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Tottenham "aren't bothered how they play" under Jose Mourinho as long as they win, according to Jonathan Woodgate.

Spurs have gone through the last 13 years without winning any silverware, but took a huge step towards bringing that streak to an end by reaching the Carabao Cup final on Tuesday night.

Goals from Moussa Sissoko and Son Heung-min gave Mourinho's side a 2-0 home win over Brentford which ensured that they will take part in the showpiece event against either Manchester United or Manchester City in April.

Tottenham are in a strong position in the Premier League too, as they sit four points behind leaders Liverpool having played a game less, while the FA Cup and Europa League are also still up for grabs in the second half of the season.

Despite the team's recent progress, Mourinho has faced plenty of criticism, with it suggested that the Portuguese manager is failing to utilise the talents of an all-star forward line to full effect by setting up to stifle opponents instead of embracing a more attack-minded philosophy.

However, Woodgate, who was the matchwinner when Spurs last lifted the League Cup in 2008, thinks Mourinho's players will be fully behind him as they continue to chase down tangible rewards on multiple fronts in the coming months.

“Jose Mourinho takes the competition [League Cup] seriously,” the former Tottenham defender told talkSPORT. “He won it four times, he’s a serial winner and those Spurs boys need to start winning trophies.

“They’ve had chances over the years and they’ve got another great chance now.

“Their style is different, but they haven’t won anything under different managers, so they might win something under this manager and Jose Mourinho has won league titles and Champions Leagues all over the world.

“Okay the style of football is not great, but they’re in a cup final and they’re only four points off the top of the table. He’s getting results, and that’s the most important thing in football.

“Players want to win games, they’re not bothered how they play, in my view.

“If I was a player now, all I’d want to do is win, and I don’t care how we win, no matter what style we play, as long as we win.

“Fans are different – fans want to be entertained – but at the end of the day what do they want to see: their team winning a trophy or not winning a trophy?

“Mourinho has done it all over the world, he did it at Inter Milan and they won the European Cup, he’s doing it at Spurs now and he will bring them success.

“That’s why they’ve brought him to Tottenham, he wins trophies.”

Kenya’s Caf Champions League representatives Gor Mahia have crashed out of the competition after going down 2-1 against CR Belouizdad at Nyayo Stadium on Wednesday.

Jules Ulimwengu scored K’Ogalo’s opener while Amir Sayoud and Abdelkader Belharane found the back of the net to complete an 8-1 aggregate win for the Algerian Premier League side.

Ulimwengu, who is fast establishing himself as a dependable striker at Gor Mahia, broke the deadlock in the 23rd minute as he awarded the hosts with an opener.

Gor Mahia started the match looking a more determined side than in the first leg, backed-up by of a handful fans on the stands, and the Ulimwengu goal served to make them even more hopeful of an unlikely turnaround.

A case of few and missed chances became the order for most of the first half as Gor Mahia headed back into the tunnel clutching onto a 1-0 lead.

In the second half, the visitors ventured forward more than in the first half and ended up restricting Gor Mahia in their own area. Belouizdad’s hard work was rewarded in the 79th minute when Sayoud scored the equaliser.

It took the visitors a few minutes to all but bury Gor Mahia’s hopes of a win on the day when Belharane added the second goal in the 84th minute.

In the last 10 minutes, the Green Army visibly struggled to contain Belouizdad as they were outwitted in all fronts and struggled even to knit a few passes together amongst themselves.

The Algerian outfit has now progressed to the exclusive group stage courtesy of other goals that were scored by Amir Sayoud, who earned a hat-trick, Hamza Bellahouel, Larbi Tabti, and Maecky Ngombo in the first leg.

As was the case last season, the Green Army will now drop into the Confederation Cup and try to have a successful campaign in Africa’s second-tier competition.

Although Gor Mahia have been Kenya’s regular representatives in the continental club competitions, the performances against their African peers have been unconvincing.

Their struggle has often been related to financial issues which have led to go-slows by players, especially just before such decisive clashes, whether at home or away.

They will need to sort out coaching issues as well before they start the Confederation Cup campaign.

It is understood Sammy Omollo, the man who oversaw their Champions League matches against APR and CR Belouizdad, is close to signing a contract to take full responsibility of the local heavyweights.

Mesut Ozil’s agent has raised the possibility of the German leaving Arsenal in January, although the north London club are adamant they have yet to enter into serious discussions with any interested party.

Ozil has not played for the Gunners since March and wasn’t even registered by boss Mikel Arteta to be part of his 25-man Premier League squad for the first half of the season.

The World Cup winner’s agent, Dr Erkut Sogut, has always been insistent, however, that the playmaker would not leave Arsenal until his contract expires in the summer.

But amid reports in Turkey suggesting Ozil is close to a move to Fenerbahce and suggestions he could be heading to the United States with D.C. United, Sogut has now revealed that a January exit could be a possibility.

In an interview with ESPN, Sogut said: "We were not allowed to talk legally before January 1 so now we are just starting to look at the options with the numbers and details.

“I can't talk about the clubs directly because it would be unprofessional but generally, there is six months left on the contract and it is nothing unusual that we will talk to people about different opportunities and try to find the best option for Mesut.

"He might stay at Arsenal until the summer but he might go. Mesut's priority is to stay but you never know in football, things can change very fast. For the moment, we are just checking all the options for January and the summer.

"If we want to leave in January, I need to talk to Arsenal. If we sign for the summer, we don't need to. That's the situation. In the next seven to 10 days, it will be a little clearer as now the transfer window is open, things can move faster."

Arsenal have been desperate to get Ozil, who earns £350,000 a week, off their books for the past two seasons, but have been unable to convince him to leave.

Clubs in the Middle East have shown an interest in the former Real Madrid star, who moved to north London from the Bernabeu in 2013 and has won four FA Cups during his time with the Gunners.

The Arsenal hierarchy are willing to do what they can to help facilitate a move before the end the January window and are in regular dialogue with Ozil’s representatives to try and find a solution.

Sources have confirmed to Goal that Ozil has been given some time off recently to try and help move things forward in his search for a new club.

He is back now, however, and despite the reported interest from the likes of Fenerbahce and D.C. United, Arsenal have yet to be contacted by any club to discuss a potential transfer.

Should contact be made in the coming days, Arsenal would not be looking for any transfer fee for the 32-year-old, who has less than six months remaining on his deal.

Milan pair Ante Rebic and Rade Krunic have tested positive for Covid-19 ahead of Wednesday's showdown with Juventus.

Both players are asymptomatic and have begun a period of self-isolation at home, Milan confirmed on their official website.

The news comes on the back of Juve announcing that full-backs Alex Sandro and Juan Cuadrado had contracted COVID-19, also ruling them out of the crunch clash at San Siro.

Rebic has featured 14 times for Milan in all competitions this season, while Krunic has been used on 20 occasions.

The pair have appeared together in eight Serie A matches this season, with Milan winning each of those games. On the seven occasions they have not featured, meanwhile, the Rossoneri's win rate drops from 100 per cent to 43.

Serie A leaders Milan are already without injured quartet Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Alexis Saelemaekers, Ismael Bennacer and Matteo Gabbia, while Sandro Tonali is suspended.

The club said in a statement: "AC Milan announces that Ante Rebic and Rade Krunic tested positive for a molecular swab carried out yesterday in anticipation of the match against Juventus.

"The players, asymptomatic, remained in isolation at home where a second control swab was taken today. The health authorities were promptly informed.

"All members of the team group underwent a further test today with negative results."

Speaking on Tuesday, doctor Roberto Testi, the director of the Department of Prevention at the Turin ASL, warned the high-profile contest may be called off if Juve report further positive tests on the day of the game.

"If there should be more positive tests and the evidence of an uncontrolled breakout within the squad, that would become a problem of safety for the other players," he told Corriere della Sera.

"Clearly, at that point, the ASL would be forced to intervene, isolating everyone and blocking Juve's departure towards Milan."

Milan enter the game 10 points better off than reigning champions Juventus having played a game more.

Stefano Pioli's men won the most recent encounter between the sides 4-2 last July and are seeking successive league wins in this fixture for the first time since 2010.

It will mark the first time Milan have faced Juve sitting ahead of their rivals in the table since November 2015, when losing 1-0 through a Paulo Dybala goal. 

The 2020-21 Carabao Cup is heading into the final stage and it won't be long until the first major national trophy is won in England this season.

Having kicked off in August 2020, 92 teams are whittled down to two ultimate contenders, with the decider taking place in early 2021.

So when will the Carabao Cup final take place this season and which teams are involved?

Goal brings you everything you need to know, including how to watch the game live, prize money for the winners, European qualification and more.

On this page

When is the Carabao Cup 2021 final?

The 2020-21 Carabao Cup final will be held a few months later than initially planned, on Sunday April 25, 2021.

Kick-off for the game is scheduled for 4pm BST (11am ET).

It had originally been scheduled for Sunday February 28, 2021, but, in December 2020, the EFL made the decision to push it further into the year.

The decision to reschedule the fixture, according to the EFL, was made in the hope that fans may be permitted to attend the game.

Deterioration in the public health picture in the United Kingdom over winter saw the British government introduce stricter lockdown measures, thus diminishing the chances of spectators being allowed in February.

Which teams are in the Carabao Cup 2021 final?

Tottenham were the first team to book their place in the 2021 Carabao Cup final. Jose Mourinho's side defeated Brentford 2-0 in the semi-final to advance, with goals from Heung-min Son and Moussa Sissoko sending them through.

Spurs will be joined in the final by one of Manchester United or Manchester City. Those teams square off in a semi-final bout on Wednesday January 6, 2021.

Defending champions City are one of the most successful teams in the competition and they have won the last three finals in a row, while United last won the cup in 2017, when Mourinho was manager.

Tottenham have won the Carabao Cup on four occasions, most recently in 2008, which, incidentally, was also the last time they hoisted silverware.

Mourinho has signalled his intent to end that 13-year trophy drought, declaring: "What I sense in the team is exactly that: desire. I'm not saying winning mentality, I'm not saying we are this or that. I just say we are honest people."

Where will the Carabao Cup 2021 final be played?

Wembley Stadium will host the Carabao Cup final in 2021, continuing the custom of staging major national cup finals in the affectionately named 'Home of Football'.

The London venue, which has a capacity of 90,000, could possibly be empty for the occasion, however, should the public health situation arising from the Covid-19 pandemic not improve.

Wembley in its current guise has hosted the Carabao Cup final since 2008 and the 2021 final will be the 14th time it has been the venue since reopening.

Which TV channel is the Carabao Cup 2021 final on?

In the UK, the Carabao Cup final will be broadcast on the Sky Sports network, on the Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Main Event channels, as well as Sky Go.

In the U.S., ESPN will broadcast the Carabao Cup final.

What is the Carabao Cup prize money?

Winning the Carabao Cup is worth £100,000 ($136k) according to most recent figures, while the runner-up is rewarded with £50,000 ($68k).

The losing semi-finalists are given a consolation prize of £25,000 ($34k) each.

Prize money for the Carabao Cup lags significantly behind England's chief cup competition, the FA Cup, and that reality is perhaps reflected in how some Premier League clubs rotate their team in the tournament.

Do the Carabao Cup winners qualify for Europe?

From 2020-21 on, the winners of the Carabao Cup will qualify for the Europa Conference League - UEFA's new third-tier continental competition, which gets under way in 2021-22.

Winning the Carabao Cup will ensure entry at the play-off round of the Europa Conference League.

In the event that the Carabao Cup winners qualify for a continental competition through their league finish (as is likely in this season's edition), then that place will go to the highest-placed team in the Premier League that has not already qualified for Europe.

For example, last season, Premier League runners-up Man City won the Carabao Cup, so the Europa League place they earned was subsequently rewarded to Tottenham, who finished that season in sixth place.

Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA FC) striker Brian Aheebwa and UPDF head coach Kefa Kisala have been voted the player and coach of the month of December 2020 respectively.

Aheebwa won the monthly award after beating Ben Ocen of Police FC and Brian Kalumba of UPDF. On the other hand, Kisala was nominated alongside Sam Ssimbwa of Uganda Revenue Authority (URA FC) before he emerged the best coach of the month.

The winners are given USh1 million as well as a trophy for their exemplary performances during that period. The Premier League is on a break in order to give the national side and the selected players time to participate in the African Nations Championship (Chan) tournament.

Aheebwa, who was signed in the last transfer window, has scored seven goals for the 13-time Premier League champions. The seven goals for Aheebwa are among the 119 goals that were scored across the league in five games.

The majority of Aheebwa’s goals came against Onduparaka FC where he scored four which also enabled KCCA to go to fourth place with nine points before the league went on a break. Ocen has scored one fewer goal and his side is third with 10 points.

On the other hand, Kalumba has scored five goals for debutants UPDF and also had a memorable day when he scored four against Kitara FC. The Soldiers are surprisingly leading as they have 12 points, one more than URA.

Kisala denied coach Ssimbwa an opportunity to be crowned as the best coach for a second consecutive month.

“This success is attributed to the management, technical staff and players,” the UPDF tactician said after winning the award.

“As a newly promoted club, this is a great motivation for us. Our initial target was to finish in the top five and the chase is still on.”

URA have not lost a single game in the season as their campaign had started to pick up speed before it was paused because of the upcoming Chan.

The selected Ugandan players are already in Cameroon for an ongoing pre-Chan tournament that is set to culminate on January 7.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has sent a message to Josh Dasilva after his horror tackle in the Carabao Cup semi-finals, supporting the Brentford star before joking that the forward owes him "a new shin pad".

Tottenham progressed to the final of the League Cup by beating their Championship opponents  2-0 on Tuesday night.

Goals from Moussa Sissoko and Son Heung-min secured the win, with the visitors reduced to 10 men in the latter stages of the game.

Dasilva was shown a straight red card for a dangerous challenge on Hojbjerg which left the midfielder bleeding from several parts of his shin.

Spurs head coach Jose Mourinho was left shocked by the damage caused but refused to condemn the Brentford striker in his post-match interview.

"It was for sure a bad tackle because he is bleeding a lot and the shin pad is broken," said Mourinho. 

"That is football. Dasilva is a young guy and a good player so in the heat of the game there is nothing to be critical of."

Dasilva took to social media after the game to defend his character, writing on Twitter: "Anyone that knows me, knows it was never intentional... will learn from this."

Hojbjerg attempted to put the midfielder's mind at ease in his response to the post, giving a positive update on his condition before wishing him well for the future.

"Of course you didn’t mean it. So don’t worry. I’m a Viking and I am fine. But... you owe me a new shin pad," the Tottenham star wrote.

"You have a great future ahead. Be strong and keep working hard. Best of luck to you and your team. Big hug, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg."

Spurs will now look forward to their first domestic cup final since 2015, with a clash against either Manchester United or Manchester City at Wembley set to take place on April 25.

Kaizer Chiefs attacking midfielder Khama Billiat says they will push themselves to the limit and go as far as they can in the 2020-21 Caf Champions League campaign after reaching the group stage of the competition.

Chiefs eliminated Angolan giants Primeiro giants with a first-round, second leg 1-0 away win to seal a 1-0 aggregate victory after a 0-0 first leg result. They booked a Champions League group stage place for the first time ever.

With Chiefs enduring a troubled campaign in the Premier Soccer League (PSL), Billiat believes progress on the continent will ease pressure on the domestic front.

“It’s really important for us as well to go and test ourselves with the rest of the Champions League giants. It really gives us confidence as well, going back to our domestic competition,” Billiat told Chiefs’ media.

“We really want to go all the way, we want to make a difference, we want to push ourselves to the limit and to see how far we can go and how far we can compete in Africa. It’s really important.

“We give credit to the guys, we worked so hard, we stuck to the plan and it wasn’t easy. It’s going to be very tough, but we can only learn and grow as a team and make sure we gel together and fight for one another.

“I personally believe that everyone wants to go all the way. We really need to be the generation to actually do what the best generation of this club has done. This club has a very good history and we don’t want to be the ones that are not pulling up the weight. We want to do what they have done and we want to make our chairman proud. It has been long.”

Chiefs went through despite missing season campaigners like captain Itumeleng Khune, Lebogang Manyama and Willard Katsande.

“It shows the quality we have, everyone is important. We really need to step up when they are not around. We really need to do what they were going to do,” said Billiat.

High in confidence after winning in Angola, Chiefs now switch attention to the PSL as they host Maritzburg United on Saturday.

Indian Super League (ISL) side Bengaluru have parted ways with their head coach Carles Cuadrat by mutual consent. Assistant coach Naushad Moosa will take charge as the interim head coach with immediate effect.

“After deep deliberation with the management, we feel the club needs to head in a new direction – one where the ethos and philosophy of Bengaluru FC begin reflecting again. While we enjoyed success with Carles in the past, we felt there was a departure from the philosophy that we hold true this season, which prompted us to arrive at this decision,” said Parth Jindal, Director, Bengaluru FC. 

He added, “I want to express gratitude for everything that Carles has done for this wonderful football club. In the five years, he has spent with us, he has been through all the ups and downs we’ve experienced at Bengaluru. He was around when we lost the AFC Cup final and then the ISL final, before leading us to the ISL title on that night in Mumbai."

Moosa, who has been with the Blues for four seasons, will take over coaching duties for the team's next game against SC East Bengal on Saturday at the Fatorda Stadium.

“We are confident he will get the team to play the kind of football that we have based our success on. Meanwhile, our search for a replacement has already begun and we will be bringing in someone who we believe can further the philosophy and style of this club.

"Our ambition of challenging for titles while developing young talent that goes on to represent the country remains unchanged. We are currently in a good position this season and we back the staff and players to build on it in the coming weeks,” Parth added.

Under Cuadrat, Bengaluru topped the league table and went onto lift the ISL trophy in the 2018-19 season. The Blues, under the Spaniard, also hold the League record of most consecutive wins (six), unbeaten streak (eleven games) and clean sheets (eleven). 

Speaking on the decision, Cuadrat said, “I greatly appreciate the club for giving me the opportunity to be Head Coach. It has been a relationship where I have been treated really well and a club that I will always have fond memories of. I would like to thank the owners and management whose vision has been excellent, players who have always been at my service, the staff that I have worked with and that have stood by my side across five seasons and the fans, who have been tremendous in their support, and without whom we could never have carved out so many beautiful nights at the Kanteerava and away.

"I wish the club all the luck through the season and beyond. This club and the people associated with it will forever be in my heart.”

Tottenham Hotspur defender Jubril Okedina has completed a season-long loan to Cambridge United.

Before that move, the Englishman of Nigerian descent had penned a new one-year contract at Spurs, indicating his future at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is not yet over.

“Defender Jubril Okedina has signed a new contract with the Club until 2022 and joined League Two side Cambridge United on loan for the remainder of the season,” a statement from the Spurs website read.

“The 20-year-old Academy product has made 11 appearances for our Development Squad this term, many of them as captain, and scored three goals including a brace in a 4-3 win at Liverpool last time out.”

Manager Mark Bonner is delighted to have the youngster in his squad while assuring that his time at Abbey Stadium will be a ‘good experience’.

“We are pleased to add Jubril to our squad for the second half of the season and look forward to overseeing this period of his development,” he was quoted by Cambridge website.

“This will be a good experience for Jubril as it’s his first senior loan and he offers us good competition and cover in the defensive unit.

“Jubril is motivated to push for a place in the team and his attitude, defensive qualities and athleticism make him a good addition.”

Okedina began his football career at Spurs and he was subsequently promoted to the U18 side. There, he made 16 appearances in the U18 Premier League. His major highlight in the competition was his lovely strike in the club’s 3-2 home defeat of Arsenal in November 2018.

He also played in two FA Youth Cup games as well as coming on as a late substitute against PAOK Thessaloniki in a Uefa Youth League play-off fixture in February 2019.

In the same month, the Nigeria prospect was promoted to the U23 squad where he made his bow against Brighton & Hove Albion in a Premier League 2 showdown.

Strong and technically sound, the youngster is expected to continue with his development at the League Two outfit that boasts Tunisian youngster Idris El Mizouni.

Okedina will wear the number 15 shirt and he could make his bow when the club host Harrogate Town on Saturday.

Nzoia Sugar have confirmed the appointment of Ibrahim Shikanda as the new coach for the remainder of the 2020-21 season.

The former Nairobi Stima tactician has arrived at the Sugar Millers to try and steady their ship after a rather poor start to the FKF Premier League campaign.

Nzoia have confirmed on their social media pages the appointment by stating: “We have appointed Ibrahim Shikanda as our new coach.

“Shikanda will now be deputised by Sylvester Mulukurwa who has been serving as the interim coach. Shikanda previously coached NSL side Nairobi Stima, and also served as an assistant coach at Bandari FC until the end of last season.

“Let us welcome Shikanda to Nzoia Sugar.”

Shikanda joins Nzoia who are currently sitting in position 12 in the 18-team league table with four points from six matched and they are yet to win a match so far in this campaign.

Meanwhile, Kariobangi Sharks head coach William Muluya is pleased with the start his team has had in this season, remaining one of only two unbeaten teams after six rounds of matches.

Sharks sit second on the table with 12 points, three behind league leaders KCB, who were not involved this weekend.

“It is a good start and we have to admit that we have started on a high. We are working as a unit and working well from the training ground to matches. I am very pleased with the boys and their performance,” the coach stated.

Sharks have scored 10 goals this season, the joint highest in the league and Muluya says this is one of the areas they addressed during pre-season to ensure that they improve on their performance. The barren draw against Ulinzi was only the second game this season that the team has failed to score.

“We need to maintain the good play that we have had since the league started. We are defending as a team and attacking as a team as well and that is what has kept us moving.”

Sharks will next take on champions Gor Mahia on January 10.

Lena Oberdorf has signed a contract extension with Wolfsburg, just seven months after penning a new deal with the German side.

Central midfielder Oberdorf, who won Goal's first NxGn award for female players, signed a deal until 2023 last June after moving to Wolfsburg from SGS Essen. However, her impressive form for the six-time German champions has seen them tie her down to renewed terms until 2024.

The 19-year-old, who was part of the Germany side who won the U17s European Championship in 2017 and has since made 16 senior appearances for the national team after becoming her country's youngest ever full international, has played 15 games for Wolfsburg this campaign, scoring 10 goals.

“It's no secret that I feel very comfortable at VfL Wolfsburg,” Oberdorf told the club website.

“Both my team-mates and the people around me made it easy for me to find my way around the team quickly. So it wasn't difficult for me to extend my contract now. My goal is to help shape the future of this club in the long term."

Wolfsburg sporting director Ralf Kellermann added: "Lena not only met our high expectations, but exceeded them. She integrated into the team very quickly and showed that she is rightly considered one of the world's greatest talents in women's football.

"In addition, Lena has the best attitude with her positive nature, to take on leadership roles in the near future and move forward as a leader. 

"We are therefore extremely happy that she has already extended her contract for another year. This is a clear sign that she feels comfortable with us and a strong signal for the future."

In March last year, Goal named Oberdorf as the most exciting teenage footballer in the women's game, in the first year the NxGn award was given for both male and female players.

"I feel very proud, it’s a lot of motivation for me to keep going," Oberdorf told Goal upon receiving the NxGn trophy.

Wolfsburg won the 2019–20 Frauen-Bundesliga, but this season are currently in second place after 12 games, five points behind leaders Bayern Munich.

Former Orlando Pirates midfielder Benedict Vilakazi feels Kaizer Chiefs do not have the pedigree to progress past the Caf Champions League group stage.

Amakhosi reached the competition’s mini-league round for the first time ever after eliminating 2018 semi-finalists Primeiro Agosto 1-0 on aggregate.

Despite Chiefs having not conceded a goal in four Champions League matches, as well as winning all their away games, Vilakazi still does not give Chiefs a chance against some of the continent’s biggest clubs.

“Now you can see boys and men. Time for cartoons is over now. Get into the gym and work. They need to do the right things, these are not short cuts,” Vilakazi told iDiski TV.

“This is the time when we will see big teams and small teams in the Champions League. There is a reason why you see that today Sundowns are a big team. It is because they always perform in the Champions League. They always play among the best like Al Ahly, they beat those teams.

“So if Chiefs want us to rate them as one of the best teams in South Africa, they need to do well in the Champions League. With the way things are right now, I don’t see them going further because they will be playing against teams with good structure with players who know why they are there, players with value.

“They are adding value in the team. Individual brilliance is there, team play is also there. I am not talking of individual brilliance whereby we hope Khama Billiat will dribble past Al Ahly players and score. No, it doesn’t work like that.”

Vilakazi says Chiefs’ struggles on the domestic scene does not make them good candidates to go beyond the Champions League group stage.

The Pirates great advises Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt to invest time in doing some thorough homework against their opponents.

“Now it is a different stage whereby these teams analyse and study you guys. They can identify Chiefs’ weakest link as well as the strongest point and they will make sure that they work on that. They will capitalise on the mistakes. Now it is a stage where we will see the boys from the men,” said Vilakazi.

“Well done to Chiefs for reaching the group stage but I don’t see them going further than that because, right, they can’t even face Sundowns. They have won one game in the PSL and it tells you something about them. In the Champions League we are talking about teams that have won league titles in their countries.

“We are not talking about those who finished as number eight, nine or five. No, we are talking about champions. I will say, 'Good luck to Chiefs' but definitely they will not go far.”

Amakhosi will know their group stage opponents when the draw is conducted on January 8.

Manchester City have confirmed that two more players, and one additional staff member, have tested positive for Covid-19 following the club's latest round of testing.

Goalkeeper Scott Carson and 18-year-old midfielder Cole Palmer are the two members of the playing staff that have tested positive, while an unnamed member of the non-playing staff has also delivered a positive test.

What are the details and why does it matter?

The coronavirus crisis continues to worsen in the United Kingdom and globally, with 40 new cases among Premier League players and staff recorded in the past week - a new high for England's top flight.

Manchester City have been one of the worst-affected clubs in the Premier League in terms of the number of positive coronavirus tests, with a total of eight players having now tested positive for Covid-19.

That includes first-team stars such as Eric Garcia, Gabriel Jesus and Kyle Walker, who all missed City's 3-1 win over Chelsea in their last fixture on January 3.

Despite that fixture at Stamford Bridge going ahead, City have already had one of their matches postponed in the 2020-21 campaign due to the coronavirus situation, with the Premier League meeting against Everton, that was due to be played on December 28, having been called off.

And the news regarding the positive tests for Carson, Palmer and the unnamed staff member represents a worrying latest development, with Covid-19 continuing to spread within the Premier League club.

The bigger picture

The latest news will come as a concern to head coach Pep Guardiola, who has already seen his options limited in terms of squad selection over the past month.

While the latest two players to have tested positive for Covid-19 are not essential members of the Catalan's starting XI, the continuing spread of the virus offers a bleak outlook with there the obvious potential for more players and staff to test positive.

Despite the absence of several key players, City have coped well on the pitch, beating Newcastle United 2-0 on Boxing Day before Sunday's impressive 3-1 win over Frank Lampard's Chelsea.

What's been said?

The statement from City regarding the latest positive coronavirus tests reads, in full: "Manchester City FC can confirm that Scott Carson, Cole Palmer and one member of staff have tested positive for Covid-19.

"Both personnel will now observe a period of self-isolation in accordance with Premier League and UK Government protocol on quarantine.

"Everyone at the club wishes Scott, Cole and all of our other colleagues a speedy recovery ahead of their return to work, training and competition."

Guardiola, meanwhile, has insisted that City "don't have many players" ahead of Wednesday's Carabao Cup semi-final meeting with rivals Manchester United, and is concerned that his side will struggle to meet the demands of the fixture list with an ever-depleting squad.

Further reading

Barcelona have sent Carles Alena out on loan to Getafe until the end of the season.

Alena has moved to Coliseum Alfonso Perez on a six-month contract, with Getafe agreeing to cover his wages in full during that period.

No option to buy has been included in the final deal, with Barca confirming the 23-year-old's departure via their official website on Wednesday.

Ronald Koeman revealed that Alena, who only appeared in two La Liga matches for the Blaugrana in the first half of the 2020-21 campaign, had asked to leave Camp Nou earlier this week.

The midfielder was reduced to a bit-part role in the squad after returning from a loan spell at Real Betis in the summer, but will now have the chance to continue his development in the Spanish capital.

Alena will join a Getafe side currently languishing down in 16th in the Liga standings, and could make his debut when they take in a trip to Elche on Sunday.

The former Spain Under-21 international looked destined to become a key player at Barca after racking up 27 appearances in all competitions during the 2018-19 season.

He helped the Blaugrana win their 26th league title, but was ultimately unable to kick on from there, with Betis eventually offering him the chance to reignite his career in January 2020.

Alena scored once in 17 outings for the Andalusian club, who decided against trying to bring him onto their books permanently in the last transfer window.

Despite his struggles for form at Camp Nou, the young playmaker revealed back in November that he would like to see out his playing days in Catalunya.

"I want to stay, if it was down to me, I would stay here all my life," he said.

It remains to be seen whether Alena still has a long-term future at Barca, who may be forced to sell several senior stars later in the year amid a financial crisis which has engulfed the club in recent months.

After Football Kenya Federation (FKF) denied Gor Mahia access from streaming their Caf Champions League return leg clash against CR Belouizdad, Caf has now confirmed the club can do so live.

The Kenyan champions had requested the federation through Caf to be allowed to stream the match on their Facebook page but the federation wrote back saying they cannot stream the fixture because their request was made outside of the provided Caf timelines.

Gor Mahia have now received a letter from Caf notifying them to go ahead with the move to stream the game after club chairman Ambrose Rachier wrote to the African body seeking guidance.

“Kindly note the rights for the said game are not centralised and belongs to the club hosting the game,” Caf wrote in their response letter to Gor Mahia obtained by Goal and signed by the Commercial Director Ali Aissaoui.

“Therefore, we do not have any objection to your request, and should such a game be indeed broadcasted, would you be kind enough to communicate the live streaming link?”

In the letter from Gor Mahia to Caf, Rachier wrote to request the authority to stream live on their social media pages the return leg clash against the North African giants.

“We write to request the authority to live stream the said match strictly online and not on national TV station,” Rachier wrote in his letter to Caf and obtained by Goal.

“We had presented the request through the match commissioner at the pre-match technical meeting held in Nairobi on Tuesday and we are yet to officially obtain the direct go ahead, our technical team is already at the match venue waiting for the authority to proceed to layout the equipment ahead of the 3 pm kick-off time.

“We are looking forward to your favourable consideration so that our fans, who are barred from attendance due to the Covid-19 conditions can have a chance to view the match.”

Earlier, FKF through CEO Barry Otieno had stated that Gor Mahia cannot be allowed to stream the match.

“Reference is made to your letter dated January 5, 2021, informing the federation of Gor Mahia’s intention to live stream the Caf Champions League match no. 76 Gor Mahia vs CR Belouizdad, scheduled for January 6, 2021,” read the statement from FKF seen by Goal.

“In this regard, and further to Caf guidelines on the broadcast of Caf competitions, the federation has regrettably been unable to obtain a clearance from Caf for the match to be broadcasted, as the request by Gor Mahia was made outside of the provided Caf timelines.

“In light of the aforementioned, please be advised that live streaming of the said match will not be possible, unless with prior written consent from Caf.”

K’Ogalo are facing a tall order to overturn the 6-0 defeat suffered in the first leg played in Algiers on December 26.

Gor Mahia stand-in coach Sammy ‘Pamzo’ Omollo has openly admitted it will be difficult to reverse the first leg defeat but pointed out a win against the North African giants will boost their morale ahead of the Confederation Cup fixtures.

“We don’t have any pressure, I have spoken to the boys and urged them to enjoy the game, of course, it will be very important for us if we can get a good result and of course it will be a very good platform also if we are going to drop to the Confederation Cup, it will give us that opportunity to prepare more than before, than how we prepare for the Champions League.”

The Kenyan champions qualified for the next phase after they managed to secure a 4-3 aggregate win against APR of Rwanda in a two-legged affair.

The Rwandan champions came into the return leg with a 2-1 advantage from their first leg meeting in Kigali, but could not withstand the pressure as Gor Mahia scored two quick goals in added time to win 3-1 to advance.

CR Belouizdad reached the next round after a 4-0 aggregate win against Al Nasr of Libya. The Algerian champions won the first leg away in Tripoli 2-0 and returned home to complete the job with another 2-0 win.

Greek Super League side PAOK Thessaloniki have announced the re-signing of Egypt international winger Amr Warda on a permanent deal from Volos FC.

Following his inability to get first-team action with the White-Blacks, the 27-year-old was sent on a year loan at the Panthessaliko Stadium.

However, he has been recalled to PAOK after just three months due to his impressive form under manager Angel Lopez. At Volos, he scored two goals, provided one assist in 10 games as they sit sixth in the Greek top-flight log.

In a statement published on club’s website, Paok confirmed the return of the quick forward who they feel will proffer solutions to the team’s worries.

“After about five months in the NPS Volos, Amr Warda returns to Toumba and is immediately made available to the technical staff,” a statement from the club read.

“The Egyptian midfielder in 10 games with the Magnesia team scored two goals and one assist, being one of the top [players] and is now ready to offer solutions with his quality.”

For his own part, the Al Ahly academy graduate took to social media to confirm his return, while promising to help the team.

“Ι'm back and ready to help. Let's do it! #PaokFamily #AlwaysTogether,” he wrote on Instagram.

This development has watered down reports in the Egyptian media that Warda would be heading to his boyhood club as coach Pitso Mosimane aims to reinforce his midfield.

In his first stint at PAOK, the winger featured in just 36 encounters across all competitions, scoring three goals and providing four assists. Nevertheless, he was part of the White-Blacks’ squad that lifted the Greek Cup in the 2016-2017 season.

In the 2019-20 season, however, he featured for Michalis Grigoriou’s AEL Football at the Alcazar Stadium, where he played in 22 league games and accounted for six goals.

His best loan spell was at Atromitos where he scored 11 goals and provided seven assists across all competitions in the 2017-18 campaign.

PAOK are third in the Super League table after garnering 28 points from 13 games so far – eight points adrift of leaders Olympiacos.

Warda is likely to feature for Pablo Garcia’s men when they visit the Peristeri Stadium for Thursday’s league clash versus relegation-threatened Atromitos.

Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA FC) forward Samuel Ssenyonjo has explained the reason they need to score more goals against AS Kigali in the return leg of the Caf Confederation Cup.

The first leg between the two sides was cancelled by Caf and AS Kigali were handed a 2-0 advantage because KCCA could not field a team of 15 players after a good number had been affected by Covid 19.

Ahead of the fixture which could see him make his debut in the continental scene if selected by coach Mike Mutebi, Ssenyonjo has urged his teammates to make sure they go for as many goals as possible and also promised to get on the score sheet for the former Ugandan Premier League champions.

“This will be my first Caf game and I am excited about it all,” Ssenyonjo told the club’s official website. “I want to continue with my good run and also score in Caf, the team needs goals and this is why I am on the team, I hope to score and help my team qualify and justify the coach’s faith in me.”

On Caf cancelling their first leg and handing the advantage to AS Kigali, Ssenyonjo said: “To be honest we were so disappointed when the first leg was cancelled but all that is now in the past.

“What we have control over is this leg, we shall fight for the badge and ensure we pick the result we need.”

His sentiments come after coach Mutebi, who also missed the first leg trip to Kigali after suffering from Covid-19 but has now recovered to take charge of the team. 

“We have enough in our armoury to win and qualify to the next level,” Mutebi also told the club’s official website. “They got the advantage in the first leg after we could not field the required players for the game to take place but this is a different thing altogether.

“We want to win this one and get to the next level, but we must do it by playing our way, with belief and showing that we want it.”

KCCA skipper Charles Lukwago, Denis Iguma, Brian Aheebwa, and Keziron Kizito have all returned to training after returning negative results from Covid-19 tests and will be in contention to feature in the match set to be played at St Mary’s Kitende Stadium in Kampala.

Midfield gem Bright Anukani and custodian Hassan Matovu is the pair that played against AS Kigali last year while at Proline FC.