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The Government of Ghana has lifted its Covid-19-induced behind-closed doors directive on the Premier League, but only a maximum of 25 percent of fans will be allowed into various match stadia.

Also, all other existing safety and health protocols will still be observed.

The above directives were contained in a press release signed by Minister for Youth and Sports, Isaac Kwame Asiamah on Tuesday, as seen by Goal.

The league, which started in November, initially received a green light to commence with a 25 percent capacity intake but the Government of Ghana made a U-turn on the eve of the first match.

"Before November 2020, there was a spike in the country's coronavirus cases,"  the Government of Ghana explained in its press release. "This necessitated the issuance of an administrative directive that the twenty-five (25) percent seating capacity announced earlier should be put on hold and that football matches should be played behind closed doors.

"This administrative directive was in consonance with the president's desire to protect lives and livelihoods," the statement continued. "Ghana has made significant progress in combating the disease of late.

"Government has therefore eased the restriction of playing behind closed doors. Seating at all stadia will therefore be limited to twenty-five (25) percent seating capacity as previously announced by the president. All existing safety and hygiene protocols are still in force.

"The Inter-Ministerial Taskforce will continue to monitor the evolving Covid-19 situation and will advise when spectators will be allowed to all stadia in the country."

The Premier League returned for the 2020-21 term in November after the coronavirus pandemic disrupted the 2019-20 season in March last year.

The championship, which received clearance in October as part of government's gradual easing of coronavirus restrictions, has reached the matchweek seven stage.

Last month, Ashanti Gold were hauled before the GFA Disciplinary Committee for breaking the coronavirus safety protocols as viral social media videos showed the presence of fans for their home game against King Faisal. 

Presently, Ghana has 905 active coronavirus cases, with an overall statistic of 55,168 confirmed cases, 53,928 recoveries/discharges and 335 deaths. This figures are provided by the Ghana Health Service.

Bengaluru succumbed to their third consecutive defeat in the 2020-21 Indian Super League (ISL) as they went down 1-3 against Mumbai City on Tuesday.

The Blues head coach Carles Cuadrat suggested after the match that his side lacks consistency and he has given up on fighting for the top spot in the standings which could get them an AFC Champions League slot.

"We have to improve in a lot of different aspects," said Cuadrat after the match. "We know that some of our players are not in their best shape. Some have muscle issues and some like Ashique. He was one of our fittest players at that moment of the season but that is not an excuse. With the squad, we have, honestly ATK Mohun Bagan and Mumbai City are more consistent. As a club, we have to understand that our role is to try and play for the play-offs because ATK Mohun Bagan and Mumbai are going to fight for the Champions League slot."

Bengaluru were completely overwhelmed by a dominant Mumbai City at the beginning of the match as the Islanders scored twice within 15 minutes. The Spanish coach suggested that they had come prepared for such a situation but unfortunately their plan of charging at Mumbai with counter-attacks did not work due to their profligacy in front of the goal.

"We had our match plan. We were ready for that kind of a game but the real truth is they played very well. They knew where the spaces were and our plan was to try and be compact and go out for counter-attacks with fast players like (Deshor) Brown, Suresh (Wangjam), Cleiton (Silva) and Sunil (Chhetri). But we couldn't score the chances we created, it was not our day.

"They got the advantage in the first 15 minutes and then it became difficult for us. The guys put a lot of effort and had the attitude and we were close to giving them trouble at 2-1 but Mumbai City deserve the three points."

Cuadrat pointed out that the decision to change the backline which had conceded the least number of goals last season has affected the performance.

"The change of players makes me try and teach the new players to play the game in the way we want them to play. The club this season decided to change the defence and our defence was the best last season and did not concede many goals. I have to respect the decisions, I am a worker at the club and the club decided to release Nishu Kumar and Albert Serran.

"My job is to teach the new players to try to understand the way we play. It is a hard job and I love it. We have to keep going and improving and try to be competitive."

Benjamin Tetteh was the hero for Yeni Malatyspor in Tuesday’s 2-2 draw with Sivasspor in a Turkish Super Lig fixture.

Looking like his team would begin the new year on a losing note following Erdogan Yesilyurt and Max-Alain Gradel’s goals for the visitors, the on-loan Sparta Prague striker ensured that the four-goal thriller ended on a no winner, no vanquished note.

Hamza Hamzaoglu’s side into the game with the ambition of ending their three-game winless streak, however, it was the Braves who took an 18th-minute lead through Yesilyurt. The German midfielder profited from a poor defending from the hosts to head past goalkeeper Ertac Ozbir after meeting Robin Yalcin's cross.

Nevertheless, they levelled matters seven minutes later courtesy of Cote d’Ivoire forward Moryke Fofana, who acrobatically converted a cross from Morocco defender Issam Chebake.

In a goal-laden first half, Gradel put Sivasspor ahead in the 32nd minute after rising tall to head home a cross from Yesilyurt from a hurriedly-taken corner. That effort was the Ivorian’s fifth in his debut season for Rıza Calımbay’s squad since he joined them from Toulouse.

Not willing to go down without a fight, Yeni came out stronger in the second-half, even if they bungled several scoring chances.

Their tenacity paid off three minutes after the hour mark through Tetteh, who slotted into an empty net after his initial header was punched to his path by goalkeeper Ali Sasal Vural.

Sivasspor would have their luck to blame in the 80th minute as VAR adjudged Mustapha Yatabare’s strike for an offside. With no goals scored in the final minutes of regular time, honour was shared at the New Malatya Stadium.

Tetteh and Chebake were on parade for the home side from start to finish, while Fofana was replaced in the 65th minute by DR Congo’s Jody Lukoki with Nigeria’s Sincere Seth, Burundi's Youssouf Ndayishimiye and Zimbabwe's Teenage Hadebe not dressed for action.

For Calımbay’s Braves, Gabon’s Aaron Appindangoye and Yatabare played for the entirety as Gradel was substituted for Nigeria’s Olanrewaju Kayode in the 81st minute. That was not the case for Mali's Mamadou Samassa, Cote d'Ivoire's Arouna Kone and Morocco's Faycal Fajr who were not considered for action.

With this result, Sivasspor are 13th in the log having accrued just 19 points from 16 outings as Yeni Malatyaspor occupy the tenth spot with 21 points from the same number of games.

Leonardo Castro’s first half strike sent Kaizer Chiefs into the group stage of the Caf Champions League following a 1-0 first-round second-leg victory over Primeiro de Agosto away at 11 November Stadium in Luanda on Tuesday.

After the first leg ended 0-0 at the FNB Stadium on December 23, Chiefs went through on a 1-0 aggregate scoreline as they extended their run of clean sheets to four games in this competition so far this season.

For all their domestic troubles, progressing to the group phase for the first time ever is a huge feat for Amakhosi.

Coach Gavin Hunt started a similar squad he started in the home leg, making a few changes by bringing Bernard Parker, Castro and Nkosingiphile Ngcobo into the lineup.

The Soweto giants looked a completely different side from the outfit that has been struggling on the domestic front.

Their major threat came from set-pieces, with Eric Mathoho heading just over the bar from a Khama Billiat freekick after Castro had been fouled 15 minutes into the match.

Another Billiat freekick three minutes later was a cause for concern for the hosts as Siyabonga Ngezana's diving header went off target.

With Chiefs the more threatening side, Agosto responded through Honduras forward Bryan Velasquez, who lobbed Akpeyi, but Mathoho was on hand to clear the goal-bound ball in the 26th minute.

Amakhosi escaped another raid on 31 minutes after Mabululo’s headed effort went over the bar before another dangerous attack four minutes later had Daniel Akpeyi save Manico’s powerful daisy-cutter.

Billiat continued to be a menace to the Agosto defence, shooting just wide following some nice exchanges with Castro a few moments later.

The resultant counter-attack from the goal-kick caught Chiefs defenders napping, with Mabululo breaking loose, but his low drive narrowly missed the goal despite beating Akpeyi in what was the best chance of the first half.

Castro then broke the impasse four minutes from half-time when he connected with Billiat’s cross from the left.

The goal appeared to have fired up Chiefs, who saw Ramahlwe Mphahlele heading just over the cross bar from yet another Billiat freekick just before the break, although Agosto had a decent change after the restart when Velasquez sent a free kick against the side netting after Bernard Parker had fouled Natael on the edge of the box.

The Angolans showed hunger to claw their way back into the match, with Mabululo missing a point-blank header from a cross from the left on 53 minutes, and the pressure from the hosts kept Chiefs defenders busy, with Velasquez firing wide in 63rd minute after getting his shot away despite the attentions of Chiefs defenders.

Hunt then introduced Samir Nurkovic for Castro and the Serb awakened Chiefs’ momentum as Agosto's fizzled out.

The hosts appeared to have given up and did not cause problems for Amakhosi towards the end as the visitors were firmly in control of the contest, although Congolese defender Bobo Ungenda headed wide in what was Agosto’s last meaningful effort of the game five minutes from time.

Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola has expressed his confidence that star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne will commit to a new deal with the club.

The 29-year-old has established himself as one of the Premier League's top players, and was named PFA Players' Player of the Year last season.

The Belgian joined City from Wolfsburg in August 2015 in a club-record £55 million ($67m) deal, and signed a five-year contract in January 2018.

Though his contract won't expire for another two-and-a-half-years, City are keen to tie the playmaker down to fresh terms that will keep him at the club for even longer. 

According to a report in The Times, De Bruyne rejected City's initial contact offer this week and was unhappy with the terms that were presented to him.

Guardiola, though, believes that De Bruyne will eventually sign a new deal, but has admitted that he is in the dark about the negotiation process.

"I'm pretty sure that he will stay but at the same time we have to respect the process," Guardiola told Sky Sports. 

"I don't know what's going on because I didn't speak with Txiki [Begiristain, Man City director of football] but he knows how we perceive him - not just as a football player, but as a person, how important he is for the club. But I'm not worried.

"At the end it's his decision and hopefully it's going to finish well."

De Bruyne has scored three goals and added 12 assists in all competitions this season as City look to regain the Premier League title they lost to Liverpool last season, as well as win their first Champions League title. 

Following a 3-1 win over Chelsea on Sunday, City have drawn to within four points of league-leading duo Manchester United and Liverpool, though they have a game in hand on the former and two in hand on the latter.

In the Champions League, meanwhile, City have advanced past the group stage and will take on Bundesliga outfit Borussia Monchengladbach in the round of 16. 

Cup competitions will occupy City this week though, as they face Man Utd in the Carabao Cup semi-final on Wednesday before an FA Cup clash against Birmingham City on Sunday.

Namungo FC have qualified for the final preliminary round of the Caf Confederation Cup after a 5-3 aggregate win over El Hilal Obayed following the 3-3 draw against the 10-man hosts at Al-Hilal Stadium on Tuesday.

Hussein Galangat scored a brace while Ibrahim Ainsoor scored another one for the hosts, while their visitors replied through Stephen Kwame Sey, Blaise Bigirimana and Edward Charles Manyama.

The Tanzanian outfit came into the match with a 2-0 advantage from the first leg, with Sixtus Sabilo and Sey having scored the goals for them.

It seemed like the job was done when Ghanaian Sey scored the opener after just two minutes, and with the Sudanese side not at the races, the visitors didn't hestitate to take advantage.

Namungo became overconfident when they managed to get the away goal, and they were eventually punished in the 13th minute when Galangat scored from close range.

A few moments later, the hosts took a deserved lead when Ainsoor capitalised on casual defending to further boost the home team's confidence.

The second goal motivated Obayed and created confusion and tension on the visitors' side. It was not surprising when Galangat completed his brace in the 19th minute to give Hilal a 3-1 lead on the day

However, Hilal Altabaldy's momentum was halted in the 22nd minute when Galangat was sent off after committing a serious foul on an opponent.

From that moment, the tide turned in favour of Namungo, who capitalised on the numerical advantage and sought to reduce arrears.

Burundian Bigirimana reduced the deficit in the 39th minute to ensure the gap reduced to just one goal ahead of the half-time break after a thrilling half, and Namungo came out of the blocks strongly after the pause.

Five minutes after the break, Manyama was there to score the equalizer to make it 3-3 and seal progression to the final preliminary round of the competition.

Neither of the two teams would get another goal in the remaining 40 minutes as the Tanzanians held on to progress.

It is the first time Namungo, who are the 2019/20 FA Cup finalists, are taking part in the continental competition.

Young Africans coach Cedric Kaze has explained the reason he is targeting signing a striker in the mini-transfer window.

Despite leading the 18-team league table on 44 points from 18 matches and remaining unbeaten, the Burundian tactician has revealed the club are still in the market for a striker and they will bring someon on board before the window closes on January 15.

Kaze has now explained he needs to see his team score more goals in the second round of the Mainland Premier League in order to have a better goal aggregate, which is why they are determined to add strength to the attacking zone by signing one striker.

“Having been very successful in the defensive zone in the first round, we now want to make sure we add more edge to the attacking zone and that is why we are in the process of recruiting another striker who will strengthen the area,” Kaze said, as quoted by Sokalabongo.

“We want to see our team score more goals, to have a better balance of goals scored and conceded if we want to finish in a better position in the standings.”

Reports have already indicated the Jangwani giants are in the process of signing Congolese striker Ferebory Dore to boost their striking options.

In an earlier interview, Yanga vice-chairman Fredrick Mwakalebela, confirmed the club’s leadership and the technical bench had met with the players to urge them to forget the results of the first round and start with a new pace in the second round.

“Our strategy is to start the second round faster, we have already talked to our players to forget the results of the first round and now look at the second round to make sure every match we get three points,” Mwakalebela said, as quoted by Sokalabongo. “What we are looking for is to start the second round as if we do not have points, that will help a lot to achieve our set targets for the season.

“The fans are trying hard to show up on the field and they have been supporting us, so the players have a debt to pay them which is nothing but to win the major league title.”

Mwakalebela continued: “If the leadership is doing its job well, we will make sure we give the players everything on time so they can do well and win the championship.”

Yanga, who are leading the 18-team table with 44 points from 18 matches, have now shifted their focus to the Mapinduzi Cup which will kick off on Tuesday in Zanzibar.

The Mumbai City juggernaut continued as they breezed past Bengaluru 3-1 in their ninth match of the 2020-21 Indian Super League (ISL) on Tuesday at the Fatorda Stadium.

The Blues were simply no match for the Islanders as the latter outclassed Bengaluru on the field. 

After the match, Mumbai manager Sergio Lobera suggested that they had come prepared to counter Bengaluru during setpieces and also convert the ones they get. Two out of the three goals Mumbai City scored came via setpieces.

"I am very happy because we performed very well. We spoke before the game and when the plans get executed it makes me very happy. About setpieces, we knew Bengaluru's potential and my assistant (Jesus) Tato worked very well on this to not only defend setpieces but also score from setpieces," said Lobera.

The former Las Palmas manager also mentioned that he was happy that his side got off to a bright start scoring two goals in 15 minutes but he felt that the team should have utilised the chances they got and bury the game in the first half itself.

"It is very important to start the games well and I am happy that we did that but after that, we had a lot of chances to score the third goal and seal the match. We need to improve that but I am very happy with how we started the game."

Ahmed Jahouh picked up his second red card of the season after the Moroccon midfielder was booked twice in the game and was given the marching orders in the dying minutes of the game. Lobera said that the player must learn from his mistake.

"Obviously he (Ahmed Jahouh) is a very good player, but he needs to avoid these situations. He needs to learn because it is a big mistake to lose a player for the next game and it was possible to avoid that."

Lobera's side has been excellent in the first phase of the league and the coach wants this run of form to continue. "It is good and I am happy and I don't want this to change. We had a very short pre-season and it is not easy to implement new things. We have 24 new players. We have to maintain this level and improve a lot of things."

Mamelodi Sundowns have reached the Caf Champions League group stage after securing a 3-1 win over Jwaneng Galaxy in their first round second leg match at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Tuesday evening.

Kermit Erasmus opened the scoring before Mothobi Mvala and Thapelo Morena extended Masandawana's lead, while Tebogo Sembowa grabbed Botswana champions Galaxy's late consolation goal. 

Masandawana were looking to avoid a defeat in order to advance to the group stage, having claimed a 2-0 win in the first leg in Lobatse a fortnight ago.

Kennedy Mweene, Andile Jali and Erasmus made their return to the starting line-up as head coach Manqoba Mngqithi made three changes to the team which faced Orlando Pirates over the weekend.
 
On the other hand, Galaxy were hoping to cause an upset by eliminating a much-fancied Sundowns side, who looked set to reach the Champions League group stage for the sixth year running.

Mngqithi's counterpart Losikalame Keatlholetswe made three changes to the team which took on Masandawana in Botswana, with Thabang Sesinyi, Gofaone Molapi and Gilbert Baruti being recalled to the starting line-up.

Galaxy threatened first through former Orlando Pirates midfielder Ricardo Lourenco, whose deflected shot was well saved by Mweene in the Sundowns goalposts a few minutes into the game.

Although Masandawana dominated possession, they were unable to seriously test Galaxy goalkeeper Katlego Mbise as Erasmus and Aubrey Modiba placed their efforts wide of the target.

Lourenco was consistently looking to shoot from range whenever he was in possession of the ball, and he forced Mweene into a magnificent diving save with a curling shot which was heading for the top corner.

The hosts upped the tempo with the half-time break fast approaching and they managed to break the deadlock following a quick move down the left-hand side.

Peter Shalulile burst into the box before playing a cut-back pass for Erasmus, who tapped home to make it 1-0 to Sundowns seven minutes before the half-time break.

Mbise then produced a fantastic double save to deny Modiba to ensure that the first-half ended with Sundowns leading 1-0 on a sunny day in Pretoria.

Masandawana continued to dominate the match after the restart and they were awarded a penalty after Molapi was adjudged to have fouled Shalulile in the box.

Sundowns' stand-in captain Ricardo Nascimento then stepped up and he was denied by Mbise, who dived to his right to pull off a brilliant low save. However, this did not deter the hosts as they piled pressure on Galaxy and they deservedly doubled their lead in the 68th minute when Mvala headed home Modiba's corner-kick to make it 2-0 to Sundowns.

The momentum was with Mngqithi's men in the closing stages of the match and they extended their lead to 3-0 through Thapelo Morena, with second-half substitute Keletso Makgalwa grabbing an assist. 

Makgalwa, who had injected some pace into the Masandawana attack, delivered a delightful cross which was turned home by Morena with nine minutes left. 

However, the Tshwane giants went to sleep at the back and they were punished by Tebogo Sembowa, who pounced on a poor backpass by Mvala, and he netted to make it 3-1 in the 89th minute. 

The goal proved to be a consolation for Galaxy as Sundowns held on to win 3-1 on the day and they advanced to the group stage after winning the tie 5-1 on aggregate, while Galaxy crashed out of the tournament.

Sundowns will be in action this weekend as they take on Baroka FC in a Premier Soccer League match at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday.

Kylian Mbappe is a “fantastic player” but “not Liverpool’s answer” unless he can fill in at centre-half, says John Barnes.

The Reds are said to have positioned themselves among the clutch of clubs plotting big-money approaches for a World Cup winner once an exit door swings open at Paris Saint-Germain.

Barnes can appreciate why Jurgen Klopp would be keen on one of the most exciting forwards in world football, but he cannot see a deal being done any time soon.

The Reds legend told BonusCodeBets, with defensive additions a priority at present as Liverpool manage their way through an injury crisis: “Mbappe is a fantastic player but forward areas are not a position that Liverpool need strengthening in, but if he can play centre-back they should get him in January!

“If Liverpool tail away and finish lower down the table, he won’t come to Liverpool - so they should worry about this season.

“If there is a possibility of getting him in January then you could go and get him, but there isn’t. Short term, Mbappe is not Liverpool’s answer. Liverpool are strong in attacking positions and have huge depth in midfield, but the centre-back position is the one that really needs addressing.

“What Liverpool want are hungry players, regardless of whether they are top players or not - the success of the club is the most important thing.

“If someone comes in and upsets the apple cart and wants to be more important than anybody else - like Neymar for example, who is one of the best players in the world but who wouldn’t suit Liverpool - it could destabilise the group’s respect and harmony.

“Signing the best players works at teams like Real Madrid where they like these Galacticos that are above other team-mates, but for Liverpool this would not work, they’re more cautious.”

Barnes has previously stated that he sees no reason for Liverpool to spend on another centre-half for the sake of it in January, but a three-match winless run has all of those at Anfield reassessing their options.

“Long term, Liverpool need better quality in defensive areas,” added Barnes.

“They also need Jordan Henderson playing in midfield. Liverpool need a stop-gap defender - they’re probably not going to get the best centre-back in the world in January as that is not always the best time to buy and the best players are in the Champions League for their clubs.

“Liverpool need a centre-back, but they won’t get one for £60m who is going to come and play alongside Van Dijk when he’s fit.

“It is clear they need numbers in defensive positions because influential midfield players, Henderson and Fabinho, are playing in defence and you would much rather have them in midfield and getting a centre-back will allow them to go back to their proper positions and that has more to do with why they lost against Southampton.

“A centre-back will strengthen Liverpool and give them more of an opportunity to win the league, but I don’t think it is the deciding factor. Players coming back into the team that allow Henderson and Fabinho to play in the midfield will be used, so they can still win the title without signing another centre-back.”

Jurgen Klopp needs to have a "quiet word" with Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, according to Steve Nicol, who says Liverpool's front three have stopped "delivering".

Liverpool looked like they could run away with the Premier League title for a second consecutive year after their 7-0 thrashing of Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on December 19.

That result saw Klopp's side move five points clear at the top of the table, but they have since allowed that lead to slip amid an alarming drop in collective performance levels.

Liverpool were held to a 1-1 draw at Anfield by relegation-threatened West Brom before taking part in a 0-0 stalemate with Newcastle, and their misery was compounded away at Southampton on Monday night.

The Saints picked up an impressive 1-0 win thanks to a stunning goal from Danny Ings moments after kick-off, with the Reds unable to find a way back into the game over the course of the subsequent 88 minutes.

Much has been made of a defensive injury crisis at Anfield in recent months, but Nicol thinks it is high time for Klopp to take a prized trio boasting just one goal between them from their last three fixtures to task.

"I think it’s pretty clear where the problems are. It’s up front," the Liverpool legend told ESPN. "The front three are not producing, not delivering… they’re not even creating!

"Yes, at Newcastle they made opportunities but this Southampton game and the West Brom game, they never created anything. If you aren’t going to create, then you aren’t going to score goals.

"This is where Klopp comes into it as well and earns his corn. It’s all very well saying, this is wrong, this isn’t right – the fact is these three games we’re talking about, they’ve had over 70 per cent possession of the ball in every game.

"So it’s not a complete and utter shambles. The fact is Klopp now has to have a quiet word and a clever word with the front three.

"Sometimes it’s just about a little nugget that you give a player. Like Mane, why don’t you say to him you’re standing in the box. You’re standing with your back to goal all the time. Can you get yourself on the half turn?

"That’s half a yard in the box. When you’re playing against teams who defend as ruthlessly as Southampton did in the box then that gives you an edge.

"Salah is the same. Always looking to run in or be standing in the box. Why don’t you stand a little wider, a little deeper?

"With the feet he’s got, no defender wants you running at him. It’s all these little nuggets that make the difference, with the front three in particular. The rest of it is okay."

Liverpool won't be back in Premier League action until January 17, when they are due to welcome Manchester United to Anfield, with a third-round FA Cup tie against Aston Villa on Friday now at the forefront of Klopp's mind.

Milan Skriniar claims to be happy to have remained at Inter despite rumours linking him with a move to both Manchester United and Tottenham.

The commanding centre-half has seen a switch to England mooted on a regular basis in recent windows.

Fresh speculation surfaced in the summer of 2020, with Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said to be keen on doing a deal.

Skriniar, who had been struggling for regular game time at San Siro, was aware of the interest but never pushed for the exits.

That is because he always believed that he could earn favour again at Inter, with 11 Serie A outings taken in this season.

Quizzed on the talk of interest from England by SportMediaset, Skriniar said: “It’s difficult to say if I was pleased by the rumours because I wanted to stay here.

“I didn’t play a lot and I wasn’t happy, but I was happy for the team.

“Now I’m back to give continuity to my performances, I’m playing a bit more, so I’m happy for this.”

Skriniar has helped to push Inter into title contention this term, with Antonio Conte’s side sat just one point back on arch-rivals AC Milan.

“Each team believe they can win, and we believe it too, but we must give continuity to the results,” Skriniar said on the battle for domestic supremacy in Italy.

“We have to work harder and harder, every match can be decisive for us.”

Inter put six past Crotone in their last top-flight outing and have now collected eight successive wins.

The goals are flowing, but only two clean sheets have been secured during a productive run and Skriniar is eager to help the Nerazzurri tighten up at the back.

He said: “We are working, we are doing the right things in my opinion. Above all, we try to give continuity to the work and our results.

“Last year we didn’t score many goals, now that we are scoring more, us defenders must concede as few goals as possible.”

Inter will be back in action on Wednesday when they take in a trip to Sampdoria.

Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have celebrated with former Villarreal and Getafe forward on his 37th birthday.

The forward represented the Super Eagles with honour during his playing years and was famous for his dazzling performances.

Uche made 46 appearances for the three-time African champions and scored 19 goals, helping the side to win the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa.

The fleet-footed forward, born in Aba, has been hailed by the football governing body as he celebrated his birthday.

Uche started his European career with Racing de Ferrol in the Spanish second division in 2002 and spent a season with the club before he teamed up with Recreativo de Huelva, where he helped the side win the Segunda Division title.

The forward delivered impressive performances for Recreativo during his two-year stay and earned a move to Getafe in 2007.

Uche also played for Real Zaragoza before he switched to La Liga side Villarreal, where he enjoyed huge success.

He spent four years with the Yellow Submarine and made more than 90 appearances for the club across all competitions.

The forward moved to Mexican side Tigres UANL after leaving Villarreal and last featured for Gimnastic de Tarragona.

Uche is currently without a club and would be expected to sort out his career during the January transfer window as he is yet to announce his retirement. 

Besides featuring at the 2013 Afcon, he also played a key role for the Nigeria national team at the 2008 edition, where he helped the West African country to the quarter-final stage of the competition.

AC Milan have been dealt a huge blow as Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been ruled out their crunch clash with Juventus.

Ibrahimovic has played a key role in Milan's rise to the top of the Serie A standings this season.

The 39-year-old has rewarded Rossoneri officials for handing him a new one-year contract in September by scoring 10 goals in six domestic outings - the same number he managed in 12 more games during the second half of the 2019-20 campaign.

However, the former Sweden international has been sidelined with a muscle strain since netting twice in a 3-2 win over Napoli in November, missing 10 fixtures across all competitions in total.

Supporters would have hoped to see Ibrahimovic recover in time for a top-of-the-table meeting with Juve at San Siro on Wednesday night, but Stefano Pioli has confirmed that the talismanic figure remains unavailable for selection.

The Milan boss gave an update on the forward after joking that he was in trouble for posting a video of himself scoring in training on social media, which raised optimism over his potential return to the fold.

"I scolded Ibra for that video because then you bombarded me with messages to find out if he had recovered," Pioli told a pre-match press conference.

"He's better, he's working well, but he won't be there tomorrow."

The Italian head coach added on Portuguese striker Rafael Leao continuing to fill in for Ibrahimovic up front: "Leao is growing a lot but his characteristics are not the same and we have to exploit them in the right way."

Milan warmed up for their showdown against the reigning Serie A champions by beating Benevento 2-0 at Stadio Ciro Vigorito on Sunday.

That result ensured that Pioli's side remain top of the standings by a point ahead of arch-rivals Inter, who picked up an emphatic 6-2 home win over Crotone.

The Rossoneri will be protecting their record as the only unbeaten team left in any of Europe's top five leagues when they take on Juve, who are currently 10 points off the pace in fifth having played a game less.

Lionel Messi will "most likely" leave Barcelona in the summer, according to presidential candidate Agusti Benedito, who admits he is "pessimistic" about the club captain's future.

Messi has spent his entire career to date on Barca's books, helping them win 10 La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues while scoring a staggering 644 goals in 750 matches.

The Argentina international's place in the Camp Nou hall of fame has long been assured, but he took the decision to risk his legacy by handing in a formal transfer request in August.

Barca quickly set about blocking the 33-year-old's exit with the help from Spanish top-flight officials, and the diminutive magician eventually confirmed that he would be staying put for the duration of the 2020-21 campaign in an exclusive interview with Goal.

However, transfer rumours have only intensified since then, with the likes of Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City and Inter all reportedly eager to snap Messi up on a free transfer when his contract expires in June.

Messi is remaining tight-lipped when it comes to his next move, but he did reveal over the Christmas period that a potential switch to MLS holds great appeal to him.

Benedito, who is hoping to succeed Josep Maria Bartomeu in the Camp Nou boardroom when the next set of elections take place later this month, would love to see a talismanic figure commit to fresh terms at Barca, but thinks he may have already made up his mind to embark on a new challenge elsewhere.

"Keeping Messi would be the best news for the club but I am not very optimistic," the Spanish entrepreneur told ESPN. "Given the club's situation, I think it's really important that he stays at Barca, with the understanding that he understands the next two years we have in front us [could be difficult].

"He's been here for 20 years; he's a Barcelona fan and I think he's sensitive to the situation. He has given us so much in the same way that Barcelona have given him a lot and it's time for us all to roll up our sleeves.

"I would have liked him to say in his interview the other week that his desire is to stay at the club, but he didn't and now we have to wait and see. The truth is I am pessimistic.

"Remember that in August he said he wanted to leave after 20 years and now he's still not cleared up what he wants to do. The most likely outcome I see is that he leaves us in the summer."

For now, Messi remains a vital member of Ronald Koeman's squad, with his next chance to shine likely to come when Barca take in a trip to Athletic Club on Wednesday night.

He has seven goals to his name from 15 Liga appearances this term, but has not found the net since a 3-0 win at Real Valladolid on December 22.

Olivier Giroud is set to stay at Chelsea in the January transfer window despite being flattered by interest from Serie A giants Juventus.

Frank Lampard will get his wish to keep the Frenchman at Stamford Bridge for another six months as pressure grows over his position in charge of the club.

Giroud's contract expires in June 2021 and there is no specific clause that Chelsea can invoke to extend it, having used an option to keep him for another year in 2020.

The Blues would therefore need to agree a new deal with the 34-year-old for him to continue in west London, with Giroud having spoken to Le Dauphine Libere about his situation.

He said: "The ambition is to win something with Chelsea this season. The rest of my career, in the short term, I see it at Chelsea. Now we know that things are going very quickly in football, for good and bad [reasons]. I want to keep a cool head and concentrate on the pitch.

"My contract at Chelsea will end in June, even though I have the option to stay for another year. We will discuss it at the end of the year.

"But, once again, I have the ambition to win something with Chelsea this season because I have high hopes linked to the quality of our squad."

The Blues are open to keeping Giroud beyond his current deal, in part due to his leadership and standing within the dressing room.

The former Arsenal forward and his family are also known to be settled in London although he almost moved to Inter in January 2020 and has since attracted interest from Juventus, with Italy a possible future destination.

Juve head coach Andrea Pirlo confirmed he was interested in signing Giroud on January 3, but the Serie A champions have now moved onto other targets, with Fabio Quagliarella the latest to emerge as a possible new signing.

"He'd be handy!" Pirlo replied when DAZN asked about him signing Giroud.

"The window opens tomorrow, we already discussed with the club what we want to do and if there are any opportunities. Maybe a striker that can rotate with our strikers."

As well as winning a trophy with Chelsea, Giroud's biggest ambition is to lead the line for France at the upcoming Euro 2020 tournament that's due to be held in the summer of 2021.

He will then seek to remain at a leading club in one of Europe's top leagues which would rule out a move to MLS or the Chinese Super League.

The Blues have an option to extend the contracts of Thiago Silva and Lucas Piazon but back-up goalkeeper Willy Caballero is set to leave, with his deal due to expire at the end of the season.

Eric Bailly has hit a four-year high at Manchester United, but the injury-ravaged centre-half is wary of talking up his form and would prefer to shun the plaudits that are coming his way.

The Ivorian defender has seen a string of fitness setbacks stunt his progress at Old Trafford.

He was snapped up for £30 million ($41m) and was expected to be a long-term solution to the problems United have endured at the heart of their back four.

A haul of 38 appearances in his debut campaign bode well, but Bailly has been restricted to just 55 since then.

The current campaign has seen him make four successive starts for the first time since September 2017, with confidence returning to the game of a defender who has found such qualities in short supply.

A productive partnership is being struck up with club captain Harry Maguire, but Bailly is wary of getting too far ahead of himself.

Quizzed by United’s official website on whether he is enjoying his best run of form, the 26-year-old said: “It’s too early. Too early!

“Now you need to make your head calm, train and keep going, getting ready to help the team. That’s my first mission and I hope I don’t get injured again.

“The injuries are very difficult for players when they have the good form. It’s very important to be ready to play every game.

“That [playing regularly] is very important for me, as before, I’d had moments, difficult moments, but now I’ve come back into the team. I am feeling good, train well and I’ll be ready to help the team. I am fit and I want to play.”

Bailly was mobbed by his team-mates at the end of his last outing, with a dramatic late block to deny Keinan Davis helping United to a 2-1 win over Aston Villa.

That success has helped the Red Devils to pull level with defending champions Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table, while boasting a game in hand, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side are now all pulling in the same direction.

Bailly added: “In this team, we are like a family. Like all of the people are friends, like brothers.

“Manchester is one family and I’m very happy with my team-mates to do this for me because they know the moment I had before. They are happy for me to come back to the team and that is why I try to help.

“You know when the game is finished, the players who didn’t play the game, but were on the bench, came onto the pitch to celebrate the three points. That is the mentality we want. For me, for the team, for all the players in Manchester, it is very important to keep this mentality.

“Popular or not, I’m enjoying [it] all the time, I enjoy it with my boys, my team-mates and we try to make the people happy. I joke when it’s a good moment to do the joke and then to be focused on making the team strong.”

United’s focus has turned away from Premier League matters for now, with their next two outings set to see them face Manchester City and Watford in Carabao Cup and FA Cup competition.

Safa has described as “unfortunate” that Sagrada Esperanca cited health concerns for aborting their trip to Johannesburg for a Caf Confederation Cup match against Orlando Pirates without consulting South African authorities.

Trailing 1-0 from the home leg, Sagrada Esperanca pulled out from the tournament as they were scheduled to travel for the Confederation Cup first round, second leg which was slated for Orlando Stadium on Wednesday.

This follows the decision by the Angolan government to shut its borders to South Africa, Nigeria, the United Kingdom and Australia due to a new super-infectious coronavirus strain which has driven a wave of new infections in those countries.

Safa argues that following an incident-free Premier Soccer League (PSL) bio-bubble, Bafana Bafana’s hosting of hosting of international opponents and the ongoing PSL season, Esperanca acted without consulting.

The Angolans only informed Caf who approved of their decision to abandon their Caf Confederation Cup campaign.

“The South African Football Association (Safa) has been informed by Caf that GD Sagrada Esperanca of Angola have withdrawn from their Confederation Cup second leg match against Orlando Pirates which was scheduled for Wednesday, 6 January 2021 at Orlando Stadium,” Safa said in a statement.

“It is unfortunate that the opponents have cited concerns with Covid-19 infections in South Africa without seeking advice from Safa or the South African government. It is common cause that Safa, in collaboration with its special member, the NSL (National Soccer League) and the government safety and security cluster has overseen the implementation of highly successful Covid-19 mitigation measures since the resumption of professional football in August 2020.

“The same measures were implemented at the four matches of Bafana Bafana in November and December as well as at the Caf home inter-club matches that took place in December 2020. We would like to assure any club or national team that will be visiting South Africa for matches during the lockdown, that our systems are safe, advanced and well tested.”

While Sagrada Esperanca opted to pull out, their compatriots Primeiro Agosto welcomed Kaizer Chiefs for Tuesday’s Caf Champions League first round, second leg encounter.

Following Esperanca’s withdrawal, Pirates are now through to the Confederation Cup play-off phase and will play a team that drops out from the Champions League first round to qualify for the group stage.