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French Ligue 1

Mbappe not ruling out PSG stay, clears the air with Neymar

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(From left) Lionel Messi, Mbappe and Neymar form what is regarded as the most exciting attacking trio in club football, but they have struggled to gel.PHOTO: AFP

Kylian Mbappe on Tuesday (Oct 5) fell short of saying he would leave Paris St Germain when his contract expires at the end of the season but Real Madrid president Florentino Perez said he was optimistic the France striker would join the Spanish giants.

The 22-year-old told the Ligue 1 club he wanted to join Real Madrid during the close season, only for PSG to turn down the Spanish club’s offers.

Asked if he was going to leave next summer, Mbappe told French sports daily L’Equipe: “I’ve been in football long enough now to know that yesterday’s truth is not necessarily today’s, nor tomorrow’s. If I was told that Messi was going to play at PSG, I wouldn’t have believed it, so you never know what’s going to happen.”

Perez, however, told Spanish paper El Debate on Monday that his club would have news on Mbappe in January.

“Hopefully, everything can be sorted on the first of January,” he said.

Perez’s comments prompted an angry reaction from PSG sporting director Leonardo.

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“It’s been going on for two years,” the Brazilian told L’Equipe.

“I just remind you that the transfer window is closed, that a season is under way.

“There are matches and Real Madrid cannot continue to behave in this way. Let it stop! Kylian is a player of Paris St Germain and the club wants this relationship to last.”

Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar form what is regarded as the most exciting attacking trio in club football, but they have struggled to gel, with Mbappe showing his frustration towards the Brazilian.

Mbappe was heard saying “this bum, he never passes to me” in a Ligue 1 game against Montpellier last month.

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“Yes, yes, I said that. Now, these are things that happen all the time in soccer. It’s just not something that sticks. That’s why, immediately afterwards, seeing how big it had become, I talked to him about it,” said Mbappe.

“We’ve exchanged a lot of words like that in the past and we’ll continue to do so, because we want to win, but there shouldn’t be any hard feelings. There is no resentment at all because I respect the player and the man and I admire what he is.”

Mbappe now wants to focus on football.

“Right now, my future is not my priority,” he said. “I’ve already wasted a lot of energy this summer, and it was tiring.”

Mbappe is with the France squad as they prepare for this week’s Nations League Final Four tournament with a semi-final against Belgium on Thursday and the PSG forward is looking to put his Euro 2020 disappointment behind him.

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His miss in the penalty shootout against Switzerland effectively knocked the world champions out in the last 16 and Mbappe faced stern criticism in France as well as racist abuse.

“What shocked me, once again, was to be called a monkey for a penalty,” he said.

“That’s why I wanted support, not because I took my penalty on the left and (Yann) Sommer stopped it. That’s my fault.”

-Reuters

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Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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French Ligue 1

Moses Simon hits Ligue 1 Milestone  

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After reaching a significant career milestone, Super Eagles winger and Nantes star, Moses Simon, was recognised by French Ligue 1 on Tuesday.

A pillar in the Nigeria Super Eagles side that finished second in last February’s Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire, Simon is regarded as one of the most decisive Nigerian players in the French top division. He reached a milestone of 150 matches in the French Ligue 1 during Nantes’ 1-1 draw with Angers SCO at  the weekend.

The Ligue 1 official Twitter account marked the occasion, celebrating Simon’s contributions with a post stating, “Indispensable Moses Simon.”

In his 150 appearances, the 29-year-old winger racked up 27 goals and 29 assists, showcasing his vital role in his team’s success.

Simon’s achievement places him fifth among Nigerian players with the most Ligue 1 appearances, trailing only John Utaka (239 games), Wilson Oruma (196), Taye Taiwo (191), and Victor Ikpeba (170).

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Further cementing his legacy, Simon’s assist during the Angers match made him the most decisive player for Nantes since their promotion to Ligue 1 in 2013.

His pinpoint pass to Johann Lepenant in the 18th minute gave Nantes an early lead before Angers’ Himad Abdelli equalised later on.

With this assist, Simon broke the previous club record held by the late Emiliano Sala, becoming Nantes’ top contributor with 29 assists in Ligue 1.

This season, the Super Eagles forward has continued his form, recording two goals and two assists in just five games.

Simon was named Nantes’ Player of the Month for August.

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Simon, who joined Nantes from Levante in August 2019, helped the Yellow Canaries lift the Coupe de France in 2022. It was the third trophy of his career, having won the Belgian Pro League and the Super Cup with Gent in 2015.

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French Ligue 1

Sacked former Cote d’ivoire coach, Gasset announces retirement as Marseille manager

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Europa League - Semi Final - Second Leg - Atalanta v Olympique de Marseille - Stadio Atleti Azzurri, Bergamo, Italy - May 9, 2024 Olympique de Marseille coach Jean-Louis Gasset reacts REUTERS/Daniele Mascolo

Jean-Louis Gasset who was sacked by Cote d’Ivoire after the group stage of the Africa Cup of Nations last January has announced his retirement as  a coach of Olympique de Marseille.

 He will take charge of his last game on Sunday before retiring from management, the 70-year-old said on Friday.

Gasset was appointed as interim manager by the Ligue 1 club in February after the sacking of Gennaro Gattuso, and Marseille are eight in the standings going into their final Ligue 1 game of the season at Le Havre.

“Sunday will be the last match of my career,” Gasset told a press conference.

“That I stay in football, that my experience, my ideas and my networks are used is a possibility. I don’t know how to garden, I won’t have anything to do. But as a coach, it’s over.”

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The Frenchman’s previous job was with Ivory Coast from which he was sacked after the team’s poor performances in the Africa Cup of Nations group stage. They scraped through as the last lucky losers before going on to win the tournament on home soil.

-Reuters

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French Ligue 1

Departing Mbappe backs good friend Dembele to become Ligue 1’s best

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Sealed And Delivered! Mbappe Has Already Signed Contract With Real Madrid -

Kylian Mbappe has backed winger Ousmane Dembele to be a success at Paris St Germain and fill his boots after he exits the club, as he won his fifth successive Ligue 1 Player of the Year award.

France captain Mbappe, 25, last week announced that he will leave the French champions at the end of the season after a seven-year stay, during which he became their all-time top scorer with 256 goals.

Mbappe’s frustration lies with PSG’s performances in the Champions League, a trophy they have never lifted despite huge investment in the squad. He has been heavily linked with a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid, who are in the final this year seeking a 15th European crown.

His 26-year-old compatriot Dembele joined the Parisian club, who have won 10 of the last 12 Ligue 1 titles, from LaLiga side Barcelona in August last year, signing a five-year deal.

“I have shared and played with incredible players, like Dembele who is here, he is a friend and one day he will pick up this award,” Mbappe said on Monday at the award ceremony.

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“I thank the club as a whole, the coach, who has helped me and trusted me, his staff, the doctors, all the people at the club, the sporting management, the president, the shareholders of the club, of course, the Emir of Qatar who came to find me at the age of 18, who has accompanied me in all my decisions…”

He said his next chapter is going to be very exciting but did not reveal any further details.

“Now I’m turning the page in my life. Everything that comes next is super exciting, but that’s another subject,” Mbappe said.

“Thank you all, I’m going to miss you. I have always tried to do my best, and I also want to thank my family, who have always been with me in good times and bad.

“My father, who is here, I know that it was very important to him that I made history in Ligue 1 before I left and I think that with humility I have done everything you wanted.”

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-Reuters

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