Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique insisted the club is not obsessed with winning the Champions League, ahead of their opening Group F match against Borussia Dortmund.
The French champions are still looking for their first European Cup victory despite huge investment by their Qatari owners over the previous 12 years, with an estimated €1.3 billion spent on new players.
Even the arrivals of Gianluigi Donnarumma, Achraf Hakimi, Sergio Ramos, Gini Wijnaldum and Lionel Messi in the summer of 2021 could not inspire the team to Champions League glory as PSG exited the competition at the last-16 stage for the next two campaigns.
Only goalkeeper Donnarumma and full-back Hakimi remain at the club with the other three departing over the summer – along with Brazilian attacker Neymar – as new manager Luis Enrique implements a change in club philosophy.
They club brought in 10 players this summer, three of whom were free agents and all but one under 27 years old in a major shift in transfer policy.
PSG have started the new Ligue 1 season in mixed fashion, winning two of their five league games, and go into the match against Dortmund having lost 3-2 at home to Nice on Friday, despite two goals from Kylian Mbappe.
The club have won Ligue 1 nine times since the Qatari takeover in 2011 but the Champions League crown remains elusive as they begin their latest attempt to rule Europe against the Bundesliga side in a tough group that also includes AC Milan and Newcastle United.
But Luis Enrique – who won the Champions League with Barcelona in 2015 – believes any talk of a Champions League obsession is not healthy for any club.
“When a club is obsessed with something, it's never a good sign. You have to have ambition but obsession doesn't work in any area of life,” Luis Enrique told reporters on Monday, ahead of the game at Parc des Princes.
“You have to wait and see how the competition goes, football is a wonderful sport, any result is possible.
“You can play an incredible game and lose, play badly and win. As a club, we play all competitions to win them, that's the objective. It's very ambitious but it's necessary.”
Defender and club captain Marquinhos echoed his manager's sentiments, saying: “The Champions League is not an obsession, there isn't pressure.
“We're working because we're competitors, and the club is determined to win every competition, including this one. We know the path, it's a long one.
“We have to take it step by step, it's a very difficult competition to go after.”
Despite the up-and-down start to the campaign, Luis Enrique is happy with how his players have reacted to what is PSG's fourth manager in less than three years.
“There's a lot of information to pass on, ideas and concepts that the players need to assimilate. I've found the team to be very receptive,” the Spaniard said.
“The fans are incredible. Their support is magnificent, even when the results aren't up to scratch.
“I already have this experience, this process that takes time … I feel calm, there will be good football and good results, I'm sure of it. ”
OTHER IPL BOWLING RECORDS
Best bowling figures: 6-14 – Sohail Tanvir (for Rajasthan Royals against Chennai Super Kings in 2008)
Best average: 16.36 – Andrew Tye
Best economy rate: 6.53 – Sunil Narine
Best strike-rate: 12.83 – Andrew Tye
Best strike-rate in an innings: 1.50 – Suresh Raina (for Chennai Super Kings against Rajasthan Royals in 2011)
Most runs conceded in an innings: 70 – Basil Thampi (for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2018)
Most hat-tricks: 3 – Amit Mishra
Most dot-balls: 1,128 – Harbhajan Singh
Most maiden overs bowled: 14 – Praveen Kumar
Most four-wicket hauls: 6 – Sunil Narine
The squad traveling to Brazil:
Faisal Al Ketbi, Ibrahim Al Hosani, Khalfan Humaid Balhol, Khalifa Saeed Al Suwaidi, Mubarak Basharhil, Obaid Salem Al Nuaimi, Saeed Juma Al Mazrouei, Saoud Abdulla Al Hammadi, Taleb Al Kirbi, Yahia Mansour Al Hammadi, Zayed Al Kaabi, Zayed Saif Al Mansoori, Saaid Haj Hamdou, Hamad Saeed Al Nuaimi. Coaches Roberto Lima and Alex Paz.
Sinopharm vaccine explained
The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades.
“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.
"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."
This is then injected into the body.
"The body will recognise it and form antibodies but because it is inactive, we will need more than one dose. The body will not develop immunity with one dose," she said.
"You have to be exposed more than one time to what we call the antigen."
The vaccine should offer protection for at least months, but no one knows how long beyond that.
Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.
“Since it is inactivated, it will not last forever," she said.
Batti Gul Meter Chalu
Producers: KRTI Productions, T-Series
Director: Sree Narayan Singh
Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Divyenndu Sharma, Yami Gautam
Rating: 2/5
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to donate
Text the following numbers:
2289 - Dh10
6025 - Dh 20
2252 - Dh 50
2208 - Dh 100
6020 - Dh 200
*numbers work for both Etisalat and du
MWTC
Tickets start from Dh100 for adults and are now on sale at www.ticketmaster.ae and Virgin Megastores across the UAE. Three-day and travel packages are also available at 20 per cent discount.
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Gulf Under 19s final
Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Fourth-round clashes for British players
- Andy Murray (1) v Benoit Paire, Centre Court (not before 4pm)
- Johanna Konta (6) v Caroline Garcia (21), Court 1 (4pm)
How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
