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Mohamed Salah made his much-anticipated return to the Liverpool squad Tuesday following the Africa Cup of Nations as the club prepare to face Marseille in the Champions League.A smiling Salah was put through his paces at the club’s training centre with the rest of Arne Slot’s squad ahead of today’s match in France. The return of the Egypt forward has been a major talking point after he took aim at Liverpool in an explosive interview early last month. Salah accused the club of throwing him “under the bus” after he was benched for three games in a row and said he had no relationship with Slot. But he appeared as a substitute in a 2-0 Premier League win against Brighton on December 13, providing an assist, and Slot subsequently said the club had moved on from the furore. Last week, Slot said he welcomed Salah’s return, refusing to divulge the content of his conversations with the 33-year-old, whose team finished fourth at the Africa Cup of Nations. Slot said before Saturday’s 1-1 draw against struggling Burnley he was unsure whether the forward would face Marseille. But Tuesday afternoon Liverpool said Salah had been named in the 20-man squad for the trip to France. “Mohamed Salah is included having returned to the club after representing Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations,” a statement on the club’s official website said. Liverpool are currently ninth in the league phase of the Champions League. The top eight qualify automatically for the last 16 while teams placed from ninth to 24th face a play-off round. Salah is Liverpool’s third-highest goalscorer of all time with 250 goals in 421 appearances, winning two Premier League titles and the Champions League since joining from Roma in 2017. He signed a lucrative new two-year contract last year as he played a starring role in guiding Liverpool to a record-equalling 20th English top-flight title. But he has been a shadow of his former self during Liverpool’s struggles this season, managing just five goals in all competitions. Liverpool’s Premier League defence collapsed with a run of six defeats in seven matches starting in late September. The club are now unbeaten in 12 games in all competitions but remain 14 points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal. 

Rolland Courbis, a former French player and coach often called in to rescue teams from relegation who became an outspoken media pundit, has died aged 72. Courbis won the French title three times as a player, with Marseille in 1972 and then Monaco in 1978 and 1982.He spent two years as coach of Marseille during a colourful career in which he coached for more than 500 games in Ligue 1 and went to jail twice over financial issues at his club at the time. Courbis also managed Toulon, Toulouse, Bordeaux and Montpellier, ending his coaching career at Caen in 2019.By then he had become a well-established media commentator on French radio and television for RMC with an opinionated style that broke the mould in France. France coach Didier Deschamps said French football had lost "an endearing, warm personality with a strong character," a "true enthusiast" who had "chosen to share his passion in recent years, behind a microphone, with a unique way of expressing himself".Marseille paid tribute to Courbis in a statement calling him "an emblematic coach and a key personality in French football".Simeone apologises to Vinicius after Super Cup rowAtletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone apologised to Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior after the pair squared off in the Spanish Super Cup. Simeone bickered with Vinicius both during Atletico's 2-1 semi-final defeat on Thursday and after the Brazilian was substituted.The Argentine coach also said sorry to Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, after appearing to tell Vinicius that the Los Blancos chief would kick him out of the club. "I would like to apologise to Mr Florentino and Mr Vinicius for the episode we saw," Simeone told a news conference ahead of Atletico's Copa del Rey last 16 visit to face Deportivo La Coruna today. "It was not good of me to put myself in that position and I accept I didn't do the right thing. Beyond that the team that deserved to win went through, they deserved it."Vinicius scored a fine solo goal in the Spanish Super Cup final but Madrid lost 3-2 against Barcelona. The winger's contract expires in June 2027 and as of yet he has not agreed a new deal with Real Madrid.Aberdeen fan jailed for throwing seat that injured playerAn Aberdeen fan who permanently disfigured one of the club's players after throwing part of a seat was jailed for 18 months. David Gowans, 32, hurled the object onto the pitch following Aberdeen's 2-1 loss away to Dundee United at Tannadice on May 17 last year.It struck Aberdeen defender Jack MacKenzie, who was thanking travelling Dons fans for their support in the Scottish Premiership fixture. MacKenzie suffered a deep laceration to his left eyebrow and an abrasion below his eye.Gowans, who had been a member of the Aberdeen ultras supporters' group, admitted culpable and reckless conduct in October. Gowans was sentenced to 18 months in prison and handed a banning order, barring him from attending football matches for 10 years.He had already received a lifetime ban from Aberdeen Football Club. 

Paris Saint-Germain beat Marseille on penalties to win a topsy turvy French Champions Trophy in Kuwait on Thursday.PSG goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier was the hero of the night, saving two spot-kicks as PSG took the penalty lottery 4-1 after a frenetic end to the match left the two sides locked at 2-2.Desire Doue converted the decisive spot-kick after Chevalier had saved efforts from Marseille's Matt O'Riley and Hamed Traore.PSG had taken an early lead when their Ballon d'Or winning attacker Ousmane Dembele deftly lifted the ball over Marseille 'keeper Geronimo Rulli.Only Rulli's quick thinking prevented Nuno Mendes doubling PSG's advantage minutes later.Rulli's opposite number Chevalier displayed his own goalkeeping prowess when denying Marseille defender Emerson's goal bound shot after the half hour.PSG had Chevalier to thank again when the stopper somehow kept out Igor Paixao's header near the hour mark.But with a quarter of an hour remaining, an ugly challenge by Chevalier triggered a Marseille penalty and, after confirmation from VAR, former Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood coolly converted the spot-kick.With the match only three minutes away from penalties, centre-back Willian Pacho's ill-advised clearance flummoxed his 'keeper as Marseille suddenly seemed set to seal their first silverware since their 2012 French League Cup title.But in the fifth minute of injury time Goncalo Ramos poked Bradley Barcola's cross in to level and send the game to penalties, and ultimately victory for Luis Enrique's PSG.This was PSG's record-extending 14th win in the equivalent of France's 'Super Cup' in a game virtually shunned by both sides' fans due to travel costs.A banner unfurled at Marseille's Stade Velodrome last Sunday during their 2-0 upset loss to lowly Nantes in Ligue 1 summed up the general mood of dissatisfaction from supporters hanging over the encounter.It read: "FCT 2026 in Kuwait. And for 2027, on the moon?"The fixture traditionally between the Ligue 1 champions and French Cup winners has led a nomadic existence over the years as the French Football Federation seeks to promote Ligue 1 beyond its borders.Previous editions have been staged in Canada, China, Gabon, Israel, Qatar, USA, Morocco and Austria, amongst other venues.After this awayday in the Middle East the two teams refocus on domestic matters next week, with French Cup outings before PSG, one point behind Lens in second, host Lille next Friday, and Marseille, seven points adrift of PSG in third, travel to Angers.And in Europe, PSG will also be keen to wrap up automatic qualification to the Champions League last 16.The holders are third in the league phase standings with two games remaining while Marseille are 16th and in contention for a play-off spot.With PSG winning both the league and French Cup last season, Marseille owed their presence in Kuwait to being league runners-up in 2024/25, albeit a yawning 19 points behind their arch rivals.

Marseille kickstarted the year by crashing to a 2-0 home defeat to lowly Nantes in Ligue 1 as Roberto De Zerbi's team finished with just nine men on the pitch.Red cards either side of half-time for Arthur Vermeeren and Bilal Nadir, coupled with a Fabien Centonze strike and a late Remy Cabella penalty, condemned Marseille to a fifth defeat of the campaign as they remain eight points behind surprise league leaders Lens.Crucially, the loss was also a missed opportunity for third-placed Marseille to open up a gap with the chasing pack for the final automatic Champions League qualification spot as they failed to capitalise on fourth-placed Lille's 2-0 defeat to Rennes Sunday.Just a third victory of the season for Nantes, Ahmed Kantari's team have provisionally climbed out of the relegation zone at the expense of Auxerre, who play later."It gives us a boost," Nantes coach Kantari said."There's the satisfaction of taking three points. We're in a race for points, so it feels good."When we win, we feel lighter and more confident."Marseille handed Nantes the numerical advantage on 26 minutes as midfielder Vermeeren was dismissed for an overexuberant challenge on Anthony Lopes as he tried to charge down the goalkeeper's clearance.The visitors then took the lead five minutes later as Centonze pounced on weak parry by Geronimo Rulli to open the scoring from close range.De Zerbi responded immediately by sending centre-midfielder Nadir on in the place of forward Igor Paixao.The decision did not pay off as the 22-year-old was himself dismissed after collecting a pair of yellow cards in the space of two minutes early in the second half.Despite being down to nine, Marseille pushed in search of a leveller at the Velodrome as Nantes continued to make chances at the other end.A clumsy Benjamin Pavard challenge on Matthis Abline in the Marseille box presented Nantes with the perfect chance to secure the three points, which Cabella duly did from 12 yards with just two minutes remaining on the clock.Later, champions Paris Saint-Germain host Paris FC in what will be the first Paris derby in the French top flight since 1990. 

Joao Neves’ late winner returned Paris Saint-Germain to the top of Ligue 1 as they beat Lyon 3-2 on Sunday, while Emanuel Emegha netted a brace as Strasbourg defeated Lille.PSG had gone into the weekend’s action in top spot, but were knocked off it by archrivals Marseille who beat Brest 3-0 on Saturday to edge ahead by a point.The chance to restore their lead seemed to have slipped by Luis Enrique’s side until Neves’ 95th-minute header at the Groupama Stadium.Reigning champions PSG now sit on 27 points, two clear of second-placed Marseille.“Resilience is a word I like,” said PSG coach Luis Enrique.He added: “We showed the right mentality to win this match. It’s important because in adversity, we win, and we are first in Ligue 1.”This win acted as a pick-me-up for PSG after their midweek Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich.Late defeat condemned Lyon to seventh spot, seven points off the leaders. The visitors went ahead on 26 minutes as Warren Zaire-Emery raced onto Vitinha’s ball over the top.Lacking options in the middle for a square pass, the 19-year-old instead decided to unleash a rasping drive which flew past Dominik Greif at his near post.Lyon responded four minutes later as Afonso Moreira sprung the PSG offside trap with a run from deep, before slotting past Lucas Chevalier.But the hosts’ joy turned to fury inside three minutes as PSG retook the lead via a crisp Khvicha Kvaratskhelia finish.Lyon players swiftly gathered around the referee to protest Vitinha’s challenge on Tanner Tessman to win the ball back, before teeing up the Georgian.The Portuguese seemed to go straight through the back of Tessman, but after a VAR review the strike was validated.A decision which resulted in assistant coach Jorge Maciel earning himself a yellow card for his reaction.“We need to talk about video refereeing. French football has an incredible league, but to have a real product, you need three teams on the pitch doing their job,” Maciel fumed after the match.Nicolas Tagliafico struck the PSG woodwork four minutes before the interval as Lyon went into the break bemoaning their luck.But Ainsley Maitland-Niles soothed those frustrations five minutes into the second half with a superb lofted finish from Tyler Morton’s ball over the top.The match then tightened up after that 24-minute flurry, which resulted in four goals, as both sides rang the changes.PSG suddenly found themselves on red alert on 80 minutes as Chevalier and his defence were required to pull off some last-ditch heroics to deny Lyon.Tagliafico was dismissed in injury time after picking up a second yellow for tussling with Lee Kang-in off the ball.The resulting free-kick went behind for a corner, and from that set-piece the diminutive Neves popped up to stun the hosts.After missing Strasbourg’s last five league outings with a thigh issue, Emegha returned with a bang as he fired the hosts to 2-0 victory over Lille.His goals either side of half-time lifted Liam Rosenior’s side to fourth place on 22 points.Lille dropped to fifth after falling to their fourth defeat of the campaign, and now trail Strasbourg by two points.“This match was similar to some of our recent matches,” Lille coach Bruno Genesio said.“You can’t say that we played very badly or that the opposition were superior to us. We made mistakes that cost us dearly and we lacked variety and initiative.”Emegha gave the hosts the lead three minutes after the half-hour as he adjusted well to knee home Diego Moreira’s cross which had just cleared the head of defender Nathan Ngoy.A catastrophic backpass by French 2018 World Cup winner Olivier Giroud on 62 minutes sent Emegha through one-on-one and the 22-year-old made no mistake.Elsewhere, Lorient and Toulouse played out a 1-1 draw in Brittany with both sides scoring from the penalty spot.Metz beat Nice 2-1 and bottom-side Auxerre lost 2-0 at Angers.

An early goal by defender Nayef Aguerd gave Marseille a 1-0 win over reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain Monday, a rare success against their great rivals in a game delayed by 24 hours by storms in southern France.Moroccan defender Aguerd, signed just before the recent transfer deadline from West Ham United, scored his second goal in as many Ligue 1 appearances for his new club with five minutes gone at the Velodrome. PSG goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier came for a deflected Mason Greenwood cross but got nothing on the ball, allowing Aguerd to head into the unguarded net and score the only goal of the game.The fixture, the biggest in French football, was scheduled to go ahead on Sunday but was called off because local authorities feared forecast heavy rainfall would be a significant risk for both players and spectators. With little space in a packed calendar and both clubs involved in the Champions League, the match was put back just a day.That proved awkward for PSG as it meant a clash with the Ballon d'Or awards ceremony in Paris, at which a host of their squad were nominated for the men's player of the year prize. Among them was Ousmane Dembele, the top scorer for the Champions League winners last season who was able to attend the ceremony having been ruled out of the Marseille clash due to injury.PSG coach Luis Enrique could have done with Dembele in the game, as well as his fellow injury absentees Desire Doue and Joao Neves. Achraf Hakimi was pushed forward from his usual right-back position to the wing, but it was still a strong Paris team. Nevertheless, Marseille held onto the lead following the early goal to claim a first home league victory against PSG since November 2011.Aguerd's goal was the first time they had even found the net at home to PSG in Ligue 1 since 2017. Amine Gouiri hit the bar soon after as Marseille sought to add to their advantage. The home side also had a goal disallowed for offside in the first half, before goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli made a couple of key saves to deny the visitors after the break.Marseille saw the game out, although not before fiery coach Roberto De Zerbi was shown a late red card on the touchline. It is a first loss of the season for PSG, who had won their first four matches in Ligue 1. They fall off the top of the table, behind Monaco on goals scored.Both teams have 12 points, as do Lyon and Strasbourg who complete the top four. Marseille are up to sixth, three points adrift of the leading quartet.