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• Benzema: Mbappe must adapt to Madrid role and forget 'best in world' Vinicius

  Kylian Mbappe must learn to play as a central striker at Real Madrid because he cannot displace Vinicius Junior on the left wing.

  Those were the words of Los Blancos' second-highest scorer of all time, Karim Benzema. 

  Mbappe has scored eight goals in 14 appearances in all competitions for Madrid since his move from Paris Saint-Germain, but has failed to score in his last five games. 

  The 26-year-old has been deployed in a more central role since under Carlo Ancelotti, as opposed to the wide role where he enjoyed success with the Parisiens. 

  "The problem, in my opinion, is that [Mbappe] is not a central striker, even with the national team, every time he plays as a number nine he doesn't feel right, because that's not his position," Benzema said on Spanish television show El Chiringuito.

  "On the left, he's got a guy who's at the same level as him, Vinicius, so there is a problem.

  "You can't play Vinicius as a number nine or on the right, because when he plays on the left he makes the difference in every game.

  "Mbappe isn't a real number nine. People ask a lot of him and he's under a lot of pressure, this isn't Paris Saint-Germain."

  The France captain has underperformed his expected goals (xG) figure in LaLiga by 1.75 this term, recording a shot conversion rate of just 18.18% from his 33 total attempts.

  He has also missed seven big chances, with only Real Betis duo Abde Ezzalzouli and Vitor Roque (both eight) and Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski (11) wasting more in LaLiga. 

  In Madrid's last game, a 4-0 Clasico defeat, Mbappe recorded just 27 touches. Only Aurelien Tchouameni (24) registered fewer among those who started the encounter.

  Benzema also endured a difficult start to life in the Spanish capital, netting just nine goals in his 33 appearances in all competitions in his debut season after his move from Lyon.

  He would, however, go on to become one of Madrid's best ever players, scoring 354 times in 648 outings, a total that puts him behind only Cristiano Ronaldo (450) in the club's history. 

  Benzema won 25 major honours during his time at the club, also scooping the Ballon d'Or in 2022, and had some advice for his compatriot moving forward. 

  "Don't give up, because I don't think he's going to push Vinicius to move. He's the best player in the world at the moment," Benzema added. 

  "Mbappe needs to get it into his head that today he's a number nine, and forget about the left flank for a while."

  Mbappe will be back in action for Madrid on Tuesday when they face Milan in the Champions League. 

• Luis Enrique in awe of Simeone energy ahead of reunion

  Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique was full of praise for his former rival Diego Simeone as he prepares to go head-to-head with the Atletico Madrid boss in the Champions League.

  PSG and Atletico, who reached the semi-finals and the quarter-finals respectively last season, will face off on Wednesday having both won just one of their three league-phase games.

  A home victory would boost PSG, currently 19th with four points, while Atletico, languishing in 27th on three, are aiming to recover from back-to-back losses.

  PSG have never faced Atletico in the Champions League before but Luis Enrique's Barcelona defeated Simeone's Atletico side nine times in their 14 meetings between 2014 and 2017, drawing twice and losing three times.

  Luis Enrique led Barca to a Champions League and LaLiga double in 2014-15 followed by another league title the following year.

  "We've played against each other as players and then as managers. I admire Simeone, when a coach can stay for so many years at a top club it means he is great because that is such a difficult thing to do," Luis Enrique told reporters on Tuesday.

  Simeone has managed Atletico for 13 years, guiding them to two LaLiga titles and two Europa League crowns, though the Madrid side had considered hiring Luis Enrique prior to Simeone's arrival.

  "I had given my word to another club. If I had gone to Atleti, I would not have stayed half as long as Simeone because I don't have the energy as him," added Luis Enrique.

  "They are lucky to have found Simeone as a coach. You need a lot of energy, to be able to convince all your players over the long-term."

  PSG, having lost Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid in the close season, have just two goals in their three Champions League games, beating Girona 1-0 but drawing 1-1 with PSV and losing 2-0 at Arsenal.

  "I have no doubt we can improve in defence and attack, whether it is with the defender duos of Marquinhos and Willian Pacho, or Milan Skriniar and Lucas Beraldo, or in the midfield," Luis Enrique said.

  "I understand you want to discuss individual players, but we analyse things from a broader perspective.

  "What interests me is to always generate goalscoring opportunities and to arrive in the penalty area because you have managed to be stronger than your opponent.

  "That is my objective as a coach: to always generate opportunities."

  Close-season signing Matvey Safonov, who kept a clean sheet in their opening win against Girona, might replace number one goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, whose mistakes proved costly at Arsenal and against PSV.

  "You will find out tomorrow. After a good cup of cappuccino, I will decide who the goalkeeper is," Luis Enrique said. 

• Leipzig have 'everything you would want' – Celtic boss Rodgers

  Celtic may be four points clear of RB Leipzig in the Champions League, but Brendan Rodgers is not underestimating the challenge that his side face on Tuesday.

  The Hoops welcome Leipzig to Celtic Park on matchday four, for what will be the fifth meeting between the sides.

  Leipzig have won three of the previous four encounters, with Celtic winning 2-1 in a Europa League match in November 2018.

  While Leipzig, who are second in the Bundesliga, have lost all of their Champions League matches this term, Celtic bounced back from their heavy defeat to Borussia Dortmund by holding Atalanta to a 0-0 draw in their last European outing.

  Rodgers' team come into Tuesday's clash on the back of a resounding 6-0 defeat of Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership, but Rodgers knows his side are in for a stern test.

  "Leipzig are no different to Borussia Dortmund and Atalanta," said Rodgers. "A top team. They have everything you would want - speed, power, technique.

  "It's a brilliant challenge for us."

  After conceding seven goals against Dortmund on MD2, Rodgers explained Celtic knew they had to step up.

  "You always have to learn and be better and we were against Atalanta, a really outstanding team," said Rodgers, who were perhaps fortunate not to concede against the Serie A side, given they conceded 2.4 expected goals (xG).

  "We'll look to bring our energy to the game but we also know we'll have to defend for good periods of the game, play with concentration and commitment like we did against Atalanta," he said.

  "There will be moments when we press with aggression and moments where we have to be controlled. Top teams will push you back and you have to have resilience."

  After a run of 12 home games without a win at Celtic Park in the Champions League between 2013 and 2023 (D3 L9), Celtic have won their last two home games. They last had three wins in a row back in November 2007 under manager Gordon Strachan.

  "Home games are very important at this level and when you want the result the supporters can bring you closer to that," said Rodgers.

  "What the noise generates here is absolutely incredible.

  "We will also need that bit of patience as well because we have to be educated in our pressure.

  "We've got ourselves into a really good position after three games and now we have another opportunity to show we can pick up a result against a top team."