Sports Burst - PSG: Lean, Mean and Kean
Despite a half a billion spent on a forward line, a zero cost striker could be the key to PSG's success this season
By Tim Stannard
Moise Kean bags four goals in two games to make headlines as PSG's new low-cost poacher supreme
It's like rain on your wedding day and a black fly in your Chardonnay.
Over the past few years, PSG have invested upwards of half a billion dollars in transfer frees alone for the all-star forward line of Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Mauro Icardi. However, a striker that cost absolutely nothing is currently making waves at the French club.
With Icardi sidelined, Neymar leaving the pitch in the the first half due to injury against Istanbul Basaksehir in Wednesday's Champions League 2-0 win, it was Moise Kean who came through with a brace to make it four goals for PSG in the past two games.
The 20-year-old Italian forward was an extremely late loan pick up from Everton, a footballer who had shown great promise at Juventus but whose career had started to stall. Indeed, the two goals that Kean scored against Dijon at the weekend, equalled the tally that Kean managed at Everton all last season.
Yet, it is Kean who is pictured alongside Mbappe on the front cover of Thursday's edition of L'Equipe with the paper declaring that it is the on-loan youngster who "saves Paris."
"This will give me the strength to continue working hard," said Kean after the game. It's likely that the Italian will have to keep working hard as Neymar is likely miss out on this weekend's Ligue 1 clash against Nantes that is live on beIN CONNECT at 4PM on Saturday.
The Sports Burst live show will look at whether the on-loan forward might be PSG's surprise star this season. Head to our beIN SPORTS USA Facebook page and XTRA channel at 12PM ET.
Koeman lauds best performance of season for Barcelona
Another youngster was lighting up the Champions League on Wednesday, with the performance of the 17-year-old Pedri being lauded on the front pages of sports papers in Spain.
Indeed, Barca as a whole was giving off good vibes after a 2-0 win at Juventus that Ronald Koeman claimed was "our best game all season."
The question now is whether the result was coincidence or causation in terms of the resignation of former club president, Josep Bartomeu and his board, the night before the game. The latter is the hint from Sergi Roberto after the match, who said that the win in Turin was "the best response we could give to the turmoil."
The question now is whether that form can continue into the weekend with Barcelona - currently in mid-table - at Alaves to tail end 'Super Saturday 2!' on beIN SPORTS which sees Real Madrid, Sevilla, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona back-to-back-to-back-to-back all day from 9AM ET.
Remember - outside is bad - be in with beIN and let the likes of George D. Metellus, Phil Schoen and Ray Hudson sooth you through the day.
Timothy Weah's faces past and present
The Europa League is back with matchday 2 of the competition. And continuing the spirit of being positive about the competition for once, Sports Burst has found not one but two intriguing games on Thursday.
Lille are hosting Celtic in what is the Timothy Weah Derby - the American striker's current club facing his former team. Weah has struggled to break into the forward line of a Lille side that is lighting it up in Ligue 1 this season - second place in the standings and undefeated - but could see his chance to shine ahead of Sunday's league clash against Lyon that is live, live, live on Sunday at 3PM ET.
Current leaders of LaLiga - the mighty Real Sociedad - are hosting Napoli in Anoeta.
The Copa Sudamericana continues across the beIN SPORTS network with six games. The competition is at the second round stage and it's home and away knockouts, so the action has been fierce so far.
Also coming up today on beIN XTRA - free, free, free - is another edition of Karate Combat at 11PM ET.