Paris Saint-Germain head coach Luis Enrique is confident his players can adapt in the absence of Goncalo Ramos to continue their impressive start to the season.

PSG have taken to life without Kylian Mbappe with ease, scoring 10 goals in their first two Ligue 1 fixtures, equalling their highest tally after two games played (also in 2022-23).

The Parisiens have welcomed four new faces during the transfer window, signing Joao Neves, Desire Doue, William Pacho and Matvei Safonov. 

Luis Enrique was dealt a blow, however, in PSG's opener against Le Harve, with striker Ramos forced off with an injury that will cause him to miss three months.

But in his absence, Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembele have starred in front of goal, with Luis Enrique now focused on bringing the best out of the players available.

"We want to sign players, and their prices were very high. I have the players I have, I'm happy with their level, now I have to develop their potential," Luis Enrique said.

"As a nine, we can play with [Marco] Asensio, Dembele, Randal Kolo Muani, Barcola, Ramos, Warren [Zaire-Emery], [Achraf] Hakimi, Vitinha, Fabian [Ruiz], Neves... that's 10. It's the same with the defenders.

"I've got some very versatile players, which fits in with the plan we wanted for this team. Pacho, Doue and Neves — they can play in lots of different roles... so I have a lot of options in my team."

PSG will seek to claim an elusive Champions League trophy once again this season, but have been handed a difficult draw in the competition's new league phase.

Luis Enrique's side will face Girona in their first game in the competition, but will also square off against European heavyweights Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Atletico Madrid.

"My impression of the draw is that it's a new competition, a new format," Luis Enrique said. 

"It's obvious that statistically we were the least favoured but I can't judge this competition because we don't know it.

"We'll say that this is a competition that we're going to try out and we've been the least lucky."

Goncalo Ramos will undergo surgery after sustaining an ankle ligament injury during Paris Saint-Germain's victory over Le Havre, the club has confirmed.

The PSG striker limped off in the 20th minute of their 4-1 win at the Stade Oceane following a late tackle from behind. 

Ramos, who scored 11 times for Luis Enrique's side last season, provided an assist for Lee Kang-In in the third minute of PSG's opening match of the new Ligue 1 campaign, prior to his premature withdrawal.

The reigning champions confirmed on Saturday the Portugal international suffered a "serious ligament sprain in his left ankle", which will sideline him for around three months.

Ramos' absence deals a further blow to Luis Enrique, who is already looking to fill the void left by Kylian Mbappe following his blockbuster move to Real Madrid.

Luis Enrique believes Goncalo Ramos' injury is "serious" after the forward limped off early on in Paris Saint-Germain's opening day win over Le Harve. 

Ramos, who scored 11 goals for PSG last season, was forced to withdraw from the action at the Stade Oceane in the 20th minute following a late tackle from behind. 

The Portugal international provided the assist for Lee Kang-In's strike inside three minutes, with only Angel Di Maria starting a game, delivering an assist and being subbed off earlier than Ramos in a Ligue 1 fixture. 

His withdrawal serves as a significant blow for Enrique, who is looking to replace the 27 league goals scored by Kylian Mbappe last season after his move to Real Madrid. 

"I’m not a doctor but I think it looks pretty serious. I don’t know how many weeks he will be out injured but it’s serious," Enrique said. 

Despite the convincing scoreline, the defending champions took advantage of a late collapse from their opponents, scoring three times in the final six minutes after Gautier Lloris had levelled the encounter three minutes into the second half. 

Ousmane Dembele, Bradley Barcola and Randal Kolo Muani struck late, with new signing Joao Neves becoming only the second player to deliver two assists for his debut with PSG in the same game in all competitions in the 21st century. 

But Enrique acknowledged that his side relaxed after Kang-In's opener, saying the encounter "wasn't easy at all" in Normandy. 

"It wasn't easy at all. Maybe we started too calmly. We scored a goal very quickly and that relaxed us a bit too much, and we suffered a bit," Enrique said.  

"I think in the second half we had more chances, more clear-cut chances and we were able to kill off the match. But it was difficult.

"We're clearly a team that's trying to play to its strengths. It's true that it was in the last part of the match that we performed best.

"We had some important players in the team and it's always difficult to play away from home. It's complicated and today we did it again."

Paris Saint-Germain were held to a 3-3 draw at home to relegation-battling Le Havre on Saturday and will need to wait before confirming their 12th Ligue 1 title.

PSG would have clinched the title with three games to spare with a victory. They have a 12-point gap over second-placed Monaco, who are at Lyon on Sunday, and a goal difference of 47 to Monaco's 18.

The away side opened the scoring in the 19th minute through Christopher Operi and PSG levelled 10 minutes later with Bradley Barcola scoring, but Le Havre went ahead again seven minutes before the break when Andre Ayew found the net.

Le Havre made it 3-1 with an Abdoulaye Toure penalty in the 61st minute, before Achrif Hakimi gave PSG hope with a goal 12 minutes from time and Goncalo Ramos levelled in added time. Le Havre are 15th on 29 points.

Paris St Germain needed a late cameo from Kylian Mbappe and an 86th-minute equaliser by Goncalo Ramos to snatch a 1-1 draw with Ligue 1’s bottom club Clermont Foot.

With bigger tests to come – notably the first leg of their Champions League clash with Barcelona on Wednesday – Luis Enrique named a youthful PSG line-up and handed full debuts to a pair of 17-year-olds, Yoram Zague and Senny Mayulu.

But the Spaniard would still have expected to comfortably beat a side who kicked off six points adrift of even the relegation play-off place.

However, he had to summon Mbappe from the bench with 25 minutes remaining and the France forward duly set up Ramos to secure a point.

Enrique was forced into an early change when Nordi Mukiele collided with Clermont keeper Massamba Ndiaye and had to be replaced by Achraf Hakimi.

PSG’s first chance fell to Ramos, who was teed up by the lively Mayulu, but his shot was deflected wide.

Ramos then laid the ball off to Hakimi, whose low shot was saved by Ndiaye.

Clermont won on their last visit to Paris, on the final day of last season.

And they threatened another shock when they took the lead, totally against the run of play, after 31 minutes.

It was a calamitous goal to concede, with Neto Borges racing down the right and sending a high, hopeful cross towards the far post.

Alan Virginius turned the ball back into the path of Habib Keita and when Manuel Ugarte slid in to block, the ball looped up over home keeper Arnau Tenas and beyond the despairing slide of Milan Skriniar.

PSG had the ball in the net just before half-time when Mayulu drove home from the edge of the area, but a VAR check spotted a clear foul by fellow youngster Zague in the build-up.

After the break Marco Asensio swung in a dangerous free-kick which Danilo Pereira headed into the side-netting.

Moments later Mayulu drilled a low cross into the area and Hakimi crashed his shot against the underside of the crossbar.

Mbappe, sent on for his 300th PSG appearance, saw his header saved by Ndiaye after Ramos had rattled the crossbar.

The visiting keeper then made a superb save to tip a Ramos header over.

But Ndiaye was powerless to prevent the equaliser when Mbappe split the defence open lo leave Ramos with a simple finish.

Mbappe could have won it in stoppage time but his shot hit the side-netting.

A late Goncalo Ramos penalty rescued a point for Paris St Germain as they drew 1-1 with Rennes in Ligue 1.

Although PSG retained the majority of possession in the first-half, Rennes took their chance and Amine Gouiri fired them in front with a stunning effort into the top-corner.

The hosts wasted a series of chances in the second-half and looked destined for a second league defeat this season before Ramos scored from the spot deep into stoppage-time.

A draw means PSG now hold an 11 point advantage over second-placed Brest, who beat Strasbourg on Saturday, while Rennes move into seventh.

A quiet start to proceedings saw the hosts take control but fail to really test Rennes.

Vitinha had the first decent chance of the match in the 20th minute, when his low strike forced Steve Mandanda into a great fingertip save to push the ball behind for a corner.

Christopher Wooh then did well to stick a boot out to deny Ousmane Dembele’s through ball to Kylian Mbappe as the hosts struggled to find the breakthrough.

Despite PSG’s dominance in the first half, it was Rennes who took the lead in the 33rd minute after taking advantage of their first chance of the game.

Gouiri broke through the centre of the pitch and launched into a brilliant run, weaving around the Parisian defence before flicking the ball forward to clip it with the outside of his boot into the top-right corner.

The Algeria striker had another opportunity to double their lead minutes later after taking the ball past Danilo Pereira but fired wide.

Achraf Hakimi fired a free-kick well over the bar early in the second half as PSG searched for the equaliser and the Morocco international came close from another set-piece which curled just wide of the far post.

Their frustrations continued when Dembele burst down the right and found an unmarked Mbappe lurking on the edge of the area in plenty of space, but the captain dispatched a low effort wide.

Mandanda then made a great save, getting a strong hand to claw away Dembele’s strike from the right before Mbappe threatened again with a powerful effort that whistled just over the bar.

Rennes missed an incredible opportunity to extend their lead in the 69th minute when a low cross from the left was fed into Benjamin Bourigeaud at the near post, but the midfielder bundled his shot wide.

PSG had another great chance from a corner when Fabian flicked a header on to Pereira, who headed over the bar.

The hosts had a penalty ruling overturned by VAR in the final 10 minutes when Ramos dived in the box.

Bourigeaud then had a dangerous free-kick punched away by Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 90th minute before Fabian volleyed the ball past the post.

Late drama saw Ramos go down in the box again and, following a consultation with VAR, a penalty was awarded, which the striker blasted into the top corner in the sixth minute of stoppage-time to salvage a point.

Kylian Mbappe was kept in reserve as Paris St Germain went 11 points clear at the top of Ligue 1 with 3-1 victory over Lille.

Defender Alexsandro had a night to forget at the Parc des Princes when, after Yusuf Yazici had given the visitors an early lead, he was robbed to allow Goncalo Ramos to level and then sliced the ball into his own net before Randal Kolo Muani cemented the win.

Mbappe was named only among the substitutes ahead of Wednesday night’s Champions League last 16 clash with Real Sociedad, as were Gianluigi Donnarumma, Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos and Warren Zaire-Emery.

And Mbappe was not needed as Luis Enrique’s side eased to victory, with fourth-placed Lille indebted to goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier for keeping the margin of defeat respectable.

Mbappe’s presence on the bench as he nursed ankle injury did not come as a huge surprise despite Enrique’s insistence in the run-up to the game that he would be involved, but 37-year-old Keylor Navas’ inclusion in place of Donnarumma, his first appearance for the club since May 2022, did prompt raised eyebrows.

Navas’ evening got off to a bad start as Tiago Santos tricked his way past Lucas Beraldo and after Fabian Ruiz failed to deal with his cross, Yazici smashed the ball past the PSG keeper in the sixth minute.

The lead last barely four minutes as Alexsandro was caught in possession and Ousmane Dembele squared for Ramos to equalise.

Alexsandro’s evening was to take a further turn for the worse with just 17 minutes played as the home side started to find their feet.

Ramos sent the ball across the face of goal and when the visitors failed to deal with it, Fabian unleashed a speculative shot and the defender sliced an attempted clearance into his own net.

Lille might have fallen further behind in first-half stoppage time but for Chevalier’s instinctive save with his foot after Marco Asensio had run on to Dembele’s pull-back.

Asensio was guilty of a poor 51st-minute miss after robbing Nabil Bentaleb on the edge of the penalty area, and Chevalier came to Alexsandro’s rescue with a block from Nordi Mukiele after he had forced his way past the defender.

Edon Zhegrova saw a 58th-minute attempt deflected wide at the other end after Gabriel Gudmundsson and Angel Gomes had combined to set him up, but it took another superb save from Chevalier to keep out Kolo Muani’s 73rd-minute strike.

The striker did get his name on the scoresheet with 10 minutes remaining when substitute Bradley Barcola broke down the left and crossed for him to cement victory.

And Alexsandro’s misery was complete when he headed wastefully over when presented with a late chance to reduce the deficit.

Kylian Mbappe fired a hat-trick as Paris St Germain thumped amateur opponents Revel 9-0 in the French Cup at the Stade Pierre-Fabre.

The round-of-64 tie in Castres was never in doubt from the moment Mbappe opened the scoring in the 17th minute, yet the France striker was wasteful despite boosting his goal tally for the season to 25 in all competitions.

Marco Asensio starred for PSG, orchestrating the downfall of opponents operating in the sixth tier of French football, and the Spain star was on target shortly before half-time.

Mbappe was the only player to keep his place in a side showing 10 changes following Wednesday’s 2-0 Champions Trophy victory over Toulouse, but Goncalo Ramos was first to test goalkeeper Cyril Garcia, who saved a shot bound for the top-left corner.

Mbappe and Asensio went close as early pressure built on the underdogs’ defence and in the 17th minute it cracked, Carlos Soler finding Mbappe who fired home.

PSG were dominating possession against outclassed opponents with Asensio, Mbappe and Nordi Mukiele all going close.

Ramos teed up Mbappe and his first-time shot flew high over the crossbar but the search for a second goal ended in the 39th minute when Maxence N’Guessan poked a cross into his own net.

Revel’s resistance was melting away and they were undone two more times before the interval with the influential Asensio the next on target before Mbappe nodded in his second.

The second half was only three minutes old when Mbappe made it 5-0, Revel’s over-stretched defence offering Asensio the chance to score, only for the Spain star to provide his team-mate with an open goal.

Garcia was being kept busy in the home goal as PSG continued to press but he was at fault for a penalty conceded in the 72nd minute when he took out Ramos, who converted from the spot.

Randal Kolo Muani added the seventh from close range and Cher Mdour produced a stylish finish having been set up by Mbappe, before Muani completed the scoring on the stroke of full-time.

What the papers say

Portugal striker Goncalo Ramos, 21, has emerged as a major target for Manchester United. The Daily Mirror reports the Old Trafford club have held talks with Benfica over a deal worth up to £100million, including add-ons.

The Red Devils are also poised to join the race for England midfielder Declan Rice, 24, according to The Sun. United are ready to join Arsenal and Chelsea in the hunt for Rice, who impressed in their narrow 1-0 defeat to West Ham on Sunday.

The Hammers are eyeing a move for Fulham boss Marco Silva if they part ways with David Moyes, according to the Daily Mail. The 45-year-old has a £6million release clause in his contract.

Chelsea are keen to make Portugal forward Joao Felix’s loan from Atletico Madrid permanent. According to the Standard they are willing to offer striker Pierre-Emerick Aubamayeng, 33, and defender Marc Cucurella, 24, as part of a deal for the 23-year-old.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Viktor Gyokeres: West Ham are keen on a move for the 24-year-old Sweden forward from Coventry, reports the Daily Mirror.

N’Golo Kante: The France midfielder, 32, could be persuaded to stay at Chelsea if Mauricio Pochettino is appointed as manager.

© 2024 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.