Author: admin

Raphinha’s unexpected explosion of form has prompted many dissenting critics to apologise for the scathing comments tossed at the Brazilian last summer when many (including some inside the club) wanted him sold.
Yet it was Raphinha who said sorry after his latest blistering Champions League performance.

Barcelona’s Champions League quarter-final at home to Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday night was goalless when Pau Cubarsi flung his right boot towards a low cross in the 25th minute. Part of the ball was already over the goalline when Raphinha came blurring into view ,with the Brazil international ultimately apologising to his teammate for what he described as an “instinctive” lunge.
That dramatic intervention robbed Cubarsi of his first Champions League goal. For Raphinha, it was his 12th of the season. Two more assists in the 4-0 rout afforded the Brazilian a staggering haul of 19 direct goal contributions in 11 matches – the highest tally ever recorded in the competition by a Barcelona player.

Lionel Messi set that high watermark in 2011/12, with 14 goals and five assists during the most prolific campaign of his glittering career.

Only two players in Champions League history have ever boasted 20 or more goal contributions in a single campaign. Robert Lewandowski rattled in 21 (15 goals, six assists) when Bayern Munich lifted the big-eared trophy in 2020, while Cristiano Ronaldo achieved the feat on two separate occasions.
Raphinha has a maximum of four more Champions League games to either score or create four more goals to top Ronaldo’s all-time record.
During the tumultuous summer of 2024, one Catalan influencer posted a video of himself wearing Raphinha’s No 11 Barcelona shirt with Nico Williams’ name replacing the Brazilian. “I left a comment in that post because I think it was disrespectful,” the former Leeds United forward reflected after Williams rejected the chance to leave Athletic Club for Barcelona. “People need to keep their respect to the players from the club who try to do their best for the shirt.”

As Barcelona maintain their assault on three different competitions with Raphinha the team’s undisputed figurehead, there’s little chance of the Brazilian missing out on the respect he unapologetically deserves.

Nemanja Matic couldn’t win any trophy with Manchester United, Andre Onana pointed out after the Serbian called the Cameronoan one of the worst goalkeepers in the club’s modern history

Not long after Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana declared that his side was superior to Ligue 1’s Olympique Lyon, their opponent for Thursday’s Europa League quarter-final first leg, he came under fire from a former Red Devil. Nemanja Matic, who was a Manchester United player for five years, responded to the Cameroonian, calling him one of the worst goalkeepers to guard the nets at the Old Trafford!
Onana made the controversial statement after Sunday’s Manchester derby that ended 0-0. The shot-stopper said his team will be travelling to France with a winning mentality as they are well aware they are a superior team despite not having a great season domestically.

“I think we are better than them, we just have to go there and show who we are. If we go there with a winning mentality and we are focused, stay compact and together and we follow the game plan we will be winning the game…Of course, it’s not going to be easy, but I think we are way better than them,” Andre Onana had reportedly said.

Serbian Matic, 36, is a two-time Premier League winner with Chelsea. He spent five trophyless seasons with United between 2017 and 2022 before arriving at Lyon via Roma and Rennes. Launching a scathing attack at Onana, Matic said the claim would have had some legitimacy if it came from someone like Peter Schmeichel or Edwin van der Sar. Onana has no right to belittle Lyon, Matic said during the pre-match news conference on Wednesday.

“If you’re one of the worst goalkeepers in Manchester United’s history then you need to take care of what you are talking about… If David De Gea, Peter Schmeichel or Edwin van der Sar said that I would question myself but if you are statistically one of the worst goalkeepers in Manchester United’s modern history, he needs to show that before he says it,” Matic said.

However, Onana seems to have noticed the comments made by Matic as his recent social media post made a veiled attack on his trophyless career at Old Trafford. Taking the opportunity to also claim that, he is not the kind of player who would disrespect another club, Onana said on X that his focus was on coming up with a performance that would make United fans proud.

” would never be disrespectful to another club. We know that tomorrow will be a difficult game against a strong opponent. We focus on preparing a performance to make our fans proud.  At least I’ve lifted trophies with the greatest club in the world. Some can’t say the same,” the post read.

The Premier League has been awarded a fifth Champions League qualification spot as a result of Arsenal’s triumph over Real Madrid on Tuesday.
The Gunners roared to an emphatic 3-0 victory over the defending champions in their quarter-final first leg at the Emirates, with Declan Rice netting two stunning free kicks before Mikel Merino capped off a magical night for Mikel Arteta’s side.

The performance of English teams across the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League this season had put the Premier League well out in front in the race for an extra qualification spot, and just one win in this week’s first legs was needed to secure it.
Arsenal delivered in style, ensuring the Premier League will now have five teams in next season’s Champions League instead of the usual four.
League-leaders Liverpool are certainties to qualify alongside Arteta’s Gunners, but the extra spot comes as a huge boost to the chasing pack whose focus had previously been on sealing a place in the top four.
Nottingham Forest and Chelsea currently sit third and fourth, but Newcastle United are level on points with the Blues in fifth and have the game in hand needed to climb above Enzo Maresca’s side. Thanks to Arsenal’s victory, all three teams would qualify for the Champions League as things stand.

Manchester City are just one point behind in sixth, with current quarter-finalists Aston Villa a further point back. Fulham and Brighton & Hove Albion are just five and six points adrift of the top five, so there is still plenty to play for between now and the end of the season.
The team which ends the season in sixth will automatically qualify for the Europa League, rather than go through the qualification phase.

UEFA, UC3 and PepsiCo have renewed their partnership that will see PepsiCo’s most iconic brands – Pepsi, Lay’s and Gatorade – continue to be a prominent presence in stadiums and communities as a UEFA Women’s Football sponsor until 2030. The agreement includes the UEFA Women’s Champions League from the 2025/26 season, which will see the introduction of a more dynamic and thrilling league phase format, until 2029/30, as well as UEFA Women’s EURO 2029. PepsiCo is the first partner to reaffirm its commitment for the 2025-2030 commercial cycle.

PepsiCo will launch the next cycle of its partnership with a bold line-up of initiatives designed to elevate the game and create unforgettable experiences for both fans and players.

As part of the agreement, Pepsi will extend its Kick-Off Show to both the UEFA Women’s Champions League final from the 2025/26 season, and the Women’s EURO 2029 final. Beyond the finals, Pepsi will bring immersive entertainment to every UEFA Women’s Champions League knockout round from the quarter-final onwards, featuring Pepsi-branded in-stadium activations, live performances and fan-powered experiences designed to fuel excitement before kick-off.

Additionally, Lay’s will strengthen its connection with fans by delivering exclusive digital content and immersive in-stadium experiences. Meanwhile, Gatorade, through its global “Fuel Tomorrow” initiative, is expanding access to the game by supporting grassroots programmes, providing equipment and safe playing spaces, and investing in coaching development. The brand will also continue to support UEFA’s elite referee programme while maintaining a strong sideline presence at UEFA Women’s Champions League and UEFA Women’s EURO matches, ensuring athletes are fuelled for peak performance.

Guy-Laurent Epstein, UEFA marketing director, said: “As women’s football continues to reach new heights, we’re delighted to extend our fruitful partnership with PepsiCo and its iconic brands, Lay’s and Gatorade. PepsiCo’s longstanding commitment to growing the game aligns seamlessly with UEFA’s new Women’s Football Strategy — driving investment, visibility and growth at all levels of the football pyramid. Together, we will continue to elevate the women’s game, inspiring the next generation of players and fans alike”

Adam Warner, Vice President Global Sports & Entertainment Partnerships at PepsiCo, said: “For over 50 years, football culture has been in our DNA, championing players and fans alike through partnerships, campaigns, and communities that celebrate the spirit of the game. Football is a global passion, and PepsiCo is uniquely positioned to continue creating unexpected moments that inspire fans and drive commercial success. Extending our partnership with UEFA Women’s Football harnesses the power, resources, and scale of three iconic brands to further elevate the sport. This renewal, alongside the prestige of the UEFA Women’s Champions League, will expand the reach and impact of the game, driving its continued growth on the world stage.”
The agreement will also see PepsiCo sponsor the UEFA European Women’s Under-19 and Under-17 Championships, and the UEFA Women’s Futsal EURO, as well as UEFA’s Together #WePlayStrong programme, which is aimed at encouraging more girls and women to play football.

PepsiCo has been a supporter of the UEFA Champions League since 2015 and of UEFA Women’s Football since 2019.

(Katikaa News got courtesy from Press release-Pepsico)

The race for Champions League qualification is gathering pace as the Premier League season approaches its final furlong.
Top two Liverpool and Arsenal look odds-on to finish where they currently sit, and three more places are almost certain to be up for grabs with England currently in line to secure one of UEFA’s two European performance spots.

Here, Katikaa News take a look at the other clubs vying for a seat at the top table next season.

Nottingham Forest

Current position: 3rd P 31 W 17 D 6 L 8 Pts 57 GD +14

Remaining fixtures: Everton (h), Tottenham, (a), Brentford (h), Crystal Palace (a), Leicester (h), West Ham (a), Chelsea (h)

Recent defeats by Fulham, Newcastle and on Saturday, Aston Villa have eaten into Forest’s cushion despite wins over Manchester duo City and United, and the chasing pack has closed on the season’s surprise package. Nuno Espirito Santo’s men do not have the most taxing remaining schedule, but Chelsea’s final-day visit to the City Ground could prove pivotal if points continue to slip away.

Chelsea

Current position: 4th P 31 W 15 D 8 L 8 Pts 53 GD +17
Remaining fixtures: Ipswich (h), Fulham (a), Everton (h), Liverpool (h), Newcastle (a), Manchester United (h), Nottingham Forest (a)

Chelsea will have to manage their quest for qualification alongside a bid for Conference League glory, which could stretch to a further five games for the quarter-finalists. Champions-elect Liverpool, Carabao Cup winners Newcastle and Forest will also have a say in the destiny of their league campaign.

Newcastle United

Current position: 5th P 30 W 16 D 5 L 9 Pts 53 GD +13
Remaining fixtures: Manchester United (h), Crystal Palace (h), Aston Villa (a), Ipswich (h), Brighton (a), Chelsea (h), Arsenal (a), Everton (h)

Monday night’s 3-0 win at relegation-haunted Leicester eased the Magpies level on points with Chelsea and, with a game in hand on the sides above them, they are a team to watch. However, the Magpies’ run-in is perhaps the most testing of the leading candidates with Villa, Brighton, Chelsea and Arsenal waiting in the wings after Manchester United’s visit to St James’ Park on Sunday.

Manchester City

Current position: 6th P 31 W 15 D 7 L 9 Pts 52 GD +17
Remaining fixtures: Crystal Palace (h), Everton (a), Aston Villa (h), Wolves (h), Southampton (a), Bournemouth (h), Fulham (a)

Reigning champions Manchester City’s hopes of a fifth successive title died some time ago and there is a very real possibility that they could miss out on making the Champions League after Sunday’s drab derby draw at Old Trafford. Villa are the only other main contender they will face over the remaining weeks of the season, but Pep Guardiola’s men have little margin for error.

Aston Villa

Current

position: 7th P 31 W 14 D 9 L 8 Pts 51 GD 0

Remaining fixtures: Southampton (a), Newcastle (h), Manchester City (a), Fulham (h), Bournemouth (a), Tottenham (h), Manchester United (a)

Champions League quarter-finalists Villa have their sights set firmly on a mouth-watering two-legged showdown with newly-crowned French champions Paris St Germain, but they have significant work to do if they are to make the cut again next season as a result of their league finish. Games against Newcastle and Manchester City could prove crucial, while Fulham and Bournemouth have their own targets and Tottenham and Manchester United have angry fans to appease.

Clubs contesting next month’s Champions League final in Munich will receive an official allocation of 18,000 tickets costing €70 each, with the most expensive tickets costing €950.
Arsenal and Aston Villa remain in the competition, but only one of the Premier League’s two remaining teams can reach the final on 31 May, with the sides set to meet in the semi-finals if they can overcome Real Madrid and Paris St Germain respectively in the last eight.

UEFA issued information on ticketing plans for the four men’s and women’s club competition finals on Monday and confirmed only 38,700 out of 64,500 tickets – equating to 60% – would be available to the public, with 36,000 of those publicly available tickets being divided equally between the finalists.

Tickets not made available to the public are for the local organising structure, UEFA’s member national associations, commercial partners, broadcasters and UEFA itself.
The percentage being made available to the public this year is almost 10% lower than was the case for last year’s Champions League final at Wembley, where 60,000 out of 86,600 tickets were available directly for fans and the general public to purchase.
For the 2025 final, the 36,000 tickets allocated to fans of the finalists – plus accessibility tickets for disabled supporters – will be priced at the ‘Fans First’ rate of €70.
The next cheapest tickets cost €180 euros each and at the top end, category one tickets will cost €950.

A greater proportion of tickets for the Europa League final in Bilbao on 21 May are available to the general public – 41,000 out of 49,600 – more than 80%.
Each finalist will be allocated 15,000 of those tickets at a ‘Fans First’ price of €40.
Conference League sides in the final in the Polish city of Wroclaw on 28 May will be allocated 12,500 tickets each of the 35,000 available at a price of c25.

The Women’s Champions League final takes place in Lisbon on 24 May. Tickets for the women’s showpiece match first went on sale in February, but 18,000 in total have been reserved for fans of the two clubs who reach the final. Ticket prices start at €10.

Lionel Messi made history once again on MLS Matchday 7.

With his equalizing goal in a 1-1 draw with Toronto FC, Inter Miami CF’s captain surpassed Gonzalo Higuain for the most goal contributions in club history.

The iconic forward now has 44 goal contributions in 29 regular-season matches, tallying 24 goals and 20 assists with the Herons.

Since arriving in South Florida in the summer of 2023, the former FC Barcelona star has put up some of the most dominant numbers the league has seen.

After leading the Herons to the Leagues Cup trophy in his first season, Messi was crucial to Miami’s 2024 Supporters’ Shield-winning campaign, in which they set the single-season points record. Messi also took home the Landon Donovan MLS MVP award, logging an outrageous 20 goals and 16 assists in just 19 appearances.

With his goal on Sunday Night Soccer presented by Continental Tire, his third of the season, Messi surpasses his former Argentina teammate in the club record books. It took Higuaín 67 appearances to reach that same point; Messi is just five goals away from tying his goal mark.

Adidas Can End £900m Deal If Man United Drop Out of Premier League. Adidas Clause Piles Pressure on United

Manchester United’s financial muscle has long set them apart — but even giants can fall. As revealed in The Athletic, the club’s £900 million kit deal with Adidas contains a sobering clause: should United suffer the ignominy of relegation from the Premier League, Adidas could terminate the deal with one full season’s notice.

The new agreement, signed in July 2023, runs until June 2035 and delivers £90 million per year to the Old Trafford coffers. But the fine print is damning. “Adidas may reduce the applicable payments for a year by 50 per cent if the men’s first team is not participating in the English Premier League during that year,” reads the clause. Worse still, “Adidas may terminate the agreement by giving one full-season’s notice if the men’s first team is relegated.”

Such language, more commonly associated with clubs fighting for survival than with one of England’s most historic institutions, now casts a long shadow over the season.

Ruben Amorim’s recent comments made headlines: “It was really clear United were in a relegation battle,” he said, following a dismal 2-0 defeat at home to Newcastle — their fifth loss in six Premier League games.
United sit 14th in the table, just seven points above the drop zone, with a daunting trip to Anfield looming. For a side with Champions League ambitions, the word “relegation” now appears with worrying frequency.

The implications of poor form extend far beyond the pitch. The club’s accounts state: “Our performance in the Premier League directly affects… our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flow.

Champions League Absence Also Comes at a Cost

The Adidas clause isn’t the only financial caveat. The Athletic also revealed that United face a £10 million penalty each season they fail to qualify for the UEFA Champions League, beginning with the 2025/26 campaign.
“This clause has been amended to state that a £10 million deduction will be applied for each year of non-participation in the UEFA Champions League,” the club confirmed.
With the team currently off the pace, qualification looks uncertain — meaning that financial penalties could soon become a yearly burden.

Financial Reality of Decline

Beyond kit deals and European qualification, United’s latest financial results paint a broader picture of instability.

£113.2 million in net losses — the fifth consecutive year in the red.

£661.8 million in turnover — a record, yet undermined by costs.

£47.8 million spent on the takeover process led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

£35 million saved through 250 job cuts.

£364.7 million wage bill — up 10 per cent due to Champions League football.

All of this while the club lists a catalogue of risks that could impact revenue streams — including poor performance, relegation, and commercial disengagement.

“We cannot ensure that our men’s first team will be successful… Relegation or a general decline… may negatively affect our ability to attract or retain talented players and coaching staff, as well as supporters, sponsors and other commercial partners,” the accounts warn.
This is not just a downturn in form. It is a structural concern, one laid bare in black and white across financial ledgers.

Katikaa’s View – EPL Index Analysis

This report is equal parts worrying and familiar. Years of mismanagement have created a club where success on the pitch no longer feels guaranteed — and where failure is punished not just with humiliation, but with genuine financial peril.
For many United supporters, the Adidas clause is simply the latest symbol of how far the club has fallen. Relegation once seemed an unthinkable scenario — now it has a dedicated entry in a major commercial contract. That alone is damning.
The £10 million Champions League penalties also sting. It reflects a club reliant on top-tier football just to stay financially competitive. Once, the Champions League was a stage for glory. Now, it’s a lifeline.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s minority investment brings hope — but unless results improve fast, the season could spiral into something more damaging than disappointment. The fixtures are getting harder, the margins thinner, and the consequences graver.

Real Madrid earlier conceded deep into added time to lose 2-1 at home to Valencia

Barcelona failed to break down a frantic Real Betis defence as they were held to a 1-1 draw in La Liga on Saturday but still gained ground on Real Madrid who earlier conceded deep into added time to lose 2-1 at home to Valencia. Barcelona moved four points ahead of Real Madrid atop La Liga. Both teams face Champions League first-leg ties this week, Real visit Arsenal on Tuesday and Barcelona play in Dortmund the following evening. Barcelona cut open Betis in the seventh minute and Gavi slid the ball past goalkeeper Adrian from inside the six-yard box.

But the hosts were unable to turn a series of lively attacks into goals. Instead the visitors hit back after 16 minutes when centreback Natan Souza escaped the clutches of his defender to head home a Giovani Lo Celso corner.
Barcelona besieged the Betis goal in the second half but were denied by a combination of dogged defending, strong goalkeeping from Adrian and some agonising near misses.

Wojciech Szczesny did not have to make a save until the 88th minute when he turned away a long-range drive by Natan.
With Betis playing for time, Barcelona did not leave themselves exposed to a late counter-attack as they played out a draw that bolstered their lead at the top.

If we had won we would be further clear, but in the end it’s football,” Gavi told Movistar.  “The draw leaves a bitter taste, because we were unable to take advantage of the chances we had.”
The draw lifted Betis to fifth.

Lots of chances’

“La Liga is more complicated, but we have to fight until the last game,” said Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti.
“They didn’t need to do much to score two goals,” said Ancelotti. “We took risks at the end and found ourselves hit on the counter-attack.
“We’ve had deserved defeats this season, but I don’t think we lacked attitude today,” he added. “It’s not a deserved defeat. We created lots of chances but lacked a little effectiveness.”
The victory lifted Valencia to 15th, seven points clear of the bottom three.

Real had an early chance to take control when Valencia’s Cesar Tarrega was adjudged to have fouled Kylian Mbappe in the penalty area, but Giorgi Mamardashvili saved a weak spot-kick from Vinicius Junior.
It was the Brazilian’s second consecutive miss from the spot for Real, after he wasted a Champions League penalty against Atletico Madrid.
Within a minute Valencia went up the other end and won a corner. From it Mouctar Diakhaby outjumped Antonio Rudiger and rocketed home a header.

Real levelled after 50 minutes when Vinicius tapped over the line in a scramble following a Real corner. It was his 104th goal for Los Blancos, matching Brazilian compatriot Ronaldo.
Real gave a lacklustre performance, nevertheless, Mbappe carved out enough chances to win, but wasted opportunities in the 36th, 37th, 48th, 49th and 68th minutes.
Valencia’s Georgian goalkeeper Mamardashvili was in imperious form keeping his team in the game until Duro delivered his winner.
Valencia stunned the dominant hosts deep into injury time when a slick countering-attacking move was emphatically finished by Duro from Rafa Mir’s cross.

Ancelotti started third-choice ‘keeper Fran Gonzalez following injuries to Thibaut Courtois and Andriy Lunin, although the Ukrainian was fit enough to be named on the bench.
In addition to Arsenal, Ancelotti has to focus on the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona on April 26 in Seville.
“The match against Barca in the Copa del Rey will be different; they’ll attack more, and we’ll have to be better at the back and be effective up front,” the Italian said.

Real Madrid suffered a surprise home defeat to Valencia ahead of their Champions League quarter-final clash with Arsenal despite boss Carlo Ancelotti naming a strong side.

The Gunners will face the Spanish giants at the Emirates on Tuesday in the first leg of their quarter-final clash.
But Ancelotti’s side will go into the game after suffering a significant blow to their La Liga title chances.
Their 2-1 defeat to Valencia now means they sit three points behind Barcelona having played one game more than their fierce rivals.
Ancelotti unsurprisingly opted to go with a strong team for the game with Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr all starting.
Vinicius Jr had a golden chance to put his side ahead early on from the penalty spot but missed it, which was followed by Valencia taking the lead on 15 minutes through Mouctar Diakhaby when he headed in from a corner – which should provide even more encouragement for Arsenal given their expertise from set pieces.
But Vinicius made amends in the second half when he equalised shortly after the restart.
There would be more drama to follow, however, with Carlos Corberan’s side snatching a 95th minute winner through Hugo Duro.

Real Madrid had to name a far from ideal back four due to injuries to Eder Militao, Dani Carvajal and Ferland Mendy. Young centre-back Raul Asencio was only named on the bench with the experienced Antonio Rudiger and out of position Aurelien Tchouameni starting in the middle of defence, while Lucas Vasquez and Francisco Garcia occupied the full-back spots.
19-year-old third-choice goalkeeper Fran Gonzalez also had to start due to injuries to Thibaut Courtois and Andriy Lunin.
Ancelotti had spoken of his optimism that Courtois would be back in time for the Arsenal game but he was left out of the squad altogether against Valencia with Lunin also carrying a “minor issue”. It remains to be seen whether either will be fit in time to face the Gunners.

Thomas Muller will leave Bayern Munich this summer after a 25-year career at the German club.

The 35-year-old Muller said Saturday, in a joint announcement with Bayern, that his “incredible journey” with his boyhood club will end in July.

The midfielder’s contract is set to expire after the season and he’s seen limited game time.

It’s clear that today is not like any other day for me,” Muller said. “My 25 years as an FC Bayern Munich player will come to an end in the summer. It’s been an incredible journey, shaped by unique experiences, great encounters and unforgettable triumphs.

I feel immense gratitude and joy that I got to make this career with my beloved club. The special connection to the club and our fantastic fans will always remain. What I want as a farewell should be clear: titles we can celebrate together, and moments we’ll remember fondly for a long time.”

Muller has helped Bayern win 33 trophies after joining the club’s academy at age 10 in the summer of 2000. He’s made a club-record number of appearances with 743 matches.

The team said Muller’s final game with Bayern will be at the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States in June and July.

“Thomas Muller is the definition of a Bavarian fairytale career; he grew in Bavaria and with Bayern,” club president Herbert Hainer said. “Nobody has won more Bundesliga titles, and 33 trophies in total so far speak volumes. He ranks among the most outstanding personalities in FC Bayern history.”

PSG are currently a huge 21 points clear at the top of the table with seven games of the season to play.

Paris Saint-Germain can wrap up another Ligue 1 title this weekend and are also closing in on the first ever unbeaten season in the top flight of French football. PSG play host to relegation-threatened Angers on Saturday knowing a draw will be enough for them to secure their 11th French championship triumph in the last 13 years. It is a long period of dominance which began quickly after the takeover of the club by Qatar Sports Investments in 2011. The financial gap between PSG and the rest of France now appears unbridgeable, and Luis Enrique’s team are currently a huge 21 points clear at the top of the table with seven games of the season to play.

For them to miss out on the title now, PSG would have to lose every remaining game and Monaco would have to win all of theirs and also oversee an enormous swing in goal difference.
Put simply, that is not going to happen, and the Parisians will hope to finish the job in front of their own supporters before switching their focus to their Champions League quarter-final first leg at home to Aston Villa next Wednesday.

This midweek PSG secured their place in the final of the French Cup, surviving a scare by coming from two goals down to beat Ligue 2 side Dunkerque 4-2 and set up a clash with Reims on May 24.
They have not lost any of their last 38 matches against domestic opponents across all competitions since a 3-1 defeat at home to Toulouse last May.

The likes of Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal, Juventus, Celtic and, just last season, Bayer Leverkusen have all gone through domestic league campaigns without losing a game in the 21st century.
In France, Nantes have come the closest, going unbeaten through their first 32 matches of the 38-game season as they took the title in 1994/95.

PSG have played 27 of 34 matches in this Ligue 1 campaign, and surely should remain unbeaten as long as they do not become distracted by the Champions League.
“We are not unbeatable, we are not invincible, we are not film heroes,” insisted Luis Enrique after Tuesday’s win against Dunkerque.

We are just a football team. Perfection does not exist and we are not perfect.”
Yet PSG, with the likes of Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue and Achraf Hakimi in outstanding form, should not need to be perfect to keep their current run going domestically.
After this weekend, three of their final six Ligue 1 matches will be against sides presently in the bottom six.

A home game against Champions League hopefuls Nice and a trip to in-form Strasbourg are the toughest remaining assignments on the domestic front.
Player to watch: Mika Biereth
The 22-year-old London-born striker, who recently made his debut for the Danish national team, has enjoyed a stunning start to life at Monaco since joining the principality club in January.
Recruited from Sturm Graz in Austria, the former Arsenal youngster has scored 12 goals in his first 10 Ligue 1 appearances, including three hat-tricks.

His strike in last week’s Cote d’Azur derby against Nice left him with 11 goals from five home games with his new club, but he has just one on the road heading into this weekend’s trip to Brest.

According to statisticians Opta, Biereth has scored a goal every 67 minutes since he moved to France’s top flight.

Key stats:

13 – Lucky for some, PSG are set to win their 13th French league title overall

32 – PSG’s leading marksman Dembele has scored 32 goals this season in all competitions

5 – While PSG are 21 points clear at the top of the table, just five points separate the next six teams, from Monaco in second to Lyon in seventh.