Harry Kane says Manchester City attacker Erling Haaland is a "fantastic" player but the Tottenham forward is not getting caught up in comparisons or speculation over his own future amid links with Bayern Munich.

The England captain was linked to Pep Guardiola's side last year in a high-profile transfer saga, with a move from north London ultimately failing to materialise after Spurs refused to let him go.

Since then, former Borussia Dortmund striker Haaland has arrived at the Etihad Stadium, ripping up the record books in the Premier League and making his presence felt in Europe too.

Ahead of Wednesday's home Champions League encounter with Eintracht Frankfurt, Kane did not wish to focus on his rivals or what might have been for his own career.

Instead, he would prefer to solve his own continental drought as he still awaits is first goal of the European campaign, though he admits Haaland is in superlative form.

"I'm not someone who likes to think or talk about other players too much," Kane said. 

"He's had a fantastic start to the season, full credit to him, but I can't control that, so I'm concentrating on what I can do.

"I'm helping the team in any way possible, it has been going well so far in the Premier League and I want to score a few more goals in the Champions League for sure.

"People are talking about him [Haaland] and rightly so, he's had a fantastic start. But we've got a long way to go, and there's a lot of games coming up, so I'm concentrating on what I can do."

A clash with a Bundesliga foe has reignited talk of Kane's other heavily linked suitor, in German champions Bayern, but the forward brushed off any discussion of a move, though he was complimentary of the Bavarians. 

"I’m focused on Tottenham Hotspur and trying to do my best for us," he added.

"Bayern are a top, top club - but all my concentration is on Tottenham and trying to win on [Wednesday] night."

Kane's lacklustre form in Europe has left boss Antonio Conte unconcerned, with the Italian noting that the forward continues to build upon his promise with every match.

"You know his form, Harry has started the season really well," Conte said. 

"For us, he is a really important player. He has to continue to work in the way he is working. Every day we have this possibility to improve ourselves and my demands are very high."

Erling Haaland was named among Manchester City's substitutes for Tuesday's Champions League tie against Copenhagen in a rare rest for the prolific striker ahead of next weekend's showdown with Liverpool.

The Norway international had started all 13 of City's matches since joining from Borussia Dortmund in the close season, scoring a remarkable 20 goals and breaking a number of records along the way.

However, Pep Guardiola left Haaland out of his starting line-up to face Copenhagen as one of five changes from the 4-0 win over Southampton at the weekend.

Julian Alvarez was brought into the side to lead the attack – just his third start of the season – while  Aymeric Laporte, Sergio Gomez, Ilkay Gundogan and Jack Grealish were also recalled.

Nathan Ake, Ruben Dias, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva joined Haaland in dropping to the bench at the Parken Stadium, with City operating in a 4-3-3 formation.

City entered the match in the Danish capital knowing a fourth win out of four in Group G would send them through to the knockout phase with two matches to spare.

Guardiola's men turn focus back to Premier League matters on Sunday with a trip to out-of-form Liverpool, who have been their perennial rivals for the title over the past four years.

Copenhagen XI: Grabara; Lund, Khocholava, Boilesen; Jelert, Stamenic, Lerager, Kristiansen; Claesson, Haraldsson, Daramy.
Subs: Johnsson, Ryan, Diks, Sorensen, Johanneson, Mukairu, Ankersen, Clem, Roony.

Manchester City XI: Ederson; Cancelo, Akanji, Laporte, Gomez; Rodrigo, Gundogan (c), De Bruyne; Mahrez, Grealish, Alvarez.
Subs: Ortega Moreno, Carson, Dias, Ake, Haaland, Silva, Foden, Palmer, Lewis, Wilson-Esbrand.

Xavi warned Barcelona they have "no margin for error" in Wednesday's Champions League meeting with Inter, declaring only a win will do for the Blaugrana at Camp Nou.

Hakan Calhanoglu's long-range strike condemned Barca to their second defeat in three Champions League outings last week, leaving them three points adrift of the Nerazzurri in Group C.

That defeat was just the second Barca have suffered in 11 Champions League meetings with Inter (W6 D3), but another reverse would see them eliminated if Bayern Munich avoid defeat to Viktoria Plzen.

The importance of the occasion was not lost on Xavi at his pre-match news conference, where the former midfielder outlined his team's desire for retribution.

"We expect an Inter very similar to the one in Milan. They will form the lower block, the middle block, we have alternatives, we have prepared them," Xavi said.

"It is a final, and we have no margin for error. With the help of the fans, we hope there will be a magical night.

"We must not lower our guard; there is talent, there is a desire for revenge, so we have to give everything so that the victory stays here.

"I would like to be a player tomorrow, I would rather be a player than a coach tomorrow. For me, it is a very good opportunity. We are motivated and hopeful."

Xavi described the decision to deny Pedri a second-half equaliser last week as an "injustice" after Ansu Fati was penalised for handball, but the Blaugrana coach says his team must make the officials' performances immaterial by improving.

"We had a logical outrage after the game, but that's it. Tomorrow it's time to play better," Xavi added. "If we improve the game, maybe we won't talk about the referees."

Inter's tally of 0.18 expected goals (xG) in last week's victory was the lowest of any team to have won a Champions League game this season, and Xavi knows Barcelona must remain patient in the return fixture.

"It's a game to be calm, to know how to position yourself, you don't have to score in minute one. We have to try not to feel the pressure, I always tell them that the pressure is on me," he added.

"You have to be patient, but if we attack like in the second half in Milan, I'm optimistic. We have to be more aggressive. Only three points are worth it for us, we have to be brave."

Meanwhile, Barcelona have been beset by defensive injuries recently, and while Jules Kounde is unlikely to feature on Wednesday, Xavi hopes he will return to face Real Madrid on Sunday.

"We don't count on him except for a surprise, for Sunday we will see. He can make it, but it will depend on his feelings," Xavi added. "I see him well, training hard, positive, my feeling is that he can make it to Sunday."

The France 2023 Rugby World Cup chief executive Claude Atcher has been dismissed after an investigation into workplace malpractice.

Atcher, who also helped previously secure hosting rights for the 2007 edition, was suspended in August following allegations made over his management style in a L'Equipe article in June.

According to the report, Atcher's approach led to some employees suffering panic attacks.

An investigation by the French Labour Inspectorate has since concluded, with the decision made by the varying bodies behind the France 2023 bid to dismiss Atcher.

"Following this Board meeting, Mr Claude Atcher’s suspension was unanimously ratified by France 2023's founding members: the Fédération Française de Rugby (FFR), the French State, and the French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF)," read an official statement issued on Tuesday.

"Taking note of the report's conclusions, France 2023's Board of Directors has decided to terminate the contract of its CEO, Mr Claude Atcher."

Julien Collette, Atcher's former deputy general director, has been appointed as his replacement.

France will kick off next year's tournament on September 8 against New Zealand, with Les Bleus out to claim their first title after reaching the final on three previous occasions, most recently in 2011.

Shaheen Shah Afridi will join up with the Pakistan squad in Brisbane on Saturday ahead of the T20 World Cup after recovering from a knee injury.

The paceman has been out since July due to a knee ligament injury, but he completed his rehabilitation programme at Premier League football club Crystal Palace in London.

Afridi is available for Pakistan's World Cup warm-up games against England and Afghanistan next week.

The left-arm quick's fitness will be assessed prior to Pakistan's first game of the tournament versus fierce rivals India at the MCG on October 23.

Afridi said: "I am super-excited at the prospects of rejoining the national side for the T20 World Cup and playing my part in our Australia campaign. It has been a difficult period for me to be miles away from the game and the team I love the most, and not be part of some gruelling and exciting matches.

"I have been bowling six to eight overs trouble-free for the past 10 days with full run-up and pace. While I have enjoyed bowling and batting in the nets, nothing can replace the feel of the match environment and I can't wait to be in that setting.

"It has been a rigorous and challenging rehabilitation programme, but I have thoroughly enjoyed it. To be honest, I am feeling fitter than ever before and can't wait to wear the playing kit and fire a few thunderbolts.

"I want to thank the PCB medical advisory committee as well as Crystal Palace FC for allowing me to use their outstanding facilities and looking after me so well during the rehabilitation programme."

Opening batter Fakhar Zaman, one of three travelling reserves, will also fly to Brisbane this weekend to complete his rehabilitation after he was also sidelined by a knee injury.

Kylian Mbappe has been told to "grow up" and be more of a team player, with former France star Emmanuel Petit saying the Paris Saint-Germain striker's behaviour "annoys everyone".

France international Mbappe was linked with a move away from PSG on Tuesday, as Spanish newspaper Marca claimed his relationship with the Ligue 1 club has broken down.

It was reported Mbappe would be keen to move in January, despite only signing a new contract at the end of last season.

The deal came amid strong interest from Real Madrid, with Mbappe agreeing hugely lucrative terms to remain at PSG rather than depart as a free agent at the end of his contract.

He deleted an Instagram post recently that appeared to be critical of his role in coach Christophe Galtier's team, with Mbappe giving the impression he is displeased at being used as a lone out-and-out striker.

Speaking to RMC Sport, former Arsenal and Barcelona midfielder Petit said: "In recent weeks, I find him off-topic in his communication. I find that he is moving more and more from the central subject, which is the game and the pitch. He is making it more and more a personal business.

"Of course, I hear rumours that promises have not been kept, but I want to tell him: 'Kylian, grow up, that's life.'

"It's the same every day. You are made promises that no one keeps most of the time, does that mean you have to stop working and question everything? Of course not.

"It's called everyday life, the life of grown-ups, that of adults. Kylian, the sooner you have solved your problems with yourself, the sooner your performance will be felt on the pitch and your relationships with the public and your team-mates will find a certain appeasement."

There remains a clamour in Madrid for Mbappe to join Los Blancos, but there would need to be a huge shift in PSG's position for that to be an option before the end of next season.

At the same time, any sign of a dispirited Mbappe could have serious consequences for team morale.

Mbappe had 60 goals involvements in 46 games for PSG last season, with 39 goals and 21 assists.

This term, he has 11 goals from 12 games but has yet to have an assist, and he has often been outperformed by team-mate Neymar, who has managed 11 goals and nine assists in 14 appearances, while Lionel Messi also has eight goals and eight assists.

Mbappe, perhaps thinking he was going to be the main man this season, has been frequently overshadowed by others, making just about as many headlines for his perceived unhappiness as for his football.

He was due to be in action for PSG against Benfica on Tuesday in the Champions League, ahead of a Ligue 1 'Classique' against Marseille on Sunday.

"He annoys everyone today," said Petit. "He constantly makes it a personal matter.

"He even puts himself above the institution. Has everything that happened in recent months gone to his head?"

Missing out on the knockout stages of the Champions League last season – the first time that had happened since the 2003-04 campaign – was considered the ultimate humiliation for Barcelona. 

At a time when they were struggling domestically on the back of losing their greatest player of all time, and with their bleak financial situation there for all to see, finishing behind Benfica to drop into the Europa League was a nadir in the post-Messi era.

Almost a year on from then, with Xavi now settled in the technical area after replacing Ronald Koeman, things are a lot brighter for Barca both on and off the field. But while they may be top of LaLiga after a fine start to the campaign, they are once again at risk of missing out on post-Christmas football in UEFA's showpiece club competition.

Anything other than victory over Inter at Camp Nou on Wednesday would effectively eliminate them from top-two contention, with Bayern Munich looking good value to seal first place, though history is certainly on their side heading into the vital match.

While Xavi will no doubt have one eye on Sunday's top-of-the-table Clasico with Real Madrid, the visit of Inter is just as – or even more – important than what is to come later in the week.

Barca banked on reaching the latter stages of the Champions League when it came to predicting their financial future earlier this year, and anything less would leave the club desperately trying to generate funds through other avenues – if any even still exist at this point.

The Catalan giants have plenty of reasons to be positive ahead of facing Inter, though, even if they did lose 1-0 in the reverse fixture last week to slip three points behind their second-place opponents.

Here, Stats Perform looks at how Group C is shaping up at the midway point and exactly why Barca have what it takes to turn their European campaign around and still qualify for the knockout stages.

A MUST-WIN MATCH

Barcelona kicked off their Champions League season with an emphatic 5-1 win over bottom seeds Viktoria Plzen, with that their third of four victories in a row in all competitions in a fast start to the 2022-23 campaign.

A 2-0 loss at Bayern, in which Robert Lewandowski missed a couple of presentable opportunities against his former side with the game scoreless, halted their momentum somewhat and set up an intriguing trip to Inter, who had themselves lost to Bayern and defeated Plzen.

Should Group C follow that pattern – and there is every reason that could happen given Bayern's dominant European form and Plzen's struggles in the competition proper – Wednesday's clash is simply must win from Barca's perspective, and must-not-lose for Inter.

That is what made Hakan Calhanoglu's winning strike in last week's fixture at San Siro so important, though Barca had every right to feel aggrieved with the scoreline come the end of a game in which they had 72 per cent of the ball.

Inter attempted just five shots and accumulated an expected goals (xG) return of 0.18, with that the lowest of any team to have won a match in the Champions League this season. For context, Barca had an xG of 0.47 – by no means a huge figure in its own right, but enough to highlight they created higher-quality chances.

RETURN OF LEWANGOALSKI?

It was ultimately Inter who came away with three vital points, with that Calhanoglu winner coming from an xG of 0.067, to leave the pressure on Barcelona when the sides reconvene in Catalonia.

It also meant Xavi became the first Barcelona coach to lose his first three Champions League away matches, but Barca have been dominant on their own patch this season, winning each of their past four outings and scoring 13 goals – seven of those coming via Lewandowski.

Lewandowski has had a couple of off days on the continent since scoring a treble against Plzen, following up a profligate display at Bayern with a quiet outing against Inter in which he had just one shot.

However, not since between August and October 2020, a run that started in Bayern's Champions League final win over Paris Saint-Germain, has Lewandowski gone three-straight matches without finding the net in the competition.

INTER'S CAMP NOU STRUGGLES

Barcelona's strong home form in European competition extends beyond this season, though their terrible time of things under Koeman has somewhat blemished what is otherwise a pretty formidable record.

The LaLiga giants have lost only three of their past 44 home matches in the Champions League, winning 36 of those. Their only three losses in that run came in the six matches Koeman oversaw.

Inter have lost on seven of their past eight trips to Spain in the competition since their most recent such win against Valencia in 2004, meanwhile, a run that includes defeats to Barca in the 2018-19 and 2019-20 campaigns.

Indeed, the Italians have lost all five away matches against Barca in the Champions League, failing to score in four of those and netting only once in total. That makes Camp Nou their least favourite ground on the continent.

Such runs are there to be broken, of course, and Inter enter the game on the back of much-needed back-to-back wins, but the omens certainly favour the home team in this battle of the heavyweights – a contest that could yet define Barca's season as they aim to kick-start their European campaign and make amends for last year's humbling early exit.

Jurgen Klopp's faltering form at Liverpool could lead to discussions over his position at the club, believes former Reds midfielder Dietmar Hamann.

Klopp, who took charge at Anfield in October 2015, has led the club to a modern revival as a Premier League powerhouse, claiming all three major domestic honours and the UEFA Champions League during his tenure.

Last term, an EFL Cup and FA Cup double was almost transformed into a historic quadruple, with the club just edged in the top flight by Manchester City and downed in another European final by Real Madrid.

The potential emotional hangover of that campaign looks to have played a major part in a lethargic start this term that has them arguably out of the title race already, and Hamann fears for the 55-year-old's future.

"At some stage, I think we will have that discussion about the manager, and I'm not sure how far we are off that," he told Talksport.

"What they achieved and what they did last year was second to none. I don't think that will be achieved again, to be within seven days of winning all four trophies.

"I think that psychologically it was always going to be tough this season. This Liverpool team looks tired, they look pedestrian, and they just look flat. I'm not sure where the spark is going to come from.

"[Klopp] said that he still feels that he's the right man to do it, but I see little things.This is something that we haven’t seen at Liverpool for five years.

"The dynamics at Liverpool are no different to anywhere else and if the results aren't there then the manager will come under pressure."

Celtic have been fined €15,000 (£13,168) by UEFA over an anti-monarchy banner displayed in last month's Champions League game against Shakhtar Donetsk following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

A number of banners referencing the Queen's passing could be seen in the Celtic end at Polish Army Stadium in Warsaw, where the sides played out a 1-1 draw on September 14.

UEFA opened disciplinary proceedings against the Scottish champions the following day.

The European football governing body announced on Tuesday that Celtic must pay a fine for the use of "a provocative banner" containing a "message not fit for a sports event".

It had already been announced Celtic's rivals Rangers would not face any punishment for defying UEFA's orders by playing the national anthem as part of a tribute to the Queen before their 3-0 loss to Napoli.

Tottenham striker Harry Kane "must be sick" of seeing Erling Haaland regularly break goal records at Manchester City, according to Rio Ferdinand.

Haaland, who joined from Borussia Dortmund in June, made it 20 goals in just 13 appearances for City with his strike against Southampton on Saturday.

The Norway international has scored 15 of those goals in the Premier League, which is seven more than next-best Kane, who has himself made a fast start to the season.

However, it would have been Kane leading the line for City had Pep Guardiola's side been able to reach an agreement with Tottenham for his services last year.

City instead held out for 12 months to sign Haaland from Dortmund, and Ferdinand says the 22-year-old's form must be galling for Kane.

"If I were City before Haaland came, I would have taken Kane," Ferdinand said on the FIVE podcast on his YouTube channel. 

"Kane's a goalscorer, he's a killer, as cold as you get. In any era he scores goals. I think he would have been brilliant at Man City. 

"If I'm him, I'm absolutely puking up in my own mouth and trying not to swallow it when I'm watching Haaland now. I'm thinking that could have been me."

Haaland's 15 goals is four more than any other player after nine matches in Premier League's history, followed by Mick Quinn (11 with Coventry City in the 1992-93 season).

He is scoring at a rate of one goal every 50 minutes – again a competition record among those to have scored at least 10 times. 

City great Sergio Aguero is next on the list with a goal every 108 minutes, while Kane's 191 goals in 291 appearances (127 mins per goal) places him a respectable fifth.

Guardiola suggested in February that City made four separate attempts to sign Kane, but they were unable to meet Tottenham's reported £150million asking price.

"That was a moment for Harry Kane to go and say 'what I've done at Tottenham can never be discredited, it's my home, it's my place of love'," Ferdinand said. 

"No one would have been disgruntled if he went to City. It was there for the taking. I don't know how it happened from all parties. He must be sick.

"If I'm Kane I'm sitting there going wild. I know he could end up with a trophy this year. 

"But sitting watching he'll be like 'look at what City are doing right now and Haaland is just eating people. I could have been the guy on the end of all those chances'."

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said Monday's 30-29 win over the Las Vegas Raiders was a result that would "build the true character" of the team.

The AFC West outfit edged a thriller against their divisional rivals at Arrowhead Stadium to move to 4-1 for this NFL season, fighting back from a 17-point deficit midway through the second quarter.

Four touchdowns for tight end Travis Kelce saw the hosts complete a remarkable comeback, while the Raiders fluffed a two-point attempt to win the match in the closing minutes.

The result came amid another controversial roughing call, when Chris Jones was penalised amid a strip on Derek Carr, and Mahomes suggested his side's frustration helped fire them on to another victory.

"Sometimes, these games are the ones that build the true character of the team," he said. "How you respond, go back and fight, that was good to see from this team.

"It wasn't the greatest call in the world. You have to find a way to bounce back and we did."

Official Carl Cheffers was lambasted by Chiefs coach Andy Reid following the call, and as the teams headed into the half-time interval, but the latter stated he had said his piece when pressed post-game.

"I got it off my chest," Reid said. "I said what I needed to say."

The Chiefs will welcome the Buffalo Bills to face them on Sunday as they look to keep their hand atop AFC West, while the Raiders will cool their heels for a fortnight before facing the Houston Texans.

Josh McDaniels admitted the Las Vegas Raiders have already "lost the sprint" as he held out hope they could be marathon specialists instead, following another painful defeat.

The Raiders went down 30-29 on the road against the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday, missing a late chance to pinch the game.

Davante Adams got on the end of his second deep touchdown of the game after a 48-yard bomb from Derek Carr, but instead of kicking the extra point to tie, the Raiders opted to go for two and were stopped short.

Last season saw the Raiders finish with a 10-7 record under interim coach Rich Bisaccia, but they are 1-4 so far in this campaign, McDaniels' first at the helm.

"This is a marathon. If it was a sprint, we lost the sprint," McDaniels said. "Fortunately for us, it's a marathon. We understand what these games mean and they each matter. They're each significant at the end of your season, we know that. They add up.

"But I think the thing we have to focus on is take the positives and then also try to learn from the things that we're not quite doing well enough.

"That's our job. That's what we're going to continue to do. That's what we've done after we've won, that's what we've done after we lost, and we're going to continue to do that. There's progress we've made and that's a good football team out there."

The Raiders have only lost by single-digit margins so far, therefore McDaniels sees the scope for them turning around those tight games.

Quarterback Carr completed 19 of 30 for 241 yards and two touchdowns, passing 200 career passing touchdowns, a landmark for which he said he was "thankful".

McDaniels said the Raiders "gave ourselves an opportunity, and we just didn't make one or two plays at the end to finish it".

As the Chiefs improved to 4-1 with their win, Raiders coach McDaniels added: "Hopefully we'll learn from this and be better."