Sports
Luis Enrique: PSG ‘didn’t deserve’ to win UEFA Super Cup
Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique said his side “didn’t deserve” to win the UEFA Super Cup after they produced a dramatic late rally to beat Tottenham Hotspur in a penalty shootout on Wednesday.
Nuno Mendes converted the clinching spot kick in the shootout to complete a PSG comeback that looked unlikely when Tottenham held a 2-0 lead in the 85th minute of regulation in the annual match between the most recent winners of the Champions League and Europa League.
And Luis Enrique said the contrasting fitness levels of the two teams was evident, with his side having only just resumed training following their run to the final of the Club World Cup last month.
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“For 80 minutes we didn’t deserve that, I think Tottenham deserved to win the match because they were in form, they were training for six weeks and they played a great match,” Luis Enrique told TNT Sports.
“We have been training only for six days but sometimes football is unfair. I have to say we were very lucky in the last 10 minutes that we could score two goals.”
Lee Kang-in gave PSG hope by reducing the deficit with a fierce shot into the bottom corner and fellow substitute Gonçalo Ramos grabbed an equalizer in the fourth minute of stoppage time to make it 2-2 at Stadio Friuli in Udine.
Even then, Tottenham moved into position to pull off an upset by taking a 2-0 lead in the shootout after Vitinha‘s first-up miss for PSG. However, Micky van de Ven and Mathys Tel failed from the spot for Spurs and PSG scored four penalties in a row, the last of which was slammed home by Mendes.
“My players had faith until the last minute, like our supporters,” Luis Enique said.
It was quite the debut for Lucas Chevalier, a goalkeeper who has just joined from Lille and taken over as first choice at PSG from Gianluigi Donnarumma — regarded by many as the world’s best goalie.
Chevalier was unlucky in conceding Tottenham’s opening goal in the 39th, tipping Joao Palhinha’s shot onto the crossbar only for Van de Ven to show quick reactions and prod home.
He was to blame, though, for the second after failing to keep out a header from newly appointed Tottenham captain Cristian Romero in the 48th.
Chevalier finished the evening by saving a penalty by Van de Ven in the shootout, a match tiebreaker in which Donnarumma often thrives. The Italian might have been watching from home, having not traveled to Italy on Tuesday before announcing he’d be leaving PSG.
“It shows a big personality, which is so important to have if you want to stay at a club like PSG because there’s a lot of pressure around us,” Enrique said. “But I’m very happy for him because it shows a lot of personality.”
Added PSG midfielder Vitinha: “That’s really the definition of team because once someone fails you have to help your colleague get back up and we still won. And that’s really incredible because on another day someone else will fail and someone will step up.”
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
The Copa Libertadores trophy won by Flamengo on Saturday was damaged during the team’s title celebrations.
Flamengo beat Palmeiras 1-0 in the final in Lima, Peru, to become the first Brazilian club to lift the prestigious cup four times.
Flamengo players and staff had a victory parade on the streets of Rio de Janeiro on Sunday afternoon, with an estimated 500,000 people joining in the celebrations.
Players and staff took turns to lift the cup during the parade and images showed that the top part of the trophy, which consists of a figurine of a footballer ready to kick a ball, was wrapped in what appeared to be masking tape.
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The figurine had earlier been broken.
Flamengo will be hoping to wrap up the Brazilian league title on Wednesday when they take on Ceara in front of their own fans in Rio’s Maracana stadium.
They are five points clear of Palmeiras at the top of the standings with two games remaining.
Former England cricketer Moeen Ali has announced his return to the Pakistan Super League (PSL), saying he was excited to be part of the league’s “new era”.
After the 10th edition of the PSL earlier this year, the league is set for an expansion to eight teams, with the addition of two new franchises.
Meanwhile, Moeen, who has previously featured in the marquee league when he represented former champions Multan Sultans in the 2020 and 2021 editions, expressed his eagerness to rejoin the league.
Moeen stated that the PSL, since its advent in 2016, has “earned a reputation for top-level T20 cricket”, featuring close competition and talented players.
“I’m really excited to be joining HBL PSL in its New Era. The league has earned a reputation for top-level T20 cricket, with high-quality competition and world-class talent across every team,” Moeen wrote on Instagram.
The 38-year-old, who represented England in 68 Tests, 138 ODIs and 92 T20Is during his illustrious career, was also a part of the Three Lions squad that made its historic tour of Pakistan in 2022 to play a three-match Test series. Besides that, Moeen has made several visits to the country.
Reflecting on his previous experiences in Pakistan, Moeen said that he enjoyed playing in the country and specifically praised the enthusiastic crowd, which he said pushes players to give their best on the field.
“Playing in Pakistan is always incredible; quality of cricket is outstanding and the passion and intensity from the crowd push you to bring your best,” he continued.
“I’m looking forward to being part of it all and creating some great memories along the way. Ready for another special experience Insha’Allah!”
His announcement comes just days after former South African captain Faf du Plessis pulled out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) to play in the upcoming PSL season.
In a post on Instagram on November 29, the renowned cricketer said that he would not put his name in the IPL auction this year.
“It’s a big decision, and one that comes with a lot of gratitude when I look back,” he wrote in his post.
The receiver has been plagued by injuries, but Sunday night against the Broncos, he gave Washington something to talk about other than a seventh straight loss.
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