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Bidvest Wits coach Gavin Hunt was left fuming and speechless over the sale of the club to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM). 

As confirmed by TTM this past weekend, the Students will not exist beyond the current season as the club is expected to be renamed and relocated to Limpopo for the new campaign. 

Hunt admitted he was upset about the sale of Wits which was kept a secret for the past two weeks until TTM announced the deal on Saturday night. 

Wits chairman Alan Fainman vehemently denied reports that the club was in the process of being sold just hours before the NFD side confirmed the purchase. 

"I'm not good. I don't want to say too much, let's talk another day," Hunt told Sowetan.

"Right now I don't want to talk too much about it, you know, [I am] very upset about it."

"Anyway, I don't want to get involved," Hunt continued.

Hunt has already been told to look for a job elsewhere, according to TTM CEO Sello Chokoe but that won't disrupt the coach's plans to at least see Wits qualify for next season's Caf Confederation Cup. 

He still had a year left on his current deal with the Braamfontein-based side. 

"We must finish well and we must put this team in Africa, that's the most important thing. Right now I just don't want to talk about anything," Hunt said.

"We need to see that everything happens right. Sorry, my friend, I don't want to talk about it anymore," added Hunt. 

As things stand the Clever Boys still have an outside chance of winning the league as they are 10 points behind log leaders Kaizer Chiefs who are on 48 points. 

This is despite sitting sixth on the PSL standings having played 21 league matches. 

Wits are also in the semi-finals of the Nedbank Cup, and should fail to finish at least third at the end of the season, they would still have a chance to make it to continental football provided they lift the Nedbank Cup trophy. 

Earlier this season, Wits exited the Caf Confederation Cup at the group stage; their first major continental achievement in the history of the club.  

Robert Lewandowski wanted to join Real Madrid to play alongside Cristiano Ronaldo before being persuaded to sign for Bayern Munich, according to the striker’s former adviser Cezary Kucharski.

The Poland international linked up with Bayern on a free transfer from Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund in 2014 and has been a prolific source of goals during his time at the Allianz Arena.

However, the 31-year-old’s career could have turned out very differently if Lewandowski had reneged on his agreement with Bayern and followed through with his desire to be Ronaldo’s team-mate.

“At one point in the negotiations, he no longer wanted to sign a contract with Bayern, and wanted Real Madrid instead because Ronaldo played there,” Kucharski told Polish YouTube channel Futbolownia.

“I convinced him that he had to be the number one striker at a big club. At Real Madrid, he would have prevailed over Karim Benzema at some point, but I couldn’t allow him to move to a club as a number two given the status he already had at that time.

“I emphasised this in all discussions, whether it was with Real Madrid, Arsenal or Manchester City.”

Kucharski did acknowledge that Lewandowski was also apprehensive about joining Bayern amid reports over how he would fit into then-coach Pep Guardiola’s team and suggestions he was no better than Mario Mandzukic.

“It’s funny today, but Lewy really had doubts at the time,” he said.

The promise of taking Mandzukic’s No.9 shirt had a big influence on Lewandowski’s eventual decision, with Kucharski reflecting: “That was crucial for me and showed me that Bayern was the safest move for him after his time at Borussia Dortmund.”

Lewandowski, who is enjoying the most prolific season of his career to date, is under contract at Bayern until 2023 and Kucharski does not feel the forward should end his playing days anywhere else.

“He will end his career at Bayern,” he added. “If I was still his adviser, I would at least advise him to do that.

"I think only Ruud van Nistelrooy went to Madrid when he was over 30 years old. Instead, I would concentrate on Bayern to continue breaking records.”

Yanga SC are worried their star winger Bernard Morrison could be heading to Simba SC.

Morrison missed Yanga's clash against Mwadui FC on Saturday and a top official of the club has revealed they have reports the Ghanaian might be in secret talks with their arch-rivals.

Morrison was signed for six months in the last transfer window and went on to become a fan favourite especially with his March 8 strike against Simba in Dar es Salaam which earned Yanga victory.

“We have been reliably informed that there are still Simba officials who are tracking him and have promised a lot of money should he sign. What is shocking us is maybe he is forgetting that he is serving a two-year contract with Yanga,” the unnamed official told Mwanaspoti.

“We are waiting for him to switch on his phone so that he can tell us what is going on. This is a lack of discipline.

“We are now starting to see his disturbing behaviour but let us not deliberate on the issue so much because his phone might be faulty but again, he knows where the club's offices are and the officials.

“Someone might ask whether he has not been paid but there is no player who has not been paid may be talking of the June salaries and time of payment is not yet here.”

The winger had explained why he missed the Shinyanga match against Mwadui.

“I was unable to link up with the rest of the squad in Shinyanga because I was still suffering from pain in my right knee and thus, I felt it was not fair for me to travel and I will not be able to play,” Morrison said.

Yanga are expected to sit down with the player when the team returns to Dar es Salaam in order to find what the problem could really be.

It is further reported Simba have offered him USD 10,000 (TSh23 million) even though the Ghanaian has already agreed on a contract extension with the Wananchi. It is understood the contract is signed and has already been deposited at Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) offices.

"Simba are going to make a surprising signing but the rumours Simba want to poach [Bernard] Morrison I think that is not true," the club's Spokesperson Haji Manara told Mwanaspoti.

Simba are said to have seen a great player in Morrison especially for their Caf engagements for the 2020/21 season.

Wekundu wa Msimbazi have also been reported to be interested in Yanga's captain Pappy Tshishimbi who they think can bring competition in a midfield controlled by Jonas Mkude, Gerson Fraga and Muzamiru Yassin.

The two traditional arch-rivals are also in a close contest in as far as signing the Coastal Union defender Bakarai Mwamnyeto is concerned.

Marcus Rashford has spoken of how Manchester United allowed him to join their academy programmes early after his mother let them know of tough circumstances at home.

England forward Rashford has helped charity FareShare reach a goal of supplying three million meals to vulnerable children in the United Kingdom by the end of June amid the coronavirus pandemic.

On Sunday, Rashford published an open letter pleading with the UK government not to stop a food voucher scheme, which was set up to guarantee meals to children when schools were shut down in March, next month.

In the letter, Rashford spoke about his own experiences growing up and went into more details during an interview with the BBC .

He revealed his mother, Melanie, had spoken to the Red Devils about their home situation and United allowed him to join up at age 11 rather than 12.

"My mum was a single parent, she had five kids all living in the same house. The programme that I started at 11 years old, you're supposed to start it at 12 years old," he said.

"It basically gives you accommodation closer to the training facilities and a new school and she worked that hard to push it forward because she knew that was a step I needed to take.

"I needed to be eating the right food as I was growing, I needed to be close to my team-mates, my new school and my new school friends. She made that decision when I was 11 years old and United allowed it.

"That was the reason I ended up going at a younger age to the others, it was to help my mum with her situation and also get me out of the situation we were in. So there is always a big element of sacrifice to get to the top level and that's the one we had to make."

Rashford went into further detail about how the household managed a tight budget. 

"My mum, she did the best she could, we used to go to a shop called Pound World and everything was under a pound," he added. "We would schedule out the week, we would get seven yoghurts and you could have one yoghurt a day and so on. She did the best she could within the circumstances.

"There are some families out there, like mine, that have four or five kids and it is literally impossible for her to take control of the situation.

"This is all going on at a time when kids should be concentrating on school work and stuff like that. It is crazy to think this is still going on in 2020 and it's something I don't believe should be happening."

In his letter, Rashford said MPs should "make protecting the lives of some of our most vulnerable a top priority" and "this is not about politics, this is about humanity."

The letter continues: "Looking at ourselves in the mirror and feeling like we did everything we could to protect those who can't, for whatever reason or circumstance, protect themselves. Political affiliations aside, can we not all agree that no child should be going to bed hungry?"

Rashford added: "It's written from the heart and it's about how my life was at the moment - the letter is to open up and let people understand the impact on families and to know I've done the right thing.

"What families are going through now, I've once had to go through that - and it's very difficult to find a way out. It's very important for me to help people who are struggling. Whether the outcome changes or doesn't change - that's why I wrote it."

Napoli are open to selling Kalidou Koulibaly and Fabian Ruiz this summer, according to their club president Aurelio De Laurentiis, who says he would consider offers within the region of €100 million (£90m/$112m) from Manchester United or Manchester City.

Koulibaly has been a rock in the heart of Napoli's defence once again in 2019-20, racking up 22 appearances across all competitions in total.

The 28-year-old's outstanding performances have made him one of the most sought-after defenders in European football in recent years, but he is still tied to a contract at Stadio San Paolo which is due to run until 2023.

Ruiz is also contracted to remain with Napoli for another three years, but speculation over his future at the club is intensifying ahead of the summer transfer window.

The Spanish midfielder has been another standout performer for Gennaro Gattuso's side this season, and is now being tipped to step up to an even bigger stage.

Ruiz and Koulibaly have both been linked with elite outfits such as Real Madrid, Paris-Saint Germain, United and City this year, and De Laurentiis has hinted that a prized pair could be allowed to leave if the club receives suitable bids.

The Napoli president told Corriere Dello Sport: "If City or United or PSG showed up with €100m, I would think about it and it is probable that they would leave, always if their will was to leave. 

"I don't even consider an offer of €60m (£55m/$68m). I am firm on that. If I wanted to win the Scudetto at any cost today I would find myself with three, four hundred million in debt. I look around and see companies at 500, 600 million, less than a billion. I don't owe anyone a sh*t."

De Laurentiis also confirmed they have entered talks with Spanish winger Jose Callejon about a bumper new extension to his contract.

He said: “In September, or maybe it was October, I don't remember well, we talked to each other and I clarified our intentions. I must have changed up the contract for €100,000 or €200,000. That's enough. He knows the conditions."

Louis Saha has expressed his belief that Jadon Sancho would be a good fit for Manchester United, describing the Borussia Dortmund star as a "deadly" performer in the final third.

Sancho is attracting attention from the biggest clubs across Europe ahead of the summer transfer window.

The 20-year-old, who moved to Westfalenstadion from Manchester City in 2017, is enjoying another fine season at Dortmund.

It has been suggested that a man who has recorded 20 goals and 20 assists in 40 appearances for BVB could make his way back to the Premier League when the transfer market reopens.

Manchester United are reportedly leading the race for Sancho's signature, and Saha thinks he could be the final piece in the puzzle Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been trying to piece together over the past year.

Asked if the England international would be a good signing for his old club, the former Red Devils striker told beIN Sports: "Totally, yes. He is a player that is uncatchable, he’s clever, quick, very precise. He’s got the legs, the stamina, the quality.

"He’s very creative for that type of player. When you have all those things, like I said about speed and creativity, but precise as well. So, imagine how deadly these things are. You can’t stop the guy and at the same time, he is very precise because he knows how to stop when passing the ball.

"It’s really hard because players, for example, Anthony [Martial] and [Marcus] Rashford, it can be hard for them because most of the time they’re going so quick so it’s hard to deliver the good pass like Juan Mata would do.

"Sancho has got that ability to address the right passes, the right weight of the pass because of his intelligence."

Gareth Southgate has seen Sancho transfer his club form at Dortmund to the international stage with England, but warned the young winger that Premier League football is far more competitive than the Bundesliga when discussing his future earlier this month.

The Three Lions boss told Sky Sports: "The top teams have certainly been a challenge for English teams in the Champions League but the level I don't think is quite the same in Germany in terms of the depth because the finances aren't quite the same. Any step for Sancho is going to be a challenge but he's developing really well."

Kylian Mbappe needs to leave Paris Saint-Germain to reach the level of dominance his potential suggests, according to Real Madrid star Luka Modric.

The France World Cup winner has been consistently linked with a transfer to Spain's capital with countryman Zinedine Zidane currently in charge of the La Liga giants.

However, PSG's sporting director Leonardo refuted claims of Mbappe's rumoured departure, claiming the club will be looking to secure the 21-year-old's future in Paris.

Modric believes Mbappe has the ability to reach the top of the game as an individual, but feels he can only get there if he moves to a league with more competition.

"Mbappé has everything to dominate the scene," Modric told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"But I think that to make the leap in quality he needs to go to a championship in which his team does not win so easily."

Modric - the 2018 Ballon d'Or winner - turns 35 in September but has played 35 matches for Real this season, scoring five goals and creating five assists.

When asked about this future, the Croatian international was adamant he had a couple of seasons left at a high level and hinted he would like to coach with his national team one day.

"I'm sure I can play at a high level for two more years, then we'll see," Modric said.

"I would like to end my career at Real, but it will also depend on the club.

"Of course, I'll do the coaching course. For us, the national team is a feeling above football, both as a player and as a coach I'd be honored to be there".

Modric learned plenty off former team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo, with the duo playing six seasons together at the Bernabeu.

He admitted that Real had missed their ex-superstar since his departure to Juventus in 2018 and was full of praise for the Portugal attacker.

"Talking about [Ronaldo's ability] seems trivial to me: he is among the best ever," Modric said. "We missed his goals and character at Real: Cristiano always wants to win, he motivated us and made us react.

"As a person then he is a 10 - he has a big heart and is always ready to help those in need."

Gary Neville believes Alisson and not Virgil van Dijk is the main player to thank for Liverpool's looming Premier League success. 

Both players have been key for Jurgen Klopp this season with the Reds conceding just 21 goals across 29 league games to date - four fewer than Sheffield United who boast the next best defence. 

Van Dijk has been regularly singled out for praise since arriving at Anfield and finished second in Ballon d'Or voting for 2019 behind Lionel Messi. 

But Neville believes Liverpool's recent domestic exploits are down more Alisson, who has brought much-needed stability between the sticks. 

"I think Alisson has made Liverpool win the league," Neville was quoted by UK media. 

"When people talk about Van Dijk being the missing piece, I think that there is an element of that. But when I go back to two years or three years ago, I was very critical of the goalkeepers that were at Liverpool.

"I said I felt that they would never win the League while the current goalkeeper was in position. Jurgen Klopp came for me, I don’t know whether he was angry with me but he certainly had a go at me in the media.

"But soon as Allison came – I saw it at Manchester United with [Peter] Schmeichel then I saw it in that next spell where we had greatness with [Edwin] Van Der Sar.

"Once your goalkeeper is calm, authoritative, saves most shots on his goal, gives confidence to the rest of the team, the impact of that is absolutely incredible."

The Reds face Everton on Sunday needing just two more wins to wrap up a long-awaited domestic title. 

With the Premier League now poised to return on June 17 following the coronavirus pandemic, Neville wants to ensure the competition remains accessible for all fans across England. 

"I would hope football uses this as a chance to reset - reset the pyramid, distribute the wealth more, give grassroots more and give the lower league clubs more," Neville said.

"Make ourselves still the best league in the world but make it more affordable for fans to get into a stadium, make it more accessible, all the things that we know are right.

"There isn’t one single person in football or one single person in this country who wouldn’t believe that they are the right things in my mind, apart from potentially 14-15 Premier League owners. We have got to change."

In July 2019, RoundGlass Sports became a co-owner of Minerva Punjab after a merger deal was signed by both parties. They took charge of the various age-group teams whereas, the erstwhile management headed by Ranjit Bajaj continued to look after the operations of the senior team. After the previous I-League season, Bajaj sold his entire stakes to RoundGlass to cap off one of the most sensational deals in Indian football history.

Unsurprisingly, the change in management has also ushered in a change in policy and vision of the club. The new think-tank believes that participating in the Indian Super League (ISL) is the way forward to compete at the highest level. 

"Our long term mission is to produce the best Indian players. If we are going to do that, then we must aspire to play in ISL. The best Indian players play in ISL.  It's not going to happen this season. However, there is a possibility of that happening in the next season. If any such opportunity arrives, we will duly consider the option.  

"You have to eventually end up playing in ISL. The roadmap is already there in place. We know about future promotion and relegation scenarios. The matter will be considered at a more appropriate time. But currently, we are focusing I-League," stated Michael Browne, the technical director of the senior team. 

Browne has had a distinguished career and has previously served as the head coach of the Aspire Academy in Qatar and was also led the national team scouting department of Qatar. Seven in the starting line-up of the Qatar team that trounced Japan 3-1 in the 2019 Asian Cup final to lift the Asian Cup trophy were graduates of the Aspire Academy. He has also worked as the academy director for Charlton Athletic in England. 

He has been staying in India for over a year and has closely followed both the ISL and the I-League. After watching the leagues, he opines that the ISL has an edge over I-League in terms of quality of football as the better foreigners and Indians play their trade in the former. 

"It is always difficult to compare between leagues. Yet, I feel the ISL has a better standard than I-League. The quality of overseas players is better. The best Indian players also play in ISL. We aim to be a successful club, be it in I-League or ISL. But we are not going to do that by signing expensive players. We are going to develop Indian players and make them good enough so that they can go on to play for the national team."

Browne believes that the players with potential in India are not getting enough game time which is hindering their development. He suggests that it will be more beneficial for those to ply their trade in I-League rather than sitting on the bench in ISL. 

"The best Indian young players do not get minutes. That is definitely not good for football in India. We hope to improve that. They must play consistently. Some Indian players should play in I-league and not in ISL as they are mostly benchwarmers which impedes their process of development. 

"I think India's potential is huge. But there are not many good quality games. The players should get more quality games. All key positions in ISL are occupied by foreigners. The country needs to get (more) games at the right level. If we can have a longer season with higher standard of games, it will greatly help Indian football. There is also talk about the reduction of overseas players. Doing that you create more opportunities for Indian players to shine. But we should also keep in mind that the standard must not go down," concluded the UEFA Pro License holder. 

Diego Simeone challenged his Atletico Madrid players to treat every remaining La Liga match like a final after a 1-1 draw at Athletic Bilbao hindered their top-four hopes.

Throughout his eight-and-a-half-year tenure, Simeone has expanded Spain's big two to a big three – most notably when Atleti pipped Barcelona and Real Madrid to the title in 2013-14.

However, they lie sixth in the standings after Saturday's stalemate at San Mames, with a 13th top-flight draw this season setting an unwanted club record.

In their previous competitive match before the coronavirus shutdown, Atletico sensationally dumped holders Liverpool out of the Champions League to reach the quarter-finals.

However, their participation in next season's competition is far from assured and fourth-placed Real Sociedad could open up a three-point advantage when they host Osasuna later on Sunday.

"The aim for the two teams was to always try to win, we started well in the first 10 minutes, then they positioned themselves better and they won the second ball and they did not let us attack," Simeone told reporters, after watching Diego Costa find a quickfire response to Iker Muniain's opener.

"The goal came, the reaction, after a very well-constructed play.

"In the second half we were closer to that victory. Santiago Arias' chance was the clearest. He could have allow us to take the victory in a stadium where you always have to work to win.

"We have one final left in each match."

Simeone picked two-goal Anfield hero Marcos Llorente in an advanced role behind Costa, leaving striker Alvaro Morata on the bench until the 63rd minute.

Nevertheless, the Atleti boss would not rule out pairing them as a front two in future, with a Wednesday trip to Osasuna in La Liga on the agenda.

"Seeing what I see and knowing the squad, I interpreted this situation to be like this today," he said.

"Over time, they will be able to coexist. We understood that Marcos could give us some incision like he did, with some sprints, some passes and the dirty work."

Elsewhere in La Liga on Sunday, Atletico's rivals Real Madrid claimed a 3-1 win against Eibar to remain second. 

The poor goalscoring record among Indian strikers in the Indian Super League (ISL) and the I-League in the recent seasons has been well documented. Apart from Sunil Chhetri, who scored nine goals, the only other Indian striker who scored more than one goal last season is FC Goa's Manvir Singh (2).

In fact, the lack of consistent Indian goalscorers has been highlighted by many experts including national team head coach Igor Stimac. Jeje Lalpekhlua, one of the most prolific Indian goalscorers in the last decade, feels that the opportunities to shine for Indian strikers is hard to come by.

Jeje, who is the second-highest Indian goalscorer in the ISL with 23 goals, has had to sit out the 2019-20 season with a knee injury and the subsequent rehabilitation following a surgery. He feels that since Indian strikers are directly competing with foreign forwards, it is hard for them to get preference to start matches.

"Especially for an Indian striker, it's difficult to get a chance to play. Every team is having overseas strikers and it is hard for an Indian to get into the team," Jeje told Goal. "It is understandable because if you are a coach, you put the better player in the first XI. More often than not, it is the overseas striker. But coaches need to give confidence to Indian strikers. If the coach believes in you, you can invariably do well.

"Indian strikers have to work harder than other players. It you don't score soon, it might be a problem becuase you will be compared to a foreign striker. The club has to give more opportunities to Indian striker ultimately. Maybe, then you will see their performances improve."

The increased scrutiny on the lack of opportunities for Indian strikers saw the All India Football Federation's (AIFF) Executive Committee deciding to implement the four foreigner rule (3+1), conforming with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) norms, in the I-League immediately and in the ISL from 2021-22 season.

"I support the four foreigner rule. In every Asian competition, we have the 3+1 system (one foreigner compulsory from an Asian nation). FC Goa, ATK and Bengaluru FC have to play with four foreigners in the continental competitions. They have to adapt to this in the league as well. I support the rule," reasoned Jeje.

It has not been easy for the Mizo Sniper to sit on the sidelines this season. Jeje has been a consistent source of goals for Chennaiyin FC in the ISL, with his goals playing a key role in two of their title-winning campaigns. Only the 2018-19 season was an aberration, with Jeje contributing just one goal. However, the entire team underperformed massively in that campaign.

Chennaiyin FC reached the ISL final last season. However, they struggled initially until Owen Coyle took over six games into the season. Jeje reveals how hard it was for him to watch the team struggle without being able to help them on the pitch.

"When they did well, I felt great. In the first half of the season, it was very bad for me. We were not doing well and lost many games. We were bottom of the table. I was watching from TV and it was very difficult. Sometimes, I thought I wanted to shut down the TV and it was a very tough time.

"But this is football. We turned it around and I was really happy with the way the team was playing. It's really nice to see them fight well."

Jeje's rehabilitation has progressed well and the forward cannot wait to get back on the pitch.

"I am getting better now. It is difficult when you get an injury. I did a surgery. But I'm very excited to play now. Of course, I can't help the situation right now (lockdown). I'm doing my own rehab and exercises. I do cycling and self workouts due to the lockdown. I'm really excited to be back. I missed football a lot."

The former Mohun Bagan striker is also looking forward to playing in the national team, for whom he last turned out more than an year ago before his injury.

"I am really excited to play with the national team. It is special for me always to play for the national team. India is always the first priority. I'm really excited because I missed a lot of football. I missed a lot of stuff and I'm looking forward to everything."

When Liverpool return to Premier League action against Everton on Sunday, Jordan Henderson is determined to keep his swearing to a minimum. 

With no fans to be allowed into games for the foreseeable future following the coronavirus pandemic, what players say on the pitch will now be heard much more clearly. 

Ahead of a much-anticipated Merseyside derby, Henderson is fully aware he'll have to bite his tongue at times to ensure he keeps his language clean for the millions of fans watching from home. 

"For the players it will be different playing in a big game in a stadium where there’s no crowd because you can hear everybody talking. Again, we’ve got to adapt to that situation and try to keep the swearing down to a minimum," Henderson told the Liverpool FC Magazine.

"I’m more worried about my language when I’m playing! I don’t want to be having to apologise to everybody after every single game so I need to be careful, especially in the heat of the game.

"I’m sure the manager will have to be careful with his language as well! But he’ll also know we can’t blame the crowd for not being able to hear what he’s saying at certain times of the game."

Jurgen Klopp's side are 25 points clear at the Premier League summit and are poised to wrap up the title with a further two wins when the action resumes. 

While the atmosphere of games will be different for the rest of the season, Henderson is hoping the Reds can adapt quickly to the situation and secure more silverware. 

"When you were little and you used to play for your school there was no crowd watching then really, so you’ve just got to enjoy your football and appreciate that we are able to go back doing what we love doing," Henderson said.

"We’ve got to embrace that and make the best out of the situation that we can. The intensity can still be at a high level. If you have the right mindset the intensity can be as high as you want it to be. In that sense, when we do return, I expect the intensity to be high and the football enjoyable to watch.

“If we do manage to do our job properly and we do manage to get over the line and win the league then that would be amazing.

“I’m sure Liverpool fans are desperate for us to get back playing and we as players can’t wait to get back playing and finish the job off as best as we can.

"Although it will be strange to have no fans, winning the Premier League would still be something that we’ve all dreamed of and something that we all want really badly. It won’t take anything away from that."

Watford captain Troy Deeney has declared every football team likely has one gay player among their ranks as he encouraged more athletes to open up about their sexuality. 

Former Norwich striker Justin Fashanu remains the only openly gay male footballer in British history with Deeney adamant there are many more currently playing the game.  

The 31-year-old, who himself is divorced and has two kids, believes now is the time for more athletes to come out as gay, suggesting that not coming out would be a heavy burden to carry around. 

"I would go on record saying that there is probably one gay or bi-person in every football team. They're there, they are 100 per cent there," Deeney said on BBC's Grounded with Louis Theroux podcast. 

"I think people that are gay or from that community definitely are very worried about having to shoulder the responsibility of being the first. I think once the first comes out, there would be loads.

"If he come out and said it, I genuinely believe you would get in the first week at least 100 people that went 'me too'. Just because they don't want to be the face of it.

"I think there is now a bigger platform than ever to be a gay athlete of any nature.

"I also wonder, why people finish football, rugby, whatever the sport it might be, and then go 'I am gay'...I feel like it must be a real heavy load to carry throughout all your whole sporting career."

In 2019, Australian footballer Andy Brennan announced he was gay having previously played in the A-League for Newcastle Jets. 

The announcement was one of relief for Brennan, who declared he could now focus fully on playing football without having to hide his sexuality. 

"Six months ago I thought about it a lot, tried to hide it and push it aside because of the way I thought it would be perceived by many," Brennan told the Herald Sun.

"It got to the point where I couldn’t waste any more time being in relationships that I wasn’t comfortable in and wouldn’t come to anything.

"You’ve got to realise that’s who you are and you’ve just got to be who you are – whether you’re gay or whatever, whoever you are.

"There will be people out there thinking 'why has he got to voice his own personal whatever to the world?’. The reason I wanted to do this in the first place was to make me feel comfortable. It’s been a big lift off my shoulders and I can just focus on playing football."

Chelsea thrashed QPR 7-1 in a friendly match on Sunday, with midfielders Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Billy Gilmour each scoring twice.

Further goals from Mason Mount, Willian and Olivier Giroud helped Frank Lampard's side to an emphatic win at Stamford Bridge as preparations for the Premier League's return continue.

Loftus-Cheek has not made a senior competitive appearance for Chelsea since last season due to a ruptured Achilles sustained last May.

N'Golo Kante started the match against the Championship side, the France star having only resumed team training this week.

Chelsea's win came after a 1-0 defeat of Reading at their Cobham training base in a previous behind-closed-doors friendly.

The Blues are due to resume their league campaign next Sunday against Aston Villa at Villa Park.

Lampard's men were fourth in the table when the competition was suspended in March due to the coronavirus pandemic - three points clear of fifth-place Manchester United

Gilmour's strong showing on Sunday comes after a number of breakout performances this season for Chelsea with the 18-year-old backed for a bright future at Stamford Bridge. 

The Scottish teenager himself has a clear idea of the player he wants to become in the years to come with Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets one player he has particularly looked up to.

"When I was real young I used to watch [Cristiano] Ronaldo and [Lionel] Messi, as everyone did, but when I started analysing my game more and seeing who I would progress and hope to be like, it was more like [Andres] Iniesta, Xavi, [Cesc] Fabregas, all them type of players," Gilmour told Sky Sports in April. 

"It was just something I loved watching, seeing how they pass the ball, receive the ball and everything was sharp.

"Busquets as well, when you watch Barcelona, you watch Busquets individually and everything happens around him. But when you watch Barcelona, you don't really see Busquets. 

"But that's the kind of player I've always looked up to and just wanted to be that kind of player to get on the ball and make things happen."

After facing Villa on Sunday, Chelsea are next set to face Manchester City on June 25. 

Zinedine Zidane was happy to see Eden Hazard impress as Real Madrid made a winning return in La Liga, saying the Belgium star was even glad to have endured some robust challenges.

Hazard started the match at the Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium on Sunday as Madrid won 3-1 against Eibar to move back to within two points of league leaders Barcelona.

Injury problems have blighted Hazard's first season at the club since his  £88 million ($112m) move from Chelsea and there were concerns his campaign was over when he fractured his ankle in February.

The coronavirus-enforced break gave the forward more time to recover and he looked sharp in the first half against Eibar, setting up Sergio Ramos for the second goal and playing a key role in Marcelo's third.

Hazard was on the receiving end of some strong challenges and was substituted after 61 minutes, but head coach Zidane had few concerns.

"We knew Eden would lack a bit of rhythm to play the whole game. In the end, he played an hour and played well, too," Zidane said.

"They gave him a good knock, a scare, but that's football. He said he was fine at the break, that he was glad he had been hit, and wasn't afraid. He's happy with what he did and we're happy, also."

Toni Kroos broke the deadlock in the fourth minute as Madrid dominated the first half, but their standards slipped after the break and Eibar threatened to make life difficult after Pedro Bigas deflected in a shot from Pablo De Blasis.

"It's a completely different thing to what we were experiencing before. We have to adapt," said Zidane.

"We started the game well, but it was difficult in the second half. I don't think it was physical, because we are well prepared. It was a bit of everything.

"I'll take the first half – that was dominant. It's an important win.

"Maybe we relaxed in the second. There was no one thing in particular. We had to make the changes: [Dani] Carvajal sprained his ankle, Ramos had discomfort too, Hazard because he hadn't played for a long time... I don't think it was the changes that made the game change."

Karim Benzema looked particularly sharp and combined well with Hazard in the first half, leading to a question as to whether the forward has followed a particular diet to come back in such lean shape.

"I don't know his diet, but Karim takes great care of himself, like most players," said Zidane. "He's happy to play again. I hope he keeps it up – we need him.

"It's wonderful to see them communicate and I have to talk mostly about the second goal, which came from a pass from Eden to Ramos."

Manchester United star Marcus Rashford has written to the House of Commons urging Members of Parliament to continue a free meal scheme for vulnerable youngsters. 

With schools closing across the United Kingdom in March due to the coronavirus pandemic, the government devised a scheme to protect children and teenagers from disadvantaged backgrounds and who claim free meals during term time. 

Eligible households have received vouchers worth £15 on a weekly basis to spend at supermarkets and lessen the financial toll of the pandemic. 

Rashford has spent the lockdown aiding charitable foundations, in particular the FareShare organisation which, thanks to the striker's support, has been able to provide three million meals to beneficiaries over the last three months. 

Now he has urged the government to continue to back its voucher scheme throughout the summer holiday period of the school calendar.

“The government has taken a ‘whatever it takes’ approach to the economy — I’m asking you today to extend that same thinking to protecting all vulnerable children across England,” Rashford affirmed in his letter.

“I encourage you to hear their pleas and find your humanity. Please reconsider your decision to cancel the food voucher scheme over the summer holiday period and guarantee the extension. This is England in 2020, and this is an issue that needs urgent assistance.

“Please, while the eyes of the nation are on you, make the U-turn and make protecting the lives of some of our most vulnerable a top priority.

“As a black man from a low-income family in Wythenshawe, Manchester, I could have been just another statistic.

“Instead, due to the selfless actions of my mum, my family, my neighbors, and my coaches, the only stats I’m associated with are goals, appearances and caps.

“I would be doing myself, my family and my community an injustice if I didn’t stand here today with my voice and my platform and ask you for help.”

Rashford and United will be back in Premier League action on Friday, when the Reds visit Tottenham in their first official match since the English top flight came to a halt in March.

Nigeria's Bupe Okeowo and Burundi's Zabibu Nduwimana endured mixed fortunes on their debuts as Sandvikens thrashed Sunnana 5-1 in Sunday's Swedish Elittetan opener.

Nduwimana joined newly promoted Elittetan side Sunnana from Umea in May after ending her four-year journey with the newly promoted Damasvenkan club, scoring eight goals in 66 matches.

For Okeowo, the American-born Nigerian joined Sandvikens from Sunnana in May after the 26-year-old scored 12 goals in 15 games last season before her 10-month injury last August.

Wilma Sjoberg opened the scoring for Sandvikens in the fourth minute against Sunnana before Sanna Signeul doubled the advantage nine minutes later at Electrolux Home Arena.

The visitors continued piling pressure on their hosts and were rewarded through Elin Linde in the 18th minute before Wilma Andersson netted the fourth three minutes later.

After the restart, Sjoberg grabbed her second goal and her side's fifth two minutes into the second half but Elvira Fjällstrom's fine finish ensured Sunnana reduced the deficit in the 49th minute.

Annika Kukkonen brought on Okeowo in the 61st minute against her former team and she came close 10 minutes later but her fine effort was denied by goalkeeper Wilma Naslund.

Okeowo featured the last 29 minutes to earn a winning start in the colours of Sandvikens, while Nduwimana made a losing debut even though she lasted 90 minutes for Sunnana.

The victory means Sandvikens are Elitettan leaders on goal difference with three points after the opening match, while pointless Sunnana are bottom of the table on a four-goal deficit.

Sunnana will focus on bouncing back from the opening defeat when they visit Alvsjo AIK on June 21, while Sandvikens look to build on their fine start at home against Lidkoping on the same day.

Sergio Ramos sent a title warning to Barcelona after Real Madrid made a winning return to La Liga action on Sunday.

The club captain was among the goalscorers as Madrid beat Eibar 3-1 at the Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium to move back to within two points of league leaders Barca, who won 4-0 at Real Mallorca on Saturday.

Toni Kroos and Marcelo scored either side of Ramos in a strong first-half display from the home side, but they were less convincing after the break and conceded when Pedro Bigas deflected a Pablo De Blasis shot past Thibaut Courtois.

Ramos went off after 61 minutes with what he described as "a little knock", which did not help Madrid's cause, but the centre-back was still pleased with the way they returned to action three months after the coronavirus pandemic forced the season to be suspended.

"I'm happy with the three points and to start playing again," he said to La Liga. "We've got 10 more finals and we'll give it everything we've got.

"It was a bit strange for everybody after a tough time for everyone, I want to send, as captain, high spirits to everyone. It has been a strange situation, not being able to go out of the house, but we always have to bring positive things out of bad things.

"To get football back is happiness for the whole country. Everything is returning to its natural place, it's important for everybody – us as well – to get back out on the pitch.

"I think we did well, we worked hard over the last few weeks to come back and to keep the form that maybe we've lost over the last couple of months. We are back and playing in the best possible way, there are a lot of things we can improve but physically we were good.

"The first 45 minutes, we showed good intensity and got the goals to go ahead. A bit less intense in the second half, but that will be something for us to learn from and improve. In general, we were good, we've got things to improve and are happy to get the three points. We will now prepare for the next game in the best way."