Paris Saint-Germain: 2023-24 Coupe De France Winners

 

Paris Saint-Germain beat Lyon 2-1 in the French Cup final on Saturday to end the season with a domestic treble in Kylian Mbappé's last game for the club.

The Ligue 1 and French Super Cup champions dominated the first half at Lille's Stade Pierre-Mauroy to secure their record-extending 15th Cup title and first since 2021.

Ousmane Dembélé put PSG ahead after 23 minutes when Nuno Mendes' cross found him unmarked in the six-yard box to coolly head home, and Fabio Ruiz doubled the advantage with a strike from a tight angle at the second attempt.

Lyon pulled one back 10 minutes into the second half thanks to Jake O'Brien's towering header off a corner before PSG keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma produced a superb save minutes later.

PSG's all-time top scorer Mbappé failed to find the net in his final game for the club, leaving his record at 256 goals in 308 appearances over his seven-year spell.

"You feel a bit more the weight of things because you realize that it's really over," Mbappé told broadcaster beIN Sports. "When I said goodbye to the Parc des Princes, there were still some games left, so you are still focused on what awaits you.

"Now, I have nothing left with PSG. But I'm very happy to have been able to finish with a trophy.

"I'm happy to have been part of its history and to have made it a bit."

Earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron condemned violence ahead of the final as Lyon and PSG supporters clashed on a highway leading to Stade Pierre-Mauroy a few hours before kick-off.

Supporters threw flares and windows were smashed on buses full of supporters. The local prefecture said police had "quickly put an end" to the clashes. In a post on X, it also confirmed buses had been damaged.

Information from Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Bayer Leverkusen: 2023-24 DFB-Pokal Winners

 

Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen battled past second-division Kaiserslautern 1-0 on Saturday to win the DFB-Pokal (German Cup) and secure the club's first domestic double.

Leverkusen won the Bundesliga unbeaten, a historic feat. The only blip on the record of Xabi Alonso's team this season was losing the Europa League final to Atalanta 3-0 on Wednesday in Dublin. That ended Leverkusen's record 51-game unbeaten run across all competitions. It was their only loss in 53 games this season.

This was Leverkusen's second German Cup win after their maiden victory back in 1993.

"In the end, to win like that meant we showed spirit, we fought for the fans for the club," Alonso said. "It is huge success to win the double. We will remember this in the future."

At Berlin's Olympiastadion, which will host the Euro 2024 final in July, Leverkusen took the lead with Granit Xhaka's 20-metre missile in the 16th minute.

They controlled the tempo even after they were reduced to 10 men following Odilon Kossounou's second booking a minute before half-time.

Kaiserslautern rarely threatened after the break, with Leverkusen comfortably holding on to cap a memorable season with a second trophy.

"The most important thing was the belief of the team. They were ready to battle with 10 players and I am proud of that," Alonso added.

"I need time to accept what happened this season. It was a dream season and to celebrate the last day like this here is special."

Long derided as "Neverkusen" for their failure to win a major title since that 1993 cup win, Leverkusen ended their season with more silverware after also winning the Bundesliga title without a single loss -- the first German team to achieve that feat.

"It was a deserved victory," club CEO Fernando Carro said. "We could have added another goal but overall a fully deserved win. We lifted the cup after we failed to do so Wednesday. Compliments to the team to win this double."

Information from Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Manchester United: 2023-24 FA Cup Winners

 

Manchester United pulled off a thrilling Emirates FA Cup triumph as teenage sensations Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo inspired a 2-1 win against rivals Manchester City.

Garnacho took advantage of a City mistake to put United ahead on the half-hour before Mainoo calmly doubled their lead, as the Red Devils stunned Pep Guardiola’s domestic double hopefuls in the first half.

City laid siege to United’s goal after half-time and hit the cross-bar through Erling Haaland, before substitute Jeremy Doku set-up a grandstand finish with a low shot into the bottom corner in the 87th minute.

However, United held firm to win the 13th Emirates FA Cup in their history, moving to within one of Arsenal’s record, and book their place in next season’s Europa League.

This marks their second trophy under manager Erik ten Hag and comes at the end of a wild Emirates FA Cup journey. United required extra-time to beat rivals Liverpool 4-3 in a pulsating quarter-final and then penalties to see off Coventry City in the semi-finals following a sensational 3-3 draw.

While this did not quite match those matches for drama, it was a nail-biting final and a fine way to end a difficult season for United that saw them finish eighth in the Premier League, 31 points behind champions City in the table.

City have the Premier League trophy to show for another excellent campaign but missed out on the chance to become the first side in English history to win back-to-back league and cup doubles.

Last year’s Emirates FA Cup triumph came against the very same opponents and this marked the first repeat final since 1885. That day, City scored after just 12 seconds – Ilkay Gundogan’s spectacular volley sending them on the way to a 2-1 win – and this match threatened an equally explosive start.

First, a long United pass forward sent Marcus Rashford through on goal but City captain Kyle Walker raced back to deny him a shot inside the box. Seconds later at the other end, Lisandro Martinez barged Haaland over in the penalty area, prompting claims for a City spot-kick.

United were content to sit back and pin their hopes to the counter-attack, and that almost bore fruit in the eighth minute when Bruno Fernandes found Garnacho inside the penalty area, but the winger shot straight at Stefan Ortega.

While that was a difficult opportunity, his next was gift-wrapped by some slack City defending.

Diogo Dalot sent a long and high ball upfield for Garnacho to chase, though City seemed to have it covered with Josko Gvardiol in front of the winger and Ortega rushing out of his goal. However, a lack of communication resulted in a costly error, as Gvardiol headed the ball over Ortega’s head and left opportunist Garnacho a simple tap-in.

With that, the mood changed. United were suddenly alive to every ball and confident enough to press City higher up the pitch, and, with the defending champions a touch off their best, it paid dividends.

Garnacho escaped City’s defence again and crossed for Rashford to tap into an empty net, sparking wild celebrations in the east stand that quickly were cut short by an offside flag. Nonetheless, City were warned, but – much to Guardiola’s frustration - they failed to listen.

Two minutes later, United cut City open with a scything move from left to right. It started with Rashford’s pin-point cross-field pass to Garnacho, who had time and space to pick a pass to Fernandes, unaccompanied on the edge of the box.

City defenders rushed to close down a potential shot, but the United captain brilliantly flicked the ball on to an unmarked Mainoo, who shot low and hard across Ortega and into the bottom corner. Suddenly, United were in firm control and City desperately playing catch up.

In response, Guardiola wasted no time in re-setting his team at half-time, sending the pacey winger Doku on in place of midfielder Mateo Kovacic in an attacking substitute.

The Belgian’s direct dribbling added an instant threat he twice went close to an assist with a pair of slippery cut-backs, first for Phil Foden, who scuffed his shot, before another later found Erling Haaland, whose vicious shot smacked the cross-bar.

Those 30 all-action seconds transformed the mood, with City - and their vocal fans behind the goal - growing in belief.

Walker reacted with a howitzer of a shot from 30 yards that forced Andre Onana into a sensational save, before another City substitute – Julian Alvarez – shot narrowly over the bar when well-placed inside the box. United were on the ropes.

Alvarez then wasted another fine opportunity, as he raced on to a sublime Foden pass inside the box but slid his shot wide of Onana’s right-hand post from just 10 yards out.

Walker forced Onana into another save with a snarling long-range shot, but City’s charged started to flatline as full-time approached.

However, Doku sparked a nail-biting finale when he drifted onto his right foot on the left wing and beat Onana at his near-post with a low shot from the edge of the box.

But they failed to create another major opportunity and United survived to the final whistle, sparking jubilant celebrations in the red halves of Wembley and Manchester.

Al Ain: 2024 AFC Champions League Winners

 

Al Ain: Doubles from Soufiane Rahimi and Kodjo Laba drove United Arab Emirates’ Al Ain FC to win the AFC Champions League™ 2023/24 title following a 5-1 victory over Japan’s Yokohama F. Marinos in the second leg of the final at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium on Saturday.

The J1 League side had won the first leg 2-1 in Yokohama, but a scintillating second-half performance from Al Ain meant the inaugural winners of the AFC Champions League in 2002-03 become also the last team to win it under the current format before the launch of the AFC Champions League Elite next year.

Following their continental triumph, Al Ain become Asia’s fourth representatives at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, joining Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal SFC, Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds and Korea Republic’s Ulsan HD at the US tournament next year.

Already holding a one-goal advantage from the home tie two weeks earlier, the Japanese side came racing out of the blocks trying to add another that could ease the task in front of a packed Hazza bin Zayed Stadium.

Anderson Lopes tested goalkeeper Khaled Eisa within two minutes, but his shot from a tight angle was saved by the UAE international.

With seven knockout stage goals to his name already, the Moroccan showed his quality once again, picking the ball up on the left flank, cutting inside and feinting a shot but instead intelligently finding Yahia Nader who produced a moment of genius, sending a backheel pass that left goalkeeper William Popp in no man’s land and allowing Rahimi to slot home into the empty net for the opener.

Rahimi’s pace continued to be a nuisance for the Marinos defence; the Moroccan was too quick for Shinnosuke Hatanaka, beating the Japanese centre-back to the ball and forcing him to commit a foul inside the box, which translated into a penalty kick following a VAR check. Paraguayan playmaker Alejandro Romero (Kaku) stepped up and slotted home his side’s second.

Al Ain continued to rely on counter attacks and could have been 3-0 on the night seven minutes before the break when Rahimi pushed forward down the wing, beating his markers, but with just the goalkeeper to beat from a narrow angle, the winger’s left-footed finish hit the side netting instead.

The visitors equalised the aggregate score in the 40th minute, as Yan Matheus capitalised on a mistake from Kouame Kouadio to snatch the ball, cut into his left foot and aimed for the bottom far corner where Eisa’s fingertips were unable to stop it nestling into the back of the net to make it 2-1 on the night.

There was still room for more drama before the break as Marinos were reduced to 10 men following a red card to goalkeeper Popp.

Once more it was Rahimi causing trouble; he broke free down the middle at full speed, rounding the goalkeeper who made contact to bring him just outside the penalty box, receiving his marching orders in the process.

Al Ain piled up the pressure after the restart, with head coach Hernan Crespo introducing striker Laba for full-back Saeed Jumaa.

The hosts were rewarded for their attacking endeavors with a third goal midway through the second half, and once more it was Rahimi delivering the goods, while it was Laba who was the focal point of the attack, starting the move which saw defender Eduardo clear the ball, but only as far as Rahimi who controlled it expertly, moving it to his left foot and hammering home for Al Ain’s third.

It was the 27-year-old’s 13th goal of the campaign, matching the record for most goals in a single AFC Champions League season, shared by Guangzhou FC’s Muriqui (2013), FC Seoul’s Adriano (2016) and Al Sadd’s Baghdad Bounedjah (2018).

With 10 minutes of added time given, substitute Laba cemented the win with a fourth goal. Goalkeeper Fuma Shirasaka, who himself had come in the place of Elber following the dismissal of Popp in the first half, committed a horror mistake, missing his attempt to clear Rahimi’s through pass, allowing the Togolese forward to finish comfortably into the empty net for his seventh goal of the campaign, having last scored in the round of 16.

Deep into added time, Laba added his second of the night and his team’s fifth. The 32-year-old fed Kaku down the left and the Paraguayan sent a low effort that looked set for a comfortable Shirasaka save, but the slightest of touches from Laba changed the direction of the ball into the back of the net to seal a 6-3 aggregate victory for the Emiratis.

The emphatic triumph made up for Al Ain’s final defeats to Al Ittihad in 2005 and to Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in 2016.

Barcelona: 2024 UEFA Women's Champions League Winners

Second-half strikes from Aitana Bonmatí and Alexia Putellas won Barcelona their third UEFA Women's Champions League title in four years as they beat Lyon 2-0 in front of over 50,000 supporters at San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao.

Prior to this encounter, Lyon had defeated Barcelona in all four previous matches between the teams, including the 2019 and 2022 finals.

But it was a case of fifth time lucky for Jonatan Giráldez's team as the holders asserted their recent dominance in this competition with an assured performance on Spanish soil, spearheaded by the brilliant Bonmatí, who once again proved to be the difference-maker.

It was Barça who started on the front foot, and Caroline Graham Hansen set up Salma Paralluelo early on following a mazy run, only for the Spanish forward's effort to be well saved by Lyon goalkeeper Christiane Endler.

Despite Giráldez's team enjoying the majority of possession, OL remained a threat, and Barça defender Lucy Bronze was fortunate to see her header skim off her own crossbar from a corner.

Just before the interval, Graham Hansen did brilliantly to burst into the box, but she could only drag a shot just wide from a tight angle to ensure there would be no first-half breakthrough as a tight, evenly matched period ended level.

Lyon captain Wendie Renard, playing in her 11th Women's Champions League final, had the first clear chance after the break, though she could only scoop her shot over the bar after the ball had fallen kindly for her in the box.

It was a case of cometh the hour, cometh the hero for Barcelona, as Mariona Caldentey's clever pass set away Bonmatí down the left in the 63rd minute, and the No14's dinked effort beat Endler via a deflection to spark delirium among the majority of the crowd.

Lyon pushed for a response, and the competition's top scorer for this season, Kadidiatou Diani, went close with a curling effort narrowly over the bar.

In the closing stages, however, substitute Putellas put the gloss on the victory with a wonderful crashing finish, and Barça celebrated joyously with their outgoing coach Giráldez as they earned a fourth trophy in what has been another sensational campaign.

Visa Player of the Match: Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona)

"Influenced the game all over the pitch in and out of possession. High progressive passes, high ball recoveries and scored a great goal."

UEFA Technical Observer panel

Graham Hunter, Barcelona reporter

So much of the talk from Barcelona's staff and players leading up to this final was about "maturing", "managing matches better" and "learning from bitter defeat". All those things needed to be true here. The finalists were so well matched, so full of tactical discipline and cleverness. It meant that before the twinkle-toed brilliance of Bonmatí could make its wonderful impact, there needed to be patience, calm and cold-blooded control, all leading up to an eruption of talent. Then an eruption of joy.

Vanessa Tomaszewski, Lyon reporter

In the first half, Lyon struggled with Barcelona's possession. Despite creating opportunities, the French side made technical errors and lost possession easily. After the break, Bonmatí capitalised on Lyon's defensive gaps to score and Lyon failed to regain control, with wider gaps appearing in their defence. Putellas sealed the victory in the final minutes as, despite their best efforts, Lyon tasted defeat in a stadium dominated by Barcelona supporters.

Jonatan Giráldez, Barcelona coach: "It was an incredible game. I am really happy, and it's one of the best days of my life, for sure. We did an amazing job. I am very proud of all of them. When I decided in December to leave at the end of the season, people thought the team's performances might dip. We showed that wasn't the case today. An amazing performance, and a deserved victory."

Lucy Bronze, Barcelona defender: "We knew we needed to be a club that made history. It's not easy, it's hard to win it once, but to do it back to back, Lyon showed how difficult it is. This team's finally done that. I think we go down in history as one of the best teams in Europe."

Sonia Bompastor, Lyon coach: The disappointment is great, and losing a final is very hard, but Barça played a great game. Our lack of offensive efficiency has cost us, but I will need more time to analyse it. Congratulations to Barcelona on winning this final. They're a great team. We would have needed to play a perfect game to win but, above all, we should have been more efficient in attack in order to get a better result."

Daniëlle van de Donk, Lyon midfielder: "I'm very emotional. Nobody likes to lose a final and we were here to win it. It's a shame we didn't create enough. Barcelona deserved the win, but I'm proud of my team; we gave it our all. I wish we could have pressed them a bit more, as I think that could have made a difference."

Key stats

Barcelona have become only the fourth club to successfully defend the title after Umeå (in 2004), Lyon (in 2012, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020) and Wolfsburg (in 2014).

The Spanish side's third European crown leaves them behind only Lyon (eight) and Frankfurt (four).

Bonmatí scored for the second time in a Champions League final, after also netting in the 2021 win against Chelsea.

Putellas struck in her third Champions League final, following goals in the 2021 and 2022 editions.

Barcelona have become the first Spanish women's side to claim a quadruple, having also won the league, Spanish Cup and Spanish Super Cup this season.

Lyon's Kadidiatou Diani finished as the competition's top scorer this season with eight goals.

Wendie Renard has played a part in all Lyon's 11 finals. She has been captain for seven of them.

Line-ups

Barcelona: Coll; Bronze, Paredes, Engen, Rolfö (Batlle 67); Bonmatí, Walsh (Putellas 90+2), Guijarro; Graham Hansen, Paralluelo (Brugts 85), Caldentey (Pina 90+2)

Lyon: Endler; Carpenter, Renard, Gilles (Becho 81), Bacha; Horan, Egurrola, Van de Donk (Hegerberg 81); Diani, Dumornay, Cascarino (Majri 63)

Roll of honour: Finals

UEFA Women's Champions League:

2024 (Bilbao): Barcelona 2-0 Lyon

2023 (Eindhoven): Barcelona 3-2 Wolfsburg

2022 (Turin): Lyon 3-1 Barcelona

2021 (Gothenburg): Barcelona 4-0 Chelsea

2020 (San Sebastián): Lyon 3-1 Wolfsburg

2019 (Budapest): Lyon 4-1 Barcelona

2018 (Kyiv): Lyon 4-1aet Wolfsburg

2017 (Cardiff): Lyon 0-0aet, 7-6pens Paris Saint-Germain

2016 (Reggio Emilia): Lyon 1-1aet, 4-3pens Wolfsburg

2015 (Berlin): Frankfurt 2-1 Paris Saint-Germain

2014 (Lisbon): Wolfsburg 4-3 Tyresö

2013 (London): Wolfsburg 1-0 Lyon

2012 (Munich): Lyon 2-0 FFC Frankfurt

2011 (London): Lyon 2-0 Turbine Potsdam

2010 (Madrid): Turbine Potsdam 0-0aet, 7-6pens Lyon

UEFA Women's Cup:

Two-legged finals

2009: Duisburg 6-0/1-1: agg 7-1 Zvezda-2005

2008: Frankfurt 1-1/3-2: agg 4-3 Umeå

2007: Arsenal 1-0/0-0: agg 1-0 Umeå

2006: Frankfurt 4-0/3-2: agg 7-2 Turbine Potsdam

2005: Turbine Potsdam 2-0/3-1: agg 5-1 Djurgården

2004: Umeå 3-0/5-0: agg 8-0 Frankfurt

2003: Umeå 4-1/3-0: agg 7-1 Fortuna Hjørring

One-off final

2002 (Frankfurt): Frankfurt 2-0 Umeå

Atalanta: 2024 UEFA Europa League Champions

 

Ademola Lookman scored all three goals as Atalanta stopped the clock on Bayer Leverkusen's extraordinary 51-game unbeaten run, and brought 66-year-old coach Gian Piero Gasperini the first major trophy of his long career.

Playing with fire, Atalanta pressed high from the off and with Leverkusen's danger men making a cold start in unseasonably chilly conditions, the Italian side were ahead after 12 minutes.

Played in brilliantly by Teun Koopmeiners, Davide Zappacosta delivered an angled ball back across the box that eluded two of his team-mates, but not the lurking Ademola Lookman, who crashed in a shot at the far post. The No11 needed no assistance for his second on 26 minutes, weaving his way to the edge of the box and smashing a low effort past the exposed Matĕj Kovář.

and while the lively Jeremie Frimpong probed diligently for weak spots, Xabi Alonso's side did not look like a team who were unbeaten in 51 games. The only consolation at the break was that it could have been worse, Kovář saving well from Charles De Ketelaere on 43 minutes.

Victor Boniface was introduced at the break, and with Atalanta sitting a little deeper, Leverkusen smouldered to life, Frimpong blazing a loose ball over just before the hour mark. However, Atalanta maintained their threat, and Gianluca Scamacca played in Lookman on 75 minutes, the Nigerian steadying himself before blasting past Kovář.

Leverkusen's reputation for late goals ensured that Atalanta could never be entirely comfortable, even at 3-0 up, but even this remarkable side could not find an escape route this time.

Hankook Player of the Match: Ademola Lookman (Atalanta)

"For obvious reasons and his all-round enthusiasm and energy. Really sharp and his execution was spot on."

UEFA Technical Observer Panel

Reporter verdict: Paolo Menicucci, Atalanta

They did it in style. Atalanta won their first ever European trophy after an absolutely brilliant performance against German champions Leverkusen. Sorry to say, but if you were surprised by this performance, you have not been paying enough attention this term. Just ask Liverpool or Marseille, who both learned the hard way how good Gasperini's side have been this term. As for Lookman's performance: no words required.

Reporter verdict: Matthias Rötters, Leverkusen

Leverkusen's incredible run ended in their biggest game of the season. From the first minute, Atalanta used strength and guile to take Leverkusen's key men out of the game, and Xabi Alonso's side were never able to build up the kind of momentum that has defined their season. The 1988 UEFA Cup victory remains the only European trophy for the club from the Rhineland, who have the consolation of a return to the Champions League next year.

Reaction

Gian Piero Gasperini, Atalanta coach: "That was perhaps our peak in recent years. We've won it against top teams. We beat Sporting who are the Portuguese champions. We played Liverpool when they were top of the Premier League. We played Marseille who are a very good side, and tonight we beat the German champions. To have beaten such great sides adds gloss to our achievement."

Ademola Lookman, Atalanta forward: "These past two years I've been able to take my game to a whole new level. Maybe it could have come earlier, but it has come now. But this is just the beginning. I hope for more nights like this and to just keep getting better and better."

Xabi Alonso, Leverkusen coach: "They were the better team. It's a consequence of the great thing that Gasperini has done. Atalanta are very brave. They don't mind being in one-on-one situations. When we had a slight chance to make a run, they defended very well. They have been doing it for many years. They're a special team. Normally we get in better positions with our game, but today we couldn't."