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East Bengal head coach Robbie Fowler feels his current squad was recruited with the I-League in mind and that the players must step up to perform at the level required in the Indian Super League (ISL).

His team succumbed to a  2-3 defeat against Hyderabad in the 2020-21 ISL clash at the Tilak Maidan in Goa on Tuesday.

The Kolkata giants were leading at the half-time after Jacques Maghoma broke the deadlock in the 26th minute. Aridane Santana then scored twice in the second-half and Halicharan Nazaray netted the third to pull off a stunning comeback. Maghoma pulled one back for East Bengal in the 81st minute but it was not enough to help the side add a point to their tally. 

Fowler did not mince words about his team's performance. The Red and Golds are winless after playing five matches and currently sit at the bottom of the table

"I just think we are a team that is built for the I-League. The recruitment process for this team was for the I-League and then we catapulted to the ISL. Now it's up to the players to show that they are good enough for the ISL," Fowler said after the game. 

The 45-year-old also said that East Bengal showed they can score goals but needs to concentrate better in games. 

"We could do a lot better. We scored a couple of goals, which is obviously a positive to us. We proved that we can score goals and now we need to improve our concentration levels. 10 minutes after half-time you concede two goals which is obviously not what we wanted. We started well, took a lead and just switched off."

He further added, "Well, I think we need to obviously improve massively. Look it's still not over. We have a lot of points to play for. We have a lot of performances left in us. See from that team formation and the players playing in that we have got a lot of work to do. I'm going to talk to the players. A few of them are not doing themselves any favour at the moment."

Fowler also urged his players to pick themselves up and focus in the next matches instead of ruing the defeat as he believes that things can still be turned around.

"We have to pick ourselves. It's not about soaking and crying. We have to just get on with it. We have to take it, it can be changed, we have to get better. We have to be sensible. We have to be cleaver," said the East Bengal manager.

Chasing their first win of the season, East Bengal will now take on Kerala Blasters on Sunday.

Liverpool head coach Jurgen Klopp has praised Tottenham's performance under Jose Mourinho, saying the Portuguese manager has turned Spurs into a "results machine".

The two sides will meet on Wednesday in a top-of-the-table showdown, with Spurs and Liverpool level on points on top of the Premier League. 

After losing their Premier League opener, Tottenham have gone 11 straight matches without defeat to cement their status as title challengers. 

Klopp has been impressed by the work his counterpart has done in north London, saying those who felt Mourinho's best coaching years were behind him have been proven wrong. 

“I’m not surprised, because that’s the world we are living in – you are very successful until yesterday," Klopp said at his pre-game press conference. "If you cannot prove it today, then people go for you. I don’t think he was surprised at that, but he showed comeback skills. Very impressive what they did at Tottenham, the way they played this year is really good.

"He turned them into a results machine, that’s how it is. They have good performances, and if they are not on top form they still win. They defend collectively, very impressive.”

Spurs have been led this season by the dynamic duo of Son Heung-min and Harry Kane, but Klopp was eager to point out that the two players are hardly the only threat Tottenham possess.

"Yes [Kane and Son are a priority] but then unfortunately if you keep them quiet there are still a lot of really good players. It’s now a proper team, with threats from a lot of areas on the pitch," Klopp said.

“[Steven] Bergwijn plays an important role, especially in their counter-attacking moments. [Tanguy] Ndombele needed a little longer to settle but is now 100 per cent there. He shares the job a little bit with [Giovani] Lo Celso, [Moussa] Sissoko.

"With [Pierre-Emile] Hojbjerg, it’s a proper midfield unit and together with the last line, it obviously works pretty well, especially with [Hugo] Lloris a top-class goalie."

Liverpool ran away with the Premier League title in 2019-20, but the race is shaping up to be much closer this season as teams deal with a condensed fixture list. 

Only five points separate first-place Spurs and Manchester United in eighth, and Klopp feels that the standings could be tight throughout the entire season. 

Asked if he thinks this season will be the closest title race in years, Klopp replied: “It looks like it. I don’t know how it will be in February, March, April and May, but in the moment it looks like it. There are always a lot of really good teams, but some of them have run not so much this year and that obviously keeps us all together. Nice for the people!”

Record Ugandan Premier League champions Sports Club Villa picked up their second win in the 2020/21 season after beating Kampala Capital City Authority 2-1 at the Bamboo Barracks on Tuesday.

KCCA FC have now seen their unbeaten record come to a grinding halt as goals from Nicholas Kabonge and Ronald Ssekiganda were enough for the Jogoos to emerge winners of the Kampala Derby, while Brian Aheebwa converted a late penalty for the visitors.

Kabonge scored in the 33rd minute to reward Edward Kaziba's team with a deserved lead in a game that was attended by a few fans for the first time in the season.

In the 55th minute, Isaac Ogwang could have scored the second for SC Villa after another nice build-up from the midfield but his effort flew slightly above Charles Lukwago’s crossbar.

As Jogoos looked a dominant side in the midfield, KCCA head coach Mike Mutebi made two changes as he brought Filbert Obenchan and Peter Magambo in places of Stefano Loro and Samuel Kato respectively in the second half.

Sam Ssenyonjo, who has scored five goals and had an open chance denied by Meddie Kibirige, had to leave the pitch due to what looked like an injury and his place was taken by Charles Lwanga.

Ronald Ssekiganda added the second in the 86th minute for SC Villa before the 13-time league champions pulled one back courtesy of Aheebwa three minutes after conceding the second goal.

It was a game that KCCA head coach Mutebi had anticipated would be tough, given the traditional rivalry and history of title successes for both sides.

Before the Bombo Barracks showdown, SC Villa had won their match against Mbarara City, drew 2-2 against BUL FC before they were defeated 3-1 by URA FC. On the other hand, KCCA had not dropped a point from their last three games against Bright Stars, Onduparaka FC, a side they defeated 8-1 to record the biggest scoreline of the campaign thus far, and Mbarara City.

The 2019 champions came into the match with some serious injury concerns as Gift Ali, Julius Poloto, Juma Balinya, Moses Aliro and Sadat Anaku all missed out.

KCCA won the last meeting against the Jogoos at the Phillip Omondi Stadium by a scoreline of 4-1. This season, the SC Villa tie was KCCA’s second game away as they started the campaign at Bright Stars and won 2-1.

KCCA and SC Villa have now met in 20 matches and the Kasasiro Boys have picked up, nine wins in those games. SC Villa, on the other hand, have won three games while eight matches have ended in draws.

In the 20 games, KCCA have scored 28 goals while the record champions have netted 17. In those games, KCCA have managed to collect 35 points while the Jogoos have harvested 17.

The 16-time champions will face Express FC on Saturday while the Kasasiro Boys will be at Lugogo to battle URA on the same day.

Meanwhile, BUL were defeated 2-1 by Sam Ssimbwa’s Uganda Revenue Authority (URA FC) while Police FC picked a huge 3-0 win over Busoga United at home.

Onduparaka and Wakiso Giants shared points from a 1-1 draw as Bright Stars defeated Malaba Youth Development Association (MYDA) 3-2.

Jose Mourinho has started to fan the flames ahead of Tottenham’s crunch clash with Liverpool at Anfield, with the Portuguese rubbishing claims that the Reds are suffering an injury crisis.

For the Spurs boss, his opposite number, Jurgen Klopp, is contending with just one “big injury”.

He concedes that Netherlands international Virgil van Dijk is almost impossible to replace, with the Dutch defender having been sidelined with knee ligament damage since October.

Klopp has since lost the likes of Joe Gomez, Joel Matip, Thiago Alcantara, James Milner and Diogo Jota to unfortunate knocks, with Liverpool’s squad being tested to the full.

The Premier League champions have, however, invested heavily in ensuring that they boast the required strength in depth.

With that in mind, and with there still an abundance of riches at Klopp’s disposal, Mourinho is not buying that the Reds are in trouble.

He told reporters ahead of a meeting between the Premier League’s top two on Wednesday: “Give me Liverpool's list of injuries and compare that with what is the best Liverpool team.

“Liverpool has a big injury, which is Van Dijk.”

Tottenham have had to contend with injuries of their own this season, with Gareth Bale not yet up to full speed after returning to north London on a season-long loan from Real Madrid.

Quizzed on whether the Welshman could figure against Liverpool, Mourinho said: “We still have a training session. Yesterday (Monday) he didn't train with the team, he trained inside. At the moment I'd say no, but we'll see.”

While a lack of sharpness is keeping Bale stuck on the sidelines, England international midfielder Harry Winks is seeing fierce competition for places deny him regular game time.

Asked if the 24-year-old has sought an explanation for his lack of minutes, Mourinho said: “Yes, he came to me. Not just him. Many players come to me.

“I have my office on the first floor and a little space on the ground floor by the dressing room to make it so easy for them. Yes, Winks came to speak with me, yes.”

Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso are among those keeping Winks out, with that pair battling between themselves for a starting berth.

Pressed on that selection call, which has been seeing a France international get the nod, Mourinho said: “It's not difficult. Difficult is when you don't have any one of them.

“Can they play together? Yes. The physical condition for both is very important. To play with the two together, we need them to be fit and play with the right intensity. And they will.

“I'm not saying tomorrow or Sunday or next week but they will play together. It's not a problem when I have both growing up and playing quite well.”

Ronald Koeman has hailed Lionel Messi as he closes in on Pele's one-club goal record, while expressing his belief that the world will never see another player like the Barcelona captain.

Messi, who continues to be linked with a Barca exit although hasn't yet held any discussions with other clubs,  has scored a staggering 642 goals in 746 appearances for Barca since making his senior debut back in 2004.

The 33-year-old has set a mark as the club's all-time leading scorer which will likely never be broken, while winning a whole host of honours on both team and individual levels, including four Champions League crowns, 10 La Liga titles and six Ballon d'Or awards.

The Argentine's latest strike gave Barca a vital 1-0 home win over Levante on Sunday , and he will likely lead the line for Koeman's side once again when they play host to current league leaders Real Sociedad in midweek.

Messi is now only one goal away from matching Pele's record of 643 goals for Santos, which currently stands as the highest number of goals one player has ever scored for a single club.

Koeman says the fact the diminutive playmaker has caught up to the Brazilian legend already serves as further proof of his standing as the greatest player of the modern era, and has talked up his importance to Barca ahead of Sociedad's arrival at Camp Nou.

"They are impressive figures, we will never see a player like that again, who has given so much happiness, that is why he is number one and is so important," the Dutch head coach told a pre-match press conference

"We saw him [shine] the other day, we depend on him. I do not know how many hat-tricks he has scored... once again, it's amazing what he's done for this club."

Koeman also reserved praise for fellow countryman Frenkie de Jong, who provided the inch-perfect pass for Messi to run on to and score against Levante.

The 57-year-old has credited the midfielder for his intelligence on the ball, but wants to see him use his qualities to affect the game in the final third on a more consistent basis.

"He was always a player who could build from the back, he did it in Ajax and the national team, but he has the qualities to be offensive," Koeman said of De Jong.

"He is very fast with the ball and can break the lines, we are working with him to build-up play but also to be more important in the last part of the field. He is very smart in his game but he can do more to break the lines."

The Barca manager went on to give an update on the fitness of Ousmane Dembele, who was sidelined with another hamstring injury after a 2-1 defeat at Cadiz on December 5 .

"He is training individually, he is not yet part of the group and I do not want to give dates. Hopefully it can be early because he is a player we need," he said.

The Blaugrana learned their Champions League fate after the draw for the round of 16 was completed on Monday, with a repeat of their thrilling 2016-17 tie against Paris Saint-Germain now scheduled for February.

Koeman is hopeful his team will be in far better shape by then after a mixed start to the 2020-21 season, as he added: "It is always complicated, the games are played in February and March and it is not known how we will be or how they will be, there is nothing certain and we hope to have everyone available.

"We will be stronger than we are now; they are a team with ups and downs too but we have to wait and see when we face each other. I think we will be better."

Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that Liverpool will make a late decision over the involvement of Joel Matip in their top-of-the-table clash with Tottenham.

The Cameroon international was forced off at half-time during the Reds’ 1-1 draw with Fulham on Sunday, with Klopp revealing afterwards he had suffered a back spasm.

Matip has undergone intensive treatment since, but Liverpool are unsure whether the 29-year-old will be fit to partner Fabinho at centre-back when Spurs visit Anfield on Wednesday night.

“We don’t know yet,” he told his pre-match press conference. “Only two days ago we played, and he left the pitch with a back spasm.

“The physios worked pretty much 24 hours on him. We will see. We have another session today, and we will see.”

Liverpool’s injury list is already a lengthy one, with Joe Gomez, Virgil van Dijk, James Milner, Thiago Alcantara, Kostas Tsimikas, Diogo Jota and Xherdan Shaqiri already sidelined for various reasons.

Klopp confirmed that none of those would be available against Spurs but said midfielder Naby Keita could return having missed the Fulham game with an unspecified problem.

“Naby maybe,” Klopp said. “He was involved yesterday in the extended warm-up, I would say. There is another session today, and we will have to see how he reacts to that.

“With the others, no. No-one else.”

On Keita, who has managed just 10 appearances so far this season, he added: “Naby has no rhythm, that’s the truth. That’s because of different things, and that obviously doesn’t help, performance-wise.

“We have two days between games, and we have to make a decision – is he ready? Whatever you do in the rehab process, you cannot replace proper football training, and we don’t have a lot of football training because of the number of games we have.

“In Midtjylland, everyone who has seen Naby Keita playing, knows that was obviously not his best. Normal and explainable with a lack of rhythm, but obvious.

“Now we had to make a little step back with him. It’s not too serious, that’s why he’s back in training.

“Nobody is in doubt about Naby’s qualities, but when you are injured you need to get a little bit lucky that you don’t get re-injuries. He didn’t have that luck. We try to be as careful as we can, consider the personal situation of the boys. Sometimes it works out, sometimes not.”

Romelu Lukaku is “better than Harry Kane”, according to Nicola Ventola, while Christian Vieri says Bayern Munich frontman Robert Lewandowski would struggle to match the Belgian’s goalscoring feats at Inter.

The Nerazzurri moved to snap up a proven frontman during the summer of 2019.

With Lukaku having grown disillusioned with life at Manchester United, a fresh start in Serie A was presented to the 27-year-old.

That opportunity was gratefully received, with an immediate return offered on a £75 million ($100m) investment.

Lukaku hit 34 goals across his debut campaign, as Inter reached the Europa League final, and has added a further 13 to his tally this term.

His 47 efforts have come through just 66 appearances, with the Belgium international proving to be one of the most prolific strikers in the global game.

Ventola believes Lukaku could be considered the best number nine on the planet, with the ex-Inter forward prepared to rank a star at San Siro above a talismanic presence at Tottenham.

“I think Lukaku is better than Harry Kane,” Ventola told BOBO TV.

Vieri, another former Inter goal-getter and one-time team-mate of Brazil icon Ronaldo, added: “If Lukaku would play for Bayern Munich he’d score as many goals as Lewandowski. But Lewa would not score as much if he played for Inter.”

Antonio Cassano, who also spent time with Inter in his playing days, was another to join the debate regarding exciting forwards in Milan.

He considers Lautaro Martinez to be “five times better than Lukaku” and says the Argentina international is “a mix between Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero.”

Lautaro has been unable to match the output of his strike partner at San Siro, but he is held in the highest regard and still has plenty of potential to unlock in his game.

Moves to Barcelona or Manchester City have been mooted for the highly-rated 23-year-old, with his record at Inter now including 36 goals through 101 appearances.

He is a different kind of forward to Lukaku, one able to drop deeper and influence proceedings with his quick feet and creativity, but he has shown that he knows where the back of the net is and is expected to take up a standing among the global elite at some stage in the future.

Rangers midfielder Joe Aribo has expressed his pleasure to rejoin his teammates after overcoming an undisclosed illness.   

The 24-year-old missed the Gers’ Europa League game against Lech Poznan as he has been battling with ill health since returning from international duty with Nigeria.

The midfielder will be expected to return to action for Steven Gerrard’s men when they face St Mirren in Wednesday’s League Cup tie.  

Aribo has explained how he has missed football action during his inactivities and warned Rangers to be battle-ready for their clash against the Buddies. 

“It is always good to be back with the boys. When I'm out I miss it a lot,” Aribo said in a pre-match press conference.

“I'm happy to be back playing football. The strength and depth of our squad have shown.

“St Mirren is a tough match and as a Cup game you know it will be a difficult challenge and we have to bring our best.

“We take each game as it comes, our focus is only on the next match. You need to be 100% focused on St Mirren.”

Aribo has featured in several positions for Rangers this season, including a wing-back role and the versatile midfielder has revealed he is prepared to assist his team in any way they need his help.

 “I'm not really fussed about playing either midfield or attack, I just want to be involved,” he continued.

“It depends on the opposition, sometimes I prefer starting from deep, other games I like to start further up the pitch.”

Aribo featured for four minutes against Dundee United last weekend and has praised the impact of James Tavernier, who got a goal in the encounter.

 “Even from the view I had on Sunday I was amazed by the goal from Tavernier,” he added.

“Hoping he can keep up this amazing form and keep doing what he does. A few of the boys were watching him take free-kick the day before so we're not surprised.”

Aribo has made 14 appearances across all competitions for Rangers in the 2020-21 campaign, scoring four goals.

The Super Eagles star will hope to continue his fine form for the Ibrox Stadium outfit on Wednesday night. 

Xavi will return to Barcelona as coach at some point in the near future as life at Camp Nou remains part of his DNA, says Javier Saviola.

The Blaugrana legend continues to see a return to his roots mooted at regular intervals after hanging up his boots and stepping into the dugout.

Coaching teeth are being cut in Qatar with Al Sadd, with their top job taken on in 2019 and Xavi has impressed during his time in the Middle East, with his vast experience being put to good use.

The general consensus is that a path back to Barca will be taken at some stage, with an emotional homecoming having been talked up by many.

Any desire to make such a move has been resisted to this point, with early approaches from Catalunya knocked back.

That has allowed the likes of Quique Setien and Ronald Koeman to take the reins, but the former was relieved of his duties after a matter of months and the latter is struggling for consistency.

Presidential elections are also due to be held at Barca on January 24, with a few of those in the running suggesting that they would look to take Xavi back to Camp Nou if given the chance to do so.

Saviola believes it is only a matter of time before the World Cup winner, who made 767 appearances for the Blaugrana in his playing days, embraces the opportunity to fill a demanding post.

“I think he will end up coaching Barcelona, it's his DNA,” former Barca star Saviola told Radio Marca.

“He's developing as a coach to gain experience and prepare for taking over at Camp Nou. I am sure he will choose when and how he returns to Barcelona.”

For now, Koeman continues to call the shots in Catalunya and is looking to establish some much-needed momentum heading into the festive period and New Year.

He will be hoping to have Barca up to full speed and challenging domestically by the time Champions League football returns to the agenda in February.

The Blaugrana have been handed the toughest of last-16 tests in that competition, with Lionel Messi and Co preparing to take in a reunion with Neymar and a star-studded Paris Saint-Germain side.

Saviola added on that eagerly-anticipated contest: “Just the best teams are left now and you can't take any draw for granted.

“Football is very even and any team can make a two-legged tie complicated. I don't think the Champions League will have much to do with league positions for any team.”

Simba SC coach Sven Vandenbroeck has admitted he knew they will face a difficult game against Mbeya City in a Mainland Premier League match on Sunday.

The Wekundu wa Msimbazi were forced to use every trick in the book to edge out Mbeya City 1-0 in a match played at Sokoine Memorial Stadium in Mbeya.

Taifa Stars striker and skipper of the team John Bocco was the hero for the champions after he scored the all-important goal in the first half of the match and despite piling pressure in the second period, the match ended 1-0.

The Belgian tactician has now confessed he was afraid they could lose in the match and has further complimented his players for putting up a good show to come out of the match with three points.

“I give a lot of compliments to my team because we set that this would be a tough match and after 90 minutes, we were right about that,” Vandenbroeck said as quoted by Daily News.

“I am very happy with the defensive, mental, and physical output from my players but I am not happy with the technical part...I think we could have cooled down the game more but three points is all that matters and we will now focus on our Wednesday match against KMC.”

Vandebroeck further admitted that his players struggled to deal with second balls something which slowed down their push for goals.

On his part, Mbeya City coach Mathias Lule blamed missed chances for losing the match to Simba.

“For now, we need to learn how to score goals from the good chances we create. We are going to sit down and find the way forward on how to wisely use the sourced chances.

“We always get a chance to enter into the 18-yard box of our opponents but, the main problem is to put the ball behind the net. We must get a long-lasting solution to this.”

Bocco has now scored eight goals so far in this campaign and is leading the scorers’ chart, and his goal came after an assist from Zambian midfielder Clatous Chama.

Simba are now on 29 points and in second position while Yanga are topping the 18-team table with 37 points from 15 points, but their rivals still have two matches in hand.

Thiago Silva has revealed that Paris Saint-Germain performed a transfer U-turn as he prepared to head for the exits at Parc des Princes, but he had already given his “word” to Chelsea.

The experienced Brazil international spent eight memorable years in the French capital.

Across that spell he took in 315 appearances, landed seven Ligue 1 titles and graced the Champions League final, however, he was allowed to run down his deal towards free agency in 2019-20.

With PSG prepared to let him walk away for nothing, Silva entered into talks with interested parties and eventually agreed to take on a new challenge in England at Stamford Bridge.

His former employers did eventually acknowledge the error of their ways, as the 36-year-old headed for the exits, but it was too late by then for any extension talks to be held.

Silva told Canal Football Club of his departure at PSG: “At the beginning, there was no offer to renew my contract.

“Leonardo called me, told me I wasn’t a part of the club’s project and said I could leave. After the Champions League final, he called me back and asked me if I’d signed with another club. I said no, but I’d given my word to Chelsea.

“For me, the word is the most important. Once you’ve said something, you have to follow through. You can’t change your mind like that. And, I think they changed their mind after the Champions League because I showed my quality.”

Silva’s leadership and defensive nous was on full display during PSG’s historic run through to the 2020 Champions League final, but he had faced questions of his value prior to reaching a continental showpiece.

He admits to feeling disappointed at how he was treated, with a man who has quickly become a key part of Frank Lampard’s plans in west London of the opinion that he was deserving of better.

Silva added: “What saddens me, it’s that I spent eight years there and I was judged on the last three games. Everything I’d done before didn’t matter.

“For me, it’s sad to make a decision like that, but it’s football. That’s how it is. Now I have to look forward and to keep working for Chelsea. It’s a club that deserves it.”

Silva has overcome an early wobble and communication issues at Stamford Bridge to help push Chelsea into Premier League title contention, with his arrival in England forming part of an elaborate summer rebuild from Lampard.

Marquinhos has addressed rumours linking Lionel Messi with Paris Saint-Germain, admitting that the Barcelona superstar is a "great player".

Messi, who has spent his entire career to date at Camp Nou, is approaching the final six months of his current contract at Barca.

The 33-year-old tried to activate a clause in that deal which allows him to leave the club at the end of any season in August, having been powerless to prevent the team from falling to a humiliating Champions League defeat at the hands of Bayern Munich.

However, after considering the potential legal ramifications of forcing through a transfer amid pressure from both Barca and La Liga, Messi ultimately decided to stay put, and has since resumed his role as club captain under new head coach Ronald Koeman.

Speculation over the Argentine's future is still swirling though, with PSG, Manchester City and Inter reportedly leading the race to sign the six-time Ballon d'Or winner.

Parc des Princes talisman Neymar, who played alongside Messi at Camp Nou between 2013 and 2017, fuelled talk of a potential move to France for his former team-mate after starring in a 3-1 win over Manchester United in the Champions League at the start of the month.

Marquinhos has now expressed his admiration towards Messi, while refusing to rule out the possibility of the Argentina international's arrival at PSG in 2021.

"We'll see what happens. At times we are rivals with the national team and at club level. Messi is a great player," the Brazilian defender told beIN Sports.

"We all know what he is capable of and we will see what happens."

Messi will come up against his potential suitors in the Champions League knockout stages, with Barca set to face PSG in the round of 16 for the first time since their stunning comeback victory over the Ligue 1 champions in 2016-17.

The Blaugrana lost the first leg 4-0 in Paris before staging a remarkable turnaround to progress 6-1 on aggregate, and Marquinhos is embracing the challenge of coming up against the Catalan giants on Europe's biggest stage once again.

"It's a great match to play in. It's a great opponent and a great challenge. We expect a great battle and we will have to be prepared for this match," he said.

"We saw the draw; there were not many opponents left, we were ready to see any opponent come out."

Neymar inspired Barca to victory over PSG three years ago, but Marquinhos says his compatriot will be determined to have the same effect for Thomas Tuchel's side when the tie kicks off in February.

"The team has changed a lot at home. We have more maturity, the context will be very different. Neymar hurt us at that time," he added.

"Now he is with us and he really wants to play this match and make us win."

Paris Saint-Germain have emerged as an option for Alejandro ‘Papu’ Gomez to consider as he pushes for the exits at Atalanta, with Goal learning that Angel Di Maria has been in contact with his fellow Argentine.

The talented 32-year-old forward is eager to secure a move during the January transfer window after suffering a breakdown in his working relationship with Atalanta boss Gian Piero Gasperini.

Gomez has vowed to lift the lid on how an alleged bust-up came to pass, but only after he has been freed to head elsewhere.

An internal rift appears to have broken beyond repair, meaning that a switch in 2021 is becoming increasingly likely.

Atalanta would have preferred to avoid parting with their talismanic captain, but they are not about to sever ties with a coach that has guided them into the latter stages of the Champions League in successive seasons.

Gomez is, therefore, having to mull over potential landing spots as he considers taking on a new challenge.

He is wary of hanging around at Atalanta, being frozen out and missing the chance to force his way into Argentina’s plans for the 2021 Copa America.

Offers have already been tabled for his services, with Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Nassr understood to have made a €15 million (£14m/$18m) bid before details of the dispute with Gasperini emerged.

Atalanta accept that, even after tying Gomez to a deal through to 2023, that they would need to do business with a team from Asia in order to generate a sizeable transfer fee – with two teams in China also said to be sniffing around.

Gomez, though, is looking to be granted a free transfer, meaning that Atalanta would avoid the need to pass on 30 per cent of any money generated to his former employers at Catania.

The South American is also eager to remain in Europe, rather than land a lucrative deal further afield.

Staying in Serie A would be his preference, with it possible that Roma and AC Milan could firm up their reported interest in a domestic rival.

San Siro would be a welcome landing spot for Gomez as he would like to remain close to Bergamo, the city he loves and where he has other business interests.

A move outside of Italy is not being ruled out, though, and PSG have entered the equation.

Di Maria, who remains on the books at Parc des Princes, is understood to have sounded out his compatriot and revealed that PSG director Leonardo is a big fan of his playmaking qualities.

The presence of two more Argentines in the French capital, Mauro Icardi and Leandro Paredes, could also work in PSG’s favour, along with the relatively low costs involved in completing a surprising coup.

Orlando Pirates midfielder Thabang Monare has been ruled out of Wednesday’s Premier Soccer League clash against Chippa United at Orlando Stadium.

The former Bidvest Wits star could not go further than the 24th minute after getting injured during last Saturday’s MTN8 triumph over Bloemfontein Celtic and was replaced by match-hero Thembinkosi Lorch.

He will now miss the hosting of the Chilli Boys as he explains the extent of his injury, while also talking about settling in at Pirates whom he joined from Bidvest Wits in October.

“I went to do a scan so nothing is torn or broken. It is just a bone bruise,” Monare told Marawa Sport Worldwide on Radio 2000.

“That is a positive for me to hear so I am now looking forward to recovery and coming back to help the team. I’m not really sure [how long I will be out] but the doctor spoke something like a week or two.

“It feels good [being a starter at Pirates]. Looking at the team, we have a solid squad and for the coach to believe in my abilities it really means a lot also to be involved in a Cup final for a club like Orlando Pirates."

On Wednesday, Pirates who have recorded draws in their last two league matches, will be missing one man in their 'MMM' midfield combination of Monare, Ben Motshwari and Fortune Makaringe.

But Monare plays down that partnership as he draws in other players as being more effective than just the MMM.

“There is a lot of chemistry within the team. A lot of people obviously see us on the field of play but off the field we chill together, talk football, talk ideas together, how to defend, penetrate. We are talking about the game most of the time,” said Monare.

“Most of the things actually happen off the field where we discuss how we can improve each other and ourselves as individuals so that we can help the team moving forward. There are also players like [Linda] Mtambo, [Nkanyiso] Zungu, [Siphesihle] Ndlovu. We have a strong team. Looking at those guys, we have a top team.”

At Pirates, Monare found a number of players he shared the dressing room at Wits with including, Frank Mhango, Motshwari, captain Thulani Hlatshwayo, Terrence Dzvukamanja and Deon Hotto. 

“It’s so good [finding people he played with at Wits]. But right now we are under different instructions at a team where keeping the ball is more important,” Monare said.

“Obviously you have to learn from the guys that have been there and the new management that we are under right now. It makes life easier to work with faces that you once worked with before.”

Harry Kane will be “rubbing his hands together” at the prospect of facing a makeshift Liverpool back line, says John Aldridge, with Jurgen Klopp told he may have to try and “outscore” Tottenham at Anfield on Wednesday.

The Premier League’s top two are due to lock horns on Merseyside in an eagerly-anticipated encounter.

There has been nothing to separate Klopp’s side from Jose Mourinho’s men through 12 games, but an opportunity to establish some daylight at the summit is about to present itself.

Defending champions Liverpool will be going in search of a morale-boosting victory with their options in defence having been decimated by injury.

Joel Matip has joined Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez on the treatment table, with the likes of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson – who are more at home in midfield – being asked to provide cover.

Klopp would have been hoping to avoid such selection posers heading into a crunch clash with fellow title hopefuls, with Aldridge of the opinion that a more adventurous approach may have to be taken against Spurs as Liverpool seek to counter any leaks at the back.

The former Reds striker told the Liverpool Echo: “You'd imagine Harry Kane will be rubbing his hands together given the injury problems at the back we're suffering and he'll probably be fancying himself whoever he's up against on the night.

“Liverpool might find their best approach on the night is simply to try and outscore Spurs.

“The problem you've got against a side like them is if they get the first goal, with the way Jose Mourinho sets his stall out.

“We've seen a few times already this season how difficult they are to break down if they get their noses in front and they're good at making life difficult for the opposition.

“If we get the first goal, it would force them out to come out a bit and it could end up being a really good game but if it's the other way around, it could be shades of Chelsea a few years ago.

“That's the kind of game Mourinho likes to make it so we are going to need some ingenuity from our front three.”

Federation of Uganda Football Association (Fufa) has announced a long term deal with kit company Umbro.

According to a statement on the federation’s official website, the new partnership will run for the next four years and will see Umbro supply both Uganda men and women national teams with high-performance match kits, training, and off-field apparel, as well as equipment.

The new deal will see the reigning Cecafa Cup champions, join seven other African nations in wearing the double diamond – increasing the brand’s sponsorship portfolio to 34 clubs and eight national teams across the continent.

On making the announcement, the federation said: “Fufa announces a new long-term partnership with Umbro as the official technical sponsor of the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa) for the next four years.”

Speaking during the unveiling ceremony, Fufa President Eng. Moses Magogo explained: “Our vision is to become the number one football nation in Africa, on and off the field. Fufa is always looking at creating new partnerships with strong brands. It was therefore simple to choose Umbro.”

Magogo continued: “Umbro has a rich lineage in sports, particularly football. For many years now, it has been showing its dedication and commitment to producing quality products all over the world.

“The continual improvement of the Uganda Cranes has left fans yearning for more and I am confident that the new kits will excite fans much more. The designs are matching the latest global trends and we look forward to unveiling these kits within the new year.”

Umbro CEO David Ricketts from South Africa also said: “We are pleased to be partnering with the Federation of Uganda Football Associations and their affiliated teams.

“Umbro is passionate about the support of African football at all levels and we trust this partnership will transcend beyond kit sponsorship into a meaningful relationship for the team, our brand, and the broader African football community.”

The teams under Fufa in Uganda include Uganda Cranes, the Crested Cranes, Uganda U23 (Kobs), Uganda U20 (Hippos), Uganda U17 (Cubs), Uganda Boys U15, Uganda Women’s U20, Uganda Girls’ U17, and the Sand Cranes (National Beach Soccer Team).

Theo Hernandez has admitted he "can't imagine going back" to Real Madrid, and that he is hoping to stay at Milan "forever".

Hernandez completed a €24 million (£22m/$29m) move to Santiago Bernabeu from Atletico Madrid in 2017, with the Blancos tying the left-back down to a six-year contract after meeting his release clause.

The 23-year-old went on to win four trophies with Madrid, including the Champions League, but was never able to establish himself as a regular in the first team.

The former France U-20 international had only appeared in 23 matches across all competitions when the Spanish champions decided to accept a loss on their initial investment, with Milan snapping him up for €20m (£18m/$24m) in July 2019.

Hernandez has since become a key member of Stefano Pioli's squad, scoring 10 goals in his first 54 games for the Rossoneri, while also contributing nine assists.

The former Madrid starlet's performances have helped Milan rise to the top of the Serie A standings at the start of the 2020-21 campaign, with his latest stellar display coming in a 2-2 draw with Parma at the weekend.

The talented young defender grabbed both goals for Pioli's side as they snatched a point at San Siro, including a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser, with that result ensuring that the 18-time Italian champions are now the only unbeaten club left in Europe's top five leagues.

Ahead of a crucial trip to Genoa on Wednesday, Hernandez has expressed his desire to see out the remainder of his playing days in Milan, while conceding he cannot see himself ever returning to Madrid after his frustrating two-year spell at the Bernabeu.

"I think I'm in the best moment of my career," The Rossoneri star told El Transistor. "I went to Madrid very young.

"It's difficult when you don't get minutes... I can't imagine [going back], I'm really happy here.

"If I could, I'd stay at Milan forever."

Milan are currently three points clear of local rivals Inter at the summit heading into the latest round of Serie A fixtures, with Napoli and defending champions Juventus a point further back in third and fourth respectively.

Juve have won a record nine successive titles in Italy, but the Rossoneri are bidding to dethrone the Andrea Pirlo's side to win their first Scudetto since 2010-11.