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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.

• Kompany targeting Champions League top eight despite stuttering start

  Vincent Kompany is eyeing a place in the top eight of the new Champions League format with Bayern Munich despite back-to-back losses in the competition. 

  Bayern welcome Benfica to the Allianz Arena on Wednesday, hoping to recover from defeats to Aston Villa and Barcelona, the first time they have failed to win consecutive games in the competition since April 2017. 

  Kompany's started their Champions League campaign with a 9-2 thrashing of Dinamo Zagreb, but have since plummeted down the new league table. 

  They find themselves 23rd after three matches. However, they have fared better in the Bundesliga, sitting three points clear at the top of the table after nine games. 

  "What we know is you have to win around six (of eight) games to reach the top eight," Kompany said. 

  "You have to win three games and that should be enough for the playoffs. My goal is to reach the top eight."

  Bayern last failed to reach the Champions League knockout stages in 2002-03, finishing bottom of a group that featured Deportivo La Coruna, Lens and Milan. 

  But despite their stuttering start in the competition so far, Kompany said the new format plays no role in the team's planning. 

  "I don't want to think too far ahead because we have enough games," Kompany said.

  "We have to win against Benfica. I don't want to spend too much time thinking about what could happen in January.

  "No one knows how it will work. We only know we want to win tomorrow. We play at home. That is my only goal."

  Bayern, however, have every confidence of getting their European campaign back on track, with the German outfit boasting an impressive record against Benfica. 

  They have played 12 major European matches against Benfica and have never lost (W9 D3). 

  But Bruno Lage's side will be looking to buck that trend, having beaten Atletico Madrid and Red Star Belgrade so far, but they did lose to Feyenoord last time out. 

  "We have a lot of confidence going into this game. We will always adapt and take the steps that are right for the team," Kompany said. 

  "But to say we will change everything is not serious. We just want to win again at home.