Lionel Messi scored a goal as Paris St Germain clinched a record-breaking 11th Ligue 1 title with one game to spare after a mediocre 1-1 draw at Racing Strasbourg on Saturday. The result put PSG on 85 points, four ahead of RC Lens, who secured second place and a place in next season's Champions League first time in 21 years. They defeated AC Ajaccio by 3-0 in a boiling-hot Bollaert-Delelis stadium.

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"Everything was not perfect, but this title belongs to the players. Being French champions is always something," said coach Christophe Galtier. "From a personal point of view, I appreciate it a lot." When asked about his future at the club after one season in charge, Galtier said: "I've been reading a lot of things here and there but there is a difference between what's being written and what's happening."

What happened in the 37th gameweek of Ligue 1

Olympique de Marseille will finish third after being left with 73 points following a 2-1 home defeat by Stade Brestois. Lille are fourth on 66 points after a couple of Jonathan David penalties. He gave them a 2-1 home win against relegation-threatened Nantes. The fourth-placed team qualified for the Europa League group stage, where they will join French Cup winners Toulouse.

In Strasbourg, Messi opened the scoring with a right-footed effort into the top corner after collecting Mbappe's pass in the area. Strasbourg had their chances but failed to convert as they secured their place in the elite for next season. Troyes, Ajaccio, and Angers were already relegated. They will play in Ligue 2 in place of either AJ Auxerre or Nantes.

Lens booked their ticket for Europe's premium club competition as Lois Openda became the club's top scorer with 20 goals. Openda scored the third goal with a penalty after Machado and Thomasson put the hosts ahead in the first half.

"It puts me right up there with a club legend, I'm so happy," said Belgium striker Openda. "We did it all together, we were so strong at home this season," said Lens defender Kevin Danso.

RB Salzburg and Paris Saint-Germain are about to lock horns tonight in search of crucial points in the UEFA Champions League 2024-25. The Austrian side will host the French outfit at the Red Bull Football Arena in Salzburg, Austria as the match is scheduled to kick off at 1:30 AM IST. 

From possible starting XIs to Fantasy predictions, here is everything you need to know about the League match of RB Salzburg vs Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League 2024-25. 

Match Details 

Match: RB Salzburg vs Paris Saint-Germain - UEFA Champions League 2024-25 League Match

Date: 11 December 2024

Time: 1:30 AM IST

Venue: Red Bull Arena Stadium, Salzburg, Austria

How to watch the UEFA Champions League 2024-25 League Match between RB Salzburg and Paris Saint-Germain

The match will be streamed Live on the Sony Liv app and website. Viewers can also watch the game live on TV on Sony Sports Network. 

Team News

RB Salzburg

RB Salzburg have failed to perform consistently both in the Austrian Bundesliga and the UEFA Champions League this season, and they have a mammoth task in front of them as they are set to face the French champions. Former Liverpool assistant manager Pepijin Lijnders joined the club as head coach this summer, but could not produce the expected result as of now. 

Die Roten Bullen have lost 4 out of their five UCL outings this season, as their only win came against Feyenoord in November. Salzburg also faced a distressing 0-5 thrashing against Bayern Leverkusen in their last Champions League appearance. Conceding 15 goals in 5 UCL matches so far, Salzburg are positioned 32nd with only 3 points by their name. 

⏳ #SALPSG pic.twitter.com/OqNGrRCspn

— FC Red Bull Salzburg (@RedBullSalzburg) December 9, 2024

RB Salzburg are also struggling in the Austrian Bundesliga this season, as they are in the 5th position in the league table, having bagged 23 points in 15 matches. The team has managed to win only one win in their last five outings across all competitions; the game against Paris Saint-Germain can be a turning point in their tumultuous season.

Coach Pepijin Lijnders will have to exclude important players from the squad against PSG, such as Maurits Kjærgaard, Aleksa Terzic, Karim Konaté, Leandro Morgalla, and Kamil Piatkowski who are suffering from different injuries. 

Unsere letzte Begegnung mit @PSG_inside 🔙🥹#SALPSG pic.twitter.com/UoKLe8PcIZ

— FC Red Bull Salzburg (@RedBullSalzburg) December 10, 2024

The qualification hopes for RB Salzburg are gradually fading away and they will surely step up to keep their chances alive before the last two games in the UCL group phase. 

Last 5 Matches: L L D W D 

Paris Saint-Germain

Paris Saint-Germain are on a 3-match winless streak across all competitions and are struggling to conjugate in the UCL this season. The team has accumulated only 4 points in 5 UCL matches and stands in the 25th position in the league table. The Parisian side has lost two back-to-back UCL matches against Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich, and their time is running out to save their qualification hopes. 

📸⚽️ Pre-match training for our Parisians in Salzburg!#SALPSG I #UCL ✨ pic.twitter.com/A7iK9ucsDo

— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) December 9, 2024

However, the tussles between coach Luis Enrique and players such as Donnarumma and Dembele have surely affected the environment of the team, but the French side will give their all to break their winless streak. PSG only managed to win one game in their UCL campaign this season, against Girona in the opening match-day. To keep their qualification hopes alive, PSG must win this game to stay in the knockout scenario. 

Coach Luis Enrique will have to set the team roster without the services of Ousmane Dembele who is suspended for the game. Senny Mayulu, Lucas Hernández, and Presnel Kimpembe will miss the match due to different injuries. 

The squad for the trip to Salzburg! 📋🔴🔵#UCL | @ChampionsLeague pic.twitter.com/5Yl0h9rJrX

— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) December 9, 2024

The Parisian side will try their ultimate best to turn their season around from this point, and Luis Enrique will also find a way to dilute the mounting pressure on him. 

Last 5 Matches: W W L D D 

Head-to-head

Matches played: 2

Rb Salzburg Wins: 1 

Paris Saint-Germain Wins: 1

Draws: 0

Possible Playing XI

RB Salzburg

Alexander Schlager (GK); Nicolas Capaldo, Daouda Guindo, Samson Baidoo, Amar Dedić; Mads Bidstrup, Lucas Gourna-Douath; Bobby Clark, Osacr Gloukh, Adam Daghim; Petar Ratkov

Paris Saint-Germain

Gianluigi Donnarumma (GK); Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, Willian Pacho, Nuno Mendes; Warren Zaire-Emery, Vitinha, Joao Neves; Lee Kang-In, Marco Asensio, Bradley Barcola

RB Salzburg vs Paris Saint-Germain: Fantasy XI Prediction

Donnarumma, Hakimi, Mendes, Capaldo, Baidoo, Vitinha, Barcola, Ratkov, Clark, Zaire-Emery, Neves. 

Paris Saint-Germain is in turmoil on and off the pitch as a rift between the club's Sporting Director Luis Campos and manager Luis Enrique is growing; following PSG's 3-match winless streak across all competitions. After having some difficulties with players such as Ousmane Dembele and Gianluigi Donnarumma, Enrique now finds himself in a torn relationship with the Sporting Director of the Paris club. 

The relationship between PSG Sporting Director Luis Campos and Luis Enrique is very tense. Disagreements are becoming more frequent and Luis Enrique's job is under pressure.

— @diarioas pic.twitter.com/aMSq4G2sVh

— Score Universal (@ScoreUniversal) December 8, 2024

The scenario at Paris Saint-Germain 

PSG have faced two draws in the Ligue 1 and a defeat in the UEFA Champions League in their last three outings across all competitions which seemed to have disappointed Luis Campos, who is keen on signing a new striker in the upcoming January transfer window. However, Campos suggested strikers such as Viktor Gyökeres and Victor Osimhen as potential signings for the club in the upcoming transfer window, but Enrique reportedly rejected both players. The Spanish coach turned down the idea and showed his confidence in the current squad. However, the players are still on the wishlist of PSG but the operation seems to have gotten complicated. 

🚨 LUIS ENRIQUE A REFUSÉ TOUT LES N°9 PROPOSÉS PAR LUIS CAMPOS !

👀 Le conseiller football du PSG a essayé de convaincre le coach espagnol de recruter un avant-centre et a travaillé sur certains dossiers, notamment sur Victor Osimhen et Viktor Gyokeres.

❌ Le tacticien lui a… pic.twitter.com/jJT5n5JUQx

— Instant Foot ⚽️ (@lnstantFoot) December 7, 2024

This is the first season PSG's offensive lineup is playing after the departure of Kylian Mbappe, and the Parisian club is leading the Ligue 1 table. However, they have only scored 3 goals in 5 matches in the Champions League and are currently positioned 25th in the UCL league table. These poor runs of results and the team management disagreement have created a rift between the two officials. 

Interestingly, Kylian Mbappe's departure last summer brought a tough time at the Parisian club and the two officials dealt with a way tougher situation at the club. The duo worked wonders together to bring in players such as Randal Kolo Muani, Goncalo Ramos, Ousmane Dembele, Lucas Hernandez, Bradley Barcola, and Lee Kang-in in the 2023 summer transfer window. However, recent reports suggest a different scenario between the Spanish manager and the Portuguese official. 

Reports suggesting the tussle

Santi Aouna, the renowned journalist of Mercato reported earlier that the relationship between Luis Enrique and Luís Campos has deteriorated in recent times and tensions have appeared between them in recent days. According to Loïc Tanzi of L’Equipe, the relationship has deteriorated and they had some heated arguments as well. 

Recently, both of them have had multiple talks, some of which have been quite heated. Campos was at the Campus all week this past week which is a rare thing and the players understood that something was happening and noticed that there was distance between both Enrique and Campos. Since Luis Enrique signed his contract extension (till 2027), he has appeared increasingly intent on maintaining strict control over the squad and everything and has adopted a more closed-off and authoritarian style. Luís Campos has lost a lot of influence that he had in the past at PSG and his voice carries much less weight compared to that of Luis Enrique. This marks a stark contrast to the Christophe Galtier era when Campos interacted daily with the players and got even involved in tactical choices. Meanwhile, Nasser Al-Khelaïfi is watching things from afar without taking any sides. The upcoming winter transfer window will provide valuable insight into the relationship between Luis Enrique and Campos, as well as the evolving balance of power between the two. Campos has been actively communicating with market players about his intention to make significant moves during this January.

(via L’Equipe)

Only a week ago, it was reported that Paris Saint-Germain already planned to extend the contract of both Campos and Enrique in order to keep them together. But now that their relationship has broken down, PSG owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi will have to play a bigger role under these crucial circumstances. 

Real Madrid secured a vital victory at Montilivi, defeating Girona 3-0 to keep pace in the La Liga title race. Jude Bellingham opened the scoring in the 36th minute, continuing his fine form with goals in five consecutive league games.

First Half

Girona started strongly but created few clear chances. Van de Beek’s early effort went over the bar, while Real Madrid began imposing themselves midway through the first half. Brahim Díaz came close in the 34th minute, forcing a sharp save from Gazzaniga. Moments later, Bellingham capitalized on a loose clearance to break the deadlock.

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Second Half

🙌 @KMbappe 🙌#GironaRealMadrid pic.twitter.com/1rXP336KW2

— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) December 7, 2024

Madrid intensified their attack after halftime, with Tchouaméni’s header and Güler’s strike testing Girona’s defense. Arda Güler doubled the lead in the 55th minute, calmly slotting home from Bellingham’s precise pass. Kylian Mbappé sealed the victory in the 62nd minute, finishing brilliantly from Luka Modrić's pinpoint through ball.

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Despite Gazzaniga’s heroics, Real’s relentless pressure was too much for the hosts. This commanding win keeps Madrid in the title race and highlights their offensive depth and clinical edge as they continue their strong league campaign.

The club will be excitedly heading into next week's Champions League match.

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Final Score

Real Madrid- 3 (Bellingham 36', Guler 55', Mbappe' 62)

Girona- 0

In his first full season in the MLS, Argentine forward Lionel Messi claimed the prestigious MVP award, which is given to the best-performing player in the League for that season.

Despite missing 15 matches due to injuries and international commitments, Messi led MLS in goal contributions with 20 goals and 16 assists in 19 appearances. He became the third player in the league's history to record at least 20 goals and 15 assists in a single season, following Carlos Vela (2019) and Sebastian Giovinco (2015). This achievement also marks the first time an Inter Miami player has won the award.

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Lionel Messi Secures Prestigious Honor for the First Time in His Career

Our MVP by our @InterMiamiAcad 💫 This is the #FreedomToDream pic.twitter.com/EpGWNVfeKj

— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) December 6, 2024

Inter Miami had a dominant MLS regular season, setting a record with 74 points, but was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by Atlanta United. Messi joined the team in June 2023 after departing Paris Saint-Germain.

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Messi secured 38.4% of the average vote, edging out Hernandez, who received 33.7%. The top five was completed by Portland Timbers midfielder Evander (9.2%), DC United's Christian Benteke (7.1%), and Messi's Inter Miami teammate Luis Suárez (2.2%).

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How the MVP Voting Looked Like?

1. Lionel Messi (Inter Miami) --> 38.4%
2. Cucho Hernandez (Columbus Crew) --> 33.7%
3. Evander (Portland Timbers) --> 9.24%
4. Christian Benteke (DC United) --> 7.10%
5. Luis Suarez (Inter Miami) --> 2.17%

Messi, Busquets, and Alba led Inter Miami to victory in the Leagues Cup, a competition featuring MLS teams against Mexico's Liga MX, earning the club its first-ever trophy.

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In the 2024 season, Inter Miami excelled during the regular season, claiming the Supporters' Shield as the team with the highest points across both conferences. All these achievements helped propel Messi to win this award.

Set to take place in the United States from June 15 to July 13, 2025, the restructured global club football competition will bring together 32 teams from across the world to vie for the title of world champions.

The draw, held on Thursday, December 5, 2024, in Miami, showcased an impressive lineup of continental and domestic champions from every corner of the globe.

Among the standout contenders are Spain's Real Madrid, the UEFA Champions League winners, Brazil's Botafogo, the CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores champions, and Egypt's Al Ahly, who are consecutive CAF Champions League winners.

New Format

Traditionally featuring six to eight teams, the FIFA Club World Cup will now adopt a new format, hosting the largest number of participants in its history. Teams earned qualification by winning their respective continental club tournaments, such as the UEFA Champions League, and based on the confederations' four-year rankings.

South America (CONMEBOL) includes six teams, whereas Europe (whose confederation is UEFA) has twelve, making up the largest representation of the 32 teams.

There are four teams from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean (CONCACAF), Africa (AFC), and Asia (AFC).

Lionel Messi's Inter Miami was given a spot, as the domestic champions of the host country, Oceania (OFC) got one spot as well. The top two from each of the 8 groups will advance to the knockout stages after a round-robin group stage.

The final will take place at the iconic MetLife Stadium in New York New Jersey on 13 July.

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FIFA Club World Cup Groups

When is the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup?

The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 will take place from June 15 to July 13, 2025, in the United States of America.

How many teams will take part in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025?

A total of 32 teams from 6 continents will take part in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.