KHVICHA KVARATSKHELIA SCORED twice as Paris Saint-Germain strolled to a 3-0 win over struggling Nantes to move four points clear of Lens at the top of Ligue 1.
Kvaratskhelia struck the opener from the penalty spot on 13 minutes before Desire Doue doubled the hosts’ advantage, plunging Nantes deeper into relegation trouble.
The Georgia international struck again early in the second half as PSG shrugged off Sunday’s home defeat by Lyon, which had briefly threatened to open the door for Lens in the title race.
“It was almost a perfect night, I’d say, because it was important to win,” said PSG coach Luis Enrique, who singled out Kvaratskhelia for his performance.
“For me, all year long, he’s been a top-level player,” said the Spaniard. “He has a quality in the character that he shows, no matter the match – that’s very important.”
PSG visit Angers this weekend ahead of next Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final first leg at home to Bayern Munich.
Luis Enrique made several changes after omitting key players in the loss to Lyon, with Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembele returning in attack and Joao Neves and Warren Zaire-Emery restored to the starting line‑up.
PSG are on course to be crowned French champions for the 12th time in 14 years but must still travel to Lens on 13 May, in a fixture pushed back due to their European commitments.
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Nantes are now winless in seven games and were without their coach Vahid Halilhodzic, who is serving a four-match ban following an outburst over a refereeing decision. They sit second from bottom, five points behind Auxerre in the relegation play-off place with four games to play.
Meanwhile, Harry Kane and Luis Diaz scored as Bayern Munich won 2-0 at Bayer Leverkusen to reach the German Cup final for the first time since 2020.
Just three days after Bayern sealed back-to-back Bundesliga titles with a home win over Stuttgart, Kane and Diaz got the goals to keep hopes of a treble alive.
Harry Kane celebrates scoring. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Bayern’s comfortable victory avenged their defeat by Leverkusen in the round of 16 last season. They will face either holders Stuttgart or Freiburg in the final.
The Bavarian giants have won a record 20 German Cups but had not reached the showpiece in Berlin for six years, their longest drought since the turn of the century.
“We’re going to Berlin. I’m looking forward to it. It was a goal of ours to get to Berlin, to reach the final, experience that, the guys said it’s an incredible experience, so we’ve done nearly all the work,” said Kane.
“We’ve had a lot of away games, tough games, we’ve had to grind it out. Now we’ve got one more to go. In a final anything is possible. We’re feeling good.”
Barcelona moved a step closer to winning La Liga with a tight 1-0 victory over Celta Vigo, but lost their goalscorer Lamine Yamal to an apparent hamstring injury.
The teenage Spain star won and converted a penalty to clinch a narrow triumph but hurt himself as he took it and was replaced before half-time.
Joao Cancelo also went off injured for a Barca team who moved nine points clear of Real Madrid at the top of the table with six matches remaining, including a Clasico on 10 May.
Hansi Flick’s side, playing for the first time since their Champions League quarter-final elimination by Atletico Madrid last week, lacked their usual attacking spark.
Yamal was injured while scoring a penalty. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Atleti fell to a 3-2 defeat at lowly Elche, their seventh loss in their last eight matches across all competitions.
The Champions League semi-finalists, who host Arsenal next Wednesday in Europe, could not bounce back from their Copa del Rey final defeat on penalties by Real Sociedad last weekend to build morale.
Diego Simeone’s side are comfortable in fourth in La Liga and the coach played mostly a reserve side to rest his star names after the draining cup final.
Nicolas Gonzalez struck twice for the visitors but Elche prevailed with a brace from Andre Silva and a goal from David Affengruber, boosting their survival hopes.
Elsewhere, there was disappointment for Republic of Ireland international Andrew Omobamidele as his Strasbourg side fell to a 2-0 defeat to Nice in the French Cup semi-final. Elye Wahi scored both goals as Nice booked a decider date with Lens next month.
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PSG close in on Ligue 1 title as Yamal injured while scoring winning penalty for Barcelona
LAST UPDATE | 23 Apr
KHVICHA KVARATSKHELIA SCORED twice as Paris Saint-Germain strolled to a 3-0 win over struggling Nantes to move four points clear of Lens at the top of Ligue 1.
Kvaratskhelia struck the opener from the penalty spot on 13 minutes before Desire Doue doubled the hosts’ advantage, plunging Nantes deeper into relegation trouble.
The Georgia international struck again early in the second half as PSG shrugged off Sunday’s home defeat by Lyon, which had briefly threatened to open the door for Lens in the title race.
“It was almost a perfect night, I’d say, because it was important to win,” said PSG coach Luis Enrique, who singled out Kvaratskhelia for his performance.
“For me, all year long, he’s been a top-level player,” said the Spaniard. “He has a quality in the character that he shows, no matter the match – that’s very important.”
PSG visit Angers this weekend ahead of next Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final first leg at home to Bayern Munich.
Luis Enrique made several changes after omitting key players in the loss to Lyon, with Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembele returning in attack and Joao Neves and Warren Zaire-Emery restored to the starting line‑up.
PSG are on course to be crowned French champions for the 12th time in 14 years but must still travel to Lens on 13 May, in a fixture pushed back due to their European commitments.
Nantes are now winless in seven games and were without their coach Vahid Halilhodzic, who is serving a four-match ban following an outburst over a refereeing decision. They sit second from bottom, five points behind Auxerre in the relegation play-off place with four games to play.
Meanwhile, Harry Kane and Luis Diaz scored as Bayern Munich won 2-0 at Bayer Leverkusen to reach the German Cup final for the first time since 2020.
Just three days after Bayern sealed back-to-back Bundesliga titles with a home win over Stuttgart, Kane and Diaz got the goals to keep hopes of a treble alive.
Bayern’s comfortable victory avenged their defeat by Leverkusen in the round of 16 last season. They will face either holders Stuttgart or Freiburg in the final.
The Bavarian giants have won a record 20 German Cups but had not reached the showpiece in Berlin for six years, their longest drought since the turn of the century.
“We’re going to Berlin. I’m looking forward to it. It was a goal of ours to get to Berlin, to reach the final, experience that, the guys said it’s an incredible experience, so we’ve done nearly all the work,” said Kane.
“We’ve had a lot of away games, tough games, we’ve had to grind it out. Now we’ve got one more to go. In a final anything is possible. We’re feeling good.”
Barcelona moved a step closer to winning La Liga with a tight 1-0 victory over Celta Vigo, but lost their goalscorer Lamine Yamal to an apparent hamstring injury.
The teenage Spain star won and converted a penalty to clinch a narrow triumph but hurt himself as he took it and was replaced before half-time.
Joao Cancelo also went off injured for a Barca team who moved nine points clear of Real Madrid at the top of the table with six matches remaining, including a Clasico on 10 May.
Hansi Flick’s side, playing for the first time since their Champions League quarter-final elimination by Atletico Madrid last week, lacked their usual attacking spark.
Atleti fell to a 3-2 defeat at lowly Elche, their seventh loss in their last eight matches across all competitions.
The Champions League semi-finalists, who host Arsenal next Wednesday in Europe, could not bounce back from their Copa del Rey final defeat on penalties by Real Sociedad last weekend to build morale.
Diego Simeone’s side are comfortable in fourth in La Liga and the coach played mostly a reserve side to rest his star names after the draining cup final.
Nicolas Gonzalez struck twice for the visitors but Elche prevailed with a brace from Andre Silva and a goal from David Affengruber, boosting their survival hopes.
Elsewhere, there was disappointment for Republic of Ireland international Andrew Omobamidele as his Strasbourg side fell to a 2-0 defeat to Nice in the French Cup semi-final. Elye Wahi scored both goals as Nice booked a decider date with Lens next month.
– © AFP 2026
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