Football essentials, 19 October: PSG-Barça without Nuno Mendes, City cut short, Pierre Sage under scrutiny

The Champions League returns on Tuesday and the day revolved around it: PSG wait for Barcelona without their left-back, Manchester City go back into it short-handed. Elsewhere, the Ballon d’Or found its hosts and the CAS set its timetable.

PSG v Barcelona: no Nuno Mendes, Luis Enrique wants the ball away from Yamal

Off injured at Strasbourg on Saturday, a 3-1 away win, with a left thigh problem, Nuno Mendes will miss Tuesday’s clash at the Parc des Princes; the club statement puts him out “for the coming weeks”, without a timescale. Lamine Yamal arrives on the other side, and Luis Enrique already has his answer: “The best way to stop him is to keep the ball away from Barcelona.” Barcelona, held a night in Seville by the storm, travel without Koundé, Eric García or Christensen. I have listed PSG’s options at left-back.

Manchester City: seven wins from seven, Semenyo’s knee and Haaland’s foot

Erling Haaland’s brace, in the 34th and the 69th minute, was enough against Ipswich (3-2): seven wins from seven Premier League games, a start no manager had ever made before Enzo Maresca. In the treatment room, Antoine Semenyo, injured in his left knee on Saturday, is out for eight weeks. And Haaland, who took a knock on his foot, missed Monday’s open training session and remains a doubt for the visit of AEK Athens. “He could be available,” Maresca said. With the Daily Mail already talking relegation, I went back over the case.

Brighton 5-0: three goals in ten minutes, Sage under scrutiny

A Canvot own goal in the 4th minute, Diego Gomez’s lob from halfway in the 7th, Ayari in the 10th: Brighton settled the M23 derby in ten minutes, and Kostoulas and Hinshelwood made it Palace’s heaviest defeat against their rivals since January 1956. “My one feeling is shame,” said Pierre Sage, who took the blame: “That’s on me.” Steve Parish is giving him more time, under serious scrutiny. My recap of the weekend is here.

Ballon d’Or: Thierry Henry and Kate Scott at the London Palladium

On Monday 26 October, Thierry Henry will host the Ballon d’Or at the London Palladium, alongside Kate Scott, his colleague on Champions League nights for CBS. He succeeds Didier Drogba and Ruud Gullit in the role. “London is my home,” said the former Arsenal striker. Who follows Ousmane Dembélé, last year’s winner? Our piece today has the details.

AFCON 2025: the CAS will rule at the end of November

At the end of November 2026, the Court of Arbitration for Sport will issue its full decision on the AFCON final between Morocco and Senegal, won 1-0 after extra time by the Lions in Rabat on 18 January, then awarded 3-0 to Morocco on forfeit in March after the Senegalese left the pitch in protest at a penalty. The two federations were heard on 8 October in Lausanne, behind closed doors. The award will come with its legal reasoning. The full timeline is in our piece today.

Pep Guardiola lends his voice to UNRWA

The former Manchester City manager is the face of an appeal for donations launched by UNRWA, the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees. “We are living a particularly dark period,” writes Guardiola, who denounces the humanitarian situation in Gaza: “Their lives matter as much as ours.” One more message in a line of repeated positions.