Lionel Messi is to be formally announced as a Paris Saint-Germain player later today. The 34-year-old joins the Qatar-owned club after nearly 20 golden years with FC Barcelona, linking up with the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Sergio Ramos as the Parisians bid to lift their first ever European Cup, under the watch of former Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino. Argentina star Messi signed a two-year contract in the French capital yesterday,in a deal which will see him earn around €35 million per year. On his move, which has sent shockwaves around the football world, he said: "I am excited to begin a new chapter of my career at Paris Saint-Germain. Everything about the club matches my football ambitions. I know how talented the squad and the coaching staff are here. I am determined to help build something special for the club and the fans, and I am looking forward to stepping out onto the pitch at the Parc des Princes." Elsewhere tonight European champions Chelsea take on Europa League winners Villarreal in the Uefa Super Cup at Windsor Park in Belfast (kick-off 8pm), while last night Rangers crashed out of the Champions League qualifiers after a 2-1 home defeat to Malmo in front of a full house at Ibrox.
In his column this morning Darragh Ó Sé has looked ahead to Saturday evening's tantalising All-Ireland semi-final clash between Dublin and Mayo (throw-in 6pm). And he has paid tribute to the leadership of James Horan, who has kept Mayo consistently challenging since he returned as manager in 2018, in what was supposed to be a transitional period for the county. He writes: "And then look at Horan's record in his second stint - All-Ireland semi-final in his first year, All-Ireland final in his second and now another All-Ireland semi-final in his third. Everybody - and I include myself in this - had written them off for a while." However despite this he believes beating the Dubs on Saturday will prove a step too far for Horan's young side: "Plenty of people think they will take Dublin this weekend but I have my doubts. Mayo haven't beaten Dublin in league or championship since 2012 - hardly any of these Dublin players have any idea what it's like to lose to them."
Elsewhere this morning John Ledingham - Ireland's equestrian coach for the Modern Pentathlon at the Olympics - has reflected on scenes in Tokyo which he believes brought the sport into disrepute. This is after the horse Saint Boy refused at a number of fences, leaving German rider Annika Schleu in floods of tears as her medal chances disappeared. He writes: "In the Modern Pentathlon the athletes do not ride their own horses; they are given horses to ride, and while I appreciate that horse selection is a lottery, it is essential that the horses selected by the organisers of the Modern Pentathlon for the riding phase should have experience and a proven record in competition, be mentally strong, and be used to being ridden by different riders."
And Kellie Harrington, one of Ireland's stars of the Tokyo Olympics, arrived home in north Dublin yesterday as the celebrations continued after her gold medal victory on Sunday morning. "My head is just ready to explode. I've never experienced this before," she said on arrival at Dublin airport before an open top bus parade the boxer through the streets of the north inner city on her way back to Portland Row.
