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The superstar is no longer playing on the pitch but in the dugout in the revamped Paris Saint-Germain side, which has qualified for the Champions League final this weekend.

After being fired from his previous position, PSG coach Luis Enrique has also revived his reputation by making a team that is arguably the most feared side on the continent intoarguably the most feared side.

Luis Enrique, 55, was appointed in July 2023, just two years after Lionel Messi’s disappointing two-year spell at the French national team. Then, later in the summer, Neymar left.

Spain fired the former Barcelona boss six months prior to their disappointing exit from the 2022 World Cup to Morocco in the last 16.

With his predecessors unable to achieve the success the club’s Qatari owners desired, the PSG job came off as a sort of poisoned chalice.

The team was hindered by Neymar, Messi, and Kylian Mbappe, three outstanding forwards who, by nature, didn’t care much about defending.

Luis Enrique understood he would have the opportunity to develop a team in his shape once the first two were over and Mbappe’s eventual departure was unavoidable.

Early in the season, PSG president Nasser al-Khelaifi stated that “we are in the process of creating a new identity, our own style and way of playing, and a new culture.” He added that the Champions League victory was no longer something that “we are obsessed with.”

With a domestic league and cup double also in the bag, the new coach’s direction was a promising start, they still advanced to the semi-finals of Europe last year before falling to Borussia Dortmund.

The issue was that Mbappe was leaving as soon as his contract expired. The manager continued to say PSG would be better without their all-time top scorer.

In February 2024, Luis Enrique declared, “I’m convinced we’ll have a much better team than this year,” and everything will turn out well.

Even less so now that PSG chose not to sign a new striker last summer made it difficult to believe at the time.

Luis Enrique insists on playing a football style that emphasizes high-speed pressing and dominating possession.

However, his critics accuse him of being stubborn and steadfast in sticking to one method of playing despite its shortcomings.

Iago Aspas, Spain’s Iago Aspas, praised his former coach as having a very clear game plan, and when plan A failed, there was no plan B.

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Better without Mbappe

PSG had dominating games earlier this season, but they were unable to score, and Luis Enrique’s decision to stick with a traditional centre-forward appeared incorrect.

The coach’s response to an interviewer who had questioned his tactics after losing to Arsenal appeared haughty and unfavorable.

I won’t go into detail about my tactics with you. You wouldn’t comprehend, he said.

PSG was in danger of leaving the Champions League too early after losing to Bayern Munich in November, but the turnaround has been remarkable.

Before winning a dazzling tour of England against Liverpool, Aston Villa, and Arsenal, his energetic young side suffocated Manchester City.

the choice to play without a recognized nine? No issue. With 33 goals this season, he transformed winger Ousmane Dembele into a deadly finisher.

Without Mbappe, PSG are truly better, and Luis Enrique deserves a lot of praise.

He is only one game away from winning the Champions League twice, making him one game closer to joining an elite group of coaches.

His most recent success came in 2015 when he won the title with Messi, Neymar, and Luis Suarez.

“It’s always challenging to reach a Champions League final.” The Asturian claimed that not everyone who plays and coaches dreams of it.

“I did a remarkable job at Barca.” Even if some claimed that winning the Champions League with that team was simple, it wasn’t.

He spent three years in charge of Spain, including a second spell in charge of the country in 2019, when his daughter Xana passed away from bone cancer.

He now thinks that his coaching in Paris has improved as a result of his years of training.

“I now have more experience. He said, “I was very stressed before my first final.

“I hope to send a message of calm this time. Otherwise, I believe I have learned from my errors and gained the knowledge I need.

After the star footballer suggested he was leaving Al Nassr, Saudi Arabian officials are engaged in “difficult” negotiations to keep Cristiano Ronaldo there, according to a source with knowledge of the talks.

The Saudi Pro League (PIF), a major investor in Saudi football, is still being worked out, according to the source from the Public Investment Fund (PIF).

The source continued, “The first step is a transfer to Al Hilal with the chance to play for the FIFA Club World Cup or Al Ahli, who is currently the Asia champion.”

The Saudi Pro League ended with Al Nassr finishing third and trophyless once more, according to Ronaldo’s overnight post, “This chapter is over.”

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The 32 clubs participating in the Club World Cup will have a special transfer window open between June 1 and June 10 to sign players.

The former United, Real Madrid, Juventus, and Sporting Lisbon star will play in the enlarged tournament in the United States starting on June 14 according to FIFA president Gianni Infantino last week, saying “there are discussions” about the former United, Real Madrid, Juventus, and Lisbon star.

Ronaldo, 40, left Manchester United for Al Nassr in 2022, and his contract expires at the end of the month.

“Ronaldo’s presence has played a significant role in the development of the Saudi league over the past two and a half. He “opens the door” for Saudi Arabia’s elite and emerging players, the source continued.

As women’s title rivals Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka battled it out on Wednesday, reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz overcame a minor blip to advance to the French Open third round.

Alcaraz earned his 17th victory in 18 clay matches this year, defeating Hungarian Fabian Marozsan 6-1, 6-1, 6-1, 6-1, 6-2.

Second set, he started to play better and not miss much, making it a little challenging to control his game, Alcaraz said.

“I’m really happy that I maintained my strength and energy.” I started playing better and better in the third set, which made for a really good final two sets.

Alcaraz, a four-time Grand Slam champion, will next face Bosnian journeyman Damir Dzumhur in the last 16.

Swiatek defeated fellow former US Open champion Emma Raducanu to claim her fourth straight Roland Garross title in the women’s draw.

With five meetings with the Briton, the Pole defeated Raducanu 6-1, 6-2, to claim a victory. She improved to 37-2 with her 23rd straight victorie at Roland Garros as a result of her career best.

Swiatek wants to become the first woman to win four French Open titles in a row since 102 years ago, winning only one.

The 23-year-old, who hasn’t reached a WTA final since winning the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen last year, made steady progress through the first two rounds despite arriving in Paris under a light cloud.

“I just enjoy playing here,” I must admit. Swiatek, who won the trophy as a teenager in 2020, said, “This place inspires me and makes me work harder.”

For a spot in the last 16, the fifth seed will face Jaqueline Cristian from Romania.

Swiatek, who finished second overall in the rankings last year, Jasmine Paolini, and Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, are now in the same half of the top five.

Jil Teichmann of Switzerland shook off a slow start.

Sabalenka won 11 of the final 12 games to advance to a 6-3, 6-1 victory after dropping serve early in the first set.

Sabalenka, who has only conceded five games in the first two rounds, “she really made me work for every point,” Sabalenka said.

The Belarusian hopes to erase the traumatic 2024 semifinal defeat to Mirra Andreeva and has never qualified for the French Open final.

Paolini extended her winning streak to eight matches with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Ajla Tomljanovic as she advanced to the third round of the Italian Open.

Yuliia Starodubtseva from Ukraine will face the fourth seed from Italy.

Emiliana Arango defeated Zheng 6-2, 6-3 in the final 32 games to seal Zheng’s place in the standings.

In the following round, the Chinese star will face Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko, who is 18 years old.

Elena Rybakina, Elina Svitolina, and Amanda Anisimova were the other seeds to advance.

The 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko rallied to win in three sets, but Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska, the 11th seed, defeated Russian Diana Shnaider.

Ruud was knocked out shortly after &nbsp

Casper Ruud, who previously lost to Nuno Borges in four sets, was the biggest casualty on Wednesday, when he crashed out to Portugal’s Nuno Borges.

Ruud, the seventh seed, lost to world number 41 Borges 2-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-0 in the first set, but was hampered by a knee injury.

Ruud, who was unsure whether he would be fit for Wimbledon, admitted that “I actually felt it quite early in the first set.” “I’m hoping nothing too serious,” he said.

Lorenzo Musetti, the current eighth seed in Italy, won 6-4, 6-0, and 6-4 to beat Colombia’s lucky loser Daniel Elahi Galan.

In all three Masters 1000 competitions held on clay in 2025, Musetti has at least reached the semi-finals. Mariano Navone from Argentina will be his next opponent.

The 20th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas lost to Matteo Gigante in four sets, his first French Open defeat in seven years.

Ben Shelton, who received a walkover as Hugo Gaston pulled out with an injury, will face the Italian qualifier.

In the night match, Denmark’s Holger Rune defeated American wild card Emilio Nava 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) 6-3, 6-3, the only man to defeat Alcaraz on clay in the Barcelona final this year.

In the UEFA Conference League final in Wroclaw on Wednesday, Chelsea defeated Real Betis 4-1 to become the first team to win all four major European titles.

With an early goal from Abde Ezzalzouli and Manuel Pellegrini, Enzo Maresca’s team were a changed side in the second half, but they were able to keep the favorites warm in Poland.

With the man-of-the-match Cole Palmer creating both openings for Enzo Fernandez and Nicolas Jackson, the game’s tone changed after two goals in five minutes.

In the 83rd minute, substitute Jadon Sancho scored from a close angle, and Moises Caicedo finished the scoreboard gloss.

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Chelsea becomes the first team to win the complete set of the Champions League, Europa League, Conference League, and the now-defunct Cup Winners’ Cup.

It is also the club’s first silverware since Roman Abramovich’s consortium’s purchase in 2022, a period of unprecedented success for the organization.

With the goal against Fiorentina in the ninth minute, Betis broke the deadlock, which made his side reach the final.

Betis jumped forward after Malo Gusto lost the ball in midfield. Ezzalzouli was found on the edge of the box by Captain Isco, who then drilled a left-footed shot past Filip Jorgensen.

Moments later, as Betis pressed for a second, Marc Bartra&nbsp tried his luck from a distance, but Jorgensen was on top of the job and saved with flying force.

Chelsea clung on as a result of Johnny Cardoso’s deflected shot from inside the box, which was urged on by their enthralling crowd of supporters at the Wroclaw stadium.

With Betis defending well and Isco, a five-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid, pulling the strings, the Premier League team was enjoying the majority of possession but struggling to create meaningful chances.

Chelsea entered the half-time goalless as Adrian raced off his line to deny Enzo Fernandez as the clock ticked.

Palmer magic, &nbsp

Reece James was replaced by Gusto for the struggling Maresca at the break.

When Ezzalzouli was forced to leave, the Betis manager was forced to make a change, with Jesus Rodriguez stepping in to replace him.

After Cole Palmer sent off a fine cross to pick out Fernandez, Chelsea were level in the 65th minute thanks to a fine move down the right.

The midfielder angled the ball past Adrian as he ran into between two defenders.

The fans who were in full support of the goal suddenly heard from Chelsea’s tails up.

Palmer performed some magic on the edge of the box in the 70th minute before sending a lovely cross that struck Jackson’s chest and went in.

Jackson should have scored a second goal, but Adrian was able to gather thanks to a heavy touch.

Sancho added a fourth when he combined with fellow substitute Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Caicedo to make it 3-1.

Chelsea’s victory breaks a remarkable pattern of victories for Spanish teams.

Of the previous 27 men’s finals involving Spanish teams, all 27 had winners from Spain, taking into account World Cups, European Championships, Champions League, and UEFA Cup/Europa League.

Four Spanish club sides had lost all of those matches, but they had always had rivals in La Liga.

Prior to that, there were more than 2,000 fans in the center of Wroclaw, with green-and-white Betis fans outnumbering their English rivals.

According to Poland’s interior minister, police made 28 arrests in the city’s market square as a result of a violent protest.