Sep 25: Goncalo Ramos scored twice as Paris Saint-Germain destroyed Marseille in Ligue 1 on Sunday. The defending champions won 4-0, although Kylian Mbappe left the game with an injury in the first half.
Mbappe appeared to hurt his ankle in winning the free-kick which saw Achraf
Sep 20: Kylian Mbappe provided the breakthrough for Paris St-Germain as they opened their Champions League campaign with victory over Borussia Dortmund.
Mbappe scored from the penalty spot on 49 minutes after his shot was handled by Nicklas Sule.
PARIS, May 1: Paris Saint-Germain's lead in the French Ligue 1 was reduced to five points on Sunday after a humiliating 3-1 home defeat to Lorient, while second-placed Marseille rallied to beat Auxerre 2-1 in a later match.
The French defending champions had to play with one
Teams drew group fixture at Russia 2018
DEC 6: Morocco had one of the best group stage campaigns at FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, starting with a 0-0 draw against Russia 2018 runners-up Croatia before an excellent 2-0 win over Belgium. A 2-1 success against Canada secured the African team's spot at the Group F summit.
Coach Walid Regragui's team struck an effective balance between attack and defence, with key men Sofyan Amrabat, Youssef En-Nesyri, Nayef Aguerd, and Achraf Hakimi in outstanding form.
Spain opened their campaign with a 7-0 hammering of Costa Rica and that goalfest would prove unexpectedly crucial to Round-of-16 qualification. Luis Enrique's team were pegged back to draw 1-1 with Germany, before Japan overcame a one-goal deficit to shock the European side. Spain ultimately progressed as runners-up behind tournament-surprise-package Japan.
The 2010 World Cup winners were exceptional against Costa Rica and controlled large parts of the meeting with Germany. Indeed, Spain were unquestionably in charge during the opening half against Japan before a salutary reminder over the perils of switching off, even for 45 minutes. Pedri and Gavi, the young midfielder pair from Barcelona, were among the standout Spanish group-stage performers, while forward Dani Olmo was in similarly good touch. Alvaro Morata scored three goals in three games and entered the second phase leading the Golden Boot race.
Date and time
Tuesday 6 December, 18:00 local time
Venue
Education City Stadium
Team news
Morocco’s medical team are working overtime to prepare Achraf Hakimi for the knockout clash after the classy Paris Saint-Germain right-back played through injury against Canada. Selim Amallah is reportedly fit to feature after the midfielder was limited to 25 minutes off the bench in that meeting with the Canadians on Thursday.
Luis Enrique will recall a host of key figures rested for the Japan clash. There are doubts over defender Cesar Azpilicueta’s fitness, with Dani Carvajal of Real Madrid poised for a second start in Qatar.
Possible starting XIs
Morocco: Yassine Bounou, Achraf Hakimi, Nayef Aguerd, Romain Saiss, Noussair Mazraoui, Abdelhamid Sabiri, Sofyan Amrabat, Azzedine Ounahi, Hakim Ziyech, Youssef En-Nesyri, Sofiane Boufal.
Spain: Unai Simon, Jordi Alba, Aymeric Laporte, Rodri, Cesar Azpilicueta or Dani Carvajal, Pedri, Sergio Busquets, Gavi, Ferran Torres, Marco Asensio, Dani Olmo.
Head-to-head
The sides have played each other on three occasions, including once at a World Cup
They first met in qualification for the 1962 World Cup, when Spain won a first-leg tie 1-0 in Morocco and edged the return 3-2 to reach the tournament in Chile.
Their most recent meeting was drawn 2-2 in the group stage of Russia 2018.
Key match stats
-The last time Spain progressed beyond the Round of 16 was at South Africa 2010 when they went on to win the tournament
-This is Morocco’s second time in the Round of 16, their first coming in 1986 when they lost to eventual finalists West Germany 1-0
-This will be Spain’s first match against African opposition in the knockout stages of a World Cup
-Spain have played five matches against African sides at World Cups, winning three and drawing one. Current coach Luis Enrique was in the starting XI when they lost 3-2 against Nigeria at France 1998.
-Morocco are undefeated in their past four World Cup matches (W2 D2)
-Cameroon are the only African side to have recorded a five-match unbeaten World Cup run, a feat they achieved between 1982 and 1990
Quotes
Coach Luis Enrique, whose Spain team relinquished a one-goal lead to lose their final group game. against Japan: "If against Morocco we have the fortune to go in front, Morocco, will risk it all at full pelt again. We have to show more strength in the moments when the opposition is pressing us."
Morocco forward Zakaria Aboukhlal, who scored off the bench to seal a memorable group victory over Belgium: “I am very happy to have reached the last 16. We do not want to stop here. We want to go further and, God willing, we will keep going. We are very happy for Moroccan fans. We see many people who came here from Morocco. I would like to thank them.
'I am very happy with the way Arabs here are helping one another. We were happy when Saudi Arabia defeated Argentina. We also felt when we defeated Belgium and Canada that other Arab countries were happy for us.”
PARIS, Aug. 14: Lionel Messi was introduced to some 49,000 fans in a full Parc des Princess stadium before watching his teammates beat Strasbourg 4-2 on Saturday's Ligue 1 action.
The former Barcelona ace was presented with PSG's other four summer signings Sergio Ramos, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Georginio Wijnaldum, and Achraf Hakimi in a welcome ceremony at the center of the pitch just one hour before the kick-off.
The six-time Ballon d'Or winner then joined Neymar and his fellow Argentine Angel di Maria to watch from the stands as Mauricio Pochettino's side escaped a fightback from the visitors in the second half to pocket their second win in as many games in the new season.
Mauro Icardi opened the scoring for PSG only two minutes into the game and Kylian Mbappe made it 2-0 in the 25th minute before the French forward set up another for Julian Draxler only two minutes later.
Strasbourg created more chances in the second half and clawed back to 3-2 thanks to two headers from Kevin Gameiro and Ludovic Ajorque. But they suffered a blow in the closing period when Alexander Djiku fouled on Icardi to receive his second yellow card and make his team being reduced to 10 men.
Pablo Sarabia tapped in PSG's fourth from Mbappe's cross in the 86th minute to make the score out of Strasbourg's reach.
Mbappe, whose contract with PSG is to expire next year, has been linked with Real Madrid recently as home fans whistled at the 22-year-old amid transfer speculation.
"I did not hear the whistles," Pochettino insisted. "I am happy with him. He's focused on what he needs to do and had a really good game. He must continue on this path."
PSG's president Nasser al-Khelaifi has said on Wednesday, at the unveiling ceremony of Messi, that Mbappe "has no reason to leave" since PSG now is the right place for him to seek for the trophies.
Earlier in the day, defending champions Lille were hammered 4-0 at home by Nice, whose coach Christophe Galtier had led Lille to the title last season and arrived in the southern French team this summer.
Denmark striker Kasper Dolberg hit a brace for Nice with Hicham Boudaoui and Amine Gouiri were also on target.
July 8: Sergio Ramos, a former defender of Real Madrid, on Thursday signed a two-year deal with Paris St-Germain.
Ramos, 35, left Madrid after 16 years when his contract expired at the end of June.
Spain's most-capped player won five La Liga titles and four Champions League medals with Real.
"I am very happy to join Paris St-Germain," Ramos said. "This is a big change in my life, a new challenge and it's a day I will never forget."
"The best place to keep dreaming, the best club to keep winning. We will fight with everything and everything."
Ramos is PSG's third signing of the summer, after the arrival of Morocco defender Achraf Hakimi from Inter Milan and Georginio Wijnaldum.
The Dutch midfielder also joined on a free transfer after leaving Liverpool.
Mauricio Pochettino's side, who missed out on last season's Ligue 1 title to Lille, have also been linked with a move for Italy international goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who is a free agent after leaving AC Milan.
Ramos, who was left out of Spain's Euro 2020 squad, will link up with former Madrid team-mates Angel di Maria and Keylor Navas.
(BBC Sports)
