Paris Saint-Germain president makes ‘difficult’ claim involving Newcastle United

Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has reacted to the Champions League group stage draw.

The draw took place on Thursday evening in Monaco with Newcastle United drawn into Group F along with PSG, Germain giants Borussia Dortmund and Italian powerhouse AC Milan.

The group has already been labelled the ‘group of death’ and Al-Khelaifi agrees it’ll be difficult to qualify for the knockout stages.

“Listen, it will be difficult but not just difficult for us, difficult for them also,” said the Qatari businessman. “For sure, it is difficult but what do we want, what do we love? Competition. This is the best competition in the world. The players, the coach, they love to play the big matches. I always take the positive.

“We must now be obligated, the staff, the players, the fans, to be ready for this group. This means that we have to work harder, give everything.

“I feel in the last three matches that we have played, we are really on the right track. The style of play, the coach… I am sure that we will improve. The players will improve, physically and technically.

“ We are an ambitious club, we will work, but for me it is about taking it match by match, step by step.”

Al-Khelaifi is the chairman of beIN Sport, who initially opposed the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia-led takeover before the piracy issue in the Gulf Kingdom was resolved days before the £305million deal was announced in October 2021.