PARIS: Ligue 1 leader Paris Saint-Germain host third-placed Strasbourg on Friday with just one point separating them.
While PSG’s position at the top is no surprise, Strasbourg — owned by Chelsea’s parent company BlueCo. since 2023 — are exceeding expectations.
The team feature homegrown talents and have been flourishing since English coach Liam Rosenior took over. This season, Strasbourg became the first team in the history of the five major European domestic leagues to field 11 starters born in 2000 or later, according to Ligue 1 statistics.
The faith in youth is bringing dividends. With 14 goals in seven matches — the third best attack in the league — and the competition’s top scorer, Argentine forward Joaquin Panichelli, Strasbourg travel to the Parc des Princes full of confidence after routing Angers 5-0 before the international break.
Key matchups
Behind PSG, Marseille and Lyon are level on points with Strasbourg. Combining defensive stability and attacking efficiency, Marseille will chase a sixth win against Le Havre on Saturday.
Lyon look to bounce back at Nice following a home loss against Toulouse.
Monaco’s new manager Sébastien Pocognoli gets his first taste of Ligue 1 at Angers. Monaco are fifth, three points behind PSG.
Players to watch
After struggling to live up to the early hype of becoming the next Lionel Messi at Barcelona, Ansu Fati has found a new lease on life at Monaco.
Fati joined the Principality side this summer on a season-long loan in a bid to revive his injury-hit career and, so far, it’s paying off.
Fati scored twice from the penalty spot in a 2-2 draw against Nice before the international break and set a new record: Since the 1947–1948 season, no player had needed so little time — just 126 minutes — to score five goals at the start of a Ligue 1 career with a new club.
He surpassed Johan Audel, who took 137 minutes for Valenciennes (2007–08) and Emmanuel Rivière, who needed 174 minutes for Monaco (2013–14).
Fati also is the league joint top scorer with Panichelli,
Out of action
Marseille striker Amine Gouiri could miss the Le Havre match after suffering a right shoulder injury in a collision with Uganda’s goalkeeper while playing for Algeria.
PSG will still be without captain Marquinhos but forward Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembélé could return in time for the Strasbourg match.
Off the field
The hot topic of the week is Dembélé’s future at PSG ,and the club’s need to re-evaluate his wages following his Ballon d’Or win.
According to L’Équipe newspaper, PSG plan to capitalize on the 28-year-old’s achievement to boost their global image and attract new sponsorships. However, the club must renegotiate his contract which runs until 2028.
L’Équipe estimates Dembélé earns more than 1.5 million euros ($1.7 million) per month — the highest salary in the squad — and reported that his representatives are seeking a raise that reflects his new status, his impressive 2024 season (35 goals, 16 assists), and his growing influence within the team.
But with tighter financial fair play rules and reduced TV revenues, PSG are wary of returning to the wage levels once paid to Messi and Neymar (around 30 million euros net annually).
Exciting Strasbourg youngsters face PSG test in Ligue 1
https://arab.news/peq8r
Exciting Strasbourg youngsters face PSG test in Ligue 1
- While PSG’s position at the top is no surprise, Strasbourg are exceeding expectations
- This season, Strasbourg became the first team in the history of the five major European domestic leagues to field 11 starters born in 2000 or later
UAE dethrone Algeria as Jordan edge Iraq to reach Arab Cup semi-finals
- Jordan repeat Asian Cup triumph over Iraq with a 1-0 victory, Ali Olwan scoring from the spot for the 4th time in 4 consecutive matches
- UAE end Algeria’s reign as Arab Cup champions with a 7-6 penalty-shootout win after the game ends 1-1
DOHA: The UAE and Jordan booked their places in the Arab Cup semi-finals on a dramatic day of quarter-final action in which the defending champions were eliminated and a regional rivalry was renewed.
Jordan repeated their Asian Cup triumph over Iraq with another narrow victory, as Ali Olwan extended his remarkable streak of scoring from the spot to four consecutive matches.
His first-half penalty was the only goal in a cagey encounter with few clear-cut chances for either side. Jordan dominated early on but were dealt a blow when star forward Yazan Al-Naimat was forced off with a knee injury.
Iraq improved after the break, with the talismanic Ali Jasim injecting a sense of urgency and twice drawing smart saves from Yazeed Abulaila, first with a fierce long-range strike and then a driven effort moments later.
Jordan nearly sealed the victory with a second goal late on when Mohannad Abu Taha, who scored with a spectacular long-range strike earlier in the tournament, hammered another powerful attempt just wide.
Nevertheless, the Jordanians held firm to set up a semi-final clash with Saudi Arabia on Monday.
The second quarter-final delivered even more drama, as the UAE ended Algeria’s reign as Arab Cup champions with a sudden-death, penalty-shootout win.
Algeria dominated the opening half and twice found the net, only for both goals to be ruled out. They finally made their pressure count just 50 seconds after the restart, when Adil Boulbina fired home after Yacine Brahimi’s strike was parried into his path.
The UAE had struggled to gain a foothold in the game but hit back through Bruno, who converted a pinpoint, inswinging cross from Yahya Al-Ghassani midway through the second half.
As Algeria pressed for a winner they were nearly punished at the end of regulation time when Lucas Pimenta’s fine header forced a sharp save from Farid Chaal.
Extra time offered chances for Brahimi and substitute Zakaria Draoui to put Algeria ahead again, but the breakthrough never came.
And so to the shootout, in which the UAE goalkeeper, Hamad Almeqbaali, denied Mohammed Khacef before Richard Akonnor coolly dispatched the decisive kick to make it 7-6 on penalties and set up a semi-final clash with Morocco, also on Monday.
