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UEFA Champions League

With Kylian Mbappe gone, misfiring PSG are under pressure in Champions League

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Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique admitted that he is worried about his side's performance in the Champions League. PHOTO: EPA-EFE

Kylian Mbappe was always going to leave an enormous void when he left Paris Saint-Germain, and the French side are struggling in this season’s Champions League without the goals of their former star.

While the striker is now at Real Madrid after scoring a club-record 256 goals in seven seasons in Paris, his old club entertain Atletico Madrid on Nov 6 in a crucial game in their European campaign.

PSG are misfiring in this new-look Champions League, with just four points from three games, despite starting with kind home fixtures against Girona and PSV Eindhoven either side of a trip to Arsenal.

Luis Enrique’s team beat Girona 1-0 only thanks to a late own goal, despite 26 attempts during that game.

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That was followed by a 2-0 defeat at Arsenal in a performance which suggested a rejuvenated PSG side are now a long way from being contenders to win European club football’s greatest prize.

Then came a 1-1 draw against PSV, another game in which they managed 26 attempts and in which they paid a price for poor finishing.

PSG need only finish in the top 24 places in this 36-team league in order to reach the play-off round, and it seems reasonable to suggest that two wins from their remaining five fixtures may be enough to ensure that.

However, failure to beat Atletico would leave the Ligue 1 champions in an uncomfortable position with their next game away to Bayern Munich.

“It is the worst group,” Enrique said after the game against PSV in reference to his team’s fixtures, with Red Bull Salzburg, Manchester City and VfB Stuttgart also still to come.

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“We need to be prepared to improve what we can and keep going. But yes, it is difficult and of course I am worried.”

The Qatar-owned club are coping just fine without Mbappe in Ligue 1, as they sit six points clear at the top of the table having scored 29 goals in 10 matches.

Mbappe netted 44 times in 48 appearances last season, even if he often struggled to produce his best form.

Nevertheless, PSG’s difficulties in front of goal in the Champions League date back to last season’s semi-finals when Mbappe was still there.

They were favourites to beat Borussia Dortmund, but lost 2-0 on aggregate. PSG had a grand total of 45 attempts on goal across the two legs and failed to score.

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This season they have two goals from 62 attempts in Europe, and will have to be more clinical against Diego Simeone’s Atletico, the best defence in Spain.

Bradley Barcola, the 22-year-old France international left-winger, is now PSG’s main attacking threat with eight goals this season, while Ousmane Dembele has contributed five from the right.

“We must not have one player on whom all the pressure lies,” Enrique added of Barcola, admitting that the biggest issue is the lack of a reliable centre-forward.

Goncalo Ramos was in line to be the first choice in that position, but he picked up an ankle injury minutes into the campaign and is yet to return.

Randal Kolo Muani was signed from Eintracht Frankfurt for €90 million (S$129 million) at the start of last season but has never settled at PSG, despite producing good form for France.

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Things have become so bad for Kolo Muani that he has been an unused substitute in the last two games, and a departure in January looks increasingly likely.

“I count on all my players,” insisted Enrique, who has more often deployed either Marco Asensio or Lee Kang-in as a false nine.

In any case, the former Barcelona coach has played down major concerns about his team despite being worried.

“We are scoring more goals, picking up more points, I don’t see any problems,” he said.

“There has maybe been one match in the Champions League in which we were not up to standard but we were much better than our opponents in the other two games.”

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Despite that, the coach and his team will ultimately be judged above all on their results in the Champions League, and the pressure is growing.

While PSG have issues in front of goal, Giuliano Simeone, the son of Atletico coach Diego, could play a key part after scoring in the 2-0 Spanish La Liga win over Las Palmas over the weekend.

The striker, deployed on the right wing by his father, burst into the box and swept the ball into the far corner for the team’s first goal.

“Giuliano I see as a football player,” said Diego.

“From the first moment that we decided he would stay with us (in the squad) this season, it’s with the intention that he can help us. He has a responsibility and not a name, I look at it that way… those who run most, play, and those who don’t, play less.”

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-AFP

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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UEFA Champions League

TikTokers spend 27 hours in stadium toilet to watch Champions League final for free

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 Paris St Germain Victory Parade - Parc des Princes, Paris, France - June 1, 2025 Paris St Germain players pose for a picture with the trophy and Paris St Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi during the victory celebration REUTERS/Abdul Saboor/File Photo 

A pair of Belgian TikTokers say they spent 27 hours in an Allianz Arena toilet last weekend before watching Paris St Germain beat Inter Milan in the Champions League final for free.

Neal Remmerie and Senne Haverbeke told VRT News they managed to get into the Munich stadium the day before the match and hid in a toilet cubicle.

After sticking a homemade “Out of Order” sign on the door, the pair waited in silence for more than a day as stadium staff used the facility.

“We had a backpack with snacks and we played around on our phones to kill time,” Remmerie told the Belgian public broadcaster.

“The lights were on all the time and the sitting position was uncomfortable, so sleeping was almost impossible. That made it physically and mentally difficult.”

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Once they heard fans starting to use the toilets on matchday, the pair left their bolthole and made their way past ticket inspectors to join the 86,600 crowd in the stands.

“We looked carefully at which security guard was paying the least attention. While on the phone and with food in our hands, we just walked on, and suddenly we were inside,” Remmerie added.

“PSG won 5-0 and we were also in the supporters’ section of the winning team. It was the most beautiful football match we have ever seen.”

The Allianz Arena and UEFA did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

Those fans who made their way into the match more conventionally had to pay anywhere from 90 to 950 euros ($100-$1,100) for their tickets.

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-Reuters

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UEFA Champions League

How Heineken Scored a Five-Star UEFA Champions League Experience for Nigerian Fans

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Some hardcore fans displaying their loyalty to the winning team PSG at the final watch party by Heineken.

Indeed, it was an evening where football merged with lifestyle. Nigerian music stars Fido and Wande Coal brought their A-game, performing crowd favourites that had fans singing along and dancing well into the night. 

Their live performances added vibrant colour to an already electrifying evening, keeping the energy alive after the final whistle.

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Hard core fans cut across gender, as displayed by the ladies during the Heineken Watch Party in at the Lagos Continental Hotel last Saturday

Adding star power to the experience was ex-Super Eagles striker Julius Aghahowa, who mingled freely with guests, posed for pictures, and shared expert insight on the game, delighting fans with his presence and personal touch.

“This year’s UEFA Champions League final is not just a match—it’s a cultural moment,” said Maria Shadeko, Portfolio Manager for Premium Beer at Nigerian Breweries. “We’re blending world-class football with unforgettable lifestyle experiences. Through our activities, we’re celebrating the real hardcore fans—the ones who make the game magical from wherever they are.”

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Shadeko added that Heineken’s goal is to ensure Nigerian fans feel seen and celebrated. “They may not be in Munich, but they’re just as important to the spirit of the game. That’s why we go all out—every year—to make this night one to remember.”

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UEFA Champions League

PEPSI GOALFEST 2025: Record-Breaking UCL Final, Unforgettable Fan Experience!

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The roar of the crowd, the thrill of every shot, and the ultimate victory! Last Saturday night, Pepsi brought the UEFA Champions League 2025 final to life at the Pepsi GoalFest 2025, where PSG dominated Inter Milan in a stunning 5-0 victory, setting a new record for goals in a final.

The Balmoral Event Centre, Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos was completely transformed into an electrifying arena, with a dominant wave of the iconic Pepsi blue.


Football fanatics experienced passion like never before. Inside and around the venue, fans engaged in thrilling football-themed games, moved to the beats of electrifying music, and stayed refreshed with Pepsi.

The energy soared as Dj Yk Mule, Mayorkun, and Do2tun delivered show-stopping performances, all powered by Pepsi.


It wasn’t just a game; it was an immersive celebration of football, an unforgettable night where every cheer, every goal, and every moment was refreshed by Pepsi!

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