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• Ramos in 'final phase' of recovery, says PSG boss Luis Enrique

  Luis Enrique confirmed that Paris Saint-Germain striker Goncalo Ramos is nearing a return to action after sustaining an ankle injury on the opening day of the season. 

  Ramos, who scored 14 goals in 40 appearances in all competitions in his debut season for PSG last year, has not featured for the Parisiens since their 4-1 win over Le Havre in August.

  But despite his absence, Luis Enrique's side sit top of the Ligue 1 standings ahead of welcoming Toulouse to the Parc des Princes this Friday. 

  They are also the top scorers in the division, netting 33 goals in 11 matches so far, nine more than Marseille, who are second in the scoring table. 

  And as the hectic festive schedule kickstarts, Luis Enrique revealed Ramos has already returned to full first-team training. 

  "It was the 25th and that is in a few days, so it is the final phase of his recovery," Luis Enrique told reporters.

  "As for when he is available (to play) we do not know. We will see in training, he is doing really well and is in full training."

  Following Friday's fixture against Toulouse, PSG travel to the Allianz Arena to face Bayern Munich in the Champions League, hoping to ignite their European campaign. 

  The Ligue 1 champions are at risk of failing to qualify for the knockout stages of the competition having taken four points from their first four games this season.

  They currently sit 25th in the new 36-team league table, and with an important week coming up, Luis Enrique insisted he would think about rotating his squad. 

  "You mustn't only think about the game against Toulouse but also the workload for players with their national teams," he said. 

  "So we will make decisions based on what we think. We want to win against Toulouse, which is our main target."

  Ousmane Dembele did not feature during the international break after he left the France training camp with a hamstring issue, though he is expected to feature this Friday. 

  "In theory, it was nothing serious. I don't think it was a big issue and these things happen during the season," Luis Enrique said.

  "It is normal with such a busy schedule, he should be available to play."

  While Toulouse sit 10th in the league standings, they will provide PSG with a difficult test. They come into the game on the back of three consecutive wins, all without conceding a goal. 

  PSG have also not won any of their last two meetings against Toulouse (D1 L1), and could go three games without a win against the Violets for the second time in the 21st century after a winless streak between December 2007 to October 2009 (five). 

• Neymar should have won five Ballons d'Or, claims Buffon

  Neymar should have won the Ballon d'Or five times, so says Gianluigi Buffon.

  Italy great Buffon played alongside Neymar at Paris Saint-Germain for a season in 2018-19.

  Neymar joined PSG in a world-record transfer from Barcelona in 2017, but was unable to drive the French club to their maiden Champions League trophy.

  He left in 2023 to join Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia, but has hardly featured for the Asian giants. He is back on the sidelines due to a hamstring issue, having only just returned from a year-long lay-off after sustaining an anterior crucial ligament (ACL) injury.

  Neymar was tipped for greatness when he moved to Europe from Santos, but despite a glittering career, especially at Barcelona, he never has managed to win the Ballon d'Or.

  And that is something that upsets his former club-mate Buffon.

  "It's hard to pick a rival," Buffon told Corriere della Sera

  "I've played against three generations: Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Andres Iniesta… Choose one? Neymar.

  "For the player he is and the person he is, he should have won five Ballons d'Or."

  Even at PSG, Neymar was often overshadowed by Kylian Mbappe.

  When Messi joined that deadly duo in 2021, meanwhile, the trio could not have the impact on the European stage that PSG's Qatari owners would have wished for.

• Luis Enrique hails PSG's efficiency as they return to winning ways

  Luis Enrique has lauded Paris Saint-Germain's efficiency as they clinically brushed aside Angers 4-2 in Ligue 1 on Saturday.

  PSG bounced back after a disappointing midweek 2-1 home loss to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League by producing a dominant first-half performance, in which they scored all four of their goals, to remain unbeaten in the league.

  PSG put on an attacking show throughout though, accumulating 3.5 expected goals (xG) from their 26 shots, 12 of which hit the target, while they also struck the woodwork. 

  Luis Enrique, who said on Friday there was a "blockage in finishing", highlighted the improvement in attack.

  "It was a very complete game for our team. It was a game with a lot at stake. We were extremely efficient," Luis Enrique told a news conference.

  "The blockage we talked about earlier is going to end sooner or later. We're in a process of improving."

  While PSG lead Ligue 1 with 29 points, six clear of second-placed Monaco, their qualifying chances in Europe have shrunk as they sit 25th in the 36-team league, just in the elimination zone, midway through the group phase.

  But Luis Enrique is confident his side will show their quality in Europe's elite club competition to reverse their poor form.

  "This team has good players. The quality is there. No matter who's on the pitch, even the newcomers," he said.

  "Maybe it is a question of pressure [in the Champions League]. But we're going to score a lot of goals. The quality is there to rise to the challenge. It's all in our hands."

  Luis Enrique dedicated Saturday's win to his assistant coach Rafel Pol following the death of his wife after a long illness.

  "We want to dedicate this victory to Raquel and Rafel, and, of course, to their family. We share their grief and send them lots of support," the Spaniard added.