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Warren Zaire-Emery is an injury doubt for Paris Saint-Germain’s&nbsp, two-legged Champions League last 16 play-off tie next month after picking up an injury in Wednesday’s crucial win at Stuttgart.

The French champions announced Thursday that Zaire-Emery, 18, sprained his left ankle during the 4-1 win in the league phase, which booked PSG’s spot in the play-off round, and is set to be out for several weeks.

“The length of (Zaire-Emery’s) absence will depend on how the injury progresses over the coming days”, PSG said in a statement.

The French international midfielder, according to several media reports, could miss at least three weeks of practice.

The two-legged play-off will feature PSG facing Monaco or Brest, with the first two legs set for February 11 and 12, followed by the return matches a week later.

After the first phase ended on Wednesday, all of the continent’s largest clubs made it to the knockout stage, according to European football body UEFA, which praised the “more dynamic” new format of the Champions League as a huge success.

After Real Madrid’s 3-0 victory over Brest in France, English superstar Jude Bellingham said, “It’s nice to have a little more jeopardy.”

He did not mention that particular game, which was one of 18 that occurred on the eighth and final matchday of a frantic night that resulted in a total of 64 goals flying around Europe, including one for Bellingham himself.

It was more to do with the new format, which saw all 36 clubs play eight games against eight different opponents, with each club getting their start in the biggest fish.

Losing three of their first five games also caused them to lose. Manchester City certainly faced jeopardy as the competition’s winners in 2023 needed to win their last game at home to Club Brugge in order to avoid elimination, and found themselves 1-0 down at half-time.

They won the knockout round play-offs, and Club Brugge also advanced, winning 3-1 to avoid being humiliated and reaching the knockout round.

In response to the threat of a breakaway Super League involving a select group of giant clubs, UEFA introduced this new format in place of the group system that had been in place for 20 years.

The new format “deliveres on its promise to reinvigorate” a competition that had become a little stale in the group stage,” according to European football’s governing body, beating its chest about the success of the new format.

Only two clubs had to advance to the final matchday in order to avoid having to compete in the play-offs.

Only nine had been eliminated, leaving 25 with something to play for in their last game.

“Avoid the unexpected”

It has naturally been praised by clubs that may have had trouble with the previous system, most notably Brest, who placed 18th and advanced to the play-offs in their first European campaign.

“I really enjoyed it, and I believe the viewers on television and in the stadiums tonight must have really enjoyed it.” There was a lot of suspense. The smaller teams, like us, have a chance, according to Brest coach Eric Roy.

Lille, a different French side, put together a remarkable performance to finish seventh and advance to the last 16, defeating Atletico Madrid and Real.

“I have really liked this format. There is room for surprises”, said Lille’s Thomas Meunier.

Real coach Carlo Ancelotti has not, in contrast, concealed his frustration with the league’s eight games increase from the previous six, which was six.

Too many games? &nbsp,

Ancelotti said, “My idea of football is that we must reduce the number of matches in order to reduce the impact on the players.”

One important player at a top European club who requested anonymity shared that opinion, claiming that the new system may be exciting for fans but that it causes physical harm.

“I’d prefer less games to be honest”, was that player’s frank assessment.

For those teams who must now advance to the last 16 of the two-legged play-off tie in February, there will be even less opportunity to rest.

The play-offs, whose draw will take place on Friday, will be filled with excitement, though.

Real and Bayern Munich are both aware that they will either face Manchester City or Celtic next in the way the draw is organized. AC Milan could play Juventus.

Nevertheless, the new format ultimately produced the same end result.

All of the top eight who progress straight to the last 16 hail from Europe’s five biggest leagues, with three from England, two from Spain, and one each from Italy, Germany and France.

Only six clubs from other countries have reached the play-offs, all of a certain pedigree: former European Cup winners in PSV Eindhoven, Benfica, Feyenoord and Celtic, former runners-up in Club Brugge, and Portuguese giants Sporting.

No east of Munich club has advanced, and RB Leipzig, the only club to have been hampered by injuries and a difficult draw, did so despite their own team’s combined scoring record, which is higher than any other team.

After winning by 3-0 on Wednesday in Brest, Jose Bellingham insisted Real Madrid would be ready for whoever they face in the Champions League play-offs and that they are “starting to click.”

Real’s second goal came from Rodrygo’s double strike, but Bellingham did it because the Spanish giants were too strong for the French budding entrepreneurs in Guingamp.

Real’s league phase of the Champions League ended with a third straight win, and they finished the season 11th overall thanks to a three-game losing start to their first five starts.

They advanced to Friday’s draw for the extra play-off round by earning a point outside of the top eight spots that provided direct qualification for the final 16.

They are already aware that they will face either Celtic or Manchester City in the February play-offs, with the winner having a two-leg leadoff in March.

“It was crucial to win and advance to the group stage.” We probably let ourselves down in a few games, Bellingham told UEFA.com, which is the justification for our place in the play-offs.

No problem, we’ll try to overcome any challenge that comes with a better face, and you can tell from the results that our relationship as a team has definitely improved in recent weeks.

Since Carlo Ancelotti’s side defeated Barcelona 5-2 in the Spanish Super Cup final in Saudi Arabia on January 12 to win their final five games overall.

Just before the half-hour mark, Rodrygo scored a low shot that struck the crossbar in off the far post, skillfully saved by the Brazilian for Real against Brest.

READ ALSO: &nbsp, Man City Will Pose Problems For Madrid Or Bayern, Promises Guardiola

Mbappe scoring run ends&nbsp,

Due to suspension, Vinicius Junior was missing, and Kylian Mbappe, who had already scored eight goals in his previous five games, was not scoring.

But that didn’t matter, as Real survived seeing Brest’s Ludovic Ajorque have a goal disallowed for a tight offside just after half-time before they went 2-0 ahead on 56 minutes.

Bellingham, the player of the match, sparked a breakaway and then arrived in the box to finish off Lucas Vazquez’s low centre.

Rodrygo then scored again on 78 minutes, claiming a brace in a second straight Champions League game, after Mbappe’s shot was saved.

Because we are aware that each game will feature someone else, whether it’s Rodrygo’s two and me one tonight or Kylian’s three the following day, Bellingham said, “I think we overlook who scores the goals and that kind of thing”

“Someone will always step up with a little bit of individual brilliance, and the rest of us will concentrate on the team’s organization.”

That may be what some of the early group games’ lacks, but it seems to be improving over the past few weeks.

Despite losing to Lille, AC Milan, and Liverpool, Real still won the league, and Bellingham overall praised the new format.

“It’s been nice to play more elite teams and a truly mixed group of teams from all over Europe.” It’s nice to have a bit more jeopardy, “he said.

After losing their last two games, Brest are also in the play-off round thanks to a memorable first-ever European campaign that saw them finish 18th overall, ahead of leaders Juventus and Manchester City.

In the following round, they will face either Benfica or Paris Saint-Germain, both of which are French.

” We want to keep going, make even more history than we have already, and if we can continue to get results, why not, “said Bizot.