Looking for Soccer News?

Bruno Fernandes has the belief of Cristiano Ronaldo and Eric Cantona, according to Darren Fletcher, who hailed the Manchester United playmaker after his penalty retake against Paris Saint-Germain.

United marked their return to the Champions League with an impressive 2-1 win away at PSG on Tuesday night .

Fernandes and Marcus Rashford scored either side of an Anthony Martial own goal to give Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side the best possible start to their Group H campaign, with fixtures against RB Leipzig and Istanbul Basaksehir to come.

The visitors won a penalty in the 23rd minute of the game when Abdou Diallo felled Martial in the box, but Fernandes saw his tame effort from 12 yards kept out by PSG goalkeeper Keylor Navas.

However, the referee ended up ordering the spot-kick to be retaken after a VAR review judged that Navas had strayed from his goal-line before the ball was struck.

Fernandes had also missed a penalty during a 4-1 win over Newcastle in the Premier League at the weekend but he showed enough courage to step up to the plate again, and made no mistake at the second time of asking.

The Portuguese reverted back to his unique hop, skip and jump technique before firing into the bottom right-hand corner, sending Navas sprawling in the opposite direction.

Martial gifted PSG a way back into the game thereafter, heading the ball past David de Gea and into his own net, but Rashford had the final say with a superb strike from just outside the box in the 87th minute.

Fletcher was eager to highlight Fernandes' contribution post-match as he insisted the 26-year-old has the same unshakable mentality as United legends Ronaldo and Cantona.

“It is not a great penalty the first one, it goes too close to the goalkeeper, he goes back to his hop, skip and jump, but credit to him," the former Red Devils midfielder told BT Sport .

“He's the captain, and that could easily be an Eric Cantona or Cristiano Ronaldo, somebody having that belief in themselves that they missed a penalty at the weekend and missed a penalty there.

“But there was only one person taking that penalty there and that was Bruno Fernandes.”

Fernandes and his team-mates will now turn their attention to a huge clash against Chelsea at Old Trafford on Saturday, with only two points separating the two sides in the early Premier League standings.

Watford captain Troy Deeney has admitted to speaking with Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho during pre-season, with the striker having been linked with a summer move back to the Premier League.

The Hornets failed to win their battle against relegation to the Championship in the 2019-20 season, sparking widespread speculation as to where several first-team starts might end up ahead of the new campaign.

And Deeney, who is entering the twilight years of his career as a top professional, admits that there were talks with a multitude of sides before he ultimately made the decision to remain at Vicarage Road.

“I’m 32. A lot of clubs were looking for a different style of striker as a back-up,” Deeney explained to talkSPORT. “Obviously everyone wants to play a certain way but when you get into certain moments you need someone to hold it up or if you are losing a game, go long.

“There were a lot of talks. Some things materialised, some things didn’t. The ones that were getting closer, you start thinking are you ready to go back to the Premier League to be a bit-part player.

“I’ve been at Watford 10 years and then you start weighing the options of calling it a day. When you get into that mould of being a super sub you can’t go back.”

Deeney gave little away with regards to how interested Spurs were in the summer, but did voice his admiration for the north London club, stating: “I saw Jose at the Watford vs Spurs game in pre-season. That’s all I will say.

“When you get to Spurs you know the difference between the lesser clubs and the big boys. It’s a different experience. I think we all watched the Amazon thing (All Or Nothing) - their training ground is ridiculous. Their stadium is ridiculous.

“You want to test yourself as well. I’m not going to go in there and say ‘I’m better than Harry Kane’. I know what I can do and what I can deliver and there’s not many people who can do what I can do.”

With Deeney now fully focused on Watford, however, the striker feels he has made the correct decision.

“When you have some of the offers I had... Sorry, I’m being a bit cryptic and I don’t want to put things out there around the media and I don’t want to kill myself. I’m trying to learn,” he said.

“You can rush to get back in the Premier League. Let’s say, for example, [I went to] West Ham and for whatever reason they get relegated. You’ve gone back for a seven-month period.

“Am I better off getting Watford re-promoted and staying with them? The redemption story kind of thing and finishing my career with Watford. They are the conversations you have with your family.”

Emmanuel Dennis is overjoyed with his goal which propelled Club Brugge to a 2-1 win over FC Zenit Saint Petersburg on Tuesday night.

Philippe Clement’s men went to Krestovsky Stadium as underdogs owing to the absence of key players against the Russian Premier League title holders.

The Belgians were without goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, Cote d’Ivoire’s Odilon Kossounou and Michael Krmencik, who are in isolation after contracting Covid-19, while Simon Deli was unavailable due to suspension.

Nevertheless, they took the lead in the 63rd minute after the Nigerian followed up on Charles De Ketelaere’s blocked shot to slot the ball past goalkeeper Mikhail Kerzhakov.

Zenit equalised eleven minutes later as Dejan Lovren’s shot from distance struck the post before rebounding off goalkeeper Ethan Horvath to sail into the net.

With the Group F encounter looking destined for a draw, De Ketelaere sealed the win with a late effort thanks to an assist from captain Ruud Vormer.

Speaking after the game, the 22-year-old who was substituted for Senegalese forward Youssouph Badji in the 82nd minute expressed his delight getting a goal against the Lions.

"I'm overjoyed with my goal," Dennis told the Club Brugge website.

"But much more important is the final 2-1 victory in this opening game of the Champions League.

“As champions of Belgium in the previous editions we were already very close a few times, but now that first is so important, victory is a fact and that feels really good.

“It took us a lot of energy, but when you win you feel it much less."

The former Zorya Luhansk striker who now boasts five goals in Champions League history also reflected on his desire to find the net against Zenit.

"Yes, you all know that I do like a joke, but nevertheless I am super happy that I was able to poke the ball against the ropes after two blocked chances by Charles."

Dennis would be hoping to score again when Club Brugge welcome Lazio to the Jan Breydel Stadium in their next game. Before then, he is expected to lead the Blue Black’s attack in a league outing at OH Leuven.

Manchester United have confirmed defender Eric Bailly will be absent for three-to-four weeks with an injury that will see him miss several important matches.

The Red Devils reported the news on their official website, stating coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had ruled the defender out for the next month following the club's 2-1 win over PSG in the Champions League opener at Parc des Princes.

Reports last week suggested Bailly had injured his hamstring during recent international break with Ivory Coast, with the centre-half being substituted on 70 minutes clutching his leg during the 1-1 draw with Belgium.

However, the 26-year-old suggested he wasn't injured playing for his nation, claiming he was only suffering from 'fatigue' in an Instagram post after the match.

Despite being an unused substitute during United's 4-1 Premier League win over Newcastle United at the weekend, Bailly didn't travel to France for the PSG clash.

Solskjaer's timeline suggests Bailly will likely miss matches against Chelsea, RB Leipzig, Arsenal, Istanbul Basaksehir and Everton, before returning after the November international break.

The Red Devils - also minus captain Harry Maguire with injury- produced a strong defensive showing against the Ligue 1 champions as Marcus Rashford scored an 87th minute in another famous win in Paris.

Victor Lindelof, Luke Shaw and Axel Tuanzebe formed an effective three-man central defensive performance that managed to restrain the output of PSG's star attacking trio of Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Angel Di Maria.

Tuanzebe was singled out for praise by Solskjaer, with the 22-year-old putting in a brilliant performance in his first start for the club since December 2019 - having being sidelined by a long-term foot injury.

“Axel did fantastic, he’s been out for 10 months so to put in a performance like this against Neymar and Mbappe almost surprised us as well,” Solskjaer said to reporters after the match.

"We know he’s a good player, but to do it on a night like this is fantastic."

Tuanzebe has firmly put himself in the frame to be selected for Saturday's crunch Premier League match against Chelsea at Old Trafford, with Maguire also likely to return from injury.

Last season's finalists Chennaiyin FC have had a busy transfer window in recent weeks, bringing in several new faces to be part of their overseas contingent.

Only Eli Sabia and Rafael Crivellaro have been retained among the foreign contingent from last year while five new faces have been roped in by the management. Fulfilling the mandatory Asian player quota is Fatkhullo Fatkhuloev who becomes the first-ever player from Tajikistan to take part in the Indian Super League (ISL). 

A winger by trade, Fatkhuloev has a very interesting profile. The 30-year-old is considered a legend as far as Tajik football is concerned and is their highest-capped international. And his move to India has generated a lot of interest in a land which is besotted by the charms of Bollywood. 

However, Fatkhuloev has had his brush with India in the past. In fact, he has scored twice against the Blue Tigers for Tajikistan. The first time was in a historic game for India back in 2008. Fatkhuloev scored the consolation in a 4-1 loss to the Blue Tigers in the final of the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup held at the Ambedkar Stadium in New Delhi. The win saw India earn a spot in the 2011 Asian Cup. 

The next time he found the back of the net against India was in a winning cause, in a 3-0 friendly win at home in 2013. 

"I have played a lot of times against the Indian national team and against clubs from India. In my opinion, the games were open and attacking," he told Goal . "Twice I scored a goal against the Indian national team. I have very good and interesting memories of these games."

It must be noted Fatkhuloev was an integral part of Tajikistan's FC Istiklol for a long time, playing a key role in seven of the club's nine Tajik League title wins. However, Bengaluru FC fans will remember him from their 2017 AFC Cup Inter-Zonal final against Istiklol. Fatkhuloev played in both legs as the Tajik side won 3-2 on aggregate. 

Fatkhuloev has however played abroad before, with stints in Uzbekistan and Indonesia in the past. He reveals that he had another offer from Uzbekistan and one from Malaysia to deliberate before Chennaiyin FC made their move. 

"Before interest from India, I had several offers from Uzbekistan and Malaysia. Then when the Chennaiyin management approached me, I was immediately interested. Chennaiyin is a big club in India."

He also admitted that the charms of the ISL also made his decision easy. 

"I believe that the Indian Super League is one of the famous leagues in Asia. Many stars of world football have played here and continue to do so. When I watched several games of clubs in India, it was exciting and very interesting to watch." 

Fatkhuloev also had a convincing conversation with head coach Csaba Laszlo whose vision for the club and the winger was clear enough for him to book his tickets to India. 

"I was satisfied following our conversations and discussions, especially with the head coach. He talked to me about the goals and objectives of the club and clearly explained what he wants to see from me. For my part, I completely trust the coach's opinion and accepted all the conditions, in terms of what he expects from me."

Though primarily a winger, Fatkhuloev feels that he can play across the front three, something that Chennaiyin will look to utilise. Fatkhuloev is known for being a technical player with plenty of guile. The Tajik international acknowledges as much and is raring to make his mark in the ISL. 

"Basically I am a winger but I can play very well in any position of attacking football. I want to show all my skills and talents (in India). Many people know about the technical ability I possess, especially in the opponent’s final third. I wish to showcase it and do the talking on the pitch," he added. 

Fatkhuloev, having served FC Istiklol for a long time, knows the value of staying long-term at a club. However, his primary aim at Chennaiyin is to showcase his ability on the field and then take stock.

"Every footballer dreams that his name will remain memorable for a long time in the history of the club. First of all, I want to show a high-quality game this season and then think about future plan."

Spanish forward Pedro Manzi has rescinded his contract with J2 side Albirex Niigata, Goal can confirm. 

The striker is now a free agent and is eager to come back to India. Manzi made his name in India with Chennai City FC before earning a move to Japan's second division. The Spaniard, however, is now eyeing a return to India. 

"I am a free player and I can come back to India," confirmed the player to Goal who is still in Japan. 

Manzi was a key figure in the Chennai City FC side that went on to win the I-League in the 2018-19 season. 

The 31-year-old spent a little over a season with the south Indian team where he scored 21 goals from 48 appearances and was awarded the I-League Golden Boot.

Following his exploits in India, Niigata paid a handsome transfer fee of almost INR 1 crore to Chennai City for his services. 

Chennai City's Spanish attacking trio consisting of Manzi, Sandro Rodriguez and Nestor Gordillo ripped defences apart in their title-winning season. Manzi led the attack while Nestor and Sandro were complimenting him with assists. 

But his stint in Japan did not go according to plan as he made only eight appearances, raking in only 138 minutes. 

Borussia Dortmund star Giovanni Reyna has detailed the half-time instructions he was given in a game-changing substitute appearance against Lazio on Tuesday. 

Though Reyna grabbed an assist on Erling Haaland's second-half goal, the German side still fell short in a 3-1 defeat at the Stadio Olimpico in both teams' Champions League opener.

Dortmund fell behind 2-0 at half-time after a goal from their former striker Ciro Immobile and an own goal from Marwin Hitz.

Looking for a spark, Dortmund boss Lucien Favre introduced Reyna in place of Jude Bellingham and the American immediately paid dividends, finding Haaland for a goal that halved the deficit. 

The assist was Reyna's fourth of the season, meaning only Harry Kane (eight) has more assists than the 17-year-old in all competitions in the five major European leagues this season.

But the Reyna-Haaland connection wasn't enough for Dortmund, as Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro scored just five minutes later to seal the points for the Italians.

Speaking to CBS Sports after the game, Reyna said he was instructed to play between Lazio's midfield and defensive lines and give the team more of an attacking option than Bellingham did.

"Just try to stay in between the lines a little bit," Reyna said of his instructions. "Jude came out and was a little more defensive and I had to go in and try to create with Erling and the guys in front. Just try to get between the lines and try to spark a comeback."

"It's Champions League, it's pretty self-explanatory," Reyna added. "Wherever you go and whoever you play, it's going to be a tough game. 

"I think we started a little bit slow. We still had some chances that we could have scored to make it a little more difficult for them. We could have played a little bit better but now we have to refuel and get ready for the weekend. 

"It's Champions League, you can't give any teams chances, you have to take every game serious for 90 minutes plus. It was a tough game but we still have five more games to play and I'm sure we'll bounce back."

Dortmund will return to action on Saturday as they take on local rivals Schalke before they are back in Champions League play next week against Russian side Zenit. 

Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman was happy with what he saw from Lionel Messi on Tuesday, as the Argentine sent his side on the way to a dominant victory in their Champions League curtain-raiser. 

Koeman hit the headlines following Saturday's Liga defeat to Getafe with some guarded words of criticism against his captain, who four days earlier had played 90 minutes in the altitude of Bolivian capital La Paz as he helped Argentina to victory in the World Cup qualifier. 

“Maybe, right now, Messi’s performances could be better,” Koeman told reporters ahead of the Champions League clash against Ferencvaros.

“But he is happy, he is working hard and he wants to be the captain of this team.

“I do not have a single complaint. He has also had some bad luck. He hit the post and in another game that will be a goal. I don’t have any doubts about his performances and we are going to see him back to his best in the games to come, I am sure.”

Messi responded by opening the scoring from the penalty spot in Tuesday's 5-1 thrashing of the Hungarians, while 17-year-old pair Ansu Fati and Pedri also hit the headlines by both finding the net for the Blaugrana at Camp Nou. 

The Argentine contributed an assist for Ousmane Dembele's late goal to round off the rout and posed a constant threat across the 90 minutes, prompting Koeman to praise his performance. 

"If he plays like he did tonight, I will have no complaints over Leo," the Dutchman told reporters after the final whistle. 

"He worked hard, he scored from the penalty spot but I then I too used to score penalties. If he doesn't score but gives two or three assists we cannot ask more of him. 

"We have people up front playing well and that is the best thing for a coach. I think we have shown that we have great players up front. 

"With a great Leo, with two assists, and that is why we leave here happy. There is competition and not just for the right wing. We can play differently with Leo out wide or at No.10. There are great players in attack."

Messi and Barca will be back in action on Saturday, when they host Real Madrid in the first Clasico of the 2020-21 season.

Barcelona sensation Ansu Fati said he is continuing to learn from superstar captain Lionel Messi after setting a Champions League record on Tuesday.

It was a record-breaking night as La Liga giants Barca opened their Group G campaign with a 5-1 rout of Hungarian visitors Ferencvaros at Camp Nou.

Messi became the first player to score in 16 successive Champions League campaigns after his 27th-minute penalty opened the scoring for Barcelona.

Fati doubled the lead with a volley as he became the first player to have scored two Champions League goals before celebrating his 18th birthday.

The 17-year-old was full of praise for his team-mate after the game, saying that the veteran is still showing his star power with the Blaugrana.

"Messi is still Messi," Fati told Movistar post-match. "He can score in any action. 

"We are very happy to have him here with us and I continue to learn from him."

"We start with a good victory, we have to continue like that," Fati added. "[My goal is] thanks to all my team-mates, they make things easy for me. It's a fantastic pass from Frenkie [De Jong] and I just had to push the ball."

Philippe Coutinho, Pedri and Ousmane Dembele were also on target for Barca, while defender Gerard Pique was sent off in the 68th minute.

Barca are the first team ever to have two goalscorers aged 17 or under in a single Champions League match thanks to Fati and Pedri.

"It's good for the team, it means we're good," Fati replied when asked about Barca's attackers scoring goals.

"The more competitive there is between us, the better. We all come out better."

Barca will now turn their attention to Saturday's Clasico showdown against bitter rivals and defending La Liga champions Real Madrid.

Madrid, who have a game in hand, are third and one point behind Real Sociedad, while Ronald Koeman's Barca are four points off the pace, having only played four matches.

"I approach it with maximum enthusiasm," said Fati. "It's a Clasico, I've always dreamed of competing in it."

Fati made two Clasico appearances last season, but both were brief cameos that totalled 16 combined minutes.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was proud of Manchester United for another memorable late Champions League victory over Paris Saint-Germain but said it was not the same in a "sterile" atmosphere. 

After Anthony Martial's own goal restored parity following Bruno Fernandes' first-half penalty, Marcus Rashford arrowed in an 87th-minute winner to ensure  United overcame last season's finalists 2-1 in their Group H opener at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday. 

United became the first team to beat PSG at home more than once in the Champions League, with Rashford having struck a stoppage-time spot-kick to secure a 3-1 win on their previous visit – a result that sent them into the 2018-19 quarter-finals on away goals. 

However, with no fans in attendance in Paris on this occasion due to restrictions in place amid the coronavirus pandemic, Solskjaer acknowledged there was not the same feeling.

"It's a different feeling from the last time we won here, it's at the start of the group stage but we've beaten a fantastic team," Solskjaer told BT Sport. 

"Last time it was a knockout and it was euphoric, this is sterile without the fans but it's still excellent and we deserved to win." 

David de Gea produced some impressive saves to keep out Angel Di Maria, Layvin Kurzawa and Kylian Mbappe, who was marshalled impressively by Axel Tuanzebe in his first appearance since December 2019. 

Tuanzebe played on the right side of a back three that included Luke Shaw, with Alex Telles handed a debut at left wing-back. 

"When you go away to a team like this against Neymar and Mbappe you have to defend well and your keeper will have to make saves," said Solskjaer. 

"We know Axel's qualities. He is a top defender and his first game in 10 months was testament to the quality he has." 

Before netting the winner to secure a 10th straight away victory for United in all competitions for the first time in their history, Rashford had struggled to execute efficiently despite being regularly released in behind the defence. 

He was twice kept out by Keylor Navas before finally finding the back of the net with the help of the base of the left post. 

Rashford said: "For me, they were both opportunities to win the game. As a striker, in the game late on, that's the mentality. You might only get one chance. It gets us the three points. 

"It's a good performance but also one where we have a lot to build on. I always believe in the team. As players it's important to believe in the system that the manager chooses to play. We did that fantastically. 

"It was tough but we kept the intensity high. We had to defend very deep at times. They have some amazing players. In the low block it can be tough but the guys on the sides – the full-backs – they defended unbelievably. When we defend like that man-to-man, we can do great things. 

"Every game requires different tactics and a different performance but what has to stay the same is the intensity. The intensity was key for us tonight. We kept going for 90 minutes. We are very happy." 

Manchester United star Odion Ighalo has pleaded with the world's governments to intervene in the democide occurring in his home country of Nigeria.

Africa's most populous nation has been plagued by violence in recent times as citizens protest against police brutality - with several deaths and shootings reported from the altercations.

The country's capital Lagos - with an estimated 20 million residents - is set to come under a 24-hour curfew, with other regions already trying to keep their residents indoors.

Nigeria's situation was highlighted by Napoli striker Victor Osimhen on the weekend, with the Super Eagles international displaying a t-shirt with the message, '#EndPoliceBrutalityInNigeria', after scoring his first goal for the Serie A club.

Following Manchester United's 2-1 Champions League win against PSG, Ighalo called for the world to take notice of what is happening in Nigeria and pleaded for help stopping the government from killing its own citizens.

"I'm sad and I don't know where to start from," Ighalo said in a video message from the Parc des Princes.

"I'm not the kind of guy who talks about politics - but I can't keep quiet anymore about what is going on back home in Nigeria.

"I would say [to the] government are a shame to the world - for killing your own citizens, sending military to the streets, to kill [unarmed] protesters because they are protesting for their rights. It's uncalled for.

"Today, 20th of October 2020, you people will be remembered in the history as the first government to send military to the city to start killing their own citizens.

"I am ashamed of this government. I am tired of you guys. I can't take this anymore.

"I'm calling the UK government, calling all those leaders in the world to please see what is going on in Nigeria and help us - help the poor citizens.

"The government are killing their own citizens. We are calling [the world's governments], the United Nations, to see to the matter.

"I want to tell my brothers and sisters back home to remain safe. Be indoors, please don't come [outside]. Because this government are killers and they will keep killing if the world does not talk about this.

"God bless you all. Remain safe. One Nigeria."

Manchester United striker Odion Ighalo has tagged Nigerian government as ‘killers’ following Lekki massacre.

There have been ongoing protests in Nigeria over two weeks with citizens agitating for the scrapping of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, a unit of the Nigeria Police Force famous for several injustices which include extortion and killings.

However, that took a grief-stricken turn in Lekki, Lagos state on Tuesday night as defenceless protesters were gunned down by soldiers, following an alleged order by the Lagos state government to security forces to crackdown on defaulters of a hastily imposed restriction.

The incident which left several people dead and many injured was condemned by the former Super Eagles forward who was an unused substitute in the Red Devils’ 2-1 Champions League victory over Paris Saint-Germain at Parc des Princes.

“I’m not the kind of guy who talks about politics, but I can’t keep quiet anymore for what is going back home in Nigeria,” Ighalo said in a video tagged ‘Pray for Nigeria’ on Twitter.

“I would say the Nigerian government are a shame to the world for killing your own citizens, sending the military to kill unarmed protesters because they are protesting for their own rights? It’s uncalled for.

“Today, the 20th of October, 2020, you people will be remembered in history as the first government to send the military to the city to start killing your own citizens.

“I am ashamed of this government, we are tired of you guys and we can’t take this anymore.”

“I’m calling the UK government and all those leaders in the world to see what is going on in Nigeria and help the poor citizens. The government are killing their own citizens,” he continued.

“We are calling you guys in the United Nations (UN) to see to this matter. I want to tell my brothers and sisters back home to remain safe, be indoor and please don’t come out because these government are killers and they will keep killing if the world don’t talk about this. God bless you all and remain safe. One Nigeria, we move!”

The Shanghai Shenhua loanee who has featured just once in the Premier League for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men this season would be hoping to be in action when United welcome Frank Lampard’s Chelsea to Old Trafford on Saturday.

Paris Saint-Germain head coach Thomas Tuchel described Tuesday's 2-1 loss against Manchester United as one of the club's worst games with the German particularly scathing of the first-half performance in their Champions League opener. 

PSG succumbed to Marcus Rashford's strike with three minutes remaining in Paris, where last season's Champions League runners-up made a losing start in Group H. 

Ligue 1 holders PSG were without Marquinhos and Marco Verratti and United took advantage – Bruno Fernandes converting a 23rd-minute penalty, though Red Devils forward Anthony Martial netted an own goal 10 minutes into the second half. 

But United left the French capital with maximum points thanks to Rashford's late winner, condemning PSG to a first home defeat in the Champions League group stage in 25 games. 

"In the first half, we were simply not on the pitch," Tuchel told beIN SPORTS. "It was not our level. 

"I don't know why, but I can just say that it was not our level, in moving the ball, in possession, in counter-attacking, in challenges, in intensity. 

"By far, one of our worst games, one of our worst first halves."

"The good news was that it could not be worse. Okay, we were down 1-0, it is easy to play better in the second half and we had to step up, it was clear," Tuchel added after star forward Neymar failed to score in four consecutive Champions League appearances for the first time since November 2013. 

"We tried to do some tactical changes because of the injury of Idrissa Gueye, we tried to bring on one more offensive guy, which was a risk that we paid for at the end also. It was like this today. 

"From the start until the end it felt like we were never at our highest level, and we weren't really into the match like was absolutely necessary on this level." 

When asked about the atmosphere behind closed doors, Tuchel said: "I don't feel it. We've played how many games in the Champions League now without supporters? I don't feel it, sorry." 

PSG, however, have the chance to respond when they travel to Group H opponents Istanbul Basaksehir next week after hosting Dijon in Ligue 1 on Saturday. 

But Tuchel said: "We have a lot of injured players, a lot of quality that is missing and for that I am not sure if this is good, no." 

Ronald Koeman said Barcelona have a great future but called for patience after their 5-1 Champions League rout of Ferencvaros.

Lionel Messi, Ansu Fati, Philippe Coutinho, Pedri and Ousmane Dembele were all on target for Barca, who made a winning start in Group G on Tuesday, while Gerard Pique was sent off in the second half.

Barca are coming off a tumultuous 2019-20 season, which saw the club dethroned by bitter rivals Real Madrid in La Liga and humiliated 8-2 by Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals.

The embattled Spanish powerhouse turned to Netherlands boss Koeman and the Dutch head coach has overseen just one loss in five competitive matches this season.

"We play different," Koeman told reporters after Barca became the first team ever to have two goalscorers aged 17 or under in a single Champions League match thanks to Fati and Pedri .

"We have made changes on the team, we have made changes on the squad, we have chosen young people, so we can't expect more from this team right now.

"We're good, this team is gonna have a great future, but it must improve. Playing with young players, different tactics...Be calm, I ask you to give a margin.

"We are going to improve. We can't demand it in two or three weeks, but you'll see that soon the team will play better, will be more comfortable, but we need time."

Antoine Griezmann was an unused substitute at Camp Nou, where Koeman opted to use Pedri and Dembele off the bench after Trincao started alongside Messi and Fati.

Messi became the first player to score in 16 successive Champions League campaigns after his 27th-minute penalty opened the scoring for Barcelona.

Fati doubled the lead with a volley as he became the first player to have scored two Champions League goals before celebrating his 18th birthday.

On Griezmann's absence, Koeman – whose Barca face Madrid in Saturday's Clasico – added: "We look for the best 11 for each game, today we have opted for Trincao playing wide, and then Ousmane [Dembele] in order to have depth on the wing.

"Let's see Saturday, it will be another game. It's my job to prepare the team and have the best squad for each moment."

Ansu Fati has claimed yet another record with his strike for Barcelona in Tuesday's Champions League clash against Ferencvaros. 

Barca were looking for an instant return to form in their European opener after falling to a surprise loss on Saturday at the hands of Getafe in La Liga, and they could not have asked for a happier evening as the Hungarian side were put to the sword at Camp Nou. 

Lionel Messi struck first for his side after 27 minutes, converting from the penalty spot after being felled himself in the area to curtail a typically explosive dribble. 

The stage was then set for Fati to shine, with the 17-year-old doubling his side's lead just before the half-time whistle. 

While Fati did not manage perfect contact on the volley from Frenkie de Jong's cross, it was good enough to wrong-foot Ferencvaros goalkeeper Denes Dibusz and put Barca 2-0 ahead. 

As well as establishing a comfortable cushion for Ronald Koeman's charges, the strike also claimed a new record for the youngster. 

It was his second goal in the Champions League for Barcelona, making him the first ever player under the age of 18 to score more than once in the European competition. 

His maiden strike came in the 2019-20 edition, when he netted what proved to be the Catalans' winner in a 2-1 defeat of Inter in December 2019.

Since making his debut in August last year Fati has collected an astonishing number of records. He now stands as Barcelona's second-youngest debutant and goalscorer in La Liga and the youngest player to do either in the Champions League for the club, as well as holding the distinction of being the youngest player ever to score twice in a Liga match for any club. 

At international level too he has made his presence felt, in September breaking a mark that had stood for 95 years to become Spain's youngest goalscorer when he netted against Ukraine. 

Following his goal, Fati turned provider with a neat backheel to play in Philippe Coutinho for Barca's third of the evening against Ferencvaros. 

A red card for Gerard Pique and subsequent penalty for the Hungarians, converted by Igor Kharatin, reduced the deficit to 3-1, leaving the 10-man hosts to see out the final minutes at a numerical disadvantage.

That did not seem to slow them down, though, with another 17-year-old later finding his name on the scoresheet. 

The new signing from Las Palmas made it 4-1 after coming off the bench for Fati - one month his senior - making further history as the pair became the first U-18s to both score in a single Champions League match, while Ousmane Dembele added a fifth in the final minutes to complete the rout for Barca.

Marcus Rashford was Manchester United's hero at the Parc des Princes once more as his late strike secured a 2-1 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in Champions League Group H on Tuesday. 

England international Rashford drilled home a stoppage-time penalty as United claimed a 3-1 win at PSG in the second leg of the last 16 in 2018-19, ensuring they progressed to the quarter-finals on away goalsm and he proved pivotal again.

Just as they did on that occasion, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men scored first. Bruno Fernandes tucked home a re-taken penalty after Keylor Navas stepped off his line to save the midfielder's first attempt. 

Anthony Martial's own goal restored parity but Rashford returned to haunt PSG when he fired a fine finish into the bottom-left corner from the edge of the box with three minutes remaining. 

David de Gea sprung to his right to keep Angel Di Maria at bay in the 12th minute and, from the resulting corner, only an instinctive block from the United goalkeeper stopped a stretching Layvin Kurzawa volleying home Kylian Mbappe's whipped cross.  

United soon settled and Abdou Diallo's needless lunge on Martial gave Fernandes the chance to equalise from the spot, which he did at the second attempt.  

Thomas Tuchel sent Moise Kean on and PSG were effectively playing in a 4-2-4 but, after De Gea denied Mbappe brilliantly and Kurzawa hit the bar with a cross, it was Martial's own goal that levelled matters.  

Navas tipped a low drive from Rashford wide in the 69th minute and he kept out the United attacker again with 10 minutes remaining. 

However, Rashford succeeded at the third attempt as his powerful low drive went in off the base of the post and United secured a deserved victory.

What does it mean? Solskjaer decisions pay off

United started with a back three and despite some early pressure they defended resolutely, limiting PSG to five shots on target – every one of which was saved by De Gea. After Martial gifted the hosts an equaliser, Solskjaer changed tact by sending Paul Pogba on for debutant Alex Telles and his team soon threatened regularly on the break.

With Rashford's winner, they became the first team to beat PSG at home more than once in the Champions League and handed last season's runners-up their first defeat in 25 group games in the competition at the Parc des Princes 

Persistent Rashford gets rewards

PSG left themselves exposed at the back by committing plenty of numbers forward but, despite being regularly put into promising situations, Rashford's execution was lacking – he only completed 13 passes in the opposition half. However, he did not let it burden him and was eventually rewarded. 

Neymar nowhere

Tuchel decided not to play Neymar in the Ligue 1 meeting with Nimes last Friday to give the forward a rest after the international break, but he failed to have a meaningful impact against United. He only had two touches in the opposition box and did not hit the target until the 83rd minute, while he only created one chance for a team-mate.  

Key Opta Facts

- Manchester United have scored nine own-goals in the Champions League, more than any other side. Martial is the second French player to an own-goal in the Champions League against French opposition, after Jeremy Mathieu for Barcelona versus PSG in April 2015.
- Since the start of last season, United have been awarded 27 penalties in all competitions, scoring 22 of them, both highs among sides in Europe’s big five leagues in that time. Fernandes' 11 converted from 12 since his debut in February also marks a continental high.
- During that period, Fernandes has been directly involved in more goals in all competitions than any other Premier League player with 27 (16 goals, 11 assists).
- Neymar has failed to score in four consecutive Champions League appearances for the first time since November 2013 -  his first five games in the competition.

What's next?

United have a Premier League meeting with Chelsea at Old Trafford on Saturday, when PSG entertain Dijon in Ligue 1.

Giorgio Chiellini will be examined after going off injured in Juventus' win at Dynamo Kiev, according to Andrea Pirlo, who said Paulo Dybala is still not 100 per cent fit.

Captain Chiellini limped off in the 19th minute of Tuesday's Champions League Group G clash, which saw Juve ease to a 2-0 away victory thanks to a second-half double from Alvaro Morata.

Head coach Pirlo described Chiellini's injury as a hip flexor issue that he had been dealing with after the recent round of international fixtures.

"We will evaluate him in the coming days," Pirlo said.

Dybala had previously not played a minute under Pirlo and was reportedly involved in a clash with Juve director Fabio Paratici after being left on the bench for the 1-1 draw with Crotone at the weekend.

Pirlo also admitted that Dybala was "angry" at being left on the bench for the draw at Crotone.

However, Dybala was finally involved in the second half against Dynamo, replacing Dejan Kulusevski 11 minutes into the second half.

Speaking to Sky Sport Italia, Pirlo said of the Argentina forward: "He wasn't 100 per cent. He needs minutes, slowly we will see him in top condition."

Juve have made an uneven start to their first season under the leadership of former midfielder Pirlo.

They are four points adrift of Serie A leaders AC Milan following the slip-up at Crotone, but they were in control throughout against Dynamo as Morata made it three goals for him in two matches.

"One step at a time we find the balance," Pirlo added. "We could make better use of a few chances in the first half and manage the game better.

"It was important to play a solid match compared to Crotone."

Juventus will return to Serie A action on Sunday when they face Hellas Verona at Allianz Stadium before their Champions League showdown with Lionel Messi and Barcelona next week.

Juve star Cristiano Ronaldo is in doubt for the match against Barcelona after he tested positive for Covid-19 while on international duty with Portugal.

The forward has hit back at suggestions he broke protocol when he returned to Italy after testing positive.

Chelsea kicked off their Champions League campaign with a Stamford Bridge stalemate as they were held 0-0 by Sevilla.

An even contest between the two favourites for progression from Group E produced plenty of chances, but neither side could apply the finishing touch necessary to claim all three points.

Rennes' draw with FK Krasnodar in France meant that it was honours even across the group following the first matchday.

Chelsea's leaky defence had come in for scrutiny once again following a weekend Premier League outing that saw them held to a 3-3 draw by Southampton.

And head coach Frank Lampard's nerves will not have been helped by Thiago Silva's failure to make a seemingly simple headed clearance during an early passage of play that led to a Lucas Ocampos shot, albeit from a marginally offside position.

Saturday's result had no doubt contributed to a defensive reshuffle that saw Edouard Mendy replace Kepa Arrizabalaga in goal among other changes.

The potential value of that particular switch was shown after 18 minutes when the Blues' recent signing was on hand to claw away a Nemanja Gudelj header that had been diverted goalward by a deflection off Kurt Zouma.

At the other end, Chelsea evidenced their own threat when Timo Werner produced his team's first shot on target following a sweeping move involving the lively Reece James.

Still, they could not entirely limit Sevilla, who came close through a Suso header following brilliant work from Marcos Acuna and an Ocampos shot that needed a Mendy save just prior to the whistle sounding.

Although Lampard opted against making substitutions at the break, a tactical tweak that saw Christian Pulisic move from the right side to the left almost paid immediate dividends.

The American's quick feet earned Chelsea a corner that saw Zouma head on target, and he followed that with another dangerous cross from his preferred flank just seconds later.

With Pulisic benefiting from a direct approach, the Blues called for more thrust on the opposite wing with an hour gone as Hakim Ziyech replaced the ineffectual Mason Mount.

But their opponents were by no means ready to give up their share of the points and went close themselves when Joan Jordan showed great technique in volleying just over the bar from a corner.

What does it mean? Chelsea cure defensive blues

Although a draw at Stamford Bridge is rarely welcome for a team of Chelsea's ambitions, Lampard will take great encouragement from a hard-earned clean sheet for his side.

Europa League holders Sevilla created some chances, of course, but the Blues looked infinitely more defensively solid than they have during a chaotic start to the season.

Mendy offers keeper hope

After Kepa produced another erratic display against Southampton, there was pressure on Chelsea's new goalkeeper to shine on his return to the team.

While the Frenchman wasn't particularly busy, making just two saves, his handling was impressive enough to fill Blues fans with hope that they may have found their new number one.

Havertz quiet in Blues attack

While Werner was a constant threat in behind and Pulisic improved once he moved to the left, it was a quiet night for one man in the Chelsea attack: Kai Havertz.

The German took 67 touches but failed to have a shot or produce a key pass, and he surrendered possession on 15 separate occasions.

Key Opta facts

- Chelsea have drawn five of their last eight Champions League home matches, as many as in their previous 33 games in the competition at Stamford Bridge (W23 L5). This was their first goalless draw in 22 Champions League matches, last playing out a 0-0 in October 2015 (vs Dynamo Kiev).
- Chelsea have won just one of their last 10 Champions League games against Spanish opposition (D6 L3).
- Sevilla have failed to win any of their last five away games in the group stages of this competition (D4 L1) – their joint-longest such run in the competition (also five games between September 2015 and September 2016 – D1 L4).
- Chelsea recorded just six shots, their fewest attempts at goal in a Champions League game since February 2015, when they had just two against Paris Saint-Germain in a 1-1 draw.

What's next?

Chelsea return to Premier League action on Saturday when they travel north for a mouth-watering clash with Manchester United at Old Trafford. Sevilla, meanwhile, face Eibar at home in La Liga.

Lionel Messi and Ansu Fati were on record-setting form as Barcelona opened their Champions League campaign with a thumping 5-1 win over Ferencvaros at Camp Nou on Tuesday, although Gerard Pique was dismissed for the hosts.

Ronald Koeman's side suffered a surprise 1-0 defeat to Getafe in LaLiga at the weekend and looked shaky in the early stages against their Hungarian opponents, who were making their first appearance in the Champions League group stages for 25 years.

Messi's penalty shortly before the half-hour mark settled any nerves, though, while 17-year-oldl Fati doubled their advantage in the 42nd minute.

Philippe Coutinho added a third early in the second half before Ihor Kharatin pulled one back for the visitors from the penalty spot after Pique had been dismissed for bringing down Tokmac Nguen inside the area. Barca had the final say, however, substitute Pedri scoring his first goal for the club eight minutes from time and Ousmane Dembele adding a late fifth.

Ferencvaros were far from overawed in the early stages against their illustrious opponents, twice going close to taking the lead inside the opening 20 minutes.

Nguen had a fine strike ruled out for offside before Isael crashed a powerful drive against Neto's crossbar from 10 yards.

They were left to rue those close calls in the 27th minute when Messi powered home from the spot after he had been tripped in the area by Adnan Kovacevic.

It made the Argentina international the first player in Champions League history to score in 16 consecutive seasons.

Fati was denied by the outstretched leg of Denes Dibusz but then got the better of the Ferencvaros goalkeeper three minutes before the interval, steering a volley inside his left-hand post after a sublime looped pass from Frenkie de Jong.

That saw Fati become the first player to score more than one Champions League goal before turning 18.

Fati turned provider for Barca's third seven minutes after the restart, Coutinho receiving his impudent back-heeled pass before sending a deflected effort past Dibusz.

Kharatin restored some pride for the visitors 20 minutes from time after Pique clumsily hauled down Nguen as he entered the penalty area following a ball over the top.

Any hopes of a dramatic comeback were extinguished, however, as Pedri turned home from 12 yards and Dembele thundered home from Messi's pass in the final 10 minutes to seal a comfortable three points.

What does it mean? Barca in cruise control after tough opening

It could have panned out very differently for Barca had Ferencvaros struck during that impressive early spell. As it was, some Messi magic set the hosts on their way to the kind of win that most people would have expected before kick-off.

Koeman, who became the fifth head coach to take charge of six or more teams in the Champions League, will certainly not be getting carried away and knows his side will face a far sterner test when they travel to Juventus next week.

Fati continues to make history

Fati's stunning ascent does not look like slowing down anytime soon. The youngster produced another fine display - and goal - with all three of his shots on target, and the assist for Coutinho was another mark of his quality.

Pique well off the pace

Pique declared he was willing to be the first to step aside after Barca's humiliating 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in last season's Champions League quarter-final.

He stuck around, though, and was badly caught out by Nguen in the incident which led to his dismissal. If he puts in more displays like this, he can expect people to start asking when he will make way for fresh blood. The post-match announcement that he has signed a new four-year contract was therefore quite a revelation.

Key Opta facts

- Barcelona stretched their unbeaten run at Camp Nou in the Champions League to 37 games (W33 D4). They have not conceded more than once in any of the 37 games in this run.
- Barcelona have won their opening home game in 23 of their 25 Champions League seasons (D2), including each of their last nine in a row since a 2-2 draw with Milan in 2011-12.
- Only Ryan Giggs has scored in as many Champions League campaigns as Messi. The Manchester United great also scored for his club in 16 seasons at the highest level in Europe, but, unlike in Messi’s case, they were not consecutive campaigns.
- Barcelona became the first team ever to have two goalscorers aged 17 or under in a single Champions League match - Ansu Fati and Pedri.

What's next?

Both sides are in domestic action at the weekend, with Barca taking on Real Madrid in the first Clasico of the season and Ferencvaros facing Ujpest.