عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Sports

Enrique Is Finding the Right Balance in PSG’s Attack After a Positional Switch 

Paris Saint-Germain's Spanish headcoach Luis Enrique (C) reacts in the technical area alongside Paris Saint-Germain's French midfielder #33 Warren Zaire-Emery (L) during the French Cup quarter final football match between Stade Briochin and PSG at the Roazhon Park stadium in Rennes, western France, on February 26, 2025. (AFP)
Paris Saint-Germain's Spanish headcoach Luis Enrique (C) reacts in the technical area alongside Paris Saint-Germain's French midfielder #33 Warren Zaire-Emery (L) during the French Cup quarter final football match between Stade Briochin and PSG at the Roazhon Park stadium in Rennes, western France, on February 26, 2025. (AFP)
TT
TT

Enrique Is Finding the Right Balance in PSG’s Attack After a Positional Switch 

Paris Saint-Germain's Spanish headcoach Luis Enrique (C) reacts in the technical area alongside Paris Saint-Germain's French midfielder #33 Warren Zaire-Emery (L) during the French Cup quarter final football match between Stade Briochin and PSG at the Roazhon Park stadium in Rennes, western France, on February 26, 2025. (AFP)
Paris Saint-Germain's Spanish headcoach Luis Enrique (C) reacts in the technical area alongside Paris Saint-Germain's French midfielder #33 Warren Zaire-Emery (L) during the French Cup quarter final football match between Stade Briochin and PSG at the Roazhon Park stadium in Rennes, western France, on February 26, 2025. (AFP)

Making a positional switch has allowed Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique to play his three star forwards together, and it's paying off.

When Khvicha Kvaratskhelia joined from Napoli, he came with a reputation as one of the world's best left wingers. But selecting him there meant dropping Bradley Barcola, who has done well for PSG since joining last season from Lyon.

Enrique was criticized for his tinkering early on in the season, when PSG struggled to score, but these days most of his decisions appear to work.

So he tried Kvaratskhelia out on the right in the Champions League playoff return leg against Brest — which PSG won 7-0 — and kept the Georgia winger there in the 3-2 win at Lyon last Sunday.

Barcola stayed on the left, where he is at his best, with newly-prolific scorer Ousmane Dembélé playing primarily in the middle as a roaming striker.

In those two games the fleet-footed Kvaratskhelia scored one goal, had two assists and posed a permanent threat.

He showed his remarkable close control when dribbling — which gives him the look of an elite Futsal player — and also his superb passing ability, sending Dembélé clean through with a brilliant first-time pass from midfield.

"Everything is going very well. It's never easy to arrive in a new country, a new league," Kvaratskhelia said. "It's really different, but I work hard, it's my job. My wife is coming. Everything is falling into place."

Enrique had wanted to sign him last season, and thinks he can make PSG even stronger.

"He's not quite at 100% yet," Enrique said. "We're focused on finding the team solution that ensures the best competitiveness in every match."

It seems likely Enrique will keep Kvaratskhelia on the right flank for Saturday's home game with Lille in the domestic competition.

He must then decide whether to do the same against Liverpool in the Champions League next Wednesday, when PSG hosts the Premier League leader in the round of 16.

The timing of Saturday's match isn't great with a Champions League game coming up, but it's reasonably fair.

Although Lille has one day less to prepare and has to travel to play Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday, coach Bruno Genesio's side wasn't involved in the French Cup quarterfinals this week having been knocked out.

PSG remains unbeaten in the domestic league and has a 13-point lead atop Ligue 1 as it chases yet another league and cup double.

Lille is in fourth place and mired in a contest for Champions League qualification, sandwiched between Nice and Monaco and with second-place Marseille still within sight.

Most Viewed

 
 
Sports

Morocco Coach Dismisses Aguerd Injury Talk, Backs Ait Boudlal ahead of Mali Test

Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations - Round of 16 - Morocco v South Africa - Laurent Pokou Stadium, San Pedro, Ivory Coast - January 30, 2024 Morocco coach Walid Regragui reacts REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko
Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations - Round of 16 - Morocco v South Africa - Laurent Pokou Stadium, San Pedro, Ivory Coast - January 30, 2024 Morocco coach Walid Regragui reacts REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko
TT
TT

Morocco Coach Dismisses Aguerd Injury Talk, Backs Ait Boudlal ahead of Mali Test

Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations - Round of 16 - Morocco v South Africa - Laurent Pokou Stadium, San Pedro, Ivory Coast - January 30, 2024 Morocco coach Walid Regragui reacts REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko
Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations - Round of 16 - Morocco v South Africa - Laurent Pokou Stadium, San Pedro, Ivory Coast - January 30, 2024 Morocco coach Walid Regragui reacts REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

Morocco coach Walid Regragui has dismissed reports that defender Nayef Aguerd is injured, saying the center back was fit and ready for ​Friday’s Africa Cup of Nations Group A clash against Mali.

"Who told you Aguerd is injured? He’s training as usual and has no problems," Regragui told reporters, Reuters reported.

Regragui confirmed captain Romain Saiss will miss the game with a muscle injury sustained against Comoros in their tournament ‌opener, while ‌full back Achraf Hakimi, ‌recently ⁠crowned ​African Player ‌of the Year, is recovering from an ankle problem sustained with Paris St Germain last month and could feature briefly. "Hakimi is doing well and we’ll make the best decision for him," Regragui said. The coach also heaped praise on 19-year-old ⁠defender Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal, calling him "a great talent".

"I’ve been following ‌him for years. I called ‍him up a ‍year and a half ago when he was ‍a substitute at Rennes and people criticized me. Today everyone is praising him – that shows our vision is long-term," Regragui said. "We must not burn the ​player. We’ll use him at the right time. We’ll see if he starts tomorrow ⁠or comes in later."

Ait Boudlal echoed his coach's confidence.

"We know the responsibility we carry. Every game is tough and requires full concentration. We listen carefully to the coach’s instructions and aim to deliver a performance that meets fans’ expectations," he said.

Morocco opened the tournament with a 2-0 win over Comoros and will secure qualification with victory over Mali at Rabat’s Prince Moulay Abdellah ‌Stadium.

"It will be a tough match against a strong team," Regragui added.

Sports

Mali coach Saintfiet hits out at European clubs, FIFA over AFCON changes

Mali coach Tom Saintfiet pictured at his team's opening AFCON game against Zambia in Casablanca on Monday © Abdel Majid BZIOUAT / AFP/File
Mali coach Tom Saintfiet pictured at his team's opening AFCON game against Zambia in Casablanca on Monday © Abdel Majid BZIOUAT / AFP/File
TT
TT

Mali coach Saintfiet hits out at European clubs, FIFA over AFCON changes

Mali coach Tom Saintfiet pictured at his team's opening AFCON game against Zambia in Casablanca on Monday © Abdel Majid BZIOUAT / AFP/File
Mali coach Tom Saintfiet pictured at his team's opening AFCON game against Zambia in Casablanca on Monday © Abdel Majid BZIOUAT / AFP/File

Mali coach Tom Saintfiet on Thursday railed against the decision to play the Africa Cup of Nations every four years instead of two, insisting the move was forced upon the continent by FIFA and European clubs motivated by money.

"I am very shocked with it and very disappointed. It is the pride of African football, with the best players in African football," the Belgian told reporters in Rabat ahead of Friday's AFCON clash between Mali and Morocco, AFP reported.

"To take it away and make it every four years, I could understand if it was a request for any reason from Africa, but it is all instructed by the big people from (European governing body) UEFA, the big clubs in Europe and also FIFA and that makes it so sad."

Saintfiet, 52, has managed numerous African national teams including Gambia, who he led to the quarter-finals of the 2022 Cup of Nations.

He was appointed by Mali in August last year and on Friday will lead them out against current AFCON hosts in a key Group A game at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.

The Cup of Nations has almost always been held at two-year intervals since the first edition in 1957 but Confederation of African Football president Patrice Motsepe last weekend announced that the tournament would go ahead every four years after a planned 2028 tournament.

"We fought for so long to be respected, to then listen to Europe to change your history -- because this is a history going back 68 years -- only because of financial requests from clubs who use the load on players as the excuse while they create a World Cup with 48 teams, a Champions League with no champions," Saintfiet said.

"If you don't get relegated in England you almost get into Europe, it is so stupid," he joked.

"If you want to protect players then you play the Champions League with only the champions. You don't create more competitions with more load. Then you can still play AFCON every two years.

"Africa is the biggest football continent in the world, all the big stars in Europe are Africans, so I think we disrespect (Africa) by going to every four years.

"I am very sad about that -- I hoped that the love for Africa would win over the pressure of Europe."

Sports

My Grandfather Encouraged Me to Play for Algeria, Luca Zidane Says

Algeria's goalkeeper #23 Luca Zidane reacts during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) Group E football match between Algeria and Sudan at Moulay Hassan Stadium in Rabat on December 24, 2025. (AFP)
Algeria's goalkeeper #23 Luca Zidane reacts during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) Group E football match between Algeria and Sudan at Moulay Hassan Stadium in Rabat on December 24, 2025. (AFP)
TT
TT

My Grandfather Encouraged Me to Play for Algeria, Luca Zidane Says

Algeria's goalkeeper #23 Luca Zidane reacts during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) Group E football match between Algeria and Sudan at Moulay Hassan Stadium in Rabat on December 24, 2025. (AFP)
Algeria's goalkeeper #23 Luca Zidane reacts during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) Group E football match between Algeria and Sudan at Moulay Hassan Stadium in Rabat on December 24, 2025. (AFP)

Luca Zidane, son of French World Cup-winner Zinedine, said his grandfather had supported him in switching international allegiance to Algeria, after playing for France at junior level.

Zinedine Zidane is widely regarded as one of the greatest French footballers, inspiring his country to their first World Cup victory in 1998 and scoring two goals in the 3-0 win over Brazil in the final in Paris. The midfielder also guided them to the Euro 2000 trophy, achieving an unprecedented double for Les Bleus.

The decision to switch nationalities by Luca, who chose to avoid comparisons with ‌his father from ‌an early age by opting to play as ‌a ⁠goalkeeper, came as ‌a surprise, especially since he made it at the age of 27.

He quickly became Algeria's first-choice keeper, and his father watched him play against Sudan in Vladimir Petković's side's opening Africa Cup of Nations Group E match on Wednesday, which they won 3-0.

Zidane was not tested much during the match, but he did make an important save from a dangerous chance that fell to Yaser Awad with the score at ⁠1-0.

"When I think of Algeria, I remember my grandfather. Since childhood, we’ve had this Algerian culture in the ‌family," Zidane told BeIN Sports France.

"I spoke to ‍him before playing for the national ‍team, and he was extremely happy about this step. Every time I receive ‍an international call-up, he calls me and says that I made a great decision and that he is proud of me."

He said his father had also backed his decision. "He supported me," Luca said. "He said to me ‘Be careful, this is your choice. I can give you advice, but in the end, the final decision will be yours'.

"From the moment the coach and the federation ⁠president reached out to me, it was clear that I wanted to go and represent my country. After that, I naturally spoke with my family, and they were all happy for me."

Zinedine Zidane, who was sent off in the 2006 World Cup final in Germany which they lost to Italy on penalties, won the Champions League in 2002 with Real Madrid and claimed the Ballon d'Or award in 1998.

His son, who plays in Spain for Granada after starting his career at Real Madrid, has always worn a shirt bearing the name Luca, but he decided his national team jersey would carry the name Zidane.

"So for me, being able to honor ‌my grandfather by joining the national team is very important," he said. "The next jersey with the name on it will be for him."