Champions League winners Paris St Germain (PSG) were fined by UEFA on Thursday for their fans’ misconduct during the final with Inter Milan in May. PSG, who won the French Ligue One as well, had thrashed the Italian giants 5-0 in the UCL summit clash.
The champions were charged after a pitch invasion by supporters, the setting off of fireworks, throwing of objects, damage to property and the display of an inappropriate message. Thousands of PSG fans flooded onto the field after the whistle to celebrate the club’s first European Cup triumph, with a large number of supporters from behind the goal spilling onto the pitch, overwhelming stewards who struggled to keep control.
In total, PSG were fined 148,000 euros ($169,208.40), with the biggest penalty for the pitch invasion and use of pyrotechnics. UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body also issued a ban on PSG’s away ticket sales for one UEFA match, suspended for two years.
PSG has had one of the best seasons in their history, winning both the Champions League as well as the French League. They also took part in the Club World Cup and had a blistering run to the final where they were humble by Chelsea.
In the match vs Inter, Désiré Doué, the 19-year-old French forward, emblematic of the club’s new generation, was the chief inspiration and player of the match as PSG recorded the biggest win in a final in the competition’s 70-year history.
In a scintillating performance, Doué and substitute Senny Mayulu became the third and fourth teenagers to score in a Champions League final following Patrick Kluivert in 1995 and Carlos Alberto in 2004.
PSG truly delivered when it mattered after so many setbacks in this competition. If there were any nerves from Luis Enrique’s players it did not show as they dominated Inter.
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It took just 12 minutes for the French champion to go ahead with a move of speed and precision when Vitinha’s threaded pass into the box found the feet of Doué. The forward could have shot, but instead slid in Hakimi to tap into an open net.
Former Inter player Hakimi muted his celebrations. Eight minutes later and the lead was doubled — more on luck than precision as Doué’s shot from the right of the box deflected off Federico Dimarco and past Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer. He got his second in the 63rd, sliding the ball into the bottom corner when through on goal.
Kvaratskhelia added the fourth 10 minutes later and Mayulu found the back of the net in the 86th, just two minutes after coming on.
(with agency inputs)
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