By Tim Stannard

 1) Neymar ‘rested’ ahead of Bayern Munich battle

Well, that’s just…mean.

Unai Emery. Looking at you here. You cannot talk to the press on Thursday about the whole Neymar-Cavani business, then release a squad list on Friday with the Brazilian missing without explaining the reason. Haven’t you learned what mischief the likes of Sports Burst can get up to when left to its own devices?

PSG are away at Montpellier on Saturday and Neymar will not be there. Not even on the bench. Now, one source in the French media says that the Brazilian has a foot injury and is being rested for the upcoming Champions League clash against Bayern Munich. Perfectly reasonable. But dull. 

SB says foot injury, schmoot injury. Neymar is being SLAMMED and PUNISHED for the Cavani kerfuffle and Unai Emery is reasserting control of the locker room. Hard evidence be damned.

Anyhow, you can see how PSG struggle by with just Edinson Cavani and Kylian Mbappe up front live on beIN SPORTS CONNECT 3 from 11AM ET / 8AM PT. 

2) More bad luck for Madrid with Marcelo sidelined for month

Coach Zizou and Real Madrid really did squeeze their luck demon for everything it had last season. To add to the injuries to Karim Benzema and Mateo Kovacic, a new headache. Marcelo is out of action for the next month with a muscle tear. 

The fullback’s natural replacement, Theo Hernandez, is currently suffering the after effects of a partially dislocated shoulder. It’s a shoulder that will need to be fixed Lethal Weapon Riggs style if the young Spaniard is to be fit for Saturday’s rather crucial away clash against Alaves. 

Meanwhile, Madrid’s French manager has been talking about the seven-point gap behind Barcelona in the league table after just five games and is striking a typically defiant tone. “If you think the league is over, congratulations, but the season is very long and we'll be there.” 

Tune into the Locker Room from 7.30PM ET / 4.30PM PT for a full analysis on how Real Madrid can turn around their campaign. Or not. 

3) Monaco in action to cause more bother for Bielsa 

It’s pizza and ice cream day in the Sports Burst household…but it’s football around the rest of the world. Or soccer. Either works. 

And beIN SPORTS is the center of the sporting universe. France is where the action is with two games on Friday. First up at 12:45PM ET / 9:45AM PT on beIN CONNECT 3 Mario Balotelli’s Nice are hosting Angers and looking for a third Ligue Un win in a row. That is followed by a humdinger.

King of the hipster coaches, Marcelo Bielsa, is not having the best of times at his new club which has launched quite the project. Lille are currently fourth-from-bottom in the standings with just the single win from six. And who is coming to town? Monaco, that’s who. 

The team currently being led by Radomel Falcao who has scored nine goals so far, this season in a team that is showing no signs of slowing down despite losing about $3 billion of talent over the summer. That clash is live on beIN SPORTS at 2:40PM ET / 11:40AM PT. 

Over in Germany, Bayern Munich are hosting Wolfsburg with James Rodriguez in particularly sparkling form for the German outfit.

Catch all the best action and goals on the XTRA from 7PM ET / 4PM PT. 

4) Rossi makes return after leg break battle

With all the talk of footballers falling by the wayside, how about something heroic. Valentino Rossi. Not that long ago the Italian MotoGP legend fractured his leg. But only saw The Doctor missing just one surgery session. Or race, if you prefer. 

Rossi has returned, presumably with his entire body strapped to the bike and was in action for Friday’s first practice ahead of Sunday’s Aragon GP in Spain. However, Rossi was a little sluggish finishing 18^th in damp conditions. Marc Marquez was fastest. The second practice session is now underway. 

Remember to tune into the latest chapter of a cracker of contest which sees Marquez and Andrea Dovizioso tied at the top on Sunday at 7:50AM ET / 4:50AM PT.

WHAT IS SPORTS BURST?

The life philosophy of Sports Burst is that if you are not upsetting someone, then you are not trying hard enough. SB is a daily trawl and troll through the morning's sports news to bring you fact-nuggets to make you both smile and swear. Hopefully at the same time