Jardim tells Monaco to wake up post PSG ordeal
PARIS: Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim challenged his players to swiftly bury the embarrassment of last week’s 7-1 defeat by Paris Saint-germain to stay on course for automatic Champions League qualiication.
PSG reclaimed the Ligue 1 title -- their fifth in six seasons -- after thrashing last year’s champions Monaco at the Parc des Princes, but Jardim is confident it won’t derail their season.
Monaco hold a four-point cushion over Lyon and Marseille in the race for second place with five matches remaining, starting with Saturday’s trip to Guingamp.
“It’s a difficult match to digest,” Jardim said of the rout that ended Monaco’s 17-match unbeaten league run.
“We’re not used to conceding seven goals. We’re aware that we didn’t give our all. We should have done better. We got our message across.
“I’m going to cite Confucius: ‘Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall,’” he added, invoking the teachings of the ancient Chinese philosopher.
“We have five finals to play now. The fight for second place is going to be a battle until the finish.”
PSG PLEA TO UEFA
Paris Saint-germain officials were at UEFA’S headquarters in Nyon on Friday to plead their case in a Financial Fair Play (FFP) investigation, following reports that the French club risked sanctions.
PSG’S general manager Jeanclaude Blanc was one of those seen arriving at around 2:15pm (1215 GMT) and leaving almost three hours later. They did not stop to speak to gathered media.
A UEFA spokesperson said a decision was expected “at the start of June”.
UEFA opened an investigation into the newly-crowed French champions’ compliance with FFP rules at the start of this season, just weeks after they completed deals to sign Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.