Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel has declared he is in "no rush" to select a first-choice goalkeeper between Kepa Arrizabalaga and Edouard Mendy.

Mendy had been long established as the club's number one prior to Potter's arrival at Stamford Bridge, playing a key role in the Champions League success in 2020-21, but has been absent from the former Brighton and Hove Albion boss' first two games in charge due to injury.

Kepa has stepped up in his place and Potter hailed the Spaniard's performance in Saturday's 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace, his first win since taking charge.

Ahead of the Champions League clash against Milan, Potter was quizzed on who will be his first-choice option between the sticks but left the door open for both players to stake their claim.

"If you look at what we've got over the next six weeks, it's an incredible schedule, so I'm in no rush to name a number one or number two," he said.

"I thought Kepa did really well [against Crystal Palace]. He made a couple of big saves but also his distribution, in terms of his decision-making, was really strong.

"You need players to step up and perform and Kepa did that. I am really happy for him and he's played a big part in helping us record a strong three points."

"I want to get Edouard fit and ready to play and then we have two goalkeepers and in an ideal world, you let football decide. We've got two ones we trust and that's a good situation for us."

Chelsea sit rock-bottom of their Champions League group after the first two games, losing to Dinamo Zagreb in Thomas Tuchel's final game in charge, before being held to a 1-1 draw by RB Salzburg in Potter's first game at the helm.

That raises the importance of Wednesday's clash against Serie A champions Milan, but Potter is excited about the tough test that the Italian outfit present.

"They're a top team, as were Salzburg in terms of how competitive they were. Every game is different. It's a massive challenge for us and an exciting challenge for us," he added.

"We'll try for three points. It's important to win, but we're playing against a top opponent so we have to play well and create a good atmosphere. We're looking forward to it."

Carlo Ancelotti says Eden Hazard is aware of exactly why he is being given so little playing time at Real Madrid this season.

Belgium international Hazard has endured a tough time of things across his three years with Madrid, mainly due to fitness reasons.

Despite largely being fit this campaign, however, the 31-year-old has started just one of Madrid's 10 matches in all competitions and has featured only twice as a substitute.

He was an unused sub in Sunday's 1-1 draw with Osasuna, with the likes of Marco Asensio and Mariano Diaz being preferred as Los Blancos chased a winning goal.

Ancelotti stood by his selection calls after the match and has reiterated ahead of Wednesday's Champions League tie with Shakhtar Donetsk that Hazard must fight for his place.

"It is clear that each player knows his situation. I have to explain to them what's going on," Ancelotti said.

"In this regard, Eden has not spoken to me. He has a lot of competition. The situation of his and others is quite clear.

"He understands the situation very well – every player understands his situation very well. There's a lot of competition here."

One player whose place in the side is not up for debate is striker Karim Benzema, who has scored four goals in seven appearances this season.

However, the France international has gone three games without finding the net, either side of a month on the sidelines, and missed a penalty in the draw with Osasuna.

But team-mate Dani Carvajal does not believe that missed spot-kick will play on Benzema's mind when Shakhtar travel to the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday.

"He's a key player on and off the pitch," Carvajal said. "I don't think Karim is influenced by scoring or missing a penalty. 

"He would go away unhappy, but he is above it all. For us he is indispensable, the best in his position

"He's irreplaceable, there's no one like him. Hopefully he can score two or three goals and that penalty will be behind him."

Madrid have won each of their past six games in the group stage of the Champions League, scoring 17 goals and only conceding once in the process. 

They are two points ahead of unbeaten Shakhtar in Group F after two rounds of fixtures as they look to retain the European crown lifted in Paris a little over four months ago.

But Shakhtar have won two of their six ties with Madrid in the competition, with that 33 per cent win rate the fourth best of any side against the Spanish giants.

Madrid will be expected to claim a routine victory, though, and Carvajal accepts his side must live with the perennial tag of being favourites to conquer the continent again.

"We know how difficult it is to win the Champions League, I think when teams play us, they see we are in with a chance," he said.

"I don't know how it works, who decides who is favourite. I think in the top four or five, Real Madrid are there.

"I have to respect everyone's opinion. I think we've won five of the last nine, so I don't think it's down to luck."

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says no player in world football can compete with the standards set by Erling Haaland at his age as he challenged the striker to continue improving.

Haaland made history on Sunday by becoming the first player to score hat-tricks in three successive home Premier League matches as City thumped rivals Manchester United 6-3.

The Norway international has 17 goals in 11 appearances in all competitions since arriving at the Etihad Stadium from Borussia Dortmund, where he tallied a prolific 86 goals in 89 games.

Aged 22 years and 47 days, Haaland last month overtook Kylian Mbappe as the youngest player to net 25 Champions League goals, also doing so in the quickest time (20 games).

And Guardiola believes "the numbers speak for themselves" when it comes to Haaland, who will be looking to add to his growing tally in Wednesday's Champions League Group G tie with Copenhagen.

"At his age no one can compete with him. No one," Guardiola said. "We are very happy to have him. In training he is the same – sometimes he does some spectacular things. We are incredibly happy to have him."

Haaland is averaging a goal every 48 minutes in the Premier League, which is the best rate of anyone to have scored more than once in the competition's history.

He has found the net from 42 per cent of his shots (14 goals from 33 attempts) – the best conversion rate of any player with at least 20 efforts since such records were first recorded in the 2003-04 campaign.

Phil Foden, himself aged just 22, scored a hat-trick of his own in the derby thrashing of United and received strong plaudits from his manager. 

"He's an exceptional player who has grown up a lot," Guardiola said at Tuesday's pre-Copenhagen press conference. 

"He's reliable, so intense and clever in everything he does. He can also play every three days. Both he and Haaland know they can do better and hopefully they can do it."

City's win against United was their fourth in a row in all competitions as they extended their unbeaten run to 11 matches.

The reigning English champions are top of their Champions League group thanks to wins over Sevilla and Borussia Dortmund, whereas Copenhagen have just one point and have yet to score.

Indeed, the Danish side have only scored one goal in six Champions League matches against English opponents, with that goal the winner from Marcus Allback in a 1-0 win over United in November 2006.

But with many predicting a routine home victory on Wednesday, Guardiola admits he faces a challenge ensuring his players maintain their high standards no matter who the opposition.

"That's the problem. After the game versus United, it's the biggest issue," said Guardiola, who confirmed Kyle Walker will play no part due to injury. 

"Hopefully I can show them to pay lots of attention. It's not easy to break the structure [Copenhagen] had against Sevilla. I know exactly what they are able to do. 

"They have quality. From goal-kicks, when they have the ball, they don't just play it long. They have courage to play and we have to force them to play long balls. I was surprised how many things they do."

Carlo Ancelotti has rejected claims Real Madrid have been fortunate in recent Champions League campaigns, insisting "you have to do everything well" to prevail in Europe.

Ancelotti led Madrid to their 14th European crown last season, and Los Blancos have made a perfect start to their Champions League defence, topping Group F following wins over RB Leipzig and Celtic.

Madrid repeatedly defied the odds en route to last season's triumph, losing a match in each of their first three knockout ties (against Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Manchester City).

But speaking ahead of Wednesday's clash with Shakhtar Donetsk, Ancelotti – the only coach with four European titles to his name – said fortune can only take a team so far.

"I always want to win the Champions League. The league is very important, but the Champions League is the most important competition," he said.

"They are different. One is 38 games and the other is much less. Sometimes it's a 180-minute tie. That's where the little details matter. 

"It's not luck or bad luck. Sometimes talking about luck hides the problems that you have and the merit of the rival. 

"If I say that we had bad luck against Osasuna [in Sunday's 1-1 draw], it means that I hide the problems we had with the ball, and the good performance of the rival. 

"Talking about small details is important, in the Champions League, you can score three goals in a few minutes, as has happened to me. It can also happen to you in a semi-final. 

"Small details are controlled with a very strong mentality. Real Madrid has been the team that has taken the most care of these details.

"Everyone has their opinions. Football is made of many things. In the Champions League, you have to do everything well, I think the best team wins the Champions League.

"I think the history and tradition of this club plays a part in the way we play. It's not luck or good fortune that this team has such extraordinary success in this competition."

Meanwhile, Ancelotti offered an update on the conditions of Thibaut Courtois and Luka Modric after both players missed Sunday's draw with Osasuna through injury.

While Courtois will not feature on Wednesday, Ancelotti is certain he will return for their huge Clasico meeting with Barcelona in LaLiga, which takes place in less than two weeks.

"He's much better, he received some treatment yesterday," Ancelotti said of the Belgium goalkeeper. "We have to wait and see if he can play against Getafe [on Saturday], but he should definitely be ready for the return fixture against Shakhtar and El Clasico.

"Lucas Vasquez and Luka Modric have both trained with the team."

However, when pressed on Modric's availability for Wednesday, Ancelotti added: "I doubt if he will start." 

Madrid have won four of their six Champions League matches against Shakhtar, although they suffered two defeats against the Ukrainian outfit in the 2020-21 campaign.

Liverpool face Rangers in a battle of Britain and Barcelona will attempt to apply more pressure on Inter boss Simone Inzaghi with a Champions League victory on Tuesday.

An army of Gers fans will travel south of the border to descend on Merseyside for a Group A clash that will give them another opportunity to secure a first point, with the Reds in second spot behind Napoli.

Barca moved top of La Liga last weekend and Xavi's side will start their third Group C game level on points with out-of-sorts Inter after losing 2-0 to leaders Bayern Munich last month.

Bayern will be expected to maintain their 100 per cent record at the expense of Viktoria Plzen, and Serie A table-toppers Napoli travel to Ajax looking to continue their brilliant start to the season.

Ahead of another mouthwatering set of matches, Stats Perform trawls through the Opta data to highlight the most noteworthy facts for each contest.

Liverpool v Rangers

This will be the first European meeting between Liverpool and the Glasgow giants in a European competition.

The Gers have only won one of their seven away games in England, that being a 2-1 Champions League victory at Leeds United in November 1992 courtesy of goals from Mark Hateley and Ally McCoist. They have suffered six defeats and drawn twice.

Liverpool's last meeting with Scottish opponents in the European Cup was back in the 1980-81 campaign, winning 5-0 on aggregate against Alex Ferguson's Aberdeen (1-0 away, 4-0 home). The Reds went on to win the competition that year.

Jurgen Klopp's side have won 13 of their past 15 home Champions League group stage matches (D1 L1), scoring 36 goals in process. Their solitary defeat was against Atalanta in November 2020

Rangers have failed to score in their two group games so far. Indeed, only Plzen (2) and Sevilla (3) have had fewer shots on target than the Scottish club (4) in this season's first two matchdays.

Inter v Barcelona

Inter have won just two of their 14 European matches against Barcelona (D4 L8), a 2-1 victory in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in January 1970 and 3-1 Champions League triumph in April 2010.

Barca's two away wins against the Nerazzurri came 60 years apart, winning 4-2 in the Fairs Cup in September 1959 and 2-1 in the Champions League in December 2019.

Inter have lost six UEFA Champions League matches against the Catalan giants, their most against a single opponent. Barca have only beaten Celtic (8) more times in the competition.

Barca have lost three of their past four away Champions League group stage matches (W1), as many as in their previous 25 matches on their travels in the competition (W15 D7). Xavi is only the second manager to lose his first two away Champions League matches in charge of Barcelona, along with Louis van Gaal in 1997.

Inter have lost their past two Champions League games at San Siro (0-2 v Liverpool and Bayern). Only once previously have they suffered three consecutive home defeats in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League (a run of three between February-September 2011).

Bayern Munich v Viktoria Plzen

Bayern have won all four of their European matches against Plzen, beating them twice in the 1971-72 Cup Winners' Cup and the Champions League in 2013-14.

Plzen's two away European matches against Bayern have seen them concede at least five goals on each occasion, losing 6-1 in September 1971 in the Cup Winners' Cup and 5-0 in the Champions League nine years ago.

Bayern are out to record three wins at the start of a Champions League campaign for a fourth consecutive season. In their opening three games in the previous three seasons and their two games this year, they have won all 11 matches by an aggregate score of 41-7.

Plzen have conceded seven goals in their two Champions League games this season and only kept one clean sheet in their 20 matches in the competition.

Leroy Sane has been directly involved in 14 goals in his past 11 Champions League starts for Bayern (8 goals, 6 assists). The winger could become only the second player to score in Bayern's first three Champions League games in a season, with Robert Lewandowski (in 2019-20 and 2021-22) being the other.

Ajax v Napoli

Napoli have never won away from home in the Netherlands (D2 L3) in any European competition.

Ajax have failed to win any of their past 11 home European matches against Italian opposition (D6 L5) since winning 2-1 against Roma in this competition in December 2002.

Napoli will be looking to win their first three Champions League group stage games for the first time. They are unbeaten in eight matches in the group stage of the competition (W5 D3).

Ajax have won their past four home games in the group stage of the Champions League, scoring four goals in each of the previous three (4-0 v Borussia Dortmund, 4-2 v Sporting CP and 4-0 v Rangers).

Napoli are the top scoring side in the Champions League this season with seven goals. Luciano Spalletti's side have had more shots (43) and shots on target (19) than any other team.

Other fixtures:

Marseille v Sporting CP

6 - Marseille have lost six of their eight European Cup/Champions League matches against Portuguese opponents (W1 D1).

16 - Marseille have lost 16 of their past 17 Champions League matches (W1), failing to score in 11 matches in this run, including both games this season.

Porto v Bayer Leverkusen

7 - Porto have won seven of their eight home Champions League games against German opposition (D1), winning five in a row.

2 - Leverkusen have only won two of their past 13 away matches in the Champions League (D5 L6), with three of the previous four ending in defeats without scoring.

Club Brugge v Atletico Madrid

3 - Brugge are unbeaten in all three home meetings with Atleti in European competition (W2 D1).

7 - Atleti have never won a European match against a Belgium club in seven attempts (five away, two neutral). They have played more major European games on Belgian soil without winning than in any other country.

Eintracht Frankfurt v Tottenham

4 - Tottenham have lost their past four Champions League matches against German opposition by an aggregate score of 14-3, losing twice to Bayern Munich (2-7 and 1-3) and twice to RB Leipzig (0-1 and 0-3).

3 - Eintracht have won three consecutive European games against English teams (one versus Arsenal, two v West Ham), as many as in their first 14.

Antonio Conte has told Tottenham fans "I'm not stupid" and "I can teach football to many people" in a strong defence of his decision to overlook Djed Spence.

Spence has made only one very brief substitute appearance for Spurs following his move from Middlesbrough in July.

Some Tottenham fans called for the right-back to be given his chance after Emerson Royal was sent off for a reckless challenge on Gabriel Martinelli during a 3-1 north London derby defeat to fierce rivals Arsenal on Saturday.

But Conte made it crystal clear he is not impressed with questions being asked about his approach ahead of Tuesday's Champions League clash at Eintracht Frankfurt.

The Spurs head coach said: "If we were able to exploit the situation, especially last passes, we would have been able to score many goals against Arsenal.

"Instead, we made really bad mistakes for the last passes because we had the opportunity to go one-to-one, but every team has to think and understand the way to play different games.

"Last season we won 3-0 [against Arsenal], and when you win, the opponent has to explain, but for me it's important to have a plan, to put my players in the best possible situation to exploit their characteristics.

"Otherwise it can happen that you can concede six, seven or eight goals – in England, that happens a lot of times.

"In my career, it never, never happened because I don't like to play open, concede a lot of space and concede six, seven or eight goals. I won in England, I won in my past and I think I can teach football to many people."

He said of Spence: "The fans have to be fans. They can think anything, but I see every day the training sessions. If I don't decide to pick a player, it's because maybe he's not ready.

"We are talking about a young player with a good prospect, but I try to pick the best team. I'm not stupid, I don't want to lose.

"I try to pick the best team. If they trust me it's okay, if they don't trust me then I'm the coach and I need to take the best decision for Tottenham."

Xavi will not be on a revenge mission when Barcelona face Inter in a "very important" Champions League showdown at San Siro on Tuesday.

Head coach Xavi was in the Barca side knocked out of the Champions League by Inter at the semi-final stage in 2010.

The Blaugrana were beaten 3-1 in the first leg in Milan and failed to overturn that deficit, crashing out after winning 1-0 at Camp Nou against Jose Mourinho's men, who went on to lift the trophy.

Xavi returns to San Siro with the two sides both having picked up three points from their opening two Group C games, with Barca beaten 2-0 at leaders Bayern Munich last month.

And the former Spain midfielder is motivated by the prospect of qualifying for the last 16 rather than having a score to settle.

He said: "I have no feeling of [wanting] revenge. I come here as a coach this time. I remember that we had to travel by bus [to Milan] because of the volcano, but they were a great team.

"It was difficult for us in the first leg. We lost it here. It was a controversial tie, but this is how it is. It's a bitter memory for us, unfortunately."

Inter boss Simone Inzaghi is under pressure with his side ninth in Serie A following back-to-back defeats to Udinese and Roma.

But Xavi is not reading anything into the Nerazzurri's poor form, as he knows they have the quality to turn things around.

"It's not significant," he said. "It's Inter, a very strong team. They have a different system to anything we've come across so far.

"They play with two strikers, something you don't see too much in Spain. They're a tough opponent, with good dynamics, but that has to be shown."

Xavi added: "I have it quite clear. Despite the size of the rival, we are clear that we want to dominate. It is an important rival. It is the Champions League. It is not a definitive match, but it is very important for the future of the group."

Inter have won just two of their 14 European matches against Barcelona, a 2-1 victory in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in January 1970 and that 3-1 Champions League triumph in April 2010.

However, Barca's only two away wins against the Nerazzurri came 60 years apart, winning 4-2 in the Fairs Cup in September 1959 and 2-1 in the Champions League in December 2019.

Federico Chiesa has returned to first-team training with Juventus, nine months after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

The Italy international underwent surgery after injuring his left knee in a Serie A win over Roma in January, causing him to miss the rest of Juventus' 2021-22 campaign.

Chiesa, who starred in the Azzurri's Euro 2020 triumph last year, scored four goals and added two assists in all competitions last season before suffering the injury.

A statement on Juventus' website revealed the attacker "began a partial and gradual return to the group" on Monday after coach Massimiliano Allegri recently professed his hope the 24-year-old would return to action before the World Cup.
 
Juventus host Maccabi Haifa in a huge Champions League group-stage match on Wednesday, having suffered back-to-back defeats against Paris Saint-Germain and Benfica so far in the competition.

The Bianconeri have never previously lost their first three games of a Champions League campaign, and they were eliminated from their group the last time they failed to record a victory in their opening three matches (in 2013-14 – D2 L1).

Julian Nagelsmann may shuffle his pack for Bayern Munich's Champions League game against Viktoria Plzen on Tuesday, with the depleted Bavarians set to host Borussia Dortmund four days later.

Bayern have started their Champions League campaign with back-to-back wins over Inter and Barcelona, and lead the duo by three points at the top of Group C.

Should they record another European win at the Allianz Arena next time out, Bayern will have won their first three Champions League matches for a fourth season in succession.

On the domestic stage, however, Bayern trail surprise pace-setters Union Berlin and Freiburg after an inconsistent run of results, and host rivals Dortmund on Saturday.

With Thomas Muller and Joshua Kimmich set to miss the Plzen match after contracting COVID-19, Nagelsmann is aware of the need to manage his squad.

"We need to rotate because of Joshua and Thomas, so there are different ways, there are so many options," Nagelsmann said at his pre-match press conference.

"You'll see tomorrow which I decide. We're still in a situation where we need to grab points. 

"It's important for the Champions League to win the game against Plzen, and also to keep the rhythm for the game against Dortmund, where there might be more pressure than in the Champions League.

"Plzen like to play defensively and counter-attack, and that could be a challenge. We'll try to get into our optimum phase considering what is still ahead."

Bayern have been heavily impacted by COVID-19 recently, with Manuel Neuer and Leon Goretzka withdrawing from the Germany squad after contracting the virus last month.

Nagelsmann offered a positive update on the conditions of Muller and Kimmich, and hopes to have them back after Tuesday's match, adding: "Thomas and Joshua don't have any symptoms, they're doing well. Of course, they would love to play, but nothing has changed.

"We can do the tests on Friday and if those go well, they are candidates against Dortmund. It depends on the tests we will do.

"In general, the incidence is high in Munich so it's a factor that concerns us. We've talked with the players. 

"They've had the suggestion that they're not going to go to the Oktoberfest since the officials took part, so no partying there!

"Outside of the pitch, professional players are normal people. Everybody's looking after themselves."

Nagelsmann also revealed Kingsley Coman will not feature against Plzen despite recovering from a muscle injury, but said Serge Gnabry had his full support if selected to start out wide.

"First of all, with Kingsley, he is doing well," Nagelsmann said. "He practiced well, he was great, but he's not going to be a part of tomorrow's game.

"We'll try to heighten that [his condition] in the next couple of days and then he's an option against Dortmund, but he's not going to start, that's for sure.

"He is doing well. I have good expectations that he can fill a position in the squad against Dortmund, it would be great to have him, and not so great for the opponent.

"I haven't decided 100 per cent, but Serge is certainly a candidate there. We have to see also what we will do against Dortmund, and what happens with Thomas.

"I've known Serge for ages and I think a lot of him. He doesn't worry too much on the field and plays freely. We have a good connection with each other."

Jurgen Klopp says there are no "instant" solutions in football as Liverpool look to bounce back ahead of their Champions League clash with Rangers.

The Reds failed to turn their rough form around upon their return to Premier League action this weekend when they were held to a 3-3 draw by Brighton and Hove Albion.

With just one win in their last four games across all competitions, Klopp's side - FA Cup and EFL Cup winners last term as well as Champions League finalists - risk falling short on multiple fronts this term.

But the German feels his side will be able to work out their problems, stating they must "go back to the basics" and that they cannot expect an immediate revival of fortunes.

"We realised after Napoli it was a real low point, and we had to change things quickly," he stated. "We didn't play Wolves, played Ajax, then didn't play Chelsea and couldn't keep up any momentum from the Ajax win."

"When you spot a problem and think you have the solution, you expect the solution to be instant and influential, that's never the case in football.

"When it doesn't work out, you realise step by step that you have to go back to the basics. We have to be patient again to do the right thing, and then we will be fine again."

Liverpool's mixed form has made it hard for new signing Darwin Nunez to have the desired impact after an early season red card, but Klopp is unconcerned over the forward's personal attributes.

"He is still adapting," he added. "New players come in and everybody talks about them and wants them to shine immediately and that happens from time to time.

"We had a long talk yesterday and we told him we are completely calm. It's really important in our situation that he isn't worrying. The three-game suspension didn't help him to settle, that's clear.

"The team isn't flying and that doesn't make it easier for a striker, especially a finisher. It's not that everything is clicking, that is not our situation at the moment."

When Gavi made his international debut for Spain in October 2021, most onlookers would have been asking who this fresh-faced teen was.

By the end of the game, they were still asking that, but armed with the knowledge that whoever he was, he was astonishingly good at football for someone born a month after Greece had beaten Portugal in the Euro 2004 final.

Pablo Martin Paez Gavira made his La Roja debut against Italy in the Nations League at San Siro aged just 17 years and 62 days, becoming Spain's youngest-ever player, taking the record from Angel Zubieta, who had debuted in 1936.

Head coach Luis Enrique popped the Barcelona midfielder in from the start against Jorginho, Marco Verratti and Nicolo Barella, and not only did he hold his own, he was arguably the best player on the pitch as Spain won 2-1 to end the Azzurri's 37-game undefeated streak.

Almost a year on from that night in Milan, Gavi will return to San Siro with Barca to take on Inter in the Champions League having established himself as a vital cog for both club and country, despite only turning 18 in August.

He recently signed a new contract at Camp Nou with a €1billion release clause, and Stats Perform has taken a look at what it is that makes Gavi not just the future for Barcelona and Spain, but also the present.

From school to Cule

Remarkably, Gavi had only made four starts for Barca before getting the nod for his country in that crucial Nations League game, showing the early impact made.

His debut for the Blaugrana came just over three weeks after his 17th birthday in the 2-1 home win against Getafe, before making his first start in a 0-0 draw away at Cadiz.

Barca may have been struggling at the time under Ronald Koeman, but the development of Gavi and Pedri as the potential future of their midfield reminded fans of the halcyon days of Xavi and Andres Iniesta dictating play for them.

It was therefore fitting that Xavi actually came back as head coach, and not only did it improve the team's fortunes, but it cemented Gavi's place even further and guaranteed he would be getting guidance from one of the best of all time in his position.

Naturally, given his inexplicably young age, the not-quite-a-man from Los Palacios y Villafranca continued to set records, or at least come close to breaking them.

His appearance at Cadiz at 17 years and 49 days made him the second-youngest player to make his first start for the club in the 21st century in LaLiga, only behind team-mate Ansu Fati (16 years and 318 days).

At 17 years and 80 days, Gavi became the youngest player to start his first Clasico in the 21st century, breaking the previous record held by Pedri set just a year prior.

Then he set another record for his country, but only just, aged 17 years and 304 days, he netted against the Czech Republic to become the youngest player to score for Spain in a competitive game, beating the mark Fati set previously by just one week.

Overall in his debut campaign, Gavi made 47 appearances for Barca (36 starts), helping them to finish second in LaLiga.

This season he has featured in all seven of their league games, as well as both Champions League clashes against Viktoria Plzen and Bayern Munich.

Arguably his most impressive achievement so far, though, remains that performance against an elite Italy midfield that had just won the Euros.

Another Barella challenge

He will come face-to-face with one of those midfielders again on Tuesday, as Barella and Inter welcome Barca to Milan.

Barella has emerged as one of the finest midfielders in Europe in the last few years, playing a key role in the Nerazzurri's Serie A title win in 2021.

Comparisons have been made between the Italian and Gavi, which may not make Barella feel all that good considering it makes him the veteran of the debate at the age of 25.

Their well-rounded performances in the middle of the park at club and international level are well-known, but just how do they compare?

Looking at the stats for their clubs last season, Barella made 48 appearances in all competitions for Inter while Gavi made 47 for Barca, albeit the former made 47 starts compared to 36 for the teenager.

Barella had 16 goal involvements (four goals, 12 assists), while Gavi had seven (two goals, five assists), and the Italian was more of a threat in attack generally, creating 81 chances from open play compared to 25 from the Spaniard.

He was also more involved on the ball, averaging 55.84 passes per 90 minutes against 45.15, though Gavi did boast a higher success rate, with 89.23 per cent of his passes finding a team-mate against 85.44 per cent from Barella.

The Inter man had a better tackle success rate of 59.77 per cent to 49.77 per cent, but the Barca youngster claimed more interceptions (32 to 29) despite playing fewer minutes.

The impressively combative nature of Gavi is also clear when comparing, as he committed 91 fouls to Barella's 37, which might not sound ideal but for a team that attacks as high as Barca do, tactical fouls are often vital to prevent swift counters.

It appears Barella has the edge on Gavi at the moment as an overall package, but that is hardly a surprise given the latter is more than seven years younger.

How their meeting goes at club level this week will be truly fascinating to observe, especially if Barella recalls their Nations League clash.

It could be argued that Gavi continues to be underrated by some.

With fellow prodigies Pedri and Fati also featuring regularly for Barca and Spain, while being more of a visible goal threat than Gavi, it is easy for him to get a bit lost in all the praise, though it does not seem to be slowing down his growth as a player.

In late August, Gavi made his 50th appearance for Barcelona, becoming the first LaLiga player born in 2003 or later to reach this figure across all competitions.

With his long-term future tied to the Catalan giants and with one of the greatest midfielders the game has ever seen guiding him, the sky really is the limit.

People will certainly know who he is when he takes to the field at San Siro on Tuesday.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is convinced Karim Benzema will be awarded the Ballon d'Or later this month.

Benzema played a talismanic role as Madrid won LaLiga and the Champions League last season, scoring 44 goals in 46 appearances in all competitions.

The striker has already hit the net three times in four league games this season, and is set to return from a three-week injury absence against Osasuna on Sunday.

The next winner of football's most prestigious individual honour will be announced on October 17, and Perez is in no doubt as to who will receive it.

"Benzema has already received the UEFA best player of the year award and in the coming days, he will be awarded the Ballon d'Or," Perez said, in comments carried by Mundo Deportivo.

"No one doubts it."

Benzema's recent absence has failed to prevent Madrid from making a perfect start to their title defence, winning their first six games of the season in LaLiga.

Los Blancos are the only team in Europe's top five leagues to have maintained a 100 per cent winning record this campaign, and Perez has been delighted by their form.

"We have a squad to keep dreaming of all the challenges and challenges that will come. Real Madrid does not allow complacency or relaxation," he added.

"After winning the European Super Cup, we have won all the games we have played, being the only club in the five major leagues that has achieved it. This is the path."

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez appeared to again promote the idea of a European Super League as he warned the current state of football shows it is "sick".

Perez has been a leading figure in calls for Europe's elite football clubs to secede from UEFA competitions in recent years, and he was chairman of the proposed Super League in 2021.

The breakaway competition collapsed on the back of shaky alliances between clubs as well as political and public pressure, with each of the five aligned Premier League clubs withdrawing in the days following the announcement.

One of Perez's primary arguments for the concept was to allow Europe's elite to play one another more often, though Madrid did face Inter, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool on their way to winning the Champions League last season.

"To fix a problem, you have to first recognise that you have a problem," Perez said at the club's AGM on Sunday. "Our sport is sick. It is losing its leadership as a global sport.

"We mustn't be confused by the impact of Real Madrid's European Cup run when we were involved in seven games of the highest intensity and interest.

"That was the result of the draw, and of the quality and greatness of our team. It was a spectacle that helped bring excitement back to the viewers.

"That's why we believe European competitions must change, to offer fans top-level games year-round between the strongest teams, with the best players competing."

The 75-year-old also cited tennis, where the recently retired Roger Federer has regularly faced fellow elite players Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

"In tennis, Nadal and Federer have played 40 times in 15 years. Nadal and Djokovic have played 59 matches in 16 years," Perez added, quoted by ESPN.

"In football, we've only played Liverpool nine times in 67 years. We've played Chelsea four times in the history of the European Cup. What sense does it make to deprive fans of all these games?"

Perez also spoke of a recent ranking from Forbes of the world's 50 most valuable sports teams, which had Madrid down in 13th, below several US sports teams.

"We were top in all sports, and now we've fallen to 13th," he said. "We've been overtaken by 12 clubs from American sports. They must be doing something very well in the United States and very badly in Europe.

"Football is losing the global entertainment battle against other sports and other platforms.

"We need a professional, modern, transparent management, not based on old structures designed in the last century. 

"Recently the chairman of the European Clubs' Association [Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi] said – talking about the Super League – that Real Madrid are afraid of the competition. Maybe the president of the ECA has to be reminded who Real Madrid are. Competition is in our DNA."

Bayern Munich pair Thomas Muller and Joshua Kimmich have gone into isolation after testing positive to COVID-19.

The German champions announced the news on Saturday, with Muller and Kimmich having both been in the starting XI for Friday's 4-0 Bundesliga win over Bayer Leverkusen.

Bayern said the pair had tested positive on Saturday, were asymptomatic, doing well and isolating at their respective homes.

The Bundesliga outfit are due to face Czech club Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League at Allianz Arena on Tuesday.

The positive tests come after Bayern pair Manuel Neuer and Leon Goretzka were withdrawn from Germany camp last week after their own infections.

Kimmich has started every game in all competitions this season for Bayern, netting two goals and providing four assists.

Muller has started all bar one of Bayern's games in all competitions, scoring twice and providing four assists.

Hector Bellerin has suffered a calf strain in training as Barcelona's injury problems continue to mount.

Barca had largely been able to select from a full squad during the early weeks of the season, but the past week has given head coach Xavi plenty of fitness concerns to contend with.

Bellerin is the latest to sustain an issue, with the right-back suffering difficulties with his calf during a training session on Tuesday.

A club statement said Bellerin is to "undergo a series of tests to determine the full extent of the trouble", though it would be reasonable to assume he is a doubt for Saturday's trip to Mallorca.

He is the third Barca defender to suffer an injury in the past week, with Jules Kounde out until mid-October with an Achilles problem and Ronald Araujo not expected to play again until after the World Cup following thigh surgery.

Also sidelined are Frenkie de Jong and Memphis Depay, who were injured on international duty with the Netherlands.

Barca's injury problems are mounting at a particularly inopportune moment given how hectic October promises to be.

Next month, Barca will face Inter twice and Bayern Munich again in the Champions League, while they have El Clasico and potentially tricky clashes with Villarreal, Athletic Bilbao and Valencia all in LaLiga.