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)
TT

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.



Rybakina Beats Muchova to Win Stuttgart Crown for Second Time

 Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina steers the winner's car next to Porsche CEO Michael Leiters after she won against Czech Republic's Karolina Muchova (not in picture) in the final match at the Women's Tennis Grand Prix WTA tournament in Stuttgart, southwestern Germany, on April 19, 2026. (AFP)
Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina steers the winner's car next to Porsche CEO Michael Leiters after she won against Czech Republic's Karolina Muchova (not in picture) in the final match at the Women's Tennis Grand Prix WTA tournament in Stuttgart, southwestern Germany, on April 19, 2026. (AFP)
TT

Rybakina Beats Muchova to Win Stuttgart Crown for Second Time

 Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina steers the winner's car next to Porsche CEO Michael Leiters after she won against Czech Republic's Karolina Muchova (not in picture) in the final match at the Women's Tennis Grand Prix WTA tournament in Stuttgart, southwestern Germany, on April 19, 2026. (AFP)
Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina steers the winner's car next to Porsche CEO Michael Leiters after she won against Czech Republic's Karolina Muchova (not in picture) in the final match at the Women's Tennis Grand Prix WTA tournament in Stuttgart, southwestern Germany, on April 19, 2026. (AFP)

Top seed Elena Rybakina had her eyes on the prize, literally, as she overpowered Karolina Muchova 7-5 6-1 to win the Stuttgart Open on Sunday and drive away with a Porsche car for the second time in her career.

While the Kazakh claimed her second title of the season, it was the tournament's traditional Porsche award that truly captured Rybakina's attention more than the silverware itself.

The first Porsche she won in 2024 had given her a push to get ‌a driver’s license ‌last year and she was all smiles when ‌she ⁠drove her newly ⁠won second sports car down the ramp before parking it on the red clay of the arena.

Victory elevated Rybakina into exclusive company, making her just the fourth active player to win at least five WTA-level titles on multiple surfaces, joining an elite group that includes Venus Williams, Elina Svitolina and Iga Swiatek.

"It's an amazing tournament, we love coming back here... It really ⁠feels like home and you just want to come ‌back every year," Rybakina said.

"Super happy for ‌the second win here in Stuttgart and this beautiful car."

Rybakina ‌surged to a swift 3-0 lead in the opening set with a ‌flurry of aggressive shot-making against a largely defensive Muchova.

She was nearly untouchable behind her first serve, consistently pushing Muchova onto the back foot, while the Australian Open champion also mixed in confident net play, forcing her Czech opponent to cover ‌every inch of the court.

However, Muchova showed resilience, clawing her way back from 5-2 down to level ⁠at 5-5. But ⁠as she served to force a tiebreak, untimely errors crept in and Rybakina pounced to clinch the opening set when Muchova's return sailed long.

That proved to be the spark Rybakina needed as she shifted gears decisively in the second set, reeling off five consecutive games - echoing her dominant win over Mirra Andreeva in the semi-final - before Muchova got on the board.

Serving for the title, Rybakina closed it out in style, serving to love and wrapping up a Tour-leading 25th victory of the season in 78 minutes.

"Elena, honestly, too good. You played really well," Muchova said.

"I tried to stop you, but you clearly wanted a Porsche for the second time really bad. So, (you) made it very tough for me. Congrats!"


Tottenham Reports Racist Abuse of Defender Kevin Danso to Police

Football - Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur v Brighton & Hove Albion - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - April 18, 2026 Tottenham Hotspur's Kevin Danso look dejected with Antonin Kinsky after Brighton & Hove Albion's Georginio Rutter scores their second goal. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur v Brighton & Hove Albion - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - April 18, 2026 Tottenham Hotspur's Kevin Danso look dejected with Antonin Kinsky after Brighton & Hove Albion's Georginio Rutter scores their second goal. (Reuters)
TT

Tottenham Reports Racist Abuse of Defender Kevin Danso to Police

Football - Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur v Brighton & Hove Albion - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - April 18, 2026 Tottenham Hotspur's Kevin Danso look dejected with Antonin Kinsky after Brighton & Hove Albion's Georginio Rutter scores their second goal. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur v Brighton & Hove Albion - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - April 18, 2026 Tottenham Hotspur's Kevin Danso look dejected with Antonin Kinsky after Brighton & Hove Albion's Georginio Rutter scores their second goal. (Reuters)

Tottenham condemned Sunday what the club described as “vile, dehumanizing racism” aimed at defender Kevin Danso following the 2-2 draw with Brighton in the Premier League.

The Austria center back was at fault for Georginio Rutter’s stoppage-time equalizer for Brighton that left Tottenham in the relegation zone on Saturday.

Tottenham said it has reported racist abuse on social media toward Danso to the police.

“Since yesterday’s fixture against Brighton, which took place during the Premier League’s No Room For Racism weekend, Kevin Danso has been, and continues to be, subject to significant and abhorrent racist abuse on social media,” Tottenham said in a statement.

“We have heard and seen vile, dehumanizing racism. Behavior that is without doubt a criminal offence. It will not be tolerated."

Tottenham said it will “push for the strongest possible action against each and every person we identify.”

“Kevin has our complete and unconditional support as a player and as a person," the club said. “No one at this club will ever stand alone in the face of this.”

The Premier League issued a statement on X in support of Danso, warning that “any individuals identified and found guilty of discrimination will face the strongest possible consequences, including club bans and legal prosecution."


Champions League or Bust for Atletico After Copa del Rey Agony

Atletico Madrid's head coach Diego Pablo Simeone (C) and his players react at the end of the Spanish Cope del Rey final match between Real Sociedad and Atletico de Madrid, in Seville, Spain, 18 April 2026. (EPA)
Atletico Madrid's head coach Diego Pablo Simeone (C) and his players react at the end of the Spanish Cope del Rey final match between Real Sociedad and Atletico de Madrid, in Seville, Spain, 18 April 2026. (EPA)
TT

Champions League or Bust for Atletico After Copa del Rey Agony

Atletico Madrid's head coach Diego Pablo Simeone (C) and his players react at the end of the Spanish Cope del Rey final match between Real Sociedad and Atletico de Madrid, in Seville, Spain, 18 April 2026. (EPA)
Atletico Madrid's head coach Diego Pablo Simeone (C) and his players react at the end of the Spanish Cope del Rey final match between Real Sociedad and Atletico de Madrid, in Seville, Spain, 18 April 2026. (EPA)

Diego Simeone tried to convey hope but his body language spoke for itself.

The Argentine coach left Seville crumpled, wounded, by his team's Copa del Rey final defeat on Saturday by Real Sociedad, decided by the cruelty of penalties.

Simeone led Atletico to the Spanish cup back in 2013, an eternity ago, and winning it again would have been the perfect springboard to send the club flying into the Champions League semi-finals clash with Arsenal.

Atletico have never won that trophy and they had real belief they could do it this year, belief which was badly dented this weekend.

The last time they won silverware of any kind was La Liga in 2021, with Luis Suarez leading the charge in attack.

Winning the Copa would have ensured French star Antoine Griezmann could depart with a trophy under his arm, and end the club's drought.

During the Simeone era, the club have started to escape the nickname they had -- El Pupas, the jinxed one -- given to them after they lost the 1974 European Cup final against Bayern.

Simeone said his team could pick themselves back up from the defeat, 4-3 in the shoot-out after the gripping 2-2 draw, with Alexander Sorloth and Julian Alvarez missing from the spot for the Rojiblancos.

"The way we competed makes me calm," said the coach, but it will take effort to get his players in the right place mentally to take on Arsenal, with the first leg in the Spanish capital on April 29.

"I'm not thinking about Arsenal, what happens today hurts me a lot. We needed to win and we couldn't win," said Simeone.

"The fans don't need messages (from me), what they need is to win."

Over 30,000 Atletico fans travelled down to Seville and left downhearted.

Simeone had pledged the team were "ready" to win the Champions League after they eliminated Barcelona earlier in the week but they failed the litmus test against La Real.

"We still have the Champions League, we have a beautiful tie ahead of us," said Atletico midfielder Marcos Llorente, trying to raise spirits.

"We have to thank everyone, above all those who came to Seville, we're really hurting for them. We have to lift our heads up."

- 'Now the good part' -

Llorente said the team could not wallow in defeat.

"When you lose, you have another competition coming quickly," he continued.

"There's no time to think about things. This is really tough for us, but we have to get up -- now comes the good part."

In the immediate aftermath of the shoot-out, decided by two saves by Real Sociedad stopper Unai Marrero and Pablo Marin's winning spot kick, Koke wiped away tears before issuing a similar message.

The veteran midfielder is one of the wisest heads at Atletico and he told his team-mates to focus on what lies ahead.

"We tried everything, we left our souls out there and it wasn't to be," said the 34-year-old.

"That's life... it hurts, and we have to continue."

Atletico are a club that have bounced back from many blows to keep on moving forwards, including defeats by rivals Real Madrid in the 2014 and 2016 Champions League finals.

The Copa final loss stings but pales in contrast to those bitter blows.

At least with Real Madrid eliminated, if Atletico can recover to find a way past Arsenal, that cannot happen a third time.