PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain head into the Champions League knockout phase in rude health, with their crushing domination against domestic opposition making a Ligue 1 and French Cup double look highly likely and leaving them in a strong position to keep advancing in Europe.
Luis Enrique’s team head into Friday’s home clash with Monaco with a 10-point lead over Marseille at the top of Ligue 1, with the principality side a further three points behind in third.
Even a slip-up in that game against another of France’s Champions League representatives is unlikely to stop them in their procession toward a fourth straight league title, and their 11th in 13 seasons.
In midweek they eased to an uneventful 2-0 win away to third-tier Le Mans to secure a place in the French Cup quarter-finals.
The fact that almost all of their most serious rivals domestically have already been eliminated from that competition means it would be an enormous surprise if the Parisians did not now claim a record-extending 16th French Cup triumph.
PSG have not lost to French opponents in 27 games stretching back to last May, when they were beaten 3-1 at home by Toulouse having already secured the Ligue 1 title.
That is their only loss in their last 60 meetings with domestic opponents since September 2023, a record which speaks volumes for their absolutely enormous financial advantage over the rest of French football.
The Qatar-owned club’s revenue for 2024 of almost 806 million euros ($837m) put them third in the world, behind only Real Madrid and Manchester City, in analysts Deloitte’s recently published Football Money League.
The only other French clubs in the top 30 were Marseille and Lyon, whose combined revenue totalled 551 million euros.
Put simply, no wonder PSG’s French rivals cannot compete, and it does not augur well for Brest, who must now face Luis Enrique’s team in the knockout phase play-offs of the Champions League.
The first leg takes place in Brittany next Tuesday, with the return in Paris on Feb. 19.
Brest’s entire budget for this season is reported to be just under 50 million euros.
All of which means PSG should make it through to the last 16 in Europe, where either Liverpool or Barcelona await.
Meanwhile in Paris the possibility is already being raised of PSG going through the entire season without losing a game domestically.
“Records are not an objective for us,” said Luis Enrique on Friday when asked about the possibility of establishing that new record.
“What is important is to win titles. If those come with records, that is marvellous, but that is not the aim.”
The 27-year-old’s transformation from a devilish dribbler on the wing to lethal central striker has been remarkable.
The France international has scored 14 goals in his last nine appearances for PSG, going back to mid-December. Prior to that he had scored 11 times in 59 games for the capital club since arriving from Barcelona in 2023.
Dembele scored back-to-back hat-tricks against VfB Stuttgart, in the Champions League, and Brest before being rested for the win at Le Mans in midweek to keep him fresh for the coming games.
He became the first player in PSG history to score hat-tricks in successive matches — something the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Edinson Cavani, Neymar and Lionel Messi were all unable to achieve.
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PSG’s crushing domination leaves no hope for domestic rivals
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PSG’s crushing domination leaves no hope for domestic rivals
- PSG have not lost to French opponents in 27 games stretching back to last May
- The first leg takes place in Brittany next Tuesday, with the return in Paris on Feb. 19
South Africa coach looks to ‘maintain intensity’ against Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe meanwhile have stunned Australia and co-hosts Sri Lanka in the group stages
“They’ve done their bit to qualify for the Super Eights, they’ve had a fantastic tournament, our neighbors,” said Prince
NEW DELHI: Unbeaten South Africa look to “maintain discipline and intensity” in their last Super Eights match of the T20 World Cup against Zimbabwe, batting coach Ashwell Prince said Saturday.
The 2024 runners-up have already secured a semifinal place ahead of their match in New Delhi on Sunday.
The Aiden Markram-led side will take to the pitch in the dead rubber game after scoring convincing wins over hot favorites India and two-time champions West Indies in the Super Eights.
Zimbabwe meanwhile have stunned Australia and co-hosts Sri Lanka in the group stages.
“I think you’ve got to respect the opposition — they’ve done their bit to qualify for the Super Eights, they’ve had a fantastic tournament, our neighbors,” said Prince.
“From our point of view, we’ve been really sharp and what we want to ensure is that we maintain that discipline and intensity and that we don’t drop off as far as those are concerned.”
South Africa had just one close shave against Afghanistan in a group game they won in a double super over, while all the other victories have been fairly comfortable.
But former South Africa batter Prince said victory is all that matters.
“Obviously winning creates good momentum,” he said.
“I don’t think there’s a right or wrong way of doing it or an ideal way — I think it’s nice not to have a lot of close games, but I think close games definitely help in terms of team morale.”
South Africa beat Australia in the World Test Championship final in June 2025 to win their first major International Cricket Council trophy and shrug off their “chokers” tag.
Prince said the triumph has done a world of good for the players.
“Getting over the line in the World Test Championship was a big moment for us... as a cricketing nation and for this group of players,” said Prince.
“And what that creates is a lot of confidence within your teammates and trust that whenever they are going to be called upon and when the moment presents itself, they can step up.”
Markram has led the team from the front with his 264 runs including three half-centuries an an unbeaten 82 in their previous nine-wicket win over the West Indies.
“The phrase that my kids would use is he’s really locked in at the moment in terms of his focus, his batting and in terms of his captaincy,” said Prince.
“And at the same time the rest of the players are enjoying each other’s company.”
“They’ve done their bit to qualify for the Super Eights, they’ve had a fantastic tournament, our neighbors,” said Prince
NEW DELHI: Unbeaten South Africa look to “maintain discipline and intensity” in their last Super Eights match of the T20 World Cup against Zimbabwe, batting coach Ashwell Prince said Saturday.
The 2024 runners-up have already secured a semifinal place ahead of their match in New Delhi on Sunday.
The Aiden Markram-led side will take to the pitch in the dead rubber game after scoring convincing wins over hot favorites India and two-time champions West Indies in the Super Eights.
Zimbabwe meanwhile have stunned Australia and co-hosts Sri Lanka in the group stages.
“I think you’ve got to respect the opposition — they’ve done their bit to qualify for the Super Eights, they’ve had a fantastic tournament, our neighbors,” said Prince.
“From our point of view, we’ve been really sharp and what we want to ensure is that we maintain that discipline and intensity and that we don’t drop off as far as those are concerned.”
South Africa had just one close shave against Afghanistan in a group game they won in a double super over, while all the other victories have been fairly comfortable.
But former South Africa batter Prince said victory is all that matters.
“Obviously winning creates good momentum,” he said.
“I don’t think there’s a right or wrong way of doing it or an ideal way — I think it’s nice not to have a lot of close games, but I think close games definitely help in terms of team morale.”
South Africa beat Australia in the World Test Championship final in June 2025 to win their first major International Cricket Council trophy and shrug off their “chokers” tag.
Prince said the triumph has done a world of good for the players.
“Getting over the line in the World Test Championship was a big moment for us... as a cricketing nation and for this group of players,” said Prince.
“And what that creates is a lot of confidence within your teammates and trust that whenever they are going to be called upon and when the moment presents itself, they can step up.”
Markram has led the team from the front with his 264 runs including three half-centuries an an unbeaten 82 in their previous nine-wicket win over the West Indies.
“The phrase that my kids would use is he’s really locked in at the moment in terms of his focus, his batting and in terms of his captaincy,” said Prince.
“And at the same time the rest of the players are enjoying each other’s company.”
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