Neymar set to make PSG return after being included in squad
Neymar is set to make his Paris Saint-Germain return after being included in the squad for Saturday's French league game at home to Strasbourg.
PSG coach Thomas Tuchel said Friday that "he's available for tomorrow and ready to play."
Neymar has played for Brazil but not for PSG this season. The 27year-old forward sat out four league games as he pushed for a move back to Barcelona during the summer transfer window.
PSG and Barcelona — which two years ago sold Neymar for a world record 222 million euros ($246 million) — could not reach an agreement over his transfer following lengthy talks, and Neymar is now starting his third season with the French champion.
"I'm counting on him," Tuchel said. "It's necessary that he comes back."
It could be a tense atmosphere in some sections of the crowd at Parc des Princes on Saturday, however.
Neymar's public desire to re-join his former club, along with an interview recounting how much he enjoyed playing in Barca's 6-1 humiliation of PSG in the Champions League in 2017, led to hostile chanting against him by PSG's ultras in a home game last month.
One banner held aloft during that game urged him to "Get Lost".
Neymar may also not relish facing Strasbourg again. When the teams met in the French Cup in January, he limped off injured in a physical contest.
Meanwhile, new signing Mauro Icardi could make his debut after joining on a season's loan from Serie A side Inter Milan, after a difficult last season with the Italian team. The problems began in January in a contract dispute, and he was then stripped of the captaincy.
Tuchel said the Argentina striker lacks match fitness and is not likely to start the game.
"Maybe we can use him tomorrow," Tuchel said. "But I'm not sure he can play 90 minutes or even 60 minutes."
PSG forwards Edinson Cavani and Kylian Mbappé are still recovering from minor leg-muscle injuries.
Pogba joins Man United's long injury list for Leicester game
Injury-hit Manchester United could be without seven first-team players against Leicester on Saturday, with Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial the latest ruled out by manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Luke Shaw, Diogo Dalot, and Eric Bailly remain sidelined, while Martial continues to be laid low with a thigh issue and Pogba has yet to recover from an ankle injury. Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Jesse Lingard are doubts after withdrawing from the England squad for European Championship qualifiers with a back complaint and illness respectively.
Solskjaer says "the treatment room's been busy and still is. So, we don't really know who is going to be available."
United opened the season with a win against Chelsea but failed to win the next three matches before the international break. Leicester enjoyed a stronger start with two wins and two losses.
Premier League owns up to refereeing mistakes, even with VAR
The Premier League is finally owning up to refereeing mistakes — thanks to the technology that was supposed to cut down on them.
Uncertainty about the application of VAR in the opening month of the season has left teams confused as to why wrong decisions have not been overturned in games.
It turns out at least four of them should have been corrected after being reviewed on video. Some managers would add other disputed calls to that list, but the candor by referees' head Mike Riley is a starting point for a league that has hardly ever acknowledged mistakes by its officials.
"Where we have made mistakes we have to learn from them," Riley said after presenting to clubs on Thursday. "There are things we can learn and constantly improve."
Penalties should have been awarded to Manchester City's David Silva and West Ham's Sebastien Haller in separate games, Riley said. The decision of the VAR to not overturn the initial onpitch calls did not have an impact on the results because City went on to beat Bournemouth and West Ham defeated Norwich.
But Riley also acknowledged that Fabian Schar's equalizer for Newcastle wrongly stood against Watford despite a handball by a teammate. And Leicester should have had Youri Tielemens sent off
Serie C - Group B
Today
20:45 Gubbio-Fano
Tomorrow
15:00 Imolese-Modena
15:00 Piacenza-Fermana
15:00 Sambenedettese-ArzignanoChiampo 15:00 Sudtirol-Reggio Audace
17:30 Cesena-Triestina
17:30 FeralpiSalo-Virtus Verona
17:30 L.R. Vicenza-Rimini
17:30 Padova-Carpi
17:30 Ravenna-Vis Pesaro
Serie C - Group C
Today
20:45 Casertana-Rieti Tomorrow
15:00 Catania-Viterbese
15:00 Paganese-Virtus Francavilla 15:00 Teramo-Cavese
15:00 Ternana-Monopoli
17:30 Bisceglie-Potenza
17:30 Catanzaro-Sicula Leonzio 17:30 Picerno-Avellino
17:30 Vibonese-Rende
Monday
20:45 Bari-Reggina