Kylian Mbappe is fit to start for Paris Saint-Germain against RB Leipzig in Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final in Lisbon, says coach Thomas Tuchel.
The French striker has been struggling with an ankle injury in recent weeks.
But he came off the bench to help PSG beat Atalanta in the last eight and has trained since that game last Wednesday.
“He played for 30 minutes against Atalanta and had no reaction and had six days since to work on fitness, so of course he can start,” said Tuchel.
“We will decide after training whether he can play 90 minutes.”
Mbappe, 21, came on last against Atalanta with his team trailing 1-0 to the Italian side but inspired PSG to a late victory, setting up the winner for Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting in injury time after Marquinhos had levelled in the 90th minute.
He has scored 30 in 35 appearances in all competitions this season, including five in eight in the Champions League.
‘Neymar is a different leader’
Mbappe’s return to fitness will restore his potent attacking partnership with Brazilian forward Neymar, who has 19 goals in 25 starts this campaign and has impressed his manager with his leadership qualities.
“Since I arrived he has always been a leader. A different leader, not as everyone understands him, but with his qualities, his confidence, his courage in the field, his will to win,” said German Tuchel. “He loves competition and you need that to be a leader.
“We also created a group with players like Ander Herrera, Pablo Sarabia, Keylor Navas and others, guys who know very well how to live together, created a collective atmosphere. Perhaps this is the key to seeing Neymar on another level.”
As well as Mbappe, Tuchel will also have Argentine winger Angel di Maria available following suspension.
However, goalkeeper Keylor Navas, previously a Champions League winner with Real Madrid, is out with a thigh injury after coming off hurt late in the quarter-final, meaning Sergio Rico is likely to start.
In addition, midfielder Idrissa Gana Gueye is a major doubt, according to the club, because of a muscle injury.
For PSG, Tuesday’s game represents a first European Cup/Champions League semi-final since 1995, having reached the last 16 for the previous three seasons and the quarter-finals four campaigns on the bounce before that.
“We are living in the moment. We deserve to be here because we have had an extraordinary season,” said Tuchel, whose team won a domestic treble in France.
“We are absolutely ready, the hunger is there, but this is not a historic moment, it is a semi-final and we are here to make the most of all the hard work we have put in and to win it.”
‘We’ll try to take the game by the scruff of the neck’
RB Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann, who worked together with Tuchel in Augsburg’s reserves 12 years ago, believes the best way to try and combat PSG’s attacking players is to defend as a unit.
“You can’t foresee what Neymar and Mbappe could do, they’re top players. We need to defend them as a team,” he said. “It’ll be difficult, but we need to make them work and put them under pressure.
“We have to avoid losing the ball, because PSG are very strong on the counter-attack, but we’ll try to take the game by the scruff of the neck.”
Tuesday’s game will also RB Leipzig’s first Champions League semi-final appearance, in just their second time in the competition.
Even more remarkable is that 11 years ago they were competing in the fifth tier of German football.
They have reached this stage under the guidance of Nagelsmann in his debut season in charge at the club.
At 33, he is the youngest coach in history to reach a Champions League semi-final.
Like PSG, they scored late to seal their place in the last four, with Tyler Adams netting the winner against Atletico Madrid in the 88th minute after Joao Felix had cancelled out Dani Olmo’s opener for the German side.
Josh2Funny’s Album Has Fans Talking — But Should He Stick To Music Or Skits? 😂🎶
Nigerian comedian and content creator Josh2Funny has taken his comedy game into music, and Nigerians are definitely having something to say about it.
The comedian released his 15-track album, “On Behalf of Josh,” on July 10, 2026, but instead of fading away after release, the project has continued to generate conversations on X.
And the big question now is:
Should Josh2Funny continue with music or go back to skits? 😂
Fans have been divided. While some listeners openly criticized the album and told him to return to comedy, others found songs they genuinely enjoyed.
One X user joked:
“Josh2Funny stopped doing skits and started music, Everybody wan chop this music money 😂”
Another simply said:
“This Josh2Funny Album no enter make he just go back skit abeg 😂”
But then came “Lembe.” 🔥
The track caught fire on X and eventually became a trending topic in Nigeria. The #LembeChallenge also gained momentum as creators began jumping on the song.
Josh2Funny later announced ₦1 million for winners of the challenge, giving the song another major push.
And it didn’t stop there.
‘INTERNATIONAL’ FT. ICE PRINCE ALSO TRENDED
On another day, “International” featuring Ice Prince generated its own buzz on X.
One fan even called it their favourite song from the album, while praising the collaboration. The post itself pulled thousands of views, showing that people weren’t only talking about Lembe.
From album criticism to trending songs and challenges, “On Behalf of Josh” has kept Josh2Funny’s name in the conversation.
Whether you love the album or think he should return to skits, one thing is clear:
Josh2Funny has succeeded in getting Nigerians talking. 😂🔥
So, let’s settle this once and for all:
Should Josh2Funny continue with MUSIC 🎶 or return to SKITS 😂?
Music or Skits? Drop your answer! 👇
RUAN-Badkid.96 is a Nigerian recording artist whose music refuses to live inside a single genre. Blending Afrobeat, Afrofusion, trap, hip-hop, melodic rap, R&B, and global influences, he creates records that move effortlessly between raw street energy, soulful storytelling, and infectious melodies. Whether delivering hard-hitting bars, emotional love songs, or rhythm-driven African records, his sound is defined by authenticity rather than limitation.
Inspired by both African culture and international music, RUAN-Badkid.96 embraces the confidence and ambition of global hip-hop while staying deeply connected to his roots. His lyrics explore love, heartbreak, betrayal, friendship, social injustice, hope, and the everyday realities of life. He doesn’t create music to follow trends, he creates music to reflect truth, emotion, and human experience.
Behind his fearless image is an artist who believes in kindness, equality, justice, and genuine human connection. His appearance may be intimidating, but his message is rooted in compassion and authenticity. Every record carries a piece of his journey, proving that strength and vulnerability can exist in the same voice.
For RUAN-Badkid.96, music is more than entertainment, it’s a language, a testimony, and a lifelong mission to connect with people through honesty, versatility, and unforgettable sound.
Entertainment Gists
Meet the Man Who Turned Hype Into a Science: Emmy Blaq, Nigeria’s G.O.A.T. of Hype
If you have ever been at a Nigerian event and found yourself on your feet before the main act even stepped on stage, there is a good chance a hype man was responsible. But not just any hype man. Emmy Blaq, born Ikechukwu Emmanuel Chima and raised in Auchi, Edo State, has spent the last few years quietly becoming the most talked-about name in that profession, and the Nigerian press has taken notice. Punch, Vanguard, The Guardian Nigeria, The Nation, and Independent Newspaper have all sat down with him, and every conversation leads back to the same thing: this man does not just make noise; he makes moments.
What makes Emmy Blaq different is the journey behind the energy. Before the stages, the collaborations with Waje on her “Waje 2.0” album, DJ Consequence, and DJ Kaywise on the massively streamed “Joor Party Mix” series, he was repairing generators, cutting hair, and sewing clothes in Auchi. His first professional hype gig happened at a local fast food spot called Valchi, and the crowd response that night changed everything. He told The Nation directly: “My passion for entertainment and desire to make people happy led me into the craft.” Punch also captured his bigger mission when he said that hype men deserve more than what they currently earn, a statement that sparked a real conversation across Nigerian entertainment circles.
With over 1.7 million TikTok followers, 23.6 million TikTok likes, a viral “Wife Material” challenge that landed on Pulse Nigeria’s top ten social media moments of 2021, and an international performance at the Cameroon International Music Festival that Cameroonian media described as electrifying, Emmy Blaq is not building toward something. He is already there. The G.O.A.T. of Hype is not a title he gave himself and hoped would stick. It is one the rooms keep confirming every single time he grabs the mic.
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