{"id":59294,"date":"2024-02-12T18:47:13","date_gmt":"2024-02-12T18:47:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/asensio-has-plenty-to-offer-psg-in-champions-league-the-express-tribune\/"},"modified":"2024-02-12T18:47:13","modified_gmt":"2024-02-12T18:47:13","slug":"asensio-has-plenty-to-offer-psg-in-champions-league-the-express-tribune","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/asensio-has-plenty-to-offer-psg-in-champions-league-the-express-tribune\/","title":{"rendered":"Asensio ‘has plenty to offer’ PSG in Champions League | The Express Tribune"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\nFRANCE:
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Marco Asensio believes he “has plenty to offer” Paris Saint-Germain<\/a> in their latest bid for a maiden Champions League title, having previously lifted the trophy three times with Real Madrid.<\/p>\n

The 28-year-old joined PSG on a free transfer from Madrid in the summer but missed more than two months of action with a foot injury.<\/p>\n

He has been a key player since the winter break, though, starting the last three Ligue 1 matches and scoring twice.<\/p>\n

PSG host Real Sociedad in the Champions League<\/a> last-16 first leg on Wednesday, hoping to avoid a third straight exit from the competition in the first knock-out round.<\/p>\n

Asensio knows what it takes to go all the way, having won the title in 2017, 2018 and 2022 with Real, scoring in the final seven years ago against Juventus.<\/p>\n

“My football, my experience and my leadership,” he told AFP when asked what he brings to a young PSG side rebuilding after the departures of Lionel Messi and Neymar.<\/p>\n

“I’ve been in the football world for a long time, I’ve had my share of success and I believe I have a lot to offer.<\/p>\n

“I can be an example and a source of inspiration for the club’s young players.”<\/p>\n

PSG are still waiting to lift the European Cup for the first time, despite reaching the knock-out phase in 12 consecutive seasons under their Qatari owners.<\/p>\n

A front three of Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe could not deliver the trophy.<\/p>\n

Asensio was one of 13 new signings in the close-season, along with fellow forwards Goncalo Ramos, Randal Kolo Muani, Ousmane Dembele and Lee Kang-in.<\/p>\n

The Spain international is confident the new-look squad, under new coach Luis Enrique, can compete in the latter stages of Europe’s biggest club competition.<\/p>\n

“With the club, the staff and the players, we are on the right track, united, and I believe that we will accomplish great things,” he added.<\/p>\n

“We all get along well and we are very ambitious. We have already won a title (the Champions’ Trophy) and soon, in a very short period, the league, the French Cup and the Champions League, all three very important, will be decided.<\/p>\n

“We aim to win all the competitions we compete in.”<\/p>\n

Former Spain and Barcelona boss Luis Enrique took over before the start of the season and PSG have steadily improved following a slow start to the campaign.<\/p>\n

The reigning French champions appear set to comfortably defend their league title, sitting 11 points clear of second-placed Nice at the top of the table.<\/p>\n

PSG edged through their Champions League group as runners-up behind Borussia Dortmund, and are unbeaten in 16 games in all competitions since a loss to AC Milan in November.<\/p>\n

“The relationship is good,” Asensio said of playing under his ex-Spain boss Luis Enrique.<\/p>\n

“After working with him for the national team, I already knew his working method, what he expects from the team and what he asks of each player.<\/p>\n

“He is a very demanding coach, and to tell the truth one of the best I have ever had, in terms of his discipline and his professionalism, his standards towards himself and towards us.”<\/p>\n

PSG avoided Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Manchester City, who have each knocked them out over the past three seasons, in the last-16 draw despite failing to win Group F.<\/p>\n

But Asensio warned his teammates to avoid any complacency against Real Sociedad, who have not reached the quarter-finals since 1983.<\/p>\n

“The matches will be difficult,” said Asensio. “La Real is a team that I know well, they play very good football, very effective…<\/p>\n

“It will be a complicated two-legged tie, but we will do our best to try to beat them and qualify.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

FRANCE: Marco Asensio believes he “has plenty to offer” Paris Saint-Germain in their latest bid for a maiden Champions League title, having previously lifted the trophy three times with Real Madrid. The 28-year-old joined PSG on a free transfer from Madrid in the summer but missed more than two months of action with a foot […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":59295,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/i.tribune.com.pk\/media\/images\/marc1707758319-0\/marc1707758319-0.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-59294","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t