Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus meet Tuesday in an early UEFA Champions League clash of the giants at Parc des Princes in Group H. The Ligue 1 titleholders are faring well so far this domestic season with five wins from six while the Serie A giants are sluggish and have already drawn three time from five outings.
Without Angel Di Maria, Paul Pogba and Federico Chiesa, Juve are lacking three key elements and Massimiliano Allegri even admitted in the pre-match press conference that the Old Lady's campaign might only realistically begin once the likes of the France international are back. The Italian tactician has even been talking up a battle for second place with SL Benfica instead of rivaling PSG for top.
"We face an opponent who is among the strongest in Europe, who this year I count as a favorite for the final," said Allegri. "Tomorrow will be a good match, and we will certainly aim to play a great game from a technical point of view. We must give our all and enjoy it. Not having Angel is a major loss. He and Paredes have increased the team's character. Paredes and Di Maria are two extraordinary players, they will give us a lot. We didn't want to risk Angel right now, as many important matches await us."
This certainly feels like an encounter between two teams on totally different dynamics given the air of positivity surrounding Christophe Galtier's French champions after his summer arrival. An impressive squad overhaul this summer also saw Leandro Paredes join ex-Parisiens Di Maria and Adrien Rabiot in Turin as well as Julian Draxler joining Group H rivals Benfica.
"They are a team with a lot of experience, with players of the very highest level and a coach that knows this competition like the back of his hand," said Galtier. "They are a team that is always difficult to beat. People say that Juventus are struggling, they are unbeaten in Serie A and have only conceded two goals. They are difficult to get past with the intensity that their players bring.
"Juventus are very strong in the transition. It's a shame that Angel can't come back to the Parc des Princes. He made a mark on the history of the club. He was an exemplary player and performed here. I think he would have been happy to take part in this match. When he is playing, there is exceptional experience and quality, but I am sure that the player that plays in his place will be of an equally very high level."
Home hopes rest with the triple threat of Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar who have been scintillating at times already this term with 16 goals and 11 assists combined. There are still questions over the hosts' defense and especially since they missed out on key target Milan Skriniar from Juve's Italian rivals Inter Milan, but the attack is already merciless.
"It's important for a club to face teams like Juventus," said Mbappe. "We want to start this European campaign well at home. Our supporters expect a lot of us, we need to put in a good performance and pick up result after result. This match comes at the right time to kick start our European adventure and to continue our good form."
Thankfully for the visitors, they have their own attacking ace in Dusan Vlahovic with the Serbia sharpshooter already on four goals for the season with former Olympique de Marseille man Arkadiusz Milik already up and running with two strikes since returning to Serie A. There is less service for both without Di Maria and Chiesa, but the prolific pair can still find the net if allowed.
"We need to play as a team when we don't have the ball," reasoned Allegri. "Everything will be decided on ball management, we will have to do our best. It will be a good challenge. Bonucci, Vlahovic, Rabiot and Perin are the only ones certain of playing tomorrow night. I have yet to decide on the rest. From January it will be another season. Now we must remain calm and continue the work we have been doing."
Group H's makeup paints PSG as clear favorites for top spot and Juve logically as second which makes Benfica an interesting dark horse with the Portuguese powerhouse next up for the Bianconeri on home turf after their trip to the French capital. Sneaking a draw would be a very good result for Allegri's men considering their missing pieces and it would also put Galtier's side under pressure.
Perhaps the greater threat, though, is a heavy defeat which would really pile the pressure on for Juve after another slow start and some questions of Allegri even this early in the campaign. Stem the tide and something can still be saved through improved form but succumb in worrying fashion and alarm bells will start to sound across Turin.
Below you can check out all of the updates from Monday in the leadup to Champions League action on Tuesday, and of course every match is available only on Paramount+.
You can also hear what Celtic pair Ange Postecoglou and Matt O'Reilly had to say ahead of that huge clash with defending champions Real Madrid at Celtic Park on Tuesday.
You can hear from both head coach Julen Lopetegui and also Spain international Suso ahead of City's visit to Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.
Lopetegui on...
UCL: "We're very excited, it's a new competition which we've earned the right to be in for a third consecutive season, we're facing an excellent team in the biggest club competition. We've earned the right to be here and we want to enjoy it by playing well."
Oliver Torres missing out: "We had to leave out one player because we couldn't register everyone. It's not very nice for him, he's an excellent professional. I'm sure he'll try to turn the situation around. It was going to be an unfair decision for whoever missed out and we tried to balance the squad based on what lies ahead and players who are unavailable."
A tough start to the season: "We're focused on the next game and we're facing a top-class team, one of the best in the world, Haaland makes them more complete, but if we start to talk about City we won't finish. We're focusing on ourselves and playing well, improving on what we can do well and trying to find the energy and confidence in spite of the difficulties of the Champions League."
Time now to hear from Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola ahead of the Citizens' clash with Sevilla...
Fitness: "(On why Walker and Stones are absent) Injured. (On if serious injuries) John is not much. Kyle is not much too, but I don't know if he will be ready for Saturday, or Dortmund or Wolves before the international break."
The UCL: "We fought a lot to be here, so now we try to enjoy it. Always teams in Spain are so tough. They have dominated in the last 15 years... We try and do a good game and get the three points."
Sevilla: "They won't be concerned with just defending. We have to be prepared because they will be aggressive. This competition is played with a lot of enthusiasm. More so in a stadium like this one. We have to be prepared for that. We have to crank up the pace."
Rodrigo on...
Julen Lopetegui: "They have a great manager -- he works really well -- and Sevilla have great players, it's true a few players have left but they are always a competitive team, especially at home. They will be attacking all the time..."
This season: "I think we had a great start. Obviously, we have two draws but we know how tough the Premier League is. Look at the results, no one is winning easy. We know it is like this. We want to improve every day."
The way forward: "Keep doing what we have been doing - playing our own football. We have to impose our style. To play an abrasive team like Sevilla, we have to be at our best and focus on ourselves. They have their weapons. We are looking tactically at how to approach them."
Do not forget AC Milan are also in action and you can hear from boss Stefano Pioli and captain Davide Calabria ahead of their clash with Red Bull Salzburg in Austria.
Carlo Ancelotti on Celtic: "We know Celtic will play attacking football. A team has to be able to attack and defend well and that's what we want to do tomorrow."
Vinicius Junior: "We are hungry to win another Champions League title and we are confident going into this game."
Great news for Real regarding Vinicius Junior is that he is no longer considered a non-EU player which was problematic when trying to acquire Gabriel Jesus from Manchester City earlier this year.
Massimiliano Allegri on...
No Angel Di Maria: "We have to give our all, and also enjoy it. Not having Angel is a major loss. He and Paredes have increased the team's character."
Di Maria and Leandro Paredes going back to Paris (Adrien Rabiot too): "Paredes and Di Maria are two extraordinary players, they will give us a lot. We didn't want to risk Angel right now, as many important matches await us."
PSG: "We face an opponent who is among the strongest in Europe, who this year I count as a favourite for the final. Tomorrow will be a good match, and we will certainly aim to play a great game from a technical point of view."
Rabiot starting: "Bonucci, Vlahovic, Rabiot and Perin are the only ones certain of playing tomorrow night. I have yet to decide on the rest."
How to beat PSG: "We need to play as a team when we don't have the ball. Everything will be decided on ball management, we will have to do our best. It will be a good challenge."
Looking ahead: "From January it will be another season. Now we must remain calm and continue the work we have been doing."
Leonardo Bonucci ahead of the game...
"We have to give our all, and also enjoy it. Not having Angel is a major loss. He and Paredes have increased the team's character. Gradually the team's quality will show, I have great confidence in my teammates. Tomorrow night we need to put out a good performance. We are aware that we can do something special."
Thomas Tuchel on...
Squad news: "We decided with Thiago he will have a break from travelling after playing every minute so far. It was the moment to give him a break rather than ut him on the bench and have travel issues. We could take everybody to Zagreb to train with everybody. That includes Denis and Auba, if it it goes well they will be available."
Mateo Kovacic: "Kova is a fantastic player but on top of it he is a fantastic player and personality. Unbelievable team player, it's a pleasure for everyone to be his teammate. He is very happy to be back here, it is city it is his country for which plays with a lot of pride. He is back, he is finding his shape and we are happy that he back on the pitch and training."
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang: "If there is an issue today we will not put him but there was no issue for him yesterday, Is he ready to start? I think he cannot playu 90 minutes so we have to manage the decision. He needs minutes for his rhythm. He is hungry to play for us, that is what we felt from the first moment and he is invited to prove a point."
Reece James' new deal: "He is a very decisive player for us and he is an academy player. I think his development is far from over."
Paul Pogba still has yet to make his official comeback with Juventus in Serie A (available on Paramount+) after joining them this summer. The French midfielder injured the meniscus of his right knee in July, forcing him to miss the preseason tour with the Italian club. He then spent almost two months trying to rehab and avoid surgery, opting for a conservative approach. It didn't work. Pogba and Juventus together decided he needs to undergo surgery this week after negative test results on Monday morning at the J Medical in Turin suggested a lack of improvement in the knee. Pogba is now set to miss from six to eight weeks, meaning that whether he is back in time for the 2022 World Cup in November will be determined by the course of his recovery in the coming weeks and whether France manager Didier Deschamps is willing to risk bringing an, at best, recently recovered Pogba.
This also means that Pogba will likely miss the rest of the year with Juventus, considering that the Italian club will play until the first week of November before players depart for the Qatar World Cup. On the other hand, it is more likely that Pogba will return to the Bianconeri at the beginning of the next year in full health with a repaired knee.
PSG's star man was present alongside Galtier and the France international confirmed the Champions League's importance to the French giants: "This game is important for a club like ours," he said. "We have a European campaign that we need to start well at home. It's up to us to deliver a good first game tomorrow to continue our momentum. The truth is that winning the Champions League is very difficult. There are teams who have signed world class players. We will fight with the weapons which we have."
On the topic of the recent controversy between Pogba brothers Paul and Mathias, Mbappe admitted that he trusts in the word of his internationalk teammate after being linked with the scandal by a bizarre story regarding the absent Juve star's belief in witchcraft: "I choose to believe the word of my teammate," said PSG's No. 7. "It is his word against that of his brother. I will side with my teammate. However, it is not the time to put more on his plate. I am pretty detached from it all, to be honest."
Head coach Christophe Galtier has confirmed that the Portuguese midfielder is fit to start against Juventus after taking a knock against Nantes. The French tactician also believes that his squad are ready to get their continental campaign underway: "After the Nantes game, the players projected themselves towards this encounter in a collective and individual sense," said Galtier. "Everyone took care of themselves and they have prepared well. Juve are a very strong team in transition situations with quality and powerful players."
Almost time to hear from Galtier and Mbappe ahead of PSG's UCL opener vs. Juve on Tuesday. You can follow it here.
The Blues have sent a 23-man group to Croatia to take on Dinamo Zagreb. N'Golo Kante and Thiago Silva are both out while new arrivals Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Denis Zakaria are both involved.
Here is the Spanish outfit's squad ahead of their clash with Manchester City with Julen Lopetegui feeling the heat already this season after a slow start.
Borussia Dortmund face a nervy wait over Jamie Bynoe-Gittens' injury, but Raphael Guerreiro could be back for the Germans despite probable absences for both Donyell Malen and Karim Adeyemi. Marco Reus wants his Dortmund teammates to make a strong start to their latest European foray and pointed to the boost provided by the famous Yellow Wall.
It has not been an ideal start to the season for Leipzig which was reflected in Domenico Tedesco's comments ahead of their Champions League opener with Shakhtar Donetsk. Goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi pulled not punches either and called for improvement from himself and his teammates.
A reminder that Real Madrid's squad was already announced ahead of their trip to Glasgow as the titleholders set about their latest Champions League title defense against Celtic.
PSG will come up against many familiar faces in Group H with Angel Di Maria and Leandro Paredes now with Juventus as well as Julian Draxler who recently joined Benfica. However, Di Maria will not make an immediate return appearance at Parc des Princes this week as he has not made the cut for Massimiliano Allegri's squad. However, Adrien Rabiot is somebody that Les Parisiens and their fans will recall without much fondness. Paredes also travels.
Ben Jacobs brings us an update featuring some very interesting quotes from PSG's chairman and CEO Nasser Al-Khelaifi who also represents UEFA and the European Club Association. The Qatari supremo was discussing the European Super League and increased club debt in some quarters while at Football Talks.
"You call it the Super League," said Al-Khelaifi. "I call it the non-Super League. Football needs to be developed in a way that it respects small, medium and big clubs, and also fans... some clubs don't want medium clubs to get any bigger. They're scared of competition... The ecosystem of football is bigger than just two or three clubs. That's very important. The message has been sent to everyone that nobody can break the ecosystem of football... Myself and my colleagues at the ECA stand very strongly against the Super League. I remember we played in the Europa League against Salzburg in 2011 and it was freezing. And then I saw all the fans. It was amazing. I was proud to play in that match."
"Other clubs have debt in big numbers," said Al-Khelaifi of Barca's summer business. "That's the danger in football. People stay for four or five years as president then leave the debt & it becomes a disaster for another president. That's what has been happening for cycle after cycle... This is what we should look at and worry about because that's what can destroy football. We need rules to protect clubs from disaster debt. We bought the club €70m. Today it's worth more than €4bn. There's people talking about €4bn and sending us offers."
The Portuguese midfielder star picked up a knock over the weekend vs. Nantes in Ligue 1, but was with his teammates earlier today with Christophe Galtier expected to issue a full update on his condition later. With Fabian Ruiz and Carlos Soler also in the mix, PSG have options in the middle which has not always been the case. Vitinha, regardless of whether or not he starts, has made the squad for the Juve clash.
Come on in to our one stop shop for all of the Champions League latest ahead of Tuesday's group stage kick-off. Staff and players will be facing the media today with team news starting to drop ahead of the midweek slate of games. Paris Saint-Germain vs. Juventus is arguably the pick of Tuesday's clashes, but we will keep you up-to-date ahead of all of those matches and on top of the early information coming into Wednesday's fixtures.
