عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Sports

PSG Boss Luis Enrique Hoping to Make History after Signing Contract Extension

(From L to R) PSG's Spanish head coach Luis Enrique, Moroccan defender #02 Achraf Hakimi, Portuguese midfielder #17 Vitinha and Portuguese defender #25 Nuno Mendes stand during a ceremony announcing their contract extension's with the French club, ahead of the French L1 football match between PSG and AS Monaco at the Parc des Princes Stadium in Paris on February 7, 2025. (AFP)
(From L to R) PSG's Spanish head coach Luis Enrique, Moroccan defender #02 Achraf Hakimi, Portuguese midfielder #17 Vitinha and Portuguese defender #25 Nuno Mendes stand during a ceremony announcing their contract extension's with the French club, ahead of the French L1 football match between PSG and AS Monaco at the Parc des Princes Stadium in Paris on February 7, 2025. (AFP)
TT
TT

PSG Boss Luis Enrique Hoping to Make History after Signing Contract Extension

(From L to R) PSG's Spanish head coach Luis Enrique, Moroccan defender #02 Achraf Hakimi, Portuguese midfielder #17 Vitinha and Portuguese defender #25 Nuno Mendes stand during a ceremony announcing their contract extension's with the French club, ahead of the French L1 football match between PSG and AS Monaco at the Parc des Princes Stadium in Paris on February 7, 2025. (AFP)
(From L to R) PSG's Spanish head coach Luis Enrique, Moroccan defender #02 Achraf Hakimi, Portuguese midfielder #17 Vitinha and Portuguese defender #25 Nuno Mendes stand during a ceremony announcing their contract extension's with the French club, ahead of the French L1 football match between PSG and AS Monaco at the Parc des Princes Stadium in Paris on February 7, 2025. (AFP)

Luis Enrique was delighted to have been given a two-year extension with Paris St Germain as he wants to make history with the French champions.

The Spaniard, who arrived at PSG in 2023, expressed his gratitude for the trust the club has placed in him and said he is motivated to leave a legacy in Paris.

"From day one the club has put everything at our disposal and the support only makes me want to continue working and improving, we want to make history here as a coaching staff," Luis Enrique told reporters following PSG's 4-1 win over Monaco on Friday.

"I don't know how long I'll be here, when you feel comfortable where you are and you feel the trust of those around you, why set limits for yourself.

"I am very happy for that support, I hope to repay it with hard work, I don't know if with results."

Luis Enrique denied that PSG's convincing victory, which keeps them unbeaten in Ligue 1 with a 13-point lead at the top of the standings, was the best of their season so far and said it was difficult despite the scoreline.

"I don't think we had our best game, I didn't like the last 10-15 minutes, we didn't take the ball away from Monaco and we had some difficulties," he said.

"The first half was very even, it was difficult to put pressure on them. In the second half we were able to do more damage and in the end we deserved the victory but it was very difficult as always against Monaco."

PSG will now turn their attention to the Champions League knockout playoffs, where they face Ligue 1 side Brest on Tuesday.

While a slow start to their European campaign meant the Parisians missed out on securing an automatic spot in the last 16, the coach said the struggles had strengthened the team in their quest for a coveted first Champions League title.

"We've been through it all, all those delicate moments where only our fans believed in us are wonderful right now because they have given us maturity in a young team," Luis Enrique said.

"We will never stop fighting. That is our goal this season: to fight until the last minute of every competition to try to make history."

Most Viewed

 
 
Sports

F1 on Jeddah’s Streets - Talking Points Ahead of the Saudi Arabian GP

McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia walks through the paddock ahead of the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP)
McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia walks through the paddock ahead of the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP)
TT
TT

F1 on Jeddah’s Streets - Talking Points Ahead of the Saudi Arabian GP

McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia walks through the paddock ahead of the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP)
McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia walks through the paddock ahead of the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP)

This weekend's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix is the final leg of the first "triple header" of the season.

From Suzuka in Japan, to the desert of Bahrain, Formula One now pitches up on the shores of the Red Sea in Jeddah.

AFP Sport looks at five talking points ahead of the fifth round of the 24-race season:

Advantage McLaren

Oscar Piastri put in a faultless display from pole last Sunday in Sakhir to make it three wins out of four for the British marque.

That moved the cool as ice Australian to within three points of championship leader and teammate Lando Norris, who took third in Bahrain.

With Max Verstappen, only sixth, and Red Bull struggling to keep tabs on the world constructors' champions, the 2025 title could well develop into a battle between the two McLaren men.

The team has always been insistent on "papaya rules", theoretically meaning no favoritism between the pair, but that even-handed policy will be put under intense pressure if the season develops into a battle between the two gifted drivers.

Looking ahead to Sunday's race Norris commented: "It's a really fast track and we have a quick car, so we'll be aiming to finish this triple-header strongly."

Red Bull to bounce back?

Red Bull's problems in Bahrain were well documented, and they will be desperate to bounce back on one of their favorite hunting grounds, with Max Verstappen winning in Jeddah in 2022 and 2024.

"Bahrain was quite a difficult weekend for us and didn't really go our way at all. We had some issues that set us back and we still have a lot of work to do on the car to get us where we need to be," said the four-time champion.

He slipped to third in the standings, eight points behind Norris, after trailing in over half a minute behind Piastri in Sakhir.

"We have a final push with this being the third race and final weekend of the triple header so hopefully we can find more pace and bring out a performance similar to Japan (his only win of the season)," he added.

The circuit

Sunday's race presents a radically different test for car and driver than last week in Bahrain. The fastest street circuit on the calendar offers multiple chances for overtaking, in stark contrast to the most famous street circuit of them all, Monaco.

With a record 27 corners and three DRS (drag reduction system) zones it can be counted on to serve up plenty of drama, with the walled sides leaving little room for error.

All the ingredients then for a thrilling race under floodlights on Jeddah's Corniche.

Golf in the Gulf for Gasly

Alpine finally got off the ground in Bahrain, with Pierre Gasly picking up their first points of the season in seventh.

"It's great to leave Bahrain with points on the board after three challenging races at the start of the season," reflected the French driver.

He celebrated his bold show by following Rory McIlroy's emotional Masters triumph at Augusta.

"I really enjoyed staying up late to watch the end of the Masters and I'm delighted for Rory McIlroy, one of our investors, to finally secure the green jacket. Congratulations to him!"

Toto praise for Russell

George Russell will be hoping to concentrate on the job he's paid to do -- driving -- rather than as a part-time electrician. The Briton, enjoying his best ever start to a season, took second last Sunday despite a myriad of issues he had to contend with in the cockpit in the closing stages.

"It was a superb drive from him under extreme pressure," marveled Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff.

Russell's teammate Kimi Antonelli did not enjoy the rub of the green and finished out of the points for the first time in his debut season.

"It has been easy to forget that Kimi is in the very earliest stages of his F1 career given his performances so far. Bahrain will prove an important milestone in his continued development," Wolff remarked.