French Ligue 1
Neymar-less PSG Uninspiring Against Montpellier
Neymar has proved how important he is as his Paris Saint-Germain lost their perfect start in the Ligue 1 season struggling to a goalless draw with Montpellier in Saturday match in which the injured Brazilian did not feature.
The world’s most expensive player was also rested to ensure his fitness for Tuesday’s Champions League clash against Bayern Munich. In his absence, PSG were uninspiring in attack against a stubborn Montpellier side playing in a 5-4-1 formation.
Rising star Kylian Mbappe had the best of the visitors’ chances, but the 18-year-old was profligate in front of goal as Unai Emery’s men could only extend their lead at the top of the table over reigning champions Monaco to one point.
PSG started slowly as Montpellier comfortably kept them at arm’s length.
The visitors unsurprisingly had most of the ball, but Montpellier looked a threat on the counter-attack with the pace of Claude Ninga up front.
Without Neymar pulling the strings, Paris were toothless for the first 45 minutes, with some players perhaps keeping one eye on the Bayern game.
PSG did finally create a decent chance shortly after the restart, as Montpellier threw away possession on the edge of their own area and Mbappe curled a tame shot straight at home goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte.
The teenager, who will become the world’s second-most expensive player behind Neymar when he completes his permanent transfer from Monaco next year, should have broken the deadlock, but headed wide when unmarked from only a few yards out.
Mbappe was starting to make an impact, as he raced through on goal only to scuff his shot and allow the home defence to clear.
PSG coach, Emery belatedly made his first change in the 66th minute with Lucas Moura replacing the ineffective Julian Draxler.
Striker Edinson Cavani, who missed a penalty last week after an argument with Neymar, had an appeal for a spot-kick waved away after going down in a heap under a potentially goal-saving tackle from defender Pedro Mendes.
Last season’s runners-up were left frustrated by Montpellier’s organisation as they mustered only one shot on target.
On Friday, Monaco had put the pressure on PSG at the summit as Radamel Falcao took his goal tally for the season to 11 with a brace in a 4-0 thrashing of Lille.
The champions were barely made to sweat by their pitiful hosts, whose coach Marcelo Bielsa is now under serious pressure after a six-match winless run.
Jean-Louis Gasset who was sacked by Cote d’Ivoire after the group stage of the Africa Cup of Nations last January has announced his retirement as a coach of Olympique de Marseille.
He will take charge of his last game on Sunday before retiring from management, the 70-year-old said on Friday.
Gasset was appointed as interim manager by the Ligue 1 club in February after the sacking of Gennaro Gattuso, and Marseille are eight in the standings going into their final Ligue 1 game of the season at Le Havre.
“Sunday will be the last match of my career,” Gasset told a press conference.
“That I stay in football, that my experience, my ideas and my networks are used is a possibility. I don’t know how to garden, I won’t have anything to do. But as a coach, it’s over.”
The Frenchman’s previous job was with Ivory Coast from which he was sacked after the team’s poor performances in the Africa Cup of Nations group stage. They scraped through as the last lucky losers before going on to win the tournament on home soil.
-Reuters
Kylian Mbappe has backed winger Ousmane Dembele to be a success at Paris St Germain and fill his boots after he exits the club, as he won his fifth successive Ligue 1 Player of the Year award.
France captain Mbappe, 25, last week announced that he will leave the French champions at the end of the season after a seven-year stay, during which he became their all-time top scorer with 256 goals.
Mbappe’s frustration lies with PSG’s performances in the Champions League, a trophy they have never lifted despite huge investment in the squad. He has been heavily linked with a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid, who are in the final this year seeking a 15th European crown.
His 26-year-old compatriot Dembele joined the Parisian club, who have won 10 of the last 12 Ligue 1 titles, from LaLiga side Barcelona in August last year, signing a five-year deal.
“I have shared and played with incredible players, like Dembele who is here, he is a friend and one day he will pick up this award,” Mbappe said on Monday at the award ceremony.
“I thank the club as a whole, the coach, who has helped me and trusted me, his staff, the doctors, all the people at the club, the sporting management, the president, the shareholders of the club, of course, the Emir of Qatar who came to find me at the age of 18, who has accompanied me in all my decisions…”
He said his next chapter is going to be very exciting but did not reveal any further details.
“Now I’m turning the page in my life. Everything that comes next is super exciting, but that’s another subject,” Mbappe said.
“Thank you all, I’m going to miss you. I have always tried to do my best, and I also want to thank my family, who have always been with me in good times and bad.
“My father, who is here, I know that it was very important to him that I made history in Ligue 1 before I left and I think that with humility I have done everything you wanted.”
-Reuters
France captain Kylian Mbappe has informed Paris St Germain that he is leaving the club in July as a free agent seven years after joining them, The Athletic website reported on Thursday.
Mbappe, a member of France’s 2018 World Cup-winning team, signed for PSG from Monaco in 2017 for 180 million euros ($194 million) to become the second most expensive player ever after Brazilian Neymar, who joined the French champions the same year for 222 million euros.
“Mbappe has communicated his decision to PSG but the terms of his exit are yet to be fully agreed. An official announcement is expected once the situation is finalised in the next few months,” the report said.
The 25-year-old striker, who helped the capital club win five Ligue 1 titles and three French Cups, is PSG’s all-time leading scorer with 243 goals in 290 appearances.
PSG have not responded to a request for comment.
Mbappe last year sent a letter to PSG stating that he would not take up the option to extend his contract by a year when it expires in June.
He has long been linked with Real Madrid, reportedly rejecting a 200 million euro ($215.36 million) offer in 2021. He was again set for a move to the LaLiga side in 2022 before announcing a contract extension with PSG before the transfer window opened.
PSG, who lead the Ligue 1 standings by 11 points, host Nice on Friday.
-Reuters
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