PSG DOMINANCE: WILL LUIS ENRIQUE’S CHAMPIONS OUTCLASS FLAMENGO IN THE DOHA FINAL
Luis Enrique and his star-studded PSG squad aim for more history in Qatar. Discover if the Parisians can conquer South America’s best.
Just about three months after winning the Ballon d'Or, Ousmane Dembélé snagged another big one: FIFA's Best Men's player of the year award.
In the 2024-2025 season, the 28-year-old French player scored 35 goals and assisted 16, helping PSG clinch four trophies, including their first Champions League title.
Coach Luis Enrique was named the 'Best' coach for leading the team to victory.
The 55-year-old Spaniard took over from Christophe Galtier at PSG in July 2023.
By the next July, his squad, featuring Kylian Mbappé, had already grabbed the Ligue 1 title, the French Super Cup, and the Coupe de France.
After Mbappé left for Real Madrid, Enrique reshaped his team, and they dominated domestically for a second season. They also crushed Inter Milan 5-0 in the Champions League final.
Even though Chelsea beat PSG for the FIFA Club World Cup in July, PSG bounced back by defeating Tottenham Hotspur in the European Super Cup final in August.
Achraf Hakimi of Morocco, along with Portuguese players Nuno Mendes, Willian Pacho, and Vitinha, joined Dembélé in FIFA's 'Best' men's team of the year.
Their spot on the team shows how well they performed all year, securing titles like the club's first Champions League win, PSG stated after the FIFA awards in Doha, Qatar.
On Wednesday night at the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Enrique and his top players will face Flamengo, the Copa Libertadores champions (South America's version of the Champions League).
Flamengo is doing great right now; they've won many trophies, Enrique said. I like how they play. I remember watching them at the Club World Cup. They played some amazing games. They're a great team with and without the ball.
After the game in Doha, PSG will head back to France to defend their Coupe de France title against Vendée Fontenay Foot, an amateur team in the fifth tier of French soccer.
"We wanted to make history with PSG last season, and we did," Enrique added. Now, we want to keep it going this season. We need to be ready and focused against Flamengo.
Every moment could be key. I think the team has the same attitude this season that they had last season.
Filipe Luis, Flamengo's coach, admitted that his team is the underdog. "PSG is the best team worldwide," said the 40-year-old Brazilian.
They proved that by winning the Champions League. They're here because they're the best, and we're going to try our best to win and make history.
SCHEDULE SHIFT: LIGUE 1 POSTPONES PSG VS NANTES TO FAVOR CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PREPARATIONS
Ligue 1 has officially moved PSG’s clash with Nantes to April, giving Paris a massive rest advantage for their game vs Chelsea.
PSG just got a big break ahead of their Champions League clash with Chelsea.
On Friday morning, the draw handed last year’s winners a tough last-16 matchup against Chelsea, the same team that beat them in the Club World Cup final back in July.
Luis Enrique and Liam Rosenior probably hoped to avoid each other until later in the tournament. But here they are, set to meet again, having crossed paths before thanks to Rosenior’s time at Strasbourg. The first leg lands on March 11 in Paris, with the return in London on March 17.
Originally, both teams had league matches wedged between those two legs. But now, Ligue 1 has given PSG a helping hand. They agreed to move PSG’s game against Nantes so Paris can focus on the Champions League. According to a statement from Ligue 1, the PSG-Nantes match will now take place the week of April 20, with the exact date still up in the air.
No word yet on whether Chelsea will try to shift their own fixture pile-up. The Premier League rarely grants these sorts of requests, so don’t count on it. Still, with Chelsea set to play Newcastle, another Champions League side, on March 14, both clubs would probably love a schedule change if they had the option.
Looking at the schedules, Chelsea’s road looks brutal. Between their trip to Arsenal this Sunday and March 21, they’ll cram in seven games. After Arsenal, they go away to Aston Villa, Wrexham in the FA Cup, and then PSG. Four times in three weeks, they get just three days to recover. Only twice do they have a four-day breather.
PSG’s calendar is a lot kinder. From March 1 to March 22, they play just four times. They’ll have an extra day to get ready for the first leg with Chelsea and three more days to rest up for the second game in England. In fact, between now and March 11, PSG only play once. Chelsea, meanwhile, faces three matches before heading to Paris. That’s a big advantage for the French club.
ARSENAL NEWS: ARSENAL VIEW SENNY MAYULU AS PRIMARY LONG-TERM SUCCESSOR TO KAI HAVERTZ
Arsenal have joined Chelsea and Man City in a €60m race for PSG’s Senny Mayulu, viewed as a potential successor to Kai Havertz.
Arsenal are looking to outdo Tottenham again this summer, this time by targeting PSG’s Senny Mayulu. Reports say Arsenal have joined the chase for the young playmaker, but they’re not alone; Chelsea, Manchester City, Aston Villa, and Newcastle are all interested too.
Last year, Arsenal snatched Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace right out from under Spurs. Eze hasn’t exactly been on fire, but he did manage to score in both games against Tottenham. Now, Arsenal seem ready to twist the knife a little deeper by making a move for Mayulu, someone Tottenham tried and failed to sign last September, according to TEAMtalk.
CaughtOffside now reports that Arsenal and Chelsea are front-runners for Mayulu this summer. What helps their case? Talks over a new contract between Mayulu and PSG have stalled, and as things stand, he’ll enter the last year of his deal soon. The sticking point? Salary. Mayulu wants more than PSG is willing to offer, but Premier League clubs have a bigger appetite for spending.
Apparently, Arsenal see Mayulu as a possible successor to Kai Havertz in midfield. He’s played up front at times this season, but he’s really a midfielder at heart. Chelsea is also pushing for him, and Manchester City, Aston Villa, and Newcastle have all tested the waters with informal approaches.
No doubt about it, Mayulu is one of the hot names ahead of the summer window. PSG have slapped a €60m (£53m) price tag on him, so they’re not letting him go cheaply. They might still try to keep him, but if he won’t sign a new deal, selling now makes sense.
So, would Arsenal be the right move for Mayulu? He’s made 28 appearances for PSG this season, scoring four and assisting five. Since coming up through their academy, he’s racked up 72 games, 11 goals, and nine assists. That kind of promise makes a Premier League move feel almost inevitable, even though he’s already at one of Europe’s biggest clubs.
If he does head to England, Arsenal will want to win the battle, but are they really the best fit? That probably depends on who leaves Arteta’s squad. Right now, Arsenal’s attacking midfield is stacked: Havertz, Eze, captain Martin Odegaard, and Ethan Nwaneri coming back from loan. Mikel Merino can play the hybrid midfield/striker role, and even Bukayo Saka has shifted more centrally at times, though he’s really best out wide.
So, there’s a logjam in attacking midfield at Arsenal. Unless Arteta sees Mayulu playing deeper, he might find more opportunities elsewhere. There could be an opening for another central midfielder, especially since Martin Zubimendi has been a hit and Christian Nørgaard hasn’t made much of an impact.
Chelsea isn’t much different. Cole Palmer is their main attacking midfielder, but that hasn’t stopped them from chasing more talent. City has Phil Foden and Rayan Cherki, but there are questions over Bernardo Silva’s future.
Honestly, staying at PSG and continuing to grow there might be the best option for Mayulu. If he decides to leave, he needs to pick a club where he’ll actually play. Chelsea could make sense if Palmer moves wide, but Newcastle might be worth a look, too. They’ve shown they’re willing to adapt roles. Nick Woltemade, for example, has dropped deeper but could move back up if someone new joins as a No. 10.
In the end, Mayulu’s next move should be about finding the right fit, not just the biggest name.
