By RYAN TOLMICH

Mexican legend Cuauhtemoc Blanco is set to ride into the sunset with his hands clutching a trophy.

The 42-year-old helped Pueble pick up a 4-2 victory over Chivas Guadalajara in the Copa MX final on Tuesday, putting an end to a storied career that lasted nearly 23 years. Blanco, who featured in 11 matches over three World Cups, retires as the Mexican national team’s second all-time leading scorer.

Blanco entered the contest in the 70th minute, as Puebla went up 2-0 heading into halftime through Facundo Erpen and Luis Gabriel Rey. Chivas leveled the scoreline early in the second half before Puebla’s Matias Alustiza provided a pair of finishes to seal the victory.

“I’m going out very thankful to all the fans that supported me,” Blanco said after the game. “I enjoyed everything to the maximum and I thank God for giving me these legs and the gift of playing football.

“Retiring doesn’t hurt me, it hurts not seeing the fans,” he added. “I’ll miss the chants that the fans always gave me.”

Here are some more news and notes to kick off your Friday morning:

IBRAHIMOVIC UNSURPRISED BY PSG LOSS

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a man with high expectations, but even the Swedish striker understands that Paris Saint-Germain haven’t quite reached the level of elite.

Ibrahimovic said as much following PSG’s elimination from the Champions League at the hands of Barcelona, his former club. Having only rose to prominence following the team’s purchase by Qatari Sports Investments in 2011, Ibrahimovic says that the club still has steps to take before joining the world’s best in Champions League glory.

“We have to be realistic, Barcelona were simply better than us,” Ibrahimovic said following the 2-0 second leg defeat. “They were the better team and deserved their win. They will probably go on to win the Champions League now.

“As for PSG, it is not possible to win the Champions League on the short term. We have taken several big steps forward in recent years and were eliminated by a superb team. But it is not worth lying about it or hiding behind excuses. Reality is that PSG are not at the level to win the Champions League yet.”

PARMA PUT UP FOR SALE BY ITALIAN JUDGE

Following all of the club’s financial troubles, Parma is set to be put up for sale.

An Italian judge has given approval to sell the club, with bidding started at €20 million ($21.44 million). Offers must be made by May 6, and if none are received, four other bidding rounds can be launched with the price dropping by 25 percent each time.

Parma, which has undergone two ownership changes this season, has had financial troubles cripple the club in recent months. The club’s players have not been paid all season and have had to provide their own travel, while games have been postponed because the club could not afford police or stewards.

QUICK KICKS

Barcelona expects manager Luis Enrique to stay with the club and fulfill his contract. (REPORT)

The agent of Wolfsburg’s Kevin de Bruyne says the midfielder is open to a move to Manchester City. (REPORT)

Arsenal’s Per Mertesacker is set to miss the club’s match with Chelsea due to injury. (REPORT)

A match in Switzerland was abandoned after the field was invaded with thousands of frogs. (REPORT)

Russia’s Spartak Moscow has been fined due to a racist banner. (REPORT)

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What will you remember most about Blanco? Do you agree with Ibrahimovic’s assessment? What do you expect from Parma going forward?

Share your thoughts below.