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Former Birmingham City coach Mike Dodds says Jude Bellingham was always destined for the top and that he "looked like he had played 100 games" when he made his debut at St Andrew's.

Bellingham quickly rose to stardom after breaking into Birmingham's senior squad in 2019 at the age of just 16, with his first appearance for the club coming in an EFL Cup clash against Portsmouth in August that year.

The England international went on to feature in 44 games for the Blues before being snapped up by German giants Dortmund in 2020 where he has further enhanced his reputation as one of the best young players in Europe, and Dodds believes there is "no limit" to what he can go on and achieve.

What was said?

The ex-Birmingham coach told Goal and DAZN: "Last year, at the end of the season, I briefly coached with the first team, so I actually did his first and last training sessions at Birmingham.

"He was the youngest player to ever play for our first team, and he looked like he had played a hundred league games. He was so calm, as if he had been born for this stage.

"When he got into the first team, we knew that his time with us was limited. He always needs the next challenge. If he doesn't have that, he'll get frustrated.

"You can put him in any environment. He'll punch his way through. Everything. I think he can do everything - and I'm not just saying that. He has everything you can ask a midfielder to do. There is no limit on the pitch. He can achieve anything he wants. It's the real love for football that makes him so good."

Bellingham's first season at Dortmund

Bellingham was handed his maiden start for Dortmund in a DFB-Pokal meeting with third-tier MSV Duisburg on September 14, and he managed to record his first goal for the club during the 5-0 victory.

The 17-year-old has since racked up 27 appearances across all competitions and although he has yet to increase his goal tally, he is now fully established as a key member of Edin Terzic's squad.

What's next?

Bellingham could be in line to feature again when Dortmund take on Sevilla in the first leg of their last 16 Champions League tie on Wednesday night.

The young playmaker featured in all six of Dortmund's group stage games, and played 71 minutes during their most recent Bundesliga outing against Hoffenheim on Saturday which ended in a 2-2 draw.

Further reading

Former Manchester United prospect Adnan Januzaj has admitted to winding up his PlayStation buddy Paul Pogba ahead of a Europa League clash against his old team-mate.

Januzaj, who began his professional career at Old Trafford back in 2013, will be out to mastermind United's downfall with Real Sociedad in continental competition later this week.

The two teams will contest the first leg of their round of 32 Europa League tie on Thursday, and Januzaj has now revealed that playing video games with Pogba has formed part of his preparations for the encounter.

What was said?

The Sociedad winger told UEFA.com of his relationship with Pogba: "We play PlayStation together so we don’t really talk [then] – but sometimes I tease him a little bit via video call [about this tie] because we are in contact a lot.

"It will be weird [to play against him] because off the pitch we are amazing friends, and we have such good, close contact. We have known each other from a young age.

"We grew up at United together, we’ve gone through a lot of things. So having him in front of me – it’s good that we don’t play in the same position!

"I don’t think we will have much contact between each other, but obviously for my part I want to win that game."

Januzaj's memories of Sir Alex Ferguson

Januzaj may have ultimately failed to make the grade at Old Trafford, but he still looks back on his time with the club fondly, having been given his start by legendary ex-United boss Ferguson.

The Belgium international thinks his career in Manchester would have turned out differently had the Scottish manager not retired after the club's title-winning 2012-13 campaign, as he added: "It was in training when he was always pushing me.

"He [said]: 'Adnan, you have to work, you have to work, work, work because with your talents, you’re going to make it here because you have very great potential.'

"Sir Alex was someone that really believed in me, and obviously when he left the club, I was very sad because I thought if he was still there, I would also still be there.

"But at the end of the day, football takes you somewhere else."

Will Pogba & Januzaj both start in the Europa League?

Unfortunately, the two friends will not be playing against each other at the Allianz Stadium this week, with Pogba currently out of action due to a thigh injury.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said he expects the Frenchman to be sidelined for at least a "few weeks" when he hobbled off early during a 3-3 draw with Everton on February 6, which means he could also be a doubt for the return leg against Sociedad next Thursday.

Januzaj, however, will almost certainly line up against the Red Devils in both fixtures having been a regular in Imanol Alguacil's starting XI throughout the 2020-21 campaign.

Further reading

The All India Football Federation's (AIFF) player status committee has deemed Subha Ghosh's transfer from ATK Mohun Bagan to Kerala Blasters as valid, Goal has learnt. 

The Committee has ruled that the transfers of Nongdamba Noarem who joined ATK Mohun Bagan and Subha Ghosh are separate moves and have to be considered separately.

Young winger Nongdamba Noarem had joined Bagan on a loan deal until the end of the season and Ghosh was signed by the Yellows on a multi-year, permanent contract in the mid-season transfer window. However, Naorem was found to be carrying a ligament injury and this prompted Bagan to claim that the transfer agreement with Blasters for Ghosh as void. 

Bagan issued NOC to Ghosh on December 27, 2020, and as a result, after considering the submissions by both parties, the Committee observed that Ghosh's transfer to Blasters has all the elements of a valid contract and hence, rejected Bagan's claims that the player's transfer to Blasters stating otherwise.

The committee has also directed the player registration department to register Ghosh as a player of the Kochi-based club with immediate effect. Bagan now have the option to appeal the decision before February 25.

The 20-year-old striker came off the bench eight times and scored thrice for the Mohun Bagan team that won the I-League title last season under Kibu Vicuna. The Spanish head coach parted ways with the Yellow Army following the 0-4 defeat to Hyderabad on Tuesday. 

Ghosh could be a useful addition to the Kerala Blasters squad as he is on a three-year contract. Although he has been training with the rest of the Blasters squad, his last outing came as a Bagan player last season and will be looking forward to making his much-awaited debut. 

Marco Rose has indicated that he will not take players with him from Borussia Monchengladbach when he makes the move to Borussia Dortmund at the end of the season.

The former Mainz man was announced as Lucien Favre's permanent successor earlier this week and is set to take the reins from interim manager Edin Terzic at the end of the 2020-21 Bundesliga campaign.

But he has now moved to dampen speculation that he will take some of his current side's biggest stars to Dortmund as he begins a new chapter in his career.

What's been said?

Asked whether he would look to take some of Gladbach's strongest players with him to his next job, Rose offered a firm denial, stating that he does not intend to lure members of his current squad with him.

"If Marco Rose says he's not going to take a player to Borussia Dortmund, then he's not going to take a player to Borussia Dortmund," the 44-year-old was quoted by Sport 1. "That's it,"

Rose also admitted that he had faced a tough call in activating his release clause and making the move from the club he arrived at in 2019, adding: "I decided on the exciting job of Borussia Dortmund. It wasn't easy."

The bigger picture

Rose's affirmation that he will not snatch players from his old club to strength his new home will at the very least temper the disappointment of Gladbach supporters at losing a manager who has helped cement their transformation into a genuine force in German football once again.

Next week's Champions League last-16 tie with Manchester City is just another example of how the former Salzburg boss has helped progress the club even further in the right direction.

Dortmund supporters, meanwhile, may be frustrated to hear that Rose will not even attempt to bring key talents such as Marcus Thuram to Signal Iduna Park, though several of the club's players may be quietly relieved that they will not be supplanted quickly by the incoming coach.

Further reading

Julian Nagelsmann has insisted that RB Leipzig were not two goals worse than Liverpool following their Champions League defeat.

Liverpool picked up a 2-0 victory over Leipzig in a round of 16 clash at the Puskas Arena on Tuesday night, thanks to second-half goals from Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.

Jurgen Klopp's side are now in pole position to qualify for the quarter-finals ahead of the second leg of the tie at Anfield on March 10, but Nagelsmann did not feel that the Reds outplayed his team in Budapest.

What was said?

“When you win, you're always right, but we earned a lot of respect in the 90 minutes," the Leipzig boss told reporters post-match. "We were definitely not worse and certainly not two goals worse.

“The big difference was they scored with their two chances, we had three big chances and weren’t clinical enough. For the two big mistakes we committed we were punished, and at such a high level that’s normal."

Did Klopp agree with Nagelsmann's assessment?

Liverpool came into their latest European fixture on the back of three successive Premier League defeats, the last of which came at Leicester City on Saturday afternoon.

Klopp was pleased that his team were able to raise their game against a Leipzig side that had benefitted from an extra day's rest, and felt they were good value for the victory despite a "tough" examination from Nagelsmann's men.

"We played a really good game and we got the result we deserved," the Reds boss said post-match. "We defended really well and had good recovery. It was a tough game with only two days since the last one. It's only the first leg, we know that but a lot of people were waiting for us to slip again.

"For two years we were really good and this year we have problems, that's fine. A lot of people expected us to slip again but the boys didn't."

Can Leipzig spring an upset at Anfield?

Nagelsmann has now lost all three games he has played against Klopp at the start of his managerial career, having been in charge at Hoffenheim when they were dumped out of the competition by Liverpool 6-3 on aggregate in the 2017-18 qualifying rounds.

However, he managed to guide Leipzig to their first-ever Champions League semi-final last term, and they also picked up impressive group stage wins against Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United in the first half of the current campaign.

Further reading

Kylian Mbappe "is further away from Real Madrid than ever" according to Jorge Valdano, who has backed the Paris Saint-Germain star to extend his stay at Parc des Princes.

Madrid are reportedly lining up a big-money swoop for Mbappe's services in the summer transfer window, with his current contract at PSG due to expire in 2022.

However, former Blancos forward and sporting director Valdano expressed his belief that the Frenchman will choose to stay put after watching him put Barcelona to the sword in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

What was said?

Valdano told Onda Cero: "He has the personality to show all his class in the important games. I think that after this game, Mbappe is further away from Real Madrid than ever.

"I do not see them [PSG] now being very interested in the idea of replacing him with [Lionel] Messi."

Mbappe's historic night

Mbappe joined Faustino Asprilla and Andrei Shevchenko as the only players to ever score a hat-trick against Barcelona in the Champions League as PSG ran out 4-1 winners at Camp Nou in the first leg of their round of 16 tie.

Messi gave the hosts the lead from the penalty spot in the 27th minute of the contest but Mbappe levelled the scores five minutes later after latching onto a Marco Verratti pass and firing high into the net.

The 22-year-old doubled his account when ter Stegan parried an Alessandro Florenzi cut-back straight into his path just after the hour mark, before Moise Kean put PSG 3-1 up with a trademark header.

Mbappe rounded off the scoring in spectacular fashion late on, curling an unstoppable first time shot into the top corner after being played through by Julian Draxler.

Al-Khelaifi's praise and Mbappe's stance on his future

PSG owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi hailed Mbappe for his match-winning display after the final whistle, telling the club's official media channel: "The players had a perfect match, it was a very good performance on their part. I also think of Kylian, I am very happy with his hat-trick tonight, it is something historic for him and for the club. We are all very proud of him!"

Mbappe also expressed his delight before addressing the ongoing speculation surrounding his future, admitting that he has yet to make a final decision on his next move.

"I am happy. I always want to give the best of myself," he told RMC Sport. "It would be stupid to decide my future on a single match. The truth is that it is about reflecting for the long term. I have always said that I am happy here."

Further reading

Sports Club Villa head coach Edward Kaziba is confident ahead of the Ugandan Premier League encounter against Wakiso Giants despite the absence of a number of players.

Moses Kigunddu, Amir Kakomo and Emmanuel Alex Wasswa will miss the trip to Kabaka Kyabaggu Stadium as they are suspended due to the accumulated yellow cards while Benson Muhindo is injured after he limped out during their match against Malaba Youth Sports Development.

SC Villa are yet to win a single game away from home this season and the Wakiso Giants encounter will offer them another moment to try and get the elusive away points.

"We come into this game very optimistic that we’ll collect our first maximum points away from home on Wednesday," Kaziba told the club's website. 

"The team has trained well and we have carefully analysed Wednesday’s opponents in order to achieve our primary objective on Wednesday.

“We have very good replacements for those out of this tie. Throughout the training sessions in preparation for this encounter, other members of the team have exhibited their capabilities to fit in the places of those who are not available." 

As the Jogoos are set to miss a number of key stars, the Purple Sharks will have Tom Masiko and Simon Namwanja available once more after recovering from injuries. However, long-term absentee Edward Sabulo will not be available.

The two sides did not meet in the second round of the 2019/20 season since the league had been suspended due to the coronavirus when the game was scheduled to take place. However, the 16-time champions had emerged winners in the first meeting of the season with Kakomo and David Owori scoring the winnings goals.

Currently, the two sides are separated by just two points with SC Villa sitting sixth with 10 points while the Purple Sharks are 11th. In the six games Wakiso Giants have played, they have emerged winners once while the other games have ended in draws. On the other hand, Kaziba's side has won three matches, have drawn once and have lost two games.

SC Villa matchday squad: 

Goalkeepers: Saidi Keni, Meddie Kibirige.

Defenders: Fred Agandu, Joseph Nsubuga, Derrick Ndahiro, Andrew Kiwanuka, Nasser Lukwago, Asuman Harisheh.

Midfielders: Derrick Ssekiranda, Muhammed Ssenoga, Sadam Masereka Ronald Ssekiganda, Goffin Oyirwoth, Nicholas Kabonge.

Strikers: Ronald Olaki, Isaac Ogwang, Faizah Muwawu, Faizo Kazibwe, Abdallah Salim.

Reece James says that fellow Chelsea defender Thiago Silva has had the biggest influence on his career so far after taking him "under his wing" over the past few months.

Silva arrived at Stamford Bridge on a free transfer after leaving Paris Saint-Germain in August, and has since established himself as one of the most consistent performers in the Chelsea squad.

The Brazilian has also been giving valuable tips to James about how to improve his all-round game, with the England international grateful to be learning from a man who has achieved so much at the highest level.

What was said?

Asked who has played the biggest role in his development at Chelsea to date, James told BBC Sport: "I think, this season, Thiago Silva has probably influenced my career the most so far, just because he is well experienced and played at the very top of the game for the last 15 years.

"He has taken me under his wing, coached me and told me where I need to do better and where I am doing well."

How has James performed for Chelsea this season?

James became a regular in Chelsea's starting XI under Frank Lampard in 2019-20, and continued to fill the right-back role in the team during the first half of the current season.

The 21-year-old has contributed one goal and five assists to the Blues's cause in 21 outings across all competitions this term, but Lampard's sacking in January has led to his place coming under threat.

Former PSG boss Thomas Tuchel was drafted in to replace a club legend, and the German head coach has quickly set about stamping his own mark on the squad by experimenting with a 3-4-3 formation.

Callum Hudson-Odoi has been shifted into a right wing-back role under Tuchel, with James only starting two of his first six games in charge.

What's next?

James and Silva will both be back in contention for a spot in Tuchel's line up when Chelsea travel to St Mary's to take on Southampton on Saturday.

The Blues must win that fixture to make sure they stay in the Premier League's top four, before turning their attention to a Champions League clash against Atletico Madrid three days later.

The two teams will contest the first leg of their round of 16 tie on neutral ground in Bucharest due to the current coronavirus travel restrictions in Spain, with the return leg scheduled to take place at Stamford Bridge on March 17.

Further reading

Express FC have vowed to keep their unbeaten start to the season intact when they face rivals KCCA FC in a Ugandan Premier League derby on Wednesday.

The Red Eagles will host the Kasasiro Boys at Wankulukuku buoyed by the fact they are yet to lose a match in the 2020-21 campaign as they have managed to stay fourth on the 16-team table with 12 points from six matches.

On the other hand, KCCA last picked a win in the league on December 11, 2020, against Mbarara City FC at home in Lugogo and have gone on to lose the next three games since then.

Coach Wasswa Bbosa has now said their main focus is to protect their unbeaten run and also make sure they bag maximum points from the derby.

“We have continued from where we stopped, based on our last game versus URA FC, we failed to convert many chances although we won the game so the concentration in training has been on scoring,” Bbosa told the club’s official website.

“I am sure we shall do so [scoring the goals], KCCA is a decent team but we’re prepared to fight and maintain our unbeaten run but most importantly get the maximum points.”

Bbosa continued: “The win away to URA was a huge boost for us and I believe we shall pick up from that because the team played with a lot of character, we do respect KCCA, however, the boys know the target is getting maximum points.”

Ahead of the derby, Bbosa has a fit squad to pick from with forward George Senkaaba, who received a knock against URA, back in contention after recovering.

Express FC’s last league win against the visitors came in 2018, goals by Michael Birungi, Disan Galiwango, and Erick Kambale guiding the Red Eagles to a 3-2 win while KCCA coach Mike Mutebi has come out on top in the last three fixtures, picking up two wins and a draw.

Meanwhile, KCCA will also head to the derby missing some of their key players - youngsters Sadat Anaku, Ayella Dominic, and Opio Sunday – both are out due to licensing issues.

The game has also come too soon for Julius Poloto, Denis Iguma, and Gift Ali who are still recovering from injuries while Magambo Peter, Filbert Obenchan, Musana Hassan, Achai Herbert, and Kato Samuel are the available options that coach Mutebi could select from.

The Kasasiro Boys and the Red Eagles have met 22 times in the last 11 years, with KCCA managing to register nine wins while Express have picked four wins with the other nine battles ending in a draw.

Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Rhulani Mokwena has identified Baroka FC's dangermen ahead of their PSL clash on Wednesday evening. 

Masandawana will be looking to secure their fifth consecutive victory across all competitions when they host Bakgaga Ba Mphahlele at Loftus Versfeld Stadium. 

Mokwena singled out the quartet of Goodman Mosele, Richard Mbulu, Tshidiso Patjie and Thami Masiya as the players, who could hurt Sundowns. 

“Mosele is doing well for them, giving them that assurance in front of the back-four and Mbulu with the physicality and a set-piece threat,’’ Mokwena told Sowetan on Wednesday. 

“Of course, Masiya and Patjie being their most important players with speed and directness to be able to play behind the defence and cause threats with second balls. We have to make sure we try to manoeuvre and work on that.’’

Bakgaga Ba Mphahlele are winless in their last five competitive matches, but Mokwena feels that Thoka Matsimela's side remains a good team. 

“Baroka have been very interesting to analyse. We’ve gone into their games… the Nedbank Cup against Cape Town Spurs [which they lost on penalties after a 1-1 draw post extra-time]," he continued. 

"We’ve gone into [their game against Kaizer] Chiefs [a 1-1 draw], and we’ve gone into [their game versus] Cape Town City [another 1-1 draw]. 

“They are doing some very good work because the identity of the team is very clear. Structurally, they have a system in place, which you can pick out in the 4-3-2-1 formation and they are very consistent regardless of the personnel.''

Mokwena has analysed Bakgaga Ba Mphahlele and discovered that they are not a possession-based side under coach Matsimela. 

“Statistically, they are not a team that spends a lot of time on the ball, they average about 40% of ball possession," the former Orlando Pirates caretaker coach added.

"They are in the top 10 in the league in relation to the number of box entries, very direct from crosses and getting into the box."

A victory for Sundowns over Baroka will see the PSL champions open a five-point lead at the top of the league standings. 

Fred says he's eager to "leave a legacy" and "make history" at Manchester United after reaching 100 games at Old Trafford.

The Brazilian brought up a century of appearances for the Red Devils during their 1-1 draw against West Brom at the Hawthorns on Sunday afternoon.

Fred has established himself as a key member of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's squad after a slow start to life in Manchester, and he is hoping to go on and earn a place in the club's hall of fame after hitting a "great landmark".

What was said?

Asked to describe his emotions after featuring in his 100th game for the Red Devils, the 27-year-old told the Inside United magazine: “I’m really happy.

“It represents a great landmark for me, it’s what everyone aims for. 

“Ah man, I wasn’t even expecting this. It took me by surprise when you just told me now. I’m really pleased. It’s a great landmark, and as I said I hope I can play many more games for United. 

“I’d like to leave a legacy here. It’s somewhere all players want to be, so I look to do my best, play in many more games and make history here.”

Fred's resurgence at Man Utd

Fred completed a £52 million ($72m) move to Old Trafford from Shakhtar Donetsk in the summer of 2018, but initially struggled to adapt to his new surroundings under Jose Mourinho.

The Portuguese publicly questioned the midfielder's fitness levels before being relieved of his managerial duties mid-way through the season, and his fortunes didn't improve much when Solskjaer was drafted in as his replacement.

Fred continued to play a bit-part role in the squad right up until the very end of his first term on United's books, before being heavily linked with a move away from the club amid reported interest from Fiorentina.

However, Solskjaer decided to keep hold of the ex-Shakhtar star, and was rewarded for his faith in him throughout the 2019-20 campaign, which saw him appear in 48 games for the Red Devils as they reached three semi-finals and secured a top-four Premier League finish.

Fred has been equally as impressive this season, and his continued presence could be vital as United chase down honours in both domestic and European competitions.

What's next?

Fred will be back in contention for a place in Solskjaer's starting XI when the Red Devils take on Real Sociedad in the first leg of their round of 32 Europa League tie against Real Sociedad on Thursday.

The Brazil international added on the importance of winning that clash: “We know to expect a difficult game, but we’re going for the win. 

“We want to win the Europa League. We know how important it is to us, so we’ll do our best in the game and have our best season in the Europa League so we can lift the trophy.”

Further reading

Sevilla midfielder Fernando has saluted his team-mate Youssef En-Nesyri, who has attracted interest from across Europe with his scoring exploits this season.

West Ham have been among the clubs linked with the Moroccan, who has scored 13 times in La Liga this season for the Andalusian outfit. 

Sevilla are reportedly open to offers in the summer for the 23-year-old, who could cost in the region of €40 million (£35m/$48m).

What has Fernando said about En-Nesyri

"He's in a very important moment in his career," Fernando told Goal. "He's doing things very well, he's listening a lot to his team-mates and he's scoring goals, which is important for a striker. We are very happy because he's helping us a lot. 

"In every job, not just in football, it's important to have experienced people around youngsters who can teach them about what they've been through.

"The players with experience have to be good people, for sure. It's complicated if the more experienced players don't teach good things to the young players but everyone is a good person here, and for this reason everything is going well for the young players."

Sevilla blending youth with veterans

Sevilla have been in strong form under former Spain and Real Madrid boss Julen Lopetegui this term, sitting fourth in La Liga and having advanced to the Champions League last 16.

The club have been led by a mixture of young stars, such as En-Nesyri and in-demand centre-back Jules Kounde, as well as veterans like Fernando, Ivan Rakitic, Jesus Navas and new signing Papu Gomez.

Kounde and Rakitic each scored in the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg against Barcelona last week, putting Sevilla in a strong position to reach the final of the cup. 

What's next for Sevilla?

Sevilla will take on Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie, before returning to Liga action on Monday against Osasuna. 

Lopetegui's side then face back-to-back matches against Barcelona, first in the league and then the second leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final on March 3. 

Further reading

Kenya's Jonah Ayunga scored a brace in Bristol Rovers' 3-1 win over Portsmouth on Tuesday in a League One encounter.

Ayunga played a critical role as the Gas picked a win after going down 2-0 to Oxford United in a previous match.

The first clear chance for the hosts came when Luke Leahy, who was appointed as the stand-in captain. He looped a ball over the Portsmouth backline for Brandon Hanlan, but goalkeeper Craig MacGillivray won the one-on-one contest as he collected the ball with Rovers' chance all but lost.

Luke McCormick for Rovers was, however, denied by MacGillivray after he was put through on goal by Sam Nicholson at the quarter-hour mark.

The Portsmouth custodian was alert moments later once more when he stopped Hanlan from scoring after he received a cross from Leahy in an open space along the left-wing.

The visitors took the lead in the 25th minute when a powerful cross landed on John Marquis' path and the star fired home from close range to stun the home side. Rovers, however, equalised almost 10 minutes after conceding the opener.

Ayunga worked his way past the marker inside the penalty box before he fiercely fired home past MacGillivray who had been impressive before. The 34th-minute league goal was the first for the starlet.

He returned with his second of the day just a minute to the half-time break. Leahy delivered a clinical cross towards his path and the forward just brought the ball down with his chest, created enough shooting space before netting his brace with a low drive that found the corner.

Bristol would have scored the second goal when they created the first clear chance of the second half when George Byers - from the edge of the box - almost fired a low cross past Joe Day's right-hand post.

Leahy won a penalty for Rovers in the 70th minute and he rose to convert it successfully. The captain for that day dispossessed a Portsmouth defender and moved swiftly towards goal but he was clipped from the back forcing the referee to award the spot-kick. The penalty found a way into the bottom left corner as he scored his sixth goal of the season.

As Ayunga celebrated his double, his coach Tommy Widdrington stated the win came because of a clear plan.

“We had a clear plan to make this place a difficult place for teams to come to,” the manager said as was quoted by Evening Express.

“Portsmouth are a very good side, if you finish above them you are likely to go up.

“We have proven we can compete with the best in the division. I have no doubt that we have enough in this building.

“If we can win more battles than we lose, we will win games. It is 11 vs 11 on the pitch, no matter who those players are.

“I’m gutted that we have not had fans here after this performance. The fans would have gone home delighted with that win, lose or draw." 

The next game for Ayunga and teammates will be an away trip to Gillingham.

John Stones has hailed the hard work and spirit shown by Manchester City as crucial to their season turnaround, citing the squad's collective mentality as crucial to their success.

Pep Guardiola's side sit seven points clear of nearest rivals Manchester United and Leicester City at the top of the Premier League with a game in hand, while they have also reached a third consecutive Carabao Cup final at Wembley Stadium.

Coupled with their continued progression in both the FA Cup and the Champions League, City remain on track for a continental quadruple, a feat all the more impressive given that they sat as low as 13th in the top-flight in mid-November.

What has Stones said?

The veteran centre-back has been one of the key catalysts behind City's return to blistering form, having reclaimed his place in Guardiola's starting plans following a season on the fringes and looks set for a deserved England recall at Euro 2020.

Stones has refused to single himself or any other single player out for their impressive resurgence, instead stressing that their success has been achieved through their collective drive and determination.

“I am thoroughly enjoying [this campaign],” he told the club's official website. “I think at one point this season we were not in a good position in the table, but we have kept fighting ever since then and turned it around.

"It is credit to the team and everyone who has played their part and that is absolutely everyone. To be in the position we are in now is incredible and we have got to build on that and keep pushing forward. That is the mentality around the group at the minute.”

The bigger picture

Last weekend's emphatic victory over Tottenham - who previously condemned them to their last league defeat in November - highlighted just how far City have come following an uncharacteristically shaky start to the campaign.

It served not only as a reaffirmation of their talent however but as a dress rehearsal for the pair's Carabao Cup final clash, pushed back until April.

Combined with their healthy lead at the top of the Premier League and their advance through to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, where they face Everton, and City look on track to match the domestic treble they achieved two seasons ago.

Focus will also be on how far they can go in Europe this year, with next week's last-16 first leg against Borussia Monchengladbach representing the next test on their pursuit of a Champions League crown.

Further reading

Confederation of African Football has ordered Namungo FC and Primeiro de Agosto to play their two-legged Caf Confederation Cup fixture in Tanzania.

The Tanzanian domestic Cup winners had travelled to Angola to play their first leg but the game which was set for Sunday was called off by Caf after the Angolan authorities ordered all Namungo players to self-quarantine owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.

On cancelling the game, the African body stated they will issue a direction on the match, and according to a statement from Tanzania Football Federation and obtained by Goal, they have now ordered both matches to be played in Tanzania.

“Caf has ruled the two-legged fixture between Namungo and Primeiro de Agosto to be played in Tanzania,” read the statement from TFF.

“The decision has been reached after the Caf committee discovered neither Namungo nor Primeiro de Agosto were responsible in stopping the kick-off of the first leg which was postponed and was set for February 14.”

The statement continued: “All the two matches must be played in the next 72 hours, and must also be played before February 26 and according to the new roster, Primeiro de Agosto will be the home team for the first leg and they will cater for all the preparations for the match, including paying the match officials.”

After the game was cancelled, Namungo’s efforts to return home were also thwarted by Angolan authorities forcing the team to spend the whole of Sunday at the airport in Angola and they were later ordered to return to the hotel with reports emerging three of their players and one official had tested positive for Covid-19.

Angolan authorities finally allowed the team to travel on Monday night and landed safely in Tanzania but without three players and one official, who were detained to undergo mandatory self-quarantine.

In an earlier interview, Namungo chairman Hassan Zidadu explained to Goal what they went through in Angola and also confirmed three of their players and one official did not travel with them to Tanzania.

“We are not happy because we simply suffered in Angola without committing any crime,” Zidadu told Goal on touching down at Julius Nyerere International Airport.

“We have suffered without any reason, we did not deserve what we went through in Luanda, we suffered and they [Angolan authorities] never gave us a good reason as to why we had to go through all those problems.

“Inside our hearts, we suffered a lot but we could do nothing, but I want to thank everyone in Tanzania for the prayers you accorded the team, we have arrived safely but three of our players and one official have remained behind to complete the mandatory Covid-19 regulations.”

Goal understands the players left in Angola are Lucas Kikoti, Fred Tangalu, and Khamis Faki, and one official, Omary Kaaya.

Olivier Giroud has praised Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga for staying "focused" amid intense criticism during his last year at Stamford Bridge.

Thomas Tuchel handed Kepa his first Premier League start in four months against Newcastle on Monday, and he produced a good performance during the 2-0 victory at Stamford Bridge.

The Spaniard, who joined the Blues for a club-record fee of £71 million ($98m) in 2018, lost his place between the sticks in 2020 after a series of disastrous displays but Giroud has been impressed by his reaction to adversity behind the scenes.

What was said?

"I’m happy for him," added Giroud. "He’s stayed focused on his job and committed to what he has to do. Every day at training he is working hard to be ready when the manager will ask him to play and he played very well I think, like the team."

Has Kepa regained the No 1 jersey?

Kepa will likely have to continue serving as Chelsea's second choice goalkeeper between now and the end of the season, despite his exploits during the win over Newcastle.

The 26-year-old also recorded a shut-out in an FA Cup fifth-round victory at Barnsley last week, but Tuchel is planning to restore Edouard Mendy to his line up when the Blues take on Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday.

“Edou is the No 1, this is clear,” the Chelsea boss said after his side's latest win. “It was clear before the game and it stays like this.

“I am happy Kepa continued with a second clean sheet. It was the moment to let him feel the rhythm and build up his confidence. 

“It was clear before that we hoped for the best performance, but Edou will be in goal from now on as he recovered physically and mentally and right now, he is the No 1.”

Further reading

Yanga SC coach Cedric Kaze has come out to explain why his team has posted two consecutive draws, results which are frustrating them in their pursuit to win the Mainland Premier League in this campaign.

The Jangwani giants have suffered two setbacks since the second round of the league resumed as they picked a 1-1 draw against Tanzania Prisons and followed it up with another 1-1 draw against Mbeya City last Saturday.

While the two draws did not change the team’s position at the top of the 18-team league table, they allowed the chasing pack to close in on them.

The Burundian tactician, who is yet to lose a league match since joining the team as a replacement for Serbian Zlatko Krmpotic, has now said the lack of focus by his strikers to finish chances has costing them.

“It has been very unfortunate for us to lose four points in our last two games in a row, it was not our goal and in my opinion, I should have got six points in those games but at the same time, the problems come back to my players,” Kaze told reporters ahead of their league match against Kagera Sugar on Wednesday.

“In both games, we created a lot of chances to score but we failed to use them, I think we should fix that in our next games.

“We have already set our target to fight for the league title, and we will make every effort to ensure the goal is achieved despite the intense competition that we are experiencing from all the teams in the league.”

On his part, new Yanga signing Fiston Abdoul Razak has stated they have rectified their past mistakes and will end their run of two draws against Kagera Sugar.

The forward was signed by Yanga during the mini-transfer window and has so far managed to play two games for the giants without scoring any goals.

“Everyone is disappointed with the results we got in the previous game against Mbeya City, and we are determined to make sure we do better in our next games as our goal is to win the championship,” Razak told reporters.

Yanga will come up against a Kagera Sugar side they beat 1-0 in the first round at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

Lionel Messi is "not a problem" for Barcelona says Joan Laporta, however the club presidential hopeful admitted that they face a fight to keep him if they fail to win trophies in the wake of Tuesday's Champions League hammering by Paris Saint-Germain.

The Argentine superstar revealed last year that he wanted to leave the European giants, having spent his whole senior career in La Liga with Ronald Koeman's side, triggering a nasty public fallout.

The subsequent resignation of president Josep Maria Bartomeu appears to have helped relationships somewhat, but the club's title troubles - compounded by PSG's emphatic 4-1 victory at Camp Nou this week - has further highlighted the fight they face to convince Messi to stay.

What has Laporta said?

“Messi wants to win with Barcelona," Laporta told Sky Sports Italia. "I’ll do my best to keep him, there are some clubs really interested in signing him."

Laporta further stated that financials are not the be-all-and-end-all for the player too, and stressed that the player himself is not an issue for the Blaugrana.

"Leo wants to win titles, not just to earn money," he added. "He’s not a ‘problem’ for Barca, Messi is 30 per cent of the club's profit.”

The bigger picture

Few topics have dominated the football discourse more than the Argentine's future since he sat down to discuss it with Goal last year.

As new manager Koeman has attempted to revive flagging fortunes at Camp Nou and Laporta has poisitioned himself as a frontrunner to return to the presidency, Messi has mostly let his performances on the pitch do the talking, shunning any futher speculation.

Yesterday's rout has further underlined that there are no quick, easy fixes at Barca and could drive the veteran forward towards the exit - with PSG feasibly only one of two destinations that could meet his demands.

Manchester City, coached by former mentor Pep Guardiola, remain the other, with the two European heavyweights widely expected to battle it out for Messi should he close the door on his time in the Catalan region.

Further reading

Al Ahly head coach Pitso Mosimane was pleased to see his game plan work as they began their Caf Champions League title defence with an emphatic win on Tuesday. 

The Egyptian champions claimed a 3-0 victory over Sudanese giants Al Merrikh SC in a Group A match at Cairo International Stadium.

Three second-half goals from Mohamed Magdi Kafsha, Mahmoud Kahraba and Walter Bwalya inspired the Red Devils to a comfortable home victory.

“We scored late today, but in the end, we managed to secure our first three points in the 2021 Caf Champions League group stage," Mosimane told the media. 

"Our opponent today stood their ground during the first half, but once we scored the opener we controlled the game.”

Mosimane felt that their game plan worked as they were able to hurt Al Merrikh by playing dangerous crosses into the visitors' box.  

“I kept the team’s tactics the same even before scoring the goals. We depended today on the flanks as Al Merrikh were blocking our final third," he explained. 

"The crosses played an important role in today’s victory, as Kafsha managed to score the opener from [Mohamed] Hany’s cross.” 

The accomplished tactician was able to mastermind a win over the reigning Sudanese champions without some of his key players. 

“We missed five starters in today’s game," the former Mamelodi Sundowns head coach added. 

"Also, I preferred to rest some players such as Hamdy Fathy and I gave playing time to Saad Samir, Mahmoud Wahid, and Ahmed Ramadan, as they did not participate in the previous games.” 

DR Congolese striker Walter Bwalya netted his maiden goal for the Red Devils, while the club's captain and goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy made some good saves to keep the visitors at bay.

“I am glad that Bwalya managed to score his first goal for us. I would like to praise Mohamed El Shenawy for his great performance in the game," he said. 

"As he managed to save our net from two dangerous chances.”

Al Ahly will now take on Tanzanian giants Simba in their second Group A match in Dar-es-Salam on February 23.