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.

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.

“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.

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.

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.”

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.”

-AFP

Liverpool must perform better with and without the ball when they face Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League at Anfield on Tuesday, head coach Arne Slot said after his side had to come from behind to win in the Premier League at the weekend.

Forward Mohamed Salah earned the Reds a 2-1 home victory against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday as they recovered to move top of the standings having conceded an early goal.

“Football is played in two moments, having the ball and not. And against strong teams, Leverkusen is one, you need to be good on both sides,” Slot told a press conference on Monday as his side prepared to face the German champions.

“We were poor on both sides, not as good with or without (the ball) on Saturday against Brighton, so we need a second-half performance because Leverkusen are at least equal to Brighton with the ball. So we need a much better performance than the first half.”

Alongside Aston Villa, Liverpool are the only other team with a perfect Champions League record this season after three games and are second to the Midlands side on goal difference.

On Tuesday, Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso will try to change that, with the former Spain midfielder returning to Anfield for the first time as a coach to take on his old side, who he helped win Europe’s elite club competition in 2005.

“It’s difficult to say what makes him a special manager if you don’t work with him but he is, that is clear,” Slot said.

“Bottom of the league when he took over, didn’t spend much, bought one or two players, had that (kind of) season – it’s special,” he added, with Leverkusen winning a domestic double last term having been unbeaten in the Bundesliga.

They only lost in the Europa League final to Atalanta.

“I haven’t faced him (Alonso) or worked with him but what might be the situation is he worked with incredible managers in the past and played at the highest levels. So he knows what players feel at certain moments.”

Alonso also helped Liverpool to the 2006-07 Champions League final, where they lost 2-1 to AC Milan.

Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher said: “I remember watching him, he was a class player when he was here, so I have good memories of him, his passing range was outrageous.

“I think the fans will give him a great reception but the focus is on getting a result and making sure he doesn’t go home happy.”

Liverpool can count on defender Ibrahima Konate, who returned to training after coming off at halftime against Brighton.

“He’s available to play, and I think also completely recovered, so there is no issue for him not to play because of what (happened),” Slot said.

“Then it’s up to me to make the decision if he plays or not. But he’s in a good place.”

-Reuters

Sporting manager Ruben Amorim has said his primary focus is Tuesday’s Champions League game at home to Manchester City after his agreement to join Manchester United on Nov. 11.

United on Friday named the Portuguese as head coach to replace Erik ten Hag on a contract running until 2027, with the Old Trafford club struggling in 13th spot in the Premier League.

As Amorim prepares for a new chapter in his career, the 39-year-old on Monday reflected on his time at Sporting.

“I’ve been through this a few times as a player; it’s hard to explain,” he told a press conference ahead of the City match.

“I’ll miss it in the future because I was very happy here. I know I’m going to a more complicated world, but we have to take steps forward.”

However, Amorim stressed that the Champions League clash against United’s local rivals was his main focus at present.

“Tomorrow I’ll be Sporting’s coach and only Sporting’s, from the 11th (November) onwards I’ll be United’s coach,” he said.

City are third in the 36-team table while Sporting are eighth but both sides have seven points from three games.

Amorim acknowledged the hype around the match as many United fans view it in relation to City’s rivalry with their team.

“They are different contexts; I’m not thinking about that. For me, it’s just another game against a team from the best league in the world,” said Amorim.

Emphasising the challenges ahead at Old Trafford, he noted that language issues will play a part at the start.

“My communication at the beginning will be simpler because it is in English. The players will not be offended if I say that they are more basic. I give training sessions here in English,” added Amorim.

“I will take inspiration from everywhere, but there’s always room for new ideas.”

-Reuters