Skip to main content

Désiré Doué is PSG’s lucky charm because when he scores the team always wins

PARIS (AP) — Every time Désiré Doué has scored for Paris Saint-Germain the team has won.

The 20-year-old forward looks to extend that winning run on Wednesday when PSG faces Monaco in the second leg of their Champions League playoff. Doué scored twice in the 3-2 first leg win after going on early for Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé, who is sidelined with a calf injury.

“It’s a very good statistic and I saw it very recently. It’s very pleasing,” Doué said on Tuesday. “But you should also highlight that when I don’t score the team also wins very often. You shouldn’t just wait for me to score every time.”

After scoring against Monaco last week, Doué put his hands over his ears as if to show he couldn’t hear criticism.

“Because a lot of things happen in football. That celebration was personal,” Doué said “I try to wipe out all the noise from my brain and my memory. I have a lot of people who help me with this in my entourage.”

On Saturday, Doué netted after three minutes against Metz in Ligue 1 for his ninth goal this season.

He shot to prominence in last season’s Champions League final with two clinical finishes and an excellent assist in a 5-0 rout of Inter Milan. He netted in 16 games overall in a breakthrough campaign where he showcased excellent close control, extravagant skill and long-distance shooting.

“I’ve always been seen as a talented player but I’ve always worked very hard,” Doué said.

Much was expected of Doué but his season has been stop-start because of injuries. A calf strain in September playing for France and a torn thigh muscle in October in Ligue 1 have ruled him out for around 11 weeks altogether. ___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Cue the trumpet: Edwin Díaz returns to earn save for the Dodgers after 85-game absence

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Cue the trumpet. Edwin Díaz is back to close out games for the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 32-year-old right-hander came off the injured list Wednesday after missing 85 games, having had arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies in his elbow in April. “We just got a lot better,” manager Dave Roberts said. Fans were on their feet cheering when Díaz entered in the ninth to Timmy Trumpet's “Narcos.” He gave up two hits and one run while earning his fifth save of the season in a 4-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners. His four-seam fastball touched 98 mph.
Read Next Story