psg tour of qatar

Paris Saint-Germain legends make ‘Qatar Tour’ a memorbale one

Eight stars of Paris Saint-Germain travelled to Doha for the Legends Tour (February 13-15). The tour organized in partnership with Visit Qatar, the legends’ journey combined football with the discovery of the country’s wonders.

For this very first Legends Tour in Doha, Paris Saint-Germain honoured some of its greatest legends with the presence of Ronaldinho, Pedro Miguel Pauleta, Claude Makelele, Didier Domi, Javier Pastore, Jay-Jay Okocha, Nene, and Ludovic Giuly. Beyond its unique scope, the event also served to continue strengthening the solid ties that unite the club with its partners.

During the trip, the illustrious former players of Paris Saint-Germain participated in the “Legends Tour by Visit Qatar” tournament, each wearing the captain’s armband for teams composed of club partners. After a few hours of decisive plays and spectacular goals, it was the Visit Qatar team led by Makelele that won the first edition of this tournament.

On the evening of February 14, the legends of Paris Saint-Germain intensely experienced the victory of their successors by a score of 2-0 against Real Sociedad, in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16.

This significant moment was shared with 150 supporters of the Rouge & Bleu, as part of an exceptional screening, creating unforgettable memories that will remain forever etched in their memory.

The players continued their discoveries by participating in the Qatar International Food Festival for a special live cooking show, during which renowned chef Alexandre Guillo hosted a cooking workshop alongside Ronaldinho, Pastore, and Makelele.

Then, invited by the President of Paris Saint-Germain, Nasser Al Khelaifi, they attended the Doha WTA tennis tournament, the Qatar Total Energies Open, and later enjoyed a dinner on Al Maha Island, a symbol of Qatari hospitality excellence.

This unprecedented gathering of legends was also an opportunity to discover the Club’s facilities and its partners, such as the Aspetar clinic and the PSG Academy where the legends met with their supporters, offering training to young talents.

The Legends Tour also marked a stop at the Ooredoo Doha Marathon, which celebrated a record participation of 13,000 people. Furthermore, the Parisian legends met with children from the Qatari Foundation Education Above All, which works to ensure equitable access to education and to mobilize its power for positive, sustainable, and inclusive change.

Ronaldinho said: “Participating in the first organization of the Paris Saint-Germain Legends Tour was a huge joy, as this Club holds a very important place in my career. The holding of this first legends tour is a beautiful acknowledgment from the Club!”

Pedro Miguel Pauleta, said: “Our participation in the Legends Tour in Doha was a fantastic opportunity to meet the Club’s fans and partners, and it allowed us to witness the Club’s commitment to transmitting and sharing its history.”

Ludovic Giuly opined: “As former players, we are happy to come together for a project like the Legends Tour. Watching the victory against Real Sociedad alongside supporters will remain a memorable moment, symbolizing sharing and unity within the Paris Saint-Germain family.”

The association of players who have made the Club’s history reflects the ambitions and values of Paris Saint- Germain, particularly the transmission and sharing of its extraordinary history with younger generations. The Club expressed its gratitude towards its legends.

“Paris Saint-Germain always aspires to involve its former players in the ongoing narrative, thereby establishing continuity between generations. This commitment contributes to shaping new memorable chapters that strengthen the powerful bonds of the Paris Saint-Germain family,” it stated in the release.

Paris Saint-Germain to meet fans at Khalifa International Stadium

As part of the Qatar Winter Tour 2023, Paris Saint-Germain is opening its first team training to the public at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha. Fans will have the unique opportunity to watch the Paris Saint-Germain stars in action on Wednesday, January 18 from 6:30 to 7:30 pm. More than 15,000 tickets are on sale today on the Q Ticket platform to attend this exclusive event. In addition, 5,000 Academy members, children and parents, and 300 partners are invited. The doors are scheduled to open at 4pm for the general public and at 5pm for VIPs and media. The price is 20 riyals per seat. The Club is delighted to be able to once again offer such an exclusive experience to its Qatari fans.

Legends continue to write grand history of PSG in Doha

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Paris Saint-Germain Concludes Promotional Tour in Qatar

Al Attiyah Wins Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal

Al duhail begin preparations for facing shabab al ahli in qatar-uae super shield, preparations for 16th artistic gymnastics world cup continue, al arabi begin preparations for qatar-uae super cup match against sharjah, draw for hh the amir basketball cup held.

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STADIUM TOUR

Walk in the footsteps of the heroes of Paris Saint-Germain, from the top of the stands to the substitutes' bench, from the VIP boxes to the conference room, passing through the locker room, the Presidential Square and the fabulous wall of trophies... The Parc des Princes like you've never seen!

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THE PARC DES PRINCES NIGHT SESSIONS

Immerse yourself in the must-have experience of the Night Sessions at Parc des Princes, a summer offering not to be missed from May 25 to July 6, from 6:30 PM to 10:00 PM. Take a break at the foot of the Auteuil stand during your stadium visit and let yourself be carried away by the unique atmosphere of Parc des Princes.

Indulge in a wide selection of snacks and finger food to share or enjoy solo! Settle in with a refreshing drink on a sun lounger and dive into an exceptional ambiance. Animations and DJs guarantee you an unforgettable evening!

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IMMERSE YOURSELF IN THE ACTION

New matchday tour.

Accompanied by passionate guides, explore behind the scenes of the stadium, discover its well-kept secrets and feel the excitement build as the stadium transforms to host the event. This exclusive experience offers total immersion in the captivating world of the Rouge et Bleu.

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A new Matchday visit is still available on April 21 as part of PSG / Lyon!

Marquinhos short-lived museum

During your stadium tour.

On April 10, 2024, on the occasion of the Paris Saint-Germain / FC Barcelona match, Marquinhos became the most capped player in the history of the Red and Blue, surpassing Jean-Marc Pilorget (1975 / 1989).

As you pass through the Atrium, discover a short-lived museum dedicated to our famous captain, who joined the club in 2013.

Enter a mythical stadium

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Walk in the footsteps of the players who made the legend of the Red and Blue! Discover the emblematic places of the Parc des Princes, from the locker rooms to the VIP boxes, from the tunnel to the edge of the pitch, visit the backstage of the stadium of PSG. Put yourself in Ousmane Dembele's shoes during this unique tour.

The story of an exceptional club

Full of twists and unexpected.

From the creation of the club to its accession to Ligue 1, from the first European matches to the first national successes, relive more than 50 years of Paris Saint-Germain history through the Stadium Tour. A museum dedicated to the Red and Blue, discover the great history of Paris Saint-Germain through the jerseys, trophies and archives that made its legend.

A unique and privileged chance to experience the Parc des Princes differently

Paris Saint-Germain reinvents the stadium visit by offering you this fun and unique tour. Discover emblematic and secret places, and live the Parc des Princes experience!

A guided tour behind the scenes of the stadium: from the top of the stands to the substitutes' bench, from the VIP boxes to the locker room, through the wall of trophies, you will discover the Parc des Princes in all its splendor. An entertaining, accessible, multilingual visit, open to all, that will thrill fans, enchant tourists, and amaze young and old alike.

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An inseparable story Of a jewel and its case

With more than 35,000 season ticket holders each season, the Parc des Princes is a stadium resolutely dedicated to football. The Paris Saint-Germain brand and its logo are now inscribed in the setting of the stadium where the Rouge et Bleu have played more than 1,000 official matches since the first of them, on November 10, 1973, against Red Star. The following summer, after its accession to the First Division, the young PSG, created four years earlier, will become the resident club of this historic site of Parisian sport, inaugurated in 1897 in the form of a velodrome. Much later, in 1972, the enclosure will take on its current contours, imagined by the architect Roger Taillibert.

The Stadium Tour is open during school holidays, every weekend from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (last departure) and on Friday, except on matchday.

From July 10 to August 12, 2024 , the Parc des Princes will be the scene of numerous sporting events on the occasion of the Olympic Games . Consequently, visits will be closed during this period. Anticipate by booking your experience now!

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Paris Saint-Germain, Qatar and the three transfers under the microscope

Paris Saint-Germain oversaw a full squad overhaul in the summer. They bid farewell to Neymar and Lionel Messi , and recruited 12 new players.

Their revamp committed the club to spending more than €300million (£259.7m; $316.7m) and left the head coach Luis Enrique with an exciting, new-look squad with whom to work. They are now beginning to gel, and recent performances suggest a different era lies ahead in Paris.

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But some of their outgoings caught the eye. Three of PSG ’s unwanted players — two were members of the ‘loft’, the club’s group of unwanted players which briefly included Kylian Mbappe in their number — signed for Qatari clubs. Defender Abdou Diallo moved to Al Arabi in August. Midfielder Marco Verratti joined him in early September. A few days later, Julian Draxler signed for Al Ahli, also of the Qatar Stars League.

They did not go cheaply. According to club sources who, like all those consulted for this piece, wished to remain anonymous to protect their relationships, these players were sold collectively for more than €60million (£51.9m; $63.4m). Crucially, PSG were also able to shift large salaries off the wage bill.

The French club are majority owned by Qatar Sports Investments (QSI), a Qatari investment fund.

So is there a problem with the Qatar-backed French champions selling into the Qatari league? Is it any different from other multi-club models? And what are the rules relating to such transactions?

What are the concerns and who has expressed them?

They centre on whether these deals have been sanctioned to assist PSG’s financial fair play position — whether through inflated fees or just by removing onerous salaries from the wage bill.

Eyebrows have been raised across Europe. The president of La Liga , Javier Tebas, went public with his scepticism.

“They lose a lot of money but manage to sell Verratti to a Qatari club as if by chance… and not at a price that a club in this league can generate,” he told Spanish radio station, Movistar. Previously, he had tweeted: “ PSG is selling Verratti for €40million to Qatar. Do they take us for idiots?”

PSG sources say Verratti’s deal was worth up to €45million and Diallo’s €15million and insist the fees represented market value. They suggest the fee generated for Draxler, who spent last season on loan at Benfica in Portugal, was closer to half of the €20million initially reported.

But is this any different from deals within multi-club models?

Multi-club ownership within football has grown significantly in recent seasons. City Football Group , which counts Manchester City as its flagship club, are a leading example. There are 13 football clubs worldwide under its umbrella.

Others are now following in their footsteps. Black Knight Football & Entertainment owns Bournemouth and Lorient, and BlueCo is the majority shareholder of Chelsea and Strasbourg. John Textor’s Eagle Football has stakes in four clubs — Lyon, Crystal Palace , Botafago in Brazil and Belgium’s RWD Molenbeek.

There have been transfers across these clubs. Lorient sold promising winger Dango Ouattara to Bournemouth for around £20million in January while Lyon acquired Ghanaian winger Ernest Nuamah on loan from Molenbeek this summer. The Belgian club had signed Nuamah for a reported €25million (£21.6m; $26.4m), a Belgian transfer record, before loaning him to Lyon with an obligation to buy. Lyon had been sanctioned by the French football’s financial watchdog, the DNCG, which limited the club’s ability to make new signings.

The highest-profile example of a transfer similar to those agreed by PSG concerned the sale of Allan Saint-Maximin by Newcastle United , who are majority owned by the Public Investment Fund, Saudi Arabia ’s sovereign wealth fund. Saint-Maximin joined Saudi Pro League club Al Ahli for around $30million (£25m) . Al Ahli are also majority-owned by PIF.

QSI does not own stakes in Qatari clubs Al Arabi or Al Ahli, but they are supported by the state. Their chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi, who is also the president of PSG, sits on the board of the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), the sovereign wealth fund of Qatar. QIA say that QSI is not a subsidiary. PSG do have several sponsors from Qatar and, when Marseille visited PSG last month, the Emir of Qatar was present.

Football club investment in Qatar is opaque but it is thought, ultimately, the teams are backed by the state. Al Arabi, Al Ahli and the Qatar Stars League did not respond when asked for comment by The Athletic .

What are UEFA ’s rules on such issues?

PSG are not under investigation by UEFA over these transfers. In terms of financial fair play regulations, UEFA are now examining all clubs’ accounts with the deadline for the submission of financial information having passed on Sunday.

UEFA added that, under article G.3.7 of the UEFA club licensing and financial sustainability regulations, clubs cannot register “a profit on a transfer between clubs that are related to each other”.

The key question is whether PSG and these Qatari clubs constitute a ‘related party’. UEFA defines a related party broadly under article 4 as “a person or entity or government that is related to the entity that is preparing its financial statements”. The regulations state that “attention is directed to the substance of the relationship and not the merely legal form”. Within that falls membership of the same group, joint ventures of the same third party, and/or a party with significant influence over the other club.

“It would hinge on whether UEFA can prove they are a ‘related party’ — the extent that PSG is controlled by QSI (and) that all football clubs in Qatar are basically owned by the government,” says Carlos Hurtado, a sports lawyer at Baker McKenzie. “UEFA’s definition is pretty broad. Second, if proven, is how this impacts the transfers. The rules under G. 3.7 are complex. But UEFA is able to ‘cancel’ the profit of the transfer.”

Why is the Qatar Stars League signing players?

This summer’s transfer window has been dominated by Saudi Arabia’s lavish investment in football, but clubs in the Qatar Stars League have also spent heavily on new players. More than 20 have moved to the league from Europe or South America this summer — a sizeable number that would have captured more attention had Saudi Arabia not drawn the spotlight.

In part, this may be an attempt to try not to be left behind amid Saudi’s investment gear change. But it is also about raising their league’s standard.

“Pull back the curtain and the premise of bringing players in from abroad is exactly the same (as in Saudi Arabia),” says Ben Peppi, a sports commercial expert with JMW Solicitors. “They both want to have a competitive domestic league where there is a local and international interest. In Qatar, that’s been a 10-year-plus project, ever since the bid to host the World Cup. This is the next iteration of that.

“Regardless of everything else, you need to have a legacy project after hosting a World Cup.”

Why the World Cup 2022 in Qatar is controversial

The league recently increased the number of foreign players allowed in each club’s squad to seven, including two under-21s. In March 2022, the league appointed Antero Henrique as sporting director, a similar role to that held by Michael Emenalo in the Saudi Pro League, with the aim of “improving the competitive level of the league”.

Henrique was formerly the sporting director at PSG between 2017 and 2019 and was an advisor last season. He no longer has a formal role at PSG.

Qatari financial outlays have not been on the same level as the Saudi investment, which has seen stars such as Neymar, Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante join clubs in the Saudi Pro League. Verratti’s signing is by far and away the most expensive signing in Qatar this summer.

But there have been other eye-catching additions, including promising winger Gonzalo Plata ’s move from Valladolid to Al Sadd for a reported €12million, New York City’s leading goalscorer Gabriel Pereira joining Al Rayyan and Philippe Coutinho’s loan move to Al Duhail from Aston Villa .

In addition to older players such as Verratti and former Leeds United striker Rodrigo , young players have also moved to the league, with Plata (22) and Pereira (22) joined by highly rated Uruguayan Fabricio Diaz (20) from Liverpool Montevideo, Giovani (19) from Palmeiras and Ibra Bamba (21) from Guimaraes in Portugal.

“They are going about it a slightly different way,” adds Peppi. “They have not gone for the top-down approach (of big names) like Saudi Arabia. They want to reach a very high-quality product with younger players coming through. That makes it a lot more challenging.”

PSG appear to be the largest individual benefactor of Qatari clubs’ investments this summer. The summer departures are not the first former PSG players to move to Qatar. Former midfielder Rafinha plays for Al Arabi, while Javier Pastore joined Qatar SC in January. Additionally, former coach Christophe Galtier, who was dismissed in June with a year left on his contract, has been appointed head coach of Al Duhail.

What of the PSG academy players heading to Qatar?

It is not just the three senior players who have moved to Qatar. Young PSG players have moved there, too.

In July, former under-19 captain Younes El Hannach, 19, signed for Al Shamal. Winger Ilyes Housni, 18, signed for Al Sadd on a season-long loan. They follow in the footsteps of Sekou Yansane and Kais Najeh, who swapped PSG for Qatar last year.

Housni’s case is interesting as he is seen as a promising talent and travelled with Luis Enrique’s first-team squad on their tour of Japan and South Korea in the summer. He also made two first-team appearances last season.

But his arrival does fit the pattern of younger talent being sought by Qatari clubs.

PSG do not have a reserve team straddling the gap between the youth and senior sections, so loans are key. Similar youngsters — such as Ismael Gharbi and Noha Lemina, who also went on tour — are now on loan at Lausanne and Sampdoria. Housni’s move does appear to be a new departure in terms of player development, with a young talent offered an opportunity to develop in Qatar rather than at a rival European club.

What is the view at PSG?

PSG sources believe the the deals for Draxler, Verratti and Diallo were all fair value, and comparable with the market rate.

In the case of Verratti, one source with knowledge of PSG’s recruitment said an offer was actually made of a higher value from a club in Saudi Arabia, but the deal fell through. Barcelona and Bayern Munich were mooted as potential destinations. “But I wanted to have a different experience,” the Italian told l’Equipe last week . “I didn’t want to go to another team in Europe where I could face PSG. I wanted them (PSG) to be my last team.

“I had this proposal in Doha. The standard is not the same, but I take other pleasures: helping the league grow, or my team-mates to improve.”

Draxler, according to a source close to the player, also had other offers from clubs in the Middle East but ultimately, after a private issue, decided on Qatar because he knows the city of Doha.

PSG are also confident in their financial fair play position, now known as FSR (financial sustainability rules). UEFA had put PSG under the spotlight following a previous breach of the rules, for which they were fined €65million), of which €55million is contingent on meeting targets as part of a settlement agreement .

PSG have been assisted by key departures, not least the sale of Neymar, who moved to Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia for a fee of £80million and took his large salary with him. Club sources also pointed out that the 2022-23 season brought a record amount of overall global revenue.

How Neymar's exit helped PSG keep Mbappe, spend €200m on transfers and manage FFP

(Top photos: Getty Images)

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Peter Rutzler is a football writer covering Paris Saint-Germain and Fulham for The Athletic. Previously, he covered AFC Bournemouth. He joined The Athletic in August 2019. Follow Peter on Twitter @ peterrutzler

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PSG's Qatari owners looking to invest in Premier League club and met with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy

Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the president of PSG and chairman of Qatar Sports Investments, met Daniel Levy, the executive chairman of Tottenham Hotspur, last week in London; Spurs deny meeting took place

Sky Sports News Chief Reporter

Tuesday 10 January 2023 14:55, UK

The Qatari owners of Paris Saint-Germain are looking at investing in a Premier League club. 

Nasser Al-Khelaifi, who is the president of PSG and chairman of Qatar Sports Investments, met Daniel Levy, the executive chairman of Tottenham Hotspur, last week in a London hotel.

However, when contacted by S ky Sports News , Tottenham denied that a meeting took place.

Al-Khelaifi is also the president of the European Club Association and Levy is a member of its executive board.

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QSI own PSG and a minority stake in Portuguese club Braga and they are determined to buy or invest in more clubs this year.

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More than 300 clubs around the world are part of multi-club ownership groups but QSI's only interests are in PSG and Braga. That will change in 2023 which is set to be a year of ambitious strategic acquisitions for QSI.

Many observers assumed QSI would take less of an interest in football investments after the World Cup in Qatar, but exactly the opposite is likely to be the case.

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The owners of Manchester United and Liverpool are known to be seeking investors or buyers for their clubs.

QSI are looking at football investment opportunities around the world.

Q&A on Qatar's interest in the Premier League

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Sky Sports News' chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol answers the key questions surrounding QSI potentially investing in the Premier League and what that may look like...

Why do the Qataris want to invest in PL?

They want to invest in the Premier League because they want to build on the success of the World Cup. They believe the World Cup they hosted in November and December was the most successful World Cup ever and they want to build on the success of the World Cup. They already own PSG and they own a 23 per cent stake in Portuguese stake in Portuguese club Braga but they want to own more clubs. We've been told that 2023 is going to be a year of ambitious, strategic acquisitions as far as football is concerned.

Why did the PSG president meet with Daniel Levy?

"The president of PSG who also runs QSI had a meeting with Daniel Levy, the executive chairman of Tottenham. Now in our story I think we were careful to say that the meeting wasn't necessarily about the Qataris investing in Spurs.

"Daniel Levy and Nasser Al-Khelaifi meet each other regularly because they are both involved in the European Club Association. Nasser is the chairman and since 2021 Daniel Levy has been an executive board member.

"So it is not out of the ordinary for those two men to meet each other. As far as Spurs are concerned the meeting between them was not about the Qataris investing in Spurs or acquiring a stake in Spurs.

"What we do know is that the Qataris are very interested in investing in a Premier League club. At the moment quite unusually some of the biggest clubs are not necessarily available for sale but available to be invested in if you have the money to do so."

Is it an option for the Qataris to invest in Liverpool and Man Utd?

"I think it is potentially an option. The Qataris when they bought PSG, I think it was about 12 years ago, and that was only for about £70m or £80m. It is now worth something between £3-4bn. It's a remarkable return.

"Those clubs are looking for investment. It would be complicated for them to buy United or Liverpool or even Spurs outright because it is difficult to own two major clubs.

"They wouldn't have to own the other clubs outright. When it comes to Qatar, never say never. People thought it would be impossible for them to win the rights to host a World Cup.

"People said it would be impossible for them to host the World Cup. People said they couldn't move it to the winter and they had to have it in the winter but they did. I think there could be ways around it if that is what they wanted to do."

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Eight passengers stranded on African island after Norwegian cruise ship left without them

A dream cruise vacation has turned into a nightmare for eight passengers left stranded on the African island of São Tomé and Príncipe after their ship left without them because they were late to return from a private tour.

The tourists — six from the U.S. and two from Australia — were aboard the Norwegian Dawn, a Norwegian cruise line ship , which departed from Cape Town, South Africa, on March 20 for a 21-day voyage up the coast of Africa set to end in Barcelona, Spain, on April 10.

But on Wednesday, the group of eight tourists was late to return to the ship by more than an hour for the all-aboard time of 3 p.m. from a private excursion on the island, which was not organized by the cruise line.

Jay and Jill Campbell of South Carolina were part of the group that was left behind.

They said that their tour’s operator notified the cruise captain that they were going to be late to rejoin the ship and that the local Coast Guard tried to get them on the vessel but that they weren’t allowed to board.

As a result, the couple and the rest of the group have been stranded for days on the island off Nigeria, grappling with language, currency issues and complicated travel to catch up with the ship.

“The lovely people of São Tomé were very gracious, very hospitable. They had reached out as much as they could to help us find hotels,” Jay Campbell said on NBC's "TODAY" show Tuesday morning.

“We were able to get to a tour agency there to arrange flights to the next port of call. ... Very difficult process — you’re dealing with multiple languages, language barriers, you’re dealing with different currencies ... finding someone that even has dollars ... trying to get an agent to understand where we need to get to.

"It’s one of those ‘You can’t get there from here,’" he added.

A Norwegian spokesperson called the incident a “very unfortunate situation” and said, “Guests are responsible for ensuring they return to the ship at the published time.”

The cruise line said that after the guests failed to return, their passports were delivered to local port agents, in line with protocol. The company said it was working with local authorities to understand “the requirements and visas needed for the guests to reboard the ship at the next available port of call.”

On Monday, the guests had made arrangements to rejoin the ship in Banjul, Gambia, but the ship was unable to safely dock there because of “adverse weather conditions” and “tidal restrictions,” Norwegian said. The guests were then contacted and provided with information to rejoin the ship at Dakar, Senegal, on Tuesday. 

Jill Campbell said they traveled through seven countries in 48 hours to arrive in Senegal on Monday night.

But the couple was reconsidering whether they even wanted to return to the cruise.

"We are considering whether or not we are going to board the ship. It is in dock here in Senegal," she said. "We believe there was a basic duty of care that they had forgotten about, so it does concern us."

"After what we witnessed, we truly believe that although there’s a set of rules or policies that the ship may have followed, they followed those rules too rigidly. I believe that they really forgot that they are people working in the hospitality industry and really the safety and well-being of the customers should be their first priority," she added.

Ultimately, the eight passengers did rejoin the cruise before 8:30 a.m. ET Tuesday in Dakar, Senegal, Norwegian told NBC News in an e-mail Tuesday evening, after this story originally published.

Norwegian said the passengers were responsible for making their own travel arrangements to rejoin the ship.

"Despite the series of unfortunate events outside of our control, we will be reimbursing these eight guests for their travel costs from Banjur, Gambia to Dakar, Senegal," a cruise line spokesperson said in a statement. "We remain in communication with the guests and are providing additional information as it becomes available."

A silver lining of the catastrophe was that the Campbells were able to connect with another Norwegian Dawn passenger — Julia Lenkoff, 80 — who was also left on the island, but for a medical reason.

Lenkoff was on a different day tour Wednesday. She had "medically disembarked" from the cruise to seek local treatment on that day, Norwegian said.

Norwegian said that its care team tried to call Lenkoff several times and was unable to reach her and that it worked with its port agent in São Tomé and Príncipe for updates on her health.

The Campbells met Lenkoff and were able to put her in contact with her family in California, who flew her home — a move Lenkoff's daughter said "saved her life."

"She's a world traveler. She travels all the time. So this was going to be one of her bucket list trips, because she's been to 120 countries so far, and she wanted to get to 130," her daughter, Lana Lenkoff Geis, said in an interview that aired Tuesday on "TODAY."

Norwegian said Lenkoff was escorted on a flight to Lisbon, Portugal, then put in the care of airport staff members to continue her journey back to the U.S., where she has safely returned.

Breaking News Reporter

NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

Paris Saint-Germain respond to reports of £75m bid to sign Marcus Rashford from Manchester United

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Paris Saint-Germain are not planning to sign Marcus Rashford from Manchester United this summer , according to reports.

Rashford has struggled for form this season, scoring just eight goals in 38 appearances so far.

United, meanwhile, are looking to raise transfer funds through player sales this summer and Rashford would still command a hefty fee.

Reports last month claimed that PSG are among the clubs interested in Rashford and were looking to submit a £75 million bid for the England international at the end of the season .

However, The Sun reports that PSG have privately ‘made it clear’ that they will not table an offer for Rashford this summer.

‘PSG have never been interested in signing Marcus,’ a source told the newspaper.

‘And given his struggles on and off the pitch this season, they have given it no consideration at all. He will not be moving to PSG.

‘He might benefit from the noise around a possible transfer going away so he can concentrate on reigniting his United career.’

Meanwhile, United’s hopes of securing a Champions League place were dealt another blow after their 2-2 draw against Bournemouth of Saturday.

Bournemouth went ahead twice but two goals from Bruno Fernandes, one from the penalty spot, secured a point for United, who are now 10 points behind Aston Villa and Tottenham.

‘This result is not enough. We know that,’ Ten Hag said after United’s draw at Bournemouth.

‘We know when you’re coming into the final stage of the season, this is not enough. And the truth is, today, we didn’t deserve more.

‘If you allow them so many chances in the first half, then as a team, you don’t deserve more. You have to take control. Don’t allow them the chances. Take control of the game and score goals for yourself.

‘We, in this moment, with all the problems we have, we play to our levels and we can play very good to our levels. But you have to do it over the course of the game until stoppage-time. In the last four games, we drop points where we often were in winning positions. Not today. We were in losing positions and we fought back.’

For more stories like this,  check our sport page .

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PSG-BARCELONA

PSG-Barça, la guerra fría

A lo largo de los años, los parisinos se han negado a venderle a los azulgrana a thiago silva, marquinhos, rabiot o el mismo neymar. el caso más emblemático, verratti. la ruptura del barça con qatar airways, clave. la marcha de messi y la superliga, últimos focos de tensión. de fondo, lamine yamal..

En el verano de 2017, Marco Verratti estaba convencido de que jugaría en el Barça. Tanto que se dejó fotografiar en Formentera por Mundo Deportivo . Una portada pactada que era el guiño definitivo al club azulgrana. El centrocampista era uno de los sueños de Luis Enrique para reforzar un centro del campo que empezaba a perder piernas. La estrategia siguió los pasos marcados. El agente de Verratti , Donato di Campli , utilizó a Il Corriere dello Sport para lanzar el ataque definitivo: “Marco es un prisionero del emir de Qatar; para ellos no vender a Verratti por cien millones se ha convertido en una cuestión de orgullo. Al Khelaifi me dijo que si lo vende no se lo perdonarán en Doha , que se juega el puesto”. Aquel sustantivo, “prisionero”, sentó a cuerno quemado en París y Doha . Y el asunto acabó con Verratti renovado con el PSG . Eso sí, a cambio de romper su relación con Di Campli y firmar a Mino Raiola como representante. Enfurecido, el PSG no perdonó los movimientos del Barça con Verratti y terminó de hundirle con el fichaje de Neymar por 222 millones de euros.

El de Verratti no fue el primer ni último caso de calabazas parisinas a los azulgrana, que antes lo intentaron con Thiago Silva o con Marquinhos , otro que aprovechó una portada del medio catalán en 2014 (“es un placer que el Barça piense en mí”) para intentar moverse sin éxito. Después de Verratti , el Barça se interesó por Rabiot y, finalmente, en 2019, echó el resto para que Neymar regresase. Tres emisarios del club azulgrana liderados por Eric Abidal (también iban Pep Segura y Javier Bordas ) viajó a Francia para negociar con la directiva del PSG. Como tantas otras veces, sin embargo, el asunto acabó con ‘Ney’ renovando con el Paris Saint Germain.

Las relaciones entre ambos clubes nunca fueron excelentes y empezaron a agriarse de verdad cuando, en 2016, el emirato supo que el Barça se desvincularía de Qatar Airways como patrocinador principal del club azulgrana para abrazarse a Rakuten en 2017 . A Sandro Rosell y Josep Maria Bartomeu, el matrimonio con el emirato les había supuesto un fuerte desgaste a nivel social. Las condiciones de trabajo inhumanas, el trato a la mujer..., cuestiones que se debatieron en el entorno de Can Barça y que invitaron a poner punto y final a la relación. Qatar se lo tomó como una cuestión de honor y, desde entonces hasta hoy, las relaciones han sido inexistentes con un par de episodios de tensión , ambos en el Camp Nou. A Nasser Al-Khelaifi le dolió la derrota por 6-1 (“nos hicieron dos penaltis que no se pitaron”). En la eliminatoria del año 2021, y pese al 1-4 en el Camp Nou, Al-Khelaifi montó en cólera por el penalti señalado a favor del Barça por un derribo de Kurzawa a Frenkie de Jong. Señaló al presidente de la gestora, Carles Tusquets , y también le mandó algún recado a Giorgio Marchetti , secretario general de la UEFA, que estaba en la ‘llotja’ del Camp Nou. Laporta tomó nota para la vuelta, cuando ya era presidente electo

Lo que no esperaba el presidente del Barça es que el PSG pudiese hacer incluso más dañó a los azulgrana. “Le he dicho a Laporta que ahora todos tenemos derecho a hablar con Messi”, dijo de manera intrigante Al-Khelaifi en una entrevista a L’Equipe en junio de 2021. Las declaraciones pasaron algo por alto porque todos daban a Messi por renovado, pero tenían toda la intención del mundo. Un par de meses después, el argentino dejaba el club azulgrana y volaba a París para firmar por el PSG .

El último episodio tiene que ver con la Superliga, proyecto que el Barça defiende con fervor como socio del Real Madrid. Al-Khelaifi, como presidente de la ECA, la combate. No sólo eso. Mientras Laporta ataca sin piedad del PSG por estar dopado financieramente como club estado, Al-Kkelaifi responde señalando las palancas (“inyectar capital de forma mágica no es un camino sostenible”). El próximo episodio podría ser Lamine Yamal… El entorno del jugador ya ha dejado caer que el PSG ha hecho una oferta por 200 millones de euros. Laporta ya sabe que se juega el cargo con el futuro del incipiente crack.

Sigue el canal de Diario AS en WhatsApp , donde encontrarás todo el deporte en un solo espacio: la actualidad del día, la agenda con la última hora de los eventos deportivos más importantes, las imágenes más destacadas, la opinión de las mejores firmas de AS, reportajes, vídeos, y algo de humor de vez en cuando.

Masters 2024 Leaderboard: Latest updates on golf leaders as Friday wraps at Augusta

Editor's note: Follow live coverage of the Masters, leaderboard, highlights and more.

The second round of The 2024 Masters begins with Bryson DeChambeau at the top of the leaderboard as Friday's action begins.

Round 1 of the Masters tournament got off to a rough start due to heavy rain and thunderstorms, which caused a delay of two and a half hours. The day's first tee-off time was at 10:30 a.m. ET when Erik van Rooyen and Jake Knapp began the tournament.

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The final group of the first day, which included Dustin Johnson, Collin Morikawa, and Tommy Fleetwood, didn't tee-off until 4:30 p.m. ET. Golfers, including Tiger Woods, were up bright and early to finish the first round that was suspended for the evening.

After Friday's Round 2 action's results, the top 50 players on the leaderboard will advance from a field of 89.

Join us for live coverage of Day 2 of the 2024 Masters Tournament.

The 2024 Masters Leaderboard 2024:

• T-1. Scottie Scheffler (-6)
• T-1. Bryson DeChambeau (-6)
• T-1. Max Homa (-6)
• 4. Nicolai Højgaard (-4)
• T-5. Cameron Davis (-3)
• T-5. Collin Morikawa (-3)
• 7. Ludvig Åberg (-2)
• T-8. Matthieu Pavon (-1)
• T-8. Cameron Young (-1)
• T-8. Tommy Fleetwood (-1)
• T-8. Danny Willett (-1)
• T-8. Ryan Fox (-1)
• T-8. Byeong Hun An (-1)
• T-8. Cameron Smith (-1)

Masters Leaderboard: Full updated scores for Augusta leaders

The 2024 Masters Tournament morning tee times: Day 2 Friday

Group 1 tees-off at 8 a.m. ET: Lee Hodges, Adrian Meronk, Grayson Murray

Group 2 tees-off at 8:12 a.m. ET: Camilo Villegas, Denny McCarthy, Cameron Davis

Group 3 tees-off at 8:24 a.m. ET: Mike Weir, Ryo Hissatsune, Neal Shipley (A)

Group 4 tees-off at 8:36 a.m. ET: Vijay Singh, Si Woo Kim, Emiliano Grillo

Group 5 tees-off at 8:48 a.m. ET: Fred Couples, Adam Hadwin, Stewart Hagestad (A)

Group 6 tees-off at 9 a.m. ET: Justin Rose, Eric Cole, Peter Malnati

Group 7 tees-off at 9:12 a.m. ET: Akshay Bhatia, J.T. Poston, Shane Lowry

Group 8 tees-off at 9:24 a.m. ET: Bubba Watson, Nicolai Højgaard, Adam Schenk

Group 9 tees-off at 9:36 a.m. ET: Patrick Reed, Sungjae Im, Kurt Kitayama

Group 10 tees-off at 9:48 a.m. ET: Keegan Bradley, Matthieu Pavon, Tyrrell Hatton

Group 11 tees-off at 10:06 a.m. ET: Adam Scott, Sam Burns, Cameron Young

Group 12 tees-off at 10:18 a.m. ET: Tiger Woods, Jason Day, Max Homa

Group 13 tees-off at 10:30 a.m. ET: Brian Harman, Brooks Koepka, Tom Kim

Group 14 tees-off at 10:42 a.m. ET: Jordan Spieth, Ludvig Åberg, Sahith Theegala

Group 15 tees-off at 10:54 a.m. ET: Dustin Johnson, Collin Morikawa, Tommy Fleetwood

Group 16 tees-off at 11:06 a.m. ET: Erik Van Rooyen, Jake Knapp

Group 17 tees-off at 11:06 a.m. ET: José María Olazábal, Taylor Moore, Santiago de la Fuente (A)

Group 18 tees-off at 11:30 a.m. ET: Danny Willett, Austin Eckroat, Stephan Jaeger

Group 19 tees-off at 11:42 a.m. ET: Charl Schwartzel, Luke List, Christo Lamprecht (A)

Group 20 tees-off at 11:54 a.m. ET: Gary Woodland, Thorbjørn Olesen, Bryson DeChambeau

Group 21 tees-off at 12:12 p.m. ET: Zach Johnson, Corey Conners, Jasper Stubbs (A)

Group 22 tees-off at 12:24 p.m. ET: Sergio Garcia, Chris Kirk, Ryan Fox

Group 23 tees-off at 12:36 p.m. ET: Lucas Glover, Byeong Hun An, Harris English

Group 24 tees-off at 12:48 p.m. ET: Phil Mickleson, Sepp Straka, Tony Finau

Group 25 tees-off at 1 p.m. ET: Nick Taylor, Joaquín Niemann, Russell Henley

Group 26 tees-off at 1:12 p.m. ET: Patrick Cantlay, Min Woo Lee, Rickie Fowler

Group 27 tees-off at 1:24 p.m. ET: Hideki Matsuyama, Will Zalatoris, Justin Thomas

Group 28 tees-off at 1:36 p.m. ET: Jon Rahm, Matt Fitzpatrick, Nick Dunlap

Group 29 tees-off at 1:48 p.m. ET: Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele

Group 30 tees-off at 2 p.m. ET: Wyndham Clark, Viktor Hovland, Cameron Smith

The 2024 Masters Tournament schedule and how to watch

The Masters begins Thursday, April 11 and run through Sunday, April 14.

Round 2: Friday, April 12

• Starting at 8:30 a.m. ET
• TV coverage: 3-7 p.m. ET
• Channel: ESPN
• Streaming: Masters.com (simulcast), CBSSports.com (desktop and mobile), CBS Sports App (desktop and mobile), ESPN+, Paramount+

How to watch: Catch Masters action with an ESPN+ subscription

Round 3: Saturday, April 13

• Starting at 10 a.m. ET
• Channel: CBS
• Streaming: CBSSports.com (simulcast), Paramount+ (simulcast), CBS Sports app (simulcast)

Round 4: Sunday, April 14

• TV coverage: 2-7 p.m. ET

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Masters 2024 Leaderboard: Latest updates on golf leaders as Friday wraps at Augusta