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VP Suhair's romance with football started during his school days. He was a district level player by the time he attended high school and was a top scorer at the all-India level in his third year with the University team. 

His brothers played football and that meant he was always involved football-related conversations right from a very young age. One of his brothers is the head coach of the junior team at Gokulam Kerala, one of several clubs that Suhair has had the chance to play for. 

Suhair has been able to show glimpses of his talent several times during his career but it was last season, at Mohun Bagan under Kibu Vicuna, that the striker really came to his own. He scored two goals and started every single I-League match in Bagan's title-winning campaign. 

"Last season with Mohun Bagan was very good. I played almost all the games and many tournaments. I used to play No 10 or No 9. Kibu (Vicuna) helped me play in the role of a winger as well. He is very supportive. If there are mistakes, he will let you know how to correct them," Suhair told Goal .  

He added, "I got a lot of experience from playing a lot of games last season. It also filled me with confidence. I learnt that in football, you don't have to play in a single role in a team."

Suhair started his career with the SBT (State Bank of Travancore) team and then joined Gokulam Kerala after playing in the Santosh Trophy team for Kerala. Satheevan Balan, who was part of the coaching staff of the Kerala state team when Suhair played for them, and Bino George were instrumental in helping the striker launch his professional career. The former helped him get a job in the University education department at Perinthalmanna through the sports quota, a job he undertook in March earlier this year. 

Suhair's football career has alternated between Kerala and Kolkata so far. After representing Kerala in the Santosh Trophy, he joined United SC in the second division. While at the West Bengal club, he scored against East Bengal in the Calcutta Football League (CF) and the next thing he knew, he had offers from both the Kolkata giants. He went on to play for both East Bengal and Mohun Bagan. 

Suhair said, "Both Kerala and Kolkata support football a lot. But in Kolkata, when you play for East Bengal and Mohun Bagan, it is their mother club. You will feel that in wins and losses. I get comments after every game.

"If you win, the respect you get is massive, like a celebrity. In Kerala, they enjoy football but don't irritate you (when you lose). You only have to watch a Kolkata derby to know about their passion," the striker said when asked about how both sets of supporters are. 

With Indian players, especially strikers, struggling for first-team minutes at their respective clubs, Suhair played over 30 matches for the Mariners in all competitions and made a mark under the tutelage of Kibu Vicuna, who has joined Kerala Blasters. 

Suhair lauded the effort of Vicuna, his teammates and the coaching staff in clinching the title last season. "Players did well but the staff deserves a lot of credit for reading the opposition well last season. The coach was able to keep the players together. Coach used to say that defeat is part of the job but it is about moving on and focusing on the next game. He was ready to take up responsibility if something went wrong. 

"When I couldn't score that many goals, he told me that I was not only in the team for scoring and that he wanted me to work for the group. He used to tell me to not read too much into the comments by fans and focus on the job and not get distracted."

After an impressive, title-winning campaign, it wouldn't be surprising to see Suhair take the next step in his career and play in the Indian Super League (ISL) soon. It will be nothing less than what he deserves. 

Former India international goalkeeper Subrata Paul jumped ship this season to join Hyderabad FC, his fourth Indian Super League (ISL) club in six seasons.

Hyderabad FC, which was formed just a year back, have managed to rope in the seasoned campaigner who has vast experience at the top tier of Indian football. He was also part of Jamshedpur FC when they started off in the ISL in the 2017-18 season.

Speaking to Goal, Paul revealed what convinced him to take a new challenge and join another newbie in the ISL.

“The name Hyderabad will always remain synonymous with Indian football’s history. Over the years, it has produced so many International stars, and the club’s quest to revive glory days has personally appealed to me a lot.

“Unfortunately, all these years we didn’t have a club from the ‘City of Pearls,’ and now that we have one, it didn’t take me long to decide on moving to Hyderabad FC. Hyderabad’s love and passion for football is folklore and I look forward to all the fans to back their team and stand by them.”

Hyderabad has a very rich history of football but for long the city has craved for a top tier club. Teams like Hyderabad City Police had dominated the Indian football scenario in the 1950s and 60s. Legends like Syed Abdul Rahim, Tulsidas Balram, Peter Thangaraj and more have come from the state, an indicator of the rich footballing history in Hyderabad.

Paul hopes that Hyderabad FC can become one of the best clubs in the country in the near future.

Speaking about his personal targets and expectations from his new club, Paul said, “The management have been proactive and even as the Covid-19 pandemic have kept all of us indoors, they have been making the right choices laying the foundation stone for a better season ahead.

“The support from the management is there and the players need to be reciprocal. The players need to repay their faith by winning on the field, as much they have been working and planning so meticulously for glory.

“As players, we will make every team sweat that extra bit when they play us. We won’t be pushovers at any cost. The ultimate aim is to turn the club into one of the best in the country. Obviously it cannot happen in a day, but I want to play a significant role in making that start and belief.”

The former Mohun Bagan custodian also suggested that he is looking forward to playing under coach Albert Roca and outlined the respect he has for the Spaniard. He is looking forward to taking Hyderabad to the heights of Indian football.

“Coach Albert Roca is a seasoned campaigner and his inputs and coaching will surely help the club propel forward. Having a coach like him is an asset, but there’s also a flip side for the players. Even as much he will be guiding us, he will always be demanding that extra level from the players. He is someone who hates to lose and we as players need to understand the intellect ourselves with his coaching philosophy.

Paul is yet to win a league title in his career and he is hoping his stint at Hyderabad brings him that elusive title.

“On a personal level, I have always seen and watched him from the rival 18-yard box. Despite being in the rival team, I have had high regards for him when he earlier came into the ISL. But as players, we cannot leave it or expect the coach to win it for us. We need to back him, and not let him down. To me, he is the perfect choice for the club.”

Juventus director Fabio Paratici said Arthur has to be "convinced" about swapping Barcelona for Turin after confirming negotiations with the La Liga champions.

Arthur has been at the centre of a possible swap deal involving Juve midfielder Miralem Pjanic , though the Barca star is reportedly unwilling to leave Camp Nou.

Paratici provided an update on the situation prior to Juve's 2-0 victory over Bologna in Serie A on Monday.

"We have spoken frequently with Barcelona, but at this moment all the teams are playing important games, so we preferred to bypass this period," Paratici told Sky Sport Italia.

"It's not about June 30, before or after, but about finding an agreement between the various parties, and both players have to be convinced. Therefore, it's not an issue about dates."

Arthur joined Spanish giants Barca from boyhood Brazilian club Gremio in 2018.

The 23-year-old, who impressed in his maiden campaign, has made 26 appearances and scored four goals in all competitions this season.

Earlier this month, Barcelona coach Quique Setien admitted there had been discussions about the Brazil international's future .

"It is true that we have talked about something, but not too much," Setien said when asked about Arthur.

"The current circumstances are different from the usual ones and will affect the market.

"As for the players, I am clear that all those who are currently in the squad, I count on them and I need everyone because there are going to be many games.

"On outside speculation, I choose not to speak."

Arthur made clear his desire to remain with Barcelona back in April; he was previously suggested as a transfer target for Inter.

In a statement sent to  Mundo Deportivo  , he said: "There will always be speculation but, sincerely, my idea is very clear. The only option that interests me is to continue at Barcelona.

"I'm very secure and relaxed. I feel really well here and, plus, I'm grateful to the club and technical staff for their confidence. This is yet another reason to be totally clear that my only desire is to continue."

Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo overtook Rui Costa to become the leading Portuguese scorer in Serie A history on Monday.

Ronaldo slotted a first-half penalty down the middle in Juve's 2-0 win over Bologna, a result that saw the Bianconeri move four points clear at the top of the table.

The goal was Ronaldo's 22nd in Serie A this season, one more than the 21 he managed in his debut campaign in Turin following his move from Real Madrid in 2018.

In reaching 43 goals, the 35-year-old also moved beyond Rui Costa as the Portuguese player with the most goals in Italy's top flight.

Rui Costa spent eight years in Serie A, playing for Fiorentina and then Milan between 1994 and 2006.

Former Manchester United star Ronaldo remains the top Portuguese scorer in Premier League history having scored 84 times in 196 appearances.

He is the also the leading Portuguese scorer in La Liga history having registered 311 goals in 292 appearances for Real Madrid, where he is the all-time leading scorer.

Only Ronaldo's great personal rival Barcelona captain Lionel Messi has scored more La Liga goals.

Ronaldo has been criticised recently after missing a penalty against Milan in the Coppa Italia semi-final and struggling to have an impact in the final versus Napoli.

Former Italy international Luca Toni described Ronaldo's performance in the last four of the Coppa Italia as 'average'.

"I saw the a whole Juventus team in difficulty, even Cristiano Ronaldo, who looked like an average player in what was a very slow match,” Toni told Rai Sport after the Milan clash.

"You expect a big performance from him but he looked like he was experiencing physical difficulties – he couldn't even dribble a man."

Ronaldo's sister took to Instagram after the match to stick up for her brother, stating that he can't always be expected to win matches on his own.

She said: “What else can you do? It is what it is and my darling can't work miracles alone. I can't understand how they played like that. Anyway, keep your head up. You can't do more, my king.”

The Coppa Italia final loss marks the only time in Ronaldo's career that he has lost two successive finals, having been defeated by Lazio in the Supercoppa Italiana at the tail end of 2019.

Diego Simeone believes Atletico Madrid's defensive resilience is merely a by-product of the players' commitment to his footballing vision.

Atleti edged a 1-0 win over Real Valladolid on Saturday, the first time they have recorded back-to-back La Liga victories since beating Real Betis and Levante either side of the mid-season break.

A return encounter against the latter opponents is up next for Los Colchoneros, whose previous away fixture ended in a 5-0 shellacking of Osasuna.

The departures of Diego Godin and Lucas Hernandez last year forced Simeone to remodel his backline, with Stefan Savic and Jose Gimenez stepping up to form a fine alliance at centre-back, while Kieran Trippier and Renan Lodi have proved shrewd full-back additions.

Backed up by the exceptional Jan Oblak between the posts, Atletico have only been breached 22 times in 30 La Liga games in 2019-20, although Simeone insists he is reluctant to rely too much on this obduracy.

"There will always be mistakes, all teams make mistakes," he told a pre-match news conference.

"We must try to be focused and, with the best security we can offer the team, we have rotated.

"I am still convinced that the team's strength is the emotional convention of the group. This will be the way to reach the goals we want."

That goal, at least until August's mini-tournament in Lisbon to conclude this season's competition comes around, is securing qualification for the Champions League with a top-four finish.

The weekend result left Atleti in third, level on points with Sevilla immediately behind them and six better off than Valencia down in eighth.

More sparkling form from Joao Felix would certainly strengthen their hand after the Portugal youngster notched a brace as Osasuna were torn apart.

"He is a different player," Simeone said of the €120million recruit, who has endured a mixed debut campaign in La Liga.

"We have always valued him, we have seen him in training and in games. Surely, when he grows up and can spend more time in situations that are decisive for the team, he will continue to evolve.

"He has all the important qualities to break a game. With his growth in the game he will grow even more as a footballer."

Experience is certainly not something Joao Felix's boss lacks.

If Atleti are victorious against Levante, Simone will equal Luis Aragones as the coach with the most La Liga victories for the club.

"I did not know about this and, as I have already said, I do not stop on the path we are going through," he added.

"This is not the time to stop and look in the mirror; it is only time to work, win and continue in the best possible way."

Opportunity has been limited for Mamelodi Sundowns' Sammy Seabi, but the midfielder has vowed to remain patient as he waits to play a key role in his new team's bid for a third straight Premier Soccer League title.

Seabi arrived at Chloorkop at the start of the current season from Polokwane City and has managed just five appearances across all competitions in his debut season at Sundowns.

While he is regarded by coach Pitso Mosimane as a player for the future, Seabi’s progress at Sundowns has been blocked by seasoned campaigners like captain Hlompho Kekana, Andile Jali and Tiyani Mabunda.

However, the midfielder believes that he is on the correct path to establish himself as a regular in the team at the PSL giants.

“One thing about me is that I am a patient person. It hasn’t been so long since I joined the team and I was still fitting in,” Seabi told the club website, "but so far so good.

"I know my time will come very soon. I just need to put more effort," he added. "My target now is to help the team fully to reach our goals and to win the league as well as the other cup competitions.”

Winning his first PSL title in his maiden season with the Brazilians appears a strong possibility, with second-placed Sundowns four points behind leaders log leaders Kaizer Chiefs who have played a game more.

If the season resumes, Mosimane’s men will have nine games to play in their title defence.

Although Seabi has earned limited gametime to far, it has been a season full of experience while travelling with the team around Africa for Caf Champions League matches.

“It was a very good feeling to be part of the team because it was my first time. I had never played [in the] Caf [Champions League] and for me being part of the team was great,” said Seabi. “I appreciate the opportunity [to travel to with the squad] and believe I will help the team to achieve more and more.

"I must also add that the atmosphere there was super, so it was really a great feeling, I must say, and I can’t wait to feature.”

Seabi arrived at Downs with four seasons experience of PSL football with Polokwane City.

Ramon Azeez made the Granada starting XI and was able to claim a point in a 0-0 draw with Kenneth Omeruo’s Leganes on Monday night in La Liga.

The 27-year old Nigerian midfielder has been involved in the Andalusian outfit's last two games against Real Betis and Samuel Chukwueze’s Villarreal, both games ending in a 2-2 draw and 1-0 defeat respectively. He had been an unused substitute in the 2-1 win over Oghenekaro Etebo’s Getafe at the restart of league activities.

For Omeruo, he was completing 90 minutes for the third time since the league restart, failing to get any minutes only in one game which was a 2-0 defeat away to giants Barcelona last week.

This match at the Estadio Butarque did not have much action, but it was a little feisty with eight yellow cards being produced, four for both teams.

Omeruo was strong defensively, making four clearances, six interceptions, and had 100% success with his aerial duels, winning three in three. The 26-year old also had 49 touches, 27 accurate passes at 77% and accurately play four out of eight long balls.

The 2013 Africa Cup of Nations winner has clocked 1,781 minutes of football in the Basque Country this season after arriving on a permanent deal from Chelsea having spent the previous campaign on loan.

Azeez meanwhile only played in the first half and made 23 touches, 15 accurate passes (88%) while being accurate with one long ball, aerial duel and ground duel.

He has played a total of 23 games for Granada this season scoring two goals, one of them which was in a famous 2-0 victory over Barcelona on September 21, 019, and providing another two assists.

Another Nigerian and defence partner of Omeruo in Chidozie Awaziem was an unused substitute in this game having played the opening three games since the restart. The 23-year old made a costly error that led to the first goal in a 2-1 home defeat to Valladolid.

Awaziem has made a total of 21 La Liga apperances for Leganes since joining on loan from FC Porto. The Enugu-born defender was previously on the books of Nantes and Rizepor also on loan.

Leganes remain rooted in 19th position on the table and are four points away from safety. Granada meanwhile are in a comfortable ninth spot with 43 points.

Papiss Cisse netted his 17th Turkish Super Lig goal of the season as Alanyaspor played out a 2-2-2 draw with Trabzonspor, both teams getting a man sent off.

Erol Bulut’s team came into the match on the back of a 4-0 win over Antalyaspor, Cisse bagging a hat-trick.

Trabzonspor took the lead this time through Abdulkadir Omur in the seventh minute of play with the assist coming from Alexander Sorloth.

Cisse went on to equalise for Alanyaspor in added time of the first half, connecting with Fabrice N’Sakala’s cross and firing the ball in.

The visitors restored their lead six minutes after the restart with Omur turning provider for Filip Novak before Tasos Bakasetas made it 2-2 in the 90th minute.

The game was noteworthy for Trabzonspor’s Majid Hosseini seeing a straight red card for a foul in the 79th minute while DR Congo left-back N’Sakala got his own marching orders four minutes later for a second booking.

Cisse played for the entire duration of the match and produced a total of three shots, his goal being the only one target while he won eight of 14 total duels.

The 35-year old Senegalese is the second-highest goalscorer in the Super Lig this season, behind Sorloth who has 19 goals.

The former Newcastle United man has been very agile this term as he has featured 26 times in the top-flight, completing 90 minutes on 21 occasions, coming off the bench twice and being an unused substitute just once.

Cisse’s fine goalscoring form saw him score in four consecutive matches at the start of the season all of them ending in victories against Kayserispor, Kasimpasa, Yeni Malatyaspor and at home to giants Fenerbahce where he scored a brace in a 3-1 win.

He then went on a six-game scoring spree between December 23, 2019 and February 8, 2020 with all the games ending in wins for Alanyaspor bar the return fixture away to Fenerbahce ending in a 1-1 draw.

Alanyaspor are a point ahead and place above Fener on the log and still have a realistic chance of European qualification with six points separating them and Galatasaray after 28 games.

They travel next to the Gursel Aksel Stadium to tackle Goztepe.

Pep Guardiola fears that Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero may miss the rest of the season after he limped out of the 5-0 victory over Burnley with a knee injury.

Aguero was caught just before half-time by Burnley captain Ben Mee but Guardiola revealed that he has been struggling with a knee problem since returning from lockdown.

The 32-year-old striker will go for tests on Tuesday but the City boss confirmed he will be miss the next few games but is worried he could be out for the rest of the campaign, including the end-of-season Champions League tournament in Lisbon.

"It doesn’t look good. We will see tomorrow exactly what he has but it doesn't look good for the season," Guardiola said in his virtual post-match press conference.

"He was struggling the last month with a problem in his knee and now he felt something but it doesn’t look good. 

"The doctor says it will take time. A few games [out] for sure but maybe tomorrow the tests he will get good news. We will see."

Guardiola  said before the beginning of Project Restart that he was worried about the potential of injuries because of clubs' lack of preparation.

City got through the first game against Arsenal, although the visitors suffered setbacks to Granit Xhaka and Pablo Mari.

Foden, who scored twice in the win over Burnley, also had ice strapped to his left thigh after being substituted but said he had taken a kick to his leg. Guardiola praised the 20-year-old's performance but again challenged him to get even better.

"When Phil plays, he’s never played badly," the City boss said. "Especially his behaviour and his attitude. It doesn’t matter if he plays or doesn’t play, he loves to play football.

"You can see on his Instagram, when he is on a day off he is with his friends with the ball. He loves being the first out for a training session with the ball, he loves to play and every time he has played since he was promoted to play with us, he has always been a high level. 

"But we cannot forget he is 19 or 20 and he has to improve. He will be an important player for our next decade at this club. The minutes he has, he deserves it."

Riyad Mahrez has now scored at least ten goals across all competitions in five successive seasons having found the net twice in Manchester City’s 5-0 defeat of Burnley on Monday night.

2014-15 was the last time he failed to reach that mark – accounting for just four league goals in 30 appearances.

The 29-year-old found the net twice at the Etihad Stadium as the Citizens held firm to the second spot in the English topflight log – a feat that ended his wait for a goal in the competition since January 2020.

With that, he has now scored nine Premier League goals so far including one each in the Champions League and the English Football League Cup to bring his tally this season to 11 goals.

Phil Foden handed Pep Guardiola’s men a 22nd minute lead before he Algeria international made it two in the 43rd minute.

He profited from a brilliant pass from Fernandinho before firing home across goalkeeper Nick Pope after disturbing Charlie Taylor.

Two minutes later, Mahrez made it three from the penalty spot after a VAR review showed Ben Mee was slightly late into his challenge on Sergio Aguero.

Aguero limped out of the action as a result of that incident but it did nothing to halt City's momentum, with Foden once again instrumental in the 51st minute – freeing Bernardo Silva with a nice reverse pass. David Silva was the beneficiary among those queueing up to score before the youngster completed his double on an impressive night.

After putting in a brilliant shift, he was replaced by Kevin De Bruyne in the 61st minute by manager Guardiola.

Mahrez joined Leicester from Le Havre in January 2014 and helped them to a first-place finish in the Championship.

Two years later, he was named PFA Player of the Year after scoring 17 goals and setting up a further 10 as they won the Premier League title.

The 2016 African Player of the Year winner joined the Manchester-based outfit for £60 million (€68m/$80m) on a five-year deal on July 10, 2018.

Since joining the Etihad Stadium outfit, he has won one Premier League title, one FA Cup, one Community Shield and two English Football League Cup diadems.

Manchester City are on the road at Chelsea on Thursday, when Burnley host Watford.

AC Milan’s return to Serie A action started on a very bright note as they saw off Lecce 4-1 at the Stadio Via del Mare on Monday night with Franck Kessie and Ismael Bennacer both playing.

Before the suspension of the league in March due to coronavirus, the Rossoneri claimed just one victory in four matches, losing two at home against fierce rivals Inter Milan and then Genoa.

They started on the front foot here with Samuel Castillejo getting assisted by Hakan Calhanoglu in the 26th minute.

Lecce came back with Marco Mancosu scoring from the penalty spot, but it was all Milan from there as Giacomo Bonaventura, Ante Rebic and Rafael Leao all got their names on the scoresheet.

Kessie and Bennacer played a double pivot role in midfield with the former playing for 87 minutes while the latter completed the game.

The Ivory Coast international had an impressive 84 touches and 68 accurate passes at 90%. He also had two shots, won three of six total duels, two interceptions and two clearances.

Bennacer, meanwhile, had 99 touches, 80 accurate passes at 92% and successfully played four of five long balls. The 22-year old also made two tackles, three interceptions and won five of 10 total duels.

Both Kessie and Bennacer have been very key for Milan this season, clocking 1,933 and 1,710 minutes of top-flight action.

Kessie has one goal and assist, the goal coming in a 2-1 win at Genoa while his assist was in the 4-2 defeat by Inter.

Bennacer has been a very tough player with 12 yellow cards which have earned him two suspensions. The 2019 Africa Cup of Nations winner has ghd most yellows in the Serie A this season, joint with Bologna’s Mattia Bani also on 12.

Milan remain in seventh place and are now tied on 39 points with sixth-placed Napoli for the final European qualification berth. The Partenopei play Hellas Verona at the Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi on Tuesday evening.

Milan will host Roma at the San Siro next on June 28. The Giallorossi claimed a 2-1 win in the reverse fixture at the Stadio Olimpico on October 27, 2019.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic's future at Milan will remain up in the air until the end of the season, according to the club's director of football Frederic Massara.

The prolific forward, who sealed a return to the club for a second spell in January, has yielded four goals in 10 games across all competitions since he arrived back at San Siro.

Though he picked up a calf injury in training last month, he is expected to recover in time to play a part in the Rossoneri's run-in to the current Serie A campaign.

At 38, Ibrahimovic is fast approaching the twilight of his playing days, if not already into it, and questions have been asked over whether he has a future at the club.

Now, director Massara has revealed that there will be no answers until the campaign is concluded, though the former Pavia man paid tribute to the Sweden international's talents while doing so, hailing him as an extraordinary talent.

"Ibrahimovic is a champion," he told Sky Sport Italia . "The team [has] improved a great deal with his arrival but, come the end of the season, we need to sit down and discuss the situation, including his own state of mind.

"He wanted to help Milan during a difficult time for the club. It goes without saying that any team is improved by having Ibrahimovic in it as he is a phenomenal player."

Ibrahimovic, who won five consecutive Serie A crowns with Milan's major rivals Juventus and Inter between 2004 and 2009, before later lifting the Scudetto during his first spell with the Rossoneri, is over two decades into his career now and remains widely regarded as one of the finest talents of his generation.

Elsewhere, Massara admitted that a return to European competition remains imperative for Milan, with the club having been excluded from continental football this season due to a violation of the financial fair play rules.

They currently trail Hellas Verona in the race for a seat at the table but the director remains hopeful they can achieve their goal while not falling foul of restrictions this time.

“Milan cannot stay outside Europe for long, so qualification is absolutely a primary objective for us," he added.

“Our united idea is to get Milan back to the top of Italian and European football. There are some parameters we need to stay within, but we don’t want to give up on being competitive."

Burnley defender Ben Mee condemned a banner flown above the club's match with Manchester City on Monday, saying that he was "ashamed and embarrassed" of what he saw at the Etihad Stadium.

Just moments after players took a knee to support the Black Lives Matter movement, a banner reading "White Lives Matter Burnley" was flown above the stadium.

Mee was seen pointing out the banner to the referee, with players on the field clearly aware of what was being flown above them.

And, after the match, Mee had strong words for whoever chose to display the message, telling them to "educate themselves" about the world around them.

"It was a tough night. We can talk about football but there is something I would like to speak about first and that is the plane and banner flying over the stadium," he told Sky Sports. 

"I am ashamed and embarrassed that a small number of our fans have decided to fly that around the stadium. It is not what we are about. They have missed what we are trying to achieve.

"These people need to come into the 21st century and educate themselves. They don't represent what we are about, the club is about, the players are about and the majority of fans are about.

"I've heard it is a small number that have arranged this and I hope it doesn't happen again. I don't want to associate it with my cub. I don't want to see this in the game.

"It is not right. We totally condemn it. These people can learn and be taught what Black Lives Matter is trying to achieve.

"The players have pulled together and this is what we want, what the majority of fans want - equality in society and in football, everything, be it race, religion, gender, LGBTQ community.

"The players have pulled together and we want to make a stand against this for all minorities."

Burnley went on to lose the match 5-0, with Phil Foden stealing the show as Manchester City made it two wins from two since returning to play.

But, after the match, Mee was more concerned with what happened above the pitch than what happened on it.

"It made a big impact on our players. We, as a group of players, condemn it. We're ashamed, we're embarrassed," he told BBC Radio. "It completely misses the point of what we're trying to achieve as a football community.

"As a group of players we're really ashamed. It's a minority of our supporters and I know I speak for the main part of our supporters – we absolutely distance ourselves from any sort of thing like that. It's a real shame to see and it definitely had a massive effect on us to see that in the sky.

"We were embarrassed, we were disappointed, upset. It misses the whole point of what we're trying to do as a group of players throughout the Premier League, throughout society and the whole Black Lives Matter movement and community."

He added: "Embarrassing. The fact that they've tried to associate it with our club – it doesn't belong anywhere near our club. We definitely want to move as far away from it as possible. Fans like that don't deserve to be around football."

Manchester City will return to play on Thursday for a match against Chelsea, while Mee and Burnley host Watford on the same day.

Phil Foden has admitted he was happy to see his training efforts had not been in vain after he played a starring role in Manchester City's 5-0 rout of Burnley in the Premier League.

The midfielder bagged a brace and was instrumental in the rest of his side's goals - including a sensational no-look pass for David Silva's second-half finish - as Pep Guardiola's side made it two wins from two since the return of football in England following a three-month enforced break because of Covid-19.

The 20-year-old opened the scoring with a sterling strike from outside the box after 22 minutes and concluded it with less than half-an-hour to go with a close-range finish past goalkeeper Nick Pope at the left post following a fast press from the hosts.

Foden also teed up Riyad Mahrez's first goal of the game just ahead of half-time when he floated a wonderful long ball to the Algeria international, but it was his delivery in the build up to Silva's effort six minutes after the break that drew even greater plaudits.

The result delivered an emphatic scoreline for the champions, whose barnstorming form over their first two games back has served as a warning shot to their domestic and European rivals as the club continues to chase silverware in the FA Cup and Champions League.

Speaking after the game, Foden admitted he felt he may have played his best game for the club against the Clarets, while paying tribute to the coaching staff's tight drills during training as proving instrumental to both his goals and eye-catching assist.

"It is always good to play a part," he told Sky Sports post-match. "I am enjoying my football. The main thing is getting the result and how the time are playing. We are sharp.

"It is down to the whole team wanting to work hard. No matter who the manager puts it they do a job.

"We have a set-piece coach and have been working hard on short corners and defending as well so it is good when it comes off.

"We worked on the set-piece to draw players out as well so I already knew where to play the pass. I am just glad it came off.

"I'd like to think that was my best game in a City shirt. I am still learning every day but I am happy to put performances in like that."

Foden is widely seen by many as the natural successor to Silva, but the player himself refused to be drawn on the matter, adding: "How he plays today, he is unbelievable. I don't want to think about it. I am just enjoying playing with him. He is a legend of the game."

Cristiano Ronaldo was on target as Juventus marked their return to Serie A action with a 2-0 win over Bologna at Stadio Renato Dall'Ara on Monday.

Maurizio Sarri's side shrugged off the disappointment of their Coppa Italia final defeat to Napoli last week, Ronaldo setting them on their way from the penalty spot in the 23rd minute in their first top-flight game since March 8.

Dybala added a superb second before half-time, whipping into the top corner from outside the penalty area, while Ronaldo and Federico Bernardeschi came close to adding further goals after the interval before Danilo was sent off in stoppage time.

The result moves the reigning champions four points clear of Lazio at the Serie A summit, although Simone Inzaghi's side will have the chance to cut the gap back to one point when they travel to Atalanta on Wednesday.

Juve started on the front foot, with Ronaldo forcing Lukasz Skorupski into a smart stop inside the opening 10 minutes.

The forward got the better of the Bologna goalkeeper midway through the opening period, though, slotting down the middle from the penalty spot after a VAR review deemed that Stefano Denswil pulled Matthijs de Ligt's shirt from a corner.

The visitors doubled their advantage in sumptuous style nine minutes before the break, Dybala sweeping into the top corner from 20 yards after a superb backheeled flick by Bernardeschi.

Ronaldo prodded wide shortly after the restart when clean through, while Bernardeschi crashed a 20-yard effort against the post moments later.

Juve were content to play out the second half at a pedestrian pace, though a Ronaldo effort fizzed past the post.

Ronaldo then saw a late strike ruled out for offside, while substitute Danilo received his marching orders in stoppage time after picking up a second booking for a foul on Musa Juwara.

What does it mean? Bianconeri back to their best

Juve had failed to score in both of their Coppa Italia matches since returning to action following the lengthy absence caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

They were back to their ruthless best against Sinisa Mihajlovic's side, however, putting the game to bed by half-time thanks to Ronaldo and a sublime strike from Dybala.

Dybala too hot to handle

The Argentina international was a handful for the Bologna defence throughout, bamboozling them with incisive movement and an array of smart touches. His eighth league goal of the season was one to savour.

Bologna rue Denswil's lapse

The hosts' hard work keeping Juve at bay was undone by a moment of madness from Denswil. His tug on De Ligt's shirt was unnecessary and proved costly when Ronaldo put away the penalty.

Key Opta Facts

- Juventus have won 13 of their last 14 encounters against Bologna in Serie A (D1), keeping nine clean sheet in this run.

- Bologna have conceded for 22 consecutive games in the top flight for the first time in their history.

- Dybala and Ronaldo have played 68 games together in all competitions: however this is only the third time they have scored in the same match (previously v Frosinone in February 2019 and v Sampdoria in December 2019).

- Ronaldo is now the leading Portuguese goal scorer in Serie A (43 goals), overtaking Rui Costa.

What's next?

Sarri's side host struggling Lecce on Friday, while Bologna travel to Sampdoria on Sunday.

Alfred Duncan played for 67 minutes with Fiorentina picking up a point after a 1-1 draw against Brescia at the Artemio Franchi on Monday night.

The Ghana international – who is a loan signing from Sassuolo prior to the game made it clear that it was fundamental for the men in purple to get three points on their turf, particularly as they were on a three-match unbeaten run before the Serie A was suspended in March because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Fiorentina, however, started on the back foot with Alfredo Donnarumma giving Brescia the lead in the 17th minute after Daniele Dessena was brought down in the box by Martin Caceres, the Uruguayan getting a yellow card for his action.

Giuseppe Iachini’s men responded back 12 minutes later with German Pezzella's equaliser via an Erick Pulgar assist.

Caceres got sent off in the 70th minute for a second bookable after tripping Ernesto Torregrossa outside the penalty box which resulted in a free-kick.

Fiorentina boss Iachini was infuriated by the decision to send Caceres off and got a red card himself which made him watch the rest of the game from the stands.

Duncan was taken off and replaced by Leicester City loanee and Algeria international Rachid Ghezzal who contributed 28 touches on the ball, 18 accurate passes at 85% and winning two of four ground duels.

It makes the fourth consecutive match the 27-year old would play with Fiorentina not losing any (one win, three draws).

Ghezzal on his path only lasted six minutes on the pitch as he was taken off for Nikola Milenkovic in a tactical switch due to Caceres’ red card. He still managed to make four touches, one accurate pass, one clearance and win one aerial duel.

The former Lyon winger has played 13 times for Fiorentina in all competitions this term, providing an assist in a 2-0 win over Citadella in the fourth round of the Coppa Italia in March.

The Viola’s failure to win on their turf keeps them in 13th place and just six points clear of the relegation zone.

They will face a tricky test when they travel to Rome to tackle second-placed Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico on June 27.

Sevilla strengthened their grip on third spot in the Spanish elite division thanks to a 2-2 draw versus Villarreal at the Estadio de la Ceramica.

Los Nervionenses came into the encounter having played out draws against Levante and Barcelona in their last two games – and despite conceding twice against the hosts, they got one point which extended their unbeaten run in LaLiga to eight.

Villarreal manager Javi Calleja made six changes to the starting XI that got a 1-0 victory at Granada on Friday.

Returning captain Paco Alcacer handed the hosts an 18th-minute lead off a rebound of Tomas Vaclik’s safe from Andre Anguissa head.

The visitors levelled matters in the 39th minute after Sergio Escudero left-footed shot from the edge of the box beat goalkeeper Asenjo.

With the first-half heading for a 1-1 draw, Pau Torres headed home a well-executed corner kick from Santi Carzola in the 45th minute.

Eight minutes into the second-half, Munir El Haddadi levelled matters with a sumptuous strike having received a pass from impressive Jesus Navas.

Both teams pushed further for more goals, nevertheless, the game finished on a no winner, no vanquished note.

The result is a setback for Villarreal who were in dire need of a win to boost their chances of picking a ticket to next season’s Champions League. They are sixth in the log having garnered 48 points from 31 outings.

For Julen Lopetegui’s Sevilla, a point strengthened their grip on qualifying for Europe’s elite club competition next term. They sit in third place with 53 points – 12 points below leaders Real Madrid.

The tie was Samuel Chukwueze’s 30th league game of the season with three goals to his credit – albeit he was replaced in the 72nd minute by Javier Ontiveros.

On-loan Fulham and Cameroon midfielder Anguissa was on parade from start to finish while there was no place for Morocco’s Sofian Chakla was an unused substitute.

Youssef En-Nesyri was handed a starting role for the visitors, nevertheless, he made way for Luuk de Jong with nine minutes left to play. His compatriot Yassine Bounou who is on-loan from Girona was an unused sub.

Villarreal host Valencia in their next tie on Sunday as Sevilla welcome Real Valladolid to Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on Friday.

Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez helped themselves to two goals apiece as Manchester City ran up a 5-0 Premier League win over Burnley.

Sean Dyche only being able to name seven substitutes – including two goalkeepers – suggested his team were ill-equipped for the task at hand, and so it proved.

There was little doubt over the outcome from the moment Foden produced a sweetly struck 22nd-minute opener.

Mahrez and David Silva scored beautifully constructed goals either side of the former slotting home a penalty in first-half stoppage time.

Foden, who also completed the scoring in last Wednesday's 3-0 victory over Arsenal, was on target again in the 63rd minute and City's win means Liverpool's title wait will go on a little longer.

Jurgen Klopp's men cannot mathematically be confirmed as champions when they host Crystal Palace this week, with their mammoth lead trimmed to 20 points.

City initially lacked tempo and struggled to get in behind a deep-lying Burnley defence, something Foden took out of the equation by arrowing a stunning 25-yard strike into the bottom-right corner.

A glorious raking pass from Fernandinho was met with a deft first touch from Mahrez that allowed him to torment Charlie Taylor before firing home across Nick Pope right footed.

The Burnley goalkeeper guessed correctly but could not prevent the Algeria international from making it 3-0 from the spot, after a VAR review showed Ben Mee was fractionally late into his challenge on Sergio Aguero.

Aguero hobbled out of the action as a result of that incident but it did nothing to check City's momentum, with Foden once again instrumental in the 51st minute – releasing Bernardo Silva with a delicious reverse pass. David Silva was the beneficiary among those queueing up to score.

Kevin De Bruyne's introduction in place of Mahrez with an hour played was a sorry sight for the beleaguered visitors and the Belgium star scythed through midfield in his typical manner, feeding Bernardo Silva whose low cross was touched towards Foden by Gabriel Jesus for another fine finish.

During the match, Burnley issued a statement to strongly condemn those responsible for a plane flown over the Etihad Stadium carrying a banner that read "White Lives Matter Burnley".

What does it mean? Life after Sane for City

Pep Guardiola's confirmation that Bayern Munich-bound Leroy Sane - a late substitute for Foden - will not sign a new contract at the club made headlines on Friday and his suggestion he might not seek a replacement for the Germany winger raised eyebrows among some of the City faithful. The men in possession certainly made their case, with Foden deployed in the left-wing berth where Sane excelled and Mahrez locating the devastating Leicester City form he has only shown sparingly since moving to Manchester.

Foden fans expectations once more

Such is Foden's status, as a homegrown talent and a boyhood fan of a club where the route from the academy to the first team has been largely blocked over the past decade, considerable scrutiny awaits his every appearance. The fact he thrives under this microscope suggests a temperament to match his talent. Across 12 starts in all competitions this term, the England Under-21 playmaker has four goals and seven assists.

Behind-the-scenes ructions sell Dyche short

Burnley rarely looked like a side heading into this match on a seven-match unbeaten run in the Premier League. The coronavirus hiatus obviously robbed them of that momentum but Dyche certainly deserved better than having a chunk of first-team regulars unavailable due to contract brinkmanship. He made his displeasure with the situation fairly clear before kick-off and a third consecutive 5-0 thrashing on this ground will have done little for his mood. The Burnley board must act judiciously to patch up relations with a man who is unquestionably their most valuable asset.

Key Opta Facts

- City have scored five or more goals on 17 different occasions in the Premier League since Pep Guardiola joined at the start of the 2016-17 campaign; eight more than any other side.
- Burnley suffered their joint-highest margin of defeat in a Premier League game, only conceding more goals once before in the competition (6-1 versus City in April 2010).
- Burnley are the first side to have as many as 10 English starters in a Premier League game since Middlesbrough in May 2006 (10 against Fulham).
- Bernardo Silva has assisted four of Manchester City's nine Premier League goals against Burnley this season. The last player to provide as many assists against a side in a single campaign was Christian Eriksen against Stoke City in 2016-17 (four).

What's next?

City are on the road at Chelsea on Thursday, when Burnley host Watford.