Football essentials for 15 October: PSG win 4-2 at the Etihad, Lautaro out for several weeks, Marseille under DNCG threat

Double European champions, PSG won 4-2 on Manchester City’s ground, and Aston Villa crushed Fenerbahçe 6-0 on the same evening: matchday two of the league phase left its mark. Thursday carried on elsewhere: Inter lost Lautaro Martinez for several weeks, Lyon opened their Europa League campaign against Crystal Palace, and Marseille learned that the DNCG could sanction them as early as this winter.

Manchester City 2-4 PSG: three goals clear by half-time

Désiré Doué (13th), Ousmane Dembélé (15th) and Vitinha (32nd) had opened the gap inside the first half hour, Maghnes Akliouche (62nd) answered Erling Haaland’s double (53rd, 75th), and Paris won 4-2 in City’s first home game since the club was found guilty of financial irregularities. Enzo Maresca, who before the match had demanded “a perfect game” against “the best team in Europe right now”, saluted the winners: “I really enjoy playing against PSG.” RMC Sport’s report, and Luis Enrique’s defence of the English club.

Lautaro Martinez out for several weeks, derby included

Injured in his left thigh flexors against Club Brugge on Tuesday (a 3-4 defeat at San Siro), Lautaro Martinez will miss several weeks: Gazzetta dello Sport reports a muscle lesion, around a month and a half out and a return targeted for 22 November against Atalanta, with no official timeframe. Last season Inter played 14 matches without him for eight wins, four draws and two defeats, including the Champions League play-off and the derby. The Gazzetta counts seven more coming without their striker: Bologna on Saturday, Shakhtar Donetsk and Feyenoord in the Champions League, the Milan derby at the end of October, then Fiorentina, Venezia and Como. Our report.

Merah up front, Sage in the away dugout: Lyon host Palace

Lyon hosted Crystal Palace at Groupama Stadium for matchday two of the Europa League league phase, with Khalis Merah leading the line in the official lineup. The away dugout carried a familiar face: Pierre Sage, the coach of the 2024 rescue, who had told RMC Sport “I’m still a bit of a Lyonnais”. Fresh from a 2-1 win at Anderlecht and without Loïs Openda, their only striker, Lyon were starting their European evening as we published. Our portrait of his return.

Aston Villa 6-0 Fenerbahçe: two wins from two

Aston Villa crushed Fenerbahçe 6-0 on Wednesday and sit third in the league phase, behind PSG and Barcelona. “Maybe Fenerbahçe didn’t deserve to concede six goals,” tempered Unai Emery, whose side remain 16th in the Premier League with five points from six games. On Saturday evening, Villa travel to Newcastle, 11th. Our report.

DNCG: Marseille risk sanctions as early as this winter

Marseille, who failed to meet the commitments made to the DNCG on 26 June, risk precautionary sanctions as early as this winter: a points deduction at the start of next Ligue 1 season is on the table, relegation is excluded, and the deduction would only apply if the finances are not repaired by 30 June 2027. Already capped on wages and transfer fees, 13th in Ligue 1 after a summer without a single signing, the club promises a “sound and sustainable financial trajectory”. RMC Sport’s report.

Southgate: “I no longer even savoured the victories”

A guest on Amol Rajan’s podcast, Gareth Southgate described his distance from football since the Euro 2024 final defeat: he has since attended only the Champions League final and the FA Cup final, “since my club Crystal Palace were involved”. “I have loved the last 18 months of my life. For 37 years, my self-esteem depended on whether I had won or lost on a Saturday,” he said. The confidences relayed by So Foot.

CIES: PSG add value, Manchester United sink

Over the last five seasons, the CIES Football Observatory ranking measures the gap between fees paid for signings and their value: Eintracht Frankfurt lead (€527m of added value), ahead of Real Madrid (€526m) and PSG (€490m, €423m of it still in the squad). Manchester United show the worst loss in Europe, €405m, with only Saudi side Al-Hilal (-€502m) faring worse; Nice are the lowest French club, at -€60m. The full ranking by RMC Sport.