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PSG faces Bayern Munich in Champions League semi-final first leg
via SeneNews3 min read
Paris Saint-Germain is set to play Bayern Munich in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final at Parc des Princes. PSG coach Luis Enrique stated his team is ready to face "the best team in Europe," emphasizing their desire to retain their title. This marks PSG's third consecutive European semi-final under Enrique. Bayern Munich, led by coach Vincent Kompany and featuring players like Harry Kane and Michael Olise, presents a significant challenge, having defeated PSG 2-1 in the league phase in November. However, the reigning European champions can draw confidence from their 2-0 victory against Bayern in the Club World Cup quarter-final in July, despite playing with nine men. Harry Kane anticipates an intense match with many one-on-one duels, noting the similar playing styles of both teams. Kompany acknowledged PSG's offensive danger but expressed confidence in his team. Bayern's offensive power this season is notable, with 167 goals in 49 matches across all competitions, including 38 in the Champions League, with Kane, Olise, and Luis Diaz contributing 92 goals. Christoph Freund, sporting director for Bayern, believes collective performance will be crucial, highlighting his players' confidence and energy. PSG also possesses this confidence, having overcome Liverpool two weeks prior with a 2-0 win, showcasing their mental strength and the strong performance of Matveï Safonov and Ousmane Dembélé. Dembélé stressed the need to endure to succeed. PSG plans to rely on their u
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Must ReadFollowing the launch of Kiiraay – Les Patriotes Républicains on July 25 in Dakar, Pastef is responding to defections and criticism. The party, led by Ousmane Sonko, president of the National Assembly, faces a new reality as the head of state now has his own party, and several Pastef members have joined it. Pastef is downplaying these departures, with the newspaper Yoor Yoor reporting "a few dozen resignations of personalities" while highlighting a "tidal wave" of new Pastef members. Pastef maintains a significant advantage in the National Assembly, controlling 130 out of 165 seats, which remains intact despite Kiiraay's creation. The name "Kiiraay" itself has become a point of contention. While Bassirou Diomaye Faye claims it means "protection" or "shield" in Wolof, other sources suggest it means "what is hidden or concealed," leading to mockery from Sonko's allies. The creation of Kiiraay also forces ministers close to Sonko to choose between joining the new presidential structure or remaining loyal to Pastef. This decision will indicate the power balance between the two executive leaders. Kiiraay plans a national tour and a congress after the rainy season. This political realignment creates three blocs: Kiiraay, Pastef, and Macky Sall's APR, potentially leading to early legislative elections.
The Embassy of the Republic of Guinea in Dakar, which also covers Gambia, Mauritania, and Cape Verde, has announced a general increase in visa and residency card fees, effective August 1, 2026. This revision follows a circular note from the Guinean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Integration, and Guineans Abroad, dated July 9. The new tariffs include an entry visa at $100, a transit visa at $50, a transshipment visa at $50, an extension visa at $100, and a long-stay visa at $500. Residency cards for African nationals outside ECOWAS will cost $200, while those for resident foreigners and workers will be $500. The embassy clarified that biometric passport fees remain unchanged. All applications for an entry visa to the Republic of Guinea must be submitted through the official electronic platform, paf.gov.gn/visa, as visas are no longer issued directly on passports.
Amadou Ba, a Pastef deputy, has openly criticized the government's management and its adherence to electoral deadlines, citing what he perceives as economic and political threats to Senegal. Ba's remarks follow a statement by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, interpreted by many as a jab at Ousmane Sonko, which Ba has now turned back on the President. Ba identified two main threats to Senegal's stability and good governance. The first, termed "economic fitna," involves entrusting public management to individuals previously accused of economic predation, while simultaneously blocking accountability for beneficiaries of hidden debt in favor of political opportunism. The second, labeled "political fitna," refers to subordinating the constitutional electoral calendar to calculations favoring a single political party, attempting to eliminate opponents by labeling them as violent, and imposing reconciliation without justice or reparations on victims of political repression, a practice he likens to the former regime.