… Enciso, who plays for Ligue 1 side Strasbourg, acknowledged the challenge ahead but said he was confident Paraguay can keep their unexpected run going. …
… Chelsea's owners BlueCo have invested in Strasbourg, Manchester United's minority powerbrokers Ineos also own Nice, while the City Football Group is in charge of Manchester City and Troyes, who have just been promoted to Ligue 1.
… Underdogs in their semi-final triumph over Strasbourg, who belong to the same BlueCo consortium which owns Chelsea, Rayo arrived in Leipzig riding a rich vein of form, unbeaten in nine matches. …
… While Francis visited France three times as pope -- to Strasbourg, Marseille and the island of Corsica -- those trips were not official state visits by the Holy See. …
… They won't be happy with just avocado, so they want it a bit sweeter." Should Palace see off Shakhtar, they would face either Strasbourg or Rayo Vallecano in the final. …
… Liam Rosenior was sacked in April, just 106 days after arriving from Strasbourg to replace Enzo Maresca, whose 18-month reign ended in January following hints of a lack of support from Chelsea's hierarchy. …
… Rosenior lasted just 106 days after arriving from Strasbourg to replace Enzo Maresca, whose 18-month reign ended in January following hints of a lack of support from Chelsea's hierarchy. …
… they fail to beat Marseille and results elsewhere go against them Fixtures (times GMT) Saturday Nantes v Marseille (1300), Paris Saint-Germain v Lorient (1500), Metz v Monaco (1700), Nice v Lens (1905) Sunday Lille v Le Havre (1300), Auxerre v Angers, Paris FC v Brest, Strasbourg …
… Rosenior, who lasted only 106 days after arriving from Strasbourg, had sealed his fate by criticising the players' desire and spirit against Brighton. …
Paraguay's coach Gustavo Alfaro praised his players' "extraordinary" performance after beating Germany 4-3 on penalties in a 2026 World Cup round of 32 match in Foxborough on Monday. Julio Enciso gave Paraguay an early lead, Kai Havertz equalized, and after a 1-1 draw, Paraguay advanced when goalkeeper Orlando Gill made two crucial saves in the shootout.
Paraguay's coach Gustavo Alfaro praised his players' "extraordinary" performance after beating Germany 4-3 on penalties in a 2026 World Cup round of 32 match in Foxborough on Monday. Julio Enciso gave Paraguay an early lead, Kai Havertz equalized, and after a 1-1 draw, Paraguay advanced when goalkeeper Orlando Gill made two crucial saves in the shootout.
V Sports, the parent company of Aston Villa, has bought a minority stake in FC Annecy, a French second division club. Sources suggest the stake may be worth around 30 percent, or 4.5 million euros.
Jean-Philippe Mateta scored in the 51st minute as Crystal Palace defeated Rayo Vallecano 1-0 in the UEFA Conference League final in Leipzig, securing the club's first European trophy in their history. Coach Oliver Glasner departs after delivering a third trophy in two and a half years.
PSG lost 2-1 to Paris FC on Sunday in their final Ligue 1 match before the Champions League final against Arsenal on May 30. Lille qualified for Europe's elite club competition on the final night of the French season, while PSG clinched their fifth straight French title and record-extending 14th overall.
Pope Leo XIV will travel to France for an official state visit from September 25 to 28, the first papal state visit to France since Benedict XVI in 2008. The first pope from the United States will visit Paris to see UNESCO headquarters as part of a broader engagement with historically Catholic but increasingly secular European countries.
Departing Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner is focused on winning the club's first major European trophy in the Conference League final before his contract expires in June. Palace hold a 3-1 lead from the first leg of their semi-final against Shakhtar Donetsk ahead of Thursday's return match.
Nottingham Forest defeated Chelsea 3-1 at Stamford Bridge on Monday, boosting their Premier League survival bid while dealing a significant blow to Chelsea's Champions League qualification hopes. Taiwo Awoniyi scored twice and Igor Jesus converted a penalty; Chelsea's Cole Palmer missed a late first-half penalty.
Chelsea interim boss Calum McFarlane says the Blues remain an attractive club for prospective managers despite their turbulent campaign. Chelsea's BlueCo owners are searching for their sixth permanent manager since buying the club from Roman Abramovich in 2022, and have had eight managers in the past 10 years excluding interims.
Paris Saint-Germain face a Ligue 1 fixture against Lorient before their Champions League semi-final second leg against Bayern Munich next Wednesday, where they will defend a 5-4 lead from the first leg.
Enzo Fernandez scored a first-half header to secure Chelsea's 1-0 victory over Leeds United in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley, sending the Blues into the final against Manchester City in their first match after manager Liam Rosenior's sacking.