Fourth seed Ekaterina Alexandrova needed three sets to edge past Stefanie Vogele in the round of 32 at the Luxembourg Open.

Russian Alexandrova was pushed to three sets by her Swiss opponent but ultimately outclassed Vogele to prevail 6-1 3-6 6-3 to book her place in the last 16.

She is joined there by compatriot Liudmila Samsonova, who overcame Misaki Doi 6-2 6-3, and eighth seed Alize Cornet, who beat Anastasia Potapova 6-4 6-2.

There were also wins for Clara Tauson, Jana Fett and Oceane Dodin.

At Zavarovalnica Sava Portoroz in Slovenia, meanwhile, there were victories for Viktoria Kuzmova, Sorana Cirstea and Lucia Bronzetti.

Each of the top three wide receivers taken in the 2021 NFL Draft entered Week 1 of the season facing pertinent questions. Could Ja'Marr Chase shake off his drop-laden preseason and revive his rapport with Joe Burrow? Can DeVonta Smith excel despite his slender frame? Will Jaylen Waddle be able to mesh with Tua Tagovailoa again amid concerns over his college quarterback's arm strength?

It is important not to be a prisoner of the Week 1 moment. With the opening slate of games notorious for enticing observers into mistaken conclusions.

However, after all three played major roles in wins for the Cincinnati Bengals, Philadelphia Eagles and Miami Dolphins, respectively, the answer to each of those queries is, for now, a confident yes.

The trio all found the endzone in their NFL debuts, making league history in the process.

Indeed, the 2021 season is the first in common-draft era in which three rookie wideouts that were each selected in the first round scored on a touchdown reception in Week 1.

And their performances provided plenty of encouragement they will each vindicate their lofty draft statuses.

Chase the ace

The highlight of Chase's 101-yard showing in Cincinnati's win over the Minnesota Vikings was a 50-yard touchdown catch from college team-mate Burrow on a perfectly thrown ball on which the fifth overall pick took advantage of soft coverage from Bashaud Breeland.

But a receiver whose ability to separate was questioned prior to the draft also excelled at getting free from coverage on third down. Registering a burn, which is when a receiver wins his matchup on a play where he is targeted, on four of his seven targets, Chase finished the game with 14.43 burn yards per target -- ninth among receivers who were thrown to at least five times -- with an average depth of target of 15.7 yards.

His debut effort and the numbers he produced should raise hopes he can rely more on his route-running to beat defenders rather than the physical approach that defined his success at LSU.

Crimson Tide connection returns

Separating from defenders was never an issue for Waddle at the college level, with preseason concerns aimed more at his quarterback than the former Alabama star.

As a rookie, Tagovailoa did not produce much to suggest he would gel with a speedster who won his matchup with a defender on 78.1 per cent of his 2020 targets and averaged 19.96 burn yards per target to lead the Power 5 in his final year with the Crimson Tide.

Yet this pair of college team-mates also had their connection from 2019 cooking again as the Dolphins knocked off the New England Patriots in Foxborough.

They did so largely through intelligently adapting Waddle's traits to the short passing game, giving him chances to run after the catch and using him in motion to stretch and deceive the Patriots' defense, as they did on his touchdown that eventually proved the game-winner.

There was also a play that could have been plucked straight from Waddle's Alabama tape as he got a step on a defender while running vertically and worked his way back to the ball, leaping over the covering cornerback for a 36-yard reception.

With a burn on four of his six targets and 13.09 burn yards per target, Waddle's numbers did not quite match up to those of Chase but, if he continues to stress defenses working horizontally and vertically, he will be a substantial asset to the Miami passing game. 

Smith shreds Falcons

Waddle will have hot competition for the title of best Alabama receiver from this draft, though, at least if Smith continues on his early trajectory from the Eagles' 32-6 defeat of the Atlanta Falcons.

Open on six of his eight targets, Smith's six-catch, 71-yard showing was not one in which he relied on his excellent route-running ability, instead finding holes in the Falcons' zone coverage in a game where he was a favoured receiver for Jalen Hurts, who was second among quarterbacks with at least 10 attempts with a well-thrown ball percentage of 87.5.

Yet his 19-yard touchdown offered a snapshot of what he can do in that regard as he patiently released to the outside against man coverage, sending his defender into a pick play from tight end Zach Ertz. With open space now at his disposal, Smith accelerated before expertly tracking the ball into his grasp in the corner of the endzone.

For both Smith and Waddle, their early success was a continuation of how they performed in college, while Chase demonstrated encouraging progress in an area of the game considered to be a weakness.

Selecting a wide receiver in the top 10 is considered a gamble by many but the early payout from this trio suggests they may prove worth the risk.

Mauricio Pochettino admitted he is lost for words when it comes to describing Lionel Messi but said the six-time Ballon d'Or winner has settled in quickly at Paris Saint-Germain ahead of his Champions League debut for the club.

PSG signed Messi in August when financial issues left Barcelona unable to retain him, and he played 24 minutes of his new club's Ligue 1 victory over Reims before the international break.

Messi, who won the Champions League four times with Barcelona, is set to make his bow in the competition for PSG against Club Brugge on Wednesday, and Pochettino told UEFA.com that he is preparing well.

When asked to describe his compatriot, Pochettino said: "I may not be the most appropriate person to describe him. There are many more people who have a wider vocabulary to describe him closer to the reality Leo deserves.

"He will always be considered among the best in the world. Since he arrived, he has really adapted very quickly and he's been training very well, trying to achieve his highest level as soon as possible to compete at his best.

"I didn't think it was possible [that he would sign for us], and when an opportunity appears and everything goes so fast, you can't immediately process it. However, there's that connection: we both are Argentinian, we both support Newell's [Old Boys], we both come from Rosario.

"I have also admired him for a long time when facing him as an opponent, so having him now training with us is really nice. We hope that, together, we will be able to achieve what the club desires."

Messi's experience in the Champions League is matched by team-mate Sergio Ramos, who won the competition four times before joining PSG from Real Madrid in July.

Pochettino, who admitted that most of the players in his squad deserve to be in his starting line-up, said Ramos would be able to guide younger colleagues through the pressurised environment of Europe's top competition.

"Sergio is also a player that we think can, given the possibility, convey his experience, his competitiveness," said Pochettino.

"He's a player that has also won everything, just like Leo.

"It's good having him at the club for all that he can share with his team-mates: all that experience he gained at Real Madrid."

Shock US Open champion Emma Raducanu has what it takes to win Wimbledon in the future, according to British great Virginia Wade.

Raducanu, 18, beat fellow debutant finalist Leylah Fernandez 6-4 6-3 on Saturday to become the first qualifier – male or female – in tennis history to win a grand slam final.

The British sensation – the youngest women's grand slam finalist since a 17-year-old Maria Sharapova took the title at Wimbledon in 2004 – did not lose a set in 10 matches across qualifying and the main draw, becoming the first player since Serena Williams in 2014 to win the US Open without dropping a single set.

The triumph also saw her become the first British woman to win a major tournament since Wade claimed the Wimbledon crown 44 years ago.

Raducanu reached the last 16 of this year's Wimbledon – her only other grand slam appearance – before pulling out of the competition due to medical reasons.

Wade, who was in attendance for the final at Arthur Ashe Stadium, believes Raducanu has all the attributes to follow in her footsteps and win British tennis' showpiece tournament during what she predicts will be a glittering career.

"I see her winning Wimbledon some time," Wade exclusively told Stats Perform. "I don't have a crystal ball, so I don't know when.

"I feel sure her time will come. She's just too good not to.

"Physically she's wonderful, she's the right height, has long legs, moves smoothly and is very quick from left to right.

"She's light on her feet, reads the ball well, her serve is terrific and her groundstrokes are solid.

"She's got balance out there and her concentration and determination are important factors as well."

Fernandez, 19, defeated top five trio Naomi Osaka, Elina Svitolina and Aryna Sabalenka along with three-time major winner Angelique Kerber on her way to Saturday's final.

And although she succumbed to a straight sets defeat, Wade believes the Canadian, along with Raducanu, will dominate the women's game for years to come.

"They're both absolutely terrific players and they enchanted everybody," she added. "Everybody was thrilled with them.

"You only get these extra special players once in a decade or once every two decades.

"In the women's game we have a really solid block of really good players. In my mind there are six to 10 players who will have to share the hardware in the next five to 10 years because they are all good. It's impossible for someone to win them all.

"Emma and Leylah will have their fair share of winning, and probably more than the others, being at the top and being feared."

Chelsea are investigating a video circulating on social media in which an individual can be heard using abusive language of a sectarian nature.

The footage was taken during Saturday's 3-0 win over Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge, with visiting midfielder John McGinn heard being subjected to a volley of vile taunts when taking a corner.

The Blues released a statement on Monday asking for information to try and help find the perpetrator, vowing to take the strongest possible action against anyone found guilty.

"We are aware of a video circulating on social media showing an individual using abusive language of a sectarian nature in the crowd at Stamford Bridge on Saturday," the statement read.

"Chelsea Football Club finds all forms of discriminatory behaviour totally unacceptable and we condemn the language used.

"The club is working to identify the person involved and will take the strongest possible action against them. Any supporter who was present in that area of the ground and has information that can assist the club's investigation should contact the club via our discrimination reporting line."

Edinson Cavani will miss Manchester United's Champions League clash with Young Boys, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer confirming the striker suffered a slight strain in a friendly.

Cavani was not included as United went top of the Premier League in a 4-1 win over Newcastle United at Old Trafford on Saturday.

The Uruguay star has played only once this season and will not feature when United look to make a winning start to their European campaign in Switzerland.

Speaking at a media conference, Solskjaer told reporters: "Edi is hopefully back with us soon, he had a slight strain during the international break in a behind-closed-doors game. He's working hard to come back."

United, though, will have Cristiano Ronaldo at their disposal to potentially equal Iker Casillas' record of 177 Champions League appearances after he made it a second debut to remember against Newcastle following his move back to Old Trafford from Juventus.

The former Real Madrid star marked his return with a brace, his typically ruthless finishing looking like it will make United a force to be reckoned with after a transfer window in which they also added Raphael Varane and Jadon Sancho.

Asked about the quality he now has in his ranks, Solskjaer said: "This team has grown and matured over the last few seasons, that was always the plan.

"When I came in, we wanted a team with experience and quality who could challenge. David [de Gea] sat next to me, Harry [Maguire] has been here for a few years now, Raphael and Cristiano. We've learned."

Ronaldo's return and subsequent immediate impact has clearly increased the feel-good factor around United, with De Gea speaking to the influence he has had in a short space of time.

He said: "It's great to have Cristiano back home — the experience of Cristiano is amazing, he's a legend at the club already and it's great to have him back. It's massive for us."

United won each of their previous two Champions League clashes against Young Boys in the Champions League in 2018-19. Tuesday's opponents have won only one of their eight games against English opposition, but Solskjaer is not taking them lightly after Switzerland's shock win over France at Euro 2020.

"I was very impressed by the reaction in the game against France, when they were 3-1 down and you could see their quality when they turned that game around," said Solskjaer.

"I managed Molde against Basel and the game against Italy was impressive as well. Some of those players will be against us tomorrow."

Trey Lance's first competitive game since 2019 was in keeping with his brief but spectacular college career. He threw a touchdown pass and he won.

The rookie third-round pick of the San Francisco 49ers did not contribute much to victory beyond that five-yard throw to Trent Sherfield, Jimmy Garoppolo leading the Niners to a 41-33 victory over the Detroit Lions. Yet he was happy to see the field in meaningful action having seen his 2020 season with North Dakota State wiped out due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"I had no idea when or if I was going to play," Lance said in his post-game media conference.

"Obviously I was hoping I would get to get on the field and just help, but at the same time, my role is just to be ready whenever my name is called.

"It just felt great to be out there again, and obviously it feels good to be 1-0."

Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan said of Lance's involvement: "I actually didn't think we would do it on the first drive, but you get into some situations, and that's all play calling is to tell you the truth.

"We'll always have some stuff in for Trey. When your number two quarterback has a skillset that the number one doesn't do in terms of being a threat to run, there's always an option of different plays you can run.

"So we'll have that up at all times while Trey's here. While he's the number two that'll always be an option. But if the one ever gets hurt, then you have to open everything up."

Shanahan confirmed cornerback Jason Verrett is believed to have suffered a torn ACL, his injury preceding a Lions comeback effort from 41-17 down that set up a nervy finish for San Francisco.

"It's crushing. I'm hoping for the best, but it's crushing," said Shanahan, who expects recent cornerback signing Josh Norman to be ready for Week 2 against the Philadelphia Eagles but also confirmed he had spoken with Richard Sherman and that bringing him back is a possibility.

Ben Chilwell was left "mentally tired" by the personal disappointment of playing no part for England at Euro 2020 and must be patient in his pursuit of minutes with Chelsea, says boss Thomas Tuchel.

Chilwell played a starring role in the Blues' Champions League final win over Manchester City just four months ago and was a mainstay in Chelsea's XI when Tuchel was appointed Frank Lampard's successor in January.

However, that triumph in Lisbon was surprisingly the full-back's last competitive match, with Gareth Southgate not using Chilwell at all during England's run to the final of Euro 2020, and Marcos Alonso playing in Chelsea's four Premier League games and European Super Cup win.

Blues boss Tuchel says the early season form of Alonso has made Chilwell's situation even more difficult but is confident he will come back fighting.

"It has been difficult for him. It's pretty normal, he came from the Champions League win and 90 minutes and a strong performance and had a strong end to the season with many important games on a high level," Tuchel said ahead of the start of Chelsea's Champions League defence against Zenit.

"Then it was personally a tough Euros, there were chances when he thought he could have played. Personally, I know it was a tough one, you feel he did everything to push the team, you don't feel it if you don't sweat it out and put on the shirt. 

"Then to keep also training for four-five weeks continuously, then he had a break, it's hard to totally relax and get this personal disappointment off the shoulders. 

"When he arrived back here, I felt him a bit mentally tired, a bit still worrying about the situation. At the same time he had to accept he was very unlucky I think during the start of the season because Marcos was here all pre-season, did every session, and took the opportunity so, so great with a great attitude, he was crucial to us and delivered in Chilly's situation. 

"I had some talks with Chilly and in the same situation he knows I would have done the same thing if the situation was the other way around. They push each other, I have no further worries with Chilly.

"He has to be patient, keep training, I had to give him a little time to be patient with himself to find joy again and find things a little easier on the pitch, not force it too hard. This is where we are now. 

"Unfortunately, we only had three subs in the last three games otherwise he would have had some minutes."

With Chelsea able to name 12 substitutes against Zenit, the likes of Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Ross Barkley and Malang Sarr may have the opportunity to press home a case for minutes.

Tuchel says anyone in the squad must be ready to play at any moment.

"It's very easy. If you get registered, it's your duty to be ready. When you get dressed at Chelsea every day, it's your duty to be ready," he added.

"When you step in the building and training pitch, you have to be ready. It's the baseline for everything. No one gets a gift here. 

"Malang is here, Ruben is here, Ross was in the squad against Aston Villa. We have a tight group, a high-quality group, they did now a first step and for whatever reason they did not find other clubs, or accept other clubs, now they deserve the next steps and to be part of this group. Once you're in this group, you have to match high expectations we have on ourselves. 

"You have to be ready, when in the group you have to be match ready, I have the feeling they are. 

"They are showing good mentality and put personal situations aside. From here no promises are made but anything could happen."

Thomas Tuchel rates winning the Champions League with Chelsea as his greatest achievement as a coach but challenged his Blues side to prove they have the hunger to keep on claiming the game's biggest prizes.

Kai Havertz scored the only goal of the game as Chelsea became European champions for the second time by beating Manchester City 1-0 in May's final in Lisbon.

It marked an impressive triumph for Tuchel, who had only replaced Frank Lampard at the Stamford Bridge helm in January.

But the German is keen for his squad to now refocus and create a culture of winning.

"I would say yes [it's my biggest achievement] but in general I find it pretty hard to rate achievements because who wants to be the judge and who wants to know?" Tuchel said ahead of Chelsea's Champions League opener against Zenit on Tuesday.

"I tried together with my staff to be the very best I can and get the best out of my teams. I did it as an Under-14 coach in the youth academy and I do it now. 

"To the outside, speaking of trophies it's obviously the biggest title I won so far. It was a huge night and big experience. It feels a long time ago, it feels necessary it feels like that."

Tuchel accepts becoming a Champions League-winning coach has altered his own mentality but says nothing changes in terms of having a desire for success.

"Some days I felt different, yes, I felt really good. It's a tough one, I think that in the end nothing is like winning. I was lucky to reach the final the season before [with PSG] and I had the feeling it's a big achievement.

"But not to do the last step is a huge difference when you realise what it means when you do it, the perception from outside, the joy, the confidence the team gets from winning it.

"We had the feeling to qualify for the semi-final and final. It's a big step but, when you win it, nothing compares. It changes for everybody. 

"The most important thing is not to look back, to keep the hunger, winning keeps the hunger, it's addictive, this game is about winning. Winning changes feelings, the atmosphere in the building, the work atmosphere and gives you natural confidence. 

"At the same time it is absolutely necessary to forget it, to start from scratch and to have hunger and that mentality again. It's what I feel, I demand it from myself and everyone else around that we don't change in terms of hunger, we will have this experience together forever, we can create a bond together but it's about looking forward in sports."

Tuchel also insists last season's surprise win was in no way tainted by the fact he took over from Frank Lampard midway through the season.

"It was never a problem for me to accept and totally accept the work from Frank he did throughout the group stage, this is what I accepted when I came in," he added.

"It still feels like my title, not half a title. I still accept Frank has his part. During the final I was still responsible and during the knockout stage.

"It felt like my team, we were all together. It does not mean we deny the work and effort Frank did. Do I feel like I have something to prove? No, this has nothing to do with it."

Barcelona host Bayern Munich as two Champions League heavyweights headline the first round of matchday one fixtures on Tuesday.

Barca will be without Lionel Messi for a European campaign for the first time since 2003-04 as they seek revenge against the Bundesliga outfit.

Manchester United – armed with the competition's all-time leading scorer Cristiano Ronaldo – travel to Young Boys while reigning champions Chelsea begin at home to Zenit.

Italian giants Juventus make the trip to Sweden's most successful team Malmo, who are making their first appearance in the group stage since 2015-16 following their title win in 2020.

Here, Stats Perform takes a look at the key Opta data ahead of Tuesday's fixtures.

Barcelona v Bayern Munich: Blaugrana out to make amends

Barcelona and Bayern Munich have not met in the group stages since 1998-99, but the Bundesliga side did inflict Barca's heaviest defeat since April 1951 with an 8-2 crushing in 2019-20's quarter-finals.

There are remarkable records at stake for both sides as well, Bayern boasting the longest unbeaten away run in the history of the competition (18), while Barca are unbeaten in their last 22 group-stage openers – stretching back to 1997-98.

However, Julian Nagelsmann's side have won 17 opening games in a row and they also have Robert Lewandowski to call upon, the forward scoring 28 times since the start of 2018-19 – eight more than any other Champions League player.

Young Boys v Manchester United: Ronaldo returns for another record

Young Boys have won only one of 13 games against English opponents in European competition as they prepare for Manchester United, who have lost just one of their last 21 openers.

However, United have been beaten in six of their 10 Champions League matches under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – as many as they did in their last 20 under Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho.

Having not appeared for the Red Devils in 12 years and 110 days – the fourth longest gap between appearances for the same club – Cristiano Ronaldo could equal the all-time appearance record in the Champions League, moving level with Iker Casillas on 177.

Chelsea v Zenit: History favours the champions

The reigning Champions League champions have only lost two of 27 games when starting their title defence, with no side ever losing a home game immediately following continental success.

Zenit face an uphill battle, given they are winless in their last seven fixtures, while Chelsea are unbeaten in 11 games in the group stage.

Indeed, the Blues are unbeaten in six matches against Russian teams and, since the start of last season, no team have lost fewer matches (1) or kept more clean sheets (9).

Malmo v Juventus: Allegri's away-day specialists

Tuesday will be Malmo head coach Jon Dahl Tomasson's managerial debut in the competition after last appearing as a player for Milan in the 2005 final.

The hosts, though, have scored just three goals across 10 previous appearances, while Juventus have won their last five group stage away games.

The visitors will also have Alvaro Morata available, the forward one of only three Spaniards to score more than 20 Champions League goals after netting six times in eight matches last term.

Other fixtures:

Dynamo Kyiv v Benfica

143 – Dynamo Kyiv manager Mircea Lucescu (76) and Benfica's Jorge Jesus' (67) combined age of 143 is the oldest of two managers to face off in the Champions League.

25 – The hosts are one of 25 teams to play 100 or more fixtures in the competition, but they have the third worst loss percentage (49) behind Olympiacos (52) and Galatasaray (51).

Lille v Wolfsburg

1 – Lille have only managed one win against German opposition in nine attempts in European competition, last prevailing in 2002.

5 – Wolfsburg have won five of their last six Champions League games and have scored twice in four of those victories.

Sevilla v Red Bull Salzburg

64 – Sevilla's Youssef En-Nesyri is averaging a Champions League goal every 64 minutes, recording three braces for his six goals in eight games last campaign.

2 – Red Bull Salzburg have only won two of their last 15 matches in the competition, but both of them have come away from home against Genk and Lokomotiv Moscow.

Villarreal v Atalanta

15 – Villarreal forward Gerard Moreno has 15 Europa League goals but has never played in Europe's premier competition – since 1992-93 only three players have scored more and not played in the Champions League.

5 – Atalanta have won five of their last six away games, only losing against Real Madrid, while they have also progressed from their two previous group stage campaigns.

Ronald Koeman believes Barcelona have a "unique opportunity" for revenge as they prepare to host Bayern Munich in Tuesday's first round of Champions League matches.

The last time the two teams met, the visitors inflicted Barca's heaviest defeat since April 1951 in an 8-2 thrashing in the 2019-20 Champions League quarter-final.

Bayern have won also each of their last 17 openers in the competition since 2003-04, but Barca are unbeaten in their last 22 such fixtures – a run stretching back to 1997-98.

And Koeman is looking forward to the test against Julian Nagelsmann's side as the Catalan club prepare for their first Champions League campaign since 2003-04 without Lionel Messi, who departed for Paris Saint-Germain in August.

"Tomorrow we have the first Champions League game and we are changing things," Koeman told Monday's pre-match news conference.

"Chelsea won last year and was not among the two or three favourites. We know that Bayern is a great team, with individual quality and experienced people.

"We want to compete in the Champions League and we play at home. We will try to get a good result to start the Champions League.

"It's been more than a year and several players suffered a lot in that game [the 8-2 loss]. We have a unique opportunity. We can hurt Bayern and we have a good team. We have to look for our style to hurt the opposition."

Sergio Busquets started in midfield in the crushing defeat, but he is expecting a different challenge with Nagelsmann at the helm.

"They have a new coach and he will try to play his way," Busquets told reporters. "He has kept the entire squad, except for some who have stayed on the road like Thiago.

"He will surely try to win. What happened was difficult to accept, but the world of football is like that. Time has passed and we are psyched that it will be different."

Asked to discuss his team's Champions League hopes following Messi's departure, the midfielder said: "Anything can happen in football. Chelsea won the Champions League and were not favourites.

"The important thing is the collective level and we know that we do not have Leo [Messi] or his individualities.

"We are here, excited and we are aware of the difficulty, but we have a lot of ambition and we want to win."

The Chicago Bears played both quarterbacks in their season-opening loss to the Los Angeles Rams, but Justin Fields was the only one to score a touchdown in a game that will increase calls to start him over Andy Dalton.

Dalton saw the vast majority of the snaps as the Bears were swept aside 34-14 by the Rams on Sunday, throwing for 206 yards and an interception.

However, Bears fans saw an exciting glimpse of their future as Fields scampered in for a three-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. He also completed a pair of passes for 10 yards.

Head coach Matt Nagy confirmed using both quarterbacks was always in their plans, despite him having declared Dalton the starter, but did not offer any hint as to whether Fields will see more game time in the coming weeks after his intriguing cameo.

"We had the plan and we stuck to our plan," Nagy said. "We knew where and when we were going to use him and we stuck to that.

"And so, we'll see where that goes and how we do it. But I think we all understand that for us, strategically, we'll see where we go with that — without giving anything away.

"Really, the very first play when he went out there and was able to make a throw — and that was an RPO. So he made a decision to throw the ball off of a look that we had.

"So right there to start the game, I thought that was great. And then he was involved on the sideline. And then when we got down into the red zone at times, we had a couple things in for him that worked and some that didn't work. But when he got down in the red zone, he did some great things there, too.

"So we've just got to keep having him grow and keep staying positive. But he's certainly a weapon."

Ronald Koeman claimed he has no issues with Barcelona president Joan Laporta after suggestions of a fractured relationship between the pair.

Barca limped to a third-place finish last term in LaLiga – seven points behind champions Atletico Madrid – and were knocked out in the last-16 stages of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain.

Laporta subsequently undertook a managerial replacement search in June before deciding to stick with Koeman, who said to NOS some of his president's previous comments were "not wise".

However, ahead of the Champions League clash with Bayern Munich on Tuesday, the Catalan club's head coach offered assurances on his relationship with Laporta.

"Our relationship is good," Koeman told Monday's pre-match news conference. "If there are things, we talk about them.

"We want the best of the club, which is always the most important thing.

"I don't have a problem with the president and we talk about things about the club, a perfect relationship for me. We've had little things, but we're fine."

Koeman, who lost Blaugrana legend Lionel Messi from his squad in August to PSG amid financial complications with LaLiga, has afforded numerous youngsters an opportunity in the opening games.

Indeed, Barca have utilised the most Under-21 players among Spanish top-flight squads so far (eight) as Koeman feels this is his best option with all the financial issues surrounding the club.

"The only thing I have said is that I am a coach who gives opportunities to young players," Koeman responded when asked about his NOS interview.

"You never know if another coach will give as many opportunities as we do. I am a coach and I seek the best for the club.

"We know it is a complicated situation, but we are improving things and one of these is giving opportunities to young people, who are the future of the club."

And after suggesting the club had a future thanks to his work, Koeman backtracked on his comments slightly: "My future is not important, the future of the club and the team is important. Tomorrow we have an opportunity to compete.

"Being a Barcelona coach is winning games and we are at a time when we have to work."