Looking for Soccer News?

Barcelona are closing in on appointing Xavi as their new head coach after sending club executives to Qatar to finalise a deal, Goal can confirm.

Xavi, who is currently in charge at Al Sadd, was initially offered the top job at Camp Nou following Ronald Koeman's sacking on October 27.

Sergi Barjuan has taken interim charge of the squad while Barca work on the appointment of a club legend. Though a final agreement appears close, Al Sadd have insisted that they still have no intention of letting Xavi leave.

What's the situation?

Goal has learned that Blaugrana vice-president Rafa Yuste and director of football Mateu Alemany travelled to Doha following the team's 1-0 Champions League win over Dynamo Kyiv on Tuesday night.

The Barca chiefs met for talks with Al Sadd officials to discuss their intention to appoint Xavi, with a two-and-a-half-year deal now awaiting the 41-year-old at Camp Nou.

Should negotiations progress as expected, Xavi could be unveiled at Barca by next week, with Barjuan's final game in the dugout likely to come against Celta Vigo on Saturday.

Al Sadd still aiming to keep Xavi

Following the meeting, Al Sadd laid down a marker by saying that they are "committed to keeping our coach Xavi with us."

"We welcome the visit of the administrative delegation from Barcelona, and we appreciate and respect this," said Turki Al-Ali, CEO of Al-Sadd.

"The club's position is clear from the beginning - we are committed to keeping our coach Xavi with us and we cannot have him leave at this sensitive time of the season."

What has Laporta said?

Barca president Joan Laporta gave a clear indication that Xavi is the club's number one candidate to succeed Koeman when speaking at a press conference last week.

"My opinion of Xavi as a coach is that he is fine, he is in an interesting process," he told reporters. "I have very good references, I speak with him very often and I know his opinion about the team, but they are confidential conversations between friends.

"We appreciate each other and my opinion of him is very good. I have always said that one day he would coach Barca. I trust the people around me. We will see how everything evolves."

Xavi's stature at Barca & coaching record

Xavi is widely regarded as one of the finest players to ever grace the Camp Nou pitch, after appearing in 767 games across 24 years with Barca.

The Spaniard helped the Blaugrana win multiple La Liga and Champions League titles amid a whole host of other honours before seeing out his playing days at Al Sadd between 2015 and 2019.

He has since been building experience in his first managerial role with the Qatar-based club, who have won seven trophies under his stewardship and are unbeaten in their last 35 league matches.

Further reading

AFC Leopards sealed the signing of six players on deadline day of the FKF Premier League transfer window, Goal can reveal.

In a list obtained by Goal, former Gor Mahia goalkeeper Levis Opiyo and defender Joachim Oluoch are among the new players, who landed at the Den.

The other players signed by the club include Kingsley Fananmi (unattached), Collins Milimu - Kakamega High School, Donald Ange - Harakati FC, Prince Ayieko - Vihiga United, and Eugene Wasilwa - Kibera Black Stars.

Ingwe were not able to add new signings to their set-up owing to a Fifa ban, but which was occasioned by the petition from former coach Cas Mbungo, who was demanding for his accrued salaries and allowances.

'We have signed six new players'

“It is true we managed to sign six players at the end of the window on Monday, we really needed to add to our squad and it could have been disastrous had we failed to sign,” a top club official, who did not want to be named, told Goal on Wednesday.

“We have signed six players, we have two from Gor Mahia and others are from the lower division side, but I cannot give you the names for now.”

Three days to the closure of the transfer window, a source told Goal the club had received a go-ahead from Fifa to sign new players.

“We are now free to sign new players," the source told Goal on Sunday. "We were not able to sign anyone because of the issues we had at Fifa following our failure to pay our former coach and players.

“You know, we held a fundraiser to help collect money that will clear the dues, and apart from that, we also engaged the people concerned to see if they could agree to a partial payment of their money.

'Fifa understood our position'

“They understood our position and the weak financial muscle and that is why we entered into a gentleman's agreement that made Fifa lift the sanction on us.

“For that, we are going to sign five or six players that will strengthen our squad. The technical bench has given the club's management a list of players they want signed to bolster key positions.

"The squad is thin in almost every department and we hope the new stars will help us solve the problems. We are aware that we cannot have a good season with the team we have now because we lack depth and balance.

"We further hope to solve all these issues within the shortest period possible.”

Ingwe have struggled this campaign as they have only won one match from the five played, losing three and drawing one.

Unai Emery has rejected the chance to take over as Newcastle's new head coach, with the ex-Arsenal boss publicly confirming his decision to stay at Villarreal.

Goal reported on Tuesday that Newcastle had opened talks with Emery over their vacant permanent manager's post, with the club having taken the decision to part ways with previous boss Steve Bruce following a Premier League defeat to Tottenham on October 17.

Emery admitted to being approached by the Magpies following Villarreal's 2-0 Champions League win over Young Boys, but also said that no formal offer had been made, and has now come out to clarify his future once and for all.

What's been said?

The Spaniard has released a statement via his official Twitter account, which reads: "Villarreal CF is my home and I am 100% committed. Honestly, I am grateful for the interest of a great club, but even more grateful to be here and that is why I communicated to Fernando Roig my decision to want to continue being part of this project.

"No matter how much noise there was yesterday in another country, within the club there was transparency and loyalty with the Roig family and with my staff, which is maximum and for me that is the most important thing.

"I want to thank the fans for the support they have always shown me. On Sunday we have a very important game and I hope that together we can achieve victory. See you at the Estadio de la Ceramica."

Newcastle's new manager search goes on

Newcastle's search for Bruce's successor will now continue as they seek to usher in a new era following the completion of their £300 million ($409m), Saudi-backed takeover.

Goal has reported that former Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe is also in the frame, having guided the Cherries from League Two to the Premier League during his eight-year stint at the Vitality Stadium.

The Magpies have approached Howe, who has been out of work since being sacked by Bournemouth after their relegation in 2019-20, but it is not yet known whether he has now replaced Emery as the club's number one candidate.

Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Lucien Favre, Paulo Fonseca and Robert Martinez have also been linked with the top job at St James' Park, with whoever is eventually chosen set to face the huge task of trying to keep Newcastle in the Premier League following their poor start to the season.

Further reading

Hakim Ziyech has stated he is still working towards gaining full fitness after playing a key role in Chelsea’s 1-0 Champions League win over Malmo FF.

The African star scored the game’s only goal and featured for 74 minutes as Thomas Tuchel’s men overcame their stubborn hosts.

In addition, Ziyech’s effort saw him match Marouane Chamakh to become the joint-highest scoring Moroccan in Champions League history.

But the former Ajax star claimed that he is not yet fully back in the groove, warning Chelsea’s rivals that he'll continue to improve as he features in more matches through the season.

“I try to be important to the team with some goals and assists,” Ziyech told Chelsea website.

“I had some hard times behind me. I had the injury and didn’t really recover fully from it. I work really hard, even when it’s not going how it’s supposed to go, but I always believed in myself and the things that I can do on the pitch.

“That’s why I’m still believing and trying to deliver on the pitch.

“I started good in pre-season, had the injury and I’m trying to find my rhythm again and that’s what I’m working hard for.

“I know what I can do and where my highest level is. As I said, I had some hard times with injuries and stuff and finding my rhythm again.

“I’ve never been able to get in the rhythm again, but that is something that you have to work hard for it and that’s what I’m doing every day, I’m trying to find that rhythm again.”

Ziyech also praised the Swedish elite division side, emphasizing that they made the Stamford Bridge giants work hard for the three points.

“It was a difficult game. They didn’t give us as much space as we had in the first game at home,” he continued.

“They were playing with their own crowd behind them and they give always an extra boost to them, so they made it really difficult for us.

“We weren’t in as big trouble as it looked like, but it was pretty hard, to be honest.

“They are a pretty difficult team to play against because they are playing so close to each other and closing all the spaces.

“Especially when they have a good game, it is really hard to beat them and find the spaces and create a lot, which I think is what makes it so difficult.”

The Nairobi County Football Association has asked City Senator Johnson Sakaja to stop defending Football Kenya Federation president Nick Mwendwa.
 
On Tuesday, Sakaja - who is the chair of the Senate standing committee on labour and social welfare - asked Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed not to take any action against the FKF.

The Nairobi County FA has now criticised the city leader over his remarks during the proceedings on the floor of the house.

Concerned Nairobi County FA

"Having followed yesterday's [Tuesday] Senate preceding about the state of Kenyan football, the Nairobi County Football Association regrets to see our super Senator [Johnson Sakaja] serving the interests of his boss who is a defender of [Nick] Mwendwa instead of protecting the law as per the Senate swearing-in before resuming office," a letter obtained by Goal and signed by Charles Njoroge, the chairman of the association, said.
 
"Sports Act article 52 is very clear about the inspection of sports organizations, football being not an exception, in part one which says, 'The Registrar may, at any time, or if so directed by the Cabinet Secretary, cause an inspection to be made by any person authorized by the Registrar, in writing, of any sports organization, branch, sub-branch, organ, or any person associated with any sports organization, and of its or his books, accounts, and records'.
 
"Our super Senator for Nairobi should tell Kenyans where [Amina] Mohammed has gone wrong by implementing the Kenyan constitution. 

Disband FKF

"Therefore,he CS should disband FKF in accordance with article 54 of the Sports Act, put a normalization committee to oversee football in the country for the next six months [it is working successfully in Egypt currently] and order the Sports Registrar to oversee fresh elections done in accordance with Part Two and Five of the Sports Registrar Regulation Act 2016 within the said time. 
 
"Senators should learn that Fifa works with statutes, not a constitution and the Fifa statutes 10.1 says; 'Any Association which is responsible for organising and supervising football in its country may become a member of Fifa'.

"Hence Fifa can not decide for Kenya who will be the president or how the sports organizations should elect their officials, but only the Sports Registrar Regulation Act 2016 can do.
 
"Senators should help football stakeholders implement the Sports Act in their respective counties instead of defending the corrupt Mwendwa and the entire NEC who are calling for a ban from Fifa yet they have brought football into disrepute. They should instead hold them accountable. 
 
"Let the Senate use the energy to find out the lost football stakeholders' money from 2016 to date since Mwendwa took office."
 

Kaizer Chiefs' 1-0 defeat against Stellenbosch FC at the FNB Stadium was far from ideal preparation for the Soweto derby vs Orlando Pirates at the same venue on Saturday.

What was especially concerning for Chiefs on Tuesday against Stellies was the way the visitors stretched and exposed the Glamour Boys' defence on a number of occasions.

The Cape side used the full width and length of the FNB pitch and this enabled their speedy runners, Ashley du Preez in particular, to run at the heart of the home defence and to create several problems.

It was from such a scenario that Du Preez netted the only goal of the game as he out-ran and outwitted Daniel Cardoso before scoring with a sublime effort into the top corner.

Cardoso, like his veteran central defensive partner Erick Mathoho, is not especially fast and mobile.

The former Free State Stars defender had only just come back into the side after being dropped and while Mathoho had a decent match against Sekhukhune United, he has also not had the best of seasons overall so far.

There is a feeling that the centre of the Chiefs defence remains unsettled and can be vulnerable - Thabani Dube has also been in and out the team in recent weeks, while Njabulo Ngcobo, bought primarily as a central defender after winning the PSL Defender of the Season award last season with Swallows FC, is being used more as a defensive midfielder.

Full-back Reeve Frosler has also been in and out of the team this season, while four goalkeepers have been used, although to be fair, Daniel Akpeyi has consistently been employed over the past few weeks.

The point though is that, as a unit, the Amakhosi backline has not fully convinced yet, while there are individuals who have been inconsistent and not entirely reliable.

Perhaps it may be time for Baxter to fully trust Ngcobo and to play him alongside one of Mathoho or Cardoso, probably the former, going on current form.

That would also free an extra spot in central midfield, and someone like Nkosingiphile Ngcobo could then come in and give the side some more creative spark.

Especially if coach Stuart Baxter continues to play two more defensive-minded players – Cole Alexander and Phathutshedzo Nange in the engine room – having three defensive players in the engine room does seem to be a case of overkill.

Atalanta boss Gian Piero Gasperini has revealed the details of his full-time chat with Cristiano Ronaldo after the Manchester United superstar's late Champions League heroics.

Ronaldo scored a brace to help United pick up a crucial 2-2 draw away at Atalanta on Tuesday night, with his goals cancelling out efforts from Josep Ilicic and Duvan Zapata for the hosts.

The 36-year-old also fired the winning goal in the reverse fixture between the two sides at Old Trafford, and Gasperini was left bemoaning his "incredible" finishing ability after the final whistle at the Gewiss Stadium.

What's been said?

Gasperini was seen speaking with Ronaldo on the pitch following his stoppage-time equaliser, and divulged what he said to the Portuguese forward in a post-match interview.

"At the end of the match, I spoke with Ronaldo,” The Atalanta head coach told Sky Italia. “He's an incredible player, some even call him a problem.

"That’s a nice problem to have. He rarely gets it off target; half the time he scores, half the time it is saved.

“I told him, ‘You know what we say in Italy? Go to hell’.”

Ronaldo bails United out again

Ronaldo has now hit five goals in four Champions League appearances since his return to United from Juventus in the summer.

The veteran striker has almost single-handedly fired Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side to the top of Group F, with Villarreal sitting in second on goal difference following their 2-0 win against Young Boys and Atalanta two points further back in third.

Ronaldo admitted that the Red Devils were slightly fortunate to avoid defeat in their latest outing, and has called for patience as they continue to try and rediscover a consistent streak.

"We never give up, we believe until the end, it is a good result for us," he said to BT Sport . "The beginning was tough, we knew Atalanta would do a lot of pressure, they have a fantastic coach, when I played at Juventus they were always difficult to play against. We were a little bit lucky in the end, but that is football.

"We still have to improve. We have different players, a different system - we have to adapt with each other, but it will take time. We have time to improve and be better."

Further reading

Mamelodi Sundowns will look to extend their winning run to six games in the PSL when they host Maritzburg United at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Wednesday.

Masandawana are in a buoyant mood after clinching their first trophy of the current campaign with a 3-2 win against Cape Town City on penalties following a 1-1 draw in the MTN8 final over the weekend.

The Tshwane giants have now turned their attention to the PSL where they are playing catch up as they have two games in hand, but they remain at the top of the league standings albeit only on goal difference.

Sundowns will be up against a Maritzburg side who snapped their three-match winless run when they edged out TS Galaxy 1-0 at home on October 23 and it was only their third win of the season. 

The Team of Choice are currently placed 10th on the league standings and a rare victory over defending champions Sundowns, who remain undefeated this term, would take them into the top eight.

However, it will be a mammoth task for the KwaZulu-Natal side as the last time Maritzburg defeated Masandawana in a league game was in September 2012 with Delron Buckley grabbing a brace in a 2-1 win in Tshwane. 

TV Channel, Live Score & How To Watch

Squads & Team News

Sundowns playmaker Lebohang Maboe remains sidelined by a long-term injury and striker Thabiso Kutumela is doubtful after picking up a knock during the MTN8 final. 

While attacker Gaston Sirino missed the final due to injury having failed a late fitness test, but Sundowns co-head coaches Manqoba Mngqithi and Rhulani Mokwena were able to unleash a strong team against City.

Peter Shalulile is the player to watch out for in the Masandawana team having struggled against City, and the reigning PSL Footballer of the Season will be determined to produce an improved performance against Maritzburg.

Meanwhile, Maritzburg are expected to be without their club captain Phumlani Ntshangase, with the experienced central midfielder nursing a leg injury.

The Team of Choice's head coach Ernst Middendorp may have to find a way to mastermind a win over Sundowns without Algerian-born French left-back Fares Hachi and experienced left-sided player Keegan Ritchie, who are also out injured. 

Alfred Ndengane might be assigned to man-mark Shalulile after the no-nonsense defender produced a Man of the Match performance against Galaxy, while Bongokuhle Hlongwane will look to create problems for the Sundowns defence with his devastating speed.

Match Preview

In head-to-head stats since the 2005/06 season, Sundowns and Maritzburg have clashed in 30 league matches.

Masandawana have dominated this rivalry having registered 19 wins compared to three for the Team of Choice, while eight matches ended in draws.

Sundowns also have a good home record against Maritzburg having recorded 11 wins, three draws and one defeat from 15 home league matches as the hosts. 

The Tshwane giants collected four points from Maritzburg last season as the two teams drew 1-1 at Harry Gwala Stadium in December 2020.

Before Masandawana claimed a 2-0 win at Loftus Versfeld in May 2021.

Amazon Prime Video released an original series on the life of former Argentine superstar Diego Armando Maradona, titled 'Maradona: Blessed Dream' on Friday. The 10-episode series has been originally shot in Spanish but will be available in English, Hindi,Tamil, Telugu, and Bengali for the Indian audience.

The 1986 World Cup winner, often considered one of the greatest footballers ever, is an extremely popular figure across the world and India is no exception. The legend himself has visited the country on multiple occasions and each time, he has received rousing welcomes.

On field, his wizardry with the ball at his feet set him on a pedestal higher than the rest. Most memorably, he single-handedly destroyed England's defence in the quarterfinal of the 1986 World Cup to score a goal which was later voted as FIFA’s ‘Goal of the Century'.

However, Maradona is also synonymous with controversies. In the same match, the 1986 World Cup encounter against England, he punched a floated cross with his hand, past goalkeeper Peter Shilton which is famously known as the 'Hand of God' goal. After the game, in which Argentina won 2-1, Maradona made a tongue-in-cheek comment and said that goal was "a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God."

As much as he enjoyed the ball at his feet, he equally cherished life beyond the pitch. From his teens, he made headlines in sports columns for his heroics on the pitch, as well as in tabloids for his flamboyant lifestyle off it. Although he married long-time fiancee Claudia Villafane in 1989, he was involved with other women. It was after many years, that Maradona acknowledged that he was the biological father of Diego Sinagra which he had vehemently refused during the court proceedings in Naples in the 1990s.

In Maradona: Blessed Dream, the show focuses on the man behind the scenes; his rise from the streets of Villa Fiorito, the ways of his life while at the acme of his career in Napoli and Barcelona, and the doom that follows. Directed by Alejandro Aimetta, the show swings between Maradona's troubled life off the pitch and his geniuses on the green grass.

It was no secret that Maradona was short-tempered. Apart from his squabbles on the ground, he has been involved in some notorious incidents which paint him as the 'bad boy' of football. In 1994, he was sentenced to prison for 2 years and 10 months as he shot at journalists with an air rifle for 'invading his piracy'. He even kicked a fan for constantly raising a poster which was interrupting him from perfecting a shot.

The legend hardly changed his ways even in the twilight of his life. During Argentina's match against Nigeria in the 2018 World Cup, he was seen celebrating Marcus Rojo's goal by showing expletive gestures towards the camera. His health issues were no secret, with Maradona often flitting between hospitals.

It is this facet of one of the most famous men the game of football has ever seen that Amazon Prime Video’s series explores. A must-watch for every fan of the beautiful game, 'Maradona: Blessed Dream' tries to encapsulate the legend's life in its truest sense by revealing incidents from his life that have hitherto been unknown.

Five of the 10 episodes have been released, chronicling his career till an acrimonious exit from Barcelona in 1984. New episodes of the remaining five will release each Friday. Watch the show only on Amazon Prime Video. Click here.

Slovenian midfielder Amir Dervisevic will be plying his trade outside his native country for the first time in his professional career as he is all set to make his debut for East Bengal in the Indian Super League (ISL).

The 29-year-old former NK Maribor player is excited to kick-start a new journey with East Bengal and believes that the club has the potential to be successful in the upcoming ISL campaign.

What did Amir Dervisevic say?

"When you play in Europe, you always want to play in the top five leagues. It was complicated because of this COVID, it was different. It was hard. Once you have 10 teams, you can choose and in the next five days, you have nothing. So, I was like three months without football. It was hard. You train alone and not with a team. It's not the same training with the ball when you don't have games.

"So I get this contract, they called me. He told me everything about this club and the Indian league. He played with me before at Maribor, Rene Mihelic (ex-Chennaiyin FC and Delhi Dynamos). He was here three or four years ago. He said all the best for this league. So after eight years, I left my country," the Slovenian told Goal.

Difficulties of 'bio-bubble'

Dervisevic mentioned that he has heard about the hardships of being in a bio-bubble from his teammates at East Bengal and also suggested that playing without fans at the stadiums will be an unusual experience for him.

"It's difficult. I heard about this (bubble-life) from my teammates who last year were in some hotel and they could only go out for training. It's a little bit difficult to stay like this for five-or-six months in the bubble but you have to get used to it. You have nothing to do other than training and back to the hotel. And without fans, it is, how can I say, a little bit stupid but we can do nothing here. It is better if you play in front of the whole stadium and the crowds. It is going to be difficult," said the former Maribor star.

'Indian football less tactical than Europe'

The East Bengal midfielder believes that Indian football, from what he has observed so far, is less tactical when compared to what he experienced back in Slovenia.

"It is different. It is hard to talk about it now. We can see when the season starts because we only played two or three friendly matches. It is a little bit less tactical than in Europe. We now have two coaches from Spain. I understand how they want us to play because we had coaches similar to them in Maribor.

"We will see. It is hard to say now. As is said it is a little bit less tactical but I see we have a lot of good players. For me also this is something new. New weather, humidity is high for me. For the first 10 days I couldn't breathe, I swear. It was hard so I had to get used to it," said Dervisevic.

Ready for Kolkata Derby

The midfielder suggested that he has done his homework on East Bengal's arch-rivals ATK Mohun Bagan. Although he believes that Roy Krishna and co. are a tough nut to crack, he backed East Bengal to get a positive result in the Kolkata derby which is scheduled for November 27, 2021.

"The second match is the derby. ATK Mohun Bagan, for the last two or three seasons, they have been very high on the table. They have good players. I sometimes watch their games on Instagram and Youtube. So you have to prepare. You never know. They are a very serious team. We will see as we are also in very good shape to get some good results. I am really happy to start the season," the 29-year-old stated.

Real Madrid take on Shakhtar Donetsk at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in Group D of the UEFA Champions League, on Wednesday.

Carlo Ancelotti will eye a win in front of their fans after the 5-0 win in Ukraine. Vinicius Junior has been the standout player for Real Madrid in the current campaign with nine goals in all competitions. David Alaba has seamlessly adjusted to the role of a centre-back at Madrid with club legend Sergio Ramos not being missed as yet.

Here's how to watch Real Madrid vs Shakhtar Donetsk in the 2021-22 Champions League from India.

Contents

What time does the Champions League match between Real Madrid and Shakhtar Donetsk start?

Return to top

How to watch Real Madrid vs Shakhtar Donetsk on TV & live stream in India

The Sony Pictures Sports Network (SPSN) has the rights to show UEFA Champions League matches in India.

Matches will also be available to stream via SonyLIV app and website, besides JioTV mobile app, allowing supporters to watch multiple games simultaneously and catch the replay of matches.

Return to top

Real Madrid vs Shakhtar Donetsk: Team news & key stats

Real Madrid may see Karim Benzema return after missing the weekend win over Elche as the Frenchman partook in training, but Carlo Ancelotti is set to be without Gareth Bale, Dani Ceballos, Mariano Diaz and Federico Valverde on account of injuries.

Shakhtar, yet to score a goal in the Champions League this year, are sorely missing their injured forwards in Lassina Traore and Junior Moraes, with defender Mykola Matvienko also ruled out, and midfielder Pedrinho unlikely to return either.

Key Stats:

Return to top

Robert Lewandowski marked a milestone appearance with a hat-trick as the Polish star guided Bayern Munich to victory.

The scored three of Bayern's five goals in the 5-2 win over Benfica, a match that saw the German giants lock up their spot in the Champions League's knockout rounds.

And Lewandowski's goals also saw him mark his 100th appearance with yet another star performance, something he has become known for over the years.

The numbers behind the goals

In total, Lewandowski has 81 goals in his 100 Champions League games, making him one of the competition's most prolific players.

He trails only Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who have 139 and 123 goals respectively. Ronaldo, though, has played in 180 Champions League games while Messi has featured in the competition 152 times so far.

Lewandowski is also this season's leading scorer, having scored eight goals in four games to start the group stage campaign.

Only Messi and Ronaldo have more hat-tricks than Lewandowski as well, with the two having eight each compared to Lewandowski's four.

What was said?

“I never thought that we could play so many matches with so many goals and assists," Lewandowski admitted said after the match. "During the first 20 minutes, I hardly had the ball. In the second half, it is not that easy for an attacker to remain patient. After the first goal, it's always a little easier."

Added Bayern boss Julian Nagelsmann:  "He should not be reduced to only his goals tonight, but of course he has shown his strength of character and he is always looking to score. 

"He is and will remain for a long time to come the best striker in the world."

Further reading

Former Manchester United stars Paul Scholes and Rio Ferdinand expressed their disappointment with Paul Pogba following the Reds' 2-2 draw against Atalanta, claiming that the midfielder's performance was "not good enough". 

United trailed twice in Bergamo but came back to earn a point in the Champions League with Cristiano Ronaldo hitting both equalisers, the last of which came deep into stoppage time in the second half

But it was far from a vintage display from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's charges, and Pogba in particular came in for some harsh criticism.

What was said? 

“I thought he took liberties a few times, he was a bit sloppy. Sometimes you just need to be told ‘sharpen up, play one or two touch’," Ferdinand told BT Sport after the game. 

“He needs to be telling himself that he didn’t do well enough. There are not those [critical] conversations going on in our changing room.

“There’s not a player in the world that starts every game perfectly.”

Scholes added: “He needs somebody talking to him all the time, someone there who he totally respects and is experienced.

“He is a really experienced player but he will get to 35 and will be doing the same stupid stuff – stud-rolling the ball and people know it.

“The biggest thing with the player is his concentration – he goes away with the fairies sometimes.

“At Juventus he was excellent and that’s why we signed him but you look at [players around him] – [Andrea] Pirlo, [Giorgio] Chiellini, [Gianluigi] Buffon, an aggressive manager, telling him all the time and he will need that kind of treatment until he is 35.”

The bigger picture 

Pogba began the 2021-22 season in blistering fashion, notching seven assists in United's first four Premier League matches as the Reds came storming out the blocks. 

But he has struggled to keep up that early promise, and had started just one of the club's last five games prior to Tuesday's return to the first XI. 

His future at Old Trafford has also once more come under scrutiny, with Real Madrid and Juventus both reportedly in the chase to sign him on a free transfer next summer should he decline to sign a new deal. 

Further reading 

Benik Afobe was Millwall’s hero having scored the only goal as the Lions secured a 1-0 triumph over Reading on Tuesday night.

The DR Congo striker turned home Ryan Leonard’s cross in the 71st minute to give Gary Rowett’s men maximum points at the Den.

The hosts made four changes against the Royals, with Murray Wallace, Maikel Kieftenbeld, Matt Smith and Afobe coming into the lineup at the starting XI at the expense of Daniel Ballard, Tom Bradshaw, Scott Malone and Sheyi Ojo respectively.

Twelve minutes into the keenly contested affair, Millwall was presented a big opportunity, but Afobe blasted his effort from Jed Wallace’s cross over the crossbar.

Minutes later, the visiting side also had their fair share of chance but Abdul Rahman-Baba's cross was stopped by Bartosz Bialkowski.

In the second half, both teams came out stronger but it was the Stoke City loanee who settled the English second tier tie with 19 minutes left on the clock.

Despite a late attacking push from Reading, they crumbled to their ninth defeat of the 2021-22 campaign.

After featuring for 87 minutes, Afobe was substituted for Dan McNamara.

For Reading, Tom Dele-Bashiru and Baba were in action from start to finish while Nigeria prospect Ovie Ejaria was substituted for Guinea Bissau’s Mamadi Camara with seven minutes left on the clock.

Elsewhere, Elijah Adebayo was among the goal scorers as Luton Town silenced 3 - 1 Middlesbrough at Kenilworth Road.

The Boro got off to a flying start in the 15th minute as Josh Coburn benefited from an Andraz Sporar pass to beat goalkeeper Simon Sluga.

Three minutes before the half-time break, the Hatters restored parity through captain Sonny Bradley.

James Bree delivered the right-wing corner before heading past goalkeeper Luke Daniels.

Elijah put his side ahead for the first time on the hour mark after he was assisted by Congolese star Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu.

Two minutes later, Harry Cornick completed the comeback win with a sumptuous strike.

Mpanzu was on parade from start to finish, while Adebayo was subbed off for Cameron Jerome in the 89th minute.

Nigeria’s Fred Onyedima was brought in for Daniel Potts in the 55th minute while Zimbabwe’s Admiral Muskwe was an unused substitute.

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was elated to see Cristiano Ronaldo once more come to the rescue as the Portuguese striker netted twice to claw back a vital Champions League point against Atalanta. 

Ronaldo engineered consecutive comeback victories in each of United's last two European outings, and he left it until late in stoppage time in Bergamo to make it 2-2 on Tuesday. 

Solskjaer looked to one of the NBA's finest-ever players to draw a comparison with the ex-Real Madrid and Juventus ace, even though he admitted he was not overjoyed to see Ronaldo pass his own goal tally for the Red Devils. 

What was said? 

"We kept going, we had a good attitude, we are fit, we did the same as at Old Trafford, we got a goal and we got a very important point," the manager told BeIn Sport after the final whistle. 

"[Ronaldo] is incredible, if there's anyone you want the ball to fall to in the last minute, it's him. He's the best goalscorer alive, and it's hard for me to say that because he just went past me with his two goals, now he's got one more goal for Man Utd than me, but well done! 

"That last goal there, that must be a Michael Jordan moment when he wins championships in extra time. No-one can question the attitude and character of these players, they never give up, and sometimes we play better than tonight but as long as I see that attitude every time, the quality will come."

The bigger picture

A big weekend victory over Tottenham and now this draw appears to have shored up Solskjaer's position, which seemed less than secure in the wake of the 5-0 defeat at the hands of Liverpool.

The Norwegian cannot afford to rest on his laurels though, as the big games continue to come thick and fast in November. 

On Saturday the Reds welcome derby rivals Manchester City to Old Trafford in the Premier League, while after the international break visits to Watford and Chelsea as well as Villarreal in a crucial Champions League clash loom large. 

Ronaldo's late heroics, which brought him up to five goals in the competition so far, give United some breathing room in Group F with Solskjaer's charges currently tied with Villarreal in first place, two points clear of Atalanta and four ahead of Young Boys.

Further reading