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Borussia Dortmund have confirmed they will be without Jadon Sancho, Raphael Guerreiro and Giovanni Reyna for Saturday's Bundesliga match against Bayern Munich. 

Sancho and Guerreiro sustained injuries in the DFB-Pokal quarter-final win against Borussia Monchengladbach on Wednesday. Guerreiro went down with a calf problem early in the clash and was replaced by Nico Schulz after five minutes.

Sancho, meanwhile, was substituted shortly after he scored the winning goal midway through the second half. He is said to have sustained a thigh injury.

What has been said?

Dortmund boss Edin Terzic said at a press conference that he was holding out hope for the duo to make the squad for Der Klassiker, telling reporters: "Jadon Sancho and Raphael Guerreiro were examined immediately after the Gladbach game, and we need to further test them.

"It could be tight for both of them, but we're not giving up hope that they will fly to Munich with us tomorrow."

But Dortmund have since confirmed that they will not make the trip to Munich, while Reyna has also been left out.

The club have not given a specific reason for the 18-year-old United States international's absence.

Who could fill in for the absent stars?

Reyna would have been an option to replace Sancho in the starting XI, but they have Thorgan Hazard as an alternate option while Schulz could again take Guerreiro's spot.

Dortmund are currently fifth in the German top flight, sitting 13 points behind leaders Bayern heading into Saturday's game.

They will then turn their attention to Champions League action three days later when they host Sevilla in the second leg of the last-16 tie.

Further reading

If you're a neutral watching a game, a penalty shoot-out can be one of the most exciting moments in football.

If you're a supporter of either team involved in a shoot-out that will determine progress to the next state of the competition, however – or even award victory in a final – they can be obscenely painful and nerve-wracking.

But are successful penalty shoot-out victories counted as "wins" when counting overall club victories, and are penalties converted in shoot-outs considered proper "goals" as part of a player's individual scoring record? Goal takes a look.

Is a penalty shoot-out considered a win or a draw?

As far as official statistical purposes go, the penalty shoot-out itself is most often considered separate from the original match that it follows.

A single-legged knockout game that requires a penalty shoot-out to determine the result, however, is considered a draw for both teams, regardless of who won the shoot-out.

Two-legged fixtures are considered either as two draws, or sometimes one win and one loss.

So if a team is tallying up their number of consecutive wins without a loss, they might be tempted to include a game they won through a penalty shoot-out, though it would be an unofficial total (they could use an asterisk to denote the penalty shoot-out victory). But for official statistical purposes, penalty shoot-outs are not counted towards record runs.

Do penalties in shoot-outs count towards official goal totals?

Penalties scored during shoot-outs are not counted towards goals scored by individual players in their goal records, or for domestic and international top-scorer prizes such as the Premier League Golden Boot or the European Golden Shoe.

Penalties that are scored in regular time or extra time, however, are still counted towards individual goal-scoring tallies.

How do penalty shoot-outs work?

Penalty shoot-outs only take place during knockout tournaments, such as the last 16 of a major international competition like the World Cup, Euros or club competition like the Champions League.

They are tie-breakers used to determine the winner of the game if, by the end of regulation or extra time the score is still even. Only one team is able to progress to the next stage.

Rhulani Mokwena believes Saturday's Caf Champions League opponents, Tout Puissant Mazembe, would be in a better position in the competition's Group Stage were it not for the current Covid-19 pandemic.

Mazembe are winless in two outings, playing two out goalless draws against Belouizdad and Al Hilal Omdurman, leaving them four points behind Sundowns, who have won both their opening encounters.

Mokwena believes the Congolese giants, like Liverpool at Anfield, are a better and stronger team in front of their fans - who have not been able to access stadiums since the outbreak of the pandemic, globally.

''I think it's a little bit of an abnormal season, globally, where the big clubs lose that effect of the 12th man because of Covid and many other things, that restrict Mazembe in particular, because of the hostility that is created when everyone is here, it is a daunting environment,'' Mokwena told the media in a press conference.

''And if you look at the profile of the games that Mazembe have played, they lose that, for example, when they played them [matches] here. The profile of the team is a very aggressive team that wants to play to score and win the game.

''But you see a little bit of energy lacking because normally that energy is provided by the supporters, they give that extra push.

''And under normal circumstances, the game against Belouizdad doesn't end in a draw, they go on to win because of that extra push from the supporters.

''A very good case to point is Liverpool.

''Liverpool before Covid would amass almost two points per match at Anfield, but after Covid, Liverpool get 1.2 or 1-3 points per match at Anfield.

''So really, in all honesty, for the big clubs, they lose out, and at times, it feels as if the playing fields are a little bit more level.

''So, the mentality, the tactics - because at the end of the day it's 11 vs 11, it's not as daunting as it normally would be.''

Despite their struggles, Mokwena refused to underestimate Les Corbeaux and is wary of their quality.

On what to expect from Mazembe in Lubumbashi, Mokwena said: 'Last time we played them [Mazembe], we beat them in the Super Cup final, we hosted them in Pretoria.

"But of course, completely different profile, different coach, and almost a new squad except for a couple of senior experienced players like Reindford Kalaba still remain.

''But a very, very good team. One of the biggest on the African continent with a clear playing profile.

‘’Some very important players and some very good players,  [Thomas] Ulimwengu the 28, quick strong top-goal scorer, very impressive with good physicality.

''[Joseph] Ochaya also important for them, [he's] very good movement to overlap and get forward.

''[Moustapha] Kouyate also important, can play as right-wing and can play as a striker, deadly. Good movements and dominant in the air also to create second ball situations for Mazembe, particularly for the wingers to run behind.

''But they are very strong with good defense.  [Tandi] Mwape and [Kabaso] Chongo are their two preferred centre-back pairing.

"Zambians with very good experience and ability to control the defensive line whether to hold a high-line or defend a little bit deeper.

''So, we've watched the team and they can cause you a lot of problems with transitions because of the speed that they have, the counterattack is quick and deadly.

''And also, they have set pieces that they can trouble you with, and then, of course, it's the individual brilliance of the players.

''But generally, a very good team, well-coached with good skills.''

The Brazilians sit on top of Group B with six points and can guarantee themselves a place in the quarter-finals if they beat the Mihayo Kazembe-coached side.

Swedish Damallsvenskan side Djurgardens have secured the services of Cameroon striker Alexandra Takounda, on a one-year deal.

The Stockholm-based outfit has agreed a deal in principle with the Indomitable Lionesses star from Eclair, despite the transfer still being subject to a medical.

The transfer brought to an end the 20-year-old's journey with Cameroonian Women's Premier League outfit Eclair, where she shaped up her football career since joining from Lorema in 2014.

Highlights of her breakthrough years at Eclair saw the youngster distinguish herself as she claimed the country's women's top-flight top-scorer award, netting 32 times in 2018.

With her incredible talent, she was included in the Indomitable Lionesses squad to the 2019 Women's World Cup and she was one of the youngest players on the travelling party to France.

Team director Jean Balawo is excited over his side's signing of the Cameroon hotshot for the new Damallsvenskan campaign.

"It has been no secret that DIF has been chasing an offensive edge ahead of the year and with Alexandra Takounda's arrival," Balawo told the club website.

"In the situation we are in right now, we have looked at some interesting offensive alternatives.

"We have come to the conclusion that Alexandra has the potential to become an asset for us both in the short term but above all in the long term with her physique and work capacity. 

"It may take a while for her to adapt to Swedish football and we understand that. Looking forward to following her development under Pierre and August's leadership."

Commenting on her switch, Takounda, who has been previously linked to Paris and Dijon in France, was in a joyous mood about securing her first professional move.

"It feels very fun to play for Djurgården and I look forward to coming to Stockholm soon," she said.

"I do not know much about Djurgården yet but I know a player with experience from Damallsvenskan who has told a lot. 

"Among other things, I have been told that the team has very enthusiastic supporters and that there is a good level of football in Sweden."

On her strength and quality, she said: "I think others describe me best as a player. But should I say something myself, I am physically strong, fast, technical and good with both feet. 

"I also tend to be disciplined tactically when it comes to following the instructions from the coaches."

The striker is expected to arrive in Sweden in the coming days and she is eager to integrate herself immediately well into the team.

"I hope I get the trust of the coaches and get a lot of playing time," she added.

"I will give everything I have to contribute to the team, both on and off the field, and I also hope that together we will be a really strong team that can make good results. 

"Then I wish there could be an audience at the matches again, I have heard that it is not like that now in Sweden, but hopefully there will be better times when you can go to football again. 

"Everything is prepared for me and I am ready to come to Stockholm. So now I'm just waiting for the green light to go."

At Durjardens, she will become the third African on the books of the club, teaming up with South Africa's Linda Motlhalo and Ghana's Portia Boakye.

If she joins the Blaranderna in time, she could make her professional debut against Uppsala in the Swedish Women's Cup on March 13.

Kampala Capital City Authority recorded another big win when they defeated UPDF FC 6-1 in a Ugandan Premier League encounter on Friday at Lugogo's Omondi Stadium.

Sadat Anaku's brace, an own goal by Bright Vuni, Ashraf Mugume's strike, and a double from Charles Lwanga were enough to hand Kasasiro Boys yet another big win in the league.

The Soldiers, who have struggled in the recent past, scored the only goal via Brian Kayanja.

Anaku needed just five minutes on the pitch to put the hosts in the lead with a calm shot after he received an equally good pass from Gift Ali.

KCCA extended the lead in the 14th minute when Vuni put the ball into his own net while under pressure from the opponents.

Two minutes later, Mugume scored the third for the dominant former league champions as the lively Anaku gave him the fine assist.

In the 23rd minute, Lwanga scored the fourth goal as the Kasasiro Boys outwitted the visitors in the early moments of the first half, after Lwanga received a fine pass from Filbert Obencham to punish the disjointed Soldiers.

UPDF head coach Kefa Kisala made changes at the half-hour mark when he replaced Ibrahim Tembo and Sam Kintu with Ezekiel Katende and Arafat Kakonge.

Bright Anukani could have scored the fifth for the capital city side but his effort hit the woodwork instead while in the 42nd minute, Kayanja scored to deny KCCA a home clean sheet.

Obenchan was injured in the 44th minute and Mike Mutebi replaced him with Kato Nemeyimana. Lwanga added the fifth goal for KCCA in the 69th minute before Anaku scored the sixth one in the 78th minute.

The win was enough for KCCA to move to fourth and have now scored 14 goals in the last three games.

Meanwhile, Express FC needed a penalty by Frank Kalanda to beat Busoga United at Wankulukuku. Kalanda started as the Red Eagles played without the injured George Senakaba who is the current top scorer for the former champions.

The Red Eagles have now moved to the top of the table with 28 points but their place will be confirmed after Vipers SC play Mbarara City on Saturday.

Finally, Malaba Youth Development Association and Kitara FC fought to share points from a 2-2 draw at King George IV Memorial Stadium in Tororo.

Zakayo Kizito gave Kitara an early lead when he found the back of the net after he connected to a corner before they extended the lead in the 46th minute from Nathan Oloro.

Myda scored their first goal in the 67th minute via Ibrahim Nsimbe before Moses Batali equalised in the 90th minute to ensure the Premier League debutants shared the points.

Arsenal have reported a loss for the second financial year in a row, suffering a £47.8 million ($66m) loss in 2019-20.

The latest figures show the club's financial results until the end of May last year, before the end of the Premier League's three-month suspension because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Gunners declared a £27.1m ($37m) loss for the 2018-19 financial year, the first time the club had a loss since 2002.

How much did Arsenal lose?

The report states that £35m ($48m) of the last year's pre-tax losses that are attributable to Covid-19 are made up of £14m ($19m) of lost matchday revenues, the deferral of £34m ($47m) of broadcasting revenues into the next financial year and £6m of other commercial and broadcasting revenue losses. 

Those losses are offset by cost savings of £19m ($26m), including the wage reduction scheme that the first-team squad agreed to last year.

However, the Gunners expect the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic to be more evident in next year's financial report due to the lack of paying spectators and other cutbacks.

How much did they make from player sales and signings?

Arsenal raised £60.1m from player sales, having offloaded Alex Iwobi to Everton and Krystian Bielik to Derby among others. But the club spent £182.2m ($252m) registering new players, including the likes of Nicolas Pepe, Kieran Tierney, William Saliba, Gabriel Martinelli, Pablo Mari and David Luiz.

The Gunners have spent £234.5m ($324m) on wages, a reduction of £400,000 from 2019, and spent £10.4m ($14m) in changing the coaching staff as Unai Emery was sacked in November 2019 and replaced by Mikel Arteta.

Commercial revenue for 2019-20 stands at £142.3m ($197m), an increase from the previous year's £110.9m ($152m) figure thanks to the renewed partnership with Emirates and a new kit partnership with Adidas. The increase would have been greater had they not been eliminated from the Europa League at the last-32 stage.

Further reading

Wilfred Ndidi has urged Leicester City to utilize the opportunities that come their way when they square off against Brighton and Hove Albion in Saturday’s Premier League game.

The 24-year-old played a key role as the King Power Stadium outfit played out a draw against Burnley at Turf Moor last time out. 

The draw ensured Leicester’s third spot on the league table after gathering 50 points from 27 games, behind leaders Manchester City and Manchester United.

Ndidi has called on the Foxes to take their chances and be at their best when they take on the Clarets in order to end their three-game winless run.

"It [Burnley win] was important for confidence. Moving forward, confidence is really important so it was very good for us to not lose that one after the previous results,” Ndidi told the club website.

"It’s a different game from Burnley, but it’s a game we’ll work for and work our head around and try to do our best.

“At this time, we have to get as many points as we can. It’s the kind of game we’re looking forward to and we’ll see what comes out of it.

"For us, as a team, we know they have a different style, but we always try to adapt. It is a different game. They try to keep the ball but can actually play long balls too.

"It’s this kind of games you have to do your best, stay together and do your best. We just have to take our chances and do our best, play our style and believe in ourselves."

Ndidi starred in the defence for the Foxes against Burnley but has revealed he prefers playing in the midfield position.

"I would say, for me, I want to be in the midfield, but it’s for the team. I have to do that. Whichever position the gaffer wants me to play, I will try my best for the team,” he continued.

The midfielder also praised his compatriot Kelechi Iheanacho for his brilliant strike against the Clarets at Turf Moor.

"It was a really fantastic goal. I’m happy for him. I’m glad I made the assist, but he finished it and it was good for the team, keeping the 1-1," he added.

Ndidi has played 22 games across all competitions for the Foxes this season, scoring one goal and providing two assists.

Valencia legend Miguel Angel Angulo has praised the development of 18-year-old Yunus Musah ahead of Friday's derby match with Villarreal.

The former Arsenal academy star is attracting a lot of attention in La Liga, having broken through at a young age to become a regular starter on the right wing for Los Che.

The youngster is also eligible to play for both the U.S. national team and England, which sees the two nations battling over his future. Indeed, he has already debuted for Gregg Berhalter's side but only in friendlies. The Three Lions can still change his mind until he plays in a competitive match at the international level.

What has been said?

"I think he is a great player and he will be a powerful player for Valencia," Angulo, who played over 300 games for Valencia, told Goal. "He is one of the youngsters who has come through the ranks and forced their name onto the team-sheet of the first team, getting ready to learn the values of the club.

"Yunus is the perfect example of that, he is a player that the club really wants to back. The youth players overall at Valencia are really being given the chances in the team and it is an example of how good the youth system is.

"I think Yunus will help the club improve not only now but in the future. He still has to adapt to the team fully but he is doing very well, considering he is 18. He is gaining experience at the club and he will become a very important player for Valencia."

What has happened to Valencia in recent times?

Having been a mainstay of both Champions League and Europa League football, Valencia have fallen into a financial crisis which has been made worse by the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic.

Valencia sold €85 million (£73m/$101m) worth of players in the summer, including Ferran Torres to Man City, Rodrigo to Leeds and even Dani Parejo to rivals Villarreal to rebalance the club's books.

They did so without signing any new players and Javi Gracia has been forced to rely on talent from the academy, with the club currently just five points above the drop zone. 

Who else is there to watch out for in the Derbi de la Comunitat?

Another star stealing the headlines ahead of kick-off is Villarreal's Pau Torres, who has been linked to a host of clubs in recent months, having broken into Spain's starting XI.

The 23-year-old central defender has been linked with the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool, Barcelona and Real Madrid in recent times. Former Villarreal midfielder Hector Font was asked about the development of Torres ahead of kick-off.

"I think Pau Torres is a great player," he responded when asked by Goal in La Liga's discussion ahead of kick-off. "Also born here in Villarreal, good with the ball, can play out from the back and he can cause problems for attackers.

"He is playing really well with the national side alongside Sergio Ramos and at the age of 23, he has a lot more to learn and he can grow more. If he keeps this up, I think he can be really a very good player.

"I think he can be a key figure in the dressing room not only for Villarreal but for Spain too. He is another player from the academy and it speaks volumes of how good the academy is here at Villarreal."

Further reading

Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho has declared Serge Aurier available for their Premier League outing against Crystal Palace on Sunday.

Last Sunday, Aurier was replaced towards the end of Spurs' 4-0 victory over Burnley due to some pains around his calf region and he was rested on Thursday for their 1-0 win at Fulham.

The Ivorian defender has been a key player for Tottenham this season with two goals in 14 Premier League matches, and Mourinho is expecting him to play a part when they host Roy Hodgson’s side at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

When asked about the availability of the 28-year-old, the Portuguese manager told Football London: “Serge I believe yes. He had that injury then he played the last match until minute 70, 75 when he started feeling his calf again.

"He doesn't have an injury, he has just not the best feelings after a muscular injury. I believe he is going to be [ok], I believe, but to be honest I was so happy with Matt Doherty's performance [against Fulham]."

Crystal Palace are also ready to welcome Aurier’s compatriot Wilfried Zaha back to the first-team following his recovery from an injury.

Mourinho, however, joked about Zaha’s return by claiming the Eagles always have their best players available when it is time to play against Tottenham.

"He [Zaha] is a very good player, it doesn’t surprise me that he is fit to play against us because everyone is fit against us," he continued.

“The goalkeepers always play well against us. Zaha is a good player but if he plays it means another player isn't and they have such a good group of attacking players that one plays, another one doesn't."

"When you look at Crystal Palace you are talking about Zaha, Benteke, Ayew, Batshuayi, Mateta and to speak about very good attacking players like Townsend, Eze, they have everything to score goals.

"[It's] probably just a moment. The two matches we played against them, one this season, one last season they scored and they took points away from us so I have lots of respect for them. That's it."

Former Chelsea star Oscar has stated his desire to return to Stamford Bridge four years on from making a £60 million ($83m) move to Chinese Super League side Shanghai SIPG.

The Brazilian forward enjoyed a productive spell at Chelsea before heading to Asia, taking in 203 appearances for the Blues as two Premier League title triumphs and Europa League glory was savoured.

Oscar has enjoyed similar success in China but, at 29 years of age, he is already eyeing up an opportunity to head back to England and see out his playing days in west London.

What has been said?

Oscar has told talkSPORT: “I think about finishing at Chelsea because I had good times before at Chelsea.

“Chelsea helped me a lot to improve and to do what I always dreamed [of], which was to play in the Champions League and they helped me to play in the World Cup and to win the Premier League.

“I have a lot of friends at Chelsea. If I have a chance to finish my career at Chelsea, it’s a dream for me. Of course, Chelsea don’t like to buy too many older players, which is normal because it’s a top team from Europe, but I will try my best to be fit to finish there.”

How many goals did Oscar score for Chelsea?

Having passed a double century of appearances for the Blues, the South American was a regular source of end product in the final third.

He netted 38 goals in total, while also contributing 37 assists to the collective cause.

Who has followed in his footsteps at Chelsea?

Eden Hazard and Willian were already on the Blues’ books when Oscar opted to accept a lucrative offer from Shanghai.

They proved to be star turns before making their own moves to Real Madrid and Arsenal respectively.

Since then, the likes of Christian Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech have been snapped up, while Callum Hudson-Odoi and Mason Mount have emerged out of a famed academy system to become creative influences on a senior stage.

Oscar considers the latter to be his most natural heir, saying of a highly rated England international who was back in the goals in a 1-0 win over Liverpool: “I like him [Mount].

“Sometimes he doesn’t play like me but sometimes, I watch him and I can see a little bit of me there because I also came into Chelsea when I was so young and played good football.

“I really like him. He has everything you need to improve. He scores goals, he does some important things and he knows how to defend and attack. I really like him.”

Further reading

Pep Guardiola is proud to be in a position where he can become the first manager since Sir Alex Ferguson to regain the Premier League title across one spell at any given club, but the Catalan insists records have never been a priority for him.

Manchester City are racing towards another top-flight crown, with 21 successive victories secured across all competitions and the chasing pack being left trailing in their wake.

A title triumph would be Guardiola’s third at the Etihad Stadium and see him wrestle domestic supremacy back from Liverpool 12 months after watching Jurgen Klopp knock the Blues from the loftiest of perches.

What has been said?

When it was put to him that he can emulate Manchester United legend Ferguson, who retired in 2013, Guardiola said: “I don't know when I sign to make history. Just to win one game. Then the second one.

“If we are able to play the team like we want to play. This is the only target. Titles are a consequence for something much deeper.

“When I arrived it was scary, I have doubts if we were able to do it. I know what we wanted to do but didn't know if we were able.

“I'm not a guy who imagines what happens. The reality is our team face a good team and when we achieve it, ask me the question how it feels and I will answer.”

Who else has reclaimed a Premier League title?

United icon Ferguson achieved the feat on several occasions - six in total - across his iconic 26-year reign at Old Trafford.

His arch-rival, former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, was also able to overcome setbacks en route to hitting the summit once more – with the Frenchman overseeing a fabled ‘Invincibles’ campaign in 2003-04.

The only other man to have enjoyed split title triumphs in the Premier League era is Jose Mourinho, but the Portuguese required two stints at Stamford Bridge in order to get the Blues back to the top.

What’s next for City?

The Blues, who remain in the hunt for a historic quadruple this season, have pulled 14 points clear at the top of the table.

Guardiola had seen his side get off to the worst start of his managerial career to date, but a star-studded outfit have recaptured form in style and will head into a derby date with United on Sunday full of confidence.

Quizzed on whether this is the hungriest side he has ever managed, Guardiola said: “It comes from themselves. The desire to win and win again. It comes from inside, try to win, to compete or collaborate with his mates, to do the best we can.

“Now is nice because we win. All the theories that we do, the nice things they're saying is just because one reason. Because we win.

“The smell when we win is so nice, so beautiful. But we can lose and the perspective will be calm. Today we train incredibly well, tomorrow the same, then get our neighbours to do a good game.”

He added: “I had incredibly hungry teams in my career, that's why we're lucky to be together in Barcelona and Bayern I had incredibly hungry teams. You cannot imagine.

“To do what we have done in these four years, after winning, still winning, being there at the end, still winning. It's because these guys have something special like they have in Barcelona and Bayern Munich.”

Further reading

Wilfried Zaha is fit to face Tottenham in the Premier League on Sunday after missing the last month for Crystal Palace through injury.

Zaha hasn't played since picking up a hamstring strain in the 2-1 win over Newcastle on February 2.

Palace have won just one of their five games without him, scoring only once in that period, but earned a creditable draw at home to Manchester United last time out.

What has been said?

Manager Roy Hodgson was surprised to have Zaha back to match fitness so quickly.

"He has come back quicker than perhaps the medical staff thought was possible," the Palace manager told reporters.

"He trained well this week so there's no reason why I can't consider him for a place in the team."

The bigger picture

Zaha’s return would be a huge boost to Palace. He remains their top scorer this season despite his recent absence, and his next goal will be his 10th of the season. Christian Benteke is his closest rival with four.

The Eagles could go level on points with 10th-placed Arsenal if they overcome Spurs, though the Gunners have a game in hand and a far superior goal difference going into the weekend.

Tottenham, meanwhile, are looking to make up ground on the top four. A narrow win at Fulham on Thursday took them within a point of Liverpool in seventh, five points off the top four with a game in hand.

Spurs are unbeaten in their last 11 league games against Palace, winning nine of those, and Jose Mourinho will be keen to see that run extended.

Further reading

Ronald Koeman is starting to feel “fed up” with the incessant speculation regarding his future as Barcelona boss, with the Dutchman turning a deaf ear to talk of Xavi or Mikel Arteta taking his place.

The Blaugrana legend knew he was walking into a tough situation when returning to Camp Nou as successor to Quique Setien in the summer of 2020.

On and off-field battles have been fought in the current campaign and questions continue to be asked of how long a 57-year-old coach will be sticking around – especially as hopefuls in the club’s upcoming presidential elections have their own opinions on who should be at the helm.

What has been said?

Koeman told reporters when asked again about his future ahead of a La Liga trip to Osasuna on Saturday: “People and the media are interested in putting names out there and creating controversy.

“The most important thing is for me to not get annoyed by it and to focus on preparing the team for the matches we have coming up. So, it doesn't interest me or annoy me when I hear names like Xavi and others.

“Finally, a new president will be elected this weekend and he will make the decisions. We will talk. I am fed up with these types of questions and have been for a while now.

“Having a president at a club like Barcelona is so important because it's the biggest club in the world, so it's important for knowing the future - whether that's dealing with my [future], the team or improving things.”

Who has been linked with Barcelona?

Former midfielder Xavi has generated the most buzz when it comes to managerial change in Catalunya.

Presidential candidate Victor Font has stated on a regular basis that he will look to put a World Cup winner in the dugout if he takes control of Barca’s boardroom.

Current Arsenal boss Arteta - another Catalan native who once represented the club - has also seen his name mentioned as a potential replacement for Koeman.

Goal, though, has learned that there is little substance to that speculation and that no discussions have been held.

When does Koeman’s contract run to?

Barca handed a two-year deal to a familiar face when luring him away from a role with the Netherlands national side.

That agreement is due to run until 2022 and would need to be paid off in order for another tactician to take the reins.

Further reading

Thomas Tuchel has told Timo Werner that he has “no need to worry too much” about his goal return at Chelsea, with the German forward facing more frustration in the final third against Liverpool.

A lively performance was put in by the 24-year-old, as he was asked to lead the line and trouble the Reds with his pace running in behind.

Chances fell Werner’s way and he had the ball in the net at one stage, but his tally for the season remains at 10 after seeing the narrowest of offside calls by VAR rule out what could have been a morale-boosting strike.

What has been said?

Werner has struggled for a spark throughout his debut season in England, but Tuchel is not overly concerned.

The Blues boss told reporters after seeing his central striker draw another blank on Merseyside: “I demand 100 per cent in every training session, I don’t allow self-pity.

“Timo is full of talent and plays for one of the best clubs in the world, in one of the best leagues in the world. So there is no need for him to worry too much if he puts in the effort, puts himself in a state of mind to play on the highest level.

“We are not counting the minutes [to goals] and for me and my approach it is not an issue.”

Werner’s stats for 2020-21

Chelsea invested £47.5 million ($66m) in Werner when snapping him up from RB Leipzig.

An early flurry of goals saw him reach eight for the season by November 7, but end product then dried up.

At one stage, Werner registered just one effort across 20 outings for club and country, with a 1,000-minute barren spell endured in Premier League competition.

That was finally broken in a 2-0 win over Newcastle on February 15, but a further four goalless outings have been taken in since then.

While Tuchel may be paying no attention to Werner’s minutes/goals ratio, his return in that department currently stands at one effort every 265 minutes.

How does that record compare to Chelsea’s other strikers?

Werner has often been deployed in a wide attacking role this season, allowing an alternative option to be used down the middle with both Tammy Abraham and Olivier Giroud battling it out for the right to fill the No.9 berth.

They have both bettered Werner’s return when it comes to goals, registering 12 and 11 respectively across all competitions.

World Cup winner Giroud is ticking over at one every 97 minutes he spends on the field, with England international Abraham – who is seeing questions asked of his future – a little off that pace at the 127-minute mark.

Further reading

Bayern Munich starlet Jamal Musiala has signed his first professional contract with the Bundesliga giants.

The highly-rated young winger, who recently committed his international future to Germany over England, has signed a five-year deal running until 2026.

Musiala only turned 18 last week but has already played 27 times for Bayern's first team, scoring four goals.

What has Musiala said?

Musiala told Bayern's official website: “I’m really pleased to have signed my first professional contract at FC Bayern.

"I just feel very good at the club and in the team, I’m playing with the best players in the world and I can learn from them every day in training. Hansi Flick, [director] Hasan Salihamidzic and [chief scout] Marco Neppe along with the whole club have believed in me and given me the chance very early on.

"I just want to repay that faith with good performances, keep getting better and win a lot more titles with FC Bayern. My aim is to become an important player for this club.”

What impact has Musiala had at Bayern?

Born in Stuttgart, Musiala spent eight years in Chelsea's academy before joining Bayern in 2019, breaking into the first team the following year.

He became Bayern's youngest Bundesliga player when making his debut in June 2020, and scored his first goal in the 8-0 thrashing of Schalke on the opening day of this season.

Musiala now has 17 Bundesliga appearances to his name, and opened his European account with a superb effort against Lazio in the Champions League round of 16.

His sparkling performances at club level led to a tug-of-war at international level.

A Germany under-16 international, Musiala represented England at four youth levels but followed his heart in choosing to represent the country of his birth. Joachim Low is expected to call him up for his senior debut in the March international break.

'Musiala will bring a lot of joy to Bayern'

Salihamidzic said: “We’re very happy that Jamal has decided to sign his first professional contract at FC Bayern on a long-term basis. This has been a joint effort. Before Jamal came to FC Bayern in summer 2019, we had to and were able to convince him and his family about our project.

"Now we must all ensure that Jamal continues to be nurtured and challenged. I am sure that he will bring a lot of joy to FC Bayern.”

Further reading

Former Liverpool striker Michael Owen believes Sadio Mane didn’t go down for a penalty in Liverpool’s defeat to Chelsea on Thursday because he didn’t want Mohamed Salah to score from the spot.

Mane stayed on his feet after a challenge from Antonio Rudiger, with Liverpool eventually suffering a fifth consecutive league defeat at Anfield.

But, rather than an honest piece of play from a forward trying to score a goal, Owen suggested Mane was sabotaging his long-term team-mate’s hunt for the Golden Boot.

What has been said?

“There was an occasion in the first half where every single Liverpool fan in the world probably thought ‘Penalty!’ – I couldn’t believe he didn’t go down,” Owen said on Optus Sport.

“I’m not advocating he does, (but) normally you see attacking players (go down)… I just wonder whether he is thinking, ‘Hang on a minute, I’m going to score, because if I don’t stand on my feet Mo Salah is going to get another penalty’.

“We all know how competitive attacking players are. We all know how selfish, in a way, strikers are. These players have been going for the Golden Boot the last couple of seasons.”

Are Salah and Mane rivals for the Golden Boot?

Salah is the Premier League’s current top scorer despite Liverpool’s struggles. He has 17 goals to his name, two more than Bruno Fernandes in second place. Mane, with seven, is 20th on the list.

Salah won the Golden Boot outright in 2017-18, before he and Mane shared the award with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang the following season.

Owen continued: “I just wonder, I might be far off the mark, whether if he was dancing around a player thinking he could get a shot off, if he is thinking ‘this is my opportunity to score’.

“The competitive nature between him and Mo Salah. It might be a wild theory, but we’ve seen them not passing to each other when one is in a perfectly better position than the other, and it just makes me wonder.

“We are talking about selfishness and [being] a little bit disgruntled, we’ve seen Salah shaking his head [when substituted], we know how much they want to win the Golden Boot, I just think a couple times there I’ve seen Sadio Mane go down there.

“Two games on the spin when the opportunity is there… it just made me think a little bit.”

Further reading