While Cristiano Ronaldo has scored three times in the Premier League since rejoining Man United, Lionel Messi is still waiting for his first Ligue 1 goal after PSG suffered a shock first defeat of the season on Sunday.
Luckless Messi hit the woodwork for the third time this season as PSG’s previously perfect record evaporated at Rennes, where a 45th-minute Gaetan Laborde goal was followed by Flavien Tait’s a minute after the break to leave the Argentina captain and feted strike partners Kylian Mbappe and Neymar shellshocked.
Despite scoring his first goal for the club with a stunning strike in the 2-0 win over Manchester City at the Parc des Princes in the Champions League on Tuesday, marquee signing Messi has failed to notch in all three of his appearances in a league that is often deemed considerably weaker than La Liga, in which Messi became Barcelona’s top scorer of all time.
Mbappe went a sixth game without joining the scoresheet and Neymar has not netted in four matches, although neither forward’s record is likely to be compared quite as closely as Messi’s to the five goals in six appearances already racked up by Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United this season.
PSG thought they had pulled a goal back when Mbappe hit the net midway through the second half, only for his effort to be ruled out.
Matters almost worsened for Paris when Rennes, who finished the day seventh in the table, appeared to have been awarded a penalty in the 81st minute, only for the decision to be overturned.
“Without underestimating what Rennes have done, we are frustrated and disappointed not to have transformed our chances and to concede these goals,” said PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino afterwards, admitting to being “a bit” angry. “These situations leave us bitter and disappointed.
“What we did for 25 minutes was of very good quality. We must be able to extend that for 90 minutes.
“The psychological impact of both goals, coming at key moments was significant. I am satisfied in one sense: we have created a lot of situations and opportunities.”
Brazil talisman Neymar was substituted during the second half, and Pochettino again fielded questions about the risk of creating a detrimentally top-heavy team when his most formidable front three start games together.
“I don’t think we can analyze the result in relation to a system,” he replied. “On other occasions, such as [in the wins against] Lyon or Manchester City, this should not affect the analysis.
“We played our best 25, 30 minutes of the season. When you win against Manchester City, it’s a collective question there, too. The first person [to take responsibility] is me.”
Pochettino’s side are six points clear of Lens at the top of the table ahead of the visit of Angers on October 15.
Conor McGregor’s rivalry with Khabib Nurmagomedov shows no sign of abating after the Irishman responded to his Russian foe’s photo with Sir Alex Ferguson by posting a picture on social media wearing a Manchester United jersey.
Nurmagomedov was on hand for United’s 1-1 draw with Everton on Saturday afternoon after travelling to the game to watch his friend Cristiano Ronaldo play his latest game for the Red Devils – but while Ronaldo was left on the bench by boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and given only a second-half cameo, Nurmagomedov certainly didn’t leave the Theater of Dreams empty-handed.
The undefeated former UFC champion was pictured after the game in the company of legendary former United manager Ferguson and track and field icon Usain Bolt, with a photograph of the trio of sporting legends traversing the Twittersphere in the hours afterwards.
One social media timeline on which the snap likely appeared was that of noted Man Utd fan and diehard Nurmagomedov rival McGregor, who wasted little time in uploading his own photo to Instagram showing the Dubliner sporting a classic United jersey.
McGregor had even previously floated the idea of making an ambitious bid to buy the club following the fallout of the ill-fated European Super League concept last August.
The social media back-and-forth appears to be the latest in a series of the two UFC lightweight superstars attempting to one-up each other. While attending the 2018 World Cup Final in Russia, McGregor was granted an audience with Vladimir Putin – something ‘The Notorious’ quickly used as ammunition against Nurmagomedov months before they finally met in the Octagon the following October.
This time around, though, the reaction hasn’t been quite so in McGregor’s favor – with Twitter users accusing him of letting Khabib “live rent-free” in his head.
First Khabib, now McGregor. Cristiano Ronaldo got both the MMA legends fanboying for him and Manchester United. ❤ 'Proper' goats pic.twitter.com/PDz9BETvDV
“First Khabib, now McGregor. Cristiano Ronaldo got both the MMA legends fanboying for him and Manchester United. ‘Proper’ goats,” wrote one fan in reaction to photos of both Nurmagomedov and McGregor expressing their loyalty to Manchester United.
“Khabib at the game today. McGregor posts a picture in a United shirt. Talk about living rent-free in his head,” added another.
“So Khabib is at United. He is trolling McGregor, for sure,” said a third.
Nine-time Australian Open champ Novak Djokovic has been warned that his winner’s medals won’t protect him from Covid-19 as organizers of the 2022 tournament say there will be ‘no exceptions’ for vaccine hesitant players.
The Serbian great continues to chase the record for the most titles in the men’s game but hopes of him carving out his own piece of history at next year’s tournament have been thrown into doubt after it was announced that only vaccinated players will be permitted entry to the country ahead of the tournament, which is due to begin in January.
Djokovic is tied with both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal as having recorded 20 Grand Slam wins apiece – but Djokovic’s repeated dominance in Australia, where he has won three straight championships, is thought by many to be an advantage over his rivals when it comes to breaking the record.
In order for that to become a reality, Djokovic must be double-jabbed against Covid-19 – something that he has expressed reservations over in the past.
“[Grand slam] titles won’t protect you,” Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews said to reporters when asked about Djokovic’s stance on the vaccine.
“The only title that will protect you is you being able to have had your first dose and second dose.
“Logic and numerous conversations with the Prime Minister [Scott Morrison] tell me that if you are an Australian citizen, you will be allowed home if you haven’t had the jab.
“But if you’re coming on a tourist visa or a business visa, so you’re not an Aussie – you are coming to visit – the notion of you getting in here without being vaccinated, I think, is very, very low.”
The vaccine mandates are thought to have caused concern not just for some players but for organizers also. According to The Age, Australian Open chief Craig Tiley has expressed his concern that any harsh regulations being imposed on the players could force many of them to withdraw and lead to a watered-down version of the event.
Tiley’s fears were dismissed by the state government, according to reports.
A teammate and fans have paid tribute to a goalkeeper for his “strength and hope” after he tragically died at the age of 28 following a long battle with a brain tumour.
Caserta-born Daniel Leone was registered for Reggina when he was diagnosed with the tumour in 2014, keeping his thousands of fans updated on his journey while often making light of his grim situation on social media.
The fun-loving number one had surgery in Milan and later returned to professional football, joining Catanzaro before a recurrence of the disease forced him to retire.
Leone underwent more chemotherapy recently, keeping his spirits up by posing with friends and his partner, model Martina De Sarro.
Former top-flight goalkeeper Christian Puggioni recalled how Leone had asked him to teach him the “secrets of the trade” during their time together at Reggina.
“I have always appreciated your tenacity and I have been rooting for you, always,” Puggioni said in an emotional post after learning of Leone’s untimely death.
“Your every victory was my victory. Then the news you never want to have.
“In silence, from afar, always respecting your dignity and fortitude, I kept rooting for you, even stronger.
“After four years of battle, however, today you’re gone. The emptiness you leave is immense, and some might think you lost the most important game of your life.
“Poor, silly boy – because yes, Daniel, you won. You won, teaching many, the dignity of facing life’s real problems.
“You taught the courage to live through suffering with strength and hope. You taught, that you can leave your name, branded in people’s memory, with example and courage.”
Posting in June, Leone said he had received so much support from members of the public that it was hard to thank everyone individually.
“I can only say thank you for everything,” he added. “You have made me the happiest person in the world with all the problems and difficulties that I am going through.”
Leone also thanked his parents, relatives and De Sarro, who posted a tribute to him after his death was announced.
Writing on New Year’s Eve, she had described her year as “troubled”, “at times terrible” and admitted that it had left her “afraid of not being able to face it”.
“I realized that, despite everything, I must consider myself lucky,” she added, sharing a photo of her and Leone kissing.
A reader told Puggioni: “Thank you, Christian, for this heartwarming memory of Daniel, your former teammate, and for your great sensitivity.
“This proves that, with certain feelings and values, we can improve the society we live in.”
Another said: “Thank you for the beautiful words. Daniel will remain in the hearts of the people who have known him.”
Mo Salah confirmed his status as one of the world’s great players by starring as Premier League heavyweights Liverpool and Manchester City played out a 2-2 draw after going toe-to-toe in a titanic tussle on Sunday.
It might have taken a while to warm up but when it did, the two teams who have collectively ushered in an era of dominance at the summit of the Premier League table in recent seasons showed exactly why they look like favorites to once again duel for English football’s domestic honors.
You wouldn’t have thought it watching the first half. Both teams struggled to impose themselves throughout a rather turgid opening, with Liverpool being particularly ineffective as reflected by various choruses of groans from the Anfield faithful on occasion.
Guardiola’s City have struggled to find the back of the net on the road so far this season but appeared the more likely of the two to break the deadlock in the opening exchanges – although that would change after the break when Liverpool, and in particular Salah, moved closer to fifth gear.
The impasse was broken when Salah fed Sadio Mane with an exquisite reverse pass for the Senegalese to fire past Ederson on 59 minutes. The advantage wold last for just ten minutes when Phil Foden, who was also excellent, flummoxed the Liverpool backline to find the corner in front of The Kop.
The drama was far from over. Salah made his most significant contribution of the evening on 76 minutes when he turned the City defence inside-out to score a sensational strike into the corner in a goal which sent Jurgen Klopp into a frenzied celebration pitch-side.
7 – Mohamed Salah has now scored in each of his last seven appearances for Liverpool in all competitions, equalling his longest scoring streak for the Reds (last achieved in April 2018). Unstoppable.
A Guardiola team remains dangerous until the end and Liverpool were reminded of this unfortunate reality when Kevin De Bruyne – who else? – shot past Alisson from distance, with the ball deflecting in off an unlucky Joe Gomez.
It was as exciting a match – or second half, to be more specific – as has been seen in the Premier League this season and, after his outstanding performance, the social media plaudits have been winging Salah’s way after he scored in a seventh straight game.
salah is much better than messi let’s not kid ourselves
“Salah is much better than Messi – let’s not kid ourselves,” wrote one fan of the Egyptian’s showing.
“I’d say he’s playing better than Messi right now. Salah, Benzema and Lewandowski are the three at the minute, delivering pretty much every week,” agreed another.
“Don’t let the result hide the fact that Mohamed Salah is the best player in the world,” added a third.
The best of the action from a dramatic afternoon at Anfield, with two fantastic Reds goals cancelled out by Manchester City: pic.twitter.com/b9iujWG5d5
