After the year Karim Benzema has had, you could be forgiven for thinking he came straight from a computer game.

Appropriately, the Real Madrid and France striker has been awarded the highest rating in FIFA 23 ahead of its release later this month.

EA Sports has announced its ratings for the top 23 players for this year's edition of the popular football simulation, with Benzema the top-ranked on 91, while the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Harry Kane have fallen.

Benzema scored 44 goals in 46 games in all competitions for Madrid last season as they went on to win both the LaLiga and Champions League titles, and has already notched four goals in six appearances this season.

Last year's top-ranked, Messi, has seen his rating fall from 93 to 91, and he now sits in fifth place behind Benzema, Robert Lewandowski, Kylian Mbappe and Kevin De Bruyne.

Ronaldo moves down five places to eighth as he is rated at 90, with Liverpool duo Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk placed between him and Messi in sixth and seventh, also on 90.

Harry Kane (89) has dropped nine places from last year's game to 17th, and now sits below Tottenham team-mate Son Heung-min, who is also rated 89 but is in 12th place on the list.

Manchester City hotshot Erling Haaland is up to 21st place on a rating of 88 after his electric start to life in England, where he has already scored 12 goals in eight games in all competitions.

FIFA 23 will be released on September 30, and will be the final iteration of the series after the licencing agreement between EA Sports and FIFA came to an end.

Top 10 FIFA 23 ratings

1. Karim Benzema - 91
2. Robert Lewandowski - 91
3. Kylian Mbappe - 91
4. Kevin De Bruyne - 91
5. Lionel Messi - 91
6. Mohamed Salah - 90
7. Virgil van Dijk - 90
8. Cristiano Ronaldo - 90
9. Thibaut Courtois - 90
10. Manuel Neuer - 90

It is fair to say La Masia is one of the more famous football production lines.

Barcelona have built legendary teams using many of the graduates to have come through their academy.

While the club may have gone for more of a transfer-based approach in recent years, there remains a romance about the idea of La Masia churning out more stars of the future.

With the announcement on Wednesday that the latest product, Gavi, has signed a new deal until 2026 after becoming a vital cog in Xavi's first team despite only turning 18 in August, Stats Perform has taken a look at other teen sensations who broke through over the years; those who flourished, and those who did not.

From promise to stardom

Lionel Messi

Let's start with the most obvious one. Great things were always expected of Messi, but surely no-one could have predicted quite the impact the little guy with the long hair would have when he made his Barca debut.

On October 16, 2004, Messi came off the bench against Espanyol as an 82nd-minute sub for Deco. After that, he took over the world.

The Argentina international went on to make 778 appearances for Barca, scoring 672 goals, and winning seven Ballon d'Or awards.

Messi and Barca fans were in tears when he left for Paris Saint-Germain in 2021, showing exactly how much his impact had meant to the club.

Xavi

The Barca head coach has made a promising start in the dugout since arriving last season, but he had already more than established his place as a legend in the club's history as a player.

He made his LaLiga debut in 1998 under Louis van Gaal, before becoming an integral part of several Barca sides over the next 17 years.

Xavi was a midfield maestro, and in his 779 matches, he scored 87 goals and lifted eight LaLiga titles, three Copa del Rey trophies and four Champions League titles.

It feels appropriate that in the same way he dictated play on the pitch, he is now engineering a new Barca side to play his way and making the fans believe in the team's identity and direction once more.

Andres Iniesta

You cannot mention Xavi without also mentioning his partner in crime.

Iniesta was the yin to Xavi's yang during the club's most prosperous era, also playing a significant part in winning a copious amount of trophies under the likes of Frank Rijkaard, Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique.

While Iniesta's most famous contribution to football will always be his winning goal for Spain in the 2010 World Cup final, the fact that the club is still truly looking to find an adequate replacement for his role four years after he left says it all.

Overall, he made 679 appearances, scoring 57 goals, before moving to Vissel Kobe in Japan in 2018.

From promise to... Stoke, Ipswich and Brighton

Bojan Krkic

It is difficult to follow in any successful footsteps, but imagine being the next big thing after Messi.

The hype felt justified for Bojan though, after the diminutive striker broke all kinds of records at youth level, scoring 423 goals overall before he even reached the first team.

Being a central striker and goal poacher did not really tally with the Barca way at the time, though, and even though he did manage 41 goals in 164 games for the first team, he was ultimately sold to Roma in 2011.

Bojan struggled to establish himself anywhere, even at Stoke City in the Premier League after arriving in 2014, while at Montreal Impact, he made none, and he currently finds himself playing alongside Iniesta at Vissel Kobe at the age of 32.

Giovani dos Santos

Speaking of the next big thing, when Giovani came through, his comparison was to the great Ronaldinho. Again, no pressure.

Similarly to Bojan, it never really felt like the Mexico international suited Barca, a wrong place wrong time situation, but he still made 41 appearances, scoring eight goals.

He joined Tottenham in 2008, but despite some brief flourishes at White Hart Lane, also struggled to establish himself, even moving on loan to Ipswich Town in 2009.

After some time back in LaLiga with Mallorca and Villarreal, Giovani moved to MLS with Los Angeles Galaxy, then after two years at Club America in his native country, has been without a club since 2021.

Gai Assulin

One of the original 'the [insert nationality here] Messi' prospects, Israeli youngster Assulin looked every bit a Barca player in the making.

As with the duo above, it most certainly did not work out that way. Across three seasons, Assulin played just twice for the first team, without scoring, before being moved on to Manchester City, where he also struggled for game time.

A loan move to Brighton and Hove Albion did not convince City to give him a chance, and since then he has hopped to a number of clubs, including Racing Santander, Hapoel Tel Aviv, and even Italian fourth division side Crema, whom he left in 2021.

The player who Thiago Alcantara apparently once described as "the most talented player I've ever seen in La Masia" was last seen playing five-a-side in Stockport as he prepared to find his next club.

Bayern Munich have been left with a hole after Robert Lewandowski's exit for Barcelona.

Sadio Mane moved to Munich from Liverpool in the close season but he is not a like-for-like replacement.

Bayern have started the new Bundesliga campaign in indifferent form, following up three wins with as many draws.

TOP STORY – NEGOTIATIONS UNDERWAY BETWEEN KANE AND BAYERN

Harry Kane is increasingly open to the idea of making the move to join German champions Bayern Munich, claims Sky Sports.

Sky Sports' Florian Plettenberg reports that negotiations have already been held by Bayern and Kane's brother Charlie, who represents him.

Bayern have made the Tottenham striker their number one target and can offer him the likelihood of silverware, in comparison to Spurs.

ROUND-UP

– Fabrizio Romano reports that Lionel Messi will not make a decision on his future until after the World Cup, but Paris Saint-Germain are planning to offer him a new deal, while Barcelona are interested in re-signing him. Messi is contracted until 2023 but there is the option of another year in Paris.

– Jude Bellingham's list of suitors is growing with Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool all keen on Borussia Dortmund's English talent according to AS.

– New Chelsea boss Graham Potter has approved the club's pursuit of RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol, with the club to try to sign him again in June 2023 reports Fichajes.

– Germany international forward Max Kruse's contract with Wolfsburg is set to be mutually terminated during the Bundesliga break, claims Sport.

– The Guardian reports that Lens head coach Franck Haise is under consideration for the vacant Brighton and Hove Albion managerial post, along with Bodo/Glimt's Kjetil Knutsen and ex-Shakhtar Donetsk boss Roberto De Zerbi.

There was no shortage of thrills and spills on matchday one of the Champions League, and Wednesday's action promises more of the same as one of the world's most in-form strikers faces his former club.

Erling Haaland has made a spectacular start to his Manchester City career, hitting 12 goals in all competitions since his move from Borussia Dortmund, but how will he fare when his old team visit the Etihad Stadium? 

Elsewhere, Graham Potter will hope to have an immediate impact in his first game as Chelsea's head coach as they bid to bounce back from last week's 1-0 defeat to Dinamo Zagreb.

Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, meanwhile, are among the favourites to be crowned European champions, and will both be hopeful of making it two wins from two outings.

Ahead of another intriguing set of European ties, Stats Perform trawls through the Opta data to highlight the most noteworthy facts for each game.

Manchester City v Borussia Dortmund

City striker Haaland netted 15 times in 13 Champions League appearances for Dortmund, and few would bet against the Norwegian haunting his former team on Wednesday.

Haaland helped himself to a brace at Sevilla last time out, bringing him to 25 Champions League goals in just 20 appearances – the highest tally managed by any player in their first 20 games in Europe's premier club competition. 

The visit of BVB will represent a landmark outing for City boss Pep Guardiola, taking him to 150 Champions League games. Only five other coaches have reached that tally, while only two have earned more victories than Guardiola's 94 – Alex Ferguson (102) and Carlo Ancelotti (99).

The omens are certainly good for the Premier League champions, who are unbeaten in their last 20 Champions League home games, winning 18 and drawing two. That represents the longest such sequence by an English side since Chelsea's run of 21 without defeat between September 2006 and December 2009.

Dortmund, meanwhile, have not won at an English side in the competition since beating Arsenal 2-1 in October 2013.

Chelsea v Salzburg

Defeat to Dinamo Zagreb spelled the end of Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea reign last week, and Potter is the man entrusted to ensure they avoid back-to-back continental defeats when Salzburg visit.

Chelsea have never previously lost their opening two games of a Champions League campaign, and last lost consecutive games in the competition in 2019-20, when they were beaten by Bayern Munich in both legs of a last-16 tie.

This will be the first meeting between Chelsea and Salzburg, with the Blues only losing one of their previous four European ties against Austrian teams (W1 D2). Salzburg, meanwhile, have never beaten an English side in European competition in six attempts (D1 L5).

But the Blues will have to be wary of Matthias Jaissle's young guns at Stamford Bridge, and may need to keep a particularly close eye on Noah Okafor. 

The 22-year-old has four goals in his last five Champions League outings for Salzburg – only Haaland (eight) has ever scored more for the club in the competition.

Real Madrid v RB Leipzig

Holders Madrid are looking to secure consecutive wins when they host RB Leipzig at the Santiago Bernabeu, and are unbeaten in their last 11 Champions League games against German opponents, scoring at least two goals in all of those matches (27 in total).

Leipzig, however, are unbeaten in their three European clashes with Spanish sides (W2 D1) and will be looking for a result comparable to their 2-1 quarter-final win over Atletico Madrid in 2019-20.

Los Blancos possess a remarkable amount of experience at the highest level; should Luka Modric feature, he will become the first 37-year-old outfield player to play a European Cup/Champions League game for Madrid since Ferenc Puskas in November 1965 against Kilmarnock.

Coach Ancelotti, meanwhile, is on the brink of his 100th win in the Champions League, and could become just the second boss to bring up such a century in the competition (after Alex Ferguson with 102).

Maccabi Haifa v Paris Saint-Germain

Kylian Mbappe scored a terrific brace to get PSG's European campaign off to a flying start against Juventus, and a trip to Maccabi Haifa gives him the opportunity to make club history.

The striker has scored 29 goals in 45 Champions League outings with PSG, scoring against 14 of the 17 opponents he's faced with the French champions. One more goal will see him level Edinson Cavani's record of 30 goals in the competition for the Ligue 1 side.

He could be aided by the in-form Neymar, who has provided eight assists for Mbappe in the Champions League, more than any player has assisted another in the competition since the start of 2017-18.

The final member of their revered forward trio, Lionel Messi, also has his eyes on making history.

Messi has scored against 38 different teams in the Champions League, the same amount as his great rival Cristiano Ronaldo, and will be keen to claim the record outright when he faces Maccabi for the first time on Wednesday.

Other fixtures:

Rangers v Napoli

1 – Wednesday's rearranged match will be the first competitive meeting between Rangers and Napoli. The Serie A side have only faced a Scottish team in European competition once before, exiting to Hibernian in the Fairs Cup in November 1967.

3 – Piotr Zielinski was directly involved in three of Napoli's four goals as they thrashed Liverpool last week (two goals, one assist). This is already his best campaign for goal contributions in the competition since joining Napoli.  

Milan vs Dinamo Zagreb

6 - Milan have failed to win any of their last six home games in the Champions League (D3 L3), their longest run without a home victory in the competition.

31.8 – Dinamo Zagreb had just 31.8 per cent possession against Chelsea on matchday one, the lowest of any team who managed to avoid defeat in their opening game.

Shakhtar Donetsk v Celtic

3 – Shakhtar's Mykhailo Mudryk was one of three players to be directly involved in three goals on matchday one (one goal, two assists), along with Robert Lewandowski and Zielinski.

1/13 - Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart has only kept one clean sheet in his last 13 away Champions League games, with his last coming at Roma in December 2014 (for Manchester City).

Copenhagen v Sevilla

8 - Spanish sides are unbeaten in all eight of their Champions League games against Danish clubs (W6 D2) – only against sides from the Czech Republic (13) have Spanish teams appeared more often without defeat.

3/4 - Sevilla have lost three of their last four Champions League group-stage games (W1), as many as they lost in their previous 22 such matches (W10 D9).

Juventus v Benfica

2 - Juventus have lost their last two Champions League games. Only once in the history of the European Cup/Champions League have they lost three in a row, doing so between May 1968 and September 1972.

4 – Benfica's Alejandro Grimaldo has been involved in four goals in his last four Champions League games (one goal, three assists), more than he was in his first 27 games in the competition (two goals, one assist).

Liverpool reportedly had a deadline-day bid for Moises Caicedo rejected by Brighton and Hove Albion.

The 20-year-old is hot property with a long list of suitors, after an impressive second half of last season in the Premier League.

Caicedo joined Brighton from Independiente del Valle in January 2021 on a four-and-half-year contract.

TOP STORY – BRIGHTON TO OPEN TALKS WITH CAICEDO

Brighton and Hove Albion will open contract talks with hot property Moises Caicedo according to The Mirror.

The Ecuadorian has interest from Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea.

The Seagulls are determined to fend off those suitors by pinning Caicedo down to a new contract.

ROUND-UP

– Fichajes reports French giants Paris Saint-Germain will look to sign Antoine Griezmann after this season, as they begin planning for Lionel Messi's departure. Griezmann is currently on a two-year loan at Atletico Madrid from Barcelona. Messi is contracted until mid-2023 and view Griezmann as a suitable replacement if they cannot convince him to extend his stay.

– Barcelona will resume their chase for Manchester City's Bernardo Silva in January, reports Sport. LaLiga has increased the club's salary cap, allowing them to pursue the Portuguese midfielder again.

– The Telegraph claims that among those under consideration for the vacant Brighton managerial role are ex-Shakhtar Donetsk boss Roberto de Zerbi and Bodo/Glimt's Kjetil Knutsen.

– Carlo Ancelotti is set to be rewarded for his successful 2021-22 campaign with Real Madrid set to offer him a new contract, according to Marca. Ancelotti's current deal runs until 2024.

Lionel Messi's decision-making at Paris Saint-Germain is "not a problem" for his team-mates, says Achraf Hakimi, after the Argentine helped seal victory over Brest.

Messi was on hand to assist Neymar's finish for the lone goal of the game, as Christophe Galtier's side edged to a 1-0 win to return to the summit of Ligue 1.

Having made the move from Barcelona last year, Messi frequently struggled to live up his billing during his first campaign at the Parc des Princes, but has looked back to his best this term, tallying three league goals and seven assists.

In a game decided by closer margins than anticipated, it was his vision to set up the in-form Neymar that trumped a PSG blank elsewhere, with Hakimi happy to defer to the forward's expertise.

"When I make the call and Leo does not give it, it is because he has seen that there is another player to whom he can pass," he stated.

"This is not a problem. That's how today he made the pass to Neymar and we took the three points."

Messi's rich club form will be even more of a boon to the Argentina international squad, particularly given his outstanding performances for them did not dip during his first year at PSG.

With the Qatar 2022 World Cup looming, the attacker will want to maintain his level for what is likely to be his final shot at claiming the biggest team prize available in the sport, and the glaring omission in his trophy cabinet.

Kylian Mbappe and Neymar were spoken to privately by Paris Saint-Germain boss Christophe Galtier following their latest on-pitch contretemps.

The PSG forwards have begun the season in fine scoring form, but their relationship has faced intense scrutiny after appearing fractious at times.

It has again come under the microscope after Neymar's upset reaction to Mbappe ignoring the chance to feed him a pass for a likely tap-in in the 2-1 Champions League win over Juventus.

That moment early in the second half of Tuesday's game saw Mbappe charge in from the right flank after receiving a pass from Lionel Messi and blaze a shot wide, rather than square the ball for the advancing Neymar. With two goals already in the game, the France international was chasing a hat-trick.

Mbappe faced criticism earlier in the season for his actions during the 5-2 win over Montpellier, which included a public argument with Neymar.

Frenchman Mbappe missed a penalty in that game but felt he should have another chance from 12 yards when PSG were awarded a second spot-kick, only for Neymar to disagree, taking responsibility and scoring.

A seemingly sulky Mbappe then did not celebrate a goal of his own, and after the Juventus game Galtier had a familiar topic on his hands once more.

The PSG head coach said on Friday: "The relationship is very good. That is the truth. They are often together in training.

"Yes, there is a situation in a match, but having spoken to Kylian Mbappe yesterday – and I have also spoken to Ney – but from the discussion with Kylian Mbappe there were two moments: there was the first acceleration when there was possibly a chance to pass the ball but it was more difficult, and the second time was when Kylian Mbappe got into the box and did not see Ney.

"When you see the clip it looks simple, but at the time he had to make a decision. Kylian Mbappe was focused on the ball for shooting. I am convinced that Kylian Mbappe will get assists for Neymar, just as Neymar is capable of performing assists for Kylian Mbappe.

"There is nothing else negative about that since that piece of play in the game."

Neymar has seven goals and six assists from five starts and one substitute appearance in Ligue 1 this season, while Mbappe has seven goals from five starts but has yet to set up a goal for a team-mate.

Mbappe said ahead of the Juventus game that his relationship with Neymar had in the past "been colder or hotter" with moments where they have been "best friends" and others where they have been more distant.

Galtier could rest one or more of his strikeforce when PSG play Brest in Ligue 1 on Saturday, ahead of Wednesday's Champions League trip to Maccabi Haifa.

Asked whether he could considering resting all three of his star forwards – Messi, Neymar and Mbappe – Galtier's response was a punchy "No!".

But he confirmed one could miss out, saying: "That is possible."

PSG have taken 16 points from six games so far, scoring 24 Ligue 1 goals already, with only Manchester City's Erling Haaland (10) scoring more league goals than Neymar and Mbappe in Europe's top five leagues.

Brest are the only team Neymar has played against in Ligue 1 without registering either a goal or an assist; however, he has faced them just once in his career to date.

Anything other than a convincing home win for the leaders against their 17th-placed visitors would be a surprise, with PSG having won each of their last nine Ligue 1 matches against Brest. Among current Ligue 1 sides, they only have a longer winning run against Angers (12 games).

Paris Saint-Germain saw off a second-half fightback from Juventus to win their opening Champions League game 2-1 thanks to Kylian Mbappe's double.

Juve were no match for their hosts at the Parc des Princes in the first half, with Mbappe volleying home twice inside the first 22 minutes.

A defensive lapse from Christophe Galtier's side allowed Weston McKennie to drag Juve back into the contest eight minutes into the second half, however.

And Dusan Vlahovic and Manuel Locatelli both went close to restoring parity, yet PSG had enough to see out a first competitive win over Juve.

Mbappe had denied there were any issues between himself and Neymar in the pre-match press conference, and the duo proved they were in sync in the fifth minute as the France striker volleyed in from his team-mate's exquisite chipped pass.

Gianluigi Donnarumma made a fine save from Arkadiusz Milik at the other end, but PSG were in full flow up front, and it was 2-0 when Mbappe volleyed in again – this time from Achraf Hakimi's cutback.

Neymar might have turned from provider to scorer had his finish been better in the 49th minute, but Mattia Perin was equal to the forward's tame effort.

Mbappe should have provided Neymar with a tap-in two minutes later, only to shoot selfishly from a tight angle, and PSG were made to pay.

It had seemed a matter of damage limitation for Juve, yet PSG switched off from a corner, enabling McKennie to head in at the back post.

With Donnarumma brilliantly keeping out Vlahovic's header, sensational combination play from Neymar and Lionel Messi resulted in a great chance for Mbappe to restore PSG's two-goal cushion, but he lashed wide.

Mbappe's profligacy could have proved costly again as Locatelli saw a goal-bound toe-poke blocked, but PSG held on to get the job done.

Paris Saint-Germain were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw at home to Monaco as their 100 per cent start to the season came to an end.

PSG started the first half well, but a pinpoint Kevin Volland finish past Gianluigi Donnarumma put the visitors ahead at the break.

Christophe Galtier’s team pressed for an equaliser in the second period and found one when VAR awarded a penalty for a foul on Neymar, who stepped up himself to stroke home the spot-kick.

The hosts pushed for a winner, but could not find one as Monaco held on for a point.

PSG were ultimately frustrated not to pick up all three points, while Monaco will be glad to escape the capital with a draw.

The Ligue 1 champions dominated the early possession but fell behind after 20 minutes when Volland latched onto an Aleksandr Golovin throughball before rifling into the bottom-right corner.

Monaco nearly had a second before half-time, but Donnarumma scampered across his line just in time to tip Caio Henrique’s curling free-kick wide.

PSG hit the frame of the goal twice in quick succession in first-half stoppage time as a Lionel Messi drive rebounded off the left post straight to Kylian Mbappe, whose first-time effort hit the other upright.

Wissam Ben Yedder could have made it 2-0 after the interval when Donnarumma was caught well out of his goal, but the France international’s long-range shot went over the crossbar.

Neymar and Renato Sanches both went close to levelling for the hosts, but a combination of Alexander Nubel and poor finishing maintained Monaco’s lead.

Galtier’s men finally equalised when VAR awarded a spot-kick for a Guillermo Maripan trip on Neymar. The Brazil international fired the resulting penalty into the bottom-left corner.

Monaco came under increasing pressure in the remaining minutes as PSG hunted a winner, Achraf Hakimi being denied by the post, but Philippe Clement’s team held on for an impressive point.

Paris Saint-Germain will be out to continue their lightning start to the Ligue 1 season against one of the few teams to depose them as Ligue 1 champions in the QSI era when Monaco visit the Parc des Princes.

New coach Christophe Galtier has seen his team claim three wins from three league games, their latest victory coming at the expense of a Lille side he guided to the title in 2020-21.

PSG thrashed Les Dogues 7-1 and already hold a two-point lead at the top of the table.

Monaco, who edged out PSG in 2016-17, look unlikely to challenge them this season, having taken four points from three games.

It would be harsh to overly criticise that points return but the consistency of PSG's star-studded squad has made early slip-ups something potential title rivals cannot afford.

And, after losing 4-1 at home to Lens last time out, Monaco have the appearance of a team who could be emphatically put to the sword by one of their former heroes.

PSG FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS

The superstar front three of Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi did not gel in the spectacular fashion many anticipated following the latter's shock move from Barcelona last year.

This season, the fearsome triumvirate look to have established a devastating rapport.

PSG have scored 17 goals across their three league wins, the second-highest total at this stage in Ligue 1 history behind Rennes and their 18 scored in 1950-51 (also W3).

With the Mbappe-inspired hammering of Lille following five-goal efforts against both Montpellier and Clermont, PSG have scored at least five in each of their past four Ligue 1 matches in a run stretching back to last season.

They are only the second team to achieve that feat. The other team to do so was Reims between August and September 1952.

Messi has three goals to his name already while Neymar has found the net five times. It is Mbappe, however, who is the best bet for a hat-trick against his former club.

THREE THE MAGIC NUMBER FOR MBAPPE

With his treble against Lille, which saw him score eight seconds into the game at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy, equalling a Ligue 1 record, Mbappe netted his third hat-trick of 2022.

That tally of three-goal showings is more than any other player in Europe's top five leagues, the France international also hitting hat-tricks against Clermont in April and Metz in May.

He has 23 league goals to his name in this calendar year, comfortably outperforming his expected goals (xG) of 16.9, highlighting his supreme reliability.

Though Monaco will be concerned by the threat posed by PSG's cavalcade of goalscoring talent, they will be heartened by the fact the Parisians have conceded three goals this term, and they have a potential means through which to exploit the hosts' defensive vulnerabilities.

CAIO THE CREATIVE OUTLET

Caio Henrique made only one first team appearance for Atletico Madrid, but he has blossomed into a hugely important player for Monaco since joining in 2020.

Last season, the full-back produced eight assists in the league and has already managed to set up a goal this term.

PSG had previously been linked with the Brazilian, and they will be wary of his threat when Monaco get the ball to him on the left.

Six of Caio Henrique's assists since the start of last season have come from a cross. Jonathan Clauss (7) is the sole player to deliver more in that manner.

GALTIER'S MONACO MISERY

If Monaco are searching for encouragement from the numbers, they should look towards Galtier's record against the Principality club.

The former Saint-Etienne and Nice boss has won just 21 per cent of his games against Monaco as a coach (4/19).

Only against Marseille (16 per cent – 4/25) and PSG (17 per cent – 4/24) does he have a worse record among teams he has faced more than five times in the top flight.

Monaco are also unbeaten in their last six away games in Ligue 1 and have won three of their last four league matches against PSG.

But, with PSG having avoided defeat in their past 23 home Ligue 1 games since losing 1-0 to Lille in April 2021, the odds are stacked against Monaco extending their impressive run of form on their travels.

Kylian Mbappe equalled the record for the fastest goal in Ligue 1 history as he struck just eight seconds as part of a hat-trick in Paris Saint-Germain's emphatic 7-1 win over Lille on Sunday.

The 23-year-old superbly lifted over Leo Jardim almost immediately from kick-off, with Ligue 1 announcing it matched Michel Rio's eight-second strike for Caen against Cannes in 1992.

That set the stage for an utterly dominant performance from the champions as Lionel Messi, Achraf Hakimi and Neymar all added goals before half-time.

Neymar and Jonathan Bamba exchanged goals shortly after the interval before Mbappe added two more in the final 24 minutes to cap a memorable display.

PSG started in some style as Mbappe latched onto Messi's ball over the top and lobbed Jardim inside 10 seconds.  

Mbappe hit the side netting after rounding Jardim midway through the first half, yet Messi doubled the visitors' advantage with a cool finish from 12 yards after a clever one-two with Nuno Mendes.

Hakimi then added a third six minutes before half-time with a composed finish having been played in by Neymar, who got in on the act four minutes later with a clinical strike after Messi's deflected pass fell kindly for him.

Neymar grabbed his second seven minutes into the second half following a wonderful dummy from Mbappe, before Bamba pulled one back for Lille with a close-range finish after Gianluigi Donnarumma had saved his initial effort. 

Mbappe and Neymar combined again superbly to make it 6-1 as the former lashed home. They were at it once more three minutes from full-time when Mbappe ran onto Neymar's pass to thump past a helpless Jardim and cap an emphatic victory.

Louis Saha is frustrated by the behaviour of Kylian Mbappe, who the former Manchester United striker says is sending "the wrong message".

Mbappe has been criticised over the past week after his actions in Paris Saint-Germain's 5-2 win over Montpellier.

The striker, who signed a lucrative deal to stay at PSG for a further three years back in May, snubbing Real Madrid's interest, was in a stroppy mood on what was his first start of the season.

He missed a penalty in the 23rd minute, but created the first goal soon after when his low cross was turned into his own net by Falaye Sacko.

A spat between Mbappe and Neymar then became apparent when the latter stepped up to take PSG's second penalty of the game.

Mbappe was sure he should have remained on spot-kick duties, and in his frustration to raise the issue with Neymar he even barged past Lionel Messi.

Neymar subsequently converted from 12 yards before helping himself to a second. Mbappe got on the scoresheet in the 69th minute, yet did not celebrate.

He also reacted furiously to Vitinha's decision to pass to Messi rather than him late in the first half, throwing his arms up in disgust and seemingly refusing to continue with the attack. 

PSG coach Christophe Galtier explained Mbappe's behaviour as being down to a lack of match fitness, and on Friday confirmed any row between the France forward and Neymar was over, though Saha was not at all impressed.

"I would think it's unacceptable for a player of this nature," Saha said in an exclusive interview with Stats Perform.

"Yes we all make mistakes, especially since he's a young player.

"But [being a young player] doesn't give you the position to do this, because all the people will be on his back. We will say, 'Wait a minute, we have seen a lot of things going on'.

"We've seen fights with Neymar. Doing that [throwing his arms up in the air after Vitinha's pass to Messi] after whatever choices from a player giving the ball, that's the wrong message. That's not helping.

"He still needs to show from the outside that he's remaining eager.

"You have ambition and all that, fine, there's no problem. You want to win, but you don't bring the right message to the other players - some very expensive players should be respected, some young players should be respected."

Saha does believe the 23-year-old's winning mentality is what makes him such an influential figure, however.

"He helps represent the youth, the really young guys who can work under pressure," Saha continued.

"He's got great communication skills, I like he's committed to football, but slowly beat by beat he can commit to messages about society. You have to be careful because you represent so much.

"It's all really impactful. He has more to give still to football and he has to remain humble, that he's still able to learn from people because getting too quickly into that position where you think you know better could be dangerous for his development.

"I'm really scared about that because he has more impact than he thinks on just football.

"In society he could be a gamechanger so I'd love for him to be slowly taught in some way to be an icon and an ambassador because he's very smart, he speaks three or four languages, and has winning spirit, I love it."

Gonzalo Higuain would be delighted if Lionel Messi were to join Inter Miami, though the former Real Madrid striker has no inside information.

Messi has previously been linked with a switch to Major League Soccer, with a move across the Atlantic having been mooted as a potential option once the 35-year-old leaves Paris Saint-Germain, who he joined from Barcelona in August 2021.

He signed a two-year deal, with an option for a third, at PSG. While his first season in France ultimately proved underwhelming, Messi started the new campaign with a double and an assist in a 5-0 rout of Clermont, before playing the full match in a 5-2 victory over Montpellier on Saturday.

Asked if his former Argentina team-mate would be open to joining Miami, which with its Hispanic population would seem an ideal destination for Messi, Higuain said in a news conference: "With Leo I haven't spoken lately.

"He has a contract in Paris and I do not know whether he will eventually come here. I already had the opportunity to play alongside him for nine years."

Asked if Messi's arrival would mean Higuain, whose deal with Miami runs out at the end of the 2022 MLS season, would stay on in Florida, the 34-year-old added: "Well, I do not know, I do not know.

"If that happens, we will see what decision I will make. In December I will let you guys know my decision but now you have to be patient.

"I do not close any door, so we will see what happens. We will also see if he finally joins us, although I do not have any certainty about that."

Kylian Mbappe claimed it is a "big lie" to say players do not care about winning the Ballon d'Or as he named Karim Benzema and Sadio Mane as his main rivals for this year's award.

Mbappe was named on a 30-man shortlist to be named the best player in the world on Friday, having scored 39 goals in all competitions as Paris Saint-Germain won the Ligue 1 title last season.

No player across the top five European leagues matched Mbappe's total of 60 goal contributions across the 2021-22 campaign, although his France team-mate Benzema is the clear favourite after helping Real Madrid to the Champions League and LaLiga trophies. 

In an interview with France Football, Mbappe, who has previously backed Benzema to win the award, acknowledged he was desperate to be named the world's best.

"I've always wanted to do it early, without limiting my dreams. I want to win it and I don't mind admitting it," he said.

"I am convinced that lifting the first one is the most complicated. Once you have officially entered that select group, it will be easier to revalidate it.

"It is a big lie that a footballer is not interested in the Ballon d'Or. It is hypocritical to say that. 

"We all think about that. We talk about a team, and a collective, because in some way it serves to camouflage our ambition, but it is honest to admit that we care. 

"For two years I have been a more real candidate for the award. Before, I was content to be in the top 10. Now, on the other hand, I am among the four or five most regular.

"We don't talk about the Ballon d'Or in January, but we make comments when the lists appear. Later, as the ceremony draws near, it's obviously a topic of conversation in the group. We make our bets, we debate our opinions."

Asked for his own top three, the striker said: "I think Benzema, Mane and me."

Mbappe's first Ballon d'Or nomination came in 2017, when then-Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo beat Lionel Messi and Neymar to the award.

And the 23-year-old said being among the hopefuls early on in his career gave him confidence that he would make it at an elite level.

"Frankly, it was an honour," he recalled. "I was barely of legal age and I was already associated with those great names. It may seem trivial, but it was something important. A real step forward in my career. 

"Somehow it was a message that served to say that I was among the best. I accredited myself as an elite footballer in the eyes of the world, and it was significant to belong to that list at only 18 years old."

Meanwhile, the headline omission from 2022's list of nominees is seven-time winner and current holder Lionel Messi, who last failed to be nominated in 2005 – when Ronaldinho edged out Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard in the voting.

As Mbappe recalled his PSG team-mate's victory last year, he said the Argentina star's nervousness on the eve of the gala demonstrated that his desire to be the best remains strong.

"The morning of the last gala he was nervous because a few hours later he was going to collect a seventh Ballon d'Or. Maybe he was thinking about what he was going to say, how he was going to lift the trophy," Mbappe said.

"I told him it is not possible to be restless after having been there six other times. I would have gone with a cigarette in my mouth! 

"But that shows that he retains the soul of a child and that he is still excited to choose to be the best. He has not tired."

Few things will have made football fans feel stranger than seeing Lionel Messi wearing any other club shirt than that of Barcelona.

That is what happened in 2021 though, when the legendary Argentine made the move to Paris Saint-Germain due to the financial mess at the Camp Nou.

What could be stranger than that? Perhaps a Ballon d'Or shortlist of 30 names being released and not seeing Messi's among them?

On Friday, that once ludicrous suggestion became reality as the nominees for the 2022 award were announced in batches of five, only the familiar mention of the seven-time winner never came.

Of course, it was not especially a surprise. Messi struggled to make an impact at PSG after his free transfer to the Parc des Princes, scoring just six goals in 26 Ligue 1 games as his new team eased to the title, and a further five in seven Champions League outings.

By comparison, Messi won last year's Ballon d'Or after scoring 30 goals in 35 LaLiga games in 2020-21, as well as three in the Copa del Rey and five in the Champions League for Barca.

It still feels odd to see his name omitted, and Stats Perform has taken a trip down memory lane and looked at the last time Messi was not shortlisted for the prestigious award, all the way back in 2005.

The master before the apprentice

Before Messi, there was Ronaldinho, a player so captivating in 2005 he even earned a standing ovation at the Santiago Bernabeu from the Real Madrid fans for his performance in El Clasico.

The Brazilian consistently wowed the crowds with his skill paired with dribbling prowess and the ability to change a game all on his own. 

Unlike Messi, Ronaldinho did not earn plaudits for scoring incredible numbers of goals, more that he was generally a scorer of beautiful goals in important moments. Across league and Champions League, he scored 13 goals and recorded eight assists in 42 games for Barca in 2004-05.

That season saw him star for Barca as he won his first LaLiga title, which included providing an assist as a very young Messi scored his first senior goal for the club against Albacete.

Although Champions League glory would elude him until 2006, Ronaldinho still managed to make a mark even in Barca's first knockout round exit to Chelsea in 2005 as he scored both goals in the 4-2 second leg defeat at Stamford Bridge, including a delightful toe poke that flew past Petr Cech.

For a player of his undoubted ability, it was a surprise that this was Ronaldinho's only Ballon d'Or, with Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro winning in 2006, Milan maestro Kaka doing so in 2007 and Cristiano Ronaldo lifting the first of many in 2008, starting the era of dominance between him and Messi.

Two lions unable to roar to success

Not all that far behind Ronaldinho in the voting back in 2005 were England midfield pair Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard.

The Barca man had received 50 votes in all, with Lampard second on 45 and Gerrard third on 39, though the Brazilian was significantly ahead of his two rivals in terms of those who voted him first (with voters marking down their top five in order).

It had been an excellent year for both Lampard and Gerrard though, with the former a key part of Jose Mourinho's dominant Chelsea who not only won the Premier League at a canter, securing 95 points and finishing 12 ahead of second-place Arsenal, but also dumped Barcelona out of the Champions League.

However, they in turn were eliminated from the competition in the semi-finals by Gerrard and Liverpool, who went on to lift the cup in Istanbul after a dramatic win on penalties against Milan in the final.

Had it been the modern day, in all likelihood, Gerrard would have received the most votes given the emphasis placed on winning the Champions League in recent years.

The Reds captain was a force of nature in 2004-05, dragging Liverpool through several games on his own though, like Ronaldinho, had not been a very regular scorer, only netting seven goals and four assists in 30 Premier League games, and Rafael Benitez's side finished a disappointing fifth.

Lampard was more of a net botherer though, scoring 13 goals and recording an impressive 18 assists in 38 league games for the Blues on their march to the title.

Funnily enough, Gerrard and Lampard will face each other as managers on Saturday as Aston Villa host Everton in the Premier League.

The little engine that would

Little did the game know what was about to hit it.

When Messi scored that goal against Albacete on May 1, 2005, it was the birth of a figure who would go on to become arguably the greatest footballer of all time.

It must be said that the last time Messi was not on what was then a 50-man shortlist for the Ballon d'Or, he was just 18 years old, and had been just 17 when he netted his first goal for Barca.

For the remainder of the year, Messi set about establishing himself as a key part of Barca's attack alongside Ronaldinho and Samuel Eto'o under the coaching of Frank Rijkaard.

Messi scored six goals in 17 LaLiga appearances for the Blaugrana in 2005-06, as well as notching his first Champions League goal in a 5-0 win over Panathinaikos at the Camp Nou.

In 2006, he was tied 20th in the voting for the Ballon d'Or and the rest, as they say, is history.

Don't bet against seeing his name back on the shortlist in 2023, having already scored three goals in his first two games for PSG this season.

There is also a World Cup on the horizon, after all.