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Barcelona have announced that Martin Braithwaite is set to undergo knee surgery, with a niggling knock for the Denmark international not responding to initial treatment.

He will be forced under the knife as a result, with the Liga giants being rocked by another blow to their attacking plans.

Having seen Lionel Messi depart as a free agent over the summer and new arrival Sergio Aguero pick up a calf complaint , while Ansu Fati eases his way back from a long-term knee problem , Braithwaite has now been added to the list of absentees at Camp Nou.

What has been said?

Barcelona said in a statement on the club's official website : "The first-team player Martin Braithwaite has a femoropatellar injury in his left knee which has not responded to conservative treatment. 

"The Danish striker will undergo surgery in the coming days. 

"The club will publish a new injury update when the process has taken place. 

"The Danish international has made three appearances in the league so far this season totalling 226 minutes. 

"On the opening day of the season against Real Sociedad at Camp Nou the striker scored twice and provided an assist for another goal. "

How long will Braithwaite be out for?

Barca can be expected to put a possible timescale on Braithwaite's recovery once he has undergone his operation.

For now, reports are suggesting that he could be sidelined for up to four months.

That would mean that his efforts in 2021 have been brought to a close and he will not be seen again until the early part of 2022.

Barca will have to make do without him for the foreseeable future, with big games coming thick and fast for Ronald Koeman's side.

They have taken seven points from three La Liga outings so far this season and are set to open their Champions League group-stage campaign on Tuesday when playing host to Bayern Munich.

Further reading

Harvey Elliott could have been forgiven for wanting to hide himself away from the world after suffering a horror injury in Liverpool's win at Leeds, but he still found time while visiting hospital to make the day of a young Reds supporter.

The 18-year-old midfielder paid an unexpected visit to a medical facility in West Yorkshire after badly dislocating his ankle during Sunday's outing at Elland Road.

He is now facing a long road to recovery, but was not the only person with allegiances to the Premier League heavyweights to find themselves nursing broken bones on Sunday.

What happened to Elliott?

After tangling with Leeds defender Pascal Struijk, Elliott was left in need of immediate medical attention.

He was stretchered from the field and taken to a nearby hospital, where he found himself in a bed alongside a young Liverpool fan that had broken his wrist earlier that day.

Despite being in obvious pain himself, Elliott was happy to pass over a few mementos that helped to raise the spirits of a fellow teenager starting out on his own rehabilitation programme.

How long will Elliott be out for?

No timescale has been put on Elliott's recovery as yet, but reports suggest that he could be out of action for around six months.

That suggests that there is still a chance of him returning this season, but no risks will be taken with his long-term fitness.

Liverpool have already announced that Elliott will be undergoing surgery this week, allowing him to start moving down a path that will eventually lead back to Jurgen Klopp's plans.

He has posted on social media: "I'm of course absolutely devastated with what happened yesterday at Leeds, but have been totally overwhelmed by the love and support shown to me by the entire football world following the injury.

"Thank you so much to everyone who has reached out or sent messages to me and my family - it means so much to us. Also, a massive thanks to everyone inside Elland Road for the reception you gave me immediately after it happened.

"I am now fully focused on my recovery and will give everything in my rehabilitation to be back out there as soon as I can. I know I have an incredible support network behind me at Liverpool and together we will get through this.

"To all of the Liverpool fans: your support means the world to me. I'm one of you and I can't wait to be back faster, fitter and stronger to help the team in the future. You'll Never Walk Alone!"

Further reading

FC Goa defeated Sudeva Delhi 2-1 at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, on Monday, in order to make it to the quarterfinals of the Durand Cup 2021.

Goals by Mohammed Nemil (45+2') at the stroke of half-time and Jorge Ortiz (80') were enough for the Indian Super League (ISL) side as Sudeva bagged a late goal through William Pauliankhum (90+8' P).

A second consecutive defeat in Group B meant elimination for the I-League team who earlier faced a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Jamshedpur, while Goa won 2-0 against Army Green in their previous tie.

Playing under a heavy downpour under floodlights for an afternoon fixture, conditions were challenging for both sides. However, Juan Ferrando's side kept attacking through the right channel with Seriton Fernandes, Alexander Romario and Alberto Noguera pulling the strings.

It was just before half-time that Nemil left Sudeva goalkeeper Sachin Jha with no chance against his powerful left-footed curling attempt from outside the box.

Jha had to be taken off due to an injury in the second half before his replacement in Legend Singh was forced into a regulation save off a tamed shot at goal by Noguera.

Ortiz then came off the bench to punch the second for Goa, having struck from the edge of the box and the ball kissing the underside of the woodwork on its way in. A foul by Edu Bedia in the box invited a penalty for Sudeva, which Pauliankhum converted, but it was too late.

Arsene Wenger claims to see "potential" at Arsenal that will allow a reversal in fortune to be delivered by Mikel Arteta and his coaching team at Emirates Stadium.

Questions have been asked through the opening weeks of the current campaign as to how long Arteta will remain at the helm in north London.

A disappointing opening delivered no points and no goals through three games, leading to a club-record £145 million ($200m) being spent in the summer transfer window, but a corner was finally turned in a 1-0 win over Norwich last time out.

What has been said?

Legendary former Arsenal boss Wenger, who spent 22 years in charge of the club between 1996 and 2018, told beIN Sports of the club's class of 2021-22: "First of all, honestly I like to usually say what I think, I believe in this situation I’m an Arsenal fan.

"After that, of course, when I talk about Arsenal it’s a sensitive subject and at the moment the timing is maybe not the best to talk.

"I must say I find the squad full of quality. I’m not pessimistic because I feel they had two difficult games out of the first three – Chelsea on a high at home and of course after they go to Manchester City. Of course, you go to Man City and you can say it’s predictable that you could drop points.

"The bad result we made was in the first game against Brentford. After that it puts you straight away on the back foot.

"I wish them to recover and I think they will. The potential is there so I hope they come back."

Are Arsenal back on track?

The Gunners desperately needed a positive result of any kind against Norwich, with the Canaries also entering that contest without a point to their name.

Arteta's side found the going tough at times, with pressure and tension inside the Emirates making life difficult, but they did get the job done.

Club captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang netted the only goal of the game, lifting Arsenal off the foot of the table and into 16th place.

That success now needs to be used as a springboard, with upcoming outings against Burnley and AFC Wimbledon in the Premier League and Carabao Cup set to be followed by a derby date with neighbours Tottenham on September 26.

Further reading

Cristiano Ronaldo is already having an impact on his team-mates off the pitch at Manchester United, says Lee Grant, who claims the star's healthy lifestyle has already shamed the other players into eating more healthily.

Following an extraordinary summer return to OId Trafford from Juventus, Ronaldo started where he left off as he scored twice in United's 4-1 victory over Newcastle in the Premier League on Saturday.

Reserve goalkeeper Grant has revealed that Ronaldo's positive impact for United stretches to the pre-match meal as well, with the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's choice of food ensuring none of his new colleagues went for pudding.

What has been said?

Grant told talkSPORT : “This was Friday night in the group hotel. You finish your dinner and usually on a Friday night you've got some cheat stuff out. You’ve got some apple crumble or you’ve got a bit of brownie and cream or what not.

“I tell you now, not one player touched the apple crumble and custard, not one player went up for that brownie because everybody was sat down and one of the lads said to me, ‘What has Cristiano got on his plate?’

“So we were having a little goosey gander at what he has got and obviously it is the cleanest, most healthy plate you can imagine. It just cracked me up how not one single player dared get up and have that junk food that was laid out.”

Ronaldo's diet

The Portugal international's dislike of sugary drinks and snacks made headlines in the summer when he removed bottles of Coca-Cola from in front of him before a press conference at the European Championship, imploring those watching to "drink water" instead.

Ronaldo has a personal dietician who has worked with him ever since his Real Madrid days, eating six small meals a day and sticking rigidly to healthy options.

"A good workout must be combined with a good diet," he has said previously. "I eat a high protein diet, with lots of wholegrain carbs, fruit and vegetables, and avoid sugary foods."

Further Reading

Holders Barcelona will face Arsenal in the group stage of the UEFA Women's Champions League, with Paris Saint-Germain drawn with Real Madrid on Monday afternoon.

The Spanish champions overcame English opposition in the final in May to be crowned queens of Europe, beating Chelsea 4-0 in an incredible performance.

The Blues themselves were given a tough draw for the new season as they look to go one better than last term, taking on two-time champions Wolfsburg, who gave them a difficult quarter-final earlier this year, as well as Juventus.

Who has drawn who?

With Wolfsburg and Lyon both sitting in pot two ahead of the draw - clubs that together won all but one edition of the UWCL between 2011 and 2020 - there were always set to be huge clashes in this first round.

The French side, seven-time European champions, will face Bayern Munich in the group stage, the German champions who reached the semi-finals last season. They beat Chelsea in the first leg of that last-four tie, but ultimately fell short due to defeat in London.

The inclusion of Real Madrid in pot three made the draw even more interesting. While PSG got a kinder draw by avoiding Arsenal, Lyon and Wolfsburg by drawing Icelandic outfit Breidablik from pot two, their meetings with Las Blancas will be extremely tough.

This is the Spanish side's first venture into Europe, with it being just the second ever season that Real Madrid have had a women's team. However, their defeat of Manchester City in the last round of qualifying has sent a statement straight away.

Other debutantes in the competition are Koge and Hoffenheim, who both went into Group C with Arsenal and Barcelona. The former, of Denmark, beat Sparta Prague in qualifying to reach this stage, while Hoffenheim sent a message by dispatching of Swedish outfit Rosengard, who reached the quarter-finals last season.

When does the UWCL group stage begin?

The first games of the group stages will kick-off on October 5 and 6, with the top two in each of the four groups to progress to the quarter-finals. Those final group games will be played on December 15 and 16.

Although the idea of a women's equivalent to the Europa League has been discussed, such a competition does not exist yet, so those finishing third and fourth in their groups will be eliminated.

Group stage draw in full

Further reading

Harvey Elliott has vowed to return "fitter, faster and stronger" from the horror ankle injury that he suffered in Liverpool's win over Leeds.

A 3-0 victory for Jurgen Klopp's side at Elland Road, which saw Mohamed Salah reach 100 Premier League goals, was overshadowed by an unfortunate setback for the teenage star.

Elliott is facing a long road to recovery after enduring a severe dislocation at Elland Road, but he has the full support of the football community behind him and is already looking forward to getting back out onto the field.

What has been said?

Elliott posted on Instagram: "I’m of course absolutely devastated with what happened yesterday at Leeds, but have been totally overwhelmed by the love and support shown to me by the entire football world following the injury. 

"Thank you so much to everyone who has reached out or sent messages to me and my family, it means so much to us. Also a massive thanks to everyone inside Elland Road for the reception you gave me immediately after it happened.

"I am now fully focused on my recovery and will give everything in my rehabilitation to be back out there as soon as I can. I know I have an incredible support network behind me at Liverpool and together we will get through this.

"To all of the Liverpool fans, your support means the world to me. I’m one of you and I can’t wait to be back faster, fitter and stronger to help the team in the future.

"You’ll Never Walk Alone."

What happened to Elliott?

The England Under-17 international, in what was his fourth appearance of the season, tangled with Pascal Struijk midway through the second half of a top-flight fixture in West Yorkshire.

With both men going for the ball, their legs became tangled and Elliott was left writhing in agony.

Struijk was shown a straight red card, with the Liverpool bench angered and shocked by what they witnessed.

Elliott was stretchered from the field following lengthy treatment and taken straight to hospital.

He was released from medical care on Sunday evening, but is set to undergo surgery this week as a more definitive timescale is put on his rehabilitation.

Further reading

Sergio Busquets admits that Lionel Messi's departure from Barcelona came as a "shock", but he is convinced that the Liga giants can compete for Champions League glory without the iconic Argentine in their ranks.

The Blaugrana saw the six-time Ballon d'Or winner walk away from Camp Nou as a free agent over the summer, with Paris Saint-Germain embracing the opportunity to acquire the all-time great.

Barca's loss has been their gain, but Busquets is eager to see everyone in Catalunya move on and find other ways of claiming major silverware without the South American superstar leading the charge.

What has been said?

Busquets told reporters when quizzed on Messi's exit: "It was a shock, for everything that Leo gave to Barca and personally to me. 

"It was an accumulation of emotions that were difficult to digest, but we have to try to change the story. We are at the beginning of the season and we'll have to get used to playing without Leo."

Can Barcelona conquer Europe without Messi?

During a record-setting stint at Barca, Messi helped to secure four Champions League crowns - with the last of those coming in 2014-15.

His absence will hit Ronald Koeman's plans hard as another European adventure is about to start, but Busquets believes continental glory is there to be shot at.

Pressed ahead of a group-stage opener against Bayern Munich on Tuesday on whether Barca can go all the way without Messi, Busquets said: "Anything can happen in football. Chelsea won the Champions League last season and were not favourites. 

"The important thing is the collective level and we know that we do not have Leo or his individual qualities. We are here, excited and aware of the difficulty, but we have a lot of ambition and we want to win."

Who will star in Messi's absence?

Filling Messi's boots at Camp Nou will be an impossible task, but there are a number of hopefuls ready to provide inspiration in the final third of the field.

Summer signing Memphis Depay has stepped up to that mark through his early appearances for the club, with two goals and an assist recorded across three outings, and Busquets admits that the Dutch forward could become a new talisman.

The World Cup winner said of the talented Netherlands international: "He has started very well, not only with goals and assists. 

"He arrived after having had a few very good seasons and has been a great signing. Hopefully he will be important in terms of goals and assists, but also in every other way. 

"He has connected very well with the fans and has adapted well. Frenkie [de Jong] and Luuk [de Jong] will make it easier for him. Players like this are always welcome."

Further reading

Everton manager Rafa Benitez has openly claimed he is impressed with Alex Iwobi ahead of their Premier League fixture against Burnley on Monday.

The 25-year-old Nigeria international, who began his career at Arsenal, making 149 appearances and scoring 15 goals, before moving to Goodison Park, picked an injury during the team’s Carabao Cup game against Huddersfield but he kept playing until the last minute in the game they won 2-1.

The former Liverpool manager has admitted he was impressed by the character of the Super Eagle as he battled to stay on and help his team despite the injury.

“I want to say, also, how much I liked the character and determination of Alex Iwobi when he was hurt against Huddersfield but stayed on the pitch to help his teammates,” Benitez said as quoted by the club’s official website.

“Tom Davies, too, had a problem in his quadriceps but kept working so hard.”

In a recent interview, Iwobi credited Benitez for his improved form at the start of the season.

“The manager is always talking to me and trying to help me,” Iwobi told Everton TV. "It's helped me a lot so far this season.

“It’s not just me, of course, but the whole team [he speaks to]. My confidence is playing a big part, too. I’m pushing a bit more up the field and getting involved in attacks.

“I just need to add more goals and assists, as the manager wants. With the manager, he doesn’t give us any rest, he’s onto us 24/7. This is what we need.

“You can see everyone’s playing with a lot of confidence. That big motivation is there [to continue achieving positive results].

“We’ve started off very well, but we have to keep going until the end. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.”

He has so far started in two league games and will hope to start again against Burnley.

Meanwhile, Benitez is confident the team will maintain their perfect start to the season against Burnley.

“The belief in the team is increasing, with everyone beginning to be clear about their jobs. We can manage different situations over 90 minutes and this helped us have good control for a lot of our match against Brighton two weeks ago,” Benitez said.

“But there are many areas where we can get better and if the players keep working with the same intensity and approach to games, the improvements will continue little by little.”

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Stuart Baxter has explained the reason goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune did not make the team to face Mamelodi Sundowns on Sunday.

The 34-year-old veteran custodian is yet to feature for Amakhosi in the Premier Soccer League this season and his only appearance came in the MTN8 quarter-final against Sundowns.

On Sunday, it was Bruce Bvuma who was given the nod to start by coach Baxter ahead of Nigeria keeper Daniel Akpeyi but the Soweto-based giants suffered a 2-0 defeat courtesy of goals from Grant Kekana in the eighth minute and Peter Shalulile in the 63rd minute.

Baxter has now come out to explain why Khune was missing in action.

What did Baxter say?

“Bruce played tonight and if all the keepers are equal we will obviously think about the future as well,” Baxter said as quoted by iDiski Times when asked about the goalkeeper situation.

“So if you don’t get a definite advantage with choosing one of the other ones then we will select what we believe is the long-term choice for Kaizer Chiefs.

“Itu not being on the bench either is because we have two international goalkeepers, who were on international duty and both are in good shape at the moment.

“We thought that Daniel and Bruce were the right ones to play against Sundowns. Itu played last time against Sundowns, so we do have our experience with that.”

In a recent interview, Baxter revealed the reason Khune will captain the Glamour Boys this season.

In the last campaign, Khune was Chiefs’ captain but he did not play regularly owing to injury and loss of form, which meant the armband was rotated between Ramahlwe Mphahlele, Samir Nurkovic, and Bernard Parker.

“We had a discussion around this the other day and the club captain will be Itu,” he said.

“Club captain, meaning whenever he plays he’s captain, whenever he doesn’t play, he’s still club captain. It doesn’t change that he is the voice of the squad and he is the go-to man, now that will not change.”

Khune, who started out as a striker when he arrived for trials at Chiefs in 1999, is among the players whose contracts were extended by the Soweto-giants ahead of the new season.

Chennaiyin will start the 2021-22 Indian Super League with an away game against Hyderabad FC on November 23 at the Atheltic Stadium in Bambolim, Goa.

The Super Machans did not have the best of seasons last time as they finished eighth on the points table with 20 points from 20 matches. This time with a new coach, they will hope to challenge for the title.

The two-time ISL winners begin their campiagn with a tie against Hyderabad followed by NorthEast United and East Bengal in their second and third matches respectively.

When do Chennaiyin FC face Kerala Blasters in 2021-22?

The Super Machans face rivals Kerala Blasters on December 22 in a home tie at the Athletic Stadium in Bambolim. Last season, the two teams met each other twice and both matches ended in ties (0-0 and 1-1).

When do Chennaiyin FC meet Bengaluru FC in 2021-22?

Chennaiyin take on old foes Bengaluru FC on December 30 in a home tie at the Athletic Stadium in Bambolim. Last season, the two teams met each other twice. The Blues won the first tie 1-0 and the second phase match ended in a goalless draw.

Chennaiyin FC's Indian Super League first phase fixtures 2021-22:

Black Stars skipper Andre Ayew is optimistic of brighter days ahead after making his debut for Al Sadd in a 2-0 win over Al Sailiya in a Qatari top-tier assignment on Sunday.

The champions scored their first goal in the 23rd minute when Boualem Khoukhi finished a Baghdad Bounedjah pass. 10 minutes later, the latter completed his brace of assists, this time around setting up Rodrigo Tabata.

The Ghanaian, who played the entire game, saw his effort, in the 18th minute, pushed over the bar by Magdi Siddiq in the visitors' goal. Despite not finding the back of the net, he was sharp throughout the game.

The former Swansea forward has now taken to his social media account to express his feelings after making his debut for the Xavi Hernandez-led charges with a win.

"First game and three points; happy to play my first official game for the club. Insha-Allah, there will be more to come from us," Ayew reacted on social media.

It was the first game in the 2020/21 Qatari top-flight division campaign, and an excellent way for the reigning champions to start the season.

The West African completed his move to Al Sadd on July 23. The 31-year-old joined the King of Hearts as a free agent after leaving EFLChampionship club Swansea City at the end of last season.

Having signed a two-year contract with an option to extend for another one year, the forward was handed the No.24 jersey.

"As soon as I was informed that Al-Sadd was interested, I thought straight away that it was a very good idea for me. For me, it’s the best club in the Gulf; I watched their style of play and it’s the best club here," Ayew had stated when he signed for his new team.

"It’s also a club with which I have a personal history due to my father. I followed the club when I was young because my father always followed the club’s results. It wasn’t a surprise for me, I was very happy and proud, but I had to take some time to make the decision, because I had a few offers from the Gulf and from Europe, so I had to take time to make the right decision.

The attacker hopes to be involved when his team makes a trip to Qatar SC in their next assignment.

Marco Pezzaiuoli's Bengaluru will kick off the 2021-22 Indian Super League season against NorthEast United at the Athletic Stadium in Bambolim, on November 20.

The Blues had a disappointing campaign last season where they finished seventh in the league table with just 22 points from 20 matches. This time they will hope to turn around their fortunes under a new manager.

When do Bengaluru FC clash against Chennaiyin FC in 2021-22?

Sunil Chhetri and co. will take on the Marina Machans on December 30, at the Tilak Maidan Stadium.

When do Bengaluru FC play ATK Mohun Bagan in 2021-22?

The two sides will renew their rivalry on December 16 at the Athletic Stadium in Bambolim. 

Bengaluru FC's Indian Super League fixtures 2021-22

Odisha get their 2021-22 Indian Super League (ISL) campaign up and running with a home fixture against Bengaluru.

Five of the opening seven games will be home fixtures at the Tilak Maidan in Vasco, with clashes against Kerala Blasters and Chennaiyin among them.

Under new head coach Kiko Ramirez for their fresh run in the ISL season 8, the club will be making to make it to the play-offs for the first time since 2016 (as Delhi Dynamos).

It has been a summer of change at Paris Saint-Germain on and off the field, with the Ligue 1 giants moving in a new direction following the arrival of Lionel Messi, Sergio Ramos and Co.

Mauricio Pochettino is overseeing the pursuit of more major honours, with the Argentine boasting a star-studded squad at this disposal.

Every effort is being made to inspire those on the pitch and in the stands, with PSG making their first change to pre-match entrance music since 1992.

What song was PSG's entrance music?

The Phil Collins song 'Who Said I Would' has been PSG's entrance music at Parc des Princes for 29 years, with only a brief change made to 'O City of Light' in the wake of the Paris bomb attacks in 2015.

Supporters have grown very accustomed and attached to that tune and eyebrows were raised when a different track was played ahead of the first home game of the season against Strasbourg on August 14.

The general consensus was that a mistake had been made, or a one-off alteration had been made to the play list.

That is, however, not the case.

What is PSG's new entrance song?

Rather than the familiar sounds of Collins ringing out in the French capital, PSG now take to the field with DJ Snake and his 'DJ Snake intro mixed' track blasting through the Parc des Princes PA system.

The club's director of diversification, Fabien Allegre, has been explaining that decision, telling Le Parisien: "It was not a mistake. We are very attached to this song [the Collins track], I hear it, and our will is not to eliminate it from all our matches.

"But why couldn't we have Go West [by the Pet Shop Boys] or the Phil Collins song when the players arrive for the warm-up? I got a lot of positive feedback from people who enjoyed the song."

He went on to say: "We will make adjustments, but let's not prevent the club from continuing its journey by remaining in the past. If we had taken that approach with everything we have done for 10 years, starting with one of the most important signs, which is the shirt, we would not be where we are today.

"We are just as capable of highlighting major international brands or young talents in art or fashion as we are promoting the musical talents of Greater Paris."

Who is DJ Snake?

As PSG are looking to embrace a more local feel at Parc des Princes, DJ Snake was an obvious option to turn to.

The 35-year-old Paris native was as surprised as anyone to learn at the opening home match of the season that he had been selected to get an iconic venue in the mood for football.

He is, however, a Grammy-nominated peformer and producer, with three Billboard Music and MTV Music Awards on his mantelpiece.

DJ Magazine has often voted him into their annual rundown of the top 100 DJs on the planet and he has worked with established acts such as Lil Jon, Major Lazer, Justin Bieber, Cardi B, J Balvin, Sean Paul and Selena Gomez.

He is a PSG supporter and will be hoping to see the likes of Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe chase down silverware at home and abroad in 2021-22.

More PSG news

Jamshedpur kick off their 2021-22 Indian Super League (ISL) season with a an away fixture against East Bengal before a tough test against FC Goa in gameweek two.

The Men of Steel have home games against Hyderabad, ATK Mohun Bagan and Bengaluru in December, besides a couple more against Chennaiyin and NorthEast United in January, at Bambolim.

Owen Coyle is in his second season with the club who are yet to qualify for the play-offs.