PSG Sinks Barcelona with Late Winner in Champions League and Man City Held by Monaco

Paris Saint Germain's Goncalo Ramos celebrates scoring the 1-2 goal during the UEFA Champions League league phase soccer match between FC Barcelona and PSG, in Barcelona, Spain, 01 October 2025. EPA/Siu Wu
Paris Saint Germain's Goncalo Ramos celebrates scoring the 1-2 goal during the UEFA Champions League league phase soccer match between FC Barcelona and PSG, in Barcelona, Spain, 01 October 2025. EPA/Siu Wu
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PSG Sinks Barcelona with Late Winner in Champions League and Man City Held by Monaco

Paris Saint Germain's Goncalo Ramos celebrates scoring the 1-2 goal during the UEFA Champions League league phase soccer match between FC Barcelona and PSG, in Barcelona, Spain, 01 October 2025. EPA/Siu Wu
Paris Saint Germain's Goncalo Ramos celebrates scoring the 1-2 goal during the UEFA Champions League league phase soccer match between FC Barcelona and PSG, in Barcelona, Spain, 01 October 2025. EPA/Siu Wu

Goncalo Ramos struck a 90th-minute winner as Paris Saint-Germain sealed a statement win over Barcelona in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Trailing 1-0 at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys and without injured star forwards Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, defending champion PSG fought back for a 2-1 victory against one of the favorites to lift the trophy in May.

“It doesn’t matter which of our players are in the team. When they are wearing our shirt, carrying our badge on their shirt, then the amount of attitude and effort is non-negotiable," PSG coach Luis Enrique said.

Manchester City had to settle for a 2-2 draw with Monaco after Eric Dier scored a 90th-minute penalty for the hosts.

Villarreal and Juventus also ended 2-2 after Renato Veiga's late equalizer.
Arsenal beat Olympiakos 2-0, The Associated Press reported.

PSG is still the team to beat PSG's trip to Barcelona was always seen as the standout clash of matchday two. Both teams are expected to go far, with PSG aiming to join Real Madrid as the only other club to successfully defend the trophy in the Champions League era. Barcelona, a semifinalist last campaign, is intent on turning last season's domestic dominance into European triumph.

But despite the anticipation, neither team was at the height of its powers, with so many players missing.

While PSG was without the attacking trio that fired it to victory last term, Barcelona was also missing the injured Raphinha, while Robert Lewandowski was on the bench.

Lamine Yamal was available, but it was Ferran Torres who gave the home team the lead in the 19th minute.

Senny Mayulu leveled the game in the 38th and substitute Lee Kang-in came close to a winner by hitting the post late on.

But there was still more drama to come when Achraf Hakimi squared the ball beyond Barca's defense and Ramos slid in the winner.

It's now two wins from two for PSG at the start of its defense of the title and an early statement against one of its main rivals.

“We lost today, and I don’t like that. We have to accept this defeat and admit that Paris are so good," Barca coach Hansi Flick said. "We are disappointed, the fans are disappointed. We have to accept that we were beaten, but work on getting better.”

Haaland scores 2 but Man City held Erling Haaland did what Erling Haaland does with two more goals in the Champions League, but it wasn't enough to seal victory in Monaco.

Having become the quickest player to reach 50 goals in the competition last month, the Norwegian looks certain to become the quickest to reach 60. Lionel Messi managed it in 80 appearances. Haaland is on 52 after 50 games.

But that will be of little comfort to Pep Guardiola, who watched his team squander two points by conceding a late penalty that Dier converted to seal the draw.

“It isn’t good enough," Haaland said. "We have to try to win the next game. It is the only thing we can do.”

Hot shot Hojlund Discarded by Manchester United, Rasmus Hojlund is showing the type of form that earned him an $82 million move to Old Trafford in the first place.

He struck twice to earn Napoli a 2-1 win over Sporting Lisbon. That’s three goals in five appearances — after having scored two in his last 13 games for United.

It certainly helps when he can feed off the kind of service Kevin De Bruyne can deliver and the former Man City playmaker was provider of both of Hojlund’s goals.

Borussia Dortmund routed Athletic Bilbao 4-1 and Bayer Leverkusen was held 1-1 at home by PSV Eindhoven.

Perfect Arsenal Another win for Arsenal and another clean sheet.

The 2-0 victory over Olympiakos was its sixth shutout in nine games this season.

Goals from Gabriel Martinelli in the first half and Bukayo Saka in stoppage time maintained Arsenal’s 100% start in the competition.

Another team with a perfect record so far is Qarabag after its 2-0 win over Copenhagen. Abdellah Zoubir and Emmanuel Addai were on target for the Azerbaijani team.

Woltemade scores again Nick Woltemade is doing his best to make Newcastle fans forget about Alexander Isak.

The club-record $93 million signing scored his third goal in four starts for Newcastle to set up the 4-0 rout of Union Saint-Gilloise.

The Germany international was signed to fill the sizable void left by Isak's contentious move to Liverpool. And he has made an instant impact.

His 17th-minute goal at Lotto Park might not have been the prettiest — diverting Sandro Tonali's goalbound shot past Kjell Scherpen — but it got Newcastle off to the perfect start. It also highlighted his useful knack of being in the right place at the right time.

Woltemade has now scored in back-to-back games after his goal against Arsenal on Sunday. He still has some way to go to prove he can replace Isak, who scored 54 goals in 78 Premier League starts for Newcastle, but the early signs are promising after his move from Stuttgart.

Anthony Gordon struck twice from the penalty spot — scoring either side of halftime to put Newcastle in control and substitute Harvey Barnes added a fourth.

More thrills for Juve Last time out, Juventus was involved in an eight-goal thriller against Dortmund that ended in a 4-4 draw with all the goals coming in the second half.

By those standards, the 2-2 at Villarreal was relatively mild. But there was still a late twist as Veiga, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Juve, came up with the equalizer.



Roger Federer Will Return to the US Open to Take Part in an Exhibition Event

Roger Federer, of Switzerland, kisses the championship trophy after winning the men's finals championship over Andy Murray, of Britain, at the US Open tennis tournament in New York, Monday, Sept. 8, 2008. (AP)
Roger Federer, of Switzerland, kisses the championship trophy after winning the men's finals championship over Andy Murray, of Britain, at the US Open tennis tournament in New York, Monday, Sept. 8, 2008. (AP)
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Roger Federer Will Return to the US Open to Take Part in an Exhibition Event

Roger Federer, of Switzerland, kisses the championship trophy after winning the men's finals championship over Andy Murray, of Britain, at the US Open tennis tournament in New York, Monday, Sept. 8, 2008. (AP)
Roger Federer, of Switzerland, kisses the championship trophy after winning the men's finals championship over Andy Murray, of Britain, at the US Open tennis tournament in New York, Monday, Sept. 8, 2008. (AP)

Roger Federer will play in an exhibition at the US Open this year, returning to the Grand Slam tournament that he is the only player to win five consecutive times.

Days before being enshrined in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, Federer will play in New York on Aug. 25. The event, titled “Roger Federer: An Icon Returns to New York,” also will include Andy Roddick, John McEnroe and Andre Agassi. It was announced Monday by the US Tennis Association.

Roddick won the 2003 US Open, the year before Federer started dominating the event. He won every one from 2004-08 as part of his 20 Grand Slam singles titles.

Federer last played the US Open in 2019.

“So many unforgettable moments of my career happened in New York, and Arthur Ashe Stadium is a place that means a great deal to me," he said in a statement. “I’ve missed being part of that atmosphere and feeling the incredible energy that the fans bring every year.”

The Hall of Fame induction ceremony is scheduled for Aug. 29 in Newport, Rhode Island.

The USTA said there will be further announcements about the lineup for the event, which is during the week before singles play in the tournament begins.


Diarra Settles 65 mn Euros Transfer Case with FIFA and Belgian FA

Lassana Diarra was pursuing FIFA and the Belgian football association for 65 million euros in compensation © Bertrand GUAY / AFP/File
Lassana Diarra was pursuing FIFA and the Belgian football association for 65 million euros in compensation © Bertrand GUAY / AFP/File
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Diarra Settles 65 mn Euros Transfer Case with FIFA and Belgian FA

Lassana Diarra was pursuing FIFA and the Belgian football association for 65 million euros in compensation © Bertrand GUAY / AFP/File
Lassana Diarra was pursuing FIFA and the Belgian football association for 65 million euros in compensation © Bertrand GUAY / AFP/File

Former France international Lassana Diarra has reached agreement with FIFA and the Belgian football association in his long-running 65 million euro ($76 million) legal battle, a source close to the case told AFP on Monday.

The former Arsenal, Chelsea and Real Madrid midfielder's challenge to FIFA prompted world football's governing body to amend its transfer rules after a landmark Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) legal ruling in October 2024, but he had been unable to reach a settlement.

The CJEU found that FIFA rules impede the free movement of players by "imposing considerable legal risks, unforeseeable and potentially very high financial risks as well as major sporting risks on those players and clubs wishing to employ them", thereby disrupting the transfer system.

The 35-times capped former France international announced last October that he was turning to the Belgian courts to enforce the CJEU ruling.

Contacted by AFP, FIFA indicated that "following the comprehensive agreement they reached, Mr. Lassana Diarra and FIFA have settled all legal proceedings between them," adding that FIFA "does not acknowledge any wrongdoing and has not made any compensation payments".

Diarra's lawyers told AFP they could not comment at this stage.

The origin of this case lies in Diarra's dispute over the terms of his departure from Lokomotiv Moscow in 2014.

Due to a drastic reduction in his salary, Diarra left the Moscow club, but the club deemed the termination unfair and demanded 20 million euros from him, later reduced to 10.5 million euros.

As a result, Belgian club Charleroi ultimately decided against signing the French player for fear of having to bear part of these sanctions.

Following the CJEU's decision known as the "Diarra ruling," FIFA adjusted its regulations on player transfers.

The Justice for Players Foundation also launched a class action lawsuit aimed at achieving greater fairness in transfers, an initiative joined by various national professional footballers' unions, including the French union (UNFP).


World Cup by the Numbers: 104 Matches, 48 Teams and 3 Countries Make This the Largest Ever

Workers are seen on a crane at Los Angeles Stadium (temporarily renamed from SoFi Stadium) ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Los Angeles on June 7, 2026. (AFP)
Workers are seen on a crane at Los Angeles Stadium (temporarily renamed from SoFi Stadium) ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Los Angeles on June 7, 2026. (AFP)
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World Cup by the Numbers: 104 Matches, 48 Teams and 3 Countries Make This the Largest Ever

Workers are seen on a crane at Los Angeles Stadium (temporarily renamed from SoFi Stadium) ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Los Angeles on June 7, 2026. (AFP)
Workers are seen on a crane at Los Angeles Stadium (temporarily renamed from SoFi Stadium) ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Los Angeles on June 7, 2026. (AFP)

This year's edition of the World Cup will be the biggest ever with an expanded field of 48 teams, three host countries and 16 stadiums staging the record 104 matches over the 39-day tournament.

The tournament being held in the United States, Canada and Mexico is the first since FIFA expanded the field from 32 teams to 48, adding four more groups in the initial stage and a new round of 32 in the knockout portion.

The World Cup last expanded for the 1998 tournament with the last seven editions featuring 32 teams and 64 games. This also marks just the second time that the tournament will be played in multiple countries with Japan and South Korea sharing the 2002 edition.

There will be 11 sites in the United States, with three in Mexico and two in Canada. Mexico will host 13 matches, including the opener in Mexico City on June 11 between the host team and South Africa and three in the knockout rounds.

Canada will also have 13 matches with the first coming between the hosts and Bosnia-Herzegovina on June 12 in Toronto and three more in the knockout round.

The remaining 78 will be in the US starting when the Americans take on Paraguay on June 12 in the Los Angeles area, and including all the matches in the quarterfinals, semifinals and the final round at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

Here's a look at some other stats to watch during the 2026 World Cup:

1,248 There are a record 1,248 players on the rosters coming from 449 domestic clubs in 71 countries. There are 357 players with World Cup experience, along with 891 first-timers.

England leads the way with 200 players on rosters who are based there at club level. Germany is second with 109, followed by France (86), Spain (86), Italy (71) and Saudi Arabia (49). Major League Soccer will be represented by a record 44 active players at the World Cup with 103 of the players having some experience in MLS.

Manchester City of the Premier League has the most players of any club with a record of 19, followed by Bayern Munich with 18, Champions League finalists Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal 16 and Barcelona with 15.

226 Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo leads all players in the tournament with 226 caps — the most ever by a single men's player — as he is set to join Argentina's Lionel Messi as the only players to appear in six World Cups.

Ronaldo is the only player to score in five World Cups with eight goals in his 22 matches.

Messi has the most career World Cup matches with 26 and needs two appearances to become the third man with at least 200 caps (Bader Al-Mutawa, Kuwait, also has more 200 appearances in international play). Croatia’s Luka Modric is three short of joining that group.

Mexico's Guillermo Ochoa is on a World Cup roster for the sixth time but didn't appear in a game in 2006 or 2010.

16 Miroslav Klose’s record of 16 career goals for Germany could jeopardy in this year’s edition. Messi comes into the tournament with 13 career goals, trailing only Klose, Brazilian star Ronaldo (15) and Gerd Muller (14). France’s Kylian Mbappe is also in range having scored 12 goals combined in the past two tournaments

8 Only eight countries have won the World Cup with six of those teams winning multiple titles led by Brazil's five. The only first-time winners in the last 11 Cups came in 1998 when France won the first of its two titles and in 2010 when Spain won it all.

2 Only two countries have repeated as champions with Pele leading Brazil to titles in 1958 and ‘62, and Italy winning it in 1934 and ’38. Three other defending champions made it to the title game, including France four years ago before losing to Argentina.

6 There have been six defending champions who failed to make it out of the group stage, including in three of the last four editions. France made it back to the final in 2022 but Italy (2010), Spain (2014) and Germany (2018) all got eliminated before the knockout rounds.

3 France will try to become the third county to make it to three straight finals after winning it in 2018 and losing in 2022. West Germany lost the final in 1982 and '86 before beating Argentina in 1990. Brazil had wins in 1994 and 2002 around a title game loss to France in 1998.

23 Brazil is the only country to appear in all 23 editions of the World Cup starting in 1930 in Uruguay. The Brazilians also lead all countries with 76 wins, 237 goals and a plus-129 goal differential. Germany is next in all three categories with 21 appearances, 232 goals and a plus-102 goal differential, including 10 appearances as West Germany before reunification.

4 There are four countries making their World Cup debuts with Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan and Uzbekistan the newcomers this time around. That will increase the total of countries to compete in the World Cup to 84 all-time.

7 Egypt has played seven World Cup matches without a win. The Egyptians are 0-5-2 and will try to break through starting June 15 against Belgium. The only country with more games and no wins is Honduras with nine. Honduras didn't qualify this year.

2,720 There have been 2,720 goals scored in 964 matches in the first 22 World Cups. With the additional 40 games, the record of 172 goals in a tournament set in Qatar in 2022 should be broken. The record of 5.38 combined goals per game set in 1954 should be safe.

25 There is more than 25 years separating the oldest player from the youngest. Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon will be 43 years and 162 days old on the first day of the tournament, while Mexico's Gilbert Mora will be 17 years, 240 days old.