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      PSG 0 Bayern 1: Coman header seals sixth Champions League trophy for German kings on frustrating night for Neymar and Co

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      THEY have thundered across Europe, this irresistible Bayern Munich team.
      They have steamrolled London’s finest, Tottenham and Chelsea, scoring 17 goals in the process.

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      Bayern Munich celebrate winning the Champions League trophy

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      PSG superstar Neymar missed out on the illustrious trophy
      They have demolished that great footballing institution, Barcelona, in a dizzying eight-goal rampage.
      And even when patience was demanded of them in this Champions League Final, Bayern prevailed against a Paris Saint-Germain side containing the two most expensive footballers on the planet in Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.
      They have scored 43 goals in this European campaign, winning 11 out of 11, and not even all the oil wealth in Qatar could knock them off course.
      The French had been eagerly anticipating their first club to reach a European final in 16 years.

      Yet despite defending stoutly for an hour and spurning some excellent chances, PSG were undone by a Frenchman, Kingsley Coman, who had not been expected to start.
      Bayern boss Hansi Flick, brought in as a stopgap after the sacking of Niko Kovac in November, is certainly no caretaker now.

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      Bayern won the tournament for the first time in seven years

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      Bayern enjoyed a run of 21 straight victories in all competitions

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      Striker Robert Lewandowski in ecstacy after the win
      He has masterminded a run of 21 straight victories in all competitions and produced a masterstroke in preferring Koman to Ivan Perisic, who had scored against Chelsea and Barcelona over the previous couple of weeks.
      So finally, we have reached the end of football’s longest campaign – more than 14 months after this competition got under way – with worthy champions of Europe.

      The only surprise was that there was no goal for Robert Lewandowski – with 59 to his name this season – who struck a post but failed to score for only the second time in 17 outings.
      They say form is temporary. For Bayern and for Lewandowski, it is pretty damned-near permanent.
      A PSG victory would have been celebrated beneath the Eiffel Tower, in the oilfields of Qatar, and in few places in between.
      The nouveau riche of the French capital have few friends in the wider footballing world.

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      Kingsley Coman headed Bayern into the lead

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      Serge Gnabry celebrates with attacking team-mate Coman
      And Bayern’s sixth European Cup will have pleased the cartel of traditional clubs who have attempted to keep the likes of PSG and Manchester City in check with Financial Fair Play rules.
      These are two clubs who have turned great European leagues into processions – Bayern winning eight Bundesliga titles in a row, PSG claiming seven Ligue 1 crowns during the same time.
      Unlike their English, Spanish and Italian rivals they were both physically fresh and mentally focussed for this unique tournament in Lisbon.
      For PSG, this has still been a groundbreaking season – like their fellow arrivistes City they had held a long-term mental block in the Champions League, unlike Pep Guardiola’s men they had overcome it to reach the final.
      And it was the French club who produced for the first clear-cut opportunity on 19 minutes when their two superstars combined, Mbappe slipping in a pass for Neymar, whose was denied twice by Manuel Neuer’s left boot.
      It was not long, though, until Lewandowski got a sniff, with a rapid turn and shot which cannoned off the post.
      But Bayern were lacking their usual fluency and Di Maria, man of the match for Real Madrid in this fixture in 2014, skied a great chance after Neymar had scampered clear.

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      Superstars Neymar and Kylian Mbappe stunned in Lisbon
      Bayern defender Jerome Boateng was forced to limp off in the 25th minute and there was a sense that PSG fancied their chances against a defence which has shipped goals regularly despite such dominant form.An instinctive header from Lewandowski forced Keylor Navas into a fine save.
      But Paris should have taken the lead on the stroke of half-time when an absent-minded defensive pass from David Alaba let in Mbappe, who exchanged passes with Ander Herrera but could only shoot straight at Neuer.
      Almost immediately, Bayern had a decent penalty shout when Thilo Kehrer appeared to push over Coman – but ref Daniele Orsato was having none of it, and neither was his VAR.
      Yet a match-up which had seemingly guaranteed goals was somehow scoreless at the break.
      Neymar descended into his familiar wounded-swan mode, twice bringing out the theatrics early in the second half.
      But for a side usually characterised by its dependency on individual attacking flair, PSG had been defending with discipline and unity.

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      Tempers flared between the two teams

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      Brazilian Neymar suffered a frustrating night
      Suddenly, though, Bayern found their swift-passing stride and made it count on the hour.
      Thiago Alcantara’s searching pass found Joshua Kimmich, who exchanged passes with Serge Gnabry and centred for Koman, free at the back post, to head home back across goal.
      Lewandoski and Koman both squandered decent chances to swiftly double Bayern’s lead.
      Then there was a flurry of attacks from PSG – Kimmich surviving a decent penalty appeal when he appeared to foul Mbappe and Neymar curling one narrowly off-target.
      In injury-time Mbappe found Neymar with a cute reverse-pass but the Brazilian’s cross-shot flashed across goal.
      Bayern held firm, as they always do.

      A 100 per cent record, unprecedented in the Champions League.
      And 100 per cent the finest side in Europe.
      A 100 per cent record in all competitions since football’s coronavirus lockdown.

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      Neymar was heartbroken after losing the final

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      Bayern boss Hansi Flick celebrates with the Champions League trophy More

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      PSG ultras set off flares and march in their thousands ahead of Champions League final defeat against Bayern Munich

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      PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN supporters chanted and lit flares as they marched together to watch their side’s Champions League final agony.
      A big screen at PSG’s Parc des Princes home displayed their 1-0 defeat to Bayern Munich, which was played behind closed doors in Lisbon.

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      Paris Saint-Germain fans made their presence known in the French capital but the night ended painfully as Bayern won 1-0Credit: Getty Images – Getty

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      Supporters lit flares and chanted to drum beats outside Parc des PrincesCredit: Getty Images – Getty

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      There were no fans at the final in Lisbon but supporters gathered in large numbers back in France Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      The showpiece season finale could officially only be watched by 5,000 people outside the French capital club’s stadium due to coronavirus restrictions.
      France has suffered a second wave of Covid-19 infections in recent weeks with cases rocketing up by their thousands last week.
      And yet a huge swathe of ultras gathered outside the ground ahead of Sunday’s kick-off.
      Fans were ordered to wear facemasks – which far from all appeared to be doing in a clip from Yahoo.

      A large police operation aimed to protect the city from any disturbances following disorder in PSG’s knockout wins on the way to the final.

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      Around 3,000 police officers were stationed by the Parc des Princes and Champs-Elysees as the action unfolded – in which Frenchman Kingsley Coman headed Bayern’s narrowly-deserved winner on 59 minutes.
      France’s Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said beforehand: “Police will be deployed to the Champs-Elysees and the area around PSG’s Parc des Princes stadium on Sunday night, when PSG meet German champions Bayern in Lisbon.
      “They will hand out face masks to anyone not wearing one.

      “I’m calling on everyone to act responsibly to ensure [the game] can be an expression of joy and not a source of problems for Parisians.”
      PSG’s loss in their first final of Europe’s top domestic tournament contrasted with Bayern lifting the crown for a sixth time.

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      Fans were not allowed to attend tonight’s game in LisbonCredit: Twitter

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      Facemasks are compulsory in Paris but not all stuck to the guidelinesCredit: Twitter

      Marseille are the only French side to have ever won it – and hordes of their fans took to the streets to celebrate PSG’s misfortune with fireworks and chanting.
      PSG’s squad had infamously come outside to rejoice with fans unable to attend their last-16 win over Borussia Dortmund in March.
      And their successes over Atalanta and RB Leipzig earlier this month were also met with wild scenes of jubilation in Paris.

      Shops looted in Paris as PSG reach Champions League final More

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      Neymar has chance to jump out of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s shadow as PSG face Bayern, claims Owen Hargreaves

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      TONIGHT is the night for Neymar to emerge at last from the shadow of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
      That is the verdict of former Bayern Munich midfielder Owen Hargreaves, who would naturally prefer his old club to see off Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Paris Saint-Germain in Lisbon.

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      Neymar will lead the line for PSG against Bayern Munich
      But Hargreaves reckons the Brazilian has a real opportunity in the Champions League final to prove he can succeed Ronaldo and Messi as the best player in the world.
      The BT pundit said: “He’s probably the most talented player on the pitch. I don’t think anybody disputes that.
      “In pure talent, not many can touch Neymar. There’s only really Messi and Ronaldo.
      “That is what has maybe at times, not frustrated people . . . but because he is so gifted, you expect him to produce it all the time.

      “He has the talent to be the best player in the world.
      “I think that is probably what the idea was in going to PSG — the show was going to be his. Then Mbappe came out of nowhere and almost got ahead of him.
      “It’s a huge stage for him. This is what he has dreamed of.”

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      Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have dominated European football in the last decade
      Thirtysomethings Messi and Ronaldo, for all their brilliance, were not able to make up for the shortcomings of Barcelona and Juventus when it came to the crunch in the Champions League.

      But during the Lisbon mini- tournament, Neymar has shown signs that he has the maturity and the work ethic to help turn underachieving PSG into winners at last.
      Hargreaves says the stars could be finally aligning for the striker, now 28, to put his and the French giants’ mark on a big occasion.
      Former Manchester United ace Hargreaves said: “The one thing you could say about Cristiano and Messi is, as good as they were and still are, their application to work and improve and be consistent is off the charts.
      “Neymar, on his day, is probably the best player in the world — but sometimes it’s not there. You don’t really get that with Ronaldo.
      “Even when Juventus went out — what is he, 35? — he was still head and shoulders their best player.
      “Maybe it takes time. If you want to be the best player in the world, a lot of people are going to have an opinion on that.

      Neymar, on his day, is probably the best player in the world — but sometimes it’s not there. You don’t really get that with Ronaldo.
      Owen Hargreaves

      “Maybe it takes being 27 for you to realise ‘I’m running out of time’ and a coach to come in at the right time, in Thomas Tuchel, to say, ‘Look, this is it, this is the blueprint’.
      “You look at Liverpool, it’s not a coincidence they win the Champions League and then the Premier League.

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      Owen Hargreaves backed Neymar to jump out of Messi and Ronaldo’s shadow
      “You never saw Mo Salah as a pressing machine when he played at Roma. Klopp has made all the boys buy in.
      “I think for Neymar, the penny has dropped. For the first time, I’ve seen him actually pressing, working back, not floating. You’ve got to credit Tuchel for that.”
      But for PSG to complete an unprecedented quadruple of all three domestic trophies and the Champions League, Tuchel will have to overcome the Bayern Munich juggernaut steered by fellow German Hansi Flick.
      Hargreaves makes his old club favourites but says Neymar and Mbappe, within Tuchel’s team framework, can hit Bayern where it hurts.

      Ex-England star Hargreaves said: “Normally Neymar does something outrageous and special. But if he can be a team player and work hard, then Bayern give everybody a chance.
      “Paris Saint-Germain will get chances. I think Neymar just needs to be sensible and work hard and be part of that team.
      “If they can win it 30 yards from goal, he can work his magic. He’s more than capable, he takes your breath away with what he can do.”

      BT Sport to show Champions League final live stream on YouTube for FREE for fifth year running
       WATCH the Uefa Champions League final exclusively live from 7pm on BT Sport 1. Watch for free on the BT Sport app, btsport.com and on YouTube. More

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      Man Utd and Real Madrid dealt transfer blow with Eduardo Camavinga revealing he will stay at Rennes this season

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      RENNES starlet Eduardo Camavinga will NOT move to Manchester United or Real Madrid this summer.
      The French midfielder, still just 17, has stated that he wants to remain with the Ligue 1 club for at least another year.

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      Eduardo Camavinga featured 36 times for Rennes last seasonCredit: AFP or licensors
      LaLiga giants Real were thought to be the frontrunner for Camavinga after months of speculation.
      However, amid reports that the player wants a 2021 switch to Madrid, he has committed his future to the team that gave him a debut at a mere four months after his 16th birthday – a club record.
      Camavinga revealed on Telefoot: “I have two years of contract left, I will be with Rennes this season.
      “[The speculation] doesn’t bother me at all.

      “It’s football. There are true things and there are false things.”
      Despite being rated at £25million by some of Europe’s top clubs, Camavinga is intent on a normal life.

      He continued: “I live normally but I try not to be too careful, I let my parents handle it all.
      “I live my teenage life, I go out, I go to school.”

      Rennes are likely to face a plethora of offers for the teenager next summer, particularly with Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich also said to be keen on his services.
      United could come back in with fresh interest as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looks to maintain the youthful energy of his squad.
      Rennes chief Olivier Letang has admitted that Camavinga’s desires will be a major factor in how the Brittany club deal with his future.
      The club president previously said: “If it were up to me I would like to keep him for another 10 years.
      “There are requests, there is a market, there are also the player’s wishes.”

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      Eduardo Camavinga enjoys himself at MS Team 2020 football training camp More

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      Arsenal and Man Utd transfer target Gabriel Maghales will make rivals ‘wait’ as Lille star decides on his future

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      GABRIEL MAGHALES has reportedly left his future up in their air after deciding he will “wait” on his next move.
      The Lille defender was subject to interest from Napoli and Arsenal.

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      Gabriel Magelhaes has left his future up in their air after deciding he will ‘wait’ on his next move

      And it appeared the Gunners moved into pole position to sign the 22-year-old and even agreed a five-year contract with Mikel Areta’s side.
      But despite reports Gabriel competed a medical after Lille accepted Arsenal’s £22million bid – Manchester United look to have hijacked the move.
      It is understood United have bid for the Brazilian, causing him to consider his next step.
      According to The Telegraph, following interest from Old Trafford, Gabriel is “more than happy to wait before making a final decision”.

      Gabriel was believed to have given himself the weekend to think things over, but that suggestion has now been quashed.
      United could now indeed be in the driving seat now as they can offer higher wages than Arsenal.

      And Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side will also be playing in next season’s Champions League.
      Arsenal thought they had a deal done after seeing off interest from Napoli.

      But Arteta could be forced to look elsewhere following United’s game-changing move.

      How Arsenal will line up vs Fulham with Gabriel forced to wait if he completes transfer and Aubameyang up front More

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      Manchester City ‘in late bid to buy French club Troyes’ as billionaire owners eye TENTH outfit

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      MANCHESTER CITY’S owners are in talks to buy French club Troyes, according to reports.
      The City Football Group already have nine sides in their stable, spearheaded by the four-time Premier League champions.

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      Manchester City’s parent owners City Football Group are looking to buy French side TroyesCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      But according to the Irish Times, CFG bosses want to close out a deal to purchase the French second-division outfit as their tenth team.
      The report adds that they have been in discussions with a number of sides in France including Nancy.
      But sources suggest ESTAC Troyes is their first choice and a deal could get done for “single-digit millions” of euros.
      Like with Spain’s Girona and recently-acquired Lommel in Belgium, Troyes would be an opportunity to invest in a smaller European side to help develop young talents and build experience.

      Troyes – who beat Newcastle in the 2001 Intertoto Cup final – narrowly missed out on promotion in each of the last two seasons following their relegation from Ligue 1 in 2018.
      They currently have former Crystal Palace left-back Pape Souare in their squad following his transfer from Selhurst Park a year ago.
      Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan bought Manchester City in 2008 and his heavy investment has taken them to the top of English game with 11 domestic trophies plus three Community Shields in that time.

      As well as the Cityzens, Girona and Lommel, the CFG – with chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak running operations – own teams in America, Australia, Japan, China, India and Uruguay.

      There are 13 offices around the world, more than 2,000 employees and 1,500 players on their books.
      When a ten per cent share was sold to US private-equity firm Silver Lake last year, the group’s value was estimated at just under £4BILLION.

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      Moussa Dembele ‘open’ to Man Utd transfer after Lyon confirm ‘there will be departures’ this summer

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      MOUSSA DEMBELE is “open” to a move to Manchester United this summer, reports claim.
      The Frenchman was on the Red Devils’ radar last summer, as they attempted to replace Romelu Lukaku.

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      Dembele was named Uefa man of the match as Lyon downed Man City recentlyCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      And his stock hasn’t fallen in the season since, having scored 24 goals for Lyon.
      He’ll have already endeared himself to the Old Trafford support too, having downed neighbours Manchester City with a late brace in the recent Champions League quarter-final.
      According to the MEN, the 24-year-old is “open” to the transfer, although is not “desperate” to leave Lyon.
      The Ligue 1 side defied the odds in the Champions League, beating Juventus and Man City before finally succumbing to Bayern Munich in the semi-finals.

      But despite this miracle run, they will NOT be in next season’s competition, or even the Europa League, after finishing seventh in the curtailed French season.
      And while club legend and sporting director Juninho remains confident in the club’s future, the 45-year-old has admitted that there will be “departures” this summer.

      There will be departures, but I am not worried
      Juninho

      He told RMC Sport: “The aim now is to continue working, immediately with Ligue 1.
      “We will have to work. If we continue like this, we will be back in this competition.

      “When you are well paid, you need motivation every day, we are going to concentrate on Ligue 1. There are the basics.
      “There will be departures, but I am not worried.
      “When you have players who play very well in a competition like this, like Moussa and Houssem [Aouar]…
      “We will have to show the same spirit to be back in the Champions League next season.”
      Aouar, 22, is another that will not be short of suitors this summer, with Arsenal, Juventus and Real Madrid all being linked with the talented midfielder.

      Man City suffer shock 3-1 defeat to Lyon in Champions League quarter-final after brace from substitute Moussa Dembélé punishes Pep Guardiola’s tactical gamble More

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      Ligue 1 season start in jeopardy with EIGHT clubs recording positive coronavirus cases as Monaco become latest to be hit

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      THE start of the new Ligue 1 season is in jeopardy with EIGHT clubs recording positive coronavirus tests.
      According to Get French Football News, Monaco confirmed a first-team player had caught the deadly bug, meaning almost half of France’s 20 top-flight teams have been affected.

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      Monaco became the latest French side to confirm a positive case of coronavirus within their campCredit: Reuters
      The new Ligue 1 campaign was due to begin this weekend with Marseille taking on Saint-Etienne and Bordeaux hosting Nantes tonight.
      But the former game was postponed back to the middle of September with four members of the playing and coaching staff at Marseille testing positive.
      However, the French league told clubs last week its protocol for dealing with coronavirus meant more than three positive cases at a club was likely to lead to a postponement.
      That could therefore mean matches involving clubs with a singular positive result could still go ahead.

      Two games are due to take place on Saturday, while five ties are planned for Sunday.
      Sunday’s fixtures include Monaco’s curtain-raiser at home to Reims, which was scheduled to kick off at noon in the principality’s Stade Louis II.
      Clubs are preparing to welcome a limited number of fans into grounds for the matches with strict rules in place.
      Supporters must stick to their seat location, keep socially distanced to 1.5m and everyone aged 11 or older must wear a mask at all times.

      Breaking | AS Monaco announce that they have a 1st team player who has tested positive for COVID-19.Active cases in 8 Ligue 1 clubs’ playing squads now.
      — Get French Football News (@GFFN) August 21, 2020

      PSG and Lyon will not be involved this weekend due to their involvement in the Champions League semi-finals.
      Thomas Tuchel’s side beat RB Leipzig 3-0 to reach Sunday’s final in Lisbon.

      That came after they were awarded the Ligue 1 2019/20 title in April when the season was cut short by the pandemic.
      Instead of resuming the campaign behind closed doors like in Germany, England, Spain and Italy, the French top flight opted to use a points-per-game basis to determine the standings instead.
      Reports this week revealed the Premier League has been hit by 14 new cases of coronavirus from 12 clubs since teams returned to pre-season training.

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      The new Ligue 1 season was due to start this weekend but now eight clubs have had positive coronavirus tests Credit: EPA More