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Ibrahimovic to miss PSG’s match against Barcelona

By WTOP Staff

JEROME PUGMIRE
AP Sports Writer

PARIS (AP) — Zlatan Ibrahimovic is out for the match against Barcelona, and Paris Saint-Germain must find a way to cope without him.

Ibrahimovic, the French league’s top scorer over the past two seasons, has been ruled out of Tuesday’s Champions League match with a left heel injury. He missed the last two PSG games because of the injury and coach Laurent Blanc said intensive treatment up until Monday morning failed to resolve the problem.

“We tried this morning. But in reality I’d already started preparing for the match without him,” Blanc said. “It won’t be easy and we know it. We had some difficult games without him last season. The opponents are much more attentive when he’s around.”

PSG has made a sluggish start to the season, drawing six of nine games so far.

Uruguay forward Edinson Cavani is expected to lead the attack in his favored center forward’s role against a Barcelona team that has yet to concede a goal.

Cavani is still short of the form which saw him score 78 goals in 104 games for Napoli before joining PSG for 64 million euros ($81.3 million) last season. The Uruguay striker has been craving a chance to play in his center forward role, however, and now has a chance to show what he can do on the big stage.

But when Ibrahimovic has been missing, PSG has won only 40 percent of its matches.

“It’s a very important game for us and we need him,” PSG left back Maxwell said. “We’re still lacking in intensity and tomorrow is a good chance for us to show that we’re still to be reckoned with.”

Blanc said other players need to step up a level now that Ibrahimovic is not around to bail them out with his spectacular goals.

“If we don’t play well as a team tomorrow it’s going to be hard,” Blanc said. “We can compensate for his absence through our teamwork.”

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique is not concerned either way.

“It doesn’t change anything for us that Zlatan isn’t playing,” Enrique said. “It’s obviously a big loss for PSG but our way of playing won’t change.”

Ibrahimovic turns 33 next month and has been picking up injuries more often.

He tore a thigh muscle last April and missed the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinals against Chelsea, which PSG lost 2-0 to go out on away goals after winning the home leg 3-1.

“We’ll see how the injury goes from day to day,” Blanc said. “The medical staff are doing all they can and we’ll be delighted if we get him back for the Monaco game (on Sunday).”

Blanc puts PSG’s slow start to the season down to a lack of intensity, which his players will certainly need to show more of in order to stop a Barcelona attack led by Lionel Messi and Neymar.

“Tomorrow we’ll be playing our masters, or almost, given that they’ve been playing with this same philosophy of play for 30 years,” Blanc said. “It’s an extraordinary match to take part in. If we’re determined and aggressive then we’ll do well.”

But he thinks Barcelona’s defense has frailties, despite not conceding a goal.

“I’ve seen all of their games and their opponents had chances in every one,” Blanc said. “But Barcelona hurt you when they’re on top, they take advantage. That’s what we’re missing and we have to get that back.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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