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Daniel Sikorski has revealed that Bayern Munich forward Thomas Muller had a negative reaction to spicy food that prompted him to miss a a training session.

The Polish-born forward, who now plies his trade in Spain for lower-league side Guijuelo, spent a portion of his career with Bayern.

He never made a first-team appearance, but took part in sessions and travelled with the squad for training camps.

What was said?

On one occasion, Bayern's reserves, who Muller was also playing for at the time, had a trip to India and the conditions were far removed from the five-star treatment normally afforded elite footballers.

Taking up the story, Sikorski said: “We stayed in a hotel near the Himalayas that had no mattresses. Instead we slept on boards. The showers were buckets of water and for dinner there were chips and coke from what felt like 1953. 

“When we got a real meal somewhere else, Thomas almost poisoned himself. Our food said "not spicy", but it was spicy without end. Thomas didn't get on with that. 

“The next day he just went to the bathroom instead of training."

Sikorski’s respect for Louis van Gaal

The 33-year-old was on Bayern’s books from 2005-2010, meaning he spent one season under the stewardship of Van Gaal.

The legendary coach brought an aura with him, and Sikorski says it was interesting to see superstar players fall into line.

“Under van Gaal I was twice as tired after each training session as usual,” he said. “I wanted to avoid mistakes at all costs because I experienced how he yelled at other players. I had tremendous respect for him. 

"When he stood in front of me with his massive body, the fear sweat was flowing - and I think the players from the first team felt the same. 

“Before team dinners he always got up first and called the tables after each other, to get food from the buffet. It was interesting to see that experienced players were okay with something like that."

Further reading

East Bengal have practically nothing to play for but NorthEast United need a win to stay in the 2020-21 Indian Super League (ISL) top four race when the two sides clash at the Tilak Maidan in Vasco, on Tuesday evening. 

TV CHANNELS & LIVE STREAM

The Star Sports Network have the exclusive broadcasting rights of the ISL in India.

Commentary will also be available in vernacular languages across India.

TEAM NEWS

East Bengal Possible XI:   

Injured - None
Doubtful - None  
Suspended - Jaques Maghoma, Danny Fox

Key Players - Bright Enobakhare, Matti Steinmann
 

NorthEast United Possible XI: 

Injured - None  
Doubtful - Federico Gallego, Ashutosh Mehta
Suspended - None

Key Players - Luis Machado, Deshorn Brown
 

Ghana are through to the quarter-finals of the ongoing Africa U20 Cup of Nations in Mauritania despite a 2-1 defeat to Gambia on matchday three of the group stage on Monday.

Abdul Fatawu Issahaku scored first for the Black Satellites but replies from Kajally Drammeh and Lamarana Jallow completed a comeback win for the young Scorpions at Stade Municipal de Nouadhibou.

Ghana finished third in Group C behind Gambia and Morocco but still progressed to the next round as one of the best group stage third-placed sides at the competition.

Tanzania, meanwhile, finished bottom of the log following a 3-0 loss to Morocco in the other group game, wrapping up their campaign with two defeats, a draw and an early elimination.

Ghana will face Cameroon, who finished top of Group A with three wins, in the quarter-final on Thursday, the same day Morocco take on Tunisia in an all-North Africa affair.

Gambia take on the Central African Republic on Friday as Burkina Faso and Uganda go head to head in the other game of the day.

There was only one change in Ghana's starting line-up for the matchday three fixture, with Eleven Wonders midfielder Ofori McCarthy taking the place of Patrick Mensah.

Gambia put faith in Senegal-based defender Edrissa Ceesay captain Tija Marr and striker Momodou Bojang whose goal helped to ensure a 1-1 draw with Tanzania.

The Satellites broke the deadlock in the ninth minute through Fatawu who registered a sublime goal from outside the box.

Six minutes later, Gambia almost restored parity but Ghana goalkeeper Ibrahim Danlad was alert to handle the danger.

The young Squirrels would not be denied on the second time of asking as they hit through Drammeh whose header beat goalkeeper Danlad Ibrahim on the 20th minute mark.

In the 34th minute, Jallow completed a comeback for the young Squirrels with a goal to make it 2-1.

At Stade Cheikha Ould Boidiya, Morocco proved too strong for Tanzania, scoring thrice in the opening 13 minutes through El Mehdi Moubarik, Mohammed Amine Essahel and Ayoub Mouloua to register a 3-0 win. 

Luis Suarez has revealed the most disappointing aspect of his departure from Barcelona was that the club said he was too old to perform at the highest level.

Suarez left Barca for Atletico last September, in a transfer Camp Nou icon Lionel Messi described as ‘crazy’, and he has gone a long way to proving the club were hasty in their actions by firing his new team to the summit of La Liga.

The 34-year-old Uruguayan is happy in his new surrounds, despite admitting it was tough to uproot his family, but is still irked by being billed as too old.

What was said?

“What really bothered me was when they told me that I was old and that I could no longer play at a high level, be up to [the task of fronting] a great team,” Suarez told France Football. “That’s what I did not like.”

Suarez claims his record stood up to the closest scrutiny, and that the club erred in signing players not on an elite level.

“If I hadn't done anything at a club like Barca for three or four seasons, I would have understood,” he said. “But, every year at Barca, I scored more than 20 goals per season. I have always had good statistics, just behind Leo (Messi). 

“Today, we can see that it is not easy to play at Barca ... A lot of players who signed there did not have the level that was expected of them. Me, I played for six years at Barca maintaining a certain level and living up to what was expected of me.

“At Barca, circumstances have changed, the club needed changes. And I accepted it. The only thing that bothered me was the way [it happened]. I think I deserved some respect.

"It was a decision that I could not prevent. I felt like I was no longer being counted on, so with my pride I told myself that I was going to continue to show what I am worth. This is why the idea of going to Atletico, a competitive team, appealed to me."

Suarez’s numbers at Barcelona

Suarez is correct in his statement that in every season at Barcelona, he scored upwards of 20 goals a season.

His peak campaign was in the 2015-16 season, when he netted an astonishing 59 goals in all competitions. It was a term in which he scored more goals than Messi, and won the European Golden Shoe.

His goals return was excellent in 2016-17 (36) and 2017-18 (31), but the trend was downward and in his final two seasons at the club he netted 23 and 21 goals.

It could be argued Barca were justified in their decision, but the anger about the way in which it was handled has spurred the former Liverpool man on.

He has netted 16 goals for Atletico so far this term and they top the Liga table by three points - albeit their form has dipped in recent weeks with just one win from their last four games.

Further reading

U.S. women's national team midfielder Catarina Macario will miss the upcoming SheBelieves Cup finale as she has left the team to return to France.

Macario has departed the squad to return to her club Olympique Lyonnais in order to complete a quarantine period ahead of her club's return to Champions League play.

The former Stanford star started in the USWNT's 1-0 win over Canada to open the tournament but did not feature in Sunday's 2-0 triumph over Brazil.

What did U.S. Soccer have to say?

"U.S. Women’s National Team midfielder Catarina Macario has returned to France and Olympique Lyonnais in order to complete her government-mandated seven-day quarantine so she can be prepared and eligible to play in the club’s UEFA Women’s Champions League Round of 16 first leg match against Danish side Brondby on March 4," U.S. Soccer said in a statement. 

"Macario’s departure was previously agreed upon between OL and U.S. Soccer prior to the tournament."

Macario's career so far

Macario, who was born in Brazil but moved to the United States at age 12, is one of the more highly-regarded USWNT prospects in recent memory.

The 21-year-old phenom emerged as a star during her time at Stanford, and, after earning U.S. citizenship in the fall, she was approved for a one-time switch to the U.S. on January 13, paving the way for her to play for the USWNT.

Five days later, she earned her USWNT debut, featuring against Colombia. She scored in her second USWNT match, also against Colombia, as she provided the opening goal in a 6-1 rout.

On the club level, Macario opted to forego her senior year of college and a chance to play in the NWSL as she opted instead to sign a two-and-a-half year deal with French powerhouse Lyon.

She debuted for Lyon in the Division 1 Feminine on February 6, featuring in a win over Montpellier.

Up next

Lyon are currently in the Round of 16 in the Champions League, having toppled Juventus 6-2 in the Round of 32.

They'll host Brondby for their first leg on March 4 before then traveling to Denmark for the second leg six days later.

As for the USWNT, Macario figured to be a key part of the Olympic squad when the U.S. takes part in the competition this summer.

Further reading

Austrian goalkeeper Christopher Knett was forced to miss Panetolikos' clash with Panathinaikos, after burning his hand while cooking a steak.

The 30-year-old goalkeeper is Panetolikos’ first choice, but his name did not feature in the matchday squad for Monday's game in the Greek Super League.

Broadcaster Nova caught up with the player who revealed his absence was due to an accident in the kitchen.

What was said?

“I will stay out of this game and all will be okay for next week, all will be okay,” he said after showing the reporter his damaged hand, which in fairness did look blistered. “It happens.”

When asked if he was able to finish cooking his steak, Knett said: “My wife did the cooking.”

Panetolikos did not miss Knett on the night, as his understudy Nikolaos Melissas kept a clean sheet in a 1-0 win.

Other freak injuries in football

Knett can draw comfort from fellow goalkeeper Santiago Canizares who missed the 2002 World Cup with Spain after dropping a bottle of aftershave and cutting a tendon in his foot.

Steve Morrow was a journeyman for Arsenal, but scored the winning goal in the League Cup final of 1993. His celebrations were cut short as he was hoisted on the shoulders of a team-mate only to fall off and break an arm.

Ever Banega broke a bone in his ankle when failing to apply the break to his car when filling up at a petrol station, and it rolled back onto his foot.

Further reading

Toni Payne is eyeing a Turkish Women's Cup crown with Nigeria as they prepare to face Equatorial Guinea in their last group match on Tuesday morning.

Payne had made her maiden unofficial appearance for the West African nation in a 1-0 win against CSKA Moscow on February 18 since switching her national allegiance from the USA in 2019.

On Saturday, the 25-year-old enjoyed a full official debut in a 1-0 victory over Uzbekistan at Emir Sports Complex, with Halimatu Ayinde's 49th-minute strike sealing the Super Falcons' triumph.

After her first official international debut against the Turanians, she is poised to help Randy Waldrum's side to success at Antalya.

"We want to win the match [against Equatorial Guinea]," Payne told Goal.

"We also wanted to get better as a team game by game. I mean about how we play and work together. 

"Such a short time. We initially don't know much about every team before the tournament but we just have to go out there and focus on how we want to play and translate those things to the match. 

"As a team, we always have high expectations and also win our last game and potentially win the tournament. That will be a really good ending for us."

Nigeria are leaders of the four-team competition, with six points from two matches but must subdue two-time African champions Equatorial Guinea to make history as the first African winners.

Payne will be hoping to also grab her first goal in the colours of the Super Falcons in her third appearance for the country as Waldrum also eyes her first title in charge of the national team.

The Egyptian Football Association has extended the ban on signing foreign goalkeepers across all domestic leagues in the country.

Over a decade ago, the EFA barred clubs from signing foreign goalkeepers in the 2009-10 season while those in Egyptian clubs were not handed extensions at the end of their deals.

The move came after former Egypt coach Hassan Shehata lamented the lack of quality goalkeepers in the country.

The Egyptian FA disclosed the agreement on the extension of the ban was reached after recommendations from clubs and the public. The top-flight clubs were also ordered to register a maximum of five foreign players for the 2020-21 season.

“The Federation decided to continue not to allow foreign goalkeepers in any club in any of the different departments,” a statement from the EFA read.

“As for the registration procedures and instructions for the new season, the Egyptian Football Association decided that each team will be able to register 30 players in all divisions.

“In the Premier League — the first division league — every club will be allowed to register up to five foreign players, while Palestinian players would be treated as Egyptians with a maximum of only one Palestinian player for every club.”

Al Ahly shot-stopper Mohamed El Shenawy is currently the Pharaohs first-choice goalkeeper, and he recently helped the Red Devils reach the Fifa World Cup final in Qatar where they suffered a 2-0 defeat against Bayern Munich.

Kazakhstani Women's Championship side BIIK Kazygurt have secured the services of Prisca Chilufya from Red Arrows.

BIIK's signed the 25-year-old from the Zambian club, on a two-year-deal, after completing a brief trial with the Kazakhstani champions.

This will bring to an end the Zambia international's journey with the Zambian Women's Premier League outfit as she looks to join the growing list of professionals abroad with the Kazakhstani side.

At international level, Chilufya has been a regular feature for Cote d'Ivoire since 2018 as she featured at the country's Africa Women's Cup of Nations in Ghana and qualification to the Tokyo Olympics.

Her arrival will bolster the attacking line of Kaloyan Petkov's team ahead of the new season and 2020-21 Champions League's Round of 16 showdown with German champions Bayern Munich.

Upon her return to BIIK, she has featured in some pre-season matches, including a recent 2-1 win over Russian side Zvezda-2005.   

With her arrival, the 21-year-old will hope to settle in immediately as she teamed up with Zambian compatriot Racheal Kundananji.

She also swells the number of African stars to be involved in Europe's elite women's club competition, after Kundananji, Asisat Oshoala, Ajara Nchout, Rasheedat Ajibade and Abigail Kim.

Chilufya will hope to hit the ground running on her debut for BIIK in their Round of 16 double-header with Bayern Munich next month.

He has been tipped as a future Ballon d'Or winner, but Joao Felix may have flown under the radar for some.

While his peers Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe, who are around the same age, have been dominating the headlines in recent seasons, there has been slightly less fanfare about Felix.

In case you were wondering who he was and what sort of player he is, Goal brings you everything you need to know about Atletico Madrid's star man.

Who is Joao Felix?

Joao Felix is a footballer who currently plies his trade with Spanish club Atletico Madrid.

Born in the central Portuguese city of Viseu on November 10, 1999, he began his career with Benfica, climbing through the ranks in Lisbon to make his senior bow in the 2018-19 season.

He scored 15 league goals in 26 appearances during his breakthrough campaign and impressed in the Champions League as well as the Europa League.

He was crowned Golden Boy after his breakthrough year in 2019 and his form attracted the attention of many of Europe's elite clubs, including Manchester City.

Felix ultimately signed for Atletico Madrid after the Rojiblancos smashed their club transfer record to sign him.

How much did Joao Felix cost Atletico Madrid to buy?

Atletico Madrid paid €126 million (£113m/$142m) to Benfica to secure Joao Felix's signature in 2019, when he was aged just 19 years old.

It was the third-highest transfer fee ever paid for a footballer and Joao Felix became the second most expensive teenager of all time in the process, behind Kylian Mbappe.

To put it into perspective, the fee paid for Joao Felix was more than what Barcelona paid to sign Antoine Griezmann (€120m), the player he ostensibly replaced, as well as being higher than the figures paid for the likes Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Pogba and Gareth Bale.

Which position does Joao Felix play?

Joao Felix is an adaptable forward and is capable of playing anywhere across the attacking line.

He is currently playing as part of a front two - as a supporting striker - along with Luis Suarez, but can also play on the wing or slightly deeper as an attacking playmaker or No. 10.

"He is a different player, something that we did not have in the squad. He is still a young boy, he has room to grow and you have to leave him alone," Atleti defender Stefan Savic told Goal last December.

"He has chosen the best possible club to grow. He has a great future and if he continues like this, I have no doubt that he can be a great player or a Ballon d'Or winner, but, before that, he has to win something with the club."

So what sort of player is he exactly?

Felix has been likened to Brazil legend Kaka, though much of that comparison has grown out of the fact that he is tall and fashions a similarly floppy hairstyle.

He has also been compared to Antoine Griezmann and he certainly plays in a similar role as the France international, whose No. 7 jersey he assumed.

Interestingly, it has been suggested that Felix needs to be used in a 'Messi role' at Atleti, which would suggest he should be the focal point of attacks, though it remains to be seen if he can live up to such a comparison.

What national team does Joao Felix play for?

Portugal is the national team of Joao Felix and he has been a regular for the senior team since making his debut in 2019.

When Cristiano Ronaldo is available for selection, the veteran attacker is normally the focal point of the attack and, if he plays centrally, then Felix plays off him on the wing.

However, in Ronaldo's absence, Felix has been deployed as a lone striker.

Andy Robertson has rubbished claims that he and Liverpool team-mate Alisson Becker were involved in a fight, claiming talk of him receiving a "burst lip" is nonsense.

Liverpool have come up well short in their bid to defend the Premier League title they won so spectacularly last term, with a torrid run of form in 2021 all but ending their hopes of retaining the trophy.

There has also been wild speculation surrounding the club, with talk that Jurgen Klopp was set to quit and that Robertson and Alisson were involved in a bust-up.

What was said?

Robertson has dismissed the speculation, claiming some people have too much time on their hands, although he did joke that he would rather have been portrayed as the winner of the fight.

“I don't look like the boxing type, do I?” Robertson told Sky Sports. “The least [likely] two people to fight in the dressing room are myself and Ali; I think people are sitting at home a bit bored.

"Obviously somebody made up a rumour that the gaffer didn't come home, whereas me and Ali were fighting. 

“I love how I was the one who ended up with the burst lip. I would rather it was the other way about but beggars can't be choosers!

"The stuff that was getting written was a lot of nonsense. For the players and everyone in the training ground, we just need to block all that out."

What was reported to have gone on?

A rumour emerged following Liverpool’s 3-1 loss to Leicester on February 13 that Brazil goalkeeper Alisson and Scotland full-back Robertson came to blows in the aftermath of the game.

Liverpool led at the King Power Stadium through a Mohamed Salah goal, but were pegged back by a James Maddison free-kick.

Alisson, who had an error-strewn game against Manchester City the previous week, then took centre stage as he charged out of his goal only to miss his attempted clearance and allow Jamie Vardy to walk the ball into an empty net.

It was claimed that Robertson called out Alisson and that it resulted in a physical altercation in the dressing room.

Further Reading 

Toni Kroos is convinced David Alaba would have the quality to flourish at Real Madrid, should he make the move from Bayern Munich in the summer.

Alaba announced last week that he would be leaving Bayern on a free transfer in the summer, but stopped short of revealing his next destination.

It has been widely speculated that Real will be his next club, and Kroos has no doubts the Austria international would adapt to life in La Liga.

What was said?

“Here you need quality, that you are physically there, that your head can handle many situations,” Kroos told Sky Germany. “You need more than just sporting quality.

“I haven't played with him for almost seven years. So it's a little difficult for me to say how and what he thinks. 

“I've already read the name Alaba in connection with Real Madrid, but I don't have any information on it now. 

“If you're a regular at Bayern, then you definitely have the athletic quality to play at Real Madrid. 

“That's clear, but we'll see what will come of it in the end."

Do Real Madrid have a need for Alaba?

The simple answer is yes. Sergio Ramos is in the final year of his contract, and club and player are said to be some way apart with regard to an extension.

Added to that, Ramos will turn 35 in March and is currently sidelined with a knee injury that required surgery. The Spain great has proved his commitment and drive during his 17 years in the game, but is in the latter stages of his career and a replacement is required.

Who else has been linked with Alaba?

It’s of little surprise that one of the most talented defenders in the world is attracting admiring glances from a number of clubs.

Signing a top-class defender on a free transfer is the stuff of dreams for elite clubs, and the cream of the European crop have fixed their gaze on the 28-year-old.

Madrid’s Liga rivals Barcelona have been linked, as have Premier League sides Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United.

Further Reading

Pep Guardiola has won almost every trophy under the sun during his time managing Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City.

He will forever be associated with overseeing Barcelona's golden years, his first full seasons managing the club's first-team some of the most decorated in club history.

But though Guardiola has tasted Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup glory with Manchester City, he has never lifted the Champions League with the Etihad side.

Goal has what you need to know about Guardiola's record in the Champions League and more.

How many Champions League titles has Pep Guardiola won?

Guardiola has won two Champions League titles, both as Barcelona manager.

He won his first Champions League title in his debut season in charge of Barcelona's senior team, defeating Manchester United 2-0 in the 2008-09 final.

In doing so, he became the youngest man to coach a Champions League-winning team. That same season, Barcelona became the first Spanish team to win La Liga, Copa del Rey and the Champions League (known as the treble) in a single campaign.

His second Champions League trophy came in the 2011 final, two years after his first. The Blaugrana were once again victorious against Manchester United in the final at Wembley, this time in a 3-1 win.

When was the last time Pep Guardiola won the Champions League?

The last time Guardiola won the Champions League was with Barcelona, in 2010-11.

He has never won the Champions League with a team that was not Barcelona, or with a team that did not include Lionel Messi, and has also failed to reach a final with a non-Barcelona side.

With Bayern and Manchester City, the farthest he has gone in the competition is reaching the semi-final stage - but never the final.

Guardiola has spoken of his desires to lift the Champions League trophy with Manchester City, semi-joking that part of his legacy at the Etihad will be determined by his success in the elite European competition.

“We will, of course, not just be judged on the way we play but the titles we win. That is the truth. It is as simple as that,” said Guardiola.

“Last year was an extraordinary one for us but people say, 'But you didn't win the Champions League'. That is why I will be judged, if we don't win it in my final period here, that I will be a failure here. I know that.

“But I enjoy working with my players and my players still win a lot of games. Winning a certain way is what helps you to win the titles and we believe we can play that way. We will see at the end.”

You can see Guardiola's progress in the Champions League with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City below.

Barcelona

Bayern Munich

Manchester City

Azam FC were held to a 0-0 draw by Tanzania Prisons in a Mainland Premier League contest on Monday at Chamazi Sports Complex.

The Ice-cream Makers, who are slowly picking up their campaign after the initial struggle, were unable to see off the resilient rivals and had to settle for a point at home.

In the last five games, George Lwandamina has seen his side win two games, draw in another two and lost in one as they try to close in on Yanga SC and Simba SC who are above them with more than 10 points.

On March 3 and 6, the Ice-cream Makers will be up against Kagera Sugar and Mwadui FC while Tanzania Prisons, who are eighth with 26 points, will entertain Mbeya City and Simba in early March. The game against Wekundu wa Msimbazi could be postponed though given the Caf assignments the champions are engaged in.

Meanwhile, Dodoma Jiji and Polisi Tanzania drew 2-2 in their respective match that was played earlier.

Daluwesh Saliboko opened the scoring for the law enforcers in the 29th minute but the hosts fought back and equalised in the third minute of added time of the first half through Anuary Jabiri.

Marcelo Bonaventure powered Polisi Tanzania back into the lead in the 73rd minute before the league debutants equalised again two minutes later via Jabiri again.

The result means the debutants will remain at the top of Polisi Tanzania in seventh position with 29 points from 21 games. On the other hand, the Cops, who are yet to register a win in the last five games, are ninth with 25 points from 20 games.

Dodoma Jiji will be up against Kipigwe FC in the Azam Shield Cup encounter on January 28 before facing Ruvu Shooting and Mbeya City in the first league matches of March.

Polisi Tanzania have been scheduled to play Kinondoni Municipal Council and Yanga in the next Mainland Premier League games on March 4 and 7 respectively.

As the season has gone past the half-way mark, Ihefu FC, Mbeya City and Mwadui remain in the relegation zone. Ihefu are in the top-flight for a maiden season while Mbeya City and Mwadui were lucky to dodge the chop last season.

Amakhosi kickoff their Caf Champions League group campaign when they host Horoya AC at FNB Stadium on Tuesday.

It is a Group C encounter as Amakhosi face Horoya who already lead the standings after beating 10-man Petro Atletico 2-0 at home on February 13.

It is the only match played in this pool so far after Amakhosi failed to travel to Morocco to face Wydad Casablanca and that match has since been postponed to February 28.

Chiefs go into this match on the backdrop of a difficult run on the domestic scene, a situation coach Gavin Hunt would not want to dampen their morale ahead of Tuesday’s clash.

TV Channel, Live Score & How To Watch

Squads & Team News

This is another level of competition and coach Hunt would need to field his strongest squad as possible.

But the Amakhosi tactician will have to do without experienced but injured forward Khama Billiat who is expected to be back at the end of March.

Defender Erick Mathoho who missed Chiefs’ league outing against SuperSport United last weekend is expected to be back following the completion of an isolation period after attending a family event.

Midfielder Darrel Matsheke who is still suspended for their domestic competitions will be available for selection in this continental fixture.

Another midfielder Dumisani Zuma is still out injured.

Horoya welcome back Burkina Faso international Oula Aabass Traore who missed the Petro Atletico match due to sickness.

During Traore’s absence, Khadim Diaw took his place and the Senegalese defender is also part of the squad that arrived in Johannesburg on Friday.

Horoya coach Lamine N’Diaye also travelled with his seasoned campaigners like Ocansey Mandela and Godfred Assante.

Match Preview

This is the first-ever meeting between Kaizer Chiefs and Horoya.

While it would be Chiefs’ first-ever game in the group stage of the Champions League, their opponents Horoya have in recent years established themselves as no pushovers in this competition after reaching the quarter-finals in the 2018 and 2018/19 seasons.

Difficult outings in their domestic matches marked by a six-match winless run characterise Chiefs’ form going into this match.

But they could be drawing inspiration from the fact that their performances in Africa have overshadowed their domestic woes this season.

Amid struggling in the Premier Soccer League, Amakhosi beat Cameroonian champions PWD Bamenda in the preliminary round, before seeing off Primeiro Agosto in the first stage to reach the group phase.

For Horoya, they arrived in Johannesburg two days after beating Satellite 5-0 in a Guinean Ligue 1 match.

They began campaigning in the first stage, beating Racing d’Abidjan of Ivory Coast 2-1 on aggregate and they then started Group C with a 2-0 victory over Petro Atletico.

Horoya have previously played against PSL opposition in Caf inter-club competitions with their last match ending in a 2-1 win over Bidvest Wits at home in a Caf Confederation Cup group stage game in January 2020 after the reverse leg had ended 0-0 in Johannesburg.

Interestingly, Hunt was in charge of Bidvest Wits then which makes the Guineans familiar opponents to him.

Horoya have also played against Mamelodi Sundowns before, drawing 2-2 in Conakry, before a 0-0 draw in Tshwane in the 2018 Champions League.

They lost 3-0 to Orlando Pirates at Orlando Stadium, before winning 2-1 at home in the 2018/19 Champions League.

Fernandinho has denied reports he has been offered a role on Pep Guardiola’s coaching staff at Manchester City, and has insisted he will not make a decision on his future until the end of the season.

The Brazil international is in the final year of his contract and has options on the table, and it was claimed by Atletico Mineiro that one of those was to become a part of the coaching staff at the Etihad.

Fernandinho has insisted a coaching role was not put to him, and the midfielder will take his time before revealing his decision.

What was said?

"I've been focused on Man City," he told TNT Sports' Fred Caldeira. "I know how much my team-mates need me.

"I made a decision to only decide my future when the season is over. I already had an offer, not to be part of Pep’s staff, but to be an employee of the club.

“I was flattered, after eight years at Man City and the respect I have gained here, but it is a decision that I put aside."

What does the future hold for Fernandinho?

The Brazilian has been indispensable to City since his arrival, especially since Guardiola took over in 2016.

The Catalan boss heaped praise on the midfielder following City’s 1-0 win over Arsenal on Sunday, but it is unlikely he will play regularly next season given he will turn 36 in May.

If Fernandinho is content with a fringe role, he could well extend his stay at City. But his performances suggest he has the capacity to play regularly away from an elite side; much will depend on how much football he wants.

He has also spoken about moving into coaching at some stage so a role that combines both could appeal.

Further reading