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Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe has confirmed winger Ryan Fraser will not play for the club again.

Fraser opted against signing a short-term extension to his current contract, which expires on June 30, to cover the remainder of the rescheduled Premier League season.

The 26-year-old Scotland international has been linked with Everton, Arsenal and Tottenham among others and Howe insists he only wants players who are fully focused on Bournemouth's battle against relegation.

The Cherries are in the relegation zone, sitting third bottom but level on points with West Ham and Watford immediately above them, as they prepare to restart their campaign at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday.

"I don't think I was particularly surprised by his decision," Howe told a news conference. "It's been clear to us as a club for some time that Ryan was not going to sign a new contract with us.

"The first thing to say on this is no-one could have predicted what would have happened with the virus, the season shutting down and then being extended. Ryan's then found himself in a very difficult position because of that.

"He has now played his last game for the football club. He won't be involved with us for the last nine games.

"I only want players who are fully focused on the relegation battle that we have ahead and I'm looking forward to doing that with my squad.

"These are the most important games this football club has had in recent times and we need everybody in the same position mentally, fight tooth and nail for the football club.

"Ryan, due to his contract situation, can't commit to that. Two games for us wasn't going to make the difference. We need a nine-game commitment and he can't give that at this moment in time.

"We go ahead with the current squad and probably the strongest squad I've had to pick from this season. Hopefully that will show in the games we have.

"[Fraser] didn't deserve this ending but the circumstances that have arisen have meant this has happened.

"I'm sad for him because he's had a really good link with the supporters and they've really loved him during his time here. The way it's ended is uncomfortable for me and it's sad because it shouldn't have ended like this."

Fraser joined Bournemouth from Aberdeen in January 2013, when they were still in League One. He has made 208 appearances for the club, scoring 24 times.

Neymar has been ordered to repay €6.7 million (£6.1m/$7.5m) to former club Barcelona after a judge ruled in favour of the Liga side amid a bonus dispute between club and player.

The Brazil international and former Barca player had claimed he was owed €43.6m (£39m/$49m) in bonuses by his old team, however this was dismissed and he must now repay money to his former club.

A statement on the club website said: "FC Barcelona welcomes the judgment handed down today by the Social Court 15 of Barcelona, in connection with lawsuits between the club and the player Neymar Junior in claiming compensation for the bonus signed in his last contract renewal.

"The judgment dismisses the player's claim in its entirety, which demanded the payment of €43.6m, and estimates a large part of the claim filed by FC Barcelona, ​​under which the player must return the club €6.7m."

Neymar is able to appeal this decision.

The PSG forward had filed the lawsuit in August 2017 after Barcelona declined to pay bonus included in his contract renewal signed in 2016, with Neymar completing his world-record transfer to the French club the following summer.

Barcelona contended that the clause relating to the payment was rendered null and void when he left Camp Nou, while the footballer's agent and father, Neymar Sr., accused Barca of "blackmail", and the player's camp even called for the Spanish giants to be expelled from the Champions League for not paying his bonus.

The case was initially taken to FIFA, who closed their investigation with no action in February 2018, and now Barca have been awarded the judgement in the law courts.

Neymar left Barca in 2017 in an attempt to move out from the shadow of Lionel Messi and increase his own chances of winning the Ballon d'Or.

While he has won every domestic trophy on offer in France - they have won the Ligue 1 title in every season the Brazilian has played for the French side - the club have yet to find any success in the Champions League, while Neymar has regularly been linked with a move away from Paris and a potential return to Barcelona.

Everton striker Richarlison has lit the touch paper ahead of the Merseyside derby by stating Virgil van Dijk is not among the best three defenders in the world.

Van Dijk has been outstanding since joining the Reds from Southampton in a then-world record transfer fee for a defender of £75 million in January 2018.

The Netherlands captain has hardly put a foot wrong for Jurgen Klopp's side, playing a major part in their Champions League triumph last season and putting them on the brink of the Premier League title this term.

Yet, Brazil international Richarlison does not rate the former Celtic centre-back as the best in his position as they prepare to do battle at Goodison Park on Sunday.

He said in an interview with Desimpedidos:  "People talk a lot about him [Van Dijk]. Yes, he is a great defender, but I've already dribbled past him.

"He was chosen as one of the top three in the world as he had an excellent season, but yes, for me, there are better defenders."

Asked which players he thinks are better than the 28-year-old, he replied: "Thiago Silva, Marquinhos and Sergio Ramos."

Van Dijk was second behind only Lionel Messi for the Ballon d'Or last year but did land the PFA Players' Player of the Year award.

Liverpool are only two wins away from their first Premier League title and their first top division crown in 30 years, having established a mammoth 25-point lead in the standings before coronavirus forced English football to shut down for 100 days.

They had hoped to wrap up the title by beating their local rivals, however those dreams were dashed by nearest challengers Manchester City beating Arsenal on Wednesday.

Instead, the Reds will aim to earn three points on Sunday and then claim the title by winning their following game, against Crystal Palace this coming Wednesday.

Everton are on a trophy drought of their own, stretching back 25 years to their FA Cup triumph in 1995, but current manager Carlo Ancelotti has been backed as the man to bring silverware back to Goodison Park by former Toffees striker Kevin Campbell.

Campbell said: “Fans of the Blues will have to be patient, but if anyone can do it, Carlo Ancelotti can – he is a perennial winner. If he can mould this squad in his image, I have no doubt he can win things.”

Atletico Madrid turned down a €150 million (£135m/$168m) offer for forward Joao Felix from a Premier League club earlier this season, sources close to the Liga side have told  Goal .

The 20-year-old Portuguese forward joined the Liga side last summer from Benfica although this did not stop an intermediary acting on behalf of an English team approaching Atletico about a transfer prior to the coronavirus pandemic.

The bid, which came from an unnamed club and would have seen Felix move this summer, was seen as being serious although was immediately rejected by Atleti.

Felix is highly regarded at the Wanda Metropolitano, with the club having shelled out €126m (£122m/$142m) to sign him from Benfica ahead of Antoine Griezmann's departure for La Liga rivals Barcelona last year.

He has not lived up to that immense price tag quite yet, with eight goals and three assists in 29 appearances this season in between niggling ankle injuries.

He did, however, score twice in his first appearance after the resumption of La Liga following the coronavirus lockdown - a 5-0 away win over Osasuna - and he is regarded as a potential star of the future.

Atletico managed to sign Felix ahead of interest from Real Madrid, Manchester City, Juventus and others, and are not keen on parting with a prized asset so quickly.

It now remains to be seen whether leading clubs will be able to afford transfers on this scale for the foreseeable future, with the Covid-19 pandemic having had a serious effect on club finances with the loss of matchday revenue as teams are forced to play behind closed doors.

Goal can confirm City were interested in Felix before his move to Atleti although it's unclear if Pep Guardiola's side made the more recent follow-up approach, with it not being usual for the former Barcelona coach to go back in for a player who has previously opted against linking up with the Catalan.

Felix's underwhelming first campaign for Atletico has led some to suggest he would have been better off at another leading European side, with fellow countryman Carlos Carvalhal stating the Portugal international should have joined city rivals Real.

The head coach at Primeira Liga side Rio Ave said: "Joao Felix is​​ a great player and I don't want to create controversy with my statements. He is a player with incredible technical ability, but I'm not sure Atletico's way of playing is the best for him.

"That was my doubt when he signed for them. Diego Simeone is a great coach, his teams are very strong, very competitive, but Joao Felix does not seem to be the perfect player to be there.

"In a different situation, we would see a great Joao Felix. It will be a little difficult and it will take more time. He will have to transform as a player.

"If he had gone to a team like Real Madrid, he would be at a higher level. The context would be more favourable for him.

"It's not a criticism of Simeone, there is no doubt about what he has achieved. The work speaks for itself, I just believe this marriage is not the best."

Arsenal have been rocked by a centre-back crisis ahead of Saturday’s trip to Brighton - with Pablo Mari expected to miss the remainder of the season.

The Spanish defender was injured during the first half of Wednesday night’s 3-0 defeat at Manchester City and is expected to be out for several weeks with damaged ankle ligaments.

Arsenal fear the injury means Mari will not play again before the end of the campaign and his absence leaves Mikel Arteta desperately short of options in the centre of his defence.

David Luiz is unavailable to face Brighton due to suspension following his red card against Manchester City and Sokratis is still struggling with a thigh injury picked up in training.

Calum Chambers, meanwhile, remains sidelined having ruptured the cruciate ligament in his left knee earlier this year and Cedric Soares is expected to miss out again due to a broken nose.

That means Shkodran Mustafi could be partnered by Rob Holding at the Amex Stadium on Saturday, unless Arteta opts to use Kieran Tierney as a makeshift centre-back.

Holding, who returned from a year out due to a cruciate knee injury in September, has featured just three times under Arteta - with his only start coming in the 1-0 victory against Leeds United in the FA Cup third round.

The 24-year-old has struggled to regain his top form since his return to fitness and there have been suggestions he could be sold in the summer, but Arteta has praised the former Bolton star in the past.

“He is a very interesting player, very focused, very determined, very willing to learn,” Arsenal’s head coach said in January. “Obviously the fact he has been out for such a long time, he is lacking competition now and lacking that rhythm. We need to try to give him as much as possible to help him.

“There were some moments that he looked really, really good. He is a player that is going to be very valuable for us.”

In midfield, Arsenal are also set to be without Granit Xhaka and Lucas Torreira for Saturday’s game against the Seagulls.

Xhaka suffered an ankle injury inside the first five minutes at Manchester City and Torreira is still on his way back from the fractured leg he sustained during the FA Cup fifth-round tie at Portsmouth.

Dani Ceballos, who started on the bench at the Etihad, is likely to come in to partner Matteo Guendouzi, although Ainsley Maitland-Niles is another option for Arteta.

Paul Mukatabala has revealed helping SC Villa win the Ugandan Premier League in 1994 remains one of the best memories of his playing days.

The Wakiso-based side had lost its key players owing to several reasons and were not regarded as title contenders, and the current assistant tactician explained the situation at the time.

"After the departure, and, or retirement of a majority of the stars of the SC Villa great side of 1990-1993, leading SC Villa to the 1994 League title as the star player in a squad of mainly a young team that had been given no chance when pitted against the experienced international players at Express FC," Mukatabala recalls as reported by the Sports Nation.

"This was my third league title after earlier triumphs in 1990 and 1992."

The Villa legend also mentioned four other special moments which he said will forever remain in his memory.  

"Making my league debut for SC Villa in 1990 just weeks after signing for the club as a youngster in April [is also one of my best moments]," he continued.

"[The debut was] made even sweeter by the fact that I provided the assist for the winning goal, thumped home by the great [late] Magid Musisi in a 1-0 win against a stubborn Uganda Airlines at Nakivubo stadium.

"[Another best moment was] being named in the starting [team] and playing in two consecutive Africa Cup Competitions. 

"The 1991 Africa Cup of Champion Clubs(Caf CL) vs Club Africaine of Tunisia and the 1992 CAF Abiola Cup (now Confederation Cup) vs Shooting Stars of Nigeria."  

The former attacking midfielder also revealed some of his special moments in front of the goal, while his first top tier hat-trick came against Nate FC 23 years ago.

"Scoring my first hat-trick in international club football vs AS Sotema of Madagascar in the 1993 Caf Champions League at Nakivubo stadium, in front of my own club adoring fans," Mukatabala added.

"I was a regular goal-scoring midfielder at SC Villa, but getting my first hat-trick in a league match and walking away with the Match Day ball was pretty special for me. 

"And that was against Nate FC at Nakivubo Stadium in 1997."

Mukatabala turned out for SC Villa from 1990-1997 before making a return to the club later on as the assistant coach.

He is also doubling as the CEO for the Uganda Football Players' Association (Ufpa) and is the National Team's officer. 

The summer months usually mean the same thing for football fans. If there are no international tournaments to enjoy, it is a long wait for the new campaign to begin – and the latest instalment of EA Sports’ FIFA series to be released.

Of course, 2020 will be very different. Not only on the pitch, where league seasons are stretching through the summer, but in the gaming world too.

Seven years since the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One were first released, the next generation of gaming consoles – the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X – are set to debut.

Fans are excited for the possibilities the step-up in hardware could bring, and FIFA players are no different.

EA Sports has released its first-look video at FIFA 21, with the current-gen adaptation pushed back by the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

On current consoles, FIFA 21 is now set to be released on October 9, 2021, a slight delay on the usual release on the final Friday of September. FIFA 21 early access is available from October 6 on these consoles.

Release dates for the PS5 and Xbox Series X have not been confirmed at this point. However, some clues are available as to when they could be.

Both consoles are expected to be released during the holiday season of 2020, in the lead-up to Christmas.

Some reports have suggested the Xbox Series X could be coming in November 2020, perhaps November 26 – Thanksgiving in the U.S. – after some now-removed marketing material which had teased ‘coming Thanksgiving 2020’.

Similarly, some outlets reported that the PlayStation 5 release date had been accidentally leaked. Amazon France listed the console as being available from November 20, 2020, a listing which has since been removed.

That would make sense as it would place the release date in the middle of holiday shopping season and a week before Black Friday, but it has not been officially confirmed.

FIFA 21’s release date on these new consoles won’t be confirmed until that of the consoles themselves but, as flagship sports titles alongside NBA 2K and Madden NFL, expect confirmation to follow sooner rather than later.

It has been announced that, through EA’s dual entitlement programme, gamers who buy FIFA 21 on Xbox One or PS4 before the launch of FIFA 22 will be able to claim a free upgrade for the equivalent console – so fans don’t need to wait until the next-gen release to enjoy the newest instalment.

Gor Mahia coach Steven Polack has warned club officials not to relax but instead, work hard to secure more sponsors after they sealed a deal with new betting firm Betsafe.

The Kenyan champions, alongside their rivals AFC Leopards, signed a partnership deal that will last for the next three years, with K’Ogalo set to pocket KSh55million per year while Ingwe will pocket KSh45 million.

The new deal has excited the British coach, who has been with the club for one season while the club went through financial difficulties, which has seen the playing unit and officials owed up to five months’ salary.

Polack has, however, warned the club officials not to rest on their laurels and continue to work hard for more sponsors, giving an example of how Gor Mahia were left suffering after SportPesa withdrew their support early this season, leaving them with no place to run to for help.

“The fight to get a new sponsor has been going on for a long time and to get new support is not easy and I want to thank the chairman [Ambrose Rachier] for the good work he has put in and the other people, who helped along the way to secure the deal,” Polack told Goal on Friday.

“I am happy for the club now we have a sponsor, but one sponsor is not enough in football, in football you need more than one sponsor, if you look around the world any club around the world, even the smallest teams have more than one sponsor.

“Let me explain to you, you can’t put all your eggs in one basket, because look at what happened to SportPesa, they dropped out and that was it, there was no one to support the club with money, there was no one to cover up after they left, you need to have at least three sponsors.

“If you watch football on TV, you see many sponsors around the pitch, all of them are supporting teams because you can see several adverts around the pitch which will end up to support the team and then you have your main sponsor, so it becomes easy to run your club.

“I am not only looking at Gor Mahia but even in South Africa teams have more than one sponsor, so they need to work hard and get more sponsors so they can be able to keep the club financially stable, but one thing is for sure, I know Gor Mahia officials are not going to sit and wait, they are going to work hard and get more sponsors, we have already talked about it.

“You can only work hard to get a sponsor and if you get you then you get, and if you don’t then you don’t, but it is good to try and keep pushing.”

However, Polack lauded the arrival of Betsafe, terming it as a good move in the right direction for the club, who will represent Kenya in the Caf Champions League next season.

“It is a good stepping stone, it is a good move in the right direction for the club but we must also make sure the money is used wisely, we have to use it wisely, that is the main thing and nobody wants to hear in five months we don’t have money, so we must be wise and I believe they will be,” Polack concluded.

Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards have been struggling since SportPesa, their previous sponsor left, leaving the clubs to depend on fans, members, and other well-wishers to honour matches and settle players' allowances at times.

EA Sports will launch the next edition of FIFA - FIFA 21 - in October 2020, despite the difficulties associated with the Covid-19 pandemic, which has disrupted various industries, including football.

Every year, the pressure is on games developers to come up with something that tops the previous effort, with avid gamers always keen to see new features or upgrades to existing aspects of the game.

It's all about improving the user experience and, while the creative work is led by the experts, gamers are consulted and their concerns are certainly part of the decision-making process.

So, what sort of new features will be on FIFA 21? Goal takes a look at some potential changes and the things people want to see.

Gameplay & graphics upgrades

The release of FIFA 21 will occur around the same time that next-generation consoles PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, so the expectation is that the game will be better on those new consoles.

Along with Madden NFL 21, FIFA 21 showcases EA Sports' new 'Next Level' updates. These include a variety of graphical and gameplay developments, including new features that are only available in the PS5 and Xbox Series X versions of the game.

Controller haptics are a new addition in FIFA 21 on PS5, thanks to the console's DualSense controller, which allows you to "feel the rhythm of the game in your hands" and respond to shots, passes and tackles through the controller.

Deferred rendering and lightning will add to the realism of the game, with stadiums looking more like their real-life counterparts, while player physiques have been improved to look and feel more natural.

In addition, spatialised audio improves in-game sound effects, while there has been improvements in off-ball humanisation so that players react more realistically during games.

EA Sports has also promised the fastest load times ever for FIFA 21, meaning players will not have to wait as long to begin a match when they boot up the game.

Another gameplay addition that would increase the realism of FIFA 21 is VAR .

While there is strictly no need for a video assistant referee in the game due to the fact that AI makes calls on whether a foul was committed inside the box or there has been an offside, it is now a part of football.

Adding VAR would only be an aesthetic touch, but it would have to be incorporated well, so as to avoid it becoming repetitive, for example.

New Ultimate Team Icons

FIFA 20's new class of Icons included the likes of Kenny Dalglish, Ian Wright and Ronald Koeman, as well as cover star Zinedine Zidane, but what will FIFA 21 bring?

There is already an extensive list of past players on FUT, but there are still some notable absentees, not to mention those iconic stars who recently hung up their boots for good.

Roma and Italy hero Francesco Totti, for example, is widely tipped to be included in the next game as an Icon, as is Chelsea's John Terry and former Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic.

Others include Gabriel Batistuta, Phillipp Lahm, Cafu and Tim Cahill.

One icon who is unlikely to appear on FIFA 21 is David Beckham, who has had a deal with EA Sports' rival brand Pro Evolution Soccer to appear on their game only.

Career Mode improvements

Every year there seems to be a slew of minor issues with Career Mode and FIFA gamers are never shy about airing their grievances.

One the biggest peeves for players is the apparently preponderance of unrealistic transfers, which see transfers of big players between bitter rivals, which, while it does happen, doesn't happen that often.

Issues with the youth academy part of the mode have also been noted, with the more meticulous types preferring a more hands-on interface and greater options in the development of players.

Another request that has appeared on FIFA forums has been the ability to customise club kits instead of having to wear the same kit with the same sponsor despite moving a number of seasons in the virtual future.

Changes to Volta 

The new game mode Volta was rolled out in FIFA 20 with much fanfare as EA Sports sought to reimagine the classic FIFA Street game with small-sided football.

While it was indeed a popular addition with its Journey-style aspect, there have been calls to expand the FIFA street football universe with more venues.

However, some gamers who recall the more cartoonish FIFA Street games of old have suggested that realism isn't exactly necessary in a five-a-side freestyle football game.

Leagues & competitions

EA Sports' FIFA series has long been the most far-reaching football simulation game when it comes to officially licensed players and teams, but they have been hit with some big losses in recent years.

There was no Juventus on FIFA 20 for example, while River Plate and Boca Juniors were also initially unavailable. As well as that there were some issues with licensing for international teams, including Brazil.

They won't be able to get Juventus back, but they can perhaps make up for it somewhat with the addition of more officially licensed competitions.

It is unlikely, given the preference for EA Sports to launch a 'World Cup' edition of the game, but a tournament mode similar to the classic 'Road to World Cup' games, would be a welcome addition.

Onduparaka FC patron Bernard Atiku has explained why some Ugandan Premier League (UPL) clubs are opposed to the reforms fronted by the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa).

Among the reforms Fufa is seeking to implement in the top-tier is the reduction of teams from the current 16 to 12, but this has generated intense debate. During Thursday's consultative meeting, the clubs made their presentation through Aggrey Ashaba.

Among their issues they want to be implemented first include stadium funding, increase in prize money, governance re-calibration, creation of a chairmen’s forum, commercialisation model of the league and refereeing reforms 

“I am very hopeful that our submission in regard to the reforms of the league that Fufa is proposing will give them an insight and guide them in the decision-making process," Atiku said as is quoted by Sports Nation.

“We have come out with our position as clubs which is let’s stay the reforms because there are some strategic challenges that we need to address as a league and once those challenges are addressed, I am sure the league will get lucrative and attractive to the sponsors.”

Atiku was among the chairman who boycotted the initial meeting with Fufa and revealed their earlier decision was due to a communication breakdown with the federation.

The clubs had also sought intervention from the government against some of Fufa's recent decisions.

“We agreed to attend after receiving the agenda in time and also sitting down as club owners to understand the issues therein for discussion and also to prepare a position that is agreeable by all the clubs,” he added.

“Having tried to communicate with Fufa and UPL and failed, we decided to petition Minister Janet Museveni and having these issues presented correctly by our chairman, to us somehow settled the nerves.

“What has also come out clear is that the clubs have not been fighting Fufa or [President Moses] Magogo. We wanted to be heard, and the platform was not there. It was admitted that the communication challenges were there.

“I thank Fufa for allowing us to debate. It’s only in an environment like this that we can relay the challenges. We can either agree or disagree but I believe this is a good platform for both the clubs and the FA.

“We should be looking at professionalisation but we cannot if we don’t have an enabling environment.”

Ronald Mutebi of Bright Stars also commended the meeting between the FA and the clubs.

“When we come to such meetings, we have many issues but we must leave with a bit of diagnosis. Looking at issues with political ammunition but rather deliberate, find solutions and avoid reacting to situations,” Mutebi said.

Kenya captain Victor Wanyama and Montreal Impact players have passed their coronavirus tests and have been allowed to resume full team training. 

Major League Soccer (MLS) is expected to run from July 8 to August 11 but all the teams' officials and players must be subjected to two Covid-19 tests.

Wanyama and his teammates have now passed the tests and have been given the green light to resume full joint training sessions from Thursday.

“I think this period of three months here where we weren’t able to do what we want and love to do every day, to be back today [Thursday], we have a new sense of energy,” Wanyama's goalkeeper teammate Evan Bush said.

“You don’t want to take it for granted anymore. So, I’m going to take that as my mentality every day, and hopefully, the guys do the same.”

Montreal Impact now join other clubs such Atlanta United, Chicago Fire, FC Cincinnati, Colorado Rapids, Columbus Crew, FC Dallas, D.C. United, Houston Dynamo, Inter Miami, Los Angeles Galaxy, Nashville SC, New England Revolution, New York City FC, New York Red Bulls, Orlando City, Philadelphia Union, Real Salt Lake, Seattle Sounders and Sporting Kansas City in holding full team sessions.

MLS will resume playing via a tournament in Orlando featuring all 26 teams after it was suspended on March 12.

Players were given permission to train individually from May 6 but testing was not a requirement at the time, as they social distanced themselves during those workouts.

The second phase was effected on June 1 as players were allowed to train in small groups and testing was not required once more, as no more than six players trained together and kept a distance.

MLS has now allowed phase three to be started where full testing was required and clubs had to conduct these tests before leaving for Orlando. MLS will conduct the remaining part of the season, on a tournament basis, in Orlando.

“There are three key issues. First is that clubs have to have the testing capacity to test players, second is that they have local government approvals [to return to training] and third is a variety of protocols, in terms of sanitized facilities and PPE [personal protective equipment]," MLS Deputy Commissioner Mark Abbott said earlier when providing guidance before the resumption of matches.

Once in Orlando, MLS will provide testing which will be conducted when players and staff arrive, then continued throughout the tournament.  

Los Angeles FC, Minnesota United, Portland Timbers and the San Jose Earthquakes are yet to get their own approval.

Former Mamelodi Sundowns defender Luvhengo Mungomeni says competing with the likes of Vuyo Mere, Siboniso Gaxa, and Michael Manzini made it difficult for him to settle down at Chloorkop.

The retired defender also credited current Golden Arrows coach and former Kaizer Chiefs mentor Steve Komphela, saying he played a massive role in developing his game at international level.

Now focusing in his business and based in Johannesburg, the lanky former centre-back stated that he also enjoyed his football under four-time Premier Soccer League (PSL) winner Gordon Igesund whilst saying he didn't want to go around attending trials.

“I think at Sundowns, I was competing with the best players there. Let’s be honest, I mean I played with OJ [Mbulelo] Mabizela, Manzini, Pa [Siboniso] Gaxa and [Vuyo] Mere and I was young," Mungomeni told Goal.

“It was not easy to play and compete against those guys at the time. These were fully established players and I was coming from Black Leopards.

"I still had to settle down and cement my place. I scored goals for Sundowns and then I joined Swallows, that’s when I can say it was my best time in football.”

Speaking about coaches that made him shine at the top level, the former Mthatha Bush Bucks player mentioned Komphela as one of the best and explained why he would do anything for Igesund.

"The good coach has to be Komphela at international level, that coach groomed me. There was also coach Serame Letsoaka, the late Styles Phumo and those guys made me who I am,” Mungomeni added.

“I am not talking about the development level at home [Venda], but these are the coaches that brought out the best in me. I will always be grateful to them. At club level, when I played under coach Igesund. That was the best year of my football.

“He was awesome, I would die for him at Swallows because some of the times, I recall I would play, I would feel my body says no but I would push, just for him.

“I would tell myself, let me tear this ligament because it will get better. He is one of the coaches that believed in me. I recall when I received my first call-up to the national team, even if Pitso [Mosimane] called me up.

"However, I didn’t get a chance to play for Pitso - not even a single game.

“They also called me to the national team but Gordon is the man, he believed in me and it’s always nice when you get such a coach."

On failed moves to join the Lions of the North and Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM), Mungomeni revealed he had no regrets but explained why he decided to hang up his boots.

“To be honest, my contract with Swallows was ending in 2017 and the club got relegated to the ABC Motsepe [league], I still had a contract and things were not going well for the team,” added the Siloam-born legend.

“I just had to stop, I told myself that I will not become that player running around doing trials. What is it that I needed to prove because I took care of my body in terms of fitness? 

"I never got fat and why will I be running around like a headless chicken doing trials? I never received a letter to attend a disciplinary hearing in my entire career because I was disciplined.

“I remember I went to Highlands Park and they told me about the budgets, I went to train with TTM and they told me about their budget. I understood but I stopped there.

“I had plans with my life and I don’t have regrets when I look back. I enjoyed my football career. My leg got broken and I couldn’t break another leg at the age of 30 or over 30. It was not worth it anymore.

"Out of football, you can still make money and survive. If it doesn’t happen then it’s okay, who am I?”

Having featured in more than 150 games in the South African top-flight, the former Lidoda Duvha defender said he always dreamt of playing professional football.

“I retired from football for a long time, I last played football in 2015 and just after Swallows got relegated, I lost interest in football. I felt I needed to focus on other things, I’m still in Joburg full time but I do travel to Venda,” he continued.

“I stayed for a long time in Venda during the lockdown. It is an honour to have played for Sundowns. My dream was to play professional football especially for a boy coming from the rural areas, I had to hustle on trials and so on.

“I was born in a football family, I signed for [Mthatha] Bush Bucks at a very young age and I survived in East London. I went to Leopards then I also survived in Venda.

“I was also doing well for the U20s and it was nice to work under great coaches like Komphela. Coming from Venda and playing football until retirement was nice. I told myself I won’t retire when I’m very old.

“I’ve seen many things happening to football players that happen when they retire and I didn’t want to be like those players. For me, it was a dream to retire when I was still young.”

Lionel Messi became the first player to score 20 LaLiga goals in 12 consecutive seasons as Barcelona made a winning return against RCD Mallorca on Saturday. 

Arturo Vidal headed the league leaders in front, just 65 seconds into their first match since March 7 following the coronavirus pandemic. 

Quique Setien's side cruised to a 4-0 victory, Messi rounding off the scoring to add to his impressive collection of La Liga records.  

Sevilla prevailed 2-0 in El Gran Derbi against Real Betis, Fernando Reges scoring the game-sealing second goal from a 62nd-minute corner.  

And there was late drama at Mestalla where Rodrigo looked have scored an 89th-minute Valencia winner, only for Gonzalo Melero to level from the penalty spot in the eighth minute of added time, rescuing a point for Levante 

Click the image below to relive the excitement of Matchday 28 in La Liga.

AFC Leopards goalkeeper Benjamin Ochan has revealed what made him stick with the club despite the financial turmoil at the former Kenyan champions.

Ochan was the only foreign player who remained at AFC Leopards after the rest left because of unpaid salaries when the club was left without a sponsor.

Coach Casa Mbungo and players Tresor Ndikumana, Soter Kayumba, Vincent Habamahoro and Ismail Diarra left in January due to the financial challenges.

“I am a family man and I know when things are tough that is the time you need to gel more, stick together and be there for one another,” Ochan said during an interactive session with the fans on the club's official Facebook page.

“I have learnt a lot from being raised from a challenging background and one of the lessons is that you do not run away from challenges. I am happy we did not walk away from the challenges but we bonded more.

“Money is not everything, but everyone, including me, wants money but I believe AFC Leopards are a big brand. We are praying that things change and of course we know problems are not going to stay forever.

“Problems made us better and I believe next season is not going to be the same and sponsors must come and sponsor AFC Leopards because we are going to be champions.”

The Ugandan also spoke of the factors which made it possible for him to keep 13 clean sheets in his maiden Kenyan Premier League (KPL) season.

“Everyone at AFC Leopards has been amazing from the fans to the groundsmen and the players themselves,” he added. 

“The clean sheets that I kept cannot be credited to me alone because it was a collective effort from the strikers, the midfielders and the defence.

“If we stick together, the way we did, then I know for sure the sky is the limit.

“I wanted more clean sheets because last season my colleague had 15 and I had targeted to get 17 but who knows maybe next season God may help me to push for more and get even 18 of them.”

Ochan came and established himself as an indisputable figure in the first team but he says the coronavirus denied him a chance to win a title for the club.

“My first target was to win something for AFC Leopards but unfortunately, it was not the case as we did not win the league,” he concluded.

“Ingwe are a big team that needs to get back to the continental assignments but with the pandemic that was not possible.

“But again, we should look at the positives and one of them is we managed to remain together after many people thought the team was collapsing when many players left.

“Seeing the fans supporting us and players sticking together for me that is a great achievement despite the challenges.”

Ochan is in Uganda after he left when the league was suspended in March.

Diego Godin insists he is happy at Inter amid reports the experienced Uruguayan defender is looking for a way out just a year after his arrival in Serie A.

The 34-year-old joined Inter on a three-year contract last summer on a free transfer from Atletico Madrid, but he has struggled to command a regular starting role under Antonio Conte.

Reports have suggested that Inter are willing to cut their losses on the centre-half, and that Godin is also prepared to consider a change of scenery.

Tottenham have been linked with an approach for Godin, who has previously claimed that Manchester United and Juventus tried to sign him while he was at Atletico.

Lyon, along with clubs in the MLS and Chinese Super League, have also been mentioned as possible destinations for the South American.

However, Godin has sought to quell any notion that he wants to quit San Siro and has stated his intention to stick with Inter to try to help the club to win silverware.

"The truth is that I was surprised by this news," said Godin. "Since I came to this club I have always felt very comfortable. Both the club and the fans welcomed me very well and from day one I felt at home.

"It never occurred to me to leave Inter. I feel part of the project. The playing squad is spectacular.

"My intention is to fulfil my contract and enjoy this wonderful stage in Italy and Inter, who trusted me.

"I took responsibility and came with the intention of helping to win titles again. Here I am happy and I know that the feeling of the club is the same, which fills me with pride.

"I do not understand why some media insist that I am looking for a way out, when they know that this is a lie. I have never spoken to anyone on this subject, because it is simply not true.

"I'm going to stay here, and try to help the team in whatever they need. And if they continue to be happy with me, my time at Inter will be extended as long as they want."

FC Dallas forward Fafa Picault has spoken openly about the racism he was forced to endure during his time on the books at Cagliari as a teenager, revealing that even his coach was involved in the long-term abuse.

Picault, now 29, was born in New York to Haitian immigrant parents and developed a love for football from a young age when playing on the streets of the city.

At 16, the attacker made the brave choice to move to Italy and begin his career in Cagliari's youth side, firmly moving out of his comfort zone as he pursued a career at the highest possible level.

And while Picault has admitted in the past that his stint in Europe was hugely helpful for his on-field development, the abuse he suffered at the hands of team-mates, staff and fans ultimately saw him return to the US after five massively testing years.

“You have different forms of racism,” Picault said in a Facebook live chat. “I've dealt with it differently in different locker rooms and in stadiums.

“When I moved to Italy I was about 16 and I moved up to the first team around 17 years old. I was split between what a lot of young players do where you train with the first team and go back and play reserve games with the reserve team.

“Our coach at the time with the reserve team was probably one of the worst people I've met. Daily, I had to deal with him calling me a monkey or telling me I need to go back to the jungle in Africa, black players don't have technique, you're just fast, go run, we brought you here to run.

“He didn't bring me, the president brought me, but he said that's what I was brought for. When we would train he would just say anything that was nasty. If I told a younger guy to do something he would say: 'No, you have to do it because you're black'.

“I would have monkey stickers posted in my locker at times and I was getting in fist fights maybe twice a week.

“I was managing that with AP classes back home that I was finishing online and also still have to perform on the soccer field – which was probably the easiest part. 

“The easiest part was the soccer at the time.”

Uganda coach Johnathan McKinstry is impressed with the recent tactical developments witnessed in African teams.

According to the 34-year-old, most national teams on the continent have started to command a certain style of play, as a result of the consistency in the technical bench.

"I definitely feel now in more recent years, you have started to see teams develop a lot more tactically," McKinstry told Career Magazine.

"Yes, there have been foreign coaches, but there have also been great African coaches who have come into the likes of Senegal, Nigeria, Ghana and even DR Congo with Florent Ibenge."

The Northern Irish coach also lauded the teams who give the coaches longer contracts, which he feels is vital for teams to progress.

"They have really started to develop a style, it is because they have given coaches time – it is not just one or two years. These are guys who have been in their roles for four or five years that have been able to develop tactically," he continued. 

"There are still some nations who give coaches game-by-game contracts, how can you hope for a coach to develop a playing style when he knows that if he loses a game, he doesn’t have any security?"

The youthful tactician believes the quality at the Africa Cup of Nations reflects the developments made and not the World Cup, which is held after every four years.

"I know [2010 World Cup] was a big selling point at the time in the corridors for Fifa etc but am not sure that the World Cup had any tangible benefit to football in say, Sierra Leone, for example," he claimed.

"If you asked people their general opinion of the Africa cup of nations 10 or 15 years ago, they would have said; Individuals, exciting lots of goals, quite poor defending.

"There were really exciting football and really talented players but the joy of watching the Africa Cup of Nations 15 years ago was for those individual moments."  

McKinstry took over qualification for the 2021 Afcon to be held in Cameroon.

Former Mamelodi Sundowns forward Katlego Mashego has praised Highlands Park head coach Owen Da Gama.

The retired marksman worked with the veteran tactician at the now-defunct Platnum Stars between 2004 and 2006, known as Silver Stars at the time.

Mashego had made his professional career at Hellenic in 2001, but Da Gama was the man who helped transform 'Mahoota' into a quality striker at Stars.

“There’s no way you’d play for Owen da Gama’s team and fail to be a success when you move on,” Mashego told Far Post.

Mashego was born in a town called Bushbuckridge in Mpumalanga where Da Gama saw him for the first time.

Then-football agent Tim Sukazi, who would become Mashego's representative, recommended the left-footed frontman to Da Gama.

“I was to drive to Venda, but I then thought to go via Bushbuckridge to see this talent Tim had told me about,” Da Gama said on the same publication.

Da Gama is also credited for discovering former Silver Stars players Surprise Moriri and Stanley Kgatla, and Kaizer Chiefs defender Eric Mathoho.

The 58-year-old mentor, who is a former Bafana Bafana caretaker coach, has travelled to places like Limpopo and Mpumalanga in order to unearth talent in those provinces.

“If he visits a certain place and identifies a good player, he would never leave without the player," Mashego said about Da Gama, who has also coached Pirates, Free State Stars and Bloemfontein Celtic.

Mashego went on to become one of the best strikers in the history of the PSL after working with Da Gama at Silver Stars.

The former Bafana international is in the PSL's top 10 all-time leading goalscorers list with 88 goals although he was a bit of a journeyman during his career.

After playing for Hellenic and Silver Stars, Mahoota also turned out for Pirates, Sundowns, SuperSport United,  Moroka Swallows, Lamontville Golden Arrows as well as Chippa United.

Mashego, who won major trophies with SuperSport, Swallows, Pirates and Sundowns, also scooped the PSL Golden Boot at the end of the 2012/13 campaign with 13 goals.

He was part of the Bafana squad at the 2014 African Nations Championship and he retired from professional football early last year.