With Ligue 1 Almost Conquered, Enrique Wants His Side to Stay Sharp for Bigger Goals

29 January 2025, Stuttgart: Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique sits in the stadium ahead of the UEFA Champions League soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and Paris Saint-Germain at the MHPArena. (dpa)
29 January 2025, Stuttgart: Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique sits in the stadium ahead of the UEFA Champions League soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and Paris Saint-Germain at the MHPArena. (dpa)
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With Ligue 1 Almost Conquered, Enrique Wants His Side to Stay Sharp for Bigger Goals

29 January 2025, Stuttgart: Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique sits in the stadium ahead of the UEFA Champions League soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and Paris Saint-Germain at the MHPArena. (dpa)
29 January 2025, Stuttgart: Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique sits in the stadium ahead of the UEFA Champions League soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and Paris Saint-Germain at the MHPArena. (dpa)

Paris St Germain have a chance of winning Ligue 1 with seven games to spare if they win at Saint-Etienne and other results go their way this weekend, but coach Luis Enrique is keen to keep momentum going to help clinch more silverware.

Unbeaten PSG have a 19-point lead over second-placed Olympique de Marseille with eight matches to go as they stand on the verge of their fourth straight Ligue 1 title.

If PSG win, Marseille lose, and the next two teams in the standings, AS Monaco and Nice, drop points, that will ensure PSG's 11th league title since 2012-13, and the second straight crown under Luis Enrique.

"We're never champions until it's mathematically a foregone conclusion. But we're the best team in Ligue 1. We're going to use this moment so that these eight games can be used for more global objectives," Luis Enrique told reporters on Friday.

The Spaniard, who previously led Barcelona to a treble of LaLiga, Champions League and Spanish Cup titles in 2015, has an opportunity to repeat the feat this year.

"We need to be ready for the two or three months of competition," he said.

PSG, who lost to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League semi-finals last season, will face Aston Villa in the two-leg quarter-finals of the continental competition next month, after a French Cup semi-final against Ligue 2 side Dunkerque.

Luis Enrique said PSG were fully motivated ahead of their visit to relegation-threatened Saint-Etienne who sit 17th in the table, one point below Le Havre who have played a game more.

Saint-Etienne were closing in on their first win since January when they were 2-0 up at bottom side Montpellier on March 16, but the match was abandoned after home fans threw flares onto the pitch and part of a stand caught fire.

"We're playing away against a historic French club. There's a very powerful atmosphere in the stadium. We love these atmospheres of football and passionate people. It's very motivating for us. I hope there won't be any problems," Luis Enrique said.



African Players in Europe: Marmoush, Sarr Strike in FA Cup Wins

Manchester City's Egyptian striker #07 Omar Marmoush (C) shoots to score their second goal during the English FA Cup quarter-final football match between Bournemouth and Manchester City at the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth, on the south coast of England on March 30, 2025. (AFP)
Manchester City's Egyptian striker #07 Omar Marmoush (C) shoots to score their second goal during the English FA Cup quarter-final football match between Bournemouth and Manchester City at the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth, on the south coast of England on March 30, 2025. (AFP)
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African Players in Europe: Marmoush, Sarr Strike in FA Cup Wins

Manchester City's Egyptian striker #07 Omar Marmoush (C) shoots to score their second goal during the English FA Cup quarter-final football match between Bournemouth and Manchester City at the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth, on the south coast of England on March 30, 2025. (AFP)
Manchester City's Egyptian striker #07 Omar Marmoush (C) shoots to score their second goal during the English FA Cup quarter-final football match between Bournemouth and Manchester City at the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth, on the south coast of England on March 30, 2025. (AFP)

Egyptian Omar Marmoush and Senegalese Ismaila Sarr scored to help Manchester City and Crystal Palace secure FA Cup semi-finals places at the weekend.

Marmoush netted his fifth goal for City since a January move from Eintracht Frankfurt, scoring the winner in a 2-1 victory over Bournemouth.

Back in England after Africa Cup of Nations qualifying duty, Sarr put Palace two goals ahead en route to a 3-0 London derby victory at Fulham.

Here, AFP Sport highlights African headline-makers in the FA Cup and major European leagues:

ENGLAND

OMAR MARMOUSH (Manchester City)

He came off the bench to send City into the semi-finals with the second-half winner at Bournemouth. Pep Guardiola's side, who will face Nottingham Forest at Wembley in April, trailed to Evanilson's first-half strike in the quarter-final. Erling Haaland levelled in the 49th minute before Marmoush netted in the 63rd minute as he took Nico O'Reilly's flick and fired past Kepa Arrizabalaga.

ISMAILA SARR (Crystal Palace)

Sarr helped the Eagles reach the semi-finals with the second goal in their victory at Fulham. Eberechi Eze put Palace ahead in the first half before Sarr struck in the 38th minute. Eze skipped down the left and whipped an inch-perfect cross to Sarr, who evaded his marker and headed past Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno for his ninth goal in all competitions this season. Palace will play Aston Villa in the semi-finals as they look to reach the final for the first time since 2016.

SPAIN

PATHE CISS (Rayo Vallecano)

Senegalese midfielder Ciss produced a brilliant header to put Vallecano ahead against Alaves in their 2-0 win. The 31-year-old made a darting run to the near post and flashed a header across goal and into the top corner. It was his third goal of the season in La Liga and he is playing an important role in Rayo's push for European football.

ITALY

ZITO LUVUMBO (Cagliari)

The 23-year-old Angola winger, in his fifth season at Cagliari, scored in injury time of his team's 3-0 win over rock-bottom Monza to help ease relegation fears. Cagliari are now six points above the Serie A drop zone. Gianluca Gaetano, who had scored the second goal, created the opportunity for Luvumbo with a long over-the-top through ball.

GERMANY

AMINE ADLI, VICTOR BONIFACE (Bayer Leverkusen)

Nigerian Boniface and Moroccan Adli scored in the second half as defending Bundesliga champions Leverkusen came from behind to win 3-1 at home to relegation-threatened Bochum. Boniface converted a cross with his knee on 60 minutes and Adli slid the ball into the net with three minutes of regular time remaining.

ELIAS SAAD (St Pauli)

Tunisian Saad temporarily silenced supporters of league leaders Bayern Munich by equalizing midway through the first half of a match his club eventually lost 3-2 to lie three points above the relegation zone. Saad moved unnoticed into the Bayern area and tapped the ball into the net.

FRANCE

ABDOULAYE TOURE (Le Havre)

The Guinea midfielder scored a pair of first-half penalties as Le Havre beat Nantes 3-2 to end an eight-match winless run at home and boost their Ligue 1 survival hopes. Toure, who started both of his nation's World Cup qualifiers this month, is his club's top scorer this season with seven goals after netting four times in the past three games.