Month: February 2023

Kylian Mbappe became Paris Saint-Germain’s joint-record scorer and Lionel Messi hit the 700th goal of his senior club career as the Ligue 1 leaders thrashed rivals Marseille 3-0 on Sunday.

Mbappe and Messi exchanged assists as the visitors stormed into a 2-0 half-time lead, with the Argentine’s tap-in taking him to 700 goals in senior football for Barcelona and PSG.

The duo saved the best for after the break, however, with Mbappe volleying Messi’s dinked pass home to join Edinson Cavani on 200 PSG goals on a memorable night for Christophe Galtier’s men. 

The result took PSG eight points clear of Marseille at the Ligue 1 summit, easing the pressure which had begun to build on Galtier following their underwhelming start to 2023.

PSG suffered an early setback when a tearful Presnel Kimpembe was carried off injured, but they hit the front 25 minutes in as Messi found space to send Mbappe through on goal, with the striker applying an unerring finish.

Mbappe repaid the favour four minutes later, combining with Nuno Mendes on the break before teeing Messi up for a tap-in with a pinpoint low cross.

Messi should have had a second when he somehow blazed over from just six yards out, before Marquinhos fired narrowly wide of the bottom-left corner after beating the hosts’ offside trap.

Mbappe nodded Vitinha’s cross narrowly wide of the left-hand post six minutes after the restart, but the France star had his landmark goal four minutes later. 

A flowing move ended with Messi scooping a wonderful ball into the path of Mbappe, who lashed a left-footed volley beyond Pau Lopez to effectively end the contest.

Alexis Sanchez and Marseille’s Vitinha went close to pulling one back, but Gianluigi Donnarumma denied both with sharp saves to preserve PSG’s clean sheet. 

What does it mean? PSG pull clear as Marseille torn apart

With Marseille entering Sunday’s game having posted seven league wins since the World Cup, PSG – who had lost three of their last four on the road – were said to be facing a serious battle to retain their domestic title.

However, Mbappe and Messi stunned a boisterous home crowd into silence with a remarkable display as PSG opened up a commanding lead at the top of Ligue 1.  

Mbappe claims a share of history

Mbappe had already applied one cool finish and laid on a goal for Messi when he capped a wonderful display by claiming a share of PSG history – joining Cavani on 200 goals for the club with his second-half volley.

The striker has plundered 29 of those goals this season – only Manchester City’s Erling Haaland has scored more (33) among players from Europe’s top five leagues.

Messi mesmerises again

PSG were without Neymar after the Brazilian suffered an injury in last week’s dramatic 4-3 win over Lille, but his absence was not felt as Mbappe and Messi linked up in excellent fashion.

Mbappe and Messi have now exchanged 10 assists for one another in Ligue 1 this season, at least four more than any other pair of players in the competition (Mbappe and Neymar are second with six). 

What’s next?

PSG host Nantes in their next Ligue 1 contest on Saturday, while Marseille face second-tier opponents Annecy in the Coupe de France quarter-finals on Wednesday.

Thomas Muller showed he remains indispensable to Bayern Munich as the veteran was thankful to play a full part in the 3-0 demolition of Union Berlin.

With two assists, setting up goals for Kingsley Coman and Jamal Musiala, the old man of Bayern’s midfield showed he can still deliver at the cutting edge.

Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting got the first goal, with Bayern three to the good by the interval and the game essentially won. Musiala’s goal came on his 20th birthday, and the win came in the wake of a midweek team get-together amid a results crisis.

With Muller captaining the side in the absence of injured goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, he found himself sacrificed just 16 minutes into Bayern’s previous Bundesliga game at Borussia Monchengladbach after defender Dayot Upamecano was sent off.

Julian Nagelsmann sent on Joao Cancelo to strengthen the backline, and Bayern went on to lose 3-2 on that occasion as the 33-year-old Muller watched powerlessly, frustrated to have been hauled off so early.

“It’s clear that I didn’t enjoy it,” he said of that experience on Sunday, looking back.

But Muller stressed it also “wasn’t a huge issue”, telling DAZN: “The coach made the decision and of course every player – including me – always has the feeling that he can give the team something, even if he’s outnumbered, to win a game.

“We want to win a lot and it’s also about everyone accepting tough decisions in the interests of the team and showing the reaction the next day in training – and not showing off in any way.”

Bayern’s players gathered together this week for an evening team meeting, head coach Julian Nagelsmann revealed.

It came amid their dip in results, with Union and Borussia Dortmund joining leaders Bayern on the same points mark heading into the latest round of games, putting hopes of an 11th consecutive title in some peril.

However, Bayern swept Union aside dismissively, and while Muller came off for a rest in the 87th minute, it was with the job done and to acclaim. The meeting seems to have had a positive effect already.

Dortmund continue to keep pace with Bayern, and there is a Klassiker coming up that could tilt the title race either way, but Bayern showed enough against Union to suggest they are moving in the right direction again.

The expected goals comparison between the teams underlined Bayern’s dominance, with Nagelsmann’s team posting xG of 3.56 to Union’s meagre 0.35, reflecting the quality and volume of the chances that came their way.

Quoted further on Bayern’s official website, Muller said Bayern’s display against Union was “really lively”.

“For example, the way we managed to break free in attack. We need to be active like that,” he said. “We were always on the move and aggressive in the tackle. For me, it was a lot of fun to be so involved in such moments. It was a good game.

“We weren’t top at kick-off, so had to do something about that. It was a good step but counts for nothing next week. We have to deliver again. I’m happy we made that step. You have to play that way against Union. It was the first small step towards the kind of football we want to play.”

Nagelsmann described Bayern’s win as a “benchmark” result.

He added: “We were dominant in all areas. We had 10-12 big chances and gave little away.

“Union are not a team that give you many chances – that in itself makes it a good performance from us. We trained well and talked a lot. We wanted to show what we expect of ourselves. We played very well today.”

Confirming the players’ meeting, Nagelsmann said: “There was a team evening, which is nothing earth-shattering, but where the team talked about what they wanted. I think it bore fruit today.

“The medicine at Bayern is easy to administer: you just have to win, then it’s always calm. If you don’t win, there’s never calm.”

David de Gea believes Manchester United can add more trophies to their EFL Cup success this season after swatting aside Newcastle United at Wembley.

Casemiro’s header and a Sven Botman own goal saw Erik ten Hag’s side break a six-year silverware drought with a 2-0 victory on Sunday.

De Gea, who broke fellow goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel’s record for the most clean sheets at the club with his 181st shutout, added another medal to his United collection.

But with the club still competing for success in the Premier League, FA Cup and Europa League this season, the Spaniard is hopeful they can keep on winning.

“We are still in three competitions, and we have the chance to win more trophies,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live. “I feel the mentality of the team is a winning one.

“I’ve been here a long time, so it means a lot for me. I’m emotional because it has been so long without a trophy. I’m happy here for the fans.

“We’ve been in a couple of finals [that] we lost, so we knew today we had to do it. We were against a difficult side, but I’m so proud of the team.”

On passing Schmeichel’s record, De Gea acknowledged he was thrilled by the achievement, though he stressed it was a combined effort.

“To win the final and break the record in the same day is unbelievable,” De Gea said. “I love this team, so it’s a great moment. People are having an impact from the bench too.”

De Gea was just one of two players from Sunday’s team, alongside Marcus Rashford, who featured in the matchday squad the last time United won the EFL Cup, against Southampton in 2017.

The former Atletico Madrid shot-stopper said United would celebrate “the start of a new era” in ending their drought, telling Sky Sports: “The team is ready for everything.

“It is a great moment for us. Let’s enjoy [it] and be ready again. We showed today we can win trophies. [We will] enjoy the moment but [we will] go again.”

Erik ten Hag wants his Manchester United players to celebrate winning the EFL Cup, before targeting further success.

A header from Casemiro and a Sven Botman own goal in the first half gave United a 2-0 win over Newcastle United in Sunday’s final at Wembley.

It brought an end to six years without a trophy for the club, and handed manager Ten Hag another sign of improvement since his arrival.

“You have to celebrate,” he said at a post-match press conference, with the cup on display in front of him. “This is not a common day, [we] won a trophy.

“This trophy means something, that’s the feeling I get in the UK. We have to celebrate but after that you have to keep going.”

He added: “[We] know that it’s worth [it] to invest, to suffer, to sacrifice, and to know that you have to give every day your best to [allow you to eventually] celebrate.

“It’s about glory and honour and if you want to win something, you have to do it.”

The win came just three days after United’s victory against Barcelona in the Europa League playoff round, and Ten Hag was delighted with the energy his team showed so shortly after such a big performance.

“It’s a massive performance that tells you we are fit, physically and mentally, we had energy. I think it was a great performance,” he said.

Ten Hag left Ajax for United at the end of last season, and explained his “love” for the club led to him agreeing to join, before suggesting his players need to leave their own legacy over the next few years.

“Maybe it was a risk [to leave Ajax] but I am a little bit stubborn,” he said. “I really love United, when I see the shirts, when I see the legacy of Alex Ferguson… this team needs to make its own legacy. When this opportunity came I thought this was the right team for me, I wanted to be part of it.”

Club owner Avram Glazer was in attendance at Wembley and celebrated with Ten Hag and the players after the win.

“He was really happy for the club, as owner, he really wanted to be part of it,” Ten Hag said. “You could see that when he was in the dressing room. It was good that he could be part of it.”

Ten Hag then left the press conference, having to be reminded not to forget the trophy before he exited, joking that he would have to win more to replace it.

Barcelona coach Xavi acknowledged he was “very p***ed off” by his side’s loss to Almeria, as the Blaugrana suffered just a second LaLiga defeat of the season.

A superb first-half finish from El Bilal Toure secured the spoils for the hosts at Power Horse Stadium, lifting them out of the relegation zone as they dealt a blow to the league leaders.

Despite the result, Barca remain clear at the summit, seven points ahead of rivals Real Madrid, who they meet in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final tie on Thursday.

But that cushion did little to stem Xavi’s ire afterwards, with the Spaniard sparring little excuse for his team’s lacklustre performance.

“[I am] very p***ed off,” he said. “We played the worst game of our season, especially in the first half. We lacked intensity and rhythm.

“We didn’t show passion to win the game. In the second half, we were better, but it was a difficult game. We are still leaders by seven points.

“We made mistakes and we apologise to the fans. It will be difficult to win LaLiga, but we have to change the chip now [for the Copa del Rey]].”

Xavi played down suggestions his side showed a lack of passion in their efforts however, suggesting it came down more to a tired team suffering from a recent heavy schedule.

“We noticed a bit of fatigue,” he added. “That’s why we have made rotations. That’s why we have changed players. We’ve played a lot of games.

“But a golden opportunity has been lost. We could have had 10 points [as a lead]. It has been a bad day.”

Eddie Howe could not hide his disappointment after Newcastle United were beaten 2-0 by Manchester United in the EFL Cup final, but the Magpies boss was still “proud” of his players.

Two first-half goals at Wembley took the game away from Newcastle, with Casemiro heading in a Luke Shaw free-kick before Sven Botman deflected Marcus Rashford’s shot over stand-in goalkeeper Loris Karius.

Newcastle had been hoping to win their first trophy since the 1969 Fairs Cup, but had to look on as they lost to the same team and by the same score they had suffered in their last major final, the 1999 FA Cup.

“Naturally, I’m disappointed,” Howe said at his post-match press conference. “I’m pleased with how we played. We were really good between both boxes but the penalty area is where games are won and lost. We weren’t clinical enough.

“I’ve got no regrets with how we set up. We wanted to be brave as we have been all season; [we wanted to] have a go at Manchester United. It was a strange game, not much goalmouth action.

“I can’t fault the players but the game was decided in big moments. We didn’t defend the free-kick well enough.”

Howe was pleased with the performance of his third-choice goalkeeper Karius, who came in with Nick Pope suspended and Martin Dubravka cup-tied.

“Karius did really well,” he said about the German, who made seven saves. “His demeanour and distribution were good… he can be really proud of his efforts today.”

Howe confirmed that Bruno Guimaraes, who came off with 12 minutes remaining, had twisted his ankle, adding that he did not think it was serious but would await further news.

Newcastle have gone four games without a win in all competitions (D2 L2), but Howe believes his team is playing well and is just missing the final finish, having scored just twice across those four games.

“I think the team’s playing well, just maybe not as free-scoring as we were,” he said. “It is the hardest challenge for any team. We had a lot of moments today where we could have opened them up and that’s something we’ll need to improve.”

There was an impressive showing from Newcastle’s fans, who made plenty of noise and supported their team throughout at Wembley.

“We felt nothing but support and love [from the fans],” Howe added. “It’s so important that the players can play in a supportive environment. The scenes when we drove in [to the stadium] were exceptional, probably my words don’t do it justice.”

Manchester United’s EFL Cup final win over Newcastle United is “just the beginning” for the Erik ten Hag era, says Red Devils full-back Luke Shaw.

Two goals in six first-half minutes helped United end a six-year wait for a trophy in Sunday’s final, as Shaw’s free-kick was nodded in by Casemiro before Marcus Rashford forced an own goal from Sven Botman. 

Ten Hag is now the first United boss to deliver major silverware since Jose Mourinho, and the Dutchman’s rejuvenated side remain in contention to win a further three competitions this season.

With crucial fixtures in the Premier League, Europa League and FA Cup on the horizon, Shaw called on United’s current crop to leave their mark on the club’s illustrious history.

“It feels amazing. We said before that we want to create our own history here with the new team and the new manager, and I think [this] was the start of it,” he told Sky Sports.

“I think the connection now is easy to see, we feel the love from the fans and we hope they feel the same from us. 

“We wanted to start with a trophy and this is just the beginning for us.”

Fellow England international Rashford echoed Shaw’s thoughts, calling for United to use Sunday’s win as inspiration in their hunt for further silverware.

“It’s massive for us to be involved in these games, it’s something that we’ve missed as a club,” Rashford said. “To come all this way and go on and win it, it’s a massive feeling.

“Hopefully it pushes us to keep going now. The hunger is to have more moments like this. I’ve been in finals where we’ve won and where we’ve lost, and when you win it’s massive for the club.

“It’s part of our history at the club and we want to keep adding to that. I’m buzzing with the result.

“We want to be involved in a lot of games and staying in competitions. If we want to win things we have to keep pushing and keep going for everything.”

United benefitted from another outstanding midfield performance from Casemiro at Wembley, while he became just the third Brazilian to net in an EFL Cup final with his header – after both Philippe Coutinho and Fernandinho did so in 2016.

Asked about Casemiro’s impact, Rashford added: “He makes a huge difference with his leadership and experience in big games, it’s huge for us. 

“When he’s on the pitch you feel that sense of security behind you. I’m buzzing for him, for his first trophy for the club.”

Erik ten Hag is convinced success can breed success at Manchester United after the Red Devils’ trophy drought ended at Wembley.

Casemiro’s header and an own goal from Sven Botman carried the Red Devils to a 2-0 win over Newcastle United in Sunday’s EFL Cup final.

It gave the Mancunian giants a first major trophy since Jose Mourinho’s side won the Europa League in 2017, and there could be more silverware to come in Ten Hag’s debut season as manager.

They remain in the FA Cup and Europa League, and while a Premier League title push still seems unlikely, it is not entirely out of the question.

Ten Hag told Sky Sports: “First, you have to win the first one, and that is what we did today. I think you get a lot of inspiration from this, but also more confidence that we can do it.

“I think we are still in a start to restore Manchester United where it belongs and that is winning trophies and this is the first one.”

He saluted the players that ended the club’s barren run, saying: “They are really well connected with each other, they challenge each other as well. In the moment it’s difficult, they help each other out. It’s good to see, and I think it’s the best a manager can get.”

He suggested it would be the coaching team and staff celebrating long into the night, rather than the players, given United have an FA Cup game against West Ham on Wednesday.

While it was not a dazzling performance from the Dutchman’s team, Ten Hag was more than content.

“We had again the right spirit, it’s a very good spirit of the team. It was not always the best football, but I think it was effective,” he said.

Pointing to the influence of senior figures, the former Ajax boss added: “I said before the game that Rapha Varane, Casemiro, David De Gea, they know how to win trophies.

“You need such lads on the pitch to point the team, to coach the team, to organise the team. Not only from a tactical perspective but also especially from a mental perspective, it’s so important.

“The winning attitude, they have to bring it in the dressing room, they have to bring it in the team in difficult situations.”

Manchester United won their first trophy under Erik ten Hag as Newcastle United were beaten 2-0 in Sunday’s EFL Cup final at Wembley.

Casemiro’s opener came somewhat against the run of play as United started slowly, but the Red Devils assumed control before the break as Marcus Rashford’s shot deflected in off the unfortunate Sven Botman.

Newcastle faded following a positive start as United kept them at arm’s length, ensuring there was to be no end to the Magpies’ 68-year wait for a major domestic trophy.

For United, a first trophy since 2017 validates Ten Hag’s impact at Old Trafford, and with the Old Trafford outfit still competing in the Premier League, Europa League and FA Cup, there could be more to come. 

David de Gea was tested at his near post by Allan Saint-Maximin as Newcastle started brightly, but United soon took charge with two goals in the space of six minutes. 

The first came when Casemiro nodded Luke Shaw’s free-kick into the bottom-right corner after 33 minutes, with a VAR check adjudging the Brazilian to have remained onside. 

There was a hint of fortune about United’s second as Rashford took Wout Weghorst’s pass in his stride and saw a shot deflect off Botman, only for the ball to spin beyond stand-in Magpies goalkeeper Loris Karius.

Karius prevented further damage with a flying save from Weghorst’s strike before the break, when Newcastle introduced club-record signing Alexander Isak in search of a response.

Joelinton saw efforts blocked by Lisandro Martinez and Aaron Wan-Bissaka as Newcastle threw men forward, before De Gea palmed away a dangerous cut-back from Kieran Trippier.

United went close to a third as first Rashford and then Bruno Fernandes forced Karius into smart stops, but it mattered little as the Red Devils stood firm.

What does it mean? Landmark moment for resurgent Red Devils

Ten Hag’s revival of United’s fortunes has been nothing short of spectacular, but the importance of capping their impressive displays with a piece of major silverware was not lost on anyone at Old Trafford.

United had not won a trophy since claiming an EFL Cup and Europa League double under Jose Mourinho in 2017. Having passed a stern test on Sunday, the Red Devils will hope they can at least replicate the achievements of that season with three trophies still to play for.

While Newcastle will fancy their chances of returning to this stage soon, there was to be no fairytale ending this time around as their record losing streak at Wembley stretched to nine games.

Casemiro the man for the big moment

While Casemiro has been credited with having a transformative effect on United’s defensive efforts this term, the Brazil international put the Red Devils on the path to glory with a decisive contribution at the other end.

Casemiro has scored four goals in his last 12 games in all competitions, one more than he managed across his previous 89 matches at club level, while he is just the third Brazilian to net in an EFL Cup final – after both Philippe Coutinho and Fernandinho were on target in the 2016 showpiece.

Bad luck for Botman

Newcastle’s Botman became just the fourth player to score an own goal in an EFL Cup final, following in the footsteps of Roger Kenyon (1977), Gordon Chisholm (1985) and Steven Gerrard (2005).

In truth, there was little the defender could have done to keep Rashford’s strike out. The England forward was lively throughout at Wembley, creating a joint-high two chances for United as well as forcing Botman’s own goal.

Key Opta Facts

– Manchester United have won the League Cup for a sixth time, behind only Liverpool (9) and Manchester City (8) in the competition’s history. Five of those six titles have come since the turn of the century.

– Newcastle have lost both of their League Cup finals (also 1976), becoming one of six sides to reach more than one League Cup final without winning the trophy (also Bolton Wanderers, Everton, Southampton, Sunderland, and West Ham).

– Manchester United won their first major trophy since the 2017 Europa League, five years and 278 days ago. This ends their longest wait for a major trophy since 1983, when they won the FA Cup six years and five days after their previous honour, the 1977 FA Cup.

– Newcastle have lost each of their last nine matches at Wembley, a run that began in the 1974 FA Cup final, extending what is the longest ever losing run by a club side at the venue.

– This was Manchester United’s 24th win at Wembley in all competitions, the most of any club side when only counting games played at the ground as a neutral venue.

What’s next?

United will bid to seal an FA Cup quarter-final place when they host West Ham on Wednesday. Newcastle, meanwhile, must turn their attentions back to the Premier League when they visit Manchester City on Saturday.

Manchester United are celebrating the first major trophy of the Erik ten Hag era after breaking success-starved Newcastle’s hearts to win the Carabao Cup final.

Both sides headed into the game desperate for a victory that could provide the catalyst to a brighter future and it was the ever-improving Red Devils that emerged victorious under the arch.

United had not won silverware since 2017 and ended their longest trophy drought in 40 years by beating Newcastle 2-0 at Wembley, where Casemiro’s header and a Sven Botman own goal settled things.

It was a painful end to the Magpies’ first final since losing by the same scoreline to the same opposition in the 1999 FA Cup showpiece.

Things could have been so different for Eddie Howe’s men had David De Gea not been alert to deny Allan Saint-Maximin’s close-range shot late in the first half.

Within seven minutes of that save the Red Devils had control of the final, with Casemiro heading home Luke Shaw’s free-kick before Botman deflected a Marcus Rashford strike over Loris Karius.

The third-choice goalkeeper, making his debut and first competitive appearance in 728 days, denied Wout Weghorst putting the game to bed in first-half stoppage time.

Newcastle returned brightly from the break but were unable to mount a comeback, extending their wait for a first trophy since their 1969 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup triumph.

As for the victors, Ten Hag’s first ever trip to Wembley saw him join Jose Mourinho as the only United managers to win a major trophy in their first season.

More could yet follow this season given the Dutchman’s transformational impact on the culture and quality at Old Trafford.

The sides were greeted by an incredible din at a packed Wembley, where expectant fans twirled red scarves at one end as a sea of black and white flags fluttered at the other.

The atmosphere translated into an intense, open start, only for poor decision-making to see moves break down.

There was no danger of Karius being beaten by United’s first shot on target as Weghorst failed to make clean contact under pressure, before easily holding onto an Antony attempt.

United fans turned their attention to their owners as the half wore on, with “we want Glazers out” bellowed in front of watching co-owner Avram Glazer.

A couple of breaks in play for treatment took the sting out of a final that had lost its early intensity, only for Newcastle’s first shot on target to spark a frantic conclusion to the half.

After a cross flew across the face of goal, Saint-Maximin took possession at the far post, jinked past Diogo Dalot and forced De Gea into an important stop from close range.

That 32nd-minute save proved a key moment as United were soon 2-0 up.

The first goal came after returning Bruno Guimaraes fouled Rashford on the left, with Shaw whipping in a fine free-kick that Casemiro met with a powerful header past Karius.

A nervy wait followed to check an offside, with the Brazilian punching the air when it was given the green light.

It was a gut punch that United quickly followed up in front of the dejected Newcastle end.

On-loan Weghorst smartly played through Rashford to get away a hopeful strike that was heading wide until Botman’s block inadvertently sent the ball looping over the goalkeeper.

Dan Burn headed narrowly off target as Newcastle attempted to claw one back, but they would have been further behind in stoppage time had Karius not superbly tipped over Weghorst’s effort from distance.

Dalot, who had been booked for a ninth-minute challenge on fleet-footed Saint-Maximin, was replaced by Aaron Wan-Bissaka at half-time, while Alexander Isak came on for Sean Longstaff.

Howe’s side were looking brighter as United slowed the tempo against a side Ten Hag had called “annoying” for their time-wasting antics in the build-up.

Newcastle could not turn possession into clear-cut chances, with inspired introduction Wan-Bissaka and Lisandro Martinez proving immovable objects.

Karius got down well to stop Rashford fizzing home from distance and dealt with a long-range Wan-Bissaka attempt as play became stretched with Howe’s side chasing a goal.

Newcastle saw penalty appeals overlooked and substitute Jacob Murphy fizzed a stunning long-range effort just wide.

The match ended with captain Harry Maguire being brought on, renewed chants against the Glazers, Karius denying Bruno Fernandes and De Gea becoming United’s record clean sheet holder with 181 shut-outs.