Mesut Ozil started the week by citing ‘racism and disrespect’ as he announced his retirement from international football with Germany.
And at the end of it he sent out a message that he means business this season as he led Arsenal to confidence-boosting pre-season victory over the French giants.
Ozil, given the captain’s armband by Unai Emery on his return to the team following a post-World Cup break, scored Arsenal’s first goal when he finished off a good move involving Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
And even though PSG pulled a goal back when Christopher Nkunku slotted home from the spot, substitutes Alex Lacazette, with two, Rob Holding and Eddie Nketiah gave Arsenal a deserved win.
Here are the key talking points.
1. Smith Rowe impresses again
Birthday boy Emile Smith Rowe has had a hell of a few days.
He celebrated turning 18 today and, even though he didn’t start against PSG, he made a fine contribution soon after coming on.
His cross was turned in by Alex Lacazette, making it one assist and one wonder goal on his first pre-season tour with the senior squad.
Smith Rowe will officially be allowed a drink on the flight home now and, boy, has he earned it this week.
2. Emery mixes it up
Arsene Wenger was oft beaten with the ‘No Plan B’ stick during his Arsenal days but it’s unlikely, on this evidence, that the same will be said about Unai Emery.
So fluid was the system that the Gunners looked be 4-3-3 at the start of the match but then switched to 4-2-3-1 with the ball and 4-4-2 without it during the first half alone.
Still, there were flashes of the sort of moves we grew used to fawning over when Wenger was in charge with one interchange between Mesut Ozil, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan in particular getting the locals off their seats.
Alex Iwobi got on the end of the move but Gianluigi Buffon saved.
3. Pre-season love-in
This was more a pre-season love-in than a pre-season friendly with referee Nathan Chan Rong De appearing to ask Mesut Ozil to autograph his yellow card in the tunnel before kick-off.
Maybe he just thought it’d save him a bit of time if he had to take the Arsenal star’s name later on.
Ozil’s team-mate Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang then made a beeline for PSG’s legendary Italy goalkeeper Gigi Buffon at half-time to ask to swap shirts.
The 40-year-old obliged and the pair were practically wrapped round each other as they headed for the tunnel.
4. New boys impress
Unai Emery paired new boy Sokratis Papastathopoulos with Shkodran Mustafi at the heart of his defence and, as he promised he would, the Greek looks to be a proper old-school defender.
He was vocal throughout, and even though they might not be the quickest pairing available you can be sure they won’t be taking any prisoners whenever they play together.
Ahead of them, Matteo Guendouzi impressed again, as he did against Atletico Madrid on Thursday.
The French teen will be behind Lucas Torreira in the pecking order at the Emirates but he looks a decent prospect.
5. Monreal to return?
Sead Kolasinac wasn’t a left-back but a left-sided central defender in a back three, according to former manager Arsene Wenger.
And had Wenger been in Singapore to watch the Bosnian in action he would have seen nothing to change his opinion.
Kolasinac was the guilty party when PSG drew level, giving away the penalty, with a clumsy-looking challenge.
Victor Osimhen has been named the 2023 African Footballer of the Year, cementing his status as one of the world’s top players.
Osimhen surpassed competition from Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi and Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah for the prestigious award.
The Super Eagles forward concluded a remarkable year in the imperial Moroccan city of Marakesh, ending Nigeria’s 24-year wait for Africa’s top individual prize, last won by legendary Kanu Nwankwo in 1999.
During the event, Osimhen expressed gratitude, acknowledging the impact of Nigerian legend Emmanuel Amuneke, who coached him at the U-17 level, and the support from fans and fellow players.
“It’s a dream come true for me. I want to thank everyone who has seen me through life’s journey, in achieving my dreams and goals. I appreciate Nigerians and Africa for their unwavering support and encouragement,” he said.
Osimhen recognised the influence of Emmanuel Adebayo, Solomon Kalu, and other African legends, expressing gratitude to his role model, Didier Drogba.
The award reflects Osimhen’s outstanding performances with Napoli, where he played a pivotal role in their Serie A title run, scoring 26 league goals and becoming the first African to win the top scorer award, breaking George Weah’s record in the Italian top-flight.”
Lionel Messi, the renowned Argentine football icon, clinched the coveted 2023 Ballon d’Or, setting a new record for the 2022 World Cup champion.
In a glamorous event held in Paris, Messi, who now plays for Inter Miami, received the prestigious award on Monday night. This achievement is widely seen as a well-deserved recognition for his pivotal role in guiding the Abiscelete to World Cup victory in the previous year.
Aged 36, Messi succeeded Karim Benzema as the recipient of this award, which acknowledges his exceptional performances during the last season when he inspired Argentina to triumph at the World Cup.
His remarkable displays in Qatar, where he led his nation to a historic victory, enabled him to surpass strong competition, notably from Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland. Haaland secured the second spot in the final voting, with Mbappe finishing third and Kevin De Bruyne taking fourth place.
Messi, a former Barcelona superstar, left an indelible mark at the World Cup, scoring seven crucial goals. His exceptional performance led to him being named the tournament’s best player, especially after Argentina’s victory over France in the final.
While Messi’s World Cup heroics were undeniable, his final season with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) was relatively lackluster. Subsequently, he made a move to Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.
His former PSG teammate, Mbappe, made a strong case for the Ballon d’Or with his outstanding World Cup performance, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with eight goals, including a memorable hat-trick in the final for France.
Norwegian striker Erling Haaland had a remarkable season, scoring an incredible 52 goals in 53 games for Manchester City. This stellar performance played a pivotal role in helping Pep Guardiola’s team secure a historic treble in the English Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League.
Both Haaland and De Bruyne were nominated for the Ballon d’Or from their exceptional contributions to the success of Manchester City.
Juventus and France midfielder Paul Pogba’s ‘B’ sample has confirmed the presence of testosterone, a source close to the case told AFP on Friday.
The 30-year-old former Manchester United player, a World Cup winner in 2018, faces a ban of up to four years.
The original test by the Italian anti-doping agency (Nado) showed the presence of testosterone metabolites.
On Friday, Pogba learned that the analysis of his B sample, carried out on the previous day, had produced the same result.
The player’s entourage declined to comment.
Under the World Anti-Doping Code, Pogba is liable to a four-year suspension, which could be halved if he proves that he was not at fault.
The ban could even be limited to a few months if the use of the substance took place “out of competition and is not related to his level of performance”.
Pogba’s representatives said last month that the testosterone came from a food supplement prescribed by a doctor he consulted in the United States.
Testosterone promotes muscle development.
Contacted by AFP, Nado was unable to confirm this information “due to a decision by the Italian privacy authority”.
Pogba has seven days to submit his defence to Italy’s National Anti-Doping Tribunal, which will investigate his case and request a sanction, a process that could take several weeks.
In addition to the proceedings of the Italian sports justice system, a judicial investigation will be opened by the Turin public prosecutor’s office, as doping is a criminal offence in Italy.
Since the announcement of his positive test, Pogba has been unable to train with Juventus, the club to which he returned in July 2022 after six seasons with United.
The announcement came shortly before Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri’s press conference on the eve of the Turin derby against Torino, at which he simply said he was “sorry for Paul”.
Contacted by AFP, the club, which has also suspended payment of his estimated annual salary of 8 million euros (8.4 million dollars), did not respond.
Pogba started the season attempting to bounce back from string of injuries last season and from summer surgery.
His sample was reportedly taken at his club’s opening match of the Serie A season, a win at Udinese on August 20, during which he was an unused substitute.
After the first sample tested positive on September 11, Pogba’s agent Rafaela Pimenta said she was “awaiting the second sample and cannot have an opinion before the results”.
“What is certain is that Paul Pogba never wanted to break a rule,” she added.