Barcelona playmaker claims award after a stunning seasonMessi wins his seventh title, edging out Robert LewandowskiAlexia Putellas and Lionel Messi have been crowned winners of the 2021 Ballon d’Or during a glittering ceremony in Paris.Putellas, who wa…
European roundup: Rennes hand toothless PSG first defeat of season
Neymar hauled off as PSG fail to register shot on targetAaron Hickey helps Bologna to victory over Sarri’s LazioParis Saint-Germain suffered their first defeat of the season when they were beaten 2-0 at Rennes on Sunday to drop their first Ligue 1 poin…
Messi’s majestic run and finish leaves Manchester City trailing in PSG’s wake
It had to be him. The occasion had called for it. The crowd had come to see it and they had spent most of this box office Champions League tie willing it to happen. And then it did. Related: Champions League roundup: Sheriff Tiraspol shock Real Madrid …
European roundup: Icardi scores late PSG winner after Messi substituted
Paris Saint-Germain recover to beat Lyon 2-1Juventus 1-1 Milan; Real Madrid defeat ValenciaA late Mauro Icardi strike earned Paris Saint-Germain a last-gasp 2-1 home victory against Lyon, with Lionel Messi making limited impact on his Parc des Princes …
Rise of the petro-giants: PSG, Manchester City and Chelsea eclipse old guard | Jonathan Wilson
The travails of the traditional European elite as new money dominated the transfer window suggest things have changedIn times of crisis, the winners are usually the rich. As clubs across Europe continue to struggle against the financial impact of the p…
Real Madrid make new €170m bid for PSG’s Kylian Mbappé
France forward has told PSG he wants to move to SpainMadrid have offered Mbappé a six-year contractReal Madrid are waiting to see whether Paris Saint-Germain will accept their new offer of €170m (£146m) for Kylian Mbappé as the Spanish giants step up t…
Champions League 2021-22 draw: group stage analysis and predictions
Manchester City are in the toughest group, United’s is tricky and all the teams in Liverpool’s have reached the finalGroup A is by by some distance the toughest, featuring the defeated finalist of the past two seasons, plus RB Leipzig, who reached the …
PSG reject Real Madrid’s £137m bid for Kylian Mbappé but admit he wants to go
Sporting director Leonardo says offer is ‘insufficient’French forward will only leave on club’s termsParis St Germain have rejected an offer from Real Madrid for France forward Kylian Mbappé, the French club’s sporting director Leonardo told BFM and RM…
PSG’s signing of Lionel Messi shows celebrity is trumping competition | Jonathan Wilson
Ligue 1 looks unhealthily one-sided and it is not alone: the domination of the game’s super-clubs is only just beginningIt gets to Sunday evening. You’ve done your chores. You’ve had your dinner.You’re tired. You have work on Monday. You just want some…
The Guardian view on Barcelona and Messi: decline and fall | Editorial
One of the world’s greatest sporting institutions lost sight of the principles on which its success was basedTen years ago at Wembley, FC Barcelona won football’s Champions League with a performance that established an absolute hegemony in the world’s …