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.
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
Neto treble fires Chelsea’s FA Cup rout of Hull
- It was an emotional evening for Blues boss Rosenior
KINGSTON UPON HULL: Chelsea eased into the FA Cup fifth round as Pedro Neto’s hat-trick inspired a 4-0 win at Hull on Liam Rosenior’s return to the club that sacked him two years ago.
Rosenior’s side took the lead through Neto’s superb first-half strike before the Portugal forward netted again after the break.
Estevao Willian scored Chelsea’s third and Neto completed his treble to wrap up the fourth round rout at the MKM Stadium.
It was an emotional evening for Blues boss Rosenior as he faced the club that ruthlessly severed their long relationship with him in 2024.
Rosenior supported Hull as a child alongside his season-ticket holding grandmother, played for the club across five years and managed them for two seasons.
He was sacked after narrowly failing to reach the Championship play-offs amid criticism of his team’s conservative tactics.
Despite the painful end to his time at Hull, the 41-year-old said it was an “amazing thing” to return to Humberside and he took full advantage of the chance to show his old club what they had missed out on.
“This club means a lot not just to me but also my family for many reasons,” Rosenior said.
“I do hope they make the Premier League this year, but because of our attitude and application, that is what gave us the platform to win tonight.”
Rosenior has made an impressive start at Chelsea since arriving from Strasbourg to replace Enzo Maresca in January, winning eight out of his first 11 matches in all competitions.
He made seven changes, with Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernandez and Joao Pedro among those to miss out, but Chelsea were still too strong for the Championship promotion chasers.
“Pedro Neto has been outstanding, he works so hard and has so much quality. I’m delighted to see him get the goals,” Rosenior said.
“The most pleasing aspect was the mentality. It was a really strong performance in terms of the mental application you need to be successful. Everyone worked really hard for each other.”
Chelsea dominated possession to such an extent that it was little surprise when they finally made the breakthrough in the 40th minute.
Liam Delap teed up Neto and he whipped a superb finish into the corner from 20 yards.
Andrey Santos’ towering header was pushed over by Dillon Phillips after the interval and, from the resulting corner, Chelsea doubled their lead in the 51st minute.
Neto’s inswinger caught Phillips flat-footed at the near post, bouncing through his legs without a touch from either team.
Chelsea had blown a two-goal advantage in their 2-2 draw with Leeds in the Premier League on Tuesday.
But there was no chance of a repeat and Estevao grabbed their third with a composed finish from 12 yards in the 59th minute.
Neto made it four in the 71st minute, caressing a low finish past Phillips from Delap’s lay-off.
Wrexham beat fellow Championship side Ipswich 1-0 in Friday’s other fourth round tie.
The Welsh club, owned by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac, are into the last 16 for the first time since 1996-97.
