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Doha Film Institute (DFI) chief executive and 2024 Ajyal Festival director Fatma Hassan Alremaihi said the organisation has built a sustainable ecosystem for Arab and independent cinema, underpinned by its commitment to supporting creative expression, particularly during challenging times."Film festivals are now more important than ever as they have become the microphone for the people in a world of silence," Alremaihi said at an Ajyal 2024 media briefing, adding that the "DFI’s commitment to cinema extends beyond entertainment, viewing film festivals as catalysts for positive societal change"."On opening night, everyone who spoke to me told me that they had never been to a festival where people can voice their opinion or voice issues like they can here,” she said. “They said it is really refreshing and that should be the norm of film festivals. Unfortunately, it is not.”"Film festivals are there to make people's lives better, to make societies better,” the official added. “There's a mission behind it. It's not just to bring films to entertain, but to bring films that will impact us."Speaking to the Qatar News Agency (QNA) on this year's success, as DFI prepares to host the 2025 Doha Film Festival, Alremaihi said that the core mission and programmes would remain intact while expanding to embrace new opportunities."Nothing is changing in the sense that we are replacing Ajyal,” she said. “This is simply the next stage of our festival, the next stage of our industry, and the next stage of the Institute. We have always been evolving and adapting to industry needs.”The DFI’s role in nurturing local talent has shown remarkable results, particularly through the “Made in Qatar” programme."It has evolved from showcasing locally-made films to include projects developed in Qatar but produced elsewhere, demonstrating our flexible approach to supporting creative talent,” she added.Highlighting another significant achievement, Alremaihi noted that the DFI's global impact has been independently validated by a Sorbonne University study that identified Qatar as the world leader in supporting women filmmakers with a presence at international festivals."The DFI’s impact is now global but we will continue to aim to generate more creative power not only for women, but for all underrepresented voices," she said.Reflecting on *Ode to Our Land, directed by young Qatari filmmakers Amal al-Muftah and Rawda al-Thani, Alremaihi said: "The film took four years of work, but we were able to convey its message with the support of our talented Qatari female directors.”“Currently, we are working on other projects under ‘Made in Qatar’, featuring diverse local and global stories and ideas,” she added.Speaking about regional partnerships, Alremaihi said that the DFI is honoured to have brought Ajyal Film Club to Morocco for the first time to the city of Tangier."I was impressed by the Moroccan jurors their critiques, eloquence, and way of thinking were remarkable,” she said. “We look forward to building future partnerships with Morocco."Alremaihi said that the DFI’s longstanding support to Palestinian cinema remains unwavering."Whatever we do will never be enough to bring their voices to the world,” she stated. “We have been supporting cinema from the region for the last 14 years and Palestine has always been an integral part of that contribution. It is important for us to amplify the stories that matter, and show them to the world.” – QNA

Qatar and Colombia have issued a joint statement on the occasion of the official visit of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to Colombia. The statement reads as follows:His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar, and Gustavo Petro, President of the Republic of Colombia, held bilateral discussions on November 20, 2024, at the Narino Palace in Bogota. The leaders, joined by high-level ministers including the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Trade, Transport, Energy and Communications, reaffirmed the strength of the Qatar-Colombia partnership and their shared commitment to expand co-operation across political, economic, and cultural spheres.Bilateral co-operationQatar welcomed Colombia's announcement to establish an embassy in Doha, marking a significant advancement in diplomatic relations. Both sides witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on economic, commercial, and technical co-operation, which will facilitate joint initiatives and promote exchange visits between business leaders and chambers of commerce.The two governments signed additional memorandums of understanding in tourism, ports, sports, and news exchange to strengthen bilateral engagement across various sectors. Colombia expressed interest in developing initiatives to support health and education, particularly in remote areas and conflict-affected regions.Economic partnershipBoth sides agreed to advance discussions toward a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). Colombia presented a roadmap for negotiations, building on discussions held during COP28 in Dubai in December 2023. To strengthen trade and investment ties, both countries agreed to establish a dialogue between Colombia's National Tax and Customs Authority (DIAN) and its Qatari counterpart to enhance co-operation in taxation and customs matters.Regional peace and securityThe two sides held in-depth discussions on regional developments, focusing on efforts to achieve lasting peace and stability. Both nations emphasized the importance of achieving a permanent and sustainable cessation of hostilities, upholding international law and international humanitarian law regarding the protection of civilians in armed conflicts, securing the release of hostages, and alleviating the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Colombia commended Qatar's diplomatic role in promoting regional peace and stability, including its mediation efforts. Qatar appreciated Colombia's steadfast support for a two-state solution and its opposition to illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.Looking aheadQatar and Colombia expressed satisfaction with the concrete outcomes of this visit and reaffirmed their commitment to expand bilateral co-operation. Both countries pledged to maintain regular consultations on bilateral and regional issues while working together to address global challenges.

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani visited Colombia on Thursday, the third stop of his Latin American tour that began in Brazil and continued in Costa Rica.In the Colombian capital, Bogotá, HH the Amir met President Gustavo Petro to discuss ways to enhance relations between the two countries in various fields and exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest.HH the Amir’s visit to Colombia and the discussions during the visit will strengthen bilateral relations and push them toward broader horizons. This reflects HH the Amir’s keenness to open new markets and opportunities for the Qatari economy, in line with Qatar’s National Vision 2030 and its ambitious goals to build stronger and more resilient relations with nations worldwide.The two countries enjoy distinguished relations, further reinforced by both sides’ desire to develop and elevate them across all fields, particularly in political, economic, and investment domains. These relations are based on mutual interests and respect, supported by numerous agreements signed between the two countries and official reciprocal visits at various levels.His Highess the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani visited Colombia in February 2013 as part of a tour that included Peru and Ecuador. This visit marked a pivotal moment in the development of co-operative relations. During the visit, discussions were held on bilateral relations and ways to support and develop them across various fields. A number of agreements and memorandums of understanding were signed, including an air services agreement, a memorandum of understanding in the field of sports, a memorandum of understanding between the Qatar Chamber and the Colombian Confederation of Chambers of Commerce, a memorandum of understanding in the field of mining, and a memorandum of understanding in the area of investment.Additionally, His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani’s visit to Colombia in July 2016 marked a new phase in bilateral relations. During this visit, an official meeting was held, chaired by HH the Amir and the then-president Juan Manuel Santos, which focused on bilateral relations in various fields and ways to enhance them in line with a shared commitment to further development, especially in the areas of investment and energy. A number of regional and international issues were also reviewed during the session.HH the Amir and Santos witnessed the signing of several agreements and memoranda of understanding at the Presidential Palace in Bogotá, including the establishment of a political consultation mechanism between the two countries, an agreement to waive visa requirements for holders of diplomatic, special, and official passports, a memorandum of understanding on legal and judicial co-operation, and a memorandum of understanding between the Qatar Investment Authority and ProColombia to enhance investment co-operation and exchange information on investment opportunities in various sectors.As part of ongoing meetings and communications between the leaderships of the two countries, HH the Amir met President Gustavo Petro last December during COP28 in Dubai. They discussed bilateral relations and ways to develop them in various fields, as well as issues on the Summit’s agenda and both countries’ efforts to combat climate change.In October, HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani received Minister of Foreign Affairs Luis Gilberto Murillo during his visit to Qatar, where they reviewed co-operation between the two countries and ways to strengthen it, as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest.To enhance political co-ordination, the first round of political consultations between the foreign ministries of Qatar and Colombia was held in Bogotá in October of last year. The Qatari side was chaired by HE the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr Ahmed bin Hassan al-Hammadi, while the Colombian side was led by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francisco J Coy.Also in October of last year, HE the Minister of State for Energy Affairs Saad bin Sherida al-Kaabi met in Doha with Colombian Minister of Foreign Affairs Luis Gilberto Murillo. During the meeting, they reviewed bilateral relations and co-operation in the energy sector between Qatar and Colombia and discussed ways to develop them further.As part of co-operation and consultations between the two countries in international forums and on global issues, representatives from the governments of Qatar, Colombia, and Finland in January 2022 emphasised the need for the swift implementation of the youth, peace, and security agenda worldwide. This was expressed in a high-level statement issued by representatives of the three governments at the conclusion of the High-Level Global Conference on Youth-Inclusive Peace Processes, which was held virtually from January 19 to 21, 2022.The High-Level Global Conference on Youth-Inclusive Peace Processes was a joint initiative by the governments of Qatar, Finland, and Colombia. The conference was co-organised by the Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth and the Search for Common Ground, in partnership with the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, UN Women, the UN Development Programme, the UN Population Fund, Education Above All Foundation, and the United Network of Young Peacebuilders.In June 2018, the Permanent Mission of Qatar to the UN and the Permanent Mission of Colombia at the UN hosted an event at the UN headquarters in New York to launch the book Herstory: Celebrating Women Leaders in the UN, which was prepared by the Permanent Missions of Qatar and Colombia.HE the Permanent Representative of Qatar to the UN Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif al-Thani said that Qatar’s participation in the creation of this book is a recognition of the leadership role of women at the UN and an opportunity to highlight significant achievements through a historical narrative in photographs.

Msheireb Properties and Doha Design District (DDD) have announced their partnership with the American Institute of Architects (AIA) to host the AIA Middle East Chapter’s final annual conference and design awards ceremony Friday and SaturdayThe 11th edition of the conference under the theme, 'Qatar: Morphogenesis of a Pearl' will bring together a select group of architects, urban planners and design experts from international firms, including Pei Architects, Foster + Partners, Isozaki + Partners and Zaha Hadid Architects, to explore Qatar’s architectural development and highlight the transformative role played by Msheireb Downtown Doha (MDD) in promoting architectural innovation and intelligent design.Engineer Ali Mohammed al-Kuwari, CEO of Msheireb Properties, said: “We are honoured to support this event dedicated to promoting the importance of architectural excellence and design. Our focus on building Msheireb Downtown Doha on a human scale has guided many of the architectural choices we have made, prompting us to look at On inspiration from traditional practices. We look forward to sharing our experiences and lessons learned from building the world’s first sustainable downtown revitalization project with our peers from around the world.”The conference is being held at the Park Hyatt Doha Hotel in MDD, showcasing the area’s distinctive architectural character that combines traditional Qatari design elements with modern sustainable practices. All buildings in the area have been LEED certified. Gold or Platinum, confirming the highest standards of environmental sustainability in real estate development.

HE the Minister of State for International Cooperation Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser al-Misnad met with ambassador of Jordan Zaid Mufleh al-Lawzi. Discussion during the meeting dealt with the two countries' co-operation relations. In another meeting, HE the Minister met with ambassador of Egypt Amr El Sherbiny. The two sides discussed co-operation relations between the two countries. (QNA)

Donald Trump’s nomination of Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence has raised questions over the politicisation of Washington’s spy agencies and their subservience to the White House.A strident opponent of US military interventionism, the former Hawaii congresswoman has roiled the intelligence community with past comments supportive of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his ally Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad.“Her appointment would be a threat to the security of the United States,” said Tom Nichols, a professor at the US Naval War College.“A person with Gabbard’s views should not be allowed anywhere near the crown jewels of American intelligence.”Gabbard, 43, who switched sides from the Democrats to back Trump’s re-election, has yet to be confirmed by the Senate.But lawmakers’ approval would see a woman with no experience in the field take on the eminently political role of US intelligence chief and overall responsibility for the 18 US intelligence agencies, come January.The DNI sits atop of all of America’s intelligence agencies, including the CIA.The post was created in 2005 to remedy a lack of co-ordination between US agencies that lawmakers believed had prevented Washington from foiling the September 11 attacks.“It’s a bureaucratic role to ensure that all the intelligence agencies are speaking to one another, that they are co-ordinating.....that CIA isn’t running the whole show,” explained Mathew Burrows, a former CIA officer now with Washington think-tank Stimson.A key part of Gabbard’s job would be to oversee Trump’s daily intelligence briefing.“Now, Gabbard has the power — because she oversees the president’s daily brief — of removing intel analysis that doesn’t suit whatever Trump decides as US foreign policy.”“I would be worried that her particular views would colour and politicise any of the intel she got.”Gabbard’s views have sparked controversy over the past several years, including when she talked up “Russia’s legitimate concerns” over Ukraine’s possible entry into Nato.Or when she met with Assad in Syria, accusing American political elites of warmongering and asserting her desire to avoid conflict.“Her opposition to a no-fly zone over Syria came not from a desire to avoid war, but from a desire to protect the regime of Bashar Assad,” according to Phillips O’Brien, professor of strategic studies at the University of Saint Andrews in Scotland.“What if the US is about to become an ally of Putin? That is a question we can ask ourselves.”With Gabbard’s nomination, Trump no doubt hopes to spare himself the friction with intelligence chiefs that marked his first term, when he called them “naive” and advised them to “go back to school.”At the end of 2018, his defence secretary James Mattis resigned, citing disagreement with the president over the withdrawal of US troops from Syria. Trump then openly scorned “the world’s most overrated general,” roiling the intelligence and defence communities. In May 2019, Trump released classified files on Russia to defend himself against accusations of collusion with Moscow during the 2016 election campaign.Soon afterwards, he sacked the then-DNI Dan Coats. After being denied the job, his deputy Susan Gordon mocked the president who she said had “no foundation for understanding the limits of intelligence”.The second term will certainly start off on a different footing. Trump “wants to neutralise any such criticism that comes from the intel community,” said Burrows.Gabbard’s role is key.“She’s got to understand that her position is telling truth to power. And I’m sure that Trump didn’t have that in mind, because I believe he thinks he has all the truth he needs.”The real consequences of Gabbard’s appointment will be known with time. Intelligence agents, trained to serve the state regardless of who is in charge, will continue their mission as always. But already, “the community inevitably fears a witch-hunt. People have taken a stand on the election, and some have come out into the open,” said Alexandre Papaemmanuel, a professor at Sciences-Po in Paris.Within the intelligence community of Western allies, “there are channels that have existed for a long time, and there is trust between men and women who have been in contact for a long time,” he told AFP. But he predicts that Trump, with Gabbard as his lieutenant, will disrupt that.“We can also imagine that these relationships will be more transactional than the fluid ones we know today, based on a shared understanding of the threats and fragility facing the Western world.“Now that this alignment no longer exists, will information sharing be as fluid?”

Al Sadd will look to extend their impressive unbeaten streak as they face off against bottom-placed Al Khor, with the Qatar Stars League resuming on Friday after the international break. Currently in second place with 18 points, Al Sadd are hot on the heels of league leaders Al Duhail, trailing by just four points. Coach Felix Sanchez’s squad is riding a four-match winning streak, with recent victories over Al Gharafa, Al Shahaniya, Al Wakrah, and Al Rayyan.Coach Felix Sanchez aims to keep the momentum going, emphasising the need to focus on one match at a time, despite the challenges of players returning from international duty.“We have four important matches in the coming period, starting with our match against Al Khor,” Sanchez said on Thursday. “Each game has its own story, and we have to focus only on the next match. We need to work hard to prepare well and collect three points,” the former coach added.While Al Sadd’s squad has suffered injuries, they have capable replacements who’ve kept the team performing at a high level. Sanchez’s tactical depth and ability to adapt have kept Al Sadd’s attack potent, with 26 goals scored—the second-highest in the league.“Things are always difficult when we play after the international break, because the players return after playing two matches with their national teams and some of them have taken long trips. We have to evaluate the players’ condition in order to prepare well for this match, we know that we have a short time to prepare, but we are excited for this match,” Sanchez said.Al Khor, languishing at the bottom of the table with only four points from nine games, are desperate to improve their position. Coach Mehdi Nafti remains optimistic despite the team’s struggles, highlighting their improved play over the past month.“We do not look at the standings and I believe in the capabilities and potential of my players to get out of the danger zone,” Nafti stated.“My team has been different for a month and is playing good football, but we lack results and as you can see how we performed in the last 3 or 4 matches, as the team is playing distinguished football, which makes us aspire to come out with positive results in the upcoming matches. The players are developing match after match and we are creating more opportunities and we have always been the better side in recent matches, he added.He remains confident that his team can pull off a positive outcome, especially with key attackers Yohan Boli and Aymen Hussein in good form. Despite Al Khor’s dire situation, they will aim to leverage their home-field advantage, with Nafti urging his squad to seize this chance against the reigning champions.Gharafa face Wakrah inbattle for top four spotAnother key fixture this week is the showdown between Al Gharafa and Al Wakrah at the Thani Bin Jassim Stadium, set to kick off at 6pm on Friday. The stakes are high as both teams jostle for top-four positions.Al Gharafa, sitting fourth with 15 points, will look to veteran playmaker Yacine Brahimi and a talented offensive lineup to continue their push. Al Wakrah, just a point behind in fifth place, also come into this match on the back of a strong performance, having defeated Umm Salal 3-0 in their previous match.Al Gharafa coach Pedro Martins acknowledges the importance of this fixture. “Al Wakrah are a team known for their collective play,” he noted, emphasising the need for his squad to deliver a cohesive performance.Al Wakrah’s coach Ali Rahma al-Marri is similarly focused, highlighting his players’ readiness after the international break. “We tried to exploit the QSL Cup break to prepare, and now our goal is to collect three points against direct competitors.”In the other match on Friday, Al Rayyan face off against Al Shamal at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, with both teams tied on 10 points. Al Rayyan hold a slight edge due to goal difference, but both sides are eager to climb higher in the standings after suffering losses in the previous round.Rayyan’s coach Younes Ali emphasises the importance of focus and converting opportunities into goals after their narrow 1-2 defeat to Al Sadd. “Our focus now is on the existing group and winning the next four games,” he stated.Meanwhile, Al Shamal coach Nuno Almeida is looking to bounce back from a heavy 2-6 loss to Al Duhail and aims to shore up his team’s defence.Tomorrow, defending champions Al Duhail will play Al Arabi at the Al Thumama Stadium at 3pm while Umm Salal will meet Al Ahli at the Grand Hamad Stadium at 5.30pm. Qatar SC will face Al Shahania at the Suhaim Bin Hamad Stadium at 5.30pm.

Wathnan Racing and jockey James Doyle completed a quick-fire double in the day’s feature contest, as Dark Trooper took the QA Gr3 Barzan Cup, 1400m race for Thoroughbreds at the Al Uqda Racecourse on Thursday.It was a thrilling finish as the Alban de Mieulle-trained four-year-old winner held off the charge of Fuwayrit by a neck, marking the start of his career in Qatar with a black-type success.Abdulla Rashid al-Kubaisi, QREC Racing Manager, presented the trophies to the winners of the race.The QA Gr3 Thoroughbred Guineas saw a thrilling finish with three horses, all in the colours of Wathnan Racing, battling in the closing stages of the 1400m race and it was Garfield Shadow who stole a march to win for trainer Hamad al-Jehani. In the hands of Doyle, the three-year-old bay colt prevailed by 1¾ lengths from Soldier’s Gold, who was two lengths ahead in front of Native America.Al-Khbaib, carrying the colours of Al Shaqab Racing, made his Qatari debut a success by winning the Purebred Arabian Guineas. Trained by Jean de Mieulle, the four-year-old colt was ridden by Faleh Bughanaim, who waited until the final 200m to unleash his mount’s turn of foot and he sauntered clear to win the 1400m race by 1¾ lengths. Saad Ali al-Kubaisi, Deputy Director of the QREC Registration & Studbook Dept crowned the winners of the race.On seasonal debut, Dawi continued his impressive performance with a victory, winning the Sheraouh Island Cup for owner HE Sheikha Iman bint Mohammed bin Khalifa al-Thani. Under a front-running ride from Tomas Lukasek, the seven-year-old, trained by Rudy Nerbonne, stretched clear in the final 200m of the 2100m contest for Purebred Arabians to win by 2¼ lengths.In the card opener, Abdulatif bin Hussain Z aL-Emadi’s Pazeer won the 2100mThoroughbred Handicap (85 & above) for four-year-old contest. Jockey Lukas Delozier guided the Khalifa Hamed Nasser al-Sawai-trained 10-year-old bay gelding to beat Sharq Stud’s El Chaco by a quarter of a length to emerge as winner.RESULTS 6th Al Rayyan Race Meeting – Guineas & Barzan Cup (Div 1)Winners (Horse, Trainer, Jockey)Barzan Cup - Thoroughbreds (Class 1 QA Gr3)Dark Trooper, Alban Elie De Mieulle, James DoyleThoroughbred Guineas (3yo only) (Class 1 QA Gr3)Garfield Shadow, Hamad al-Jehani, James DoylePurebred Arabian Guineas (4yo only) (Class 2)Al Khbaib, Jean de Mieulle, Faleh BughanaimSheraouh Island Cup - Purebred Arabian (Class 2)Dawi, Rudy Andre Nerbonne, Tomas LukasekThoroughbred Handicap 85 and above (Class 2)Pazeer, Khalifa Hamed Nasser al-Sawai, Lukas Delozier

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is excited to tackle his former club Leicester City, who he guided into the Premier League last season, but the London side will be without their captain Reece James who has been sidelined with injury yet again.Maresca joined Leicester in June last year following the club’s relegation to the second-tier in the 2022-23 season and helped the Foxes bounce back to the top flight as they were crowned champions in the 44-year-old’s first term in charge.“I’m excited and thankful, it was a fantastic season. The owner, his family are fantastic people. They care for players, staff, all of the people that work in the club. You can see that,” Maresca told reporters ahead of tomorrow’s game. “It was a fantastic season because I met good people. There was a fantastic connection between the players and staff, and that is something you have to create to be successful. I’m still in contact with them.”Maresca said captain James, who has made only four appearances this season after struggling with a hamstring injury, is unavailable after suffering a setback this week. “He felt something, he has to be out. For sure, this weekend and then we’ll see. We don’t know for how long. He has to try and avoid as much as he can but sometimes things happen even if you want to avoid that,” Maresca said. “Hopefully he can be available for the next one but he is not available for this one. It’s a muscular problem. We don’t want to take any risks for this weekend. Hopefully, it’s not something long.”Chelsea are third in the standings with 19 points from 11 games and will face a Leicester side languishing in 15th place but Maresca said they cannot take Steve Cooper’s side for granted. “They know exactly what we do ... We will try to adjust the small details to see if we can do something different. It’s more from their side that they know us better than we know them,” Maresca said.“It’s not an easy game. We can see it is always complicated, no matter where the teams are in the table. We are going to make sure we are focused and prepared. We will prepare to win in the best way.”Southampton suffer Ramsdale, Bednarek blowPremier League basement dwellers Southampton have been dealt a double injury blow ahead of Sunday’s home clash against Premier League leaders Liverpool with keeper Aaron Ramsdale and central defender Jan Bednarek both ruled out. Bednarek, who has been ever-present in the league this season, was injured while playing for Poland against Portugal last week while Ramsdale has had finger surgery.Both are expected to be out for several weeks, according to Southampton manager Russell Martin. “They’ll both be out for this weekend and a number of weeks,” he told Southampton’s website. “Aaron has had an operation on his finger, he’ll hopefully be back this side of Christmas. Jan, we spoke really quickly after the game. He was really worried about his knee injury. Thankfully the injury is not as significant as we fear, hopefully a week or two before Aaron.”It is hardly the news Martin needed with the visit of a flying Liverpool side who are five points clear at the top. “They’ve been two of our best players all season. Of course it will affect the team and how it looks but others need to step in and take their opportunity,” he said.Southampton are bottom with four points from 11 games. “We should be excited for the challenge and I think teams have shown in the last few weeks that you can pick up big results against big teams, good opposition, and we are going to have to,” Martin said of the challenge of facing Liverpool. “Our level of performance against teams at the top end of the table has been good on the whole.”

Paris Saint-Germain hope to have striker Goncalo Ramos available again soon after he returned to training ahead of today’s game against Toulouse, while former Argentina coach Jorge Sampaoli makes his Ligue 1 return this weekend with Rennes.Bradley Barcola has emerged as PSG’s chief attacking threat this season and is the league’s top scorer with 10 goals, but the lack of a reliable centre-forward remains an issue for Luis Enrique – particularly in the Champions League.While the French champions are six points clear of Monaco in Ligue 1, they languish outside the top 24 in the new single-table format in Europe, with a trip to Bayern Munich coming up next Tuesday. Before that comes the visit of a resurgent Toulouse, winners of their past three games after a rough start to the campaign and the only team to beat PSG in their last 40 league matches.Toulouse beat PSG 3-1 in May to spoil Kylian Mbappe’s final game at the Parc des Princes, albeit with the title long since wrapped up by that stage. It was hoped Ramos, who scored 14 times overall last season, would establish himself as the spearhead of the PSG attack, but he went down with ankle ligament damage in the opening day win over Le Havre in August.“He’s in the final phase of his recovery. When will he be available? I don’t know, I’ll see him at training. He’s doing very well already. He just needs to sharpen up so he can play in matches,” PSG coach Luis Enrique said.One player who did not feature in the international break was winger Ousmane Dembele who left the France training camp with a hamstring issue, but he is expected to return for PSG. “In theory, it was nothing serious. I don’t think it was a big issue and these things happen during the season,” Luis Enrique said. “It is normal with such a busy schedule, he should be available to play.”Defender Nuno Mendes suffered a sprained ankle playing for Portugal and while Luis Enrique said it was also not serious, he was still unsure if he would be fit to face Bayern.Monaco could slice the gap at the top in half if they beat fellow Champions League participants Brest earlier on Friday, while Marseille must bounce back from a disheartening home defeat by Auxerre. “If I’m the problem, I’m ready to leave. I’ll leave the money and hand back my contract,” raged Marseille coach Roberto de Zerbi after their 3-1 loss to the promoted side a fortnight ago.Lens host Marseille tomorrow before Lyon, who face a transfer ban and have been threatened with relegation over the club’s debts, bid to extend their unbeaten run to seven matches.Sampaoli, a 2015 Copa America winner with Chile who spent 16 months at Marseille between 2021 and 2022, begins his mission to turn around a spluttering Rennes outfit against Lille on Sunday.Rennes have lost six of 11 games and sit only a point above the relegation play-off spot.“Our job here will be to comfort a group of footballers so they don’t feel uncomfortable on the pitch, but have fun and play with much more energy,” the 64-year-old Sampaoli said following his appointment last week.“I’m very passionate about being here and having this great challenge.”Fixtures(all times GMT)Friday: Monaco v Brest (1800), Paris Saint-Germain v Toulouse (2000)Saturday: Lens v Marseille (1600), Saint-Etienne v Montpellier (1800), Reims v Lyon (2000)Sunday: Lille v Rennes (1400), Auxerre v Angers, Nantes v Le Havre (1600), Nice v Strasbourg (1945).

Bayern Munich’s home clash with Augsburg today kick-starts a crucial run of fixtures for the German giants, who are struggling under the weight of injuries in key positions.After today’s match, Bayern host Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday, before a trip to Borussia Dortmund and a German Cup clash with Bayer Leverkusen. Bayern can go eight points clear with a win against Bavarian neighbours Augsburg, who are yet to win away this season.But Bayern will need to do so missing several players along with major question marks in key positions. The club announced this week that Joao Palhinha had joined fellow defensive midfielder Aleksandar Pavlovic on the club’s long-term injury list.Palhinha arrived in the summer from Premier League side Fulham, having been specifically signed to address a weakness in the position. Bayern coach Vincent Kompany looks set to go with the out-of-form Leon Goretzka, who has only started once this season, putting him alongside Joshua Kimmich. On Thursday, Kompany revealed captain and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was in doubt “with a rib issue”.“It’s still a bit early,” Kompany said of Neuer’s chances. “We hope he can still start tomorrow. We have to wait and see how it goes in training.”With long-term back-up Sven Ulreich missing “for personal reasons”, third-choice goalkeeper Daniel Peretz, fresh off two clean sheets for Israel, could be handed his first Bundesliga start. “We assume that ‘Manu’ will be able to be there. If that’s not the case, Daniel Peretz will play tomorrow. We have no doubts about him – he’s been very good with the national team.”Teenage striker Mathys Tel will also miss today’s clash with an injury picked up on international duty, putting more weight on the shoulders of Harry Kane. Defenders Hiroki Ito and Josip Stanisic, both of whom are yet to play this season, are still weeks away from returning.The failings of Bayern’s rivals will however allow them to breathe a little more easily, at least in the league. Nearest challengers RB Leipzig have fallen off the pace after dropping five points in their past two games, while defending champion Leverkusen are already nine points behind Bayern.Just 10 games in, Xabi Alonso’s side have dropped 13 points this season – one more than they did in the entirety of the last campaign. Dortmund, Champions League runners-up last season, are languishing in seventh place.Fixtures(1430 GMT unless stated)Friday: Bayern Munich v Augsburg (1930)Saturday: Borussia Dortmund v Freiburg, Wolfsburg v Union Berlin, Bayer Leverkusen v Heidenheim, Stuttgart v Bochum, Hoffenheim v RB Leipzig, Eintracht Frankfurt v Werder Bremen (1730)Sunday: Holstein Kiel v Mainz, Borussia Moenchengladbach v St Pauli (1630)

Australia booked their place in the Davis Cup semi-finals as doubles pair Matthew Ebden and Jordan Thompson clinched the deciding rubber against the United States on Thursday.Olympic champion Ebden and Thompson beat Tommy Paul and Ben Shelton 6-4 6-4 to put Lleyton Hewitt’s side into their third successive semi-final of the men’s team event.The US were slight favourites going into a battle between the two most successful nations in the competition’s history, but Australia’s Thanasi Kokkinakis beat Shelton 6-1 4-6 7-6(14) in the opening singles after saving four match points.World number four Taylor Fritz then levelled it up with a 6-3 6-4 defeat of Alex de Minaur to send the tie to the doubles.Surprisingly, American captain Bob Bryan opted against using his doubles specialists Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek and sent out Shelton and Paul instead and the plan backfired as Ebden and Thompson’s greater doubles craft proved decisive.Australia will find out their opponents later when reigning champions Italy take on Argentina.Hewitt’s Australia have been knocking on the door for a few seasons now, losing in the final to Canada in 2022 and falling at the final hurdle again to Italy last year.“We have such a rich history in this competition and these boys know it’s a great honour to wear the green and gold out there,” former world number one Hewitt said.“We’ve had a very similar team of around six guys who have put their hand up for three or four years now, they have gelled together well, super proud of the whole team.”Hewitt said he had been confident that world number 77 Kokkinakis, who often saves his best for Davis Cup ties, would rise to the occasion against 21st-ranked Shelton.And so it proved as he prevailed in a thriller. He outplayed Shelton in the first set, but the powerful young American responded impressively to win the second.As serve began to dominate, the match inevitably went to a tiebreak which was the longest in the Davis Cup for five years.Kokkinakis led 6-4 but Shelton saved two match points with booming serves and as the tension mounted both players saved match points against them by serving aces. Shelton banged down two to lead 14-13 but Kokkinakis was not done and reeled off three successive points to claim the win. “Seeing the boys on the sidelines, seeing Lleyton, obviously an idol growing up, getting super fired up and in my ear keeping me going motivated, I think it’s massive,” Kokkinakis said.Fritz repeated his win over De Minaur at the ATP Finals but Australia took full advantage of the Americans’ doubles switch.