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• Simeone wary of PSG threat but calm about Atleti's Champions League struggles

  Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone is wary of the challenge his team will face against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, despite the French giants' Champions League travails.

  Atletico and PSG have both struggled in the competition's new-look league phase, with Los Colchoneros taking three points from three matches to sit one behind PSG.

  They have won nine of their 16 fixtures against French opposition in Europe's elite club competition but have never crossed paths with Ligue 1's most successful side.

  "I didn't know that," Simeone told reporters when that face was highlighted at Tuesday's pre-match press conference. 

  "We need to stay calm, compete like in every match and do our best.

  "I love the way PSG play, they have a very good game, they are dynamic and are marked by their coach.

  "They have young, dynamic players, who we don't know where they're going to go, and some fixed points to pin people down in defence. From there they can grow.

  "They have a lot of guys moving around in different positions from midfield and they play the kind of football that Luis Enrique has always played."

  Atletico are coming off two defeats against Lille (3-1) and Benfica (4-0) after they won their Champions League opener 2-1 against RB Leipzig.

  "It is still early, we are just starting, the season is long and the numbers are done at the end," Simeone said.

  "It is normal to be worried, but we have to wait for the objectives, to be able to give a correct opinion. It will be a tough match, that is for sure."

  Atletico will face the French champions without suspended defender Jose Maria Gimenez as well as Robin Le Normand, who continues to recover after a clash of heads with Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni in their 1-1 derby draw last month.

  "We have quite a few casualties in the defence," Simeone added.

  "The team is competing and trying to find the tools to compete as that's what we have to do. We will try to do it in the best way with the boys who will have to come on." 

• Inzaghi expecting Arsenal reaction after Newcastle defeat

  Inter boss Simone Inzaghi is expecting a difficult test against "one of the best teams in Europe" when Arsenal visit the San Siro in the Champions League on Wednesday. 

  Arsenal come into the encounter against the reigning Serie A champions on the back of a defeat to Newcastle United in the Premier League last weekend. 

  Mikel Arteta's side have now lost two of their last three league games, having tasted defeat just once in their 25 games in the top-flight (W21 D3) in 2024. 

  But Inzaghi, who helped Inter keep pace at the Serie A summit with a controversial 1-0 win over Venezia, is expecting a reaction from the Gunners. 

  "We are facing one of the best teams in Europe, very recognisable with a great coach," Inzaghi said.

  "We all know how the big teams react after a defeat. Look at us after the derby... You find teams out for redress.

  "I saw the match between Arsenal and Newcastle. Playing at Newcastle's home is not easy, but it was an open and fascinating match.

  "We will find a team that lost two-and-a-half days ago, they will want to play a great game at San Siro."

  Inter lost the Derby della Madonnina 2-1 to Milan in September, but have since gone on to win seven of their eight games in all competitions. 

  Inzaghi's side are just ahead of Arsenal in the Champions League table, with both teams picking up seven points from their opening three games. 

  The two sides have only met previously in the 2003-04 Champions League – both games were away wins (Arsenal 0-3 Inter, Inter 1-5 Arsenal).

  While history favours the visiting side, Inzaghi has said his side will try to dominate possession against Arsenal in order to remain unbeaten in the competition. 

  "If you see Arsenal among 100 teams, without knowing the name, you recognise them. They played for the last two English titles, point for point with Manchester City," he said.

  "We will have to try to keep the ball as much as possible, we know that we are facing a team that put on a lot of offensive pressure.

  "We know that it will be a problem for us when they have the ball but the opposite is also true."

  Arsenal have also struggled in recent games in the Champions League in Italy, failing to find the back of the net in their last four away games in the country. 

  Emmanuel Adebayor was the last Gunners player to score there in a 2-0 win over Milan in March 2008, and Inter will be confident of keeping it that way. 

  Although only five teams have faced more shots in the Champions League this season than Inter (53), they have kept three clean sheets so far.

• All or nothing: TTFA president Edwards gives Yorke World Cup qualifying mandate in two-year agreement

  Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) president Kieron Edwards has given recently appointed Head coach Dwight Yorke a mandate of qualifying the senior Soca Warriors to the Fifa Men’s World Cup or risk being replaced.

  Edwards made the declaration during an interview on I95.5 FM on Saturday, as he pointed out that their World Cup qualifying ambition was the driving force behind the move to replace Angus Eve.

  “It’s not just about selecting a coach. It is about the process, the journey and qualifying to the World Cup,” Edwards said.

  Still, Edwards, who was elected TTFA president in April, explained that getting to the World Cup was a medium-term goal for his administration and, as such, they opted for a change in approach to accomplish that objective.

  “We had to get the process right. We had to get where we wanted to go and make sure we had the mechanics within the TTFA right to make sure we get there and I think we reached the best choice for the men’s national senior team,” he shared.

  “The entire team met and we laid out our short-term goals, medium-term goals and long-term goals. The medium-term goal was to qualify for the World Cup in the next two years. When we evaluated everything, we thought we needed a change...and the executive decided we wanted to go in a different direction.” Edwards added.

  That said, Edwards reaffirmed his unwavering support for the current crop of Soca Warriors players to get the Twin Island Republic to another World Cup for the first time since 2006.

  In fact, he revealed that Yorke’s two-year contract is with an agreement that he successfully qualifies the team to the 2026 global showpiece.

  The Soca Warriors currently sit second in Group B on four points, two points behind leaders Costa Rica ahead of the resumption of qualifying action in 2025.

  “With the right support and with the guys we have, I do believe we can qualify for a World Cup. We need a coach that understands the culture we have, with players coming back in two, three days before a game. Dwight was the ideal choice for us and he understands the culture of teams in Concacaf as well,” Edwards noted.

  “In terms of that professional to approach the game, I think Dwight really brings that to T&T football. I think this project for our executive and for Dwight is about qualifying for the World Cup. It’s qualifying for the World Cup or nothing. I am sure I know Dwight’s pride. He will not stay on with the TTFA or with any club if he has failed to live up to his high standards,” the TTFA president opined.

  Beyond the on-field obligations Edwards said it will take an estimated US$4 million to ensure Yorke and his team has the best possible chance throughout their campaign.

  “The government through the Ministry of Sport has been involved in every campaign. We truly believe qualifying for the World Cup, taking it to the back end of 2025 will take about US$4 million. When we relate the proposal, we are hoping to get 30-33 per cent from the government,” Edwards said.