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Ian Wright has revealed that he has been subject to “terrifying” and “daily” abuse on his social media channels.

Only Thierry Henry has scored more goals for Arsenal than Wright, who turned out for the Gunners between 1991 and 1998 and netted 185 times for the club in 228 appearances, but the ex-striker is now known as a respected pundit.

Still in the public eye, Wright has found himself a target for online trolls in the wake of his tweeting support of the Black Lives Matter movement, which aims to promote equality.

He took to Twitter on Friday with a variety of screenshots laced with profanity and racists taunts, highlighting the abuse he has received.

“These aren't isolated incidents!!! It's daily!! This is what I received for posting and talking about #BlackLivesMatter yesterday. The abuse started a week earlier, the taunting is terrifying. Coming back and back again,” he said.

“Let's show these social media companies how bad this has got, it's ridiculous!!! So easy for them!! If you or a black friend has had online racist abuse then please post a tweet with the hashtags #NoConsequences and #BlackLivesMatter.”

The Black Lives Matter movement has gained strength since protests took place in the U.S. following the death of George Floyd in police custody on May 25, with the Premier League confirming that players’ shirts will sport the movement’s title in place of surnames over the course of the weekend, while they will also carry the ‘BLM’ logo until the end of the season.

As well as speaking out on the issues surrounding race, Wright had previously defended the Premier League’s right not to rush back after the coronavirus pandemic.

“Football is the punching bag,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“When you hear people having a go at football because the Premier League are having meetings ... they have to have meetings because at some stage things have to start again.

“Just because football is a game ... it's still a business, just like other businesses are making plans to try and get themselves going again.”

Kamohelo Mokotjo has signed a short-term extension at Brentford that will keep him at the club until the end of the 2019-20 Championship season.

The South Africa international's three-year contract at Griffin Park was expected to end on June 30, however, the Bees were able to get him an extended deal with the English second division set to restart on Saturday after a three-month suspension due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Brentford are strong contenders for the play-offs and they sit fourth in the Championship table with 60 points after 37 games.

Before the hiatus in March, the 29-year-old, who recently returned from injury, played 23 league games for the Bees and he has a goal to his name.

In his reaction to the new deal, manager Thomas Frank described Mokotjo as a "reliable" figure in his team and he is hoping he can play a part when they visit Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday.

“We are very pleased to extend Kamohelo’s contract. He has worked very hard to come back from his injury and will be ready and fit for selection against Fulham,” Frank told the club website.

“We need The General’s experience, coolness and passing ability as we head into the last part of the season. He is so reliable and adds so much to the group, both in training and matches.

“You can see when he steps onto the pitch how it raises the levels of those around him.”

The former Feyenoord and SuperSport United star joined the Bees from Dutch outfit FC Twente in July 2017, and he has scored six goals in 100 competitive games in England.

Aside from Mokotjo, Brentord also handed a short-term deal to Greek striker Nikos Karelis, who has made just four appearances in all competitions this season.

“It is also very good to extend Nikos’ contract,” he added.

“Nikos is working very hard to come back from his injury. He is in a good place and, while he might not be ready for the season restart next week, we will be able to use his qualities and experience during the final weeks of the season.”

Midfielder Khalid Aucho has revealed he would not mind playing for Gor Mahia if another chance comes his way.

Aucho signed for Gor Mahia in 2014 from Tusker and remained at the club until 2016, when he signed for Baroka FC of South Africa.

The midfielder was part of the Frank Nuttall-led K'Ogalo team that went on to win the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) title unbeaten in 2015.

“Gor Mahia remain my club and will always be my club,” Aucho told Gor Mahia's website.

“If another chance came my way, why not? I wouldn’t mind playing for the club again. I loved the club. The only club l played with passion and the only club l ever enjoyed my football.”

The 27-year-old also spoke about the toughest opponents in the KPL, his time in South Africa and other countries where football has taken him to.

“My toughest opponent was [Erick] Apul of Ulinzi Stars. A game against Ulinzi was always tough and he remains to be the toughest opponent l ever faced because of the way he played,” revealed the Ugandan.

“My stay in South Africa and Asia were all good l can’t complain but truth is, my football life at Gor Mahia was the best. Gor Mahia fans are some of the best fans.

“They loved me and l truly appreciate the love l got while at the club. I love K’Ogalo fans.”

Aucho, who has played for another 10 clubs, revealed what must be done to make KPL rank higher and comparable to some of the other leagues he has played in.

“Kenyan league is not bad what is needed is just some good organization. Leagues in Asia and Europe where l have been to before are so organized. KPL just need to be organized right from the management to the clubs,” stated the Ugandan.

Aucho credits Gor Mahia for his career growth and has asked the current players to remain focused despite a myriad of challenges.

“Yes, Gor Mahia gave me everything l must admit. The club gave me what l have now. The exposure, a platform to be seen and just everything l needed to be where l am at the moment,” concluded the defensive midfielder.

“Players must remain focused, the focus is the thing if they want to do well in all competitions. There could be financial issues in the club but they should know what they want to achieve.

“At times you can play without pay but maybe someone is watching you, and you never know where that can land you. Let them focus and play with all their heart and remember, to always play for the badge.”

Aucho is currently turning out for El Makkasa of Egypt.

Former Celta defender Fernando Caceres has revealed that he was once offered 500,000 pesetas to take Barcelona star Ronaldinho out of a game.

Caceres featured for the likes of River Plate, Boca Juniors and Valencia during a storied career that saw him feature 24 times for Argentina, scoring one goal.

He has recounted one of the more memorable matches of his career, when he crossed paths with Barcelona ace Ronaldinho.

“We were playing Celta vs Barcelona in Vigo and on the first touch Ronaldinho tried to make, I hit him from behind,” Caceres explained in an interview with the ‘Idolos’ YouTube channel.

“I helped him up and told him I'd been offered 500,000 pesetas (£2,700/$3,400) to take him out. He just looked at me and said: ‘If you can catch me.’

“I didn't go to mark him anymore. I was scared, he was angry and when he got like that, he was very good; a strong and impressive player.”

He retired before he had the chance to face another Barca great in the form of Lionel Messi – but he has explained that facing his compatriot would have been a formidable challenge.

“Luckily, I never faced Messi, but I would have found it challenging to deal with the things he can do with the ball,” he said.

“You see them and you can't believe it. When Leo runs at you, what do you do? You don't know, so you have to just kick him - it's the only solution you have.”

Caceres, however, was a team-mate of Diego Maradona during the 1994 World Cup – a tournament in which the attacker made the headlines as he tested positive for a banned substance.

The former centre-back refused to pick who was greater between Messi and Maradona, while he revealed what the latter said to the squad after his failed drugs test.

“It's very difficult to choose between one of the other, the times are different and the football is too,” he said of comparisons between the players before recounting his memory of Maradona at the U.S. tournament, where the Argentines crashed out in the last 16. 

“Diego spoke to all of us and told us that he hadn't done the things they said, then in the press they only spoke of Diego's positive doping test. That caused us a major distraction.

“We then had to play Romania whilst distracted and it took us out of the World Cup.”

Emuidzhi Oghiabekhva netted four goals for Minsk in a 6-1 victory over ABFF WU19 in a Belarusian Women's League fixture on Friday.

Oghiabekhva continued from where she left off last week after she bagged her second competitive treble this season in her side's 5-0 triumph over Neman since returning after a two-week break.

The 30-year-old ignited the surge of goals with her 15th-minute header off Yuliya Duben's corner after she missed giving the visitors the lead five minutes earlier, whe her effort going wide.

On the half-hour mark, Oghiabekhva was set up inside the penalty area and almost fired in the second goal of the match from a goalmouth scramble but her strike was blocked by the hosts' defence.

Anna Sas' cross fell perfectly in the path of Oghiabekhva who made no mistake to head home in the 39th minute before Nadege Cisse was denied by the goalkeeper on the brink of half-time.

After the restart, Nigerian netted her treble of the match after slotting in Anastasiya Kharlanova's freekick to increase Minsk tally on the hour mark before Sas netted the fourth eight minutes later.

However, Natalya Asmykovich pulled one back for the hosts, in what proved to be nothing more than a consolation, in the 81st minute but Viktoriya Tikhon recovered the four-goal lead three minutes later.

Oghiabekhva finished off Kharlanova's brilliant pass to complete her quadruple three minutes from full-time to seal the rout for Minsk.

Oghiabekhva, who now has 13 goals in seven outings, was in action for the duration of the game, along with Ivorian Cisse and Cameroon's Alvina Niyolle, while Nigeria's Chioma Wogu was an unused substitute.

The victory was the sixth for Volodymyr Reva's team from seven matches this season but they will remain second tied on 18 points behind leaders Dinamo and are separated on goal difference.

Reva's ladies will look to maintain their quest to close in on table-toppers Dinamo when they visit seventh-placed Dnepr Mogilev on June 28.

A group of black players in MLS have united to form the Black Players Coalition of MLS, the newly-founded organization announced on Friday.

The organization's announcement coincides with Juneteenth, which commemorates the day on which Union forces in Texas delivered the news of the Emancipation Proclamation to the region, freeing the last group of slaves in the United States.

It also comes amid ongoing protests and unrest across the world, with the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis sparking wider discussions about the issues of race and police brutality in society.

With the formation of the organization, the Black Players Coalition will look to "address the racial inequalities in our league, stand with all those fighting racism in the world of soccer, and positively impact black communities across the United States and Canada."

Toronto FC's Justin Morrow has been named the organization's executive director, with Philadelphia Union defender Ray Gaddis, Chicago Fire forward C.J. Sapong, former D.C. United forward Quincy Amarikwa, FC Cincinnati defender Kendall Waston, Portland Timbers forward Jeremy Ebobisse, New York City FC goalkeeper Sean Johnson,, Nashville SC defender Jalil Anibaba, Colorado Rapids forward Kei Kamara, Minnesota United defender Ike Opara and D.C. United goalkeepers Bill Hamid and Earl Edwards Jr serving as board members.

The group has secured $75,000 (£60,000) in charitable contributions by the MLS Players Association, with the non-profit organization aiming to lobby for bias training, community initiatives, cultural education courses and a more prominent role in league leadership.

"As we celebrate Juneteenth and the coming together of our coalition, we must remind ourselves that such progressivism was once met with vehement backlash," a portion of the coalition's statement read. "May this reminder serve as a warning to us all that confronting systemic racism head-on will never be a smooth, constantly upward trending path, but rather a timeless battle that will force us to reinvent the very essence of our institutions.

"We hope our organization can be an extension of our ancestors’ sacrifice for the next generation to live in a more equitable society as we seek to forge our own path forward under one united voice.

"Lastly, we’d like to acknowledge all the other professional athletes standing up against racism. We see you and you empower us. Whether you happen to be singing this tune alone, or supported by a group, we want you to know that we are with you. We are here to fight this battle together. We will be heard."

Friday's announcement, which saw many of those involved tweet "There will be change" alongside the hashtag "#MLSIsBlack, also saw the organization recognized by the league, as MLS pledged to support the coalition's efforts.

"MLS proudly recognizes and supports the Black Players Coalition of MLS -- a group of players who today, on Juneteenth, have established themselves as influential change leaders," the league said in a statement.

"The League looks forward to continued and longstanding collaborations with the Black Players Coalition of MLS through efforts aimed at developing the game in Black communities, prioritizing diversity, and addressing implicit bias through league-wide cultural and educational initiatives."

MLS is set to return to play on July 8 with the MLS is Back Tournament in Orlando. 

Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha said he should have scored more goals as he aims to hit double figures before the end of the 2019-20 season.

Ahead of his side’s Premier League fixture against Bournemouth on Saturday, the 27-year-old admitted that he is not having the best of campaigns with just three assists and three goals scored so far in 29 league appearances.

Last season, Zaha hit a personal best of 10 goals in a league campaign, but he believes he can still match the feat with nine matches remaining.

"I don't think I've had the best of seasons personally," Zaha told Premier League Productions.

"I feel like I should have scored more goals but I still feel like I can make that right now. Nine games left, give it a big push really. My own goal was to get double digits this season and I still feel like I can do it if I push myself."

The Premier League resumed without fans in the stadium this week after a three-month hiatus caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Zaha disclosed teams will miss the fans’ atmosphere in empty stadiums and players will need to motivate themselves from within to get results.

"It is going to be weird because they make such a difference for us," he continued.

"I feel like we're just going to dig in deep and do what we have to do for each other. We won't have the fans but we are going to have to work our way through it.

"I feel like we should have pressure on ourselves to perform. It may be more difficult for people to find the reason to perform, the motivation from within because you've got no crowd on your back - [normally] if you mess up a pass you may here a boo.

"I feel like we need to find that motivation ourselves and do it ourselves.

"I've never done it [played behind closed doors] before, you have to just stay focused, blank out the fact that you're not playing in front of anyone. Push yourself."

Crystal Palace are placed 11th on the league table with 39 points after 29 games.

Aston Villa and their plethora of African players returned to Premier League action with a 0-0 draw against Sheffield United on Wednesday, as Dean Smith opted to start without Tanzania’s Mbwana Samatta.

The point wasn’t a dreadful result for the Villains, who were fortunate not to have fallen behind when Hawk Eye failed to identify a goal despite Oliver Norwood’s free kick being fumbled over the goalline by Orjan Nyland.

That technical error—we can hardly blame the referees—saved Villa from defeat, although the Midlanders had chances to win the game themselves.

Smith made the bold decision to start rookie frontman Keinan Davis instead of Samatta, and the striker was—on occasion—a handful for the Blades defenders.

His physique allows him to battle with opposition centre-backs, and on a few occasions he got the better of his opposite man.

Smith may argue that the youngster deserves to keep his place against Chelsea because his presence gets the better out of those players around him.

While Davis was on the pitch against United, it’s worth noting that Villa enjoyed more shots than their Champions League-chasing opponents, while he also brings other players into play with his link-up play and layoffs.

Villa have got 16 goals from central midfield quartet Jack Grealish, Conor Hourihane, Douglas Luiz and John McGinn so far this season, and this clearly represents their key area of strength.

While Davis helps disrupt defenders without scoring, his presence—so the argument may go—can carve out more opportunities for those players behind him.

However, this simply may not be enough for a Villa side battling relegation—they remain in the dropzone after their opening match back—and after all, despite taking 14 shots against the Blades, they failed to find the net.

Davis, on his first Prem start, hit the target with only two of his five attempts, and was guilty of one notable miss inside ten minutes when he headed over the bar from close range after United failed to clear their lines from a corner.

With chances likely to be at a premium for Villa moving forward—particularly with Chelsea up next—can Smith afford to persist with a striker who has done little to demonstrate he has a sure goalscoring touch?

While Samatta has only scored one in his first four Premier League appearances, it’s still more than Davis has managed in his 200 minutes in the top flight, and the East African also netted in the EFL Cup final defeat by Manchester City.

We’ll never know definitively of course, but many Villa fans will surely be questioning whether Samatta would have put away one or two of the chances that came Davis’ way against Sheffield United.  

Now that Samatta has had several months to settle in England, to adapt to the Premier League, and to find his feet at Villa, Smith must give him the playing time to prove what he can do in the top flight.

The Midlanders have two options.

Either they can opt for Samatta down the middle as a leading man, with Grealish and Anwar El Ghazi in wide areas, or they can opt for a midfield diamond, with Grealish as the No. 10, and pair Davis and the Tanzanian up top together.

Against Chelsea’s defence, Davis could act as the battering ram, with Samatta on hand to execute the coup de gras should chances fall his way.

The presence of attack-minded full-backs in Matt Targett and Ahmed Elmohamady means that a narrow midfield wouldn’t necessarily deny Villa any width, and the aforementioned pair could still get balls in the box to help Davis and Samatta challenge the Blues backline.

Ultimately, Smith may decide that playing two strikers against Chelsea is too risky a strategy, and if so, then it’s Davis who must be sacrificed for Samatta.

Gor Mahia defender Shafik Batambuze has resumed training five months after he underwent surgery.

The dreadlocked player sustained a nasty knee injury while turning out for the Kenyan champions in a Caf Champions League match against Aigle Noir of Burundi, and was forced to undergo surgery.

The injury has kept Batambuze out of action for the entire season and after undergoing successful surgery in November, the player pencilled in June as the month to return to action.

Batambuze has now confirmed he has started light training and could be ready to kick the ball next month.

“My recovering is maturing daily,” the defender is quoted by the club’s official website.

“I have been following the physio program…I started training moving up the ladder and by next month, it’s my hope and prayers that l will be in good shape – it’s time l can’t wait for.”

Batambuze has also appreciated those who stood by him when he picked up the injury and needed money to undergo the surgery.

“It’s been a bit tough…not easy for sure to be in this state as a footballer but thanks to my family, friends, and all those who have been there for me because they have been so supportive in my recovery journey. With their good support, I have managed to get this far,” Batambuze continued.

“With the good and steady progress l have had in the recovery process, by next month l will be engaging in full training and that means, if football is to resume by July, l will be able to join my team-mates. Let’s see how it goes.”

A week ago, Batambuze said in a different interview that his previous timeline of returning to action by July may not materialise as he has struggled in his recovery process.

Batambuze blamed his slow progress on the current lockdown being experienced in his native Uganda, owing to the effects caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The left-back has previously featured for a number of clubs including SC Villa (Uganda), Western Stima, Sofapaka, Tusker (both of Kenya), and Singida United of Tanzania.

Batambuze became the third Gor Mahia player to undergo Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) surgery in the last calendar year after winger Curtis Wekesa and defender Philemon Otieno were both diagnosed with the same problem and were operated on earlier in the season.

Arsenal should offer defender David Luiz a new contract - but only if he accepts reduced wages, according to former Gunners star Paul Merson.

The Brazilian is out of contract on June 30 and it remains to be seen whether he will be extending his stay at Emirates Stadium.

If the Gunners hierarchy are wavering about whether to keep Luiz, he will have done little to help his cause with a disastrous 25-minute substitute performance against Manchester City on Wednesday, which saw him give away a goal, concede a penalty and get sent off.

He will now serve a two-match ban which means he will not be able to feature again for the Gunners this season unless he signs a short-term extension before the June 23 deadline.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta wants to keep Luiz but admitted on Wednesday that the financial uncertainty caused by the coronavirus shutdown means the club hierarchy may decide against offering him fresh terms. Meanwhile, his agent Kia Joorabchian revealed on Thursday he expects Luiz’s future to be resolved “this week”.

Merson accepts financial issues may force the club to let Luiz go but, if he is willing to lower his demands, he still feels the former Chelsea and Benfica man has something to offer.

“David Luiz had a shocker at Manchester City because there were no fans in the ground, but unless he is asking for huge wages Arsenal should keep him,” Merson told the Star. “His contract is up and I’d be shocked now if he got another one, but if he’s not asking for a lot of money and it’s not going to break the bank, I’d keep him all day long.

“It all depends how much he is asking for. If he wants £100,000-a-week he won’t get that anywhere. Not in this day and age.

“What happened against Manchester City is not going to help him. His concentration levels are bad anyway but when you play with no crowd it’s even harder. It’s 100 per cent a big issue for him. The fans keep you honest. They keep your concentration levels up.

"When there’s no crowd your concentration levels dip a little and that happened with Luiz. He made mistakes and got sent off.

"He’s never going to cut those mistakes out, but if you’re looking at the all-round package, it could work at the right wages.

"He never hides. He makes a mistake and comes right back again. He came out and said it was his fault. He's honest, and he’s never out injured. I have a lot of respect for him in that way. I like players who keep demanding the ball even when you’re losing.”

As well as taking a pay cut, Merson also feels Luiz would have to accept a reduced role in the team given his age and the other defensive options at Arteta’s disposal.

However, he also believes keeping a player of his experience, who has 17 trophies to his name, would be vitally important for the development of the club’s youngsters.

"He’s a leader and he would be great with the younger players. The manager obviously likes him,” added Merson. “But you don’t want to get on the wrong side of him if you’re the manager, and that’s a problem. Frank Lampard got rid of him when he was playing well at Chelsea.

“You’d have to sit down with him and tell him he’s not going to play every week because they have some good young players coming in like William Saliba. You’d have to make sure he’d accept that because you don’t want a bad apple in the dressing room splitting the squad.

“If he’s willing to do that then for me it’s a no-brainer to keep him. He makes mistakes but so will young kids coming into the team. I think he will help them.

“He could start doing his coaches badges there. This lad has got something. You don’t win all those league titles and trophies by making mistakes all the time.”

The release of a fresh edition of FIFA is one of the biggest events in the gaming calendar, when eager football fans get their hands on the new game and test out all the new features.

FIFA 21 will be released this autumn on current generation and next generation consoles, making its debut on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X as well as launching updated editions on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC and Switch.

Goal answers the big questions ahead of the worldwide launch of FIFA 21.

Contents

When will FIFA 21 be released on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One?

FIFA 21 will be released on PS4 and Xbox One on Friday October 9, 2020.

This is slightly later than the normal late September release date for previous versions of the game due to delays caused by the coronavirus crisis.

A Legacy Edition of the game will be released on Switch. It will not include any new gameplay improvements nor the FIFA Ultimate Team and Volta game modes and is mainly a squad database update of the game. The Switch version of FIFA 21 is expected to be released in October.

The PC version of FIFA 21 will be the same game that is released on PS4 and Xbox One and is also released worldwide on Friday, October 9.

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When will FIFA 21 be released on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X?

Sony and Microsoft have scheduled their new consoles for release in late 2020, stating that they would hit the market during the holiday period.

This is usually around Thanksgiving and Christmas, with both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X expected to launch in the second half of November.

FIFA 21 is expected to be one of the launch titles for both consoles and should arrive alongside the PS5 and Xbox Series X in late November.

As many gamers will already have bought FIFA 21 for PS4 and Xbox One, EA Sports is offering a 'Dual Entitlement' to all purchases, meaning that you can upgrade your PS4 copy to a PS5 copy of the game at no extra cost when it launches.

The same package is also available on Xbox Series X to download a free copy of FIFA 21 if you have already purchased the game either as a download or a physical copy on Xbox One.

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When does FIFA 21 early access begin?

People who pre-order the game will be able to play the game three days earlier than anyone who waits for the physical release.

FIFA 21 early access begins on Tuesday October 6 and allows the compete game to be downloaded to your console to play the full game ahead of its release.

Anyone who has EA Access on PS4 or Xbox One and Origin Access on PC will be able to avail of the Play First Trials on Thursday, October 1, more than a full week ahead of the official release of FIFA 21.

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Lille head coach Christophe Galtier has admitted that he is resigned to losing striker Victor Osimhen and centre-back Gabriel over the course of the summer transfer window.

The side from the north east of France narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification next season after finishing fourth in a prematurely ended Ligue 1 campaign, and given their already awkward financial position are likely to be forced into numerous sales over the summer months.

Osimhen and Gabriel have both attracted many suitors over recent months, with both players hotly linked with a switch to Napoli, while the Brazilian defender has also been associated with Everton.

Galtier, who explained that Osimhen has not been training with the club following the loss of his father, does not expect either to be in the team that takes to the field in mid-August when Ligue 1 will open up the 2020-21 campaign.

“I can confirm that both Gabriel and Victor are likely to depart. I’ve expected it for a long time,” he said. “They are working very seriously and we’re working currently with the players who are currently here who are likely to replace them and obviously on future players who will come to us to replace them in their posts.

“We’ve not talked much about the transfer window. Players have been or are being contacted. There will be a delayed transfer window. I believe it will run until October 5. That shows how complex the start of the season will be. I don’t know exactly when the windows will be open abroad.”

Previously, Lille president Gerard Lopez indicated that he hopes to raise as much as €80 million (£72.5m/$90m) from the sale of Osimhen – matching the deal that took Nicolas Pepe to Arsenal last season.

“People didn’t believe that we had such big offers for Pepe,” he told the Daily Mail. “Let me tell you that with Osimhen, it’s the same thing.”

Meanwhile, Galtier reported some positive news for Lille in terms of the players who were running out of contract, with former Chelsea striker Loic Remy closing in on a new deal along with ex-Southampton man Jeremy Pied, who was a bit-part player last term.

“There’s a very good chance they will stay with us,” he confirmed. “They want it and we want it. We’re close to an agreement, but it’s not done yet.”

Former U.S. men's national team head coach and current New England Revolution boss Bruce Arena says that he finds it "inappropriate" to play the Star-Spangled Banner before club soccer matches amid ongoing debate on the anthem's place in sports.

The national anthem has become a talking point in the wake of ongoing protests across the U.S. following the death of George Floyd.

Those protests have called back to those led by former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who caused controversy when he opted to kneel during the national anthem in an effort to protest racism and police brutality.

After U.S. women's national team star Megan Rapinoe joined Kaepernick's protests by kneeling before several matches, U.S. Soccer put a policy in place to prevent displays during the national anthem.

That policy has since been repealed, much to the frustration of U.S. President Donald Trump, who said he would no longer be watching games if players were to kneel.

Former USMNT boss Arena, who managed the national team from 1998 to 2006 and then again from 2016 to 2017, says he sees no reason to play the national anthem before sporting events in the first place.

"I think it puts people in awkward positions," Arena told ESPN. "We don't use national anthem in movie theatres or on Broadway, or for other events in the United States.

"I don't think it is appropriate to have a national anthem before a baseball game or an MLS game. Having said that I want it understood that I am very patriotic, but I think it is inappropriate."

He added: "Think about it. In MLS, most of the players that are standing on the field during the national anthem are international players. They are not even Americans. So why are we playing the national anthem? With all due respect, I live in the greatest country in the world but I think it is inappropriate."

MLS has a total of 722 players on rosters this season, with 422 of those players not born in the United States.

The league is set to return on July 8 for the MLS is Back Tournament in Orlando, making it the first men's sports league to return in the United States.

Rostov are set to play a Russian Premier League fixture on Friday with what effectively amounts to a youth team after six of their players tested positive for coronavirus.

With the news that the infection was so spread throughout their team, the entire first team and the coaching staff had to be quarantined.

However, an appeal to have the match postponed to a later date failed after Sochi turned down their request for a delayed fixture. As such, the team will play with a group of players born between 2001 and 2004.

The oldest member of their squad will be 19-year-old midfielder Nikita Kolotievsky, while the youngest will be Maxim Stavtsev, who only turned 16 in January.

Speaking to the media, Rostov president Artashes Arutyunyants said: “We do not want to comment and evaluate the decision of FC Sochi. Let it be on their conscious. For us, the health of our players and our opponents is more important than three points.”

Rostov currently lie fourth in the 16-team RPL, with their target a place in the Champions League for next season. To attain that, they will need to finish in the top three and currently they are only three points behind Lokomotiv Moscow and Krasnodar, who are in second and third respectively.

Sochi, meanwhile, are engulfed in a relegation battle and though they lie 12th in the standings on 24 points, they are only four points clear of bottom placed Akhmat Grozny.

Given their opponents’ selection concerns, they will hope to take their seventh victory of the season and move away from the drop zone.

The fixture between the two clubs marks the return to professional football in Russia after an unscheduled three-month break due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Sochi’s fight for survival had already previously been boosted by the news that because of the stoppage, the relegation playoffs that the clubs in 13th and 14th would usually have taken part in have been cancelled, thereby pushing them closer to safety. 

The season, which is 30 matches long and sees each team play each other on a home and away basis, has eight rounds remaining.

The Togolese Football Federation have paid tribute to ASC Kara striker Kossi Edem Koudagba following his death at the age of 24 on Thursday.

The striker, who netted against Nigeria at the 2019 Wafu Cup of Nations, died in his hometown of Davie following a short illness.

“In these painful circumstances, the Executive Committee of the FTF wish to salute the memory of the player, whose qualities on and off the field are known to all,” a communique from the federation began.

“The FTF Executive Committee would like, on behalf of Togolese football, to express our deepest condolences and express our feelings of sympathy to the family of the deceased, loved ones, the ASCK club, as well as the staff and players of the Togo national team.”

Koudagba’s death was announced on Thursday, with the young forward having returned to his family home earlier in the week.

The striker was named in Claude Le Roy’s senior national side for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Algeria in 2018, and was a key figure of the home-based national side.

He was one of their key figures at the Wafu Cup, opening the scoring against Nigeria in the Sparrowhawks’ 2-1 victory, but was unable to prevent Togo’s quarter-final elimination at the hands of the Ivory Coast.

Togo were eliminated on penalties following a 0-0 draw.

The striker had also represented the West Africans in the African Nations Championship qualifying double-head against Nigeria, which Togo won to book their ticket to the Chan tournament in Cameroon.

Ultimately, Les Eperviers weren’t able to take part in the tournament—originally scheduled to take place in April—due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The 2018 Togo top scorer was twice a Togolese champion with Club Sportive des Chauffeurs de la Kozak, and was part of the team that were defeated by Enugu Rangers in the Caf Confederation Cup earlier this year.

ASCK were recently awarded this year’s Togolese title again, following the domestic top flight’s suspension and subsequent cancellation in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

While there has been speculation on social media that Covid-19 was the cause of Koudagba’s passing, the virus has not been named as the reason for his death by either his family or his club.

India U-16 head coach Bibiano Fernandes has lavished praises on the All India Football Federation's (AIFF) scouting program for playing a huge role in the success of India's youth teams in recent times.

India U16 team has qualified for the AFC U16 Championship three times in a row from 2016 now and the India U19 and U20 teams have achieved some brilliant results in the recent past.

The Goan coach was quick to hail chief scout Vikram Nanivadekar and suggested that a proper scouting process has led to the development of the Indian national teams at the youth level.

During a Live chat with Indian Football team’s official Instagram page, Fernandes said, “Our scouting system is in good hands. It is headed by Vikram Nanivadekar who is doing a great job. Sometimes I also go out and help scout for players. The scouting has been really good and it is becoming better and better. It is difficult to cover the whole country but since the system is in place, we are trying to reach as many places as possible.”

Elaborating on the scouting process, the U-16 coach said, “We target the Subroto Cup and other national tournaments. At the zonal level, we have identified the age-group tournaments. Whenever I am free, I attend the national youth competitions. We also have coaches on call who send us information about talented players from any corner in India. We exchange details, see videos and then select.”

The former Sporting Clube de Goa coach also mentioned that there has been a huge improvement in the standard of coaching in the country and praised Savio Medeira who is currently AIFF's head of coaching education.

He said, “Another point is the change in coaching education. It has brought changes in the coaches. Whether they are state level or school level coaches. Savio is doing a great job. When we do scouting properly we get very good players. It is improving constantly.”

Angus MacNeil, chair of the International Trade Select Committee and Member of Partliament for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, has written to trade secretary Liz Truss to raise his concerns over the Saudi Arabia-led takeover of Premier League side Newcastle.

If a deal is completed, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund would own 80 per cent of the club, with Amanda Staveley's PCP Capital Partners and British businessmen the Reuben brothers sharing the remaining 20% equally.

Previously this week, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) found Saudi Arabia guilty of breaching international piracy laws by broadcasting various professional sports, including the Premier League.

It is not the first time that the takeover has hit the headlines for the wrong headlines, with the £300 million ($375m) purchase of the club controversial because of the country’s human rights record.

In his letter to Truss, which has been seen by the BBC, MacNeil writes: “As you would have seen, the WTO has made a landmark ruling on the protection of sports rights, which is one of the UK's most valuable and treasured exports.

“In its ruling, the WTO held that the government of Saudi Arabia has, from the beginning, been actively supporting the 'beoutQ' piracy operation that has stolen the commercial rights of UK sports bodies for three years.

“This is an insult to the UK government, affront to the Premier League, and abuse of UK sport - and should not be tolerated.

“This is relevant today, right now, because the very entity that has been stealing premium UK sports and entertainment content is attempting to buy a major UK sporting institution - Newcastle United Football Club.

“The UK government must now play its part in protecting our creative industry exports by investigating the launch, promotion and operation of the beoutQ service. Quite simply, if Saudi Arabia is unwilling to play by the rules of international law, then it should have no role in the future of UK sport.”

Lawyers for the Premier League have been examining the deal for two months, and though the UK government had previously indicated that it would not intervene in the deal, earlier this week, foreign secretary Dominic Raab said: “I think it's right that that legal due process is followed and we have this debate about takeovers in this country. I think we should follow the rule of law.”

Football fans will be treated to a packed weekend of action from the world’s biggest clubs this weekend, with the Premier League returning in midweek and Serie A also set to resume after a break due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Couple this with another week of pulsating La Liga action – both Barcelona and Real Madrid are set to take to the field – and SuperSport fans have every reason to be excited ahead of a weekend of live sport.

Perhaps the pick of the action comes in the Premier League, where England’s biggest sides return to action in some heavyweight fixtures.

On Friday, Champions League hopefuls Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United meet in a match that could prove decisive as the duo seek a top-five finish.

Spurs head into the match four points behind the Red Devils, and should they lose, would surely find a seven-point gap with eight games to play too much to overhaul.

There will be a major incentive for Jose Mourinho too, as he comes up against his previous employers, and he’ll be desperate to show that Spurs are more resilient and durable than they were before the league’s suspension.

It will be fascinating to see how much game time Odion Ighalo gets for the Red Devils, having extended his loan deal at Old Trafford, and Nigeria fans will be hotly anticipating his return to action.

On Saturday, Brighton & Hove Albion host Arsenal, who will be looking forward to maintaining the momentum they’d begun to enjoy following Mikel Arteta’s arrival.

The weekend concludes with two high-profile bouts on Sunday, as relegation-threatened Aston Villa host Chelsea, who will themselves be looking to consolidate their place in the UCL qualification berths.

Also on Sunday, Everton and Liverpool collide in the Merseyside derby, as the champions-elect look to resume their campaign with a victory.

It’s a bitter shame for the Reds that their historic campaign was paused midway through, particularly when they enjoyed a record 25-point advantage over their nearest challengers Manchester City.

However, the resumption in competition means they have the opportunity to finally get over the line, get their hands on the title, and flex their muscles once again with a victory over their fierce local neighbours at Goodison Park.

Will Jurgen Klopp’s side pick up where they left off, or could the Toffees rain on their parade?

Thursday 18 June – Real Madrid vs Valencia (LaLiga)

Friday 19 June – Sevilla vs Barcelona (LaLiga)

Friday 19 June – Spurs vs Manchester United

Saturday 20 June – Brighton vs Arsenal (Premier League)

Sunday 21 June – Aston Villa vs Chelsea (Premier League)

Sunday 21 June – Everton vs Liverpool (Premier League)

Sunday 21 June – Inter Milan vs Sampdoria (Serie A)

Sunday 21 June – Real Sociedad vs Real Madrid (LaLiga)

Across the rest of Europe there are other high-profile clashes, notably in Spain, where Real Madrid have two matches in the space of four days.

First up, for Zinedine Zidane’s side, they host Valencia in a stern test for their title credentials on Thursday evening, having dispatched troubled Eibar in their last fixture.

Seventh-placed Valencia will be desperate to make amends after letting two points slip in their first match back, conceding in the 98th minute against ten-men Levante at home in a result that dented their Champions League hopes.

Valencia took a point from Real in this season’s first match between the pair, but can they repeat the trick this time around?

On Sunday, Los Merengues must travel away to Real Sociedad, who returned to action with a 1-1 draw against Osasuna on Sunday.

In action on Friday, Barcelona travel away to Sevilla.

This will be a much tougher test for the Catalan giants than their midweek victory over struggling Leganes, and they’ll have to be at their best to maintain their winning run against Los Nervionenses.

It’s one of the trickiest matches Barca have ahead of them as they close in on the title, and Quique Setien may have to shuffle his pack to keep his players fresh, with some experienced heads coming back into the side.

However, expect Ansu Fati to retain his spot in the team after netting a fine goal in the victory over Leganes.

Finally, Serie A also returns this weekend, and SuperSport are delighted to invite fans to watch the bout between Internazionale and Sampdoria.

The Nerazzurri have impressed in stages this term, although Antonio Conte will know that they need Juventus to stumble if they’re to keep their faint title challenge alive.

They lost ground on their rivals before the pandemic necessitated a pause in football with back-to-back fixtures, and a victory on Sunday evening is imperative if they’re to breathe life into the remaining weeks of the season.

They do have a game in hand on Juve and Lazio, and a favourable run of fixtures, so all isn’t yet lost.