surrounded by uncertainty recently with Neymar expressing he has no interest in coming back to the club and not showing up to training. The Brazilian player and so far the most expensive player of all time is hoping to make a move back to former club FC Barcelona, but negotiations have been inconclusive between the two clubs.

Paris Saint Germain want to get back as much of the record breaking 222 million euros they spent, but Barcelona having already bought Antoine Griezmann and are short on cash when it comes to transfers. The latest reports suggest that the Catalan team have offered to swap Neymar for Philippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele plus 40 million in cash which seems like the offer of a lifetime for the Parisian club.

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France Finish The European Qualifiers On a High Note

Lisa Leroux — Fri, 14 Jun 2019 15:03:15 +0000

With the men’s international football season coming to an end after the excitement of the Nations league and the European qualifiers, France redeemed themselves on Tuesday evening.

They beat Andorra 4-0 after their shock defeat against Turkey to respond in style immediately.

On Saturday night Turkey took advantage of France’s week defence to score two goals before the second half. In the second-half, France failed to score as the World Champions failed to execute single shot on target during the entire match.

Turkey were quicker, more organized and their young defenders, Merih Demiral and Kaan Ayhan, denied France’s all-star front line of Antoine Griezman and Kylian Mbappe from scoring. This match proved Turkey may have a new golden generation ready to take on the biggest teams in the upcoming Euro and eventually in the 2020 world cup.

With Turkey topping Group H, which also has Iceland, Moldova and Andorra group and France being one point behind, they needed to finish the international season in a strong way.

Kylian Mbappe started things off by scoring as early as the 11th minute followed by Wissam Ben Yedder who scored his first goal for France.

Marseille’s Florian Thauvin and Kurt Zouma sealed the deal by scoring the fourth goal and his first international goal for France. This third win in four matches moves France back to the top of their group with Turkey losing against Iceland on Tuesday night.

France next face Albania in Euro 2020 qualifying on September 7, while Andorra visit Turkey on the same day.

Kylian Mbappe Scores His 100th career goal

Lisa Leroux — Fri, 14 Jun 2019 14:58:40 +0000

There is no doubt that Kylian Mbappe is currently the most sought after player in the world and a future force to be reckoned with.

During the European Qualifiers with France, Mbappe scored his 100th career goal at the young age of 20 years old. After his insane debut with Monaco in 2015, at only 16 years old, Mbappe got noticed because of his incredible speed and ability to create chances and score goals.

During the 2016/2017 season with Monaco, he scored 26 goals and led them to the semi-finals of the Champions League. All of this came before he was old enough to play internationally with the French national team.

After his arrival onto the scene, interest in the player became so high that Paris Saint Germain signed him as the second most expensive player of all time, behind fellow PSG player Neymar. In 87 matches, Mbappe has scored 60 goals for PSG and has established himself as already one of the worlds best players.

With the French national team he has scored 13 times, including being the second youngest player to score in a world cup after Pele before being a world cup winner at only 19 years old.

On Tuesday night he reached 100 club and international goals which is already a huge achievement, the two best players of the moment Cristiano Ronaldo and Leo Messi both reached 100 goals at 22 years old.

The next big question is where the boy wonder will be heading next with big clubs like Real Madrid and Juventus showing a big interest but Paris Saint Germain not wanting to let go of their star player. On Thursday during Eden Hazard unveiling at Real Madrid the crowd could be heard chanting “Mbappe next”

PSG Finally Crowned French Champions

Lisa Leroux — Mon, 22 Apr 2019 14:56:35 +0000

Last night, long standing favorites PSG have officially been crowned champions of France after second place Lille were held goalless. PSG then beat Monaco 3-1 with a hat trick from world cup winner Kylian Mbappe making it the perfect night to celebrate their title win.

After a string of first time losses their last few matches including a 5-1 loss against Lille, the clubs heaviest defeat since June 2011 and since Qatari investors took over the club. The club also lost against Nantes 3-2 causing fans and the media to think the French side no longer cared after their champions league defeat.

The Parc Des Princes stadium and the PSG players made a point to pay tribute to Notre Dame following the fire that partially destroyed the historical Parisian Cathedral.

The match also marked the return of the most expensive player in the world who had been out with a metatarsal injury since January.

“We always feel the same happiness and pride when we win a title as prestigious as the French Championship. Ligue 1 is the flagship event of a triumphant country at the top of the football world last summer. To say this is enough to point out the great importance we will always give to the titles won in this very great football nation of France. “ Nasser Al-Khelaifi, PSG owner said.

PSG have won the title for the sixth time in seven season and the Parisian team could win the domestic double if they win the French Cup final against Rennes.

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PSG denied title win after drawing at home

Lisa Leroux — Tue, 09 Apr 2019 00:24:26 +0000

After another disappointing and crushing loss in the Champions League last month Paris Saint-Germain are putting all of their energy in winning the remaining trophies including being French champions. Although PSG are guaranteed to take the title by being 20 points ahead of the second place Ligue 1 team Lille, they may not be able to celebrate their title win in front of their fans.

After winning the French championship trophy the last seven years Thomas Tuchel’s team were almost guaranteed when second place Lille drew 1-1 at Reims. Last night the French team face Strasbourg who are 9th in Ligue 1 although they won the League Cup last weekend to most it was to be a sure win.

Image: ICI France

The match started out smoothly for the Parisian team with Cameroon international Choupo-Moting opening the score at the 13th minute. After holding possession for most of the first half Strasbourg surprised PSG with a counter attack and levelled the match 1-1 with a goal from Nuno Da Costa. Ten minutes later Strasbourg struck again with a stunning strike from Anthony Goncalves giving them the lead at Parc Des Princes. For the first time this season, PSG went into the second half a goal down.

Image: Reuters

PSG dominated for most of the second period but failed to take a shot on goal until first half hero Choupo Moting blocked teammate Nkuku from scoring as he blocked the ball on the line. He later explained.

“I wondered if I was offside and it all happened very fast. I touched the ball, it hit the post and, well, it’s a real shame because the ball was going in, sorry about that.”

At the 82nd minute the Parisian team levelled the score with a header from German international Kehrer. After multiple attempts by Mbappe who came in only in the last 30mn of the match and recently returned from injury Dani Alves, PSG failed to score another goal and secure the championship. They will have another opportunity this weekend playing against Lille, but this is another disappointment for their loyal fans and a tarnish on an otherwise unbeaten home run.

Lyon seek to stun Barcelona at the Camp Nou

Lisa Leroux — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 12:03:35 +0000

Olympique Lyonnais are hoping to create a bit of magic tonight at Camp Nou as they seek to beat FC Barcelona at home, a feat not achieved by many. Everything is still up in the air between the Spanish and French teams after both sides failed to score at the Lyon Olympic Stadium. History is on Barcelona’s side though, 68% of teams who play at home after a first leg draw go on to win the match.

After seeing their rivals Real Madrid win the trophy for the last three years, this year is a golden opportunity for Barcelona, especially with Real Madrid already exiting the competition. If the last three nights of Champions League have showed us anything though it is that football is unpredictable with Manchester United beating favourites Paris Saint Germain at home, and Real Madrid being knocked out by Ajax.

Both teams also have key players injured which may be a determining factor in the outcome of the match. On the Catalan side, Ousmane Dembele may be out following an injury while Rafinha and Thomas Varmaelen are both sure to miss the home game. For Lyon, vice-captain Marcelo is most likely to be out on with injury as well while Amine Gouiri will miss the match. One key difference between the first leg and the second for Lyon will be the return of World Cup winner Nabil Fekir who could be a real game changer.

Both teams are undefeated this year in the Champions League and both are coming from huge wins in their own championships. Barcelona have recently won two key matches over Real Madrid and Lyon ended Paris Saint Germain’s unbeaten streak giving them the confidence they may have needed to face FC Barcelona. Lyon have saved their best football for the big matches as we saw against Manchester City and PSG and will be hoping to keep the streak up in possibly their biggest match of the season.

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Will Lyon take Barcelona by surprise?

Lisa Leroux — Tue, 19 Feb 2019 00:00:45 +0000

Lyon face a giant task in front of them in the Champions League when they square off against Barcelona in their round of 16 clash. The Ligue 1 outfit face the current La Liga leaders in the knockout stage of the Champions League and although Barcelona as seen as the favourites, Lyon may be the team that takes the football world by surprise.

Photo Credit: Kick Off

Barcelona are usually favourites when it comes to the Champions League and are often expected to at least make it to the final four, but the Spanish team may struggle more than expected. Last year the Catalan club were also clear favourites when facing Roma before a shock elimination at the hands of the Italians.. The loss left a lasting impression on the squad and fans and this year. But they will be even more determined to win the trophy after watching rivals Real Madrid claim it three years in a row.

Lyon may be the underdog against Barcelona but they have all the cards needed to win being a young and intelligent team. Recently they stunned Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City and last weekend were the first Ligue 1 team to end Paris Saint-Germain’s winning streak. Les Gones also have great players that can make the difference, with Memphis Depay and World Cup winner Nabil Fekir the standouts.

Photo Credit: Getty

Barcelona have also struggled in the last few weeks especially with injuries with Ivan Rakitic off the field, Samuel Umtiti only recently making a return and Lionel Messi out during the Copa Del Rey match against Real Madrid. Although Barcelona have the more experienced and seasoned team, Lyon will be putting up a real fight and may take the Catalan team by surprise.

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FIN – Lyon end PSG’s undefeated streak

Lisa Leroux — Mon, 04 Feb 2019 22:57:54 +0000

Olypique Lyonnais sent a message to the rest of Europe this weekend by shocking Paris Saint Germain and Ligue 1 fans and ending their 20 game undefeated streak by beating them 2-1.

Although the Parisian team were the first to score with a goal from Di Maria at the 7th minute, Lyon quickly equalised with a goal from Moussa Dembele. In the second half Lyon took the lead after Thiago Silva conceded a penalty and France’s Nabil Fekir completed the scoring.

PSG are still 10 points clear of Lyon who are currently in 3rd place in the French league. PSG are now looking ahead to their biggest match the season in the Champions League against Pogba and Gunnar Solskjaer’s Manchester United and will be without Neymar for both legs.

“It’s difficult to say, we had chances as well,” PSG’s Draxler said when asked if Lyon deserved to win. “But they played very well in the first half. We knew beforehand that Lyon is a classy team.”

“It’s going to be a great clash against Manchester, to beat them we will have to be at 110 per cent. Solskjaer possibly walked away from here happy because we did not play really well.” Silva, was quoted by French sports daily L’Equipe on Monday.

After celebrating the huge win against the Ligue 1 frontrunners, Lyon should now have the confidence to face frontrunners FC Barcelona in the Champions League.

“Fear Barcelona? No, no it’s not the team’s style,” coach Genesio told reporters after his side’s win over Ligue 1’s runaway leaders.

“We were able to apply our game plan. We created a lot of chances in the first half and our equaliser was deserved. We then had the chance to score very early in the second half. We made a block and resisted the Parisian fury. “

Lyon have sent a clear message to FC Barcelona that they will be ready when playing the match of a lifetime. For PSG, the dream of being France’s les invincibles is over.

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FC Nantes and Ligue 1 Remember Emiliano Sala

Lisa Leroux — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 00:53:32 +0000

Wednesday was an emotional night for Ligue 1 and FC Nantes as they held a moving tribute to former player Emiliano Sala who disappeared last week along with pilot David Ibbotson. As the Nantes players walked out, with a somber look on their faces they were clad in t-shirts that read “We love you Emi”. Before the match began the team huddled together and were heard saying “We’re doing this for him boys” as opponents St. Etienne wore “Pray for Emi” shirts.

Fans around the Stade de la Beaujoire unveiled giant images of the 28-year-old including an Argentinian flag and a handful of Cardiff fans who made the trip to Nantes help up a banner reading ‘We never saw you play and never saw you score, but Emiliano our beautiful Bluebird we will love you forever more.’

In the ninth minute of the match, the same as Sala’s jersey number the referee stopped the match for a minute of silence as the stadium resounded with “Emiliano Sala” which reduced Nantes boss Vahid Halilhodzic to tears.

The match concluded in a draw with St Etienne scoring first, shortly followed by a crucial pass from Coulibaly to Abdul Waris who scored sparking emotional celebrations.

Sala scored 48 goals from 133 appearances for Nantes after spending four years with the Ligue 1 team before signing to Cardiff City earlier this month.

Last Monday he was on his way to the Welsh capital when his plane disappeared. A few days later after as rescuers announced they would stop the investigation, the football world came together following requests from the Sala family to keep searching. Fellow Argentines Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero also urged authorities to keep searching.

Aguero stated:

“We don’t want to give up, we want to hold on to hope. That’s why I also wish #NoDejenDeBuscar – don’t call off the search. From the start, my thoughts have been with Emiliano, his family and friends #PrayForSala“

After setting up a Gofundme page, Paris Saint-Germain players including Kylian Mbappe and Adrien Rabbit donated 30,000 euros each. Premier League players Ilkay Gundogan and Laurent Koscielny both donated 2,000 euro.

Earlier on Wednesday investigators stated they had found two cushions which they believe belong on the plane carrying Sala and Ibbotson.

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Can Fabregas save Monaco?

Lisa Leroux — Mon, 14 Jan 2019 13:36:54 +0000

On Sunday in Ligue 1 the most important match was certainly between Olympic de Marseille and Monaco. Although the match ended 1-1 with both teams splitting the points, another highlight was the newest recruit made by the Principality.

Cesc Fabregas signed a three year deal this week and joined former Arsenal teammate turned Monaco manager Thierry Henry to attempt to save Monaco from relegation. Fabregas played the full 90 minutes in the stalemate and boss Henry was happy to see his signing making his first minutes stating:

“Cesc evolved with the game. Minute after minute, he started to put his hand on the game and take that break.”

Monaco midfielder Youssef Ait-Bennasser, left, talks to Monaco midfielder Cesc Fabregas the Velodrome in Marseille. (AP Photo/Claude Paris)

It is no secret Henry’s Monaco have been struggling in Ligue 1 this year – those struggles are what led the former Monaco youngster to take up the reigns after Leonardo Jardim was sacked in October, but could his former teammate be the start of comeback for the principality?

After the announcement of his signing Fabregas tweeted,

“Wow. I’m honoured to announce that I will be starting an exciting journey with this wonderfully historic club,” Fàbregas tweeted. “AS Monaco will be my home for the next 3.5 years, and I cannot wait to start this new challenge.”

Image: Instagram Cesc Fabregas

After a successful four years at Chelsea which include two premiere league titles, one FA cup and one League cup Fabregas left a lasting imprint on Chelsea and the Premiere League as a whole. Chelsea posted an official message on their website,

“We thank Cesc for his wonderful service and wish him the very best of luck for the next chapter in what has been a fantastic career. There is no doubt Fàbregas’s place in the Chelsea history books is assured given his achievements over the past four-and-a-half seasons.”

With such an impact on the Premiere League, Henry is hoping the same thing will happen and that the Fabregas effect will work for Monaco as well. Monaco are currently 17th in Ligue 1 and are doing everything to avoid relegation.

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