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PSG star Neymar in doubt for Barcelona Champions League clash after injury withdrawal

The striker lasted just over an hour before coming off and risks once more missing a key European tie

Paris Saint-Germain face a nervous wait to find out the extent of Neymar's injury after the Brazilian was withdrawn during Wednesday's Coupe de France clash with Caen.

The Ligue 1 champions kick off their Champions League last-16 tie against Barcelona next week, having fallen at the final stage in 2019-20. 

And they will be desperate to count on the abilities of their star striker, who has missed several key fixtures for his club in the competition.

What happened to Neymar? 

The ex-Santos and Barcelona forward started for his side in the Coupe de France as one of the few regular first-teamers as Mauricio Pochettino rotated his XI for the round-of-64 encounter. 

PSG made the breakthrough just after half-time, when Moise Kean hit the back of the net. 

But the club's joy proved short-lived when 64 minutes into the game, Neymar went down holding his left adductor muscle. 

The Brazilian disappeared straight down the tunnel, with Kylian Mbappe called off the bench to replace his usual strike partner. 

PSG won the match 1-0 but will now face a nervous wait on Neymar's status.

What was said about Neymar's injury?

After the game, Kean expressed optimism that his team-mate would not miss any time, telling Eurosport: "Everything is fine. He is ready. He's going to be ready for the next game."

A history of Champions League disappointments

It is not the first time Neymar's health has taken centre-stage ahead of a key European knockout match. 

In the 2017-18 season, his first since completing a world-record transfer from Barca, the striker fractured a metatarsal bone and missed the last three months of the season, during which time PSG bombed out of the Champions League last 16 at the hands of Real Madrid. 

He then suffered an almost identical fate in January 2019, and could only look on as the French side were upset by Manchester United at the same stage. 

When do PSG take on Barcelona? 

The first leg of the blockbuster Champions League tie kicks off on Tuesday at Camp Nou. 

Barca will then travel to Parc des Princes for the return leg on March 10.

Further reading

Original author: Goal

Corinthians vs Parananese: How to watch Brasileirao Serie A matches

Two teams with an outside chance of a Libertadores spot lock horns on Wednesday in Sao Paulo

The Campeonato Brasileirao Serie A is the top level of soccer in Brazil and has been the breeding ground for some of the world's greatest players including Pele and Neymar.

All games are live streamed on Fanatiz and you can sign up to watch free here.

As a result, football fans and scouts from all over the world watch the Brasileirao to see some of tomorrow's stars today, as well as some of the most exciting and entertaining games on television, filled with amazing technical ability and plenty of goals.

The 2020 Serie A season was due to begin on May 3 and end in December but, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the tournament calendar was paused before eventually starting in August. It will now continue until February 24, 2021, barring any further delays.

How to watch Corinthians vs Paranaense

Corinthians have seen any chance of a title challenge slip out of their grasp, but a place in the Copa Libertadores in 2021 is still within reach. 

The Sao Paulo giants currently sit in eighth place, with the top seven qualifying for South America's premier club competition. 

City rivals Palmeiras are five points clear of the Timao, but with five games still remaining in the Brasileirao season they can still make up lost ground. 

To do so, though, three points at home to Coritiba's Athletico Paranaense are key. 

Paranaense harbour Libertadores aspirations of their own, as they sit just two points back from Corinthians in ninth, albeit having played one game more. 

Defeat at Arena Corinthians would likely end their hopes, leaving them with the consolation prize of a probable Sudamericana berth.

Corinthians vs Sao Paranaense is available to stream worldwide on Fanatiz , where you can sign up for a 7-day free trial.

Brasileirao 2020 is exclusive to Fanatiz outside Brazil and the Balkans.

Live Stream: Fanatiz English ( stream now )

Date Time (US PT / ET) Match Channel
February 10 4:30pm/7:30pm Corinthians vs Paranaense Fanatiz

Corinthians vs Paranaense team news and preview.

Striker Leo Natel is a doubt for the hosts after coming off injured at the weekend, with ex-Manchester City star Jo in line to start should he fail to recover in time.

Paranaense will be without midfield duo Richard and meia Léo Cittadini, who are both suspended.

Watch all this weekend's Brasileirao matches on Fanatiz  with a 7-day free trial.

What other Brasileirao matches are available on Fanatiz?

Date Time (US PT / ET) Match Channel
February 10 2pm/5pm Internacional vs Sport Recife Fanatiz
February 10 2:15pm/5:15pm Fortaleza vs Vasco Fanatiz
February 10 4pm/7pm Sao Paulo vs Ceara Fanatiz
February 10 4:30pm/7:30pm Fluminense vs Atletico Mineiro Fanatiz

Watch the Brasileirao live on Fanatiz.

Original author: Goal

'It was a cross' - Manchester City star Walker admits opener in FA Cup win at Swansea was accidental

The defender saw his cross skip through the box and beat Swans goalkeeper Freddie Woodman to open the scoring

Manchester City defender Kyle Walker has admitted that his opener against Swansea City on Wednesday was meant to be a cross.

Walker scored in the 30th minute of his side's FA Cup fifth-round match at Liberty Stadium when his low, driven ball from outside the box evaded everyone and nestled in the back of the net.

Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus went on to score in the second half as City advanced to the quarter-final round with a 3-1 win.

What did Walker say about his goal?

"It was a cross for my goal but we deserved a bit of luck with the way we were playing and I am lucky to get on the scoresheet," Walker told BT Sport after the game.

"We have made a few changes from last season tactically with pressing and how we move the ball around. The gaffer knows what he wants. He has proved it across many clubs and he has brought that to City.

"Over the last four seasons we have been very good. Last season we just got beat by a very good Liverpool team.

"It was a professional win and we move on to the weekend. Everyone who comes into the team does well. All I can do is make sure I am doing the right things when I am on the field.

"Every season I've been here we've always been fighting for trophies. Each and every game, we play like it is our last and try to win the game."

City set record with Swansea win

By defeating the Swans, City have now won 15 straight games in all competitions, something no other English top-flight side had previously managed. 

Can City win a quadruple?

Man City appear well positioned to win an unprecedented quadruple this season. In domestic cups, they are in the FA Cup last eight while they will face Tottenham in the Carabao Cup final in April.

City also currently lead the Premier League and have advanced to the Champions League last 16, where they will take on Borussia Monchengladbach in the first leg on February 24.

What's next for City?

Guardiola's side will return to Premier League action on Saturday when they face Tottenham at Etihad Stadium.

City currently lead the league by five points over rivals Manchester United, with the Red Devils having played one game more than Guardiola's men.

Further reading

Original author: Goal

Rohr wants Musa to sort out his career before Nigeria’s Afcon qualifiers

The German tactician has urged the Super Eagles captain to start playing again after more than three months of inactivity

Nigeria national team coach Gernot Rohr hopes to see his captain Ahmed Musa back to action ahead of their 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in March.

The three-time African champions will take on the Republic of Benin and Lesotho in their last Afcon qualifying games next month.

Musa has been without a club since October when he left Saudi Arabian side, Al Nass, by mutual agreement.

The forward starred for Russian Premier League club CSKA Moscow before moving to England to team up with Leicester City.  

The Super Eagles winger struggled to establish himself at the King Power Stadium and in an effort to enjoy more playing time, he left for Saudi in 2018.

The forward is now looking to returning to Europe and has been heavily linked to Premier League club West Bromwich Albion.

Rohr is hopeful Musa will sort out his career soon after confirming the forward is currently in England in his quest to sign for a club.

"We are in touch with our captain, he is in the United Kingdom now,” Rohr told media.

"It's not so easy to change during the season but he is free to sign where he wants and there's no obligation to respect the transfer window for him because he was free already.

"I am very hopeful that he can sign in the next few days, he wanted to come back to Europe and to play in England so it's not easy during the season but I'm hopeful that he can sign in the club, it's very important that everybody is playing in their clubs.

"It's a long time that he didn't play, I think since October, so he needs now to come back in the rhythm of the matches."

Nigeria's Afcon qualifiers in March will be expected to be played behind closed doors due to the coronavirus problems and Rohr hopes the Super Eagles fans will have opportunity to return to the stadium as quickly as possible.  

"I hope to see the fans very soon in the stadium, it's difficult for the fans, we have the pandemic situation for almost one year,” he added.

“I want to tell them that our boys will fight to forget some disappointment from last year."

Nigeria currently lead Group L table of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers with eight points and a win in their next outing would seal their place at the continental showpiece.

 

Original author: Gbenga Adewoye

Ida Guehai and Rebecca Elloh score as Logrono bow to Valencia

Ivorian efforts could not save Jose Moncayo's side from losing their 11th Primera Iberdrola match of the season

Ida Guehai and Rebecca Elloh were on target as Logrono continued with their stuttering start to life in Primera Iberdrola this season following Wednesday’s 3-2 defeat to Valencia.

Having bowed 2-0 against Barcelona last time out, Jose Moncayo's side was hoping to halt their losing streak against Cesare Prandelli’s team that was outclassed 3-1 by Real Madrid.

However, they were pegged down by Maria Bonsegundo, who broke the deadlock for the hosts after just 25 minutes in the contest.

After the break, the visitors gained dominance and soon found a breakthrough when Leticia Mendez set up Guehai to net the equaliser 11 minutes into the second half.

The hosts, however, recovered their lead as Bonsegundo provided an assist to Elle Jansen for a second in the 76th minute in the game.

Eight minutes later, Ines Juan took the initiative to inspire her side's comeback when she aided Elloh to level matters for the visitors.

At the death, any hope of Jose Bargues' side snatching a crucial away point at Estadio Antonio Puchades were dashed when Candela Andujar buried the matchwinner inside the net.

Cote d'Ivoire's Guehai featured for 68 minutes of the match, scoring her second goal in 17 outings, while compatriot Elloh was in action for the final 44 minutes and grabbed her second in 18 games.

Besides Guehai and Elloh, Ghana's Grace Asantewaa also featured for 75 minutes, while Equatorial Guinea's Jade Boho starred for the final 44 minutes of the encounter in Logrono's defeat.

The defeat left Logrono in 16th position on the Spanish Primera Iberdrola log with 13 points from 18 matches and they will hope to recover in time for Saturday's Spanish Cup final against Barcelona.

Original author: Samuel Ahmadu

Onana: Why Ajax goalkeeper will bounce back from 12-month ban

The Cameroon stopper shouldn’t fret despite his suspension as he still has time on his side and, so far, retains the support of the Dutch giants

African football was rocked on Friday when Andre Onana was slapped with a 12-month suspension from the sport for a doping violation, although Ajax have confirmed the decision will be appealed at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

For a continent that doesn’t produce a deluge of top goalkeepers consistently, the Cameroon star was one who seemed to be rated highly in Europe and was linked to several top clubs like Chelsea, before they purchased Edouard Mendy from Rennes, and recently Borussia Dortmund, who were said to be considering the Central African as Roman Burki’s replacement.

The education of Onana, which saw him develop at Barcelona and now Ajax, meant he’s more or less built in the profile of a modern goalkeeper, capable at shot-stopping as he is with his feet. Of course, there have been a few mistakes but the improvement since moving from La Masia to Amsterdam has been stark.

He was averaging the highest saves per game figure (3.0 p/g) since moving to the Dutch club this season and was tied with Vitesse’s Remko Pasveer on nine clean sheets before the ban, which now threatens to stain his reputation and Ajax career.

For what it’s worth, the club’s CEO Edwin van der Sar has backed the 24-year-old, believing the incident — Onana had taken a pill prescribed to his wife after feeling unwell — was a genuine mistake.

“I am 100% convinced that the positive doping test was the result of a misunderstanding,” Van der Sar told De Telegraaf.  “That was a huge shock for us and the same was obviously true for him when we sought contact with him in Cameroon.

“Andre was not feeling well on the day of the check-up and thought he had taken a headache tablet, but it turned out that he had taken a pill from a strip of his wife's medicine, which she had been prescribed after the pregnancy of their first child. It looked quite similar in name and the packaging. It's stupid bad luck."

As is usually the case, there’s an inclination to state the Cameroon goalkeeper should have known better. Still, the fact Furosemide doesn’t aid performance probably helps to validate the goalie’s claim he ingested the drug unwittingly.

"It doesn't make you stronger or faster,” the former Manchester United stopper continues. “Andre, who has been checked many times, is the undisputed number one with us and Cameroon and is highly regarded by all top clubs. You don't get that from one pill.”

Ostensibly, it appears Ajax are backing Onana publicly in light of the mishap, although it remains to be seen how they react if the imminent appeal is thrown out by CAS.

The ex-Barca man missed only two Eredivisie games in 16/17, one the following season and in 18/19. He’d also featured in all but one of de Godenzonen’s games last term before the campaign was annulled after the pandemic broke out.

Will the club wait a year for the goalie they’ve leaned on since 2016 by promoting from within or look for a short-term solution in the interim? While these are unlikely to harm Onana upon his return, buying a potential replacement this summer will pose immediate questions about the Cameroon international at the Johan Cruyff Arena, especially if the new buy is an instant hit in the capital.

Be that as it may, there’s a reason to believe Africa and the Eredivisie’s best shot-stopper in the last few seasons will come back stronger after his absence, regardless of Ajax’s decision to their appeal.

There might be an immediate inclination to point to a similar incident in the past involving Kolo Toure, who was banned for six months in March 2011 after testing positive for banned tablets he’d obtained through his wife.

Despite making 14 appearances in Manchester City’s Premier League title-winning year in 11/12, the centre-back’s career never truly recovered after that incident and the Cityzens released him in 2013.

However, the only parallels that can be drawn end there. Toure was already 30 when the incident occurred and was always unlikely to retain his place given the riches of the ambitious Manchester outfit. Onana, on the other hand, is just about to clock 25 and will be 26 if the 12-month suspension is upheld.

The Cameroonian theoretically still has age on his side after returning to redeem himself be it at Ajax or elsewhere, as opposed to Toure whose best years were behind him at the time and evidently on the wane in 2011.

Onana will still be in his prime years when he returns, and observers can only hope this absence doesn’t wreck the career of one of Africa’s best exports at a time the continent seems to be suffering a dearth of talent between the sticks.
Original author: Seye Omidiora

LIVE: Everton vs Tottenham

46' We're back underway at Goodison Park.

It has been an open game to say the least. Spurs could have been out of sight, but wasted their opportunities and Everton capitalised. However, Lamela's strike in stoppage time has left the game in the balance. The second half could be a thriller.

An incredible half of football ends with Everton holding a 3-2 lead over Tottenham at the break in their FA Cup clash. Davinson Sanchez put the visitors ahead in the third minute and they were seemingly in control. However, three goals in the space of seven minutes from Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison and Gylfi Sigurdsson sent Everton into a storming lead. There was time for one more strike before the interval as Erik Lamela brought Spurs back into the contest.

45' + 4' HALF-TIME: EVERTON 3-2 TOTTENHAM

45' There will be three minutes of added time.

45' Sanchez makes a terrible mistake at the back and allows Richarlison to make an interception. Lloris saves his team-mate by clearing ahead of the Brazilian before he can take possession.

42' PENALTY TO EVERTON! Calvert-Lewin is tripped in the box by Hojbjerg as he tries to latch on to Sigurdsson's pass and the referee points to the spot.

40' Calvert-Lewin has scored his 50th goal in all competitions for Everton (159th app), with 26 of his goals for the Toffees coming under Carlo Ancelotti.

35' WIDE! Everton battle back and win a corner of their own. Richarlison curls a cross into the path of Mina, but he powers his header wide of the right post.

33' Aldeweireld rises highest from the resulting corner from Son, but his header deflects off Calvert-Lewin and behind for another corner.

32' OVER! Spurs break on another counter through Bergwijn. He finds Son in space on the edge of the box, who fires at goal. Keane throws his body in the way of the effort and deflects the ball just over the bar.

31' SAVE! Moura feeds Son, who sees his snap-shot blocked. However, it rebounds into the feet of Bergwijn. He drills a low strike at goal, but Olsen is in the right place to make the stop.

30' Spurs break on the counter through Ndombele and he feeds Lamela in the final third. The Argentine has options, but he plays his offload behind Bergwijn, which allows the home side to flood men back and quell the attack.

28' CHANCE! Lamela is afforded space and time to line up a strike from distance. He angles a strike towards the bottom-left corner, but Olsen gets down to claim the ball.

26' SAVE! Olsen keeps his side in the contest with a super stop to deny Son. Doherty feeds a low ball into the box for the South Korean to attack. He fires with power on his right foot at goal, but the Everton keeper turns it over the bar.

25' Hojbjerg tries to send Moura into space down the left flank, but Godfrey is alert to make the interception.

23' Doherty finds space down the right, but Digne comes across to close off room for a cross and the Spurs' attack peters out.

21' The game has been an open contest and both teams are playing good football. Spurs have taken their chance, but Everton will feel that they are more than in the game.

19' OFF THE POST! Calvert-Lewin latches on to a deflected cross at the back post. He stabs a strike towards goal from close range, but Lloris reacts to turn it against the post and behind for a corner.

17' BLOCK & SAVE! Sanchez has to be alert to deny Richarlison as he strikes at goal following a lay-off from Sigurdsson, but the Colombian produces a block on the slide. Everton recycle possession before Godfrey fires low towards the bottom-right corner from distance, only to be denied by a sharp save from Lloris.

15' Since the beginning of last season there have been 11 goals scored by Colombians for Premier League sides, with eight of those coming at Goodison Park (James Rodriguez x4, Mina x3, Sanchez x1).

13' Spurs probe once again on the edge of the Everton box. Son lines up a left-footed drive at goal, only to see his effort saved by Olsen.

11' Son leads a break forward into the Everton half before offloading to Lamela. He cuts back in the right inside channel, but cannot find space to shoot. The Argentine finds Ndombele, but his pass for Bergwijn travels behind for a goal-kick.

9' Ndombele is moving gingerly as he walks to the sideline. The midfielder might be able to tough it out this evening.

8' Ndombele gets a sore one in a challenge with Davies and has to receive treatment on the field.

7' Son has notched his 11th assist in all competitions this season - his joint-most in a single campaign for Spurs.

5' Doherty collects in space on the right flank and he has time to lift a cross into the box, but his delivery evades the white shirts in the middle.

3' Bergwijn makes another probing run down the left flank and he wins a corner for the visitors.

1' SAVE & OVER! Spurs should be ahead as Olsen denies Lamela, while Moura blasts over on the rebound. The visitors press forward through Moura and he offloads to Bergwijn on the left flank. He clips a cross into the box for Lamela to attack, directing his header towards the bottom-left corner. Olsen produces a sharp save, but Moura pounces on the rebound. However, the Brazilian can only blaze his strike over the bar.

1' We're underway at Goodison Park.

Tottenham haven’t lost consecutive meetings with Everton in all competitions since December 2012, while they haven’t lost twice to the Toffees in the same season since 1985-86.

Spurs have made two changes to their side from their win over the Baggies. Kane starts on the bench amid his recovery from an ankle injury and is replaced by Bergwijn. Serge Aurier is injured, which sees Doherty slot into right-back to replace the Ivorian.

Everton have made three changes to their side from their draw against United. Mina comes back into the fold to replace Holgate, who drops to the bench. Keane or Godfrey will slide out to right-back. Andre Gomes and James Rodriguez miss out due to injury and are replaced by Iwobi and Sigurdsson. Doucoure drops deeper into the midfield to fill the void left by the Portuguese. Olsen remains between the posts with Jordan Pickford still sidelined.

TOTTENHAM SUBS: Harry Winks, Harry Kane, Joe Hart, Joe Rodon, Eric Dier, Moussa Sissoko, Dele Alli, Japhet Tanganga, Carlos Vinicius.

TOTTENHAM (4-2-3-1): Hugo Lloris; Matt Doherty, Davinson Sanchez, Toby Alderweireld, Ben Davies; Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Tanguy Ndombele; Steven Bergwijn, Erik Lamela, Lucas Moura; Son Heung-min.

EVERTON SUBS: Mason Holgate, Niels Nkounkou, Bernard, Seamus Coleman, Joao Virginia, Harry Tyrer, Tyler Onyango.

EVERTON (4-2-3-1): Robin Olsen; Michael Keane, Ben Godfrey, Yerry Mina, Lucas Digne; Tom Davies, Abdoulaye Doucoure; Alex Iwobi, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Richarlison; Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Spurs ended a run of three-straight defeats in the Premier League by beating West Brom last week. Jose Mourinho's men needed a lift to stop their downward spiral and were on form to defeat the Baggies. They've beaten lower league opposition in the form of Marine and Wycombe Wanderers to reach the fifth round, but face a much tougher task tonight in their bid to reach the quarter-finals for the first time in three years.

Everton overcame Rotherham United and Sheffield Wednesday to advance to the fifth round of the FA Cup. It has been five years since the Toffees reached the quarter-finals of the competition, and 26 years since the club last won the trophy. Carlo Ancelotti's men have lost only one of their last seven games, having recorded a memorable comeback to draw 3-3 against Manchester United last time out in the Premier League.

Good evening and welcome to the live commentary of the FA Cup fifth-round match between Everton and Tottenham at Goodison Park.

Manchester City make English football history with 15th consecutive victory

The Citizens continued their imperious run of form with a straightforward defeat of Swansea in the FA Cup fifth round on Wednesday evening

Manchester City set a new benchmark in excellence on Wednesday with their 15th straight win in all competitions, a mark no other English top-flight side had previously managed. 

Pep Guardiola went into the FA Cup clash with Swansea looking for his 200th victory as City manager as well as a quarter-final berth. 

He was not to be disappointed, as the Citizens ran out 3-1 winners to make history. 

What did Guardiola say about the record?

"It shows how special these players are and we're thinking about the next one," City's boss said in his post-game press conference. 

"Now [the record] belongs to us and this record will be broken for sure because the sport is like this.

"But it means a lot, in this period, the toughest period - the Christmas time, the wintertime, to do what we have done so far is quite remarkable.

"But the important thing is the way we're still playing and our consistency. Now thinking of the next ones. We have an incredibly tough week ahead of us and we're going to approach it game by game."

When did City's run begin? 

After a mixed start to the 2020-21 Premier League campaign which saw City languish in mid-table going into December, the club have stepped up their chase to regain the title after losing out to Liverpool last year.

A disappointing 1-1 draw at home to West Brom on December 15 was the last time Guardiola's charges failed to win in any competition. 

Since that setback City have triumphed in 10 consecutive Premier League matches to soar up the table, where they now enjoy a five-point advantage over rivals Manchester United having played one game fewer. 

The Citizens have also prevailed in three FA Cup clashes and two Carabao Cup matches in that same interval and are now into the quarter final and final respectively of those competitions. 

More about City's record 15th win

Gabriel Jesus scored his side's third goal of the evening in south Wales to continue his fine record in front of goal during City's victorious run. The Brazil international has now scored in his last four starts, his best run of form since signing for the club from Palmeiras. 

At the other end of the spectrum, Kyle Walker enjoyed a rare goal celebration in the FA Cup. No less than 3686 days had passed since the defender's last strike in the competition, which came while playing for Aston Villa against Sheffield United in 2011.  

Further reading 

Original author: Goal

LIVE: Sevilla vs Barcelona

62' A simple pass down the line has En-Nesyri chasing down on goal. The angle is against him but he spots Vidal all alone in the box. The full-back is let down by a terrible first touch, denying him the chance to get a shot away.

60' Twelve of the 37 goals Lionel Messi has scored against Sevilla for Barcelona have come after the 75-minute mark.

58' Vidal just about gets his head to a deep delivery as Barca continue to knock on the door for an equaliser. The subsequent corner is pretty terrible, the ball going straight out of play without a touch.

56' Sevilla have lost their rhythm in the second half. Barca deserve credit for that but the Catalans just cannot find a way through at the moment in this entertaining first leg.

54' BOUNOU DENIES MESSI AGAIN! This is sublime from Messi. He takes the ball past one Sevilla player, inside another and then tees up De Jong. The Dutchman realises he is better off playing it back to Messi and the forward's shot is creeping into the bottom-left corner, if not for Bounou's low save.

52' GREAT DEFENDING! Barcelona are turning the screw. Carlos blocks Dembele's low cross but the danger stays alive for the visitors. De Jong tries to wriggle through but Kounde refuses to let the midfielder past and Barca must settle for a corner.

50' Messi's long-ranger is blocked by a Sevilla player. It is end-to-end stuff now in Seville!

49' CHANCE! Barca are once again exposed at the back and the ball drops for Rakitic to shoot 18 yards out. He takes his time but ends up hitting the ball right into Mingueza.

48' There have been plenty of challenges in the early stages of the second half. Barca are playing with a bit more urgency but Sevilla are looking strong at the back.

46' RESTART! Sevilla, leading 1-0 with 45 minutes of the first leg to go, get us back under way at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan.

Koeman will not be impressed by his side's lack of creativity. Since Kounde's strike, Sevilla have been in control of the contest and perhaps should be two goals ahead at the interval. Trincao scored a late winner against Real Betis last weekend and is an option to come on at the interval for Barca.

Sevilla lead Barcelona 1-0 at half-time thanks to a fine solo goal from Kounde, the centre-back knocking the ball past Umtiti and guiding a shot away from Ter Stegen. Bounou had earlier produced a fine save down low to deny Messi, but Ter Stegen had to be alert at the end of the half to keep out Escudero's powerful drive.

45' + 2' HALF-TIME: SEVILLA 1-0 BARCELONA

45' + 1' WHAT A SAVE!! So nearly 2-0 to Sevilla! Barcelona are caught short at the back and Escudero is left in all sorts of space right on the edge of the box. He thumps a shot on target and Ter Stegen helps it over the crossbar with a strong hand.

45' One minute has been added on at the end of the first half. Barcelona could do with 15 minutes to regroup.

43' For all of Barcelona's possession, Sevilla continue to look the more dangerous side when they turn over the ball. There are just two minutes of the first half left to go.

41' CHANCE! En-Nesyri engages in a foot race with Umtiti. He speeds past the Barcelona defender but trips at just the wrong moment, meaning he does not manage to get a shot away with only Ter Stegen to beat.

39' There is a short stoppage in play now as the referee is having some difficulties with his headset. Sevilla are looking pretty comfortable as we fast approach the midway point at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan.

37' Kounde is everywhere at the moment - Barcelona cannot contain the defender. The ball arrives in the Barca penalty area but En-Nesyri is beaten to it in the air by Mingueza.

35' There is no real urgency to Barcelona's game at the moment. Koeman will know that this tie cannot be won and lost today, so perhaps that is part of his thinking. 1-0 would not be a disastrous result for the visitors.

33' Koeman's side have had 55 per cent of the ball but have managed only a couple of shots on target. Kounde's impressive goal is the difference between these two in-form sides with more than three-quarters of the tie to go.

31' Barca are remaining patient in their pursuit of an equaliser. The visitors have created just one chance of note thus far, with Messi unable to beat Bounou from a one-on-one position.

29' Mingueza swings a leg at the ball in an attempt to take it off Rakitic but only succeeds in catching his opponent. The Barcelona defender is a little lucky to avoid being shown a yellow card there because Sevilla were on the counter.

27' That was a lovely touch from Kounde to take the ball around Umtiti, basically wiping out Barca's entire defence in the process. That was hardly the finish of a central defender, either!

24' Barca have dominated possession since that Kounde chance five minutes ago. A deep cross into the box is gathered by Bounou before Junior can get his head to it.

22' OVER! Messi and Dembele exchange passes on the edge of the box and the former decides to have a go from 20 yards. He gets his attempt all wrong, though, and the ball ends in the stands behind the goal.

20' JUST WIDE! Suso turns his opponent inside out and cuts the ball back for Kounde, who is stationed high up the pitch following a free-kick. The defender's first-time shot spins just past the post with Ter Stegen looking a little worried.

18' Alba gets in behind down the left for the first time today. The full-back is unable to pick out a team-mate but the loose ball falls to De Jong. He gets a shot away and it is blocked into the air before being cleared.

16' Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has not won any of his two previous competitive games against Sevilla defender Jules Kounde, failing to score in both matches from seven shots.

14' That really was a great save from Bounou to keep out Messi. The Barcelona forward did not exactly hit the ball straight at the Sevilla keeper - he picked his spot but came out second best on this occasion.

13' GREAT SAVE! This is nearly a sublime opener for Barcelona. Griezmann has space to shoot around 30 yards from goal but instead lifts the ball over the Sevilla defence and Messi meets it with a first-time shot. Bounou keeps out the attempt with his left leg.

11' Barcelona are certainly favouring their right-hand side, where Dembele is often picking up the ball in a bit of space. He sprays a pass into the feet of Messi and the Argentina international passes to Pedri, whose throughball for Griezmann is overhit.

9' The game is being played at a pretty frantic pace at the moment, but there has not yet been a chance or indeed a shot at either end of the field.

7' Rakitic slides the ball through for En-Nesyri but it has a little too much pace on it and Ter Stegen can collect.

6' The home side have now settled into the game. Julen Lopetegui's men are knocking the ball around without really looking to get it into advanced positions.

4' Barcelona have made a bright start to the match, pressing their opponents high up the pitch. Junior is looking lively in behind down the right.

3' Messi thinks about taking on the shot but is forced away from goal. It is instead worked to Dembele on the right and he has Junior on the overlap, though the attack soon breaks down.

1' KICK-OFF! Barcelona, the record 30-time winners of this competition, get us up and running at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan.

Both sets of players are now out on the field and we are moments away from kick-off. These two sides are in superb form, winning their last 13 matches between them, but something has to give in this tight-to-call first leg.

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has netted 37 goals in 40 games against Sevilla, scoring in four different competitions, four different grounds and against seven different goalkeepers:

Ronald Koeman has made five changes to Barcelona's starting line-up from the 3-2 win at Real Betis three days ago. Ronald Araujo, Miralem Pjanic and Martin Braithwaite all picked up injuries in that game and miss out on the squad today, while Puig and Lenglet drop to the bench. Junior has been drafted in at right-back, meaning Mingueza will partner the returning Umtiti in the heart of defence. Big-hitters De Jong, Pedri and Messi are also recalled.

Sevilla show three changes from their 3-0 win over Getafe in LaLiga last weekend. Fernando and Rakitic return to central midfield, the latter having served a one-match ban last time out, while January signing Gomez is recalled alongside En-Nesyri and Suso in attack. Torres and Gudelj drop to the bench, while injured winger Lucas Ocampos is not involved at all.

Subs: Matheus Fernandes, Inaki Pena, Neto, Clement Lenglet, Alex Collado, Ilaix Moriba, Trincao, Riqui Puig, Konrad De la Fuente.

BARCELONA XI (4-3-3): Marc-Andre ter Stegen; Junior Firpo, Oscar Mingueza, Samuel Umtiti, Jordi Alba; Frenkie de Jong, Sergio Busquets, Pedri; Ousmane Dembele, Lionel Messi (c), Antoine Griezmann.

Subs: Tomas Vaclik, Karim Rekik, Munir El Haddadi, Nemanja Gudelj, Oliver Torres, Luuk de Jong, Sergi Gomez, Franco Vazquez, Joris Gnagnon.

SEVILLA XI (4-3-3): Yassine Bounou; Aleix Vidal, Jules Kounde, Diego Carlos, Sergio Escudero (c); Joan Jordan, Fernando, Ivan Rakitic; Suso, Youssef En-Nesyri, Alejandro Gomez.

The home side have yet to concede in the five previous rounds to make it to this stage, most recently seeing off Almeria 1-0 in the quarter-finals. As for Barca, they salvaged extra time against Granada in the last round before prevailing 5-3 in a thriller.

Sevilla enter this contest on a seven-game winning run in all competitions, keeping a clean sheet in the last five of those, while Barcelona have themselves won six on the spin. 

Hello and welcome to our live text coverage of the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg between Sevilla and Barcelona at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan.

LIVE: Caen vs PSG

56' LUCKY! Yago flies into the back of Neymar, and he leaves the Brazilian in a heap on the floor. He has already been carded, but this time the referee lets him off. Neymar is fuming at the decision as he makes his way to the touchline for treatment.

52' SAVE!!!! Kean nearly scores his second after breaking through on goal, only to see Pean deny him. The Caen keeper waited until the last second before deciding his next move, and he has clawed the ball away from his goal. That save could keep Caen in this match!

48' Do not forget, today's match goes to penalties if nobody can find a winner inside 90 minutes.

46' We are back underway in Caen!

Pochettino does have more attacking resources on the bench if he wants to freshen up his team, but he should have enough firepower at his disposal to test Caen in the second 45 minutes. The home side have done a tremendous job to keep the game at 0-0 and the longer this tie stays goalless, they will feel they can knick something.

The referee brings the first half to an end, and Pochettino should not be happy with what he has witnessed so far. His team may have dominated possession, but they just haven't clicked in the final third. Neymar's has had two efforts, but neither of them really worried Pean in the Caen goal. At the other end of the pitch, Rico denied Pi's longe-range drive, but that is the closest the home team came to scoring.

45' + 1' HALF-TIME - CAEN 0-0 PSG.

45' One minute of stoppage time at the end of the first 45 minutes...

42' PSG need to do more with the ball if they are to score before half-time, they have really struggled in the last few minutes.

38' Dupraz has not left the touchline so far this evening, and he continues to bark out instructions to his players. He will be happy with their display so far, and the biggest compliment you could pay Caen is that they do not look like a side that plays in the league below PSG. 

35' We have still not seen enough from Kean, but Pochettino will get the chance to get his message across in a few minutes.

33' CLEARANCE! Neymar goes close to opening the scoring. The former Barcelona ace broke free of his marker and tried to find the bottom corner, only to see Fouda clear the ball away. Replays showed Neymar's effort was going wide, but Fouda was not to know that.

30' PSG have enjoyed over 77 per cent possession so far, but they still have nothing to show for it. They have around 15 minutes to grab a goal in the first half.

28' Caen seem happy to absorb the pressure inside the first 30 minutes. Apart from the odd counter-attack, they have everyone behind the ball trying to neutralise any PSG attack.

25' WIDE! Pi tries his luck from range once again, but this time he blasts his shot well wide of Rico's goal.

23' PSG are starting to take control of this tie by winning more of the second balls in midfield. Despite their improvements, Pean has still only made one save so far.

20' While Neymar has shown flashes of his ability on the ball, Kean has barely had a kick for PSG. Caen's back five is limiting the service to the striker, and he may need more help to warm into the game.

17' Paredes forces a save out of Pean, but it is nothing but a routine stop, and the scoreline remains 0-0.

16' Neymar is clipped on the edge of the box once again, this time by Bammou.  PSG have another free-kick on the edge of the Caen box...

14' There is still time for their gameplan to unravel, but Caen have made a positive start this evening. They have got bodies forward when they've had the ball, and they have kept Neymar and co quiet inside the first 15 minutes.

12' SAVE!!! Rico makes a superb stop to deny Pi from scoring the opening goal of the match. The Caen forward charged onto the ball and let fly from 25 yards out, only to see Rico get down to his right at the last second.

9' Pochettino's men win back-to-back corners, but it remains 0-0 as Pean punches the second one clear and that allows Caen to clear their lines.

8' WIDE! Neymar's free-kick just misses the near post, but it took a deflection off the wall, and the visitors win a corner.

6' PSG win a free-kick on the edge of the Caen box and have their first chance to test Pean in goal,  after Neymar is fouled.

5' Caen win the first corner of the night but fail to test Rico in goal as Vandermersch heads over from close range.

2' Caen are wearing their blue home strip as the home side tonight, with PSG forced to wear their white kit.

1' We are underway in Caen!

The two teams are out on the field of play and kick-off is moments away.

PSG are the defending champions of the Coupe de France, and they are looking to win the competition for the 14th time this season.

Dupraz makes five changes to the team that drew 0-0 to Amiens last time out. Gioacchini, Beka Beka, Traore, Fouda and Pi come into the starting XI for Rivierez, Deminguet, Oniangue, Court and Mendy. Pochettino also makes wholesale alterations as Marquinhos, Kimpembe, Kurzawa, Gueye, Verratti, Di Maria, Icardi, and Mbappe drop out and are replaced by Kehrer, Diallo, Bakker, Danilo Pereira, Sarabia, Neymar, Draxler and Kean.

SUBS: Denis Franchi, Kylian Mbappe, Presnel Kimpembe, Marquinhos, Idrissa Gueye, Presnel Kimpembe, Alexandre Letellier, Xavi Simons, Mauro Icardi.

PSG (4-2-3-1): Sergio Rico; Alessandro Florezni, Thilo Kehrer, Abdou Diallo, Mitchel Bakker; Leandro Paredes, Danilo Pereira; Pablo Sarabia, Neymar, Julian Draxler; Moise Kean.

SUBS: Anthony Goncalves, Zeidane Inoussa, Adama Mbengue, Jason Ngouabilougagui, Alexandre Mendy, Caleb Zady Sery, Loup Hervieu, Yoann Court, Yannis Clemen.

CAEN (3-4-3): Sullivan Pean; Anthony Weber, Steeve Yago, Hugo Vandermersch; Johann Lepenant, Nicholas Gioacchini, Alexis Beka Beka, Aliou Badara Traore; Yacine Bammou, Aloys Fouda, Jessy Pi.

Pochettino's men have kept four clean sheets in their last five, but Caen will feel they have a better chance of scoring at home despite the gulf in class. Pascal Dupraz's men have only failed to score on two occasions in their previous 11 on home soil.

Caen have not won any of their last eight in the French second division, but they are 11th in the table, and they will need to improve their fortunes if they are to challenge for the playoffs. Mauricio Pochettino's team have won four of their previous five in Ligue 1, and the French giants have only lost two of their last fifteen.

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Coupe de France clash between Caen and Paris Saint-Germain from the Stade Michel d'Ornano. Caen will need to be at their very best to pull off a cup shock, with the home side now mid-table in Ligue 2.

Schalke 04 recall Bentaleb after two months suspension to boost fight against Bundesliga relegation

The Algerian midfielder has returned Christian Gross' team and he is now in contention for their league trip to Berlin on Saturday

Schalke 04 have confirmed the return of Nabil Bentaleb to their first-team after he was barred for two months as they aim to survive relegation.

Bentaleb was handed an indefinite suspension by the Bundesliga club alongside Moroccan playmaker Amine Harit in late November, but Harit was recalled earlier after he trained alone for two weeks.

The 26-year-old midfielder who has played in seven league matches this season, met with coach Gross for a chat before he was reinstated.

He has started training immediately and he is in contention to make the Royal Blues’ trip to Union Berlin for Saturday’s league match.

Schalke 04, currently on a six-game winless streak in all competitions, are rooted to the bottom of the league table and their only Bundesliga victory in the 2020-21 campaign was against Hoffenheim on January 9.

“Nabil Bentaleb returns to training for the first team. After a conversation with Christian Gross, the head coach decided to bring the midfielder back into the team. A return to the matchday squad is also possible,” the club statement read.

Bentaleb has been at Schalke 04 since 2016, after leaving Tottenham Hotspur but he returned temporarily to the Premier League in the second half of last season where he made 12 league appearances for Newcastle United.

Following his indefinite suspension from the first-team in November, the Algeria international described the club's decision as 'without any credible justification' and he thanked his national team coach Djamel Belmadi for his support amid public criticism.

Original author: Taiye Taiwo

Former Man City star Toure begins coaching career in Ukraine with Olimpik Donetsk

The 37-year-old has returned to the city where he began his professional playing career in 2003

Former Manchester City and Barcelona midfielder Yaya Toure has been named an assistant coach at Ukrainian Premier League club Olimpik Donetsk.

The 37-year-old has been in England securing his coaching badges and has now taken on his first role on the sideline. 

Toure will link up with Olimpik, who are currently seventh in the Ukrainian Premier League table.

What has Toure said about his new role?

“I started my professional career in Donetsk. Now I am here to start my coaching path. Of course, I understand that Olimpik is not Metalurh, but I remember well how friendly and open people were in Donetsk. I am very impressed by the local mentality,” Toure told the club's website.

“To be honest, even my agent was surprised when he found out that I wanted to study to be a coach in Ukraine, but I was firm in my decision.

“It is not so easy to find a place where you can calmly, without unnecessary pressure, study; where you will be accepted as a friend.”

Toure's history in Ukraine

The Ivorian signed for Ukrainian side Metalurh Donetsk in December 2003 and was there for a year and a half, signing for Greek outfit Olimpiacos in 2005.

From there, Toure would go on to star at Barcelona and, most notably, Man City, where he became a club legend by helping the Citizens to three Premier League titles.

Metalurh Donetsk went bankrupt in July 2015 and suspended operations.

When did Toure last play?

Toure left Qingdao Huanghai in January 2020 after helping them gain promotion to the Chinese Super League. Prior to his time in China, Toure took in a brief stint back at Olimpiacos.

Further reading

Original author: Goal

Guardiola reaches 200 wins as Manchester City manager with FA Cup victory over Swansea

The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss has reached the landmark midway through his fifth season in charge of the Citizens

Pep Guardiola racked up his 200th win as Manchester City boss on Wednesday as his side dispatched Swansea City in their FA Cup tie. 

Goals from Kyle Walker, Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus saw City safely into the quarter-finals with a win in south Wales. 

It also bought up a significant landmark for Guardiola, who has become a club idol in his four and a half seasons in charge. 

When did Guardiola arrive in England? 

The Catalan took the City job in 2016 following brilliant spells in charge of Barcelona and Bayern Munich. 

Guardiola's four years in charge at Camp Nou yielded no less than 14 trophies, including two Champions League triumphs, while he added a further seven to his tally during three seasons in charge in Bavaria. 

His arrival at Etihad Stadium generated huge expectation from the City faithful, and made a positive start by winning his first game in charge, 2-1 at home to Sunderland. 

It was a sign of things to come as Guardiola's new charges won all of the first 10 games he oversaw, before being held to a draw away to Celtic in the Champions League to end that run. 

What has Pep achieved with City? 

In this, his fifth season at the helm, Guardiola and City are odds-on to regain the Premier League title that was lost to Liverpool in 2019-20. 

It would be his third league crown in the English top flight and ninth trophy overall, while City are also in contention for the FA Cup, Carabao Cup and Champions League this term. 

That latter title, though, has remained elusive, as it did throughout his Bayern stay. City have not made it past the quarter-final stage since Pep took over, coming unstuck last year in an upset at the hands of Lyon.

Further reading

Original author: Goal

Rohr: New players won’t be invited for Super Eagles’ Afcon qualifiers

The German tactician has revealed he would not experiment with new players when his side continues their quest to qualify for the showpiece event

Nigeria national team coach Gernot Rohr has revealed new players won’t be invited for their 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in March.

The three-time African champions will square off against the Republic of Benin and then take on Lesotho in Afcon qualifying games.

The Super Eagles are leading Group L with eight points and a win in either of their matches next month will seal their place in the continental showpiece while defeat in both games will halt their target of playing in the competition.

Aware of the importance of the games, Rohr has revealed he would not be experimenting with new payers for the crucial matches.

The German tactician also denied a recent report making the rounds that Ademola Lookman, Tosin Adarabioyo, Sheyi Ojo, Ike Ugbo, Nathan Tella, Nonso Madueke, Ovie Ejaria and Jordan Torunarigha have all been cleared to feature for the Super Eagles.

“You can read so many names in the newspaper, but that’s not the best way to select the players. The best way to select the players is to scout them very well, and also to speak to them if there is motivation to come. If they want to come, they have to write a letter to Fifa that they want to switch from England or Germany or Austria to Nigeria and it’s not easy for them to make that choice,” Rohr told media.

“But we have some players in view, one of them wrote a letter already. I saw a list the other day in the media which was fake news.

“So, for the moment, we have our players, and it is not the best moment to bring in new players when we only have one or two training sessions to prepare for a match.

“When you come into a team for the first time, you need a little time to adapt and to take your place in the group. I hope that we can find better players, but we already have good players.

“The best players, only the best players can come. We already have good ones, so if you want to come in, you need time to adapt, you cannot come on Tuesday and play with your new teammates on Wednesday.

“So, let’s work on it quietly and not publicly. We welcome players better than the ones we have, we have good players already, there is a big concurrence in the striking position now, so this is not the position to invite new players because we don’t have the time before these two last matches in the qualifiers.”

Original author: Gbenga Adewoye

Yaya Toure: Olimpik Donetsk appoint former Barcelona and Manchester City star as assistant coach

The 37-year-old has confirmed his return to Ukraine to begin another adventure in football management

Former Manchester City and Barcelona midfielder Yaya Toure has been appointed as an assistant coach at Ukrainian Premier League club Olimpik Donetsk.

The 37-year-old, who started basic coaching experience in England, is now expected to assist Ihor Klymovskyi in the dugout and he has followed a similar path as his brother Kolo who is an assistant to Brendan Rodgers at Leicester City.

Toure is not new in Donetsk, having previously spent two years (2003-05) in Ukraine with defunct club Metalurh Donetsk.

“I started my professional career in Donetsk. Now I am here to start my coaching path. Of course, I understand that Olimpik is not Metallurg, but I remember well how friendly and open people were in Donetsk. I am very impressed by the local mentality,” Toure told the club website.

“To be honest, even my agent was surprised when he found out that I wanted to study to be a coach in Ukraine, but I was firm in my decision.

“It is not so easy to find a place where you can calmly, without unnecessary pressure, study, where you will be accepted as a friend.”

The Ukrainian Premier League is still in its winter break, with action expected to resume on February 13.

Meanwhile, Olimpik Donetsk are seventh in the league table with 17 points from 12 games - 13 points behind leaders Dynamo Kyiv.

Ahead of his potential coaching debut against the league leaders on Saturday,  the three-time Premier League winner spoke highly of coach Klymovskyi and he is looking forward to helping the players and the entire technical crew.

“I am glad that Olimpica's coach went to the meeting and allowed me to join his team,” he continued.

“Ihor Klymovskyi is an experienced specialist who has worked a lot with young people and is now showing excellent results in the top Ukrainian league. I am sure I can learn a lot from him, both tactically and in terms of preparation.

“At the same time, I am sure that I myself can be useful for Olympic's footballers, as a professional and senior friend. Somewhere to suggest something, share your knowledge and vision of football. I am enthusiastic to work and am motivated to learn to grow into a good coach.”

Original author: Taiye Taiwo

Afcon U20: Uganda’s Byekwaso confident despite Tanzania defeat

The Hippos were thrashed by Ngorongoro Boys in a mini-tournament in Dar es Salaam but the tactician has remained hopeful

Uganda U20 head coach Morley Byekwaso is confident they have rectified mistakes that occurred during their 5-3 loss to Tanzania ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Mauritania.

Uganda and Tanzania, both participants in the continental competition, played in two games which Uganda’s Hippos won, with the opening tie ending 1-0 before Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Boys took home a win in the second encounter.

Byekwaso admitted the result from the second game was not good but he is hopeful the mistakes have been corrected before starting the Afcon U20 campaign on February 15.

“We lost to Tanzania 5-3 in one of our build-up games,” Byekwaso said as was quoted by the Fufa website. “It was not a good result but we also scored some good goals.

“We realised the mistakes and managed to work on them before departing for Mauritania. All the boys are in good shape and I believe they will put up a great performance in Afcon.”

As Uganda are set to participate in their first-ever Afcon U20 campaign, they will face Mozambique, hosts Mauritania and Cameroon in Group A. Their first game will be against Mozambique before a clash with Cameroon while Mauritania have been scheduled as their last preliminary opponents.

The junior Cranes will be playing in the continental competition after their senior brothers were ejected from the African Nations Championship at the group stage in Cameroon. The U17 side has also qualified for the tournament that will be held in Morocco.

Uganda’s travelling squad:

Goalkeepers: Komakech Jack (18) (Ascent SA), Oyo Delton (Busoga United FC), Ssenyondwa Denis Kaala (SC Villa).

Defenders: Kizito Mugweri Gavin (SC Villa), Semakula Kenneth (Busoga United FC), Musa Ramathan (KCCA FC) Kafumbe Joseph (KCCA FC), Begisa James Penz (UPDF FC), Baligeya Simon (Kibuli SS), Abdul Azizi Kayondo (Vipers SC)

Midfielders: Mugulusi Isma (Busoga United FC), Yiga Najib (Vipers SC), Bobosi Byaruhanga (Vipers SC) Sserwadda Steven (KCCA FC), Eyamu Ivan (Mbarara City FC), Kawooya Andrew (KCCA FC), Asaba Ivan (Vipers SC), Ssekajja Davis (Bright Stars FC), Wabyoona Faisal (Big Talent SA).

Forwards: Bogere Ivan (Proline FC), Ssenyonjo Samuel (KCCA FC), Kakooza Derrick (Police FC), Basangwa Richard (Vipers SC), Bukenya Joseph Kizza (KCCA FC), Ssali Alpha Thierry (Proline FC).

Original author: Kiplagat Sang

'He grabs my face' - Mount on first encounter with future Chelsea team-mate Havertz

The pair met on the field in 2015 as opponents in an Under-17 match between England and Germany

Mason Mount has recalled his first encounter with Kai Havertz, which took place in an Under-17 match between England and Germany in 2015. 

Mount scored a sublime goal for England in that match, with Havertz closely marking him but unable to prevent the goal.

Havertz and Mount have now been reunited as team-mates at Chelsea, after the former joined last summer from Bayer Leverkusen.

What Mount said

“It was my first game on TV, playing against Germany, so it was a massive game for us at Rotherham's stadium,” Mount told England's YouTube channel.

“I can't remember the final score, but I did score a goal in the game and that's what I remember - it wasn't too bad a goal.

“Kai Havertz, my team-mate at the moment, is actually in the video.

“Not many people know this, but he is the one that grabs my face. I've spoken to him about it at training and we had a good laugh about it.

“He actually remembered it as well. It was funny. Now he's going to get exposed now, so everyone is going to know. But great memories to score for your country.”

Mount and Havertz's paths since 2015

Both Mount and Havertz rose through the youth ranks to become full senior internationals for their respective countries, with Mount earning 13 caps for England so far and Havertz making 10 appearances for Germany. 

Mount rose through Chelsea's youth ranks as well, starring on loan for Derby County in 2018-19 before becoming a regular for the Blues last season. 

Havertz developed in Leverkusen's academy, making his senior debut in the 2016-17 season before eventually moving to Chelsea in a £70 million ($96m) transfer prior to the current campaign.

Further reading

Original author: Goal

Yanga SC travel to face Mbeya City minus three players

The Jangwani giants have left behind three key players as they go hunting for maximum points in Mbeya

Yanga SC have embarked on their trip to face Mbeya City in their Mainland Premier League fixture without three players.

The Jangwani giants will come up against Mbeya City on Saturday as they resume their league action and also try to wrestle the title from rivals Simba SC.

The three players are new signing Dickson Job, forward Saidi Ntibanzokiza, and number three keeper Ramadhan Kabwili.

According to the club’s media officer Hassan Bumbuli the three players have been left in Dar es Salaam as a precautionary measure.

“The three are going through some special programme as they recover from their various injuries and hence they will not be able to travel with the team for the Mbeya match,” Bumbuli told Goal on Wednesday.

Ahead of their trip to face Mbeya, coach Cedric Kaze, who is yet to lose a league match since joining the side as a replacement for Zlatko Krmpotic, has admitted they will face a tough fixture.

“We all know on Saturday we are battling against a very tough team and we all know the game will be difficult, but we have done enough to handle them,” Kaze told reporters in Dar es Salaam.

“Our target is to win the match because all we want this season is to win the title, so we don’t have any other options apart from winning our matches, and the one against Mbeya is one of them, which we must win to keep our good run going.

“We know how they [Mbeya] have been difficult to beat in their backyard, they are a team which plays with force and always defending as a team so not an easy one for us, but we will do our best, all we want is our fans to support us.”

Angolan player Carlos Carlinhos has been named in the squad for the match with Kaze explaining he will give him a different role.

“I know Carlinhos prefers playing from the centre but I am trying to have him play from the wings, I think that is where he can perform well,” Kaze continued.

Yanga are currently topping the 18-team table with 44 points from 18 matches and with Simba dropping points after their 2-2 draw against Azam FC on Sunday, then they will strive to win the away fixture and stretch their lead.

Original author: Dennis Mabuka

Mount will be Chelsea and England captain, says Blues legend Terry

The 22-year-old became the youngest player to wear the Blues' armband in nearly 20 years last month

John Terry has tipped Mason Mount to become captain of Chelsea and England in the future. 

Mount was given the armband on January 24 in Chelsea's FA Cup win over Luton Town, becoming Chelsea's youngest captain since Terry in 2001. 

The 22-year-old has become a key player for club and country, having earned 13 caps for England since making his debut in 2019.

What did Terry say about Mount?

Speaking on Instagram Live, Terry said: “Mason Mount is 100 per cent future Chelsea captain.

“He’s been the best player at Chelsea this season to be honest.

“He’s a great lad, trains unbelievably well, is Chelsea through and through and shows leadership qualities.

“In my mind he’ll be Chelsea and England captain.”

Who are currently Chelsea and England's captains?

Veteran defender Cesar Azpilicueta is the Blues' captain with midfielder Jorginho the club's vice-captain.

For England, Tottenham striker Harry Kane is currently the captain.

What did Mount say about wearing the armband?

Speaking after his side's game against Luton last month, Mount said: "It was a very proud moment for me, for my family.

"To lead the boys out at Stamford Bridge was an amazing feeling. It’s something that I dreamt of as a young boy. I dreamt of just walking out and playing a game, but with the captain’s armband on my arm as well made it even more special.

"It was a big moment for me and I learnt a lot from that experience and hopefully I can take that into the future and hopefully wear that armband again in the future."

How has Mount performed this season?

Mount was a key figure in Chelsea's midfield under Frank Lampard, starting all but two of the club's Premier League games before Lampard was sacked. 

New Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel left Mount on the bench for his first game in charge but the midfielder has now started Chelsea's last three Premier League games, all of which have been wins.

Overall, Mount has four goals and six assists in 31 total games for Chelsea this season.

Further reading

Original author: Goal

LIVE: Swansea vs Manchester City

9' Swansea break on the counter down the left flank as Grimes releases Morris. He skips away from Garcia and cuts a ball back across the edge of the box. Rodri has to track back to prevent it reaching the onrushing Dhanda.

7' Swansea clear their lines from Gundogan's corner, but City recycle possession and the German takes control on the right flank. He lines up an ambitious cross with the outside of his boot that is claimed by Woodman under his bar.

6' Mendy collects the ball down the left flank and launches a deep cross into the box. Manning has to be alert at the back to head behind for a corner.

4' Jesus receives treatment and returns to the field, although his condition will need monitoring.

3' Jesus goes down after shooting as he appears have injured himself in the process. There was no contact from a Swansea player on the Brazilian.

2' SAVE! Jesus runs at the Swansea defence cutting in from the left flank before lining up a powerful drive on his right foot. Woodman watches it all the way and beats it away from danger.

1' We're underway at the Liberty Stadium.

Manchester City have won 12 of their last 14 meetings with Swansea in all competitions (D2), including each of the last six in a row.

Guardiola has made seven changes to his side that beat Liverpool last time out. Sterling, Gundogan, Rodri and Silva all retain their places. Steffen comes in between the posts as Ederson drops to the bench. The Spaniard changes his entire back four, which sees Walker, Garcia, Laporte and Mendy all start. Zinchenko, Cancelo and Stones drop to the bench, while Ruben Dias is rested. Jesus and Torres slot into the final third in place of Foden and Mahrez.

Swansea recorded an important victory of their own last time out, beating Norwich 2-0 on home soil. Cooper has made five changes to his side from the win. Latibeaudiere and Cabango slot into the defence to replace Naughton and Bennett. Manning gets the nod on the left flank to replace Bidwell. Hourihane and Ayew are rested as Dhanda and Morris start in the final third.

MANCHESTER CITY SUBS: John Stones, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Riyad Mahrez, Joao Cancelo, Ederson, Phil Foden, Tommy Doyle, Claudio Gomes, Adrian Bernabe.

MANCHESTER CITY (4-3-3): Zack Steffen; Kyle Walker, Eric Garcia, Aymeric Laporte, Benjamin Mendy; Ilkay Gundogan, Rodri, Bernardo Silva; Ferran Torres, Gabriel Jesus, Raheem Sterling.

SWANSEA CITY SUBS: Ryan Bennett, Andre Ayew, Conor Hourihane, Morgan Whittaker, Paul Arriola, Jake Bidwell, Kyle Naughton, Kieron Freeman, Lewis Webb.

SWANSEA CITY (3-4-3): Freddy Woodman; Ben Cabango, Joel Latibeaudiere, Marc Guehi; Connor Roberts, Jay Fulton, Ryan Manning; Jamal Lowe, Yan Dhanda, Jordan Morris. 

Manchester City have won the FA Cup only once since the arrival of Pep Guardiola. They defeated Birmingham City and Cheltenham Town to advance to the fifth round, and they're on course for another deep run in the competition. City are firing on all cylinders at the moment after beating Liverpool 4-1 in the Premier League last time out. Another victory today would extend their winning run to 15 matches in all competitions.

Swansea City have overcome Stevenage and Nottingham Forest in the competition to date to reach the fifth round. The Swans are looking to progress to the quarter-finals for only the fourth time in their history. They achieved the feat in back-to-back years in 2018 and 2019, and although Steve Cooper's men are performing well in the Championship, a cup run would be welcome by the club. However, challenges do not come much bigger than City.

Good evening and welcome to the FA Cup fifth-round match between Swansea City and Manchester City at the Liberty Stadium.


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