Connect with us

Football

PSG star Ousmane Dembele refuses to take MOTM award after Aston Villa scare

Published

on

Ousmane Dembele made headlines for all the wrong reasons after Paris Saint-Germain edged past Aston Villa to book their place in the Champions League semi-finals.

Despite PSG entering the second leg with a comfortable 3-1 advantage from the first leg in Paris, the night was anything but smooth for the French giants.

Early goals from Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes extended PSG’s aggregate lead to 5-1, making qualification appear inevitable.

However, Villa showed immense character and nearly pulled off a sensational comeback that stunned the visitors.

Youri Tielemans ignited belief among the Villa Park faithful with a well-taken goal before the break, and John McGinn added another after half-time to make it 5-3 on aggregate.

When Ezri Konsa calmly slotted home in the 57th minute, assisted by brilliant wing play from Marcus Rashford, the stadium erupted.

Suddenly, PSG were only a goal away from being dragged into extra time, and the pressure mounted.

Villa continued to push, but PSG managed to hold firm, thanks in large part to a heroic performance from Gianluigi Donnarumma.

The towering Italian goalkeeper delivered a masterclass between the posts, making a string of world-class saves to deny the hosts a fairytale finish. While his efforts were instrumental in PSG’s survival, it was Dembele who was controversially awarded the man-of-the-match accolade instead.

Dembele’s reaction to receiving the award was telling. With a blank expression, he posed for the post-match photos, clutching the prize with visible displeasure.

Moments later, he was caught on camera refusing to keep the award and heading straight for the tunnel in frustration.

His gesture raised eyebrows and fueled speculation about his dissatisfaction with the team’s overall performance and his own contribution.

Speaking to French broadcaster Canal+, Dembele admitted that PSG may have underestimated their opponents.

He revealed that the team became complacent after going 2-0 up, thinking the job was already done.

According to him, the atmosphere inside Villa Park and the intensity of the opposition reminded them that Champions League ties are never over until the final whistle.

Dembele emphasized the importance of learning from the scare and vowed that the team would approach the semi-finals with greater focus and humility.

He stated that while qualification brings joy, the performance left much to be desired, and PSG must raise their standards moving forward.

He expressed confidence that this match would serve as a valuable lesson for the squad in their pursuit of the club’s first-ever Champions League title.

PSG captain Marquinhos echoed Dembele’s sentiments, admitting that the team’s intensity dropped after building a lead.

He stressed the need for improvement and credited their head coach Luis Enrique for pushing the squad to meet higher expectations.

As PSG advances to the semi-finals, both players and fans will hope the wake-up call at Villa Park helps sharpen the team’s edge in the critical stages to come.

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Football

‘We want him’ – Club chief confirms he wants to sign Man Utd outcast in permanent transfer

Published

on

‘We want him’ – Club chief confirms he wants to sign Man Utd outcast in permanent transfer

Andre Onana could remain in Turkey beyond his loan spell, with Trabzonspor keen to secure him on a permanent deal.

The 30-year-old moved to Trabzonspor after falling out of favour at Manchester United, who brought in Senne Lammens last summer. Since then, Lammens has established himself as the club’s first-choice keeper, paving the way for Onana’s temporary switch.

In Turkey, however, Onana has rediscovered his form and quickly become a key figure. He recently grabbed attention with a standout performance in the Turkish Cup, saving three consecutive penalties to help his side overcome Samsunspor and reach the semi-finals.

The moment sparked widespread reactions online, especially from United supporters recalling their earlier penalty shootout defeat to Grimsby Town, where Onana managed just one save.

Trabzonspor president Ertugrul Dogan has openly expressed the club’s desire to keep the goalkeeper. He indicated that while Onana has his own career plans, the club would be eager to make the move permanent if the circumstances align, leaving the final decision in the player’s hands.

Back in England, United are expected to consider selling Onana, particularly with Lammens now firmly established as their number one. The club will likely aim to recover a significant portion of the £47.5 million they paid to sign him from Inter Milan in 2023, with two years still remaining on his contract.

Beyond his cup heroics, Onana has been a consistent presence in the league, starting every match for Trabzonspor and playing a vital role in their push for the title. His performances have earned strong praise in Turkey, with the club currently sitting third in the table, just six points behind leaders Galatasaray.

Continue Reading

Football

Man City place Arsenal ‘bottles’ for sale outside Etihad Stadium before 2025/26 Premier League decider

Published

on

Man City place Arsenal 'bottles' for sale outside Etihad Stadium before 2025/26 Premier League decider

Manchester City appear to have kicked off the psychological battle ahead of their Premier League showdown with Arsenal.

In the build-up to the match, bottles branded with the Arsenal logo were reportedly being sold outside the stadium, priced cheaply and seemingly intended as a tongue-in-cheek way for home fans to mock the visiting supporters.

The stunt draws inspiration from a recent viral moment at Stamford Bridge, where a City fan was seen jokingly “drinking Arsenal tears” during their emphatic 3-0 win over Chelsea—a clip that quickly spread across social media.

With tensions already high given the importance of the fixture, the gesture adds another layer to the rivalry between the two sides. Arsenal, meanwhile, will be focused on responding where it matters most—on the pitch—as they aim to silence critics and deliver a strong result in what could be a defining game in the title race.

Continue Reading

Football

Bruno Fernandes responds to Manchester United star’s dig at Chelsea flop Alejandro Garnacho

Published

on

Bruno Fernandes responds to Manchester United star’s dig at Chelsea flop Alejandro Garnacho

Alejandro Garnacho faced criticism from his former Manchester United teammates following Chelsea’s latest Premier League setback.

A first-half goal from Matheus Cunha secured a narrow but important win for United, strengthening the position of Michael Carrick’s side in the race for Champions League qualification. Chelsea, meanwhile, continue to struggle, with the defeat marking their fourth consecutive league loss without finding the net.

Pressure is mounting on head coach Liam Rosenior, who only took charge a few months ago after replacing Enzo Maresca. While the club has not publicly wavered in its support, questions are beginning to emerge over several players, including Garnacho, whose performances have failed to meet expectations since his £40 million move from Old Trafford.

Reports suggest Chelsea could be open to offers for the 21-year-old after a difficult start to life at Stamford Bridge. He had an early opportunity to impress against his former side after coming on for the injured Estevao, but once again struggled to make an impact, finding it hard to break through a United defence that was missing several first-choice centre-backs.

Garnacho also received a hostile reception from United supporters during the match, and the reaction appeared to carry over beyond the pitch. After the game, Luke Shaw shared an image on social media showing himself standing over Garnacho following a challenge. Bruno Fernandes responded with a playful but pointed comment, while former teammate Alex Telles also joined in with reactions.

Chelsea’s broader struggles are becoming increasingly concerning. They now sit four points behind Liverpool in the race for fifth place, despite having played an extra game. The current run—four straight league defeats without scoring—is their worst in nearly three decades, with an even longer drought not seen since 1912.

Across all competitions, the form is equally worrying, with six losses in their last seven matches and 16 goals conceded during that stretch. A significant portion of their recent goals have come in a single outing against Port Vale, highlighting their lack of consistency in front of goal.

After the match, Rosenior admitted uncertainty about what failing to qualify for the Champions League could mean for his future. He acknowledged the result was difficult to take, especially given that Chelsea created numerous chances but failed to convert them. He pointed out that United capitalised on a limited opportunity, while his side were unable to make their attacking pressure count.

Despite the frustration, Rosenior emphasized the need for continued effort and improvement, insisting that the team must find a way to turn their form around before the situation worsens further.

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2026 Alpays Media.

News
Live Scores
Live TV
App