BITS AND PIECES

 BITS AND PIECES

Goal-crazy PSG hammer Marseille

PARIS: Edinson Cavani bagged his 35th goal of a spectacular season as Paris Saint Germain swept aside Marseille 5-1 on Sunday in “Le Classique” to move second in Ligue 1.

The reigning French champions are three points behind prolific league leaders Monaco and level with Nice, but go second thanks to a better goal difference in what has become a three-way tussle for the title.

A Stade Velodrome record 65,252 packed into the stands in the hopes of seeing a Marseille side buoyed by fresh investment and the return of Dimitri Payet derail their old rival’s title charge.

But the vociferous home fans were silenced after just six minutes when skipper Thiago Silva rose to powerfully nod the ball back across goal and fellow Brazilian defender Marquinhos headed home unchallenged.

That opened the floodgates and Blaise Matuidi, who scored the fifth and best goal of the evening, was jubilant afterwards.

Marseille defender Gregory Sertic commented: “We were very good for the first five-six minutes, but their second goal killed the game, against PSG it’s hard to come back.”

Marseille were never in the game but Payet, who forced his way out of West Ham in the winter transfer window for 30 million euros ($32m), had the home side’s first real chance when he flashed a long-distance strike just wide on the quarter hour.

A minute later however it was 2-0 when the Argentine attacking midfielder Javier Pastore — recalled after injury at the expense of Julian Draxler — cleverly dinked the ball through to Cavani, who poked in past the advancing Yohann Pele in the home goal to continue his deadly form.

It was the Uruguayan predator’s 35th goal in all competitions this term and 26th in the league.Cavani might have had a second on 23 minutes as PSG dominated, but he miscued his scissor kick over with the goal gaping.

The second half was more of the same and it was 3-0 on 50 minutes when another Brazilian, Luca­s Moura, profited from poor defending to prod in from close range.Matuidi claimed the assist but it was Pastore, back in boss Unai Emery’s starting XI and back to fitness, who provided a classy touch on the way.

Emery replaced Pastore with Draxler early in the second half and just after the hour the German international schemer made it 4-0, firing in first time after a pinpoint Thomas Meunier cross.

Marseille grabbed a 70th-minute consolation through Rod Fanni, before Matuidi sealed the rout, steering the ball into the top corner from just outside the box.

The heavy defeat leaves Marseille in seventh.Earlier, Manchester United flop Memphis Depay struck twice as Lyon, a distant fourth, smashed Metz 5-0. 

Mature Fabregas enjoys challenge of fighting for place

LONDON: Cesc Fabregas is not one to shy away from a challenge and the Chelsea midfielder says he will bank on his experience to nail down a first-team spot after making his 300th Premier League appearances in Saturday’s 3-1 win over Swansea City.

Making only his sixth league start of the season, Fabregas gave manager Antonio Conte plenty of food for thought with a goal and an assist at Stamford Bridge as the league leaders maintained a 10-point advantage in the standings.

“Experience helps you understand that the most important thing is always the team. Experience and maturity gives you this,” Fabregas, who became the first Spaniard to reach 300 Premier League appearances, told British media.

“Don’t get me wrong, I want to play. Every football player wants to play every single minute but sometimes you have to fight for it.

“The easy way is to escape, to run away, to sulk and to want to leave, to create a drama.“In my mind, I decided I want to challenge myself. Not everything comes easy in life, sometimes you have to fight certain situations you are not used to. But hopefully I have shown the manager he can trust me.” 

Toure unsure over Man City future

MANCHESTER: Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure has no doubts he will carry on playing next season but the 33-year-old is unsure whether he will still be at the Etihad Stadium.

Four-time African footballer of the year Toure has been in fine form since returning to Pep Guardiola’s side, scoring six goals in 18 appearances in all competitions so far.

“In the past when you got to 33, you were done. Now with the science, players can go on much longer,” said the Ivorian.

“I don’t know about next season. I don’t think about it. I am just about enjoying having my teammates around. You have guys like Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling who sometimes pass me and say ‘Ah, uncle is on the phone’,” he told British media.

“When you see my career, it is one year, two years, three years maximum at one club. It is a long time.

“What the fans give to me, I want to give it back so I will do all I can until the last minute and if I am done, when I am done, I am done.“It depends on the board because I don’t have nothing to say. I just try to play positive and win trophies for the fans.”

City, who are third in the Premier League and 11 points behind Chelsea, host second-tier side Huddersfield in an FA Cup fifth round replay on Wednesday. 

Tsonga stays on hot streak to win title in Marseille

MARSEILLE, France: France’s Jo-Wilfred Tsonga won his second title in succession by comfortably beating compatriot Lucas Pouille 6-4 6-4 in the Marseille Open final on Sunday.

The number two seed hit seven aces and did not face a break point in sweeping aside fourth-seeded Pouille to win the trophy for the third time, having also triumphed in 2009 and 2013.

“This is the second week in a row that I’m heading home without a loss, it does not happen so often,” said the 31 year-old.

“It’s good for my confidence.”Last week Tsonga won his first title in two years, the ABN Amro World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam.