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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). 

• Serie A side Genoa confirm sacking of head coach Gilardino

  Serie A side Genoa have confirmed the departure of their head coach Alberto Gilardino, with Patrick Vieira reportedly on his way in.

  Gilardino, a World Cup winner with Italy in 2006, leaves the club with them sitting just one point above the relegation size with 10 points from 12 matches this season. 

  A former striker who played for clubs including Genoa, Parma, AC Milan and Fiorentina, Gilardino took charge of Genoa in 2022 and helped them earn promotion to the top division before a 11th-place finish during the 2023-24 season. 

  "The club thanks Gilardino for the goals achieved together over the years and wishes him the best for his career," Genoa said in a statement.

  The 42-year-old saw his side salvage a late 1-1 draw against Cesc Fabregas' Como in their last match before the international break. 

  Genoa were also knocked out of the Coppa Italia in the second round following a defeat to Sampdoria on penalties in September. 

  Arsenal legend Vieira is set to replace him, according to multiple reports. 

  The former France midfielder has been out of work since leaving Strasbourg by mutual consent in July. 

• Jonathan David names Barcelona as dream club amid Lille uncertainty

  Jonathan David admits it is his dream to play for Barcelona as he prepares to enter the final six months of his Lille contract.

  The Canada international is into his fifth season with the Ligue 1 side but is due to become a free agent at the end of the current campaign.

  Lille have attempted to persuade David with a new deal, though he looks set to depart Stade Pierre-Mauroy in 2025 – potentially as early as January if a club is prepared to pay a transfer fee.

  However, while the 24-year-old is seemingly open to a move to Barcelona, he suggested he would prefer to wait until the end of the campaign before taking the next step in his career.

  "Going to a club midseason is never easy," he told The Athletic. "It's not like the beginning of a season where you have a pre-season, you get to know your team-mates, you have time to gel. 

  "In January, things are very hectic. It's about right now. It's tougher."

  "[Barcelona] was always the team I grew up supporting. When you grow up supporting a team, it's your dream to play for them.

  "Some people might say, 'Oh, he's staying at Lille, this is a downgrade, he's not getting better'. But for me, there's always opportunities to get better."

  David has scored 13 goals in 19 games for Lille in all competitions this season, including goals against heavyweight sides Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Juventus in the Champions League.

  Including penalties, eight of those goals have been scored via his stronger right boot, four with his left and one with his head – an area the forward accepts he can still improve.

  "Aerially, I can get better," he said. "Getting that header on target and scoring. 

  "I can get in good positions and win headers but the finishing touch, I'm still missing. With my back to goal, I can also get better."

  David is averaging a goal every 112 minutes across all competitions this season, which compares to one every 139 minutes last season and 131 in 2022-23.

  However, he still has some way to go to match the 18 goals scored in 27 league games for former club Gent in 2019-20.

  "Things are good right now because I'm scoring goals," David said. 

  "But is this the best I've played in my life? Probably not. For me, it was my second year in Belgium. That was the season of my life."