PSG Stays Perfect and Clinical Marseille Beats Unlucky Nice in French League

Paris Saint-Germain's French forward #10 Ousmane Dembele (L) celebrates scoring PSG's first goal with Paris Saint-Germain's Slovak defender #37 Milan Skriniar (R) during the French L1 football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Stade Brestois 29 (Brest) at The Parc des Princes Stadium, in Paris, on September 14, 2024. (AFP)

07:58-15 September 2024 AD ـ 11 Rabi’ Al-Awwal 1446 AH

PSG Stays Perfect and Clinical Marseille Beats Unlucky Nice in French League

Ousmane Dembele scored twice and Paris Saint-Germain remained perfect and prolific in the French league after beating Brest 3-1 on Saturday.

PSG stayed in command at the top of the standings with a fourth win in as many games.

Luis Enrique's team has coped with the departure of Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid and has 16 goals so far.

Brest goalkeeper Marco Bizot managed to keep PSG at bay until Dembele leveled the score three minutes before the interval. Romain Del Castillo put Brest ahead from the penalty spot at the Parc des Princes.

PSG then killed any remaining suspense in the space of 80 seconds when Fabian Ruiz scored in the 73rd with a powerful strike and Dembele completed his brace in the next minute.

Despite the millions of euros invested to build a competitive team since a 2011 takeover by Qatari investors, PSG is still chasing an elusive Champions League title. It will host Girona on Wednesday in Europe's top club competition.

Brest, which also qualified for the tournament with a third-place finish last season, plays Sturm Graz on Thursday.

Maupay scores in first Marseille start New Marseille striker Neal Maupay scored against his former club in a 2-0 win over Nice, which hit the woodwork three times.

On a day when Marseille celebrated its 125th anniversary, Maupay was handed his first start by coach Roberto De Zerbi.

Marseille had just five shots on target and scored twice to remain unbeaten, just two points behind PSG.

Maupay joined from English Premier League club Everton on a season loan with an obligation to buy. He was trained at Nice then went on to play 160 Premier League matches with various sides.

Maupay made up for Marseille’s inadequacies in the first half by converting a rare chance in the 40th minute. He headed the ball home past Nice goalkeeper Marcin Bulka after a cross from Luis Henrique in the penalty area took a deflection.

Marseille enjoyed most of the possession but Nice was the most dangerous side in the first half and Maupay’s opener came after Melvin Bard volleyed onto the left post.

Nice hit the posts two more times after the interval.

Luis Henrique turned provider early in the second half with a beautiful curled shot into the top left corner after a one-two with Amine Harit on the edge of the box.

Marseille finished the match with 10 men after center back Derek Cornelius took too much time over a free kick and received a second yellow card. Nice camped in Marseille's half in the last 10 minutes but good efforts from Marseille goalie Geronimo Rulli coupled with hard luck kept the visitors at bay.

Monaco stays unbeaten Monaco was a class above Auxerre and secured a deserved 3-0 away win with goals from Thilo Kehrer, Vanderson and Denis Zakaria.

The result moved the Principality side level on points with Marseille ahead of next week's Champions League tie with Barcelona.

Auxerre goalkeeper Donovan Leon made a costly mistake after just eight minutes when he fumbled the ball from Kehrer's header and let it in. Auxerre was then forced to take risks and was punished on the counter.

Switzerland midfielder Denis Zakaria was excellent, with one goal and one superb lofted assist for Vanderson.

Saudi PIF and ATP Launch Program to Support Rising Talent

The program is aimed at supporting rising talent and widening opportunities for players from the Global South. Photo: PIF

Riyadh: Asharq Al Awsat

18:02-23 April 2026 AD ـ 06 Thul-Qi’dah 1447 AH

Riyadh: Asharq Al Awsat

18:02-23 April 2026 AD ـ 06 Thul-Qi’dah 1447 AH

Saudi PIF and ATP Launch Program to Support Rising Talent

The program is aimed at supporting rising talent and widening opportunities for players from the Global South. Photo: PIF

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) and the ATP launched the ATP Next Gen Accelerator on Thursday, a program aimed at supporting rising talent and widening opportunities for players from the Global South as they seek to break onto the ATP Tour.

Eligible players will gain access to ATP Tennis IQ Powered by PIF, ⁠an integrated performance technology ⁠platform, along with medical support, structured education and enhanced promotion across ATP platforms.

The initiative seeks to level the playing field for emerging players and provide greater stability ⁠for young professionals.

The launch aligns with PIF’s 2026–2030 strategy, under which the fund plans to focus investment across six key themes as it looks to diversify Saudi Arabia’s economy beyond oil.

Sports

Inspired by Nadal, Ruud Returns for Madrid Defense

Casper Ruud of Norway in action during his match against Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada at the ATP Monte Carlo Masters tennis tournament in Roquebrune Cap Martin, France, 09 April 2026. EPA/SEBASTIEN NOGIER

Asharq Al Awsat

17:47-23 April 2026 AD ـ 06 Thul-Qi’dah 1447 AH

Asharq Al Awsat

17:47-23 April 2026 AD ـ 06 Thul-Qi’dah 1447 AH

Inspired by Nadal, Ruud Returns for Madrid Defense

Casper Ruud hoped his short training stint at Rafa Nadal’s academy in Mallorca would reignite his season as the 27-year-old returns from an injury to defend his Madrid Open title this week.

Ruud, who lifted his maiden Masters 1000 title in the Spanish capital last year, sustained a leg injury and was forced to retire from his third-round match at the Monte Carlo Masters against Felix Auger-Aliassime earlier this month.

The Norwegian then ramped up his comeback under the close watch of ⁠22-times Grand Slam ⁠champion Nadal.

"I'm happy to say I'm fully recovered,” Reuters quoted Ruud as saying in Madrid.

"I was a bit worried at first, I thought Madrid would be tough. But I've had good days of recovery. I spent a week in Mallorca, training at Rafa's academy and ⁠working on fitness off the court. I'm really pleased to be here, ready to compete again."

Ruud said he was inspired by the now-retired Nadal’s determination during a glittering playing career that came to an end in 2024.

“If there's one thing you can learn from him, it's determination,” Ruud added.

“He never gave up, and he was able to win many matches without being at his best because he was ⁠so well ⁠prepared physically and mentally.

"There are so many things you can learn from Rafa. This time, we didn't spend much time together on court. He encouraged me to keep going and told me I have plenty to fight for in the coming weeks."

Ruud begins his Madrid campaign against Jaume Munar or Alexander Shevchenko in the second round.

The twice French Open runner-up is eyeing a strong run in the weeks leading up to Roland Garros, which begins on May 24.

Sports

Leipzig and Union's Bundesliga Clash Shows Changing Face of Football

Players of RB Leipzig celebrate with their supporters after winning the German Bundesliga soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and RB Leipzig in Frankfurt, Germany, 18 April 2026. EPA/CHRISTOPHER NEUNDORF

Asharq Al Awsat

17:31-23 April 2026 AD ـ 06 Thul-Qi’dah 1447 AH

Asharq Al Awsat

17:31-23 April 2026 AD ـ 06 Thul-Qi’dah 1447 AH

Leipzig and Union's Bundesliga Clash Shows Changing Face of Football

RB Leipzig's home Bundesliga clash with Union Berlin on Friday has the two sides chasing different season goals, while showing the changing face of the game.

Third-placed Leipzig can take a massive step towards returning to the Champions League with victory, after missing Europe for the first time this season.

For Union, victory would send the Berliners nine points clear of the relegation playoff spot with three matchdays remaining, all but ensuring they beat the drop for another season.

Coached by Marie-Louise Eta, the first woman to coach a men's side in a major European league, Union face RB Leipzig, whose CEO Tatjana Haenni is the first female club boss in German football history.

The only two top-flight clubs situated in the former East Germany, Leipzig and Union share few other similarities but the hirings reflect a focus on merit and competence, with both Eta and Haenni considered right for the job.

Henni, a former Swiss international with 23 caps who took over the club on January 1, told AFP and other media on Tuesday that Eta's appointment reflected where football -- and society -- were at.

"It's the most popular sport on the planet. It's about quality and it's about the right people at the right place," she said.

"It's a cultural shift which has to happen and it is happening. With me being here and Marie-Louise being the head coach at Union Berlin, it's just happening.

"It's about quality, expertise, trusting people and having the right mindset."

Eta's appointment captured global headlines and the 34-year-old recognised her pioneering role but seemed much more comfortable talking about the game itself.

"It creates a responsibility for me, whether I like it or not," Eta told Germany's Die Zeit on Wednesday.

"My primary goal was never to strengthen the role of women. I have always wanted to convince through performance. I want to be seen as a football coach."

Bayern Munich wrapped up the title last week but there's still plenty to play for at the other end of the table.

Wolfsburg's win over Union last week kept their hopes of avoiding a first relegation alive. Still second last, the victory took Wolfsburg two points behind St Pauli, who are on 26 points in the relegation playoff spot and play at last-placed Heidenheim on Saturday.

Wolfsburg face Borussia Moenchengladbach who are one of four teams locked on 31 points.

One to watch: Jackson Irvine (St Pauli)

Already a cult hero in Hamburg since arriving in 2021, St Pauli captain Jackson Irvine has been a key figure in the club's relegation fight.

Since the Australian reclaimed the captain's armband in February, St Pauli have won three matches -- as many as they had won all year until then -- and only lost three of nine games with him on the pitch.

St Pauli striker Abdoulie Ceesay praised Irvine's leadership in a media roundtable on Tuesday.
"He's a very good leader. He's always there to push us. Sometimes you think he's upset with you and he screams at you, telling you bad words. But afterwards he'll tell you he's doing it to help you, to make you better.

"He's there pushing us every single day to fight for everything and to stay in this league."

RB Leipzig's home Bundesliga clash with Union Berlin on Friday has the two sides chasing different season goals, while showing the changing face of the game.

Third-placed Leipzig can take a massive step towards returning to the Champions League with victory, after missing Europe for the first time this season.

For Union, victory would send the Berliners nine points clear of the relegation playoff spot with three matchdays remaining, all but ensuring they beat the drop for another season.
Coached by Marie-Louise Eta, the first woman to coach a men's side in a major European league, Union face RB Leipzig, whose CEO Tatjana Haenni is the first female club boss in German football history.