Bradley Barcola scored twice and assisted once as Paris Saint-Germain cruised to a 3-0 win over Reims in the French Cup final on Saturday, keeping their hopes alive for a maiden continental treble.
Barcola’s two goals came courtesy of assists from Désiré Doué, who also played a crucial role in PSG’s third goal by feeding Barcola for the cross that led to Achraf Hakimi’s volley just before halftime. The win secured PSG a record 16th French Cup title — six more than rivals Marseille — and added to their Ligue 1 triumph, which marked a 13th league crown, also a record.
The only missing piece in PSG’s trophy cabinet remains the UEFA Champions League. That could change next Saturday when they face Inter Milan in the final in Munich. PSG’s only previous appearance in a Champions League final ended in defeat to Bayern Munich in the pandemic-hit 2020 edition.
Saturday’s final was one-sided from the outset, with PSG dominating a Reims side that once stood as a European powerhouse in the 1950s but is now far removed from those glory days. Reims had reached the Champions League final twice in that era, losing both times to Real Madrid, reports AFP.
PSG`s first goal came in the 16th minute when Doué played an angled ball through to Barcola, who slotted it calmly into the bottom corner. Just three minutes later, Doué again found space and squared the ball for Barcola to tap in from close range. Doué, a late inclusion in the starting lineup after Khvitcha Kvaratskhelia reportedly withdrew due to headaches, seized his chance to impress.
Barcola then turned provider in the 45th minute, crossing from the left for Hakimi to volley home, effectively sealing the game by halftime.
The second half saw PSG ease off, with few chances created apart from a strike from Ousmane Dembélé that rattled the crossbar.
Victory puts coach Luis Enrique on the verge of a second continental treble, having achieved his first with Barcelona in 2015. While PSG appears to be peaking at the right moment, Inter Milan may have the edge in match sharpness, having been pushed in a tight Serie A title race that concluded just a day before the cup final.
