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Nemanja Matic admits to having been forced to fine himself at Manchester United, but the Serbian midfielder blames Paul Pogba for his training ground misdemeanour and intends to bill the Frenchman for “50 per cent”.

An experienced member of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad is, alongside Harry Maguire, in charge of ensuring that rules and regulations are adhered to within the Red Devils’ ranks.

Matic is running a tight ship, leading to “a lot of money” going into the pot, with the 32-year-old revealing that he has had to put a hand into his own pocket after being caught chatting with Pogba.

What has been said?

“I have to say, just before the Newcastle game, I fined myself,” Matic has told United’s official website.

“I was late for a meeting by two seconds, and the rules are the same for everyone. I had to fine myself, because they catch me!

“I was late to the meeting. In front of the room [where the meeting was taking place] I was talking to Paul, so I will ask him to pay 50 per cent of my fine. I don't know if he will accept!”

Who else has been fined?

With Matic’s fine box seeing plenty of business, it would appear that the vast majority of United’s squad have come unstuck at various intervals.

Club captain Maguire is another to have admitted that he has been stung by the Red Devils’ fine system, although he also has his gripes.

The England international claims his penalty was “debateable”, but Matic maintains that rules were broken.

He added on his skipper: “He was fined, yeah.

“He brought his phone to the gym. The problem was [that] me and him, we decide what are the fines! A few days later, he brought the phone to the gym, so I said, 'Harry, I'm sorry…'.

“It's very important, discipline, in our team, so that's why we made some basic rules.

“Not to be late for training, not to be late for meetings, no phones in the gym. The guys struggled to adapt for a few months, so we had a lot of money in our account, but it's going to be better!”

The bigger picture

United are benefitting from high standards being demanded on and off the field this season.

The Red Devils sit second in the Premier League table, 10 points adrift of leaders Manchester City, and are also through to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and last-32 of the Europa League.

Further progress in continental competition can be wrapped up on Thursday, with Matic, Maguire and Co. taking a commanding 4-0 lead into the second leg of an eagerly-anticipated clash with Real Sociedad.

Further reading

Youri Tielemans has hinted that his long-term future will lie at Leicester City despite sparking talk of interest from outside of the King Power Stadium.

The classy Belgium international midfielder has been a model of consistency for the Foxes since arriving in England from Monaco, with an initial loan agreement turned into a permanent transfer.

His efforts have not gone unnoticed, with Manchester United and Liverpool among those to have seen moves for the 23-year-old mooted, but he is feeling settled in his current surroundings.

What has been said?

With Leicester moving into a new training facility and chasing down Champions League qualification this season, Tielemans has said when asked if he sees himself staying put: “Yes, why not?

“This is a club where you have the best environment you can have, especially with this new training ground. The people around you just want the best for you.

“It’s brilliant to be here. I really like it here. We’ll see what’s coming in the future.

“But I think the environment is just perfect to win trophies here. You can’t predict the future but I think everything around the club and inside the club is made for it.”

When does Tielemans’ contract expire?

Leicester have a talented playmaker tied to a deal through to the summer of 2023.

There is no rush for them to get fresh terms thrashed out, but extension talks are planned in the East Midlands.

Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers has said on Tielemans: “He’s been able to come in and over the last couple of seasons he's shown the qualities and the improvements he's been able to make. He’s a really, really important player.

“He's a joy to work with, he has incredible maturity for a young guy, and you can see the consistency in his performances. He's got a couple of years left [on his contract] in the summer, and I know it's something the club will speak to him and his representatives about.

“With the ball, he has quality. His decision-making is so good, whether to play it first time, or whether to dribble with it into space. But also his communication, you have heard him talking throughout. His game management is so good.

“He’s been outstanding for us all year. At 23 years of age, to play with that level of understanding of the game and quality, I’m very happy he’s in my team.”

Further reading

Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) and Nike revealed two brand new jersey designs that the seven-time Malaysia Super League champions will wear in all competitions in the 2021 season.

The home kit has a traditional look to it in terms of colours with a blue base that is reminiscent of the past but imbued with new designs, as can be seen with the diamond-shaped printing.

Meanwhile, the away kit has a white base colour that is to commemorate the anniversary of the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium with red patches on both sleeves.

Both kits will feature the UNICEF logo on the front, marking the partnership that the Southern Tigers sealed with the charity organisation in December.

"This jersey is comfortable and has a unique design. In all my time of being here, I think this is the best one yet!" said Safawi Rasid during an exclusive members' only session after the jersey launch.

The kit reveal was accompanied by a video that featured Benjamin Mora, Farizal Marlias, La'Vere Corbin-Ong, Aidil Zafuan and Syafiq Ahmad.

JDT announced a day after the reveal that they have already sold out the allocation they had in their own online store as well as in Shoppe which amounted to RM1.6 million worth of sales.

The new home jersey that is priced at MYR185 will be available on Nike.com and selected retail across Malaysia beginning Feb 26.

Marcus Rashford has made Dean Henderson his main penalty practice partner at Manchester United, with the Red Devils forward convinced that he can “score against anyone” from the spot.

The England international is not the go-to option for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side from 12 yards, with Bruno Fernandes proving to be prolific over dead balls during his time at Old Trafford.

Rashford is, however, ready when required, having shown himself to be more than capable in the past, and believes working with those that know him best is helping to hone his skills.

What has been said?

Rashford has told United’s official website of penalty sessions with Henderson and Joel Pereira, who is currently out on loan at Huddersfield: “We do practise against each other.

“I always like to practise against Dean and Joel because, probably out of all the keepers, they know me best and my finishing drills and stuff like that.

“If I can score against them I know I can score against anyone, so I have to test myself against these guys.”

Rashford’s penalty record

A product of United’s academy system has taken 16 penalties across his career to date, with those attempts split across youth and senior outings for club and country.

He has found the back of the net on 14 occasions, with just two misses registered.

Both of his failures came during the 2019-20 campaign, as lines were fluffed in meetings with Crystal Palace and Norwich.

Rashford has successfully converted two spot-kicks this season, with an effort for England against Belgium followed by one for United in a Champions League clash with Istanbul Basaksehir.

The 23-year-old often took on responsibility for the Red Devils prior to Fernandes’ arrival in January 2020.

His most memorable spot-kick came in a European meeting with Paris Saint-Germain in March 2019, with a dramatic late strike seeing the Red Devils complete a stirring comeback against the French giants.

How many penalties have United been awarded this season?

Solskjaer’s side have picked up a useful habit of winning penalties in recent times.

They have stepped up to the spot on eight occasions in the Premier League this season, with seven of those attempts converted.

Leicester are the only team to have been awarded more penalties in 2020-21, with Brendan Rodgers’ side into double figures on 10.

Further reading

Nigeria Professional Football League side Adamawa United bus driver Kabiru Mohammed has regained his freedom from kidnappers.

Notorious gunmen attacked the NPFL side on Friday along the Benin-Ore expressway on their way to Lagos to honour their game against MFM FC.

The hoodlums kidnapped Mohammed and carted away other valuable materials from the players and coaches.

The abductors demanded a ransom of ₦50 million before the Adamawa United bus driver would be released.

Permanent Secretary of Adamawa State Ministry of Youths and Sports, Aliyu Abubakar Jada, has revealed Mohammed was released on Wednesday night after ₦1 million was paid to the kidnappers.

“Kabiru was released late yesterday night after the ransom was paid along the Benin-Ore Expressway, where he was kidnapped,” Jada told Punch.

“We sent representatives to pick him up. After the abductors counted the money, they released him to his relatives, but that was after so much delay to ensure that there were no security personnel around.

“He was abducted on Friday at about 6.45 pm and spent about six days with the abductors, and that’s why we’ve asked him to stay with a relative in Enugu so he could get proper rest. He sounded fine and healthy but we want him to get two days rest because of the stress he had gone through

“We thank God he has been released because something worse could have happened despite paying the ransom.”

Mohamed has appreciated all those involved in ensuring his release from his abductors after six days in captivity. 

“I am free now from the kidnappers. I thank God and everybody involved in this matter to ensure my safe return,” Mohamed said.

Adamawa United are at the base of the Nigeria Professional Football League table after securing only three points from 11 games.

They are yet to win a single match this season and will hope to end their poor run of results when they take on Lobi Stars on Thursday.

Kano Pillars currently lead the Nigeria Professional Football League table while Kwara United are second and Enyimba are placed third.

Uganda Police FC defender Eric Ssenjobe believes his goalscoring form maintains the good image of his bosses.

The left-back has been in good form for the Cops this season in the Ugandan Premier League and has already scored three goals, including the goal against Onduparaka in the game played on Wednesday.

The defender is delighted with his run which he insists motivates him to reach even greater heights.

"I am very happy because it gives me morale and encouragement to keep working very hard to remain on-form," Ssenjobe said as quoted by the Sports Nation.

"Being a defender and scoring a goal elaborates a good image to your bosses and also takes you to greater levels as a player."

The full-back joined the Cops from Express FC where he had struggled to break into the first team. Now that he is hitting the ground running, the versatile player is not intending to stop.

"It was the mercy of God [that I scored] but what I can tell you, is to expect more goals this season," Ssenjobe added.

"The truth is I had never scored such goals, even in training, but all thanks goes to God."  

Meanwhile, coach Abdallah Mubiru is delighted with the way his charges played in the win against the Caterpillars.

"I thank my players for the way they responded because the game gave us the hard times that we never expected," Mubiru said after the game.

"Our players exhibited maturity in the way they reacted to the opponents and we scored three good goals which give us hope and confidence."

The experienced coach went on to express his satisfaction after the Referees Association overturned a red card wrongly given to goalkeeper Derrick Ochan in the previous game against reigning champions Vipers SC.  

"Past is past and we thank the referees committee for revoking Ochan’s red card because it would have affected us, and having both of them [Ochan and Tom Ikara] give us confidence that whoever we choose is capable of giving us a good game."

Police will be playing Bright Stars in their next league assignment. The Cops are currently on 19 points from the nine games they have played.  

Nasarawa Amazons continued their incredible revival this season after they celebrated a first away win of the campaign, following a 1-0 victory over Ibom Angels in Uyo on Wednesday.

Cruising from a 1-0 victory at home over Abia Angels, the Solid Miners earned the matchwinner through Adejoke Ejalonibu's 82nd-minute goal at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium.

The result saw Nasarawa climb to ninth on the NWPL log with nine points from seven matches, while Ibom Angels dropped to 13th place with four points from the same number of games.

At Agbor Township Stadium, Tejiri Edward's strike from the spot helped Delta Queens secure a 1-0 win over FC Robo Queens.

Emmanuel Osahon's side had suffered a robbery on Wednesday morning in Benin but eventually resolved to play the match the same day against their hosts in Agbor.

The outcome saw Robo crash to a third consecutive away defeat in the absence of topscorer Gift Monday and Habeebat Akinwande due to international duties with Nigeria in Turkey.

The triumph takes Delta to fourth on the log with 13 points from seven outings, while Robo slipped further to fifth with 12 points.
 
In Benin, Edo Queens bounced back to winning ways, with a 1-0 victory over Confluence Queens at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium.

Edo were smarting from a 3-2 defeat at Bayelsa Queens last week but they needed to negotiate past the Lokoja-based side, who were held to a 0-0 draw at home by Delta Queens recently.

The hosts made a bright start to the contest, although only found a late breakthrough in the 83rd minute through Temitope Owoeye. 

With the triumph, Edo have now moved to third on the log with 14 points, while Confluence are in 10th place with eight points.

Elsewhere, Royal Queens returned to winning ways with a clinical 2-0 victory over DreamStar Ladies at the Stephen Keshi Stadium.

Coming into the tie, Royal Queens suffered a 3-1 defeat at Robo Queens, while DreamStar came from a 1-0 defeat to Pelican Stars.

Second-half strikes from Chika Idika and Rosemary Adesina ensured the hosts claimed three points against the Lagos-based outfit.

Royal are now eighth on the standings with 10 points, while DreamStar are bottom with three points from seven matches.

In Umuahia, Precious Vincent and Charity Rueben's efforts helped Bayelsa Queens claim a second away win, following a 3-1 triumph over Abia Angels at the Umuahia Township Stadium.

Vincent broke the deadlock to open the scoring five minutes from the half time break, but Messoma Ibeh cancelled the visitors' lead 11 minutes after the restart of the encounter.

One minute from full time, Rueben struck at the death to ensure the Restoration ladies claim the maximum points from the contest.

The result means Bayelsa remain at the top of the table with 18 points from seven, while Abia Angels are 11th with six points.

In Osogbo, Osun Babes earned a fourth win of the season following a 1-0 win over Sunshine Queens at the Osogbo Township Stadium.  

Kafayat Bashiru's 90th minute strike wall the Omoluabi ladies needed to subdue their visitors as they bounced back to winning ways from last week 2-1 defeat at Rivers Angels.

Osun's latest win moved them to sixth position with 12 points from seven outings, while Sunshine are seventh with 10 points.

At the UJ Esuene Stadium, Rivers Angels maintained their perfect start to the season, with a 2-1 victory over Pelican Stars in Calabar.

Cynthia Aku opened the scoring for the Jewel of Rivers against Adat Egan's side after just nine minutes in the encounter. 

Seven minutes later, Edwin Okon's ladies maintained their quest for a second away win thanks to Brume Ikhekua's strike. 

After the restart, the hosts staged a fightback and were rewarded with a goal in the 73rd minute courtesy of Chiwendu Ufomba but could not halt the quest of Rivers to snatch the three points.

The victory keeps Rivers in the second position on the NWPL log with 17 points from seven matches, while Pelican Stars are 12th with five points - one above the relegation zone.

Uganda U20 head coach Morely Byekwaso has revealed they will unleash attacking football against Burkina Faso during their Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final tie at Cheikha Ould Boidiya Stadium in Nouakchott on Thursday.

Byekwaso conceded the Young Stallions are going to be a strong opponent but that is not going to stop them from playing attacking football.

"Burkina Faso are a strong team but we have gone through all the tests and challenges in our group games," Byekwaso said as quoted by the Fufa website.

"We are facing a new team that is physical but we are like a wounded lion. We have lost and won, there is nothing to lose but to give out what we are naturally capable of doing. It will be an interesting match for both teams. We shall play more attacking football to have the best results from the match."

The Hippos sailed to the knockout stage after two wins against Mozambique, who they downed 2-0 before beating hosts Mauritania 2-1 but suffered a 1-0 defeat to Cameroon. 
Burkina Faso, on the other hand, opened the competition with a 0-0 draw against Tunisia before winning against the Central African Republic with a 3-1 margin and a 1-0 victory against Namibia.

Uganda are debuting in the junior tournament while Burkina Faso have been part of the competition in four previous editions and finished fourth in 2003. The Hippos' qualification into the quarter-finals comes barely a month after their senior team failed to progress in the African Nations Championship as they were eliminated at the group stages in Cameroon.

Burkina Faso head coach Oscar Barro has stated the game against Uganda is the beginning of a new challenge that will be presented to them.

“It’s going to be a tough mission against Uganda, a team with many qualities," Barro told Caf Online. "A new tournament starts now. We were happy to finish the group on top but this means nothing now.”

In a separate interview, Byekwaso urged his players to respond and try their best in a tournament that is full of surprises.

“I believe this is going to be more difficult than all our group games, but we are ready and have the quality to go on," the KCCA FC assistant coach said. "This is a tournament full of surprises and some great teams conceded defeats. But we have to respond and give our best."

Uganda are set to rely on Derrick Kakooza and Steven Sserwadda up front who have scored two goals each and are in contention for the Golden Boot award.

The victor between the Hippos and the Young Stallions will meet the winner between Morocco and Tunisia in the semi-finals.

Edoaurd Mendy has vowed to “fight” Kepa Arrizabalaga and Willy Caballero at Chelsea, with the Senegal international taking nothing for granted when it comes to the Blues’ starting goalkeeper post.

A shot-stopper snapped up by Frank Lampard during the summer of 2020 has been a go-to option between the sticks at Stamford Bridge this season, with Thomas Tuchel keeping him as No.1 since inheriting the managerial reins in west London.

Kepa, a £71 million ($100m) asset, has seen game time as well, though, while experienced Argentine Caballero has been a reliable performer whenever handed competitive minutes.

What has been said?

Mendy is aware that he faces fierce competition for places at Chelsea, telling the club’s official website: “I fight with Kepa but with Willy as well.

“The coach has said that he needs three strong goalkeepers. We need to be ready and we have to show it to start on the pitch.”

How has Mendy fared this season?

The 28-year-old was lured away from Rennes in a £22m ($31m) deal as Chelsea sought to find greater stability between the sticks.

Costly errors had crept into Kepa’s game, with the Spaniard slipping down the pecking order as a result.

Mendy settled quickly in English football and kept clean sheets through his opening six games for the Blues.

That tally of shutouts has since been raised to 15, with the most recent coming in a notable 1-0 victory over Atletico Madrid in the first leg of a heavyweight Champions League last-16 encounter.

The bigger picture

Mendy will be hoping to figure prominently from this point as Chelsea continue to chase down European glory alongside a top-four bid in the Premier League and a hunt for FA Cup glory.

The big tests keep on coming, with a visit from Manchester United on Sunday set to be followed by a trip to Liverpool, but Tuchel has made a positive impact on a side that struggled for consistency under Lampard.

Mendy has added on his new German boss: “The coach gives confidence to all the players. We know what he wants so when we are on the pitch, we have to show why he has chosen us.

“He is very expressive and he shows when he likes something. When you do well on the pitch, every day at training and in the games, he pushes you. He stays positive but he also shows his determination, which is good for me and the team.”

Further reading

Eric Bailly has offered a unique take on one of the longest-running debates in world football, with the Manchester United defender saying: “If you ask me, Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, I’d say Sergio Ramos”.

For well over a decade now, questions regarding the best of all time have tended to focus on Argentine and Portuguese superstars gracing the books of Barcelona and Juventus.

Opinion can be divided, with Bailly taking things one step further by completely overlooking a duo with 11 Ballons d’Or between them and throwing an entirely different option into the mix.

What has been said?

Asked for his take on the ‘greatest’ debate, Bailly has told Guillem Balague’s YouTube channel: “My greatest inspiration has always been Ramos.

“I've admired him for a long time, because of what he does in football and how he keeps going at a high level.

“For me, he's one of the best players in the history of football. Everyone has an opinion, but he is one of the best, the perfect reference point for me.

“If you ask me, Messi or Ronaldo, I’d say Ramos.”

Why is Ramos considered to be one of the best?

The Real Madrid centre-half has, like Messi and Ronaldo, spent several years at the very top of his chosen profession.

He has been at Santiago Bernabeu since 2005, with 668 appearances made for one of the biggest sporting institutions on the planet, while registering a remarkable haul of 100 goals from the back.

Ramos has lifted five La Liga titles, three Copas del Rey, four Champions League crowns and four Club World Cups.

He has also taken in 178 outings for Spain, becoming the most-capped European player in history, and helped La Roja to glory at the 2010 World Cup and back-to-back Euros in 2008 and 2012.

What does the future hold for Ramos?

Despite being a long-serving stalwart at Real Madrid, the iconic centre-half is seeing his current contract run down.

As things stand, the 34-year-old is due to hit free agency in the summer.

Various landing spots have been mooted for him, with no fresh terms thrashed out in the Spanish capital, and a new challenge could be on the cards.

United are among those to have been linked with Ramos, as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is urged to bolster his back line, and it could be that Bailly finds himself lining up alongside his idol in 2021-22.

Further reading

Uganda Police FC coach Abdallah Mubiru is delighted with the way his charges played in the 3-1 win over Onduparaka in the top-tier game at Lugogo Stadium on Wednesday.

The administrative side grabbed maximum points thanks to a Johnson Odong brace coupled with an Eric Ssenjobe strike, while Emmanuel Okech struck the consolation for the Caterpillars. The tactician admits it was a tough game but is happy with the fact that they managed to get a win.

"I thank my players for the way they responded because the game gave us hard times that we never expected," Mubiru said afterwards.

"Our players exhibited maturity in the way they reacted to the opponents and we scored three good goals which give us more hope and confidence."

The experienced coach went on to express his satisfaction after the Referees Association overturned a red card wrongly given to goalkeeper Derrick Ochan in the previous game against reigning champions Vipers SC.   

"Past is past and we thank the referees committee for revoking Ochan’s red card because it would have affected us, and having both of them [Ochan and Tom Ikara] give us confidence that whoever we choose is capable of giving us a good game."

Police will be playing Bright Stars in their next league assignment and Mubiru is happy with what he has so far seen from the players.  

"We are still on the mission we set and we have not taken a step back at any point so far. Though we still lack the energy to play on the right rhythm and we need to add the speed. 

"The team is building more confidence each passing game and that makes us happy that they can win. There is no day you see the players settling for a draw but you can see they fight until the last minute to win games and I thank them for that. 

"The competition is stiff and you can see from the points from the way teams are ascending in the top 10 that there is no huge difference compared to the previous season."  

The Cops are currently on 19 points from the nine games they have played.  

Atalanta boss Gian Piero Gasperini has furiously called for the standard of officiating in football to improve after an early red card cost his side in a 1-0 defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday.

The Italian outfit welcomed Zinedine Zidane's side to the Gewiss Stadium on the back of three straight wins, although Gasperini was handed a one-match Serie A touchline ban and fined for verbally abusing officials in the club's previous clash with Napoli.

The 63-year-old now runs the risk of punishment in European competition as well, having called into question the decision to show Remo Freuler a red card after 17 minutes, referring to the call as “football suicide”.

What happened?

With less than 20 minutes on the clock, Ferland Mendy was controversially adjudged to have been clean through on goal as Frueler challenged the left-back on the edge of his own box.

Referee Tobias Stieler promptly issued the Swiss midfielder his marching orders, leaving the hosts to hang on with 10 men for the majority of the match before Mendy popped up with the winner in the dying stages.

What was said?

“The game was ruined,” Gasperini fumed into the microphones of Sky Sport Italia. “Last season, after absolute chaos, the handball rule was sorted out. Now we have the temptation to remove any form of contact in football and that is suicide for the sport,” 

“I just got banned for saying something in Serie A, if I say something now then UEFA will ban me for a month. But this is football suicide. We cannot have referees who never played the game and don’t know the difference between a challenge and a foul.

“If they can’t tell the difference, then they ought to go and get a different job, frankly. They should get people who played football to referee instead.

“Referees also have video replays now, they have everything needed to judge, and yet even with replays they get it wrong.

“You wait so long for this event and then it gets ruined. We might’ve lost anyway, I am not complaining about the result, but we at least could’ve played our game."

Further reading

Harambee Stars Francis Kahata believes Simba SC are among the biggest clubs in the continent.

Wekundu wa Msimbazi have been on a high from Tuesday. They proved they mean business after claiming a 1-0 win over defending champions Al Ahly in the Caf Champions League Group A tie. Mozambique international Luis Miquissone struck the only goal to help the team collect maximum points at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.

Despite playing well and getting the win, the Kenya midfielder concedes it was not a walk in the park.

"It was a very tough game; we all know Al Ahly are a big team," Kahata told Goal on Thursday.

"But I think in the recent past Simba have also done their best to reach greater levels and are among the big teams right now in Africa.

"We also know that to make it to the next stage of this competition, you have to win your home matches. I believe that was our biggest motivation and we had to win against Al Ahly because we cannot say what will happen away.

"The win came as a result of the effort put in by all players. Everyone gave the best on the pitch and we were rewarded by getting maximum points."

The win took the Tanzanians top of their group with maximum points after an initial win against Democratic Republic of Congo side AS Vita. Chris Mugalu scored the goal that gave them the victory. 

The 21-time league champions are the only team with a 100% winning record and as a result they are on six points.

AS Vita bounced back from their loss to Simba by defeating Al Merrikh 4-1 away at Al-Hilal Stadium, Omdurman.

It was the hosts who scored first courtesy of Elsamani Saadeldin in the eighth minute. Obed Mukokiani replied 20 minutes later before Djuma Shabani made it 2-1 in the 37th minute from the penalty spot.

The third goal was scored by Amede Masasi in the 68th minute before Mukokiani completed his brace with seven minutes to go.

Wekundu wa Msimbazi will now be playing against the Sudanese in their next assignment hoping to get maximum points as well. Al Merrikh have lost the two games they have played in their group. 

Internacional have confirmed that the father of Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker has died after drowning in a lake in a tragic accident.

The news was released on the Brazilian club's official Twitter account in the early hours of Thursday morning, with Internacional offering their strength and support to the family and friends of Jose Agostinho Becker.

ESPN Brasil reports that, after consultation with the Fire Department of Cacapava do Sul and the Civil Police of Lavras do Sul, the body of Alisson's 57-year-old father was found after he had been reported as missing.

Reuters reports that local police confirmed that Jose Agostinho Becker died after going swimming in a lake near his holiday home in southern Brazil.

"Clube do Povo wishes strength to family and friends in this moment of so much pain."

Sao Paulo also passed on their condolences and posted the following message on Twitter: "With much regret, Sao Paulo receives the sad news of the death of Jose Agostinho Becker, father of goalkeepers Alisson and Muriel.

"Our condolences and solidarity with the two players and their families. We wish them a lot of strength and a lot of light."

'A family of goalkeepers'

Alisson began his professional career with Internacional, featuring 115 times for the Brazilian club before making the move to Roma in 2016.

The 28-year-old explained back in 2018 how Jose Agostinho Becker influenced his decision to become a goalkeeper, with his father having also played in the position.

He told Liverpool's official club website: "I have a family of goalkeepers: my father played for his work team, my mother played handball in school, and my grandfather played in amateur football.

"And after all this, came my brother playing and then I started to like it, too. 

"I started to watch him training and then started feeling passion for the position. It’s in my blood, it’s in my family, so I started to follow them."

Paris Saint-Germain are hoping to get a “decision” from Kylian Mbappe on a proposed contract extension at some stage in the near future, with Neymar, Angel Di Maria and Juan Bernat also being lined up for fresh terms.

The Ligue 1 champions are eager to ensure that they have as many key men as possible tied down long-term, with considerable funding having been pumped into the construction of a star-studded squad.

Mbappe and Neymar are talismanic figures at Parc des Princes, but both will see their current deals expire in the summer of 2022 and are yet to sign fresh paperwork despite a desire on the part of everyone in the French capital to get deals over the line.

What has been said?

Quizzed on the discussions by France Bleu, PSG’s sporting director Leonardo has said: “On Kylian Mbappe's contract, we've been talking for a long time.

“Before, it was mainly to be clear about our position and what we want. There, I think we are getting to the point where we must take a position and a decision. We have a good open dialogue.  

“Neymar, it is on the right track, but in the end he decides when to sign and it is not yet the case. We are on the same page, I think, same for Di Maria and Bernat.

“These are the four issues we are discussing. The idea is to get there as quickly as possible, because on our side, we have the intention to renew all four.”

Will Mbappe and Neymar sign new contracts?

PSG are doing all they can to ensure that two superstar performers are not allowed to slip their net.

It has been suggested that an agreement with Neymar is close to completion, with the most expensive player in world football seemingly ready to commit to the Ligue 1 giants after several windows of speculation.

He has been in France since 2017 and appears to be feeling more settled after initially seeing a hasty return to Spain mooted on the back of a €222 million (£200m/$262m) transfer from Barcelona.

Mbappe has been generating more uncertainty, with the 22-year-old giving little away when it comes to his future plans.

He is being linked with leading sides across Europe, with Real Madrid and Liverpool said to sit on a long list of suitors.

The bigger picture

Any new deals in the French capital will likely rest on PSG maintaining the standards that have been set over recent seasons.

Mauricio Pochettino has been drafted in to aid that cause, with Thomas Tuchel – who guided the club to the Champions League final in 2020 – now calling the shots at Chelsea.

He paid the price for uncharacteristic struggles for consistency early in the current campaign, with there still no guarantees that a fourth consecutive domestic title will be heading to Parc des Princes in 2021.

Leonardo has added, with PSG sat four points adrift of Ligue 1 leaders Lille with 12 games left to take in: “We will surely have an exciting end to the season.

“Paris is one of the favourites to win the title. We are not going to say that we do not think of winning and that we do not have the conditions to do so.

“If we look at the last few weeks, Lyon, Lille and Monaco have had a very important winning streak. But the ambition and the objectives remain the same.”

Further reading

Mumbai City were experiencing a sudden drop in form since facing East Bengal on 22 January. Although they had won the tie, they were dominated by the Red and Golds in the second half of the game and from then things started to go south for the Islanders.

After the East Bengal tie, Sergio Lobera won just one match in their next six outings, drew twice and lost three matches. From getting 25 points in the first phase and being in pose position to get the AFC Champions League (ACL) slot by topping the league stage, Mumbai were slowly drifting away from their goal.

Just went it seemed that ATK Mohun Bagan would have it easy at the business end of the season, Mumbai City came back with a bang as they registered a thumping 6-1 win over rock-bottom Odisha FC on Wednesday.

There could not have been a better opposition for Mumbai City to get back their form than Odisha who have struggled to find form throughout the season and are yet attain double-digit points after 19 matches. They made the best out of the chance they got and regained their much-needed confidence ahead of battling it out with the league leaders on Sunday for the ACL slot.

Lobera had termed the Jamshedpur encounter as the team's worst performance this season where they lost 2-0. But after the Odisha tie, the Spanish coach was elated. There were all the reasons for the Spaniard to be happy as his team stuck to his philosophy of playing possession-based football and dominated proceedings throughout the game.

Mumbai enjoyed 74 per cent ball possession and played 807 passes compared to Odisha's 194. They also attempted 18 shots out of which 12 were on target. Goals galore, possession and excitement, Lobera's side ticked every single box while playing against Odisha.

In absence of star midfielder Hugo Boumous, the former Las Palmas manager deployed both Bartholomew Ogbeche and Adam Le Fondre together upfront. The decision proved to be fruitful as Ogbeche scored a brace. Le Fondre was given the role of playing in the hole behind the Nigerian and the English striker was impressive.

For Odisha, this tie marked the debut of former India international winger Steven Dias as a head coach of a top tier Indian club. Dias took over the reins from interim coach Gerry Peyton who had to leave the camp due to personal exigency.

Odisha were off to a dream start as Diego Mauricio broke the deadlock from the penalty spot after Jerry Mawihmingthanga went down inside the box after a clash with Ahmed Jahouh. It was a perfect beginning for Dias as a manager but it soon turned into a nightmare as the Islanders scored four times before heading into the break.

Ahmed Jahouh missed a penalty while Lobera took off Le Fondre and Ogbeche early in the second half, which probably helped keep the scoreline to 6-1. 

The Kalinga Warriors once again looked clueless as the players ran around on the pitch without many purposes. Also, the injury to captain Steven Taylor forced him to leave the pitch early in the game which benefited Mumbai City greatly.

The Islanders have shrugged off the temporary poor form and are back to their very best. Lobera was absolutely right when he said, "it is going to an amazing match against ATK Mohun Bagan."

Indian Super League (ISL) club NorthEast United were winless in six matches when coach Khalid Jamil took over the squad as the interim head coach. The Guwahati-based club is now unbeaten in eight games, which includes five wins and three draws. 

The team is now only a point away from booking a place in the playoffs for only the second time in its history. The win has taken their tally to 30 points and they now require a point against Kerala Blasters to seal their spot in the play-offs.

Khalid Jamil deserves credit for turning NorthEast United's season around, especially as he was initially relieved of first-team duties when Gerard Nus was the head coach and had to exit the bio-bubble. After Nus was sacked, the club turned to the familiar face to pull off a rescue mission and his work has been remarkable since. And none of this is really surprising. 

Jamil was the head coach when Aizawl scripted a fairytale I-League title victory back in 2017. And that team beat the likes of East Bengal and Mohun Bagan to clinch the title following a nail-biting end to the season.

Aizawl were the clear underdogs back then and Jamil, the man of few words, pulled off what some may have tagged as an impossible task. The current situation at NorthEast, a club with a limited budget to spend and competing against heavyweights ATK Mohun Bagan and Mumbai City, might not be too dissimilar but what Jamil achieved at Aizawl was far tougher than what he is doing now. 

What he did with Aizawl is often underrated, given that the Mizoram-based club were competing against I-League teams which had the best Indian players (national team players) at the time apart from some quality foreign recruits. The feat came with clubs like Bengaluru FC, East Bengal struggling, and Mohun Bagan pipped to the finishing line by Aizawl who did not have any star players.

The I-League team also had several exciting young Indian talents who have gone on to be successful in the ISL. Jamil coaches the likes of Ashutosh Mehta (NorthEast United), Albino Gomes (Kerala Blasters), Jayesh Rane (ATK Mohun Bagan) and Lalruatthara (Kerala Blasters) during the incredible season and brought out the best in each player from his squad. 

At NorthEast, he has multiple foreign talents at his disposal as well. Luis Machado has been tricky to deal with for defenders, Federico Gallego can break any defence and Deshorn Brown has been lethal in front of goal. More importantly, he has breathed confidence into Brown, a player who looked shorn of it at Bengaluru FC, and make him look lethal once more.

Jamil's experience of managing talented Indian players also has been of use as NorthEast currently has two hot U-21 prospects in Lalengmawia and Ninthoi Meetei in their squad, and the former has been extremely impressive in the midfield. 

Khalid Jamil's credentials were never in question and hence, the way he has managed to push NorthEast close to the playoffs isn't surprising for long term admirers of Indian football. While he lacked support at some of his previous clubs, he seems to have that support with the Highlanders.

However, football is cruel sometimes and being an Indian coach, whether NorthEast actually get to the playoffs by avoiding defeat in their final game will be a crucial event that will influence the former Aizawl head coach's report card.