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Ghana are through to the final of the ongoing Wafu B U20 Cup of Nations in Benin following a 5-3 penalty shoot-out victory over Niger on Tuesday.

The semi-final match ended 0-0 after extra-time at Stade de Gaules in Porto Novo, after which the Black Satellites emerged victors on penalties.

Goalkeeper William Emmanuel Essu, who was substituted into the game just before the end of the extra-time period, Mohammed Sulemana, Precious Boah, Abdul Mugees Zakaria and Frank Boateng made no mistakes with their kicks from 12 yards.

Mahamudou Mahamane Ousmane was the unfortunate man for Niger as his missed kick handed joy to the Black Satellites.

The win has not only set Ghana up with a final date with the victors of the second semi-final fixture between Group B winners Cote d'Ivoire and Group A runners-up Burkina Faso but also secured Abdul Karim Zito's side qualification ticket for the 2021 Africa U20 Cup of Nations in Mauritania.

Ghana came into the game on the back of a 1-0 loss to Cote d'Ivoire and a 1-0 win over arch-rivals Nigeria in the group stage, which saw them finish second in Group B.

Niger, on the other hand, finished top of Group A after a 1-1 draw with Togo, 0-0 stalemate with Burkina Faso and 1-0 victory over hosts Benin.

The two finalists at the sub-regional tournament secure qualification ticket for next year's African championship.

At the continental gathering, the four semi-finalists will get the nod to represent Africa at the 2020 Fifa U20 World Cup in Indonesia.

Ghana are looking to go all the way to play at the World Cup for the first time since reaching the Round of 16 of the tournament at New Zealand in 2015.

The Black Satellites failed to qualify for the African Championship in 2017. Two years later, the three-time champions reached the continental gathering but failed to progress beyond the group stage, thereby unable to register one of the four available World Cup qualification tickets.

Ghana won the U20 Afcon in 1993, 1999 and 2009, where they also went on to conquer the world. 

SuperSport United secured a rugged 2-1 win over Kaizer Chiefs in a Premier Soccer League match which was played at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Tuesday night, with Itumeleng Khune again at fault in a poor Amakhosi display.

Bradley Grobler and Sipho Mbule both scored to hand Matsatsantsa a two-goal lead before Lebogang Manyama netted what proved to be a consolation goal for Amakhosi.

Matsatsantsa were a well-rested side as they were inactive for three weeks before this fixture, and they were looking to secure their second successive win having edged out Maritzburg United 2-1 in their last match.

Coach Kaitano Tembo made five changes to the team which took on Maritzburg with Kudakwashe Mahachi and Siyabonga Nhlapo among the players who were making their return to the starting line-up.

Meanwhile, Amakhosi, who were playing their fourth game in just over two weeks, were desperate to snap their four-match winless run in the league following their 2-2 draw with Black Leopards in their previous game.

Tembo's former boss, Gavin Hunt made one change to the Chiefs starting line-up which faced Leopards with Siyabonga Ngezana replacing fellow defender Kgotso Moleko in the team.

Chiefs saw most of the ball in the opening exchanges with Njabulo Blom pulling the strings in midfield and they were able to create half-chances.

Blom ran on to a loose ball in the box and unleashed a shot which was blocked by the hosts' defence, before Lebogang Manyama fired over the crossbar after being set up by Philani Zulu.

Manyama looked the likeliest Amakhosi player to score, but he could not keep his shots on target as he placed his attempts over the crossbar without testing Ronwen Williams in the SuperSport goal.

With Matsatsantsa defending too deep, Leonardo Castro and Manyama both unleashed long-range shots which were well-saved by Bafana Bafana international Williams.

However, Chiefs keeper Khune committed a mistake as his poor pass was intercepted by Ghamphani Lungu, who then found Sipho Mbule, before Bradley Grobler finished off a quick move with a well-taken goal to make it 1-0 to SuperSport on the stroke of half-time.

It was Khune's second costly mistake in as many matches having also given away possession against Leopards and he was punished by Ovidy Karuru.

The momentum was with SuperSport after the restart and Lungu forced Khune into a decent save at the near-post as the home side pushed for their second goal of the match.

The Tshwane giants did double their lead when Grobler was sent through on goal down the left-hand side and he set-up Mbule, who beat Khune with a powerful low shot to make it 2-0 to SuperSport in the 53rd minute.

Hunt then made a change as he introduced Dumisani Zuma and Chiefs took control of the match, with Nkosingiphile Ngcobo hitting the crossbar with a curling effort from a free-kick.

The ball then fell kindly for Zuma in the box, but the former Bloemfontein Celtic attacker placed his effort over the crossbar from close range as the Soweto giants looked to pull one back.

However, things went from bad to worse when Zulu was sent off after making a reckless challenge on Lungu, and Chiefs were reduced to 10 players just after the hour-mark.

Amakhosi continued to attack despite being numerically disadvantaged, but they were awarded a penalty after Zuma was fouled in the box by Luke Fleurs.

Manyama then stepped up and beat his Bafana teammate Williams from the spot to make it 2-1 with a minute left. 

Hunt's men pushed for a late equalizing goal, and the last chance of the game fell for Erick Mathoho in stoppage time. However, his effort was bravely blocked by Onismor Bhasera at the near-post and ultimately, the match ended in a 2-1 win in favour of SuperSport.

Chiefs remained 12th on the league standings - two points above the relegation zone on the league - while SuperSport climbed up to the fourth.

Both teams will be in action in the league on Saturday, with Chiefs taking on Bloemfontein Celtic, while SuperSport lock horns with Baroka.

Andrea Pirlo acknowledges Juventus are facing a "strange" season in Serie A, but believes the impact of coronavirus on the schedule has restored balance across European football.

Italian champions Juve are fourth in the table after 11 matches, four points off leaders Milan, but they are not the only top side struggling to match the high standards of previous campaigns.

Liverpool, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain – all reigning champions – are being kept off the top of their respective divisions.

Indeed, each of the leaders in Europe's top five leagues – Tottenham, Real Sociedad, Bayer Leverkusen, Milan and Lille – are playing in the Europa League in 2020-21, rather than joining Juve in the Champions League.

"It's a strange championship but it's like all the other European championships," Pirlo told Juventus TV.  "With Covid and the matches close together, everything has balanced out a bit and therefore you have to face every game with the right mentality.

"There are no more 'materasso' teams; there are strong teams who think about playing and not just defending themselves. You have to face them all with a certain mentality otherwise you risk facing nasty surprises."

Juve's fortunes have improved in recent weeks, however, winning their past four matches in all competitions. They face Atalanta on Wednesday and could win five consecutive games for the first time since January.

"More than results, it is the attitude and concentration in facing all matches in the same way, both in the Champions League and in the league," Pirlo said. "When you have the right attitude and the spirit of wanting to play the game, the results are on your side."

Juve are unbeaten in 23 home Serie A games against Atalanta, a run stretching back to 1989, while they are the only side Gian Piero Gasperini has faced more than once in the league without defeating since taking charge in Bergamo.

However Pirlo is wary of the threat of the eighth-place team, who have had 11 different scorers in Serie A this term – more than any other side.

"I expect a difficult match against a very strong team," the Bianconeri coach said. "They have been a reality for several years now. We have seen that not only in the Italian league but also at European level. It will be a tough game to play given their attitude. We will have to face it as a top team."

Borussia Dortmund forward Youssoufa Moukoko has set yet another record by making his first Bundesliga start.

Moukoko was handed his first start for Dortmund on Tuesday as his side faced Werder Bremen in Bundesliga action. At age 16 years and 25 days, Moukoko became the youngest player to ever start a match in the Bundesliga. 

Moukoko broke the record that was set by another Dortmund player, Nuri Sahin, who started against Wolfsburg in August 2005 at the age of 16 years, 11 months and 1 day.

The teenage striker has recently set several records, becoming the youngest player to ever play in the Bundesliga on his Dortmund debut and then setting the record as the Champions League's youngest player last week.

The Bundeliga's minimum age was recently set at 16 – a regulation that was changed from 16 and six months partly in anticipation of the prodigy's emergence as a possible first-teamer – meaning Moukoko's Bundesliga records will likely stand for some time.

Entering Tuesday's match against Bremen with five total appearances, Moukoko will now look to score his first senior goal for Dortmund after dominating for the club's youth teams. 

Dortmund will be hoping for a spark from their teenage star, as they entered the Bremen match on the back of a run of just one win in five matches. 

The team's latest loss - a humiliating 5-1 home defeat to Stuttgart on Saturday - saw head coach Lucien Favre sacked after two and a half years in charge.

Assistant coach Edin Terzic has been put in charge of Dortmund on an interim basis for the rest of the season, and he has promised that his team will display attacking football while he is at the helm.

"I'm a product of Borussia Dortmund. I come from the region and have been a fan for ages," Terzic said on Monday. "I've been working here for 10 years now and I'm shaped by the past.

"There are two ways you can win a football game: you can concede fewer goals, or you can always try to score one more. I'm more for the latter."

Terzic has worked at Besiktas and West Ham as an assistant and also spent time as a scout during Jurgen Klopp's spell in charge of Dortmund.

Nasarawa Amazons must drastically improve their scoring form if they are to excel in the Nigerian Women's Premier League this term, says Nasarawa state Commissioner for Sports Othman Bala-Adam.

The Solid Miners lifted the Nigerian title twice in their history, first in 2013 before claiming the second four years later, but lost 1-0 at home to Robo in their opening match of the 2021 season to dampen title expectations.

Shobowale Rukayat’s easy 32nd-minute tap-in off Gift Monday's header was all Robo required to condemn Christopher Danjuma's side to a losing start at the Lafia City Stadium last Wednesday.

In light of the defeat, the sports administrator rued the team's wastefulness in front of goal, while reflecting on their disappointing start at home to the new season.

"We saw great talents and a quality match between from FC Robo and Nasarawa Amazons here in Lafia," Bala-Adam told Goal. "It was a good match and a good testimony that we are getting it right for women's football in Nigeria. I'm very proud to be from Nasarawa and glad to witness this as a sports commissioner.

"We missed out a couple of chances and in football, if you don't bury your chances and someone else does that will make a huge difference," he added. "I'm optimistic the technical crew will work on because the defence was stable, the goalkeeping was awesome and the midfield was excellent but the finishing was our problem."

Following their opening loss at home, Danjuma's team will look to avoid back-to-back home defeats when they welcome four-time winners Bayelsa Queens on Wednesday.

The two teams will be meeting for the second time in space of a month following their clash in the final of the 2020 Flying Officier Cup in Abuja where Moses Aduku's side recorded a 1-0 triumph.

Ahead of the showdown in Lafia, Bala-Adam, who previously played as professional football before venturing to politics, has backed Amazons to turn things around.

"Absolutely, a lot has to be done. There's some push needed and I'm very optimistic that the management and technical crew are equal to the task," he continued. "They have to knock on their doors and sharpen their instincts in front of goal and be on top of their game. 

"They should work hard in converting their half-chances which is capable of making them champions already and not just looking for full scoring opportunities," he concluded. "They will surely come back strongly in their coming matches, beginning against Bayelsa Queens.

"They still stand a very good chance of securing the Champions League ticket." 

Young Africans technical and administrative advisor Senzo Mazingisa has give his view on Shiza Kichuya’s controversial move from Pharco to Simba SC.

Fifa ruled the Tanzanian left the Egyptian side without following due procedure and fined Simba TSh294 million for signing the winger without sufficiently involving their Egyptian counterparts.

Mazingisa, who was the Chief Executive Officer when Kichuya was signed, has claimed Salim ‘Try Again’ Abdalla, an influential figure at Simba, forced the club to sign the winger although the deal was not sanctioned by the coach.

“There was no need to have a winger then, but Abdalla forced the club to sign Kichuya and all of us knew the coach did not want a winger,” Mazingisa told Mwanaspoti. “Kichuya’s agent is a man going by the name Chavas, he is the one who took him to Pharco and got him back.

"The loan deal could not be finalised fast because Kichuya and Chavas claimed Pharco had terminated the contract," he added. “I had to call an official at Pharco who stated Kichuya’s contract had not been terminated despite the player insisting the contract no longer exists.

“After Simba acquired Kichuya, Pharco went to Fifa and reported the player had joined another club yet he was not a free agent. Fifa wrote to Simba but the club did not bother to conclusively follow the issue up and that is where the problem began.”

Simba are understood to have received the first letter from Fifa on July 29, 2020. This duly required them to shed more light on Kichuya’s transfer, but they never replied to the letter.

“I had to seek advice even from lawyers from South Africa and in all our mail communication, Simba lawyers were copied but I understand the club just did not want to provide answers to the questions Fifa asked,” Mazingisa added. “For now, that matter does not concern me because I am engaged in something else.”

Kichuya left for Pharco in 2019 and signed a four-year deal but was loaned out to ENPPI where he featured for just half a season in the Premier League before he returned to Pharco.

His club is said to have wanted to get Kichuya another loan move before the forward decided to return to Tanzania and join Simba.

If Simba are not going to settle the ordered amount within 45 days, then they will be banned from signing any player in the next two transfer windows.

Memphis Depay says he has not made a decision about his future as his contract at Lyon nears its end.

The Netherlands international will be a free agent at the end of the season and he has been heavily linked with a move to Barcelona.

Rumours of a potential January transfer have been circulating, and although the 26-year-old suggested last month that he would jump at the chance to move to Camp Nou, Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has maintained he will not leave until the end of the season.

The former PSV star insists he is completely focused on Lyon for the time being as his side look to stay in contention for the Ligue 1 title, but he does not know where he will be next year.

"To be honest, we have a great team here. I don't know what will happen next year. I'm an OL player, the captain, and I'm here to win things, games and be important for the team. This is my main goal," he said at a press conference.

"If I start thinking about my future, I might lose my focus. I am 100 per cent with OL. What will happen in the future, we'll see. That's what I've always said.

"I can't say anything about [Barcelona]. I'm here now, a lot of clubs might be interested."

The Lyon star has been in good form for club and country since recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament he suffered last December.

Depay has scored six goals and registered four assists in 14 Ligue 1 appearances this season and found the net in Netherlands' recent Nations League wins against Bosnia-Herzegovina and Poland.

"It's crazy how quickly the year has gone by. I woke up today to realize that it happened a year ago," he said.

"Today I'm able to play and I'm happy for it. 

"I'm happy to play football, especially at a time when people cannot work, earn money and support their families because of the pandemic."

Lyon are second in the French top flight, trailing Lille on goal difference. Rudi Garcia's side beat Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday to extend their winning streak in the league to five games.

They face Brest at home on Wednesday.

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is relishing the chance to face La Liga leaders Real Sociedad in the Europa League last 32. 

Solskjaer's side fell 3-2 to RB Leipzig last week in their Champions League group stage finale, consigning them to the Europa League. 

Their draw for the last 32 is a tough one as the Red Devils will face off against high-flying Sociedad, who currently lead La Liga after winning seven and drawing five of their first 13 matches. 

Though disappointed by his side's inability to reach the Champions League knockout round, Solskjaer believes that United's draw in the Europa League is reminiscent of one they would have received in Europe's top club competition. 

“It sounds like a Champions League draw and it’s definitely one that keeps everyone on their toes,” he told United's official website.

“They’re the team that’s top of La Liga at the moment ahead of teams like Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and Real Madrid. I’ve watched them a couple of times and they’re an exciting team and it’ll be a test for us.

“We’ve got some difficult games around that period. It’s not a time we can switch off and feel it’s an easy Europa League draw, this feels like a Champions League draw – they’re top of the Spanish league. We just have to stay focused.”

United will have the chance to face off against their former player Adnan Januzaj in the Europa League tie, with the Belgian having come up through United's academy after signing at 16.

Januzaj signed with Sociedad in 2017 and has gone on to establish himself as a regular with the Liga side, scoring two goals in 13 total appearances this season. 

Solskjaer will be wary of facing Januzaj, a player he knows will enter the two-leg tie with a point to prove. 

“They’re hard-working with high intensity and some high-quality players and they’ve got our own Adnan of course,” Solskjaer added. “They also have some experienced players and some young, up-and-coming players.

“Everyone who plays against Man Utd wants to show what could have been and Adnan’s done well in his career.

"It’s always difficult to see where you’re going to go after Man Utd and he’s one of those boys that you hope would make it here. It wasn’t to be so now we’ll have to make sure that he’s not going to enjoy his return!"

Barcelona will have to wait until Neymar's contract at Paris Saint-Germain expires before they will be able to bring him back to Camp Nou, says Emili Rousaud.

The Brazil star, whose contract at PSG expires in 2022, has long been linked with a move back to the Spanish giants.

Neymar admitted that he wants to reunite with Barcelona star Lionel Messi in the near future, sparking talk of the Argentina international making a move to PSG.

Although the 28-year-old insisted this week that he has not considered leaving the Parc des Princes outfit any time soon, Barcelona presidential candidate Rousaud believes the attacker wants to return to La Liga.

"We have been in contact with Neymar's people and he made comments which someone interpreted as meaning he wants Messi to join him in Paris," he told AS. "What Neymar was saying is that he wants to come back to Barcelona - like he said in the summer of 2019. Right now, we cannot pay his transfer fee so it will be at the end of his contract."

Rousaud, who was a board member at Barcelona until the directors resigned in October, is confident the club can convince Messi to stay beyond this season. The six-time Ballon d'Or winner wanted to leave the Blaugrana in the summer transfer window, but decided to stay to avoid a legal battle with the club.

Although he believes making the team competitive would convince the 33-year-old to stay, the presidential hopeful warned Barca cannot afford to keep paying his current salary.

"What matters here is the sport project. When Messi said he was leaving, he didn't say it was to do with money," he said.  "He is the highest-paid footballer in the world, no one earns more than he does. He didn't want to leave because he doesn't earn enough, he wanted to leave because he wants to win trophies.

"He said so at the time: 'We aren't going to win anything'. He wants to play for a team where there is talent."

He added: "Obviously, with the actual situation at the club Messi's salary cannot be sustained. It's unsustainable. An agreement would need to be reached. The project which we will present to him is an attractive one."

Mamelodi Sundowns have asked the Premier Soccer League to postpone the planned tributes for defender Motjeka Madisha, who was understood to have passed away in a car crash on Sunday morning, as the corpse is yet to be formally identified.

The PSL have revealed that there are certain issues still to be resolved by the South African Police Services regarding the reported death of the South Africa international, and have indefinitely cancelled the moment of silence planned in remembrance of the player.

Madisha is understood to have died in a car crash that occurred in the East Rand in the early hours of Sunday, but his employers, Sundowns have been taking a cautious approach in confirming the player’s death.

Two days after the incident, the club are yet to issue a conclusive statement on the situation and the player's fate.

Ahead of mid-week league matches as Sundowns host TS Galaxy on Tuesday, the PSL says the Brazilians made a request that a moment of silence for the player be put on hold.

“Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club has asked the PSL to postpone the observance of a moment of silence in respect of Mr Motjeka Madisha until certain issues have been resolved by the South African Police Services,” The PSL said in a statement on Tuesday.

The latest development comes less than 24 hours after Sundowns announced “a period of uncertainty” surrounding the reported death of Madisha.

The player’s family met pathologists on Monday and now await DNA identification of the remains, which were burnt beyond recognition in the accident.

Madisha is thought to have been the driver of the car involved in the tragic incident, but Downs appear unwilling to confirm the defender's passing until DNA results confirm it was him at the wheel.

“The nature of the horrific car crash that took place on the Zuurfontein Road near Chloorkop requires that all processes be followed by the necessary authorities with relevant expertise to confirm the identity of the driver," said Sundowns in a statement on Monday.

“The Madisha family requests privacy and the relevant protocols be followed during this difficult period of uncertainty. Mamelodi Sundowns will communicate further details after consultation with the Madisha family once the DNA test results have been released.”

There has also been conflicting information released in relation to Madisha's passing, with police reporting the car crash occurred early Sunday, while Sundowns have stated that the tragic incident happened on Saturday night.

The accident came after Sundowns celebrated their 50th anniversary on Saturday evening, although the defender is understood not to have attended the event.

Mesut Ozil's agent has revealed the exiled midfielder will not leave Arsenal in January and insists his client has every intention of seeing out the remainder of his contract. 

Ozil was omitted from Mikel Arteta's Premier League and Europa League squads in October and cannot be selected again for first-team action until at least January when changes to the player lists can be made. 

The former Real Madrid midfielder, a club-record signing when he joined for a reported £42million in 2013, has not made an appearance since March 7.

Ozil's influence has waned since providing 19 assists and creating 28 big chances in 35 Premier League outings during the 2015-16 season, setting up nine, eight, two and two goals in the following four campaigns respectively. 

Last season, however, he created 2.36 chances for every 90 minutes he was on the pitch in the top flight, comfortably more than the second-placed player on the list, Nicolas Pepe (1.79). 

While Ozil's agent Dr Erkut Sogut insists there are a host of clubs interested in signing the playmaker, he says the former Germany international – whose contract expires at the end of the season – is entirely focused on Arsenal. 

"Even one day is a long time in football, you never know," he told Tuttomercatoweb . "Of course, there are many clubs interested in signing him. 

"This has never changed but his willingness to honour his contract and play hasn't changed either. He's a man of his word and is loyal, and loyalty is hard to find in these times. He is not thinking of other clubs except the one with which he is now under contract.

"It's a shame that Mesut isn't playing. Of course, everyone focuses on his salary and I understand why. But from a personal perspective, I say it's a waste considering his talent and creativity. 

"He is training harder than ever. At home he has a gym, in the garden and in the garage. So, in addition to the work he does with the club, he also trains at home. This shows his professionalism, all his seriousness."

Sogut also revealed Arsenal did not give Ozil any prior warning that he would not be included in their squads for the first half of the season.

"I talked to Arsenal a few days before the transfer window and I told them about Mesut's feelings, his desire to stay and how much he loved the club," he added. "They never told me he wouldn't be on the list. It was a surprise to all of us and something that clearly hit him hard."

John Obi Mikel will play no part in Tuesday’s Championship fixture between Stoke City and Queens Park Rangers.

Michael O'Neill’s men will be eyeing all maximum points against Mark Warburton’s team in their quest to push for a place in the Premier League.

Before his injury, he had featured in 15 games across all competitions, bagging an assist while captaining the team on a number of occasions.

As a result of that knock, he missed his side’s last four games against Wycombe Wanderers, Middlesbrough, Cardiff City and Derby County.

Manager O’Neill had revealed that the Nigerian would be examined to ascertain his level of preparedness for the crunch fixture despite his return to training.

“We’ll assess John Obi today [on Monday]. He trained for part of the session yesterday [Sunday], but the important thing is not bringing players back too early and risking re-injury,” O'Neill told the club's official website.

“I suppose the big positive is that no one added to our injury list from the game on Saturday."

Also ruled out for Stoke is Cameroonian goalkeeper Blondy Nna Noukeu following his inability to make the cut.

On the other side, the Superhoops have Nigeria-prospect Bright Osayi-Samuel, Ghana’s Albert Adomah and Morocco’s Ilias Chair in their starting XI. Zimbabwe's Macauley Bonne will start from the bench while Sierra Leone's Osman Kakay has been axed from the squad.

Victory for Mikel's team at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium would boost their standing in the second tier.

Currently, they are eighth having accrued 29 points from 18 games, while QPR occupy the 19th spot with 16 points from the same number of outings.

Former Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen has admitted he suffered through the effects of a head injury for most of the 2019-20 season without speaking out about it. 

The Belgian initially suffered the injury in the first leg of the 2018-19 Champions League semi-final against Ajax after he collided with team-mate Toby Alderweireld. 

Vertonghen initially attempted to play through the injury but was unable to continue, and needed to be helped off the field. 

Tottenham said after the match that Vertonghen did not suffer a concussion but the defender, now with Benfica, has revealed that the effects of that blow stayed with him for months. 

"Lots of people don't know but I suffered a lot from that hit [against Ajax]: dizziness and headaches," he said in an interview with Sporza. "This is now the first time I am talking about it. I should not have continued playing, it affected me in total for nine months and that's why I couldn't bring what I wanted to on the field."

Vertonghen was in and out of the line-up for Spurs last season, sparking rumours of a feud with manager Jose Mourinho.

The defender, though, says he never had a problem with his manager and that his inability to hold down a starting spot was down to the lingering effects of his head injury. 

"Everyone thought I was angry with Mourinho, but at that point I just couldn't [play]," he said of an incident when he was subbed off and appeared to be upset with his coach. "I still had a year left on my contract, so I had to play, but when I played, I played badly. Not many people knew that, that was my own choice, it is not blaming anyone. 

"The fact I got benched had nothing to do with [Mourinho]. I was in a period I could not bring what I should have. I even thought he played me a lot compared to how I performed."

Vertonghen said that the two-month break he was able to take during the coronavirus lockdown helped him return to normal. 

"I just didn't know what to do. It was game after game and training session after training session," Vertonghen said. "Every time there was a new impact. Then the lockdown came and I was able to rest for two months, after that it was a lot better."

The Premier League is set to discuss the implementation of concussion substitutes at a shareholders' meeting this week.

Football fans will remember the infamous Premier League match in 2011-12 between Liverpool and Manchester United when Luis Suarez was accused of racist language directed at Patrice Evra.

It was an ugly moment to witness as a football fan, and the controversy around the incident is not a positive memory for anyone.

Goal has what you need to know about what happened between Suarez and Evra in 2011.

What did Suarez say to Evra?

According to the FA report published in 2012 as a result of the investigation, Suarez told Evra: "Porque tu eres negro". "Negro" means "black" in Spanish.

The report continues: "Mr Evra said that at the time Mr Suarez made that comment, he (Mr Evra) understood it to mean 'Because you are a n*****'.

"He now says that he believes the words used by Mr Suarez mean 'Because you are black'."

Suarez explained in his book: "The second important point is that I said to Evra: 'Por que, negro?'.

"'Por que' means: 'Why?' It was me asking him why he was complaining, first about the foul and then about me touching him.

"I told [Damien] Comolli this, but by the time my version had been passed down the line to the referee it ended up not as 'Por que, negro?', but as 'Porque eres negro', which changes the meaning drastically; 'porque' doesn’t mean 'why?', it means 'because' – the phrase became 'because you are black'.

"I never said, nor would ever dream of saying, 'because you are black'. I certainly never said, and never would say, that I would not talk to Evra, or anyone, because they are black."

Liverpool were also criticised for wearing t-shirts in support of Suarez during the aftermath of the controversy.

Evra revealed in 2020 that he received an apology from the club – nine years on.

"When I did the punditry on Sky and Jamie Carragher apologised after eight years, I was so surprised," Evra told the official Man Utd podcast.

"He said they made a big mistake that day and he apologised. It really touched me and now I will respect Liverpool as a football club because, when this happened, I was really disappointed with the club.

"I received an email from the chairman of Liverpool apologising for what happened nine years ago. He said I was welcome to come to Liverpool if I need anything. It really touched me because it’s better late than never, but I was surprised that Liverpool supported that kind of attitude.”

How long was Suarez banned for?

As a result of the incident, Suarez was banned for eight matches and given a £40,000 fine.

During the return Premier League meeting in February at Old Trafford, Suarez was embroiled in further controversy when he refused to shake Evra's hand pre-match.

Then-manager Kenny Dalglish and Suarez later apologised for the incident.

"I have spoken with the manager since the game at Old Trafford and I realise I got things wrong," Suarez said at the time. "I have not only let [Dalglish] down but also the club and what it stands for and I'm sorry. I made a mistake and I regret what happened.

"I should have shaken Patrice Evra's hand before the game and I want to apologise for my actions. I would like to put this whole issue behind me and concentrate on playing football."

Dalgilsh said: "All of us have a responsibility to represent this club in a fit and proper manner. That applies equally to me as Liverpool manager.

"When I went on TV after yesterday's game I hadn't seen what had happened, but I did not conduct myself in a way befitting of a Liverpool manager during that interview and I'd like to apologise for that."

Joseph Paintsil found the back of the net as Ankaragucu defeated Hatayspor 2-0 in Tuesday’s Turkish Super Lig game.

The midfielder made his eighth league appearance for the Eryaman Stadium outfit and made the most of the opportunity.

The Ghana international teamed up with Ankaragucu on a season-long loan from Belgian First Division side Genk in the summer.

Paintsil came off the bench to make a significant contribution against Hatayspor, helping them to clinch their second win of the season.

The game started with both sides aiming to open the scoring before Ankaragucu were handed a huge advantage when Hatayspor were reduced to 10 men.

Gokhan Karadeniz was given his marching orders in the 50th minute by for a serious foul play and Ankaragucu capitalized on their numerical advantage.

Zvonimir Sarlija broke the deadlock 19 minutes after the incident, firing his effort beyond the reach of goalkeeper Munir after an assist from Emre Gural.

Paintsil, who was brought on for Ender Aygoren to strengthen the Ankaragucu team, then found the back of the net moments before the end of the game to seal the victory.

Senegal international Mame Diouf featured for 77 minutes in the encounter but could not help his side to avoid defeat and was cautioned in the early minutes of the game.

Paintsil has now scored four goals for Ankaragucu this season, amid other dazzling displays, but his side remain in the relegation zone with eight points.

The midfielder started his European career with Hungarian club Ferencvaros in 2017 before joining Genk in 2018.

Paintsil has four caps for the Ghana national team since he made his debut for the West African side in 2017.

The midfielder will hope to continue his impressive club performances to earn a regular call-up to the Black Stars.

He will be expected to feature for Ankaragucu when they take on Genclerbirligi in their next league game on December 20.

AC Milan chief executive Ivan Gazidis has downplayed the threat a potential European Super League poses to world football.

The possibility of Europe's top teams breaking away from their domestic leagues to form a new competition has made headlines in recent years.

The idea became a big issue in the media when former Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu revealed the Spanish club have accepted an invitation to join the league.

The league has been criticised from all corners of the sport, with La Liga chief Javier Tebas saying it is a "weak and imaginary competition" and FIFA president Gianni Infantino insisting the focus should be on the Club World Cup rather than a continental league.

Meanwhile, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp says he hopes it will "never happen", Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola believes it would lead to the death of domestic football and ex-Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has warned that the English top-flight would suffer drastically if the Super League became a reality.

Gazidis says the idea has been talked about for a long time and does not expect it to become a reality, though he believes football should be open-minded about new ideas.

"This conversation about the European Super League has been going on for probably more than 20 years," he told BBC Sport. "The reality is there are many different ways that European football could develop over the next 5-10 years.

"I don't think there's a big likelihood that we see a Super League in the way that people talk about it.

"Do I think that there could be developments in the way that the Champions League develops? Absolutely I do. That's a conversation we should have and have it with an open mind."

The former Arsenal chief also called on Italian football to tackle its racism problem.

There have been many high-profile incidents of players suffering abuse from the stands in recent years and Gazidis believes updating the stadiums could help deal with the issue. 

"We see an environment in which there is a lack of respect kind of built in, perhaps similar to what we saw in England before the development of stadiums," he said. "The new stadiums provide an atmosphere in which people feel more safe and secure.

"They have more technology in them, they're more inclusive, you get more diversity in the crowds, women come, children come, people from every different race, colour, background and sexual orientation feel more welcome into the stadiums. That's what we have to work towards here in Italy.

"I think England perhaps has been working on these issues in a deeper way for longer. That doesn't mean they are anywhere near the end of the journey."

He added: "Denying that we have issues and pushing them under the carpet does not help. The first thing is acknowledgment and then we can take action. This is a process, there is no end to the process that we're on. The journey that football has taken over the last 20 or 30 years has been significant, but we have a long way to go."