Chelsea boss Tuchel full of praise for match-winner LukakuMan Utd hit new Champions League low in defeat to Young BoysDybala reveals upcoming Juventus contract talks after Malmo winElliott to return this season as Liverpool star undergoes successful surgery Chelsea’s Mendy next to Navas in Champions League ranks Ibrahimovic to miss Liverpool tie with Achilles injuryLeeds appeal Pascal Struijk red card for challenge on Harvey ElliottJohn Terry holding out for Premier League management role
Barcelona have lost their opening match of a UEFA champions league campaign for the first time in 24 years.Jorginho had more touches (137), played more accurate long balls (5) and made the joint-most interceptions (3) compared to other players on the pitch against Zenit St Petersburg.Barcelona have failed to register a shot on target in a Champions League match for the first time since at least the 2003/04 season.Barcelona have lost three consecutive home game in European competitions for the first time in their history (0-3 vs Juventus, 1-4 vs Paris Saint-Germain and 0-3 vs Bayern Munich). Bayern Munich have scored in each of their last 78 competitive outings. River Plate hold the global record: 96 consecutive games between 1936 and 1939. Most goals in all competitions for clubs in Europe’s big five leagues since the start of 2019-20:
112 – Lewandowski76 – Mbappé76 – Ronaldo73 – Haaland69 – MessiOnly Robert Lewandowski (21), Erling Haaland (20) and Bruno Fernandes (17) have scored more goals than Romelu Lukaku (14) in major European competition since the start of 2019-20. Romelu Lukaku has now scored as many Champions League goals (14) as Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima.Edouard Mendy has already reached double figures for Champions League clean sheets:
13 games
️ 10 clean sheets
️ 3 goals concededÉdouard Mendy has taken 13 games to record his 10th clean sheet in the UEFA Champions League; the only goalkeeper to reach this total in fewer appearances is Keylor Navas (11 games).Most clean sheets in all competitions by teams in Europe’s big five leagues since Thomas Tuchel’s first game in charge of Chelsea:
23 – Chelsea16 – Man City15 – Sevilla, Monaco14 – Lille, Man UtdDonny van de Beek has made 38 appearances for Man Utd but has played just 1,510 minutes for the club across those matches, averaging 40 minutes per appearance. Cristiano Ronaldo joins Iker Casillas (177) as all-time leading appearance maker in the Champions League.
177 – Iker Casillas177- Cristiano RonaldoYoung Boys are the 36th different team Cristiano Ronaldo has scored against in the UEFA Champions League, with no player scoring against more (also Lionel Messi on 36).
SPANISH PAPERS
Ronald Koeman expressed his confidence that Barcelona will improve in the future and especially when injured players such as Sergio Aguero, Ansu Fati and Ousmane Dembele return to action.Gerard Piqué: “I would like to remind people that Roberto is not a full-back, but sacrifices to play there. He loves Barcelona in an unimaginable way. The public have their right to express their opinion, but it is bad to criticise a player who gives his all for the club.”Ramón Planes (technical secretary): “We knew it wouldn’t be an easy match. Their first goal hurt us and penalized our confidence.”Joan Laporta has reiterated that there are no hard feelings between himself and Ronald Koeman, and he has publicly demonstrated his support for the Barcelona coach. Carlo Ancelotti has stressed that Real Madrid’s objective this season is to compete for the Champions League and go all the way in the competition. Benzema: “Champions League is the most difficult competition with the highest pressure. All the teams are great but we’re fighting to win it.” Ancelotti: “We’ve analyzed the Celta game well, to not repeat our mistakes. We have to control today’s game against Inter – start strongly.” Vinicius on Karim Benzema: “Playing with Karim is fantastic. It is a pleasure to play next to him. He always talks to me on and off the pitch.”Paris Saint-Germain sporting director Leonardo made clear that the club have not contemplated any scenario where Kylian Mbappe is not a member of their squad at the end of the 2021/22 campaign when his current deal expires.Diego Simeone spoke to the press ahead of Atletico Madrid’s Champions League group stage opener against Porto. “Atletico Madrid want Griezmann to be the player he always was.”Pele’s daughter, Kely do Nascimiento, took to social media on Monday to confirm that her father is in good health after undergoing surgery to remove a suspected colon tumour.
GERMAN PAPERS
Nagelsmann says Kingsley Coman had stomach problems before his substitution and had to go to the toilet for a whileJulian Nagelsmann: “I think we played very well today, that was key. We defended well. We had problems in the first seven or eight minutes, we weren’t brave enough, but then we made some adjustments.”Thomas Müller: “We didn’t allow them much at the back. Going forward, we could have scored one or two more. It’s a lot of fun playing here, the boys enjoyed it. When you win 3-0 here, it’s a really important signal. We’re really pleased.”
*FRENCH PAPERS
Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappé all feature in PSG’s squad to face Club Brugge today. Ángel Di María misses the game through suspension, Marco Verratti is absent due to a knee issue.PSG sporting director Leonardo: “Honestly, we weren’t happy with Real Madrid’s behaviour. Coming at the last week of the window to open talks for one of the best players in the world, we didn’t like it. We didn’t consider the offer good enough since it was lower than what we paid.” Leonardo: “Real Madrid’s offer for Mbappé wasn’t good enough, and there no other offers. We do NOT imagine our future without him, I don’t see him leaving at the end of the season.”
*ITALIAN PAPERS
Max Allegri admits there was ‘a little more pressure’ on Juventus after their dire Serie A start, so he hopes the 3-0 Champions League win away to Malmo can be a turning point. ‘The clean sheet takes away some anxiety.’ Paulo Dybala assures Juventus ‘knew what we had to do’ in the Champions League after their 3-0 win away to Malmo and the goal ‘helps my confidence.’ Paulo Dybala reveals there will be a new meeting between his agent and Juventus this week to discuss his contract extension. Gian Piero Gasperini is satisfied with Atalanta’s draw against Villareal but ‘was convinced’ La Dea could win it when Francis Coquelin was sent off. Alvaro Morata assures Juventus were ‘not worried’ by their difficulties this season and must focus on the positives after their 3-0 Champions League win away to Malmö. AC Milan coach Stefano Pioli confirmed Zlatan Ibrahimovic will not play against Liverpool, but has not decided if Olivier Giroud or Ante Rebic will replace the Swede. Lorenzo Insigne and Mario Rui are expected to miss Napoli’s UEFA Europa League trip to Leicester City on Thursday. AS Roma players on Tuesday celebrated José Mourinho’s 1,000th game as a coach with dinner at a fish restaurant in the capital.
BRITISH EXPRESS*
MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer warned that Manchester United must learn from their mistakes in Europe if they want to avoid another early Champions League exit.Paul Scholes has criticised Aaron Wan-Bissaka after the Manchester United right-back was sent off during the Champions League clash away to Young Boys. He causes himself his own problem with a really clumsy touch.’Rio Ferdinand believes Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will face the sack at Manchester United if he does not deliver trophies this season after the Red Devils lost to Young Boys on Tuesday.Pep Guardiola urges Manchester City to use the pain of last season’s Champions League final defeat to inspire them to glory this year.
LONDON EVENING STANDARD
Tottenham boss Nuno Espirito Santo’s defensive problems will be eased with the news that Cristian Romero and Davinson Sanchez will return to the UK in time for the crunch clash against Chelsea.
*BRITISH MIRROR*Arsenal have not abandoned hope of signing Lyon’s France midfielder Houssem Aouar and will target the Frenchman next summer, but the Gunners will find it difficult to bring him to London unless they qualify for the Champions League. Georginio Wijnaldum has said that he “expressed the desire to stay” at Liverpool, but eventually left on a free transfer for Paris St-Germain after being made to feel unwanted by the Reds.Arsenal’s England forward Bukayo Saka has been approached by a number of clubs, but the Gunners consider the England star “untouchable”.
LIVERPOOL ECHO
Liverpool expect Harvey Elliott to return later this season after the teenager underwent surgery on the ankle injury he suffered at Leeds last weekend.Jurgen Klopp admits Liverpool’s Champions League group with Milan, Atletico and Porto is the strongest he’s faced as manager. Liverpool’s wage bill has shot up by 95% since 2015, rising at a far steeper rate than the 64% growth in revenues, with the club now having the second biggest payroll in the Premier League at £325m, behind Manchester City’s £351m.
BRITISH MAIL
Manchester City ‘unlikely to pursue Harry Kane again in 2022 and he could sign a contract extension with Tottenham.
Juventus and AC Milan could make a move for Real Madrid’s 29-year-old Spain midfielder Isco in January.
LONDON FOOTBALL
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has stressed that he is impressed with the performance of his players after the 1-0 win over Zenit Saint Petersburg. “I am happy in general with the performance. It was a tough match against a strong opponent. It was tough for us in the first half to find the gaps, accelerate the game, and find touches in the ball.Thomas Tuchel says Romelu Lukaku was the type of player Chelsea were missing at the club as he continued his fine run of form with a match-winner against Zenit on Tuesday.Chelsea’s chances of signing Sevilla’s centre-back Jules Kounde will depend on whether or not 28-year-old Germany defender Antonio Rudiger’s contract situation with the European Champions is resolved.
