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  • PSG vs Bayern preview: Clash between two elite pressing teams leaves no margin for error

    PSG vs Bayern preview: Clash between two elite pressing teams leaves no margin for error

    Two of the teams at the FIFA Club World Cup who are best at pressing will meet on Saturday when Paris Saint-Germain take on Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

    PSG have recorded a PPDA (passes per defensive action) of 7.3 across four games, meaning they wait for the least amount of opposition actions in possession before trying to win the ball back. Bayern are just behind on 7.8 and marginally edge PSG in possessions won in the attacking third (28 to PSG’s 26).

    Despite the on-ball quality of both teams, the defining theme of the match in Georgia could be their out-of-possession activity. Here, The Athletic explains why.


    Bayern and PSG have already met once this season. That Champions League league-phase clash in Germany ended 1-0 to Bayern, with Kim Min-jae scoring the game’s only goal from a corner in the 38th minute. The winner was created by Bayern crowding the six-yard box to create chaos, a PSG weakness that Arsenal also targeted in the semi-finals.

    Bayern scored their first against Flamengo in the last 16 of the Club World Cup on June 29 — an Erick Pulgar own-goal — from a similar situation. The match was a testament to Bayern’s pressing ability too, with both of Harry Kane’s goals coming from forcing turnovers in Flamengo’s defensive third.

    Bayern’s pressing structure saw Kane operate as the focal point in a system that aimed to compress space and divert Flamengo to the wings. In this example from the 25th minute, Joshua Kimmich joins Michael Olise and Kane to create a numerical superiority on the right wing. Left-back Josip Stanisic’s positioning in-field allows Kimmich to wander forward, while right-back Konrad Laimer presses the retreating Luiz Araujo.

    Laimer harries Araujo back to near his own box and stretches to win the ball, with the move ending in a shot (second frame below).

    Bayern used a similar approach in the November meeting against PSG. Jamal Musiala, who will be fit for Saturday’s match, leads the press while Kane drops to mark Vitinha. PSG’s centre-backs Marquinhos and Willian Pacho are some distance away from goalkeeper Matvey Safonov, whose only option is to lob a pass to Achraf Hakimi.

    Safonov overhits the pass — a theme throughout the game due to Bayern’s pressing — but Hakimi may have struggled anyway with Kingsley Coman in close vicinity. Any pass to Warren Zaire-Emery in midfield is difficult too, due to Kim pushing out of defence.

    Vitinha eventually began dropping deep to receive from Safonov, but Bayern were prepared. Below, Musiala presses him again while Leon Goretzka and Kimmich can mark Fabian Ruiz and Joao Neves respectively due to Alphonso Davies inverting to switch onto Zaire-Emery (like Stanisic does above with Gerson). Laimer (not in frame) and Coman are ready to pounce on PSG’s full-backs.

    PSG have looked susceptible at the back at times at the Club World Cup, giving the ball away in their defensive third 10 times across four matches. Bayern will punish any such lapses of concentration.


    So, what is the solution?

    The full-backs are crucial to Bayern’s out-of-possession set-up and Flamengo found a way to eliminate their impact. In this example, Gerson and Araujo occupy Stanisic and Laimer, while Gonzalo Plata and Giorgian de Arrascaeta do the same to their centre-backs. That leaves Goretzka in an odd position and with Serge Gnabry shifting towards the left, Pulgar has space to receive and turn.

    The pinning technique worked further up the pitch, too. In the seventh minute, Gerson receives with Stanisic closing him down and passes back into midfield. With Gnabry focused on an open player in midfield and Coman trying to double up on Gerson, two passes to find right-back Wesley’s run turns this into a transition-like situation.

    Flamengo used a variation of the same in Bayern’s box to score their opener. As Araujo crosses from the left, De Arrascaeta is in space in the box due to Goretzka and Bayern’s defensive line dropping too deep. Gnabry is ball-watching, which allows Gerson to meet De Arrascaeta’s flick-on and score with a first-time shot.

    PSG’s midfielders have a goalscoring knack and will punish these situations if they arise.


    After the November loss to Bayern, Luis Enrique admitted that PSG “struggled under the pressure of our opponents”. A simple tweak that should help — as it has since the turn of the year — is keeping their defenders closer to goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

    Inter Miami, their round-of-16 opponents at the Club World Cup, struggled to cope with PSG’s build-up shape and the constant movement of their midfielders.

    Miami’s press lacks cohesion and shifts to defensive mode as soon as Fabian collects the ball and turns forward.

    Bayern will not make it this easy, but PSG’s strength is in their versatility.

    In the Champions League final, Inter man-marked Vitinha and Joao Neves but Donnarumma simply lobbed a pass to Khvicha Kvaratskhelia on the wing, with Fabian in between the lines to collect.

    The alternate strategy was similar to Flamengo’s ploy that hurt Bayern. Against Arsenal, one of Europe’s best teams out of possession, in the Champions League semi-finals, Vitinha and Joao Neves were once again marked tightly.

    While PSG’s midfield all moved into central areas in the November meeting against Bayern, this time, they completely vacate that space, which is filled by Ousmane Dembele.

    That drags a centre-back and forward out of the pressing shape, freeing up Joao Neves to receive and pass out wide.


    There is also PSG’s suffocating press to be considered. Enrique’s side squeeze teams by pushing forward in unison and remove any inside options, often forcing teams to go long, backwards or risk giving the ball away at the back.

    This was on show against Atletico Madrid in their Club World Cup opener in which they won possession back eight times in the attacking third.

    This example in the moments prior to one of them details how PSG suffocate teams by positioning players in areas that allow them to cover multiple zones.

    Atletico are forced back, and PSG apply the squeeze again. As goalkeeper Jan Oblak receives the pass, Desire Doue curves his run based on Oblak’s body shape to put him off passing down the middle. Senny Mayulu initially jogs towards the expected recipient, Clement Lenglet.

    Mayulu closes Lenglet down before he can pass, controls the ball, and wins a corner.


    While Bayern’s defence is secure on the ball, they have not faced a press this suffocating so far at the tournament. Their backline and midfield pivot lacks explosive speed, which may be crucial to breaking past the PSG press, so head coach Vincent Kompany will need to find innovative solutions while ensuring Bayern’s press from the front is perfect.

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  • “Astounding” Results: Blocking One Enzyme Brings Parkinson’s-Damaged Cells Back to Life – SciTechDaily

    1. “Astounding” Results: Blocking One Enzyme Brings Parkinson’s-Damaged Cells Back to Life  SciTechDaily
    2. Blocking enzyme saved mice from known Parkinson’s mechanism  Fierce Biotech
    3. Experimental Drug Shows Parkinson’s Potential  Inside Precision Medicine
    4. Parkinson’s Breakthrough Could Help Prevent Brain Cell Loss  Newsweek

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  • VBTV to offer free access on World Volleyball Day

    VBTV will offer free access to all fans on 7 July 2025 as part of the inaugural World Volleyball Day, giving viewers around the world the chance to watch top competitions including the Volleyball Nations League and the Beach Pro Tour at no cost.

    The one-day offer is available through VBTV upon signing up.

    World Volleyball Day invites the global volleyball community to unite in celebration of the sport. From beaches and courts to parks and playgrounds, players and fans are encouraged to showcase how volleyball inspires, unites and empowers communities everywhere.

    Supporters can also share videos of their favourite moments, best plays or what the sport means to them. By posting with the hashtag #WorldVolleyballDay, fans can take part in the global conversation. Highlights will be shared on Instagram throughout the day.

    Fans can also win prizes by uploading their videos here and taking part in the celebration.

    In addition, fans can enjoy 10% off all merchandise at the Volleyball World Shop on 7 July only. The discount will be applied automatically at checkout.

    For more information, visit World Volleyball Day.

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  • Palmeiras 1-2 Chelsea: Estevao Willian shines as Blues reach Club World Cup semi-final

    Palmeiras 1-2 Chelsea: Estevao Willian shines as Blues reach Club World Cup semi-final

    Estevao Willian could hardly have introduced himself to Chelsea in a better way.

    When the 18-year-old Brazilian smashed home an equaliser for Palmeiras against the Blues from an almost impossible angle on Saturday – Chelsea fans could have been forgiven for feeling a little bit excited.

    Yes, he had just equalised against their side in the Club World Cup quarter-final but it was also a thrilling glimpse of the talent Chelsea have signed in a deal that could eventually be worth £52m.

    A late Palmeiras own goal meant it was ultimately Chelsea looking forward to a semi-final against Fluminense, but Estevao’s last game for the Brazilians was certainly a memorable one.

    The Blues beat the likes of Bayern Munich, Paris St-Germain and Manchester City to sign the Palmeiras wonderkid last summer – before allowing him to stay in Brazil last season and to play for the Brazilians in this summer’s Club World Cup.

    And, while they may have been regretting that decision as his direct running and silky skills tormented them in Philadelphia, anyone connected with Chelsea can’t fail but to be excited by what they saw.

    Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca said: “Happy because we won and also happy because Estevao scored, the perfect night.

    “He is very good, a huge talent, fantastic player. The only thing is when you come from South America or another part of the world is that you need to adapt.

    “We are going to help him to adapt, be happy and enjoy football. We have no doubt he will be an important player for Chelsea.”

    The forward was a constant threat down Palmeiras’s right, had the most touches in Chelsea’s box for his side (8), and was awarded man of the match for his display.

    Blues midfielder Cole Palmer, who was pictured talking to him after the final whistle, added: “You can see he is a top player, so it is very exciting.

    “I just said we are excited for you to join, but he didn’t understand a single word I said.”

    Estevao and Palmeiras manager Abel Ferreira were tearful at the post-match press conference as they reflected on their time together.

    Ferreira said: “I spoke before with Maresca and told him ‘you bought an amazing player but more than this you bought an amazing person’.

    “You need to take care of him. You need to embrace him and in the beginning for sure he will make mistakes. Like you saw today he is an amazing player with a lot of skill. He is a player who can win a game alone.”

    Estevao, said: “Palmeiras opened the door for me. I was deeply happy in Palmeiras and my family knows how happy I was.

    “I’m very happy I could score a goal to help my club unfortunately this wasn’t the result we wanted but we gave our best on the pitch and now I am moving on.”

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  • Apple races to box office glory with Brad Pitt’s F1 blockbuster – Financial Times

    Apple races to box office glory with Brad Pitt’s F1 blockbuster – Financial Times

    1. Apple races to box office glory with Brad Pitt’s F1 blockbuster  Financial Times
    2. ’F1’ opens with $55 million, delivering Apple its biggest big-screen hit  The Hindu
    3. F1 streaming and digital release date: When and where to watch Brad Pitt’s thriller online  The Economic Times
    4. ‘F1’ box office collections day 8: Racing film nears Rs 40 crore mark in India  Times of India
    5. Brad Pitt Scored An A In His ‘F1′ Drivers’ Education  Hollywood Outbreak

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  • China’s Rare Earth Origin Story, Explained – The New York Times

    1. China’s Rare Earth Origin Story, Explained  The New York Times
    2. China reassures Europe on rare earth supply amid export controls  Pakistan Today
    3. Wang: Sino-German ties significant for global stability, development  chinadailyasia.com
    4. Can the U.S. Reduce Its Reliance on Imported Rare Earth Elements?  Econofact
    5. Infographic: Who controls rare earth processing?  Mining.com

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  • Google Messages profiles could be close to receiving a Material 3 Expressive face lift

    Google Messages profiles could be close to receiving a Material 3 Expressive face lift

    Google has been adding a dash of the Material 3 Expressive design to several apps as part of the Android 16 QPR1 beta program. These changes will presumably reach stable Android 16 Pixel users when the next Pixel Feature Drop occurs in September. The latest Material 3 Expressive sighting shows that Google is preparing to make some Material 3 Expressive design changes to the Google Messages profile page.

    Found in Google Messages v20250701 beta is code that brings Material 3 Expressive to the buttons on the profile page. The buttons under the person’s phone number on the profile page are changed from circles to pill or lozenge-shaped. These buttons will be highlighted and also change their shape and get wider when you press on them. When your finger is removed from the buttons, they revert back to their original size and shape.

    While the code was discovered in the latest Google Messages release, it is not available yet for users even those who are Google Messages beta users. Even though my Pixel 6 Pro is running the correct version of Google Messages, it is not showing the new feature as I write this. By the way, my Pixel 6 Pro is running Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2.1. The buttons getting the Material 3 face lift are Call, Video, Contact Info, and Search.

    Word to the wise. Just because Google has embedded this code inside the Google Messages app, it doesn’t mean that the changes mentioned in this article will definitely be coming to Google Messages. However, it does indicate that Google has been working on such a feature. This might not be a game changer for Android users, but does fit within the Material 3 Expressive philosophy which is to make digital products like smartphones feel like an extension of the user

    This is accomplished by using the visual design and interaction of Material 3 Expressive. At the same time, this design language should deliver wonderful experiences to users.

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  • ‘Will AI take my job?’ A trip to a Beijng fortune-telling bar to see what lies ahead | China

    ‘Will AI take my job?’ A trip to a Beijng fortune-telling bar to see what lies ahead | China

    In the age of self-help, self-improvement and self-obsession, there have never been more places to look to for guidance. Where the anxious and the uncertain might have once consulted a search engine for answers, now we can engage in a seemingly meaningful discussion about our problems with ChatGPT. Or, if you’re in China, DeepSeek.

    To some, though, it feels as if our ancestors knew more about life than we do. Or at least, they knew how to look for them. And so it is that scores of young Chinese are turning to ancient forms of divination to find out what the future holds. In the past couple of years, fortune-telling bars have been popping up in China’s cities, offering drinks and snacks alongside xuanxue, or spiritualism. The trend makes sense: China’s economy is struggling, and although consumers are saving their pennies, going out for a drink is cheaper than other forms of retail therapy or an actual therapist. With a deep-rooted culture of mysticism that blends Daoist, Buddhist and folk practices, which have defied decades of the government trying to stamp out superstitious beliefs, for many Chinese people, turning to the unseen makes perfect sense.

    Fortune telling sticks, or qiuqian, in a Beijing bar. Photograph: Amy Hawkins/The Guardian

    This week, I decided to join them.

    My xuanxue haunt of choice is Qie Le, a newly opened bar in Beijing’s wealthy Chaoyang district. On a Thursday evening, the bar, adorned with yellow Taoist talismans and draped translucent curtains, is quiet. All the better for hogging the fortune-teller’s attention with questions from my deep wells of narcissism. But Wan Mo, either because of her spiritual intuition or because I am not the first self-involved millennial to seek her services, sees me coming a mile off. It’s strictly one question per drink bought.

    Wan Mo, a stylish 36-year-old dressed in a loose white Tang-style jacket fastened with traditional Chinese knots, specialises in qiuqian, or Chinese lottery sticks. The practice involves shaking a cylindrical wooden container full of wooden sticks, while focusing on a question in your mind. Eventually, one of the sticks, engraved with text and numerals, falls out, and a fortune-teller can interpret the answer. Qiuqian dates back to the Jin dynasty (AD266 to AD420) and has survived centuries of war, upheaval, a Cultural Revolution and the rise of artificial intelligence to remain a stalwart of Taoist temples, and now, Beijing cocktail bars.

    So I’m hoping that qiuqian will be well placed to answer my first question: Will AI take my job?

    “Use both hands,” Wan Mo says firmly. She is a no-nonsense savant. “Focus on your question.” She tells me that as a foreigner, my connection with the sticks might not be as profound as a Chinese person’s. So I need to “think carefully”.

    After a few seconds of focused yet vigorous shaking, not one but two sticks drop on to the table between us.

    Wan Mo studies the first one. “This stick means that later on, AI will have an impact on your job … even though you’re very talented, you can’t compete with its scale. For example, if you write one article, it can write 10. It will definitely affect you.”

    Qie Le, a newly opened bar in Beijing’s wealthy Chaoyang district. Photograph: Amy Hawkins/The Guardian

    This is not the spiritual salve I was hoping for. Wan Mo tells me that the second stick even provides a timeline for my professional redundancy. “It says that within one to three years, there won’t be a major impact. But after three years, AI will become a major force.”

    Wan Mo’s predictions don’t leave me full of hope for my next question. But in the spirit of xuanxue, I decide to try my luck again, and order another round. We take a brief break for Wan Mo to have a cigarette break and catch up with a friend who has wandered into the bar. His chipper demeanour makes me think that he is yet to discover that AI will take his job – or he’s just made his peace with it.

    Eventually I muster up enough liquid courage to ask my second question. Wan Mo’s stern demeanour sends a slight chill through my hands as I grasp the qiuqian box for the second time. Shake, shake, shake. Think, think, think. A single wooden stick falls out of the container.

    “Will I get a pay rise?” I ask, tentatively. The answer comes unnervingly quickly.

    “There’s not much possibility at the moment. Although [the stick] is about transition … it shows there is no major change … There is some hope, but it’s not immediate. You need to make some personal adjustments.”

    I ask what kind of personal adjustments I could make, hoping that she won’t make me order another drink to find out.

    The fortune table at Qie Le in Beijing. Photograph: Amy Hawkins/The Guardian

    “If you want a pay rise, xuanxue can only offer support,” she demurs. “For example, the bracelet I’m wearing is for attracting wealth. It’s made from natural materials … we’d recommend wearing something like this. It can help bring in some financial luck and may have a positive effect. But the most important thing is still communicating with the superiors.”

    I am not sure if she means my spiritual or editorial superiors. But with that my time is up. Wan Mo’s friend says that everyone comes to Qie Le with the same kinds of questions: how to get rich, stay healthy, find love. I feel as if all I’ve discovered is how dim my chances are on the first question, and it’s getting too late to ask the second and third. I slink off home to get some sleep before my early start the next day. I bet AI doesn’t have to worry about feeling tired.

    Additional research by Lillian Yang

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  • Today’s Hurdle hints and answers for July 5, 2025

    Today’s Hurdle hints and answers for July 5, 2025

    If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

    There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it’ll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

    An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

    If you find yourself stuck at any step of today’s Hurdle, don’t worry! We have you covered.

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    Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers

    Hurdle Word 1 hint

    An advantage.

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    Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted.

    Hurdle Word 1 answer

    ASSET

    Hurdle Word 2 hint

    To splash.

    Mashable Top Stories

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    Wordle today: Answer, hints for July 5, 2025

    Hurdle Word 2 Answer

    SLOSH

    Hurdle Word 3 hint

    Where one might plant a kiss.

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    NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for July 5

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    Hurdle Word 3 answer

    CHEEK

    Hurdle Word 4 hint

    A slope.

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    Hurdle Word 4 answer

    SLANT

    Final Hurdle hint

    A loather.

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    Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable

    Hurdle Word 5 answer

    HATER

    If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

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  • China’s first Legoland builds Great Wall replica to lure under-pressure consumers – Financial Times

    China’s first Legoland builds Great Wall replica to lure under-pressure consumers – Financial Times

    1. China’s first Legoland builds Great Wall replica to lure under-pressure consumers  Financial Times
    2. China’s first LEGOLAND resort opens in Shanghai  Xinhua
    3. World’s Biggest Legoland Adds to China’s Amusement Park Glut  Bloomberg.com
    4. World’s Biggest LEGOLAND Opens In Shanghai On July 5: Here’s What Fans Can Experience  Travel and Leisure Asia
    5. China Legoland  New Castle News

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