PSG's Luis Enrique Targets Champions League Playoffs after Reims Draw

Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Paris St Germain v AS Saint-Etienne - Parc des Princes, Paris, France - January 12, 2025 Paris St Germain coach Luis Enrique applauds fans after the match REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier/File Photo
Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Paris St Germain v AS Saint-Etienne - Parc des Princes, Paris, France - January 12, 2025 Paris St Germain coach Luis Enrique applauds fans after the match REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier/File Photo
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PSG's Luis Enrique Targets Champions League Playoffs after Reims Draw

Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Paris St Germain v AS Saint-Etienne - Parc des Princes, Paris, France - January 12, 2025 Paris St Germain coach Luis Enrique applauds fans after the match REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier/File Photo
Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Paris St Germain v AS Saint-Etienne - Parc des Princes, Paris, France - January 12, 2025 Paris St Germain coach Luis Enrique applauds fans after the match REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier/File Photo

Paris St Germain coach Luis Enrique has quickly turned his attention to Champions League qualification after his side were held to a 1-1 draw by Stade de Reims in Ligue 1 on Saturday.

The Spaniard knows the capital club face a tough challenge at VfB Stuttgart in the final game of the first phase on Wednesday after giving themselves a chance of a playoff spot with a 4-2 home win over Manchester City in midweek.

Regarding PSG's display at home to mid-table Reims, Luis Enrique told a press conference: "I have nothing to question my players (about). I don't think that in terms of energy the team was bad. In fact, I think it was good, Reuters reported.

"I think we have fulfilled the objective of managing this week in the best way to be prepared. Now we have to play this next Champions League game to confirm our qualification - to win or at least draw it. That's the objective," he added.

Saturday's draw took PSG 10 points clear atop Ligue 1 and Luis Enrique was quick to praise new signing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia after his first game with the French champions.

"It's clear that it's a new situation for him, but it's his first game, I hope, out of many, I think he was in a positive line," said the Spaniard after Kvaratskhelia got an assist.

"He's a player who usually has the ball a lot more than the opposition and can help us generate superiority, which is a happy and fortunate thing for me as a coach."



Bournemouth Begins European Campaign Against Real Sociedad, Man City Meets Norwich in League Cup

Bournemouth Begins European Campaign Against Real Sociedad, Man City Meets Norwich in League Cup
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Bournemouth Begins European Campaign Against Real Sociedad, Man City Meets Norwich in League Cup

Bournemouth Begins European Campaign Against Real Sociedad, Man City Meets Norwich in League Cup

Bournemouth kicks off its first European campaign at Spanish side Real Sociedad in the Europa League on Thursday.

Bournemouth enjoyed a record season to finish sixth in the Premier League and Marco Rose’s side hopes its opening European game in San Sebastian is a chance to put behind a slow and winless start to this campaign.

“We need to stay humble and concentrate on each game,” Bournemouth captain Adam Smith said, according to The Associated Press. “But definitely our aim is to try to get as far as possible.”

Real Sociedad returns to Europe after a one-year absence. It qualified for the competition by claiming the Spanish Cup for the fourth time.

Another English club, Crystal Palace, opens its European campaign against Polish champion Lech Poznań after winning the third-tier Conference League last season.

In other games, Italian giant Juventus faces Dutch side Nijmegen, Besiktas hosts Marseille and Celtic plays Ferencváros in Glasgow.

The opening round of matches is split into two days.

On Wednesday, Benfica upset AC Milan 2-0 at San Siro, Sunderland beat visiting AZ Alkmaar 1-0 in its first European match since 1973 and Lyon won 2-1 at Anderlecht.

Elsewhere, Manchester City faces Championship-side Norwich to complete the third round of the League Cup in England.

In Spain, Real Betis meets Getafe and Malaga plays Villarreal in La Liga.


Klopp Calls Up 44 Players in Huge First Germany Squad

17 September 2026, Hesse, Frankfurt am Main: Germany national team coach Jurgen Klopp speaks during a press conference to announce the squad for Germany's first UEFA Nations League matches. Photo: Boris Roessler/dpa
17 September 2026, Hesse, Frankfurt am Main: Germany national team coach Jurgen Klopp speaks during a press conference to announce the squad for Germany's first UEFA Nations League matches. Photo: Boris Roessler/dpa
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Klopp Calls Up 44 Players in Huge First Germany Squad

17 September 2026, Hesse, Frankfurt am Main: Germany national team coach Jurgen Klopp speaks during a press conference to announce the squad for Germany's first UEFA Nations League matches. Photo: Boris Roessler/dpa
17 September 2026, Hesse, Frankfurt am Main: Germany national team coach Jurgen Klopp speaks during a press conference to announce the squad for Germany's first UEFA Nations League matches. Photo: Boris Roessler/dpa

Germany coach Jurgen Klopp handed 16 players their first call-ups on Thursday as he unveiled a 44-man squad for his first camp since taking over as coach in the summer.

Teams are restricted to naming 20 outfield players and three goalkeepers for each match but the former Liverpool manager took the unusual step of naming a larger squad.

Klopp has split the group into two separate squads for Germany's four upcoming Nations League fixtures.

The first group will be available for the games fixtures against the Netherlands in Amsterdam on September 24 and at home to Greece three days later in Augsburg.

The second group will be available for Germany's matches against Serbia in Munich on October 1 and Greece in Thessaloniki on October 4.

Klopp was named as the replacement for Julian Nagelsmann in July after the four-time World Cup winners were eliminated at the last-32 stage at the 2026 World Cup, their third successive early exit from the tournament.

Leroy Sane, Deniz Undav, Leon Goretzka and goalkeeper Oliver Baumann have been left out, while veterans Manuel Neuer and Antonio Rudiger have since retired from international football.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen will be Germany's number one option in goal.

Ter Stegen left Barcelona for Ajax on a season-long loan in the summer after a torrid run of injuries which restricted him to just 12 competitive matches in the past two years.

Bayern midfielder Joshua Kimmich, the most experienced member of the squad with 114 caps, has retained the captain's armband.

The 31-year-old is set to move from right-back to central midfield, where he plays at club level.

Undav, one of the few bright spots for Germany at the World Cup, has been omitted. German media reported the former Brighton forward will be given time off to recover from an Achilles tendon injury.

Among the 16 potential debutants are Eintracht Frankfurt's Younes Ebnoutalib, who was in the second division a season ago, along with Stuttgart defender Finn Jeltsch, Brentford midfielder Vitaly Janelt and Celtic midfielder Mika Baur.

Squad for Netherlands and Greece games in September

Goalkeepers: Finn Dahmen (Augsburg), Alexander Nuebel (Besiktas/TUR), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Ajax/NED)

Defense: Hennes Behrens (Augsburg), Yann Aurel Bisseck (Inter Milan/ITA), Nathaniel Brown (Bayern Munich), Max Rosenfelder (Freiburg), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), Jonathan Tah (Bayern Munich), Philipp Treu (Freiburg), Josha Vagnoman (Stuttgart)
Midfield: Nadiem Amiri (Mainz), Bambase Conte (Hoffenheim), Yannik Engelhardt (Freiburg), Chris Fuehrich (Stuttgart), Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich), Lennart Karl (Bayern Munich), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), Felix Nmecha (Borussia Dortmund), Kevin Schade (Brentford/ENG), Anton Stach (Leeds United/ENG)

Forwards: Younes Ebnoutalib (Eintracht Frankfurt), Kai Havertz (Arsenal)

Squad for Serbia and Greece games in October

Goalkeepers: Noah Atubolu (Eintracht Frankfurt), Finn Dahmen (Augsburg), Jonas Urbig (Bayern Munich)

Defense: Waldemar Anton (Borussia Dortmund), Ridle Baku (RB Leipzig), Finn Jeltsch (Stuttgart), Maximilian Mittelstaedt (Stuttgart), David Raum (RB Leipzig), Malick Thiaw (Newcastle United/ENG)

Midfield: Karim Adeyemi (Barcelona), Mika Baur (Celtic/SCO), Tom Bischof (Bayern Munich), Said El Mala (Cologne), Brajan Gruda (RB Leipzig), Vitaly Janelt (Brentford/ENG), Felix Keidel (Elversberg), Aleksander Pavlovic (Bayern Munich), Derry Scherhant (Freiburg), Florian Wirtz (Liverpool/ENG)

Forwards: Jonathan Burkardt (Eintracht Frankfurt), Nick Woltemade (Juventus/ITA)


Messi Scores 100th Inter Miami Goal as Miami Beats Cruz Azul 2-0

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi, center, celebrates with his teammates after winning the Campeones Cup soccer match against Cruz Azul, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi, center, celebrates with his teammates after winning the Campeones Cup soccer match against Cruz Azul, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
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Messi Scores 100th Inter Miami Goal as Miami Beats Cruz Azul 2-0

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi, center, celebrates with his teammates after winning the Campeones Cup soccer match against Cruz Azul, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi, center, celebrates with his teammates after winning the Campeones Cup soccer match against Cruz Azul, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Lionel Messi scored the 100th goal of his Inter Miami career and Casemiro added another as Miami defeated Cruz Azul 2-0 on Wednesday night to win the Campeones Cup.

Messi opened the scoring in the 24th minute, heading in a cross from Luis Suárez for his 100th goal in 115 appearances across all competitions with Miami.

The milestone came against the same club Messi scored his first Inter Miami goal against. He scored on a stoppage-time free kick to beat Cruz Azul 2-1 in his Miami debut in July 2023.
Casemiro made it 2-0 in the 81st minute, heading in a corner from Messi.

The Brazilian midfielder has scored four goals, all headers, in his last five matches after scoring in three consecutive games against CF Montreal, Atlanta United and Chicago before being held scoreless Saturday against Nashville.

The victory gave Inter Miami another trophy three years after Messi’s arrival, The Associated Press reported. Miami won the Leagues Cup in 2023, the Supporters’ Shield in 2024 and MLS Cup in 2025.

Up next Inter Miami returns to MLS play Sunday when it hosts San Diego FC at Nu Stadium. Miami enters the match second in the Eastern Conference standings.