Paris Saint-Germain head coach Christophe Galtier was thankful for no more penalty drama after Neymar equalised from the spot in the 1-1 draw with Monaco.
Neymar and Kylian Mbappe clashed in the 5-2 win over Montpellier on August 13 after the France international tried to take the ball off Neymar for a penalty, having already missed a spot-kick earlier in the game.
The two reportedly resolved the issue after the match, but there was potential for the situation to flare up again as PSG won another spot-kick when 1-0 down at home to Monaco on Sunday.
Neymar won it after being fouled by Guillermo Maripan, and picked himself up off the floor to fire home from 12 yards to level things up, before celebrating with Mbappe.
And Galtier was glad there was no more disagreement over penalty duties, telling Prime Video: "On this match, Kylian Mbappe was the number 1 penalty taker and Neymar was number 2.
"After talking with Kylian, I saw that he had been happy to congratulate Ney[mar]. This is how it should be.
"They are great players, it's up to them to feel it. The important thing is that he scored and that Kylian came to congratulate."
Paris Saint-Germain were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw at home to Monaco as their 100 per cent start to the season came to an end.
PSG started the first half well, but a pinpoint Kevin Volland finish past Gianluigi Donnarumma put the visitors ahead at the break.
Christophe Galtier’s team pressed for an equaliser in the second period and found one when VAR awarded a penalty for a foul on Neymar, who stepped up himself to stroke home the spot-kick.
The hosts pushed for a winner, but could not find one as Monaco held on for a point.
PSG were ultimately frustrated not to pick up all three points, while Monaco will be glad to escape the capital with a draw.
The Ligue 1 champions dominated the early possession but fell behind after 20 minutes when Volland latched onto an Aleksandr Golovin throughball before rifling into the bottom-right corner.
Monaco nearly had a second before half-time, but Donnarumma scampered across his line just in time to tip Caio Henrique’s curling free-kick wide.
PSG hit the frame of the goal twice in quick succession in first-half stoppage time as a Lionel Messi drive rebounded off the left post straight to Kylian Mbappe, whose first-time effort hit the other upright.
Wissam Ben Yedder could have made it 2-0 after the interval when Donnarumma was caught well out of his goal, but the France international’s long-range shot went over the crossbar.
Neymar and Renato Sanches both went close to levelling for the hosts, but a combination of Alexander Nubel and poor finishing maintained Monaco’s lead.
Galtier’s men finally equalised when VAR awarded a spot-kick for a Guillermo Maripan trip on Neymar. The Brazil international fired the resulting penalty into the bottom-left corner.
Monaco came under increasing pressure in the remaining minutes as PSG hunted a winner, Achraf Hakimi being denied by the post, but Philippe Clement’s team held on for an impressive point.
Paris Saint-Germain will be out to continue their lightning start to the Ligue 1 season against one of the few teams to depose them as Ligue 1 champions in the QSI era when Monaco visit the Parc des Princes.
New coach Christophe Galtier has seen his team claim three wins from three league games, their latest victory coming at the expense of a Lille side he guided to the title in 2020-21.
PSG thrashed Les Dogues 7-1 and already hold a two-point lead at the top of the table.
Monaco, who edged out PSG in 2016-17, look unlikely to challenge them this season, having taken four points from three games.
It would be harsh to overly criticise that points return but the consistency of PSG's star-studded squad has made early slip-ups something potential title rivals cannot afford.
And, after losing 4-1 at home to Lens last time out, Monaco have the appearance of a team who could be emphatically put to the sword by one of their former heroes.
PSG FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS
The superstar front three of Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi did not gel in the spectacular fashion many anticipated following the latter's shock move from Barcelona last year.
This season, the fearsome triumvirate look to have established a devastating rapport.
PSG have scored 17 goals across their three league wins, the second-highest total at this stage in Ligue 1 history behind Rennes and their 18 scored in 1950-51 (also W3).
With the Mbappe-inspired hammering of Lille following five-goal efforts against both Montpellier and Clermont, PSG have scored at least five in each of their past four Ligue 1 matches in a run stretching back to last season.
They are only the second team to achieve that feat. The other team to do so was Reims between August and September 1952.
Messi has three goals to his name already while Neymar has found the net five times. It is Mbappe, however, who is the best bet for a hat-trick against his former club.
THREE THE MAGIC NUMBER FOR MBAPPE
With his treble against Lille, which saw him score eight seconds into the game at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy, equalling a Ligue 1 record, Mbappe netted his third hat-trick of 2022.
That tally of three-goal showings is more than any other player in Europe's top five leagues, the France international also hitting hat-tricks against Clermont in April and Metz in May.
He has 23 league goals to his name in this calendar year, comfortably outperforming his expected goals (xG) of 16.9, highlighting his supreme reliability.
Though Monaco will be concerned by the threat posed by PSG's cavalcade of goalscoring talent, they will be heartened by the fact the Parisians have conceded three goals this term, and they have a potential means through which to exploit the hosts' defensive vulnerabilities.
CAIO THE CREATIVE OUTLET
Caio Henrique made only one first team appearance for Atletico Madrid, but he has blossomed into a hugely important player for Monaco since joining in 2020.
Last season, the full-back produced eight assists in the league and has already managed to set up a goal this term.
PSG had previously been linked with the Brazilian, and they will be wary of his threat when Monaco get the ball to him on the left.
Six of Caio Henrique's assists since the start of last season have come from a cross. Jonathan Clauss (7) is the sole player to deliver more in that manner.
GALTIER'S MONACO MISERY
If Monaco are searching for encouragement from the numbers, they should look towards Galtier's record against the Principality club.
The former Saint-Etienne and Nice boss has won just 21 per cent of his games against Monaco as a coach (4/19).
Only against Marseille (16 per cent – 4/25) and PSG (17 per cent – 4/24) does he have a worse record among teams he has faced more than five times in the top flight.
Monaco are also unbeaten in their last six away games in Ligue 1 and have won three of their last four league matches against PSG.
But, with PSG having avoided defeat in their past 23 home Ligue 1 games since losing 1-0 to Lille in April 2021, the odds are stacked against Monaco extending their impressive run of form on their travels.
Paris Saint-Germain coach Christophe Galtier says the upcoming Champions League campaign will be a "new page" for the club but a "new book" for himself having learned the identity of their group stage opponents.
PSG were pitted against Juventus, Benfica and Maccabi Haifa in Group H in Thursday's draw as the club once again try to finally end their wait to lift European club football's most coveted prize.
Galtier does have previous experience of the Champions League, coaching Lille in the 2019-20 competition. However, being at the helm of a club expected to contend to win the tournament is a new experience for the former Saint-Etienne and Nice boss.
Asked how he is feeling ahead of his second Champions League campaign, Galtier said: "It's a new page for PSG, it's a new book for me. I am very motivated and determined, while staying focused. When you are the PSG coach, you want to be involved in these type of games.
"We know about the exposure and pressure in these games, I have not really felt it yet, but it will come. I'm looking forward to it, being involved in the competition and these big European evenings."
PSG are set to face an extremely congested fixture list as they juggle domestic and European commitments before the pause for the World Cup in November.
Speaking ahead of Sunday's Ligue 1 clash with Monaco, Galtier confirmed PSG are still looking to add quality players to a squad packed with world-class talent to ensure they are ready for the rigours of their schedule.
"There are players in our squad that are closer to leaving, we are also hoping to bring players in," he said. "We have singled out the positions where we are still looking to strengthen with quality players, but will that happen or not? I don't know.
"The later it gets, the harder it is to integrate them, but players who join PSG are top quality and have the ability to settle in quickly.
"The quicker they arrive the better, but there is still uncertainty there, and I am not the only one and we are not the only big club in this situation. We have to adapt and ensure we have the best possible squad to perform as well as we can in all competitions."
PSG midfielder Leandro Paredes has been linked with Juventus and goalkeeper Keylor Navas is the subject of speculation over a move to Napoli. There has also been talk of a late final PSG push to sign Inter defender Milan Skriniar, a player frequently connected with the club.
"In terms of Leandro Paredes, nothing is done at the moment, we will see how it goes by the end of the transfer window, there are lots of conversations going on," said Galtier.
"I know Leandro has been in talks with Juventus, which is normal. At the moment, Leandro Paredes is a PSG player and has been heavily involved in our games.
"As for Keylor Navas, he is a PSG player, he got injured last week before the game, he is playing normally and he will be in the squad.
"As for the Inter player you mentioned, I have no comment to make."
Manchester United will face LaLiga opposition in the Europa League group stage after being drawn to face a Real Sociedad team who have David Silva in their ranks.
Silva is a Manchester City favourite who won four Premier League titles in a 10-year spell at the Etihad Stadium before returning to his native Spain two years ago.
Sociedad finished sixth in LaLiga last season, with United also sixth in the Premier League.
The teams are no strangers to each other, having met in the Europa League last-32 stage in February 2021, when a 4-0 win in Spain paved the way for United to win by that score on aggregate. Silva did not play in the goalless second leg at Old Trafford, with the tie effectively already lost.
United, who won the Europa League in 2017 and went on to be runners-up in 2021, must also tackle Moldovan outfit Sheriff Tiraspol and Cypriot team Omonoia in Group E.
The Sheriff clash will be United's first competitive game against a side from Moldova.
Former United boss Jose Mourinho, who engineered the Red Devils' 2017 trophy success, returns to the Europa League with Roma, last season's Europa Conference League champions. The Italian side will face Ludogorets, Real Betis and HJK Helsinki in the group stage.
Arsenal and PSV, led from the touchline by Mikel Arteta and Ruud van Nistelrooy respectively, are the star attractions in Group A, which also features Bodo/Glimt and FC Zurich.
Dynamo Kyiv, from war-torn Ukraine, will play Rennes, Fenerbahce and Larnaca in Group B.
The group stage begins on September 8 and wraps up on November 3, before the World Cup gets under way, with the final to be played on May 31 at the Puskas Arena in Budapest.
Draw in full:
Group A: Arsenal, PSV, Bodo/Glimt, Zurich
Group B: Dynamo Kyiv, Rennes, Fenerbahce, Larnaca
Group C: Roma, Ludogorets, Real Betis, HJK Helsinki
Group D: Braga, Malmo, Union Berlin, Union Saint-Gilloise
Group E: Manchester United, Real Sociedad, Sheriff Tiraspol, Omonoia
Group F: Lazio, Feyenoord, Midtjylland, Sturm Graz
Group G: Olympiacos, Qarabag, Freiburg, Nantes
Group H: Red Star Belgrade, Monaco, Ferencvaros, Trabzonspor
Manchester United will face LaLiga opposition and a pair of relative minnows in the Europa League, after being drawn in Group E alongside Real Sociedad, Sheriff Tiraspol and Omonoia.
Arsenal have reached at least the semi-finals in three of their last four Europa League campaigns and will go up against Dutch outfit PSV in Group A as they look to go further and lift the trophy.
Last season's Europa Conference League champions Roma, led by head coach Jose Mourinho, will face off against Ludogorets, Real Betis and HJK Helsinki in Group C.
It was Feyenoord that Mourinho's team beat in the final to win the inaugural Conference League, and Friday's Europa League draw saw the Dutch side included in Group F alongside Roma's fierce rivals Lazio.
Last season's quarter-finalists Braga will look to go deep in this competition once again but will have to battle Malmo, Union Berlin and Union Saint-Gilloise first to reach the knockout stages.
Dynamo Kyiv, meanwhile, were drawn against Fenerbahce, Rennes and Cypriot side AEK Larnaca.
Jamaica sprint queen Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has put together one of the most exceptional seasons in track and field history, after dominating the 100m at the World Championships, and clocking a number of blistering times, she has just one objective left, to keep running fast.
Earlier this week, the sprinter clocked a speedy 10.62 at the Monaco Diamond League meet. The time was the athlete’s best this season and just two hundredths of a second outside her personal best. Even more remarkable was the fact that the performance marked the sprinter’s 6th sub-10.7 time this season, the most by any female athlete in history.
Despite all that she has achieved so far, the sprinter is not quite ready to end the season just yet.
“To be able to run 10.6 consistently means a lot to me. It is remarkable. It is very hard to keep the speed at this high level,” Fraser-Pryce said.
“It is important for me to deliver fast times because I´m looking forward for myself to having a great season,” she added.
“I´m in my late thirties, and I think I feel like I have more to give. I look forward to doing my Personal Best for the rest of the season and running fast.
“As a sprinter, you always want to run on the fast track. The only target I have for the rest of the season is just to run fast. Now, we break, and then we come again. Not sure about Lausanne yet.”
With five events to go Fraser-Pryce is also in contention for the 100m Diamond League title.
It was yet another world-leading run for Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce at the Meeting Herculis EBS Diamond League in Monaco on Wednesday but this time the field was closer; a lot closer.
The 35-year-old Jamaican ran a meet record of 10.62 for victory but Shericka Jackson ran a lifetime best of 10.71 to take the runner-up spot just ahead of Marie Jose Ta Lou, who ran a personal best and area record 10.72 for third.
Aleia Hobbs of the United States equalled her season-best 10.81 for fourth.
This was the record-extending sixth consecutive final in which the diminutive Jamaican has run faster than 10.70 seconds and the two-time Olympic champion was quite pleased with the performance but hinted that she is planning to take a break after what has been an intense schedule.
“I had now three back-to-back races so I will take some time for recovery and see what I´m able to do with some rest before I come back,” she said.
“I did what I needed to do and we had fun and let the clock do the talking. I cannot be disappointed with the season. To be able to run 10.6 consistently means a lot to me. It is remarkable. It is very hard to keep the speed at this high level.
“I´m in my late 30’s and I think I feel like I have more to give. I look forward to doing my personal best for the rest of the season and run fast.”
The Jamaican speed-queen was not the only Caribbean winner at the meet on the night as Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas raced to a fast 49.28 to win the 400m in commanding fashion over Candice McLeod who ran a season-best 49.89, her first time under 50 seconds for the season. Finishing third was Commonwealth Games champion Sada Williams, who ran 51.10.
Commonwealth Games finalist Rushell Clayton ran a brand new lifetime best of 53.33 to win the 400m hurdles to defeat Commonwealth Games champion Janieve Russell, who ran a season-best 53.52.
Panama’s Gianna Woodruff was third in 54.13.
Natoya Goule rebounded from the disappointment of just missing out on a medal at the Commonwealth Games to run a season-best 1:56.98.
Goule won by five metres ahead Sage Hurta ran a new personal best of 1:57.85. Her compatriot Olivia Baker was third in a season-best 1:58:05.
“I feel extremely proud because I finally dropped the time under 57. I knew it was in me…this is really the track where you can run fast but I am just thankful for the win and the season best,” said Goule who missed out on a medal by 0.01 at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
“I just wanted to ensure I ran a smart race because it was getting fast. I am glad that I finished strong because sometimes when you run 56, you do not have the kick but I still got it today. I was so happy when I crossed the line and saw the time. It would be nice to get a PR this season. I know it is a bit challenging but I take it step by step.”
Hansle Parchment, still recovering from the injury that kept him out of the finals of the 110m hurdles at the 2022 World Championships and the Commonwealth Games ran a season-best 13.08 but finished third to Grant Holloway, who ran a 12.99 season-best for the win.
NCAA champion Trey Cunningham ran 13.03 for second place.
In the field, Shanieka Ricketts jumped 14.91, her second-best mark of the season to be runner-up to Olympic and World Champion Yulimar Rojas, who needed a mark of 15.01 to take the win.
The USA’s Tori Franklin jumped a lifetime best of 14.86 for third place.
Noah Lyles of the USA raced to a meet record 19.46 to win the 200m leaving teen sensation Erriyon Knighton 19.84 and Michael Norman 19.95 floundering in his wake.
Chelsea have allowed Malang Sarr to join Monaco on loan with an option to buy.
The 23-year-old centre-back will move to the Ligue 1 club for the 2022-23 season, with Monaco then able to make the arrangement permanent for a reported €15million (£12.7m).
Monaco's purchase option could become mandatory if certain conditions are met, according to widespread reports.
Sarr joined Chelsea on a free transfer in August 2020 but was soon sent out on loan to Porto, where he made 19 appearances across all competitions.
He returned to Stamford Bridge for the 2021-22 season and became a member of the first-team squad, playing 21 times on all fronts, though only eight of those were in the Premier League.
In joining Monaco, Sarr returns to Ligue 1 after a two-year absence having previously been regarded as one of the most promising young defenders in Europe during his breakthrough as a teenager at Nice.
Sarr is Monaco's fourth signing of the window after Takumi Minamino, Breel Embolo and Thomas Didillon.
Monaco saw their Champions League qualification hopes ended on Tuesday when a 3-2 defeat after extra time away to PSV saw them suffer a 4-3 aggregate loss in the penultimate stage of qualifying.
Ahead of her much-anticipated clash with five-time 100m world champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in Monaco on Wednesday, 200m world champion Shericka Jackson has revealed that she has not yet achieved her goal in the 100m.
Chelsea are in the market to bolster their defence following the exits of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen.
Thomas Tuchel's side have already added Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli for £35million.
The Blues are eager to add another centre-back to their ranks before the closure of the transfer window.
TOP STORY – BLUES TO MAKE WORLD-RECORD BID FOR FOFANA
Chelsea are preparing to make a world-record offer for Leicester City's French defender Wesley Fofana, reports Football London.
The Blues' bid would be the highest fee paid for a defender, having had a previous offer declined by the Foxes.
It is believed Chelsea's previous bid was £70m with Leicester insisting he is not for sale. Harry Maguire, sold by Leicester to Manchester United, holds the record for a defender at £80m.
ROUND-UP
– Manchester United are closing in on a deal for Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot, having reached an agreement with the Italian club for an initial £15m fee, according to The Guardian. France international Rabiot is in the final year of his contract with Juventus.
– 90min reports that United target Benjamin Sesko is close to agreeing to a deal with German club RB Leipzig. The report claims that 19-year-old Slovenian forward Sesko will move from Salzburg to Leipzig in 2023.
– United have also reached out to Real Betis on Guido Rodriguez's status according to AS, while the Red Devils are still considering Lazio's Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, reports The Telegraph.
– Tottenham have reached an agreement with Udinese for winger Destiny Udogie for more than €20m, claims Fabrizio Romano. Udogie, however, will still on loan at Udinese this season.
– Monaco are keen on signing Manchester United defender Eric Bailly on loan, claims L'Equipe. The Ligue 1 club want the Ivorian, who is under contract until 2024, with an option to buy.
– Fiorentina will rival Villarreal for the signature of Tottenham's Giovani Lo Celso, according to Gianluca Di Marzio. The Argentina international spent time on loan with Villarreal last season.
– Valencia will revive its interest in Tottenham's Bryan Gil following Goncalo Guades' move to Wolves, claims Diario AS.
– The Telegraph claims Milan have re-opened talks with Chelsea's Moroccan winger Hakim Ziyech who has been transfer listed.
Chelsea are in the market to bolster their defence following the exits of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen.
Thomas Tuchel's side have already added Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli for £35million.
The Blues are eager to add another centre-back to their ranks before the closure of the transfer window.
TOP STORY – BLUES TO MAKE WORLD-RECORD BID FOR FOFANA
Chelsea are preparing to make a world-record offer for Leicester City's French defender Wesley Fofana, reports Football London.
The Blues' bid would be the highest fee paid for a defender, having had a previous offer declined by the Foxes.
It is believed Chelsea's previous bid was £70m with Leicester insisting he is not for sale. Harry Maguire, sold by Leicester to Manchester United, holds the record for a defender at £80m.
ROUND-UP
– Manchester United are closing in on a deal for Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot, having reached an agreement with the Italian club for an initial £15m fee, according to The Guardian. France international Rabiot is in the final year of his contract with Juventus.
– 90min reports that United target Benjamin Sesko is close to agreeing to a deal with German club RB Leipzig. The report claims that 19-year-old Slovenian forward Sesko will move from Salzburg to Leipzig in 2023.
– United have also reached out to Real Betis on Guido Rodriguez's status according to AS, while the Red Devils are still considering Lazio's Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, reports The Telegraph.
– Tottenham have reached an agreement with Udinese for winger Destiny Udogie for more than €20m, claims Fabrizio Romano. Udogie, however, will still on loan at Udinese this season.
– Monaco are keen on signing Manchester United defender Eric Bailly on loan, claims L'Equipe. The Ligue 1 club want the Ivorian, who is under contract until 2024, with an option to buy.
– Fiorentina will rival Villarreal for the signature of Tottenham's Giovani Lo Celso, according to Gianluca Di Marzio. The Argentina international spent time on loan with Villarreal last season.
– Valencia will revive its interest in Tottenham's Bryan Gil following Goncalo Guades' move to Wolves, claims Diario AS.
– The Telegraph claims Milan have re-opened talks with Chelsea's Moroccan winger Hakim Ziyech who has been transfer listed.
Another Ligue 1 campaign begins on Friday after a big window for French football, the highlight of which was Paris Saint-Germain retaining Kylian Mbappe.
New arrivals in the league include returns for Lyon duo Alexandre Lacazette and Corentin Tolisso, while high-profile departures have seen Aurelien Tchouameni, Sven Botman and Nayef Aguerd depart.
With PSG once again investing heavily in their squad, adding the likes of Vitinha, Hugo Ekitike and Nordi Mukiele, the capital club are widely expected to storm to another title – but can there be an upset?
The verdict, unsurprisingly, is probably not – as Stats Perform AI predicted the outcome of the coming campaign, estimating the likelihood of teams finishing in each position informed by their expected results in each match.
These are calculated using betting odds and Stats Perform's team rankings – based on historical and recent team performances – and, while the title race is not likely to get going, there are some big battles elsewhere in the division.
PSG PARTY ONCE AGAIN
With one of the most expensive squads ever assembled, including the devastating attack of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, PSG are unsurprisingly expected to romp to another Ligue 1 success.
Having won eight of the last nine titles, Stats Perform AI has given PSG a 76.01 per cent chance of retaining their crown.
Marseille, runners-up last season, are seen as the side most capable of mounting a challenge, though their 7.29 per cent chance is slim. Monaco, title winners in 2016-17, are given a 6.55 per cent chance.
Lyon, once the dominant force in French football, have just a 4.29 per cent chance, while Rennes clock in at 3.44 per cent and Lille, the last side to prevent PSG from winning the title having lifted the trophy in 2020-21, have only a 0.71 per cent chance.
The gulf in class within French football is highlighted by the fact that nine teams, almost half of the division, are seen as having no hope in mounting a title challenge.
SCRAMBLE FOR EUROPEAN FOOTBALL
Unlike the other top leagues in European football, France has a limited number of places for qualification for UEFA competitions with just two guaranteed Champions League spots, one qualifying spot, one spot in the Europa League group stage and one in the Europa Conference League play-offs.
With PSG expected to surge to the title and take the first of the two group stage spots in the Champions League, with a 90.93 per cent likelihood, the scrap for the other automatic qualification spot could be fierce.
Marseille are seen as the favourites in that battle with a 29.97 per cent chance, with Monaco following suit with a 29.97 per cent chance.
Elsewhere, Lyon have an 18.7 per cent chance, with Rennes at 15.53 per cent, though they may have to settle for a third-place finish or a spot in the Europa League.
In the battle for fifth, and a play-off spot in the Conference League, it's also expected to be tight – with five clubs, as well as those already mentioned above, given at least a five per cent chance of reaching that spot.
Nice, Lens, Lille, Nantes and Strasbourg are all in with an outside shot of gunning for a spot in European competition, which could set up a thrilling battle.
REGULATION CHANGES INCREASE RELEGATION FIGHT
With Ligue 1 reducing to 18 teams from the 2023-24 season, the fight to avoid the drop to the second-tier will be fiercer than ever with the bottom four all being relegated – and there will be no play-offs either.
The situation looks bleak for Ajaccio (57.64 per cent chance of relegation), Clermont (57.57), Troyes (56.72) and Lorient (53.92), all of which are seen as more likely to suffer relegation than they are to avoid the drop.
Auxerre (46.58) and Toulouse (34.02) could also find themselves looking over their shoulders during the course of the season, while PSG, Marseille and Monaco are the three sides given no chance leaving the league through the bottom.
Of the promoted trio, it is Toulouse who are given the best chance of maintaining their top-flight status for another season – with their most likely position being 15th, with a 10.59 per cent chance of securing that spot.
Europa League finalists Rangers will have to negotiate past Royale Union Saint-Gilloise in the Champions League third qualifying round, where PSV meet Monaco.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst's side entered the qualifying stages through their second-place finish in last season's Scottish Premiership, where winners progress to the play-off stage and losers go automatically into the Europa League group stage.
Rangers also embarked on an impressive run to the Europa League final last season, getting past Borussia Dortmund, Braga and RB Leipzig before being defeated on penalties by Eintracht Frankfurt in Seville.
Union finished second in Belgium's First Division A after a 48-year top-flight absence and will pose a tough task in the two-legged clash, with the first meeting on August 2-3 before the return tie a week later.
Rangers lost at this round to Malmo last year and last made the group stage of UEFA's premier club competition back in 2010-11.
PSV were beaten Europa Conference League quarter-finalists last season, but the team now led by Ruud van Nistelrooy earned a shot at the Champions League after finishing second in the Eredivisie, and will face Monaco.
The Ligue 1 side seemed set to secure group-stage qualification themselves but will have to battle through qualification after they were pipped for second place on the final day of the season by Marseille.
In the other league path fixtures, the winner of Dynamo Kyiv and Fenerbahce will meet Austria's Sturm Graz, while last year's Champions League quarter-finalists Benfica will face either Midtjylland or AEK Larnaca.
The draw for the Champions League play-off round will be on August 1, with those ties taking place over August 16-17 and 23-24.
After recent issues with reliability putting a dent in their championship hopes, Ferrari were able to marginally recover at the British Grand Prix with Carlos Sainz's maiden Formula One race win.
It was a bittersweet Sunday for the Scuderia at Silverstone, however, with tactics scuppering a potential one-two finish with Charles Leclerc, who fell away to finish fourth on older hard tyres following a late safety car.
Ferrari capitalised to some extent, but were not able to take full advantage of Max Verstappen's damaged floor putting him out of contention for the race win.
Now heading into Red Bull's home race at the Austrian Grand Prix, the championship challengers simply must recover more ground if they are to mount a real threat in the standings.
Reigning world champion Verstappen has won the last two races and claimed the last two pole positions at Spielberg, however, making a repeat of Sunday's run to the chequered flag for Ferrari unlikely.
Red Bull have won three of the past four Austrian GPs, with Verstappen taking all three for the team.
The Red Bull Ring has been a happy hunting ground for the 24-year-old, reaching the podium six times, with two fastest laps as well as his four wins and two pole positions, with all being the most out of any circuit in his career.
A Ferrari win would prove an important historical moment for the team, though, as well as what it means in context of this season.
The Scuderia need only 23 points to be the first team in F1 to reach 9,000 points, while both they and Mercedes are one win away from equalling McLaren's record six wins in Austria.
Meanwhile, they are one clearout of the front row away from surpassing Mercedes for the most one-two qualifying finishes in F1, with both on 82.
Can Sainz push on after breaking through?
Carlos Sainz finally broke through at Silverstone, even declining team orders to collect the race win upon the resumption after the safety car.
Despite a tricky start to the season, Sainz has slowly developed confidence in the car, with six podiums this season
One more would see him surpass his total over the previous seven seasons in F1, and could be the first Spaniard since Fernando Alonso in 2010 to record back-to-back wins.
Austria does not follow 'El Plan'
Alonso's longevity and focus has been nothing short of extraordinary since returning to F1, but Austria has not been the most forthcoming of places for him.
Despite encouraging recent form, including a second place in qualifying in Canada and a fifth-place finish at Silverstone, the 40-year-old will be looking to change that.
The two-time world champion has appeared nine times at Spielberg, the circuit with his lowest aggregate of race wins, pole positions, fastest laps and podiums in his career.
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Drivers
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 181
2. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) 147
3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 138
4. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) 127
5. George Russell (Mercedes) 111
Constructors
1. Red Bull 328
2. Ferrari 265
3. Mercedes 204
4. McLaren 73
5. Alpine 67
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