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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)
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)
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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)
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)

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.

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Sports

Di Matteo Says ‘Vital’ for Faltering Chelsea to Add Experience

Football - Premier League - Chelsea v Manchester United - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - April 18, 2026 Chelsea's Marc Cucurella and Moises Caicedo react. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Chelsea v Manchester United - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - April 18, 2026 Chelsea's Marc Cucurella and Moises Caicedo react. (Reuters)
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Di Matteo Says ‘Vital’ for Faltering Chelsea to Add Experience

Football - Premier League - Chelsea v Manchester United - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - April 18, 2026 Chelsea's Marc Cucurella and Moises Caicedo react. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Chelsea v Manchester United - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - April 18, 2026 Chelsea's Marc Cucurella and Moises Caicedo react. (Reuters)

Chelsea great Roberto Di Matteo told AFP on Tuesday it was "vital" that the faltering Premier League side add experienced players and backed Liam Rosenior to still be in charge next season.

The London club are in the midst of an alarming slump, sixth in the table after four defeats in a row and in serious danger of missing out on Champions League football.

Boos greeted the full-time whistle following Saturday's 1-0 defeat to Manchester United at Stamford Bridge after some supporters staged a street protest against owners BlueCo ahead of kick-off.

Former midfielder Di Matteo, who guided Chelsea to Champions League glory as manager in 2012, said "inconsistency" was understandable given the young age of the squad.

"I think the owner just said it last week. On the weekend he said that they're probably going to look at changing the transfer policy a little bit," Di Matteo said at the launch of the "Hong Kong Football Festival" featuring Manchester City, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Juventus in August.

"I think it's vital. If you want to have a little bit more consistency, if you want to be able to challenge, maybe for the Premier League, you need to have a good balance.

"You need very good, young, talented players, but you also need a little bit of experience within the team."

The 55-year-old Italian, who was a mainstay of the Chelsea team from 1996 to 2002, said allowances needed to be made for under-pressure Rosenior given he only replaced Enzo Maresca in January.

"You take over a team that was built for a different coach, with a different system," he said.

"It's always hard to be able to put your print on the team during mid-season. Everybody expects you to get it going straight away.

He added: "I guess next season we'll be able to see his team make some adjustments to the way the team (plays) or (bring in) the players to play his system."

Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali last week said the club were still behind Rosenior and remained optimistic about long-term success under his management.

Sports

Alcaraz Awaiting Test Results with French Open Defense at Risk

Laureus World Sports Awards - Palacio de Cibeles, Madrid, Spain - April 20, 2026 Spain's Carlos Alcaraz poses on the red carpet ahead of the awards ceremony (Reuters)
Laureus World Sports Awards - Palacio de Cibeles, Madrid, Spain - April 20, 2026 Spain's Carlos Alcaraz poses on the red carpet ahead of the awards ceremony (Reuters)
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Alcaraz Awaiting Test Results with French Open Defense at Risk

Laureus World Sports Awards - Palacio de Cibeles, Madrid, Spain - April 20, 2026 Spain's Carlos Alcaraz poses on the red carpet ahead of the awards ceremony (Reuters)
Laureus World Sports Awards - Palacio de Cibeles, Madrid, Spain - April 20, 2026 Spain's Carlos Alcaraz poses on the red carpet ahead of the awards ceremony (Reuters)

Carlos Alcaraz ‌is awaiting the results of tests on his injured wrist before making a decision about defending his French Open title next month, the world number two said.

The seven-times Grand Slam champion picked up the injury in the first round of the Barcelona Open earlier this month ‌before withdrawing from ‌the tournament.

Scans showed the ‌issue ⁠was more serious ⁠than initially thought and he then skipped the Madrid Open.

"The next test will be crucial," Alcaraz told Spanish television channel TVE.

"We've been trying to do everything we can ⁠do to make sure that ‌this test ‌goes well. I'm trying to be very ‌patient. But we are good, we ‌are just waiting a little bit.

"We have a few tests in the next few days and then we will ‌see how the injury is, and what the next steps ⁠will ⁠be," the 22-year-old added.

Alcaraz, who was crowned Sportsman of the Year at the Laureus Awards on Monday, surrendered the world number one ranking to Jannik Sinner after losing to the Italian in the Monte Carlo Masters final days before his Barcelona opener.

The French Open will start from May 24 in Paris.

Sports

Eta Appointment ‘No Surprise’ for Union Berlin’s Ascendant Women

Union’s new head coach Marie-Louise Eta reacts during the Bundesliga soccer match 1. FC Union Berlin and VfL Wolfsburg in Berlin, Germany, 18 April 2026. (EPA)
Union’s new head coach Marie-Louise Eta reacts during the Bundesliga soccer match 1. FC Union Berlin and VfL Wolfsburg in Berlin, Germany, 18 April 2026. (EPA)
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Eta Appointment ‘No Surprise’ for Union Berlin’s Ascendant Women

Union’s new head coach Marie-Louise Eta reacts during the Bundesliga soccer match 1. FC Union Berlin and VfL Wolfsburg in Berlin, Germany, 18 April 2026. (EPA)
Union’s new head coach Marie-Louise Eta reacts during the Bundesliga soccer match 1. FC Union Berlin and VfL Wolfsburg in Berlin, Germany, 18 April 2026. (EPA)

The appointment of Marie-Louise Eta as head coach of Union Berlin's men's Bundesliga side may have captured global headlines, but few inside the ambitious club were surprised.

The rapid rise of Union's women's side, who Eta will coach from the summer, is a direct result of the club prioritizing the team.

While still in the amateur regional leagues, Union took the unusual step of paying players and coaching staff professionally.

Union are putting the finishing touches on a shiny new complex which will become the first training center in European football with identical facilities for the men's and women's teams.

Despite playing in the second division last season, Union's women averaged crowd was 7,190, the best mark in Germany and behind only Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United across Europe.

The crowds have continued to climb this season as Union secured their top-flight status for next year.

Union host powerhouse Bayern Munich on Wednesday and the club expect over 10,000 spectators, having opened up additional stands in their 22,000-capacity Stadion an der Alten Foersterei.

- 'It's about football' -

A major reason for the support is the club's integration into the community in the eastern Berlin suburb of Koepenick

The club is a core part of Koepenick's identity, giving rise to the saying: “We don't go to the football, we go to Union.”

Current women's coach Ailien Poese has had a two-decade association with Union and has guided the women's side through the ranks to the top flight.

Poese, who will return to the club's academy when Eta takes over, said fans went to both the men's and the women's games "because ultimately it's about football.

"I hope it gets established at many clubs, that it's their favorite club and there might be a home game every weekend, one week the women's and the next the men's," Poese told AFP.

"I'm absolutely delighted with the extra attention and the identification with the women's team."

Union forward Hannah Eurlings agreed. "It says a lot about the fans, that they're just in love with the club. And that's so nice to see."

Eurlings, a Belgian international, signed with Union in the summer and said the club's focus on women's football was a key pull factor.

"For me it was a bit scary to sign for a second Bundesliga team... But the talks I had with the club and with the women's manager, they were all positive.

"They want to make the women's team equal to the men's team and also in financial things and also in the facilities we get. I think you don't find that that often in women's football, so I think that's a very big plus for me."

- 'Not a bit of a surprise' -

Eurlings said Eta's appointment is a reflection of Union's values of hard work and merit, while also thinking outside the box.

"It's not a bit of a surprise here in the club or in Koepenick... It doesn't matter what your gender is, do you know a lot about football? You're the right person for the job."

Poese said the appointment was "a completely logical decision."

"She is highly competent, very good technically and very clear in her work and her footballing ideas."

Union are heavy underdogs on Wednesday but even taking on the German giants is an achievement in itself.

Bayern need just a point to claim the women's Bundesliga title but Poese said her side would relish their role as "party crashers".

Eurlings agreed, saying "of course it's an extra motivation. They think they can become champions on our pitch? Nobody signed up for that.

"They're the best team in the league. But of course, in football, you have 90 minutes and if we have a good day, we want to be the party crashers."