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Zlatan Ibrahimovic is "not a possibility" for Bologna, a club director has reaffirmed.

The veteran striker signed a short-term deal to return to Milan in January but it appears increasingly unlikely Ibrahimovic will still be at San Siro next season.

Ibrahimovic had been linked with Bologna before he joined Milan, largely due to his relationship with the club's head coach Sinisa Mihajlovic - who was on the backroom team at Inter when the forward was with the Nerazzurri, and reports of a renewed attempted to sign the Swede surfaced in recent weeks.

But, speaking last month, club director Walter Sabatini seemed to quash the idea and sporting director Riccardo Bigon has also now said there is no chance of bringing Ibrahimovic to Bologna.

"I understand the media interest in making this a story, as he is such an important name at the top level, but Ibrahimovic is not a possibility," Bigon told RAI Radio 1 of the 38-year-old.

"We are no longer in contact. He had spoken to Mihajlovic in the winter, then made his choices and from then we haven't taken the situation into consideration."

Mihajlovic had initially raised hopes of a reunion with the Swedish great in an interview held back in May, when he revealed that Zlatan would not be staying on at San Siro beyond the 2019-20 season. 

"He called me a few days ago and we'll see what he decides to do in the summer," Mihajlovic told Serbian show Vece sa Ivanom Ivanovicem.

"He certainly won't remain at Milan, it remains to be seen whether he'll join us or return to Sweden."

Sabatini and now Bigon, however, seem to have put to bed any prospect of a move across Serie A, leaving the future unclear for the 38-year-old. 

Ibrahimovic missed out on Milan's first game back after the halt caused by the coronavirus due to suspension, as the Rossoneri lost out to Juventus in the second leg of the Coppa Italia semi-finals. 

He has scored three goals in eight Serie A appearances since rejoining the club in January, and is expected to play a key part in Milan's outside bid for a Champions League qualification spot, the club currently trailing fourth-placed Atalanta by 12 points with 12 games left to play.  

Real Madrid made a winning return to LaLiga action as they beat Eibar 3-1 in the Spanish capital on Sunday.

Toni Kroos, Sergio Ramos and Marcelo eased Madrid into a comfortable half-time lead, with the visitors' second-half improvement yielding nothing but a Pedro Bigas consolation.

With Barcelona having won 4-0 at Real Mallorca a day earlier, the pressure was on Los Blancos to follow suit and close the gap at the top of the table back to two points.

Madrid's home games are being held at the Castilla's Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium while the Santiago Bernabeu undergoes renovation work, but the change in venue made little difference as the home side marked Zinedine Zidane's 200th game in charge in winning fashion.

Kroos broke the deadlock in the fourth minute with a sublime first-time strike from just inside the box that looped beyond goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic.

Eibar responded well but were 2-0 down after half an hour. Ramos stepped out to intercept a pass and spark a swift counter-attacking move that ended with the Madrid captain tapping in an unselfish square ball from the impressive Eden Hazard, who was back in the line-up for the first time since February after recovering from an ankle fracture.

A crisp strike from Marcelo into the bottom-right corner after more good interplay between Hazard and Karim Benzema made it 3-0 before the break, the Brazil left-back taking a knee after drilling home his first league goal of the season.

Thibaut Courtois saved superbly from Edu Exposito and Sergi Enrich hit the bar with a header, before Pablo De Blasis' shot deflected off Bigas and bobbled beyond Courtois to give Eibar a lifeline.

It was a largely pedestrian second half from Madrid, with Hazard and Ramos taken off and Marcelo struggling with a knock, but Eibar could not mount a comeback.

What does it mean? Title race shows few signs of fizzling out

Resounding wins apiece for Barca and Madrid mean the gap at the top is only two points with 10 games to go and neither side is looking especially rusty after the long break.

This was certainly a display to show Zidane's men will not give up the chase without a fight and will also serve as a useful reminder to Manchester City before the Champions League last-16 returns.

Eibar are just two points above the bottom three, having won just once in eight league matches.

Hazard and Benzema in harmony

Injury has ruined much of Hazard's first season in LaLiga, but this display was a sign that he plans to make the most of the coming few weeks.

His link play with Benzema was excellent, particularly in the first half, and should have given Zidane plenty of encouragement.

Who is left for the right?

Rodrygo started the match, Gareth Bale and Vinicius Junior came on, Isco, James Rodriguez and Marco Asensio stayed on the bench, and we are still unclear who is Madrid's best option on the right wing.

That kind of depth will prove useful in the hectic schedule to come but settling on a first-choice front three would help bring balance to a Madrid attack that has often struggled this season.

What's next?

Madrid host Valencia on Thursday before heading to Real Sociedad three days later. For Eibar, a home match against Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday awaits.

Thomas Partey featured from start to finish as Atletico Madrid drew 1-1 with Athletic Bilbao in the returning round of La Liga fixtures on Sunday.

The Spanish top-flight has made a comeback this week after the coronavirus pandemic halted football activities in the country in mid-March.

Los Rojiblancos' last game before the lockdown was their emphatic 3-2 extra-time Champions League Round of 16 second leg win over Liverpool at Anfield.

Partey was solid that night in midfield with Marcos Llorente's brace and Alvaro Morata's strike ending the Reds' hopes of retaining their European title.

Atleti's last league game was a 2-2 draw at home with Sevilla, with Partey being rested for the Liverpool game.

There was no rest this time on Sunday and it was Bilbao who took the lead in the 37th minute via Iker Muniain.

Partey tried to block the shot from going in, but it was too late and it gave Atleti goalie Jan Oblak, who has been superb between the sticks, no chance.

It didn't take long for the Spanish capital club to respond, with former Chelsea forward Diego Costa equalising two minutes later.

Partey's 90 minutes on the pitch saw him produce 61 touches, 35 accurate passes (72.9%) while also having a 100% success rate in his dribbles (two from two) and also his total duels (eight from eight).

The 26-year-old Ghana international has been a key cog in Atletico Madrid's midfield this season and has drawn interest from top European clubs, with Arsenal the most regularly linked.

His father Jacob earlier in the week stated he would support wherever his son decides to go with his release clause set at €50 million.

Partey has now clocked 2,949 minutes of competitive action this season, scoring three goals and providing one assist. He has received 13 yellow cards, of which 10 came in La Liga.

The draw at San Mames is Atletico Madrid's fifth in their last eight matches, whilst winning two and losing one.

Their failure to win sees them remain in sixth place and the gap to the top four could widen to three points should Real Sociedad claim bragging rights in the Basque derby against Osasuna at the Anoeta later on Sunday night.

Simba SC have restarted their bid to win their 21st Tanzania Mainland League title with a 1-1 draw against Ruvu Shooting at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

Shiza Kichuya opened the scoring in favour of the hosts before Fully Zullu Maganga ensured the spoils were shared.

Having won their two friendly matches against Trans Camp and KMC 4-2 and 3-1 respectively, Wekundu wa Msimbazi came into the match as favourites owing to the momentum set.

Meddie Kagere was the only foreign player who started the game. Francis Kahata and Clatous Chama came late with Sharaf Shaiboub still in Sudan.

It did not take much time for the Sven Vandenbroeck-led charges to unleash their claws. With 12 minutes on the clock; Rwandan attacker Meddie Kagere was released on the right and crossed the ball into the danger zone.

Taifa Stars striker John Raphael Bocco could not manage to connect it but the ball, fortunately, fell to the onrushing Kichuya's path. His thunderous strike was saved by Mohamed Makaka in Ruvu goal, but the rebound was neatly converted by the attacker. 

It was the first goal of the season for the player.

Goalkeeper Aishi Manula made a gross mistake to hand the visitors an equalizer. Defender Erasto Nyoni conceded a corner in the 37th minute.

Abdallahman Musa took it well, the custodian got out of position and missed the ball and Maganga rose highest to score his eighth goal this season.

Despite intensifying the attacks after the break, the Msimbazi based side could not get the winning goal.

It was a massive improvement for the Ruvu based-side who lost the first meeting 3-0 but a blow to Simba who are targeting five more wins to be crowned champions.

Simba are now on 72 points after 29 matches; they have won 23, drawn three and lost as many matches. Ruvu Shooting remained in 11th position as well after collecting 40 points from 29 matches.

The administrative side has managed to collect 11 wins, seven draws and 11 losses.

On Saturday, Yanga SC defeated Mwadui by a solitary goal while Namungo threw a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Coastal Union.

More English players should follow the lead of Jadon Sancho in playing abroad to develop their game, says former Chelsea youngster Michael Mancienne.

Borussia Dortmund winger Sancho has thrived since swapping Manchester City for regular first-team football in the Bundesliga.

After moving to Germany in 2017 and becoming an England international a year later, the 20-year-old has been heavily linked with a big-money move to the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea.

Mancienne, now playing with New England Revolution having spent three seasons of his club career with Hamburg, feels it is a path that should be taken by talented prospects.

Despite the strength of the Premier League, Mancienne says players like Sancho can improve in other top European leagues if regular game time is proving tough to come by at home.

"Obviously Jadon Sancho is a great player and it is good to see English talent playing abroad," he said to Stats Perform News.

"Foreigners come to England all the time and it obviously seems like a normal thing. 

"I know the Premier League is one of the best leagues in the world but to go and get that experience of playing abroad is massive and it can make you a better player. 

"It can definitely help your career, especially for a young player struggling to break into their first team. 

"If you get the chance to go abroad I think that's massive and it can further your career."

Asked if more English players should go to the Bundesliga, he added: "Yeah most definitely, I think it is massive."

Mancienne won 30 England caps at Under-21 level earlier in his career.

He has praised manager Gareth Southgate for his work with the senior side, which he believes has been boosted by blooding youngsters like Sancho, who has 11 caps.

"I think [Gareth Southgate] has done a brilliant job," said Mancienne. "He came in and he changed a lot.

"People weren't sure if it was the right thing to do but giving younger players a chance to have that experience is only going to make them a better team and a better squad. 

"You saw Germany years ago, their U21 team that I played against in the U21 Euros, that team went on and won the World Cup. They trusted that team and they kept them together.

"It doesn't matter how old you are, young players need that experience if they want to improve.

"Southgate has been brilliant in pushing, not changing the team and making it younger, more vibrant and full of energy."

Costa Rican World Cupper Johnny Acosta Zamora bid farewell to East Bengal with an emotional post on his official handle on Instagram. He thanked the fans for their support but hit out at the I-League club for the way he was allegedly treated. 

The central defender confirmed his departure and is all set to return to his country on Monday morning. His post on Instagram read, “I close a cycle of my life, this time a little different. In a great institution to which I have a lot of love and respect, Quess East Bengal FC, but that in the end there were contract and salary issues that failed to comply, in addition to little help for my return to Costa Rica where the club showed little disposition and apathetic to my situation!

“I keep good times and I thank all the fans who always show their support. I carry them in my heart, thank you East Bengal FC.”

The relation between the players and club soured in recent weeks as investor Quess Corp decided to activate the ‘Force Majeure’ clause in the players’ contracts and decided to cut their salaries for the last two months.

Acosta accused the investors of being apathetic to his situation and also suggested that no help was offered by the company to arrange for his return to his homeland.

The defender, who had appeared in three World Cups for his country, had joined the club back in 2018. He was a crucial member of the East Bengal side which missed the I-League in 2018-19 title by a whisker.

His performance for the Red and Golds garnered a lot of praise from the club loyalists but unfortunately, he was not retained for the 2019-20 season as then coach Alejandro Menendez did not want the player back.

Acosta, though, returned to the club at the fag end of the season after Menendez left the club. Acosta reached India in March and had played against Real Kashmir FC which was incidentally last game in the I-League before the season was cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Koke believes Atletico Madrid's 1-1 draw at Athletic Bilbao has done damage to their Champions League qualification prospects.

Diego Costa's 39th-minute goal on the end of a clever Koke pass ensured the first-half advantage Iker Muniain's splendid strike granted Athletic was short-lived.

However, Atleti were unable to affect a full turnaround, with substitute Santiago Arias going closest to a winner when he drew a point-blank save from Unai Simon 10 minutes from time.

It means Los Colcheneros have now won only one of their past 11 away matches in La Liga, with Sunday's behind-closed-doors encounter at San Mames their 13th draw of the campaign – setting an unwanted club record.

Never before had Atletico been held to so many ties in a single season, and that number looks bound to grow even higher with 10 games still remaining in the current Primera campaign.

"I believe it was a very strength-based game. It was a tough situation to be in," Koke told LaLiga TV, after the draw moved sixth-placed Atleti level on points with Getafe and Real Sociedad, the latter of whom take on Osasuna in Sunday's late kick-off.

"We didn't take our chances. We have to suffer and accept the draw. We want to be in the Champions League and we need to get hold of the points.

"It's difficult from this position that we're in.

"They were better placed than us all over the pitch. We managed to change things after the first goal and a couple of minutes after found the equaliser.

"Santi had the chance at the end to get us the win."

Ex-Atleti forward Raul Garcia impressed for the hosts alongside the influential Muniain and rued his team-mates switching off as Costa hit back.

"We knew it was going to be a very difficult game," he told LaLiga TV. "There was a bit of speculation about how the teams were going to come back to the league action but we both went out to win the game.

"Once you've just scored you normally relax a little bit and that's what happened to us today.

"But we have to take the positives. We manged to compete against one of the best teams in the league and unfortunately we couldn't get three points."

Copa del Rey finalists Athletic lie 10th, five points behind Valencia in seventh, which is likely to be the last Europa League qualifying spot should they lose to rivals Sociedad in the showpiece.

Halimatu Ayinde put up a solid display for Eskilstuna United but they bowed 1-0 to Ebere Orji's Linkopings at Tunavallen on Sunday.

Mangus Karlsson's side aimed for a morale-boosting outcome ahead of the new season which kicks off on June 27 but the Nigerian pair of Ayinde and Ngozi Okobi could not help them avoid defeat.

Linn Vickius, Kaisa Collin and Felicia Rogic combined well, notably in the 20th minute but the hosts could not find a way past the visitors in the all Damallsvenskan warm-up encounter.

Orji came close to securing the lead for Linköpings but her effort was denied by the crossbar despite goalkeeper Emelie Lundberg's show as the teams only settled for a scoreless draw at half time. 

After the restart, Karlsson made wholesale changes to his Eskilstuna's side but Linkopings eventually gained the lead through Johanna Alm's header off a corner kick in the 79th minute.

Elise Stenevik came close twice as her first attempt from the free-kick was denied by the goalkeeper before the second went wide but the hosts could not avoid the defeat against the visitors.

Despite the loss, Ayinde, who played from the start to finish along with compatriot Okobi for Eskilstuna making a positive impact, ultimately won her side's Player of the Match prize.

For Nigeria's Orji, who joined the Swedish side from newly-promoted rivals Umea in January, was in action for more than 70 minutes of the encounter to ensure the victory of Linkopings.

Eskilstuna will hope to make necessary improvements in their build-up to the new campaign against Uppsala on June 21, while Linkopings will welcome KIF Orebro three days earlier.

LaLiga ambassador Mutiu Adepoju has described Villarreal’s Samuel Chukwueze as “exciting” following the Yellow Submarine’s 1-0 victory over Celta Vigo at the Estadio de Balaidos on Saturday night.

Javier Calleja’s men came into the encounter with the ambition of returning to winning ways – having lost three successive league games before the coronavirus pandemic placed Spanish football on a hiatus.

After a hard-hitting first half, super-sub Manuel Trigueros sealed all points at stake for the visitors in the 90th minute.

Chukwueze who replaced Gerard Moreno in the 56th minute played a key role as he added a greater threat to Villarreal’s frontline.

For his contributions in 32 minutes, he recorded two shots, one shot on target, 14 passes and a 64.3 passing accuracy.

Even at that, the former Real Madrid and Real Sociedad midfielder reserved special words of praise for Chukwueze, whose outstanding skills and athleticism caused Oscar Junyent’s men all manner of problems down the flank.

He went further urging him to keep improving as well as work on his goalscoring capabilities.

“Great performance from Samuel Chukwueze against Celta Vigo at the Estadio de Balaidos,” Adepoju tweeted.

“What an exciting player he is! I hope he keeps improving as well as works more on his goalscoring abilities.”

The ‘Head Master' had earlier told Goal the U17 World Cup winner can get to a better level in Spain if he maintains his inspiring form.

“Chukwueze is another young player who is doing well in LaLiga. I believe in the next one year, he's going to explode if he continues that way,” he told Goal.

“What happens to West Africans is that sometimes when you get to a certain stage, you believe that you've arrived, but if he keeps his cool and he continues progressing, developing the way he is, I believe he's going to get into a big team which is going to make him explode at any given time.”

The fixture against the Sky Blues was the 21-year-old’s 27th Spanish elite division game of the season where he boasts three goals – achieved against Celta Vigo, Real Betis and Granada.

Following this win, Calleja’s side moved to eighth in the LaLiga log having accrued 41 points from 28 games, while Celta Vigo dropped to the relegation zone with just 26 points from the same number of outings.

Villarreal welcome struggling Real Mallorca to the Estadio de la Ceramica for their next outing on Tuesday, while Celta are guests of Real Valladolid a day later.

Mallorca’s last away game ended in a 2-1 triumph Eibar on March 7, 2020.

Mainz forward Taiwo Awoniyi was stretchered off in his side’s clash against Augsburg in Sunday’s Bundesliga game after suffering a serious injury.

The Nigeria youth international was afforded his fourth start by manager Achim Beierlorzer and 11th league appearance since teaming up with the 05ers last summer from Premier League side Liverpool.

The forward was handed a wing-role in the encounter partnering Levin Mete Oztunali, Robin Quaison and Jean-Philippe Mateta upfront.

The 22-year-old aimed to play a key role in his side’s quest to build on last weekend’s five-star performance, where they returned to winning ways with a 2-0 victory against Eintracht Frankfurt. However, he suffered a nasty collision in the 23rd minute and was taken to hospital. 

Awoniyi took one shot in the encounter which was blocked and had a 75% pass success rate before the injury incident which saw him replaced by Karim Onisiwo.

The forward will be expected to undergo a further test to determine the nature of his injury and the duration he will be sidelined from action.

Awoniyi joined Liverpool in the summer of 2015 after his fine showings at the 2013 U17 World Cup, where he scored four goals in the competitions to help Nigeria win the title.

The Imperial Soccer Academy graduate is, however, yet to feature in the Premier League for the Reds since joining the side, having spent most of his time on loan.

The forward has played for FSV Frankfurt in Germany, NEC in the Netherlands, Royal Excel Mouscron and Gent in Belgium before teaming up with Mainz.

The 22-year-old has only found the back of the net once against Köln for the Opel Arena outfit in this campaign.

Mainz are currently three places above the relegation zone after winning nine games, drawing four and losing 18 which saw them gather 31 points from 31 games.

The 05ers finished 12th on the Bundesliga table in the 2018-19 season and will hope to avoid the drop from the top-flight at the end of this campaign.

Kenya's Ayub Timbe provided an assist as Reading FC defeated Portsmouth 3-1 in a friendly at Madejski Stadium.

Timbe, who had featured in the previous 1-0 loss friendly to Premier League side Chelsea, assisted in the making of the third goal which was scored by Frenchman Michael Olise.

The other two goals for Mark Bowen's side were scored by Lucas Joao and Omar Richards.

A swift move by both Yakou Meite and John Swift would have led to a goal for the Royals but Joao saw his final shot go wide off the left upright.

Olise would have opened the scoring moments later with a left-footed effort at the edge of the box but the ball flew over the top corner thus Reading saw their second most open chance go to waste.

Reading got the opener in the 30th minute when Swift won a free-kick, fired over the wall and found the underside of the cross-bar from 20-yards away. The ball dropped at a vantage position for Joao to plant it into the bottom corner with his left foot after good control.

Yakou Meite would have added a second for the home side but his effort was blocked after he had received a swift ball from Joao.

Omar Richards ensured the Royals went into the half-time break leading 2-0. The Englishman met a cross from the left side at the near post and fired home using his left foot to stretch their lead.

Portsmouth got their lone goal in the first stage of the second half when a misunderstanding between Rafael Cabral and Liam Moore cropped up. Oli Hawkins scored despite Rafael making a last-minute attempt to stop him from finding the back of an almost empty net.

Timbe would have earned his first assist for Reading after he made his trademark direct run from the left flank, cut back for Garath McCleary but Pompey stopped an otherwise superb build-up. 

Timbe was not to be denied an assist later on when he rushed to collect a scooped ball, pulled it for Olise who fired into the right post for Reading's third goal.

The positive performance came at the right time for Timbe who is fighting to ensure he cements his place in Bowen's first team when the Championship resumes soon.

They will host Stoke City on June 20.

Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has laid the blame of his contract situation at the feet of the club’s board, asking them to “do their job” to ensure he remains in north London.

The attacker, who has 17 goals and a single assist in 26 Premier League appearances this season, is out of contract next June, meaning he will be free to start discussing terms with other clubs at the turn of the year.

A likelier scenario is that Arsenal are forced to sell him this summer if they cannot agree a new contract for him, with Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain two of the clubs credited with an interest in the 30-year-old.

Aubameyang, meanwhile, says that there has been little progress towards signing fresh terms with the Emirates side – and he has pinned the blame firmly on the club.

“I have not received a proposal recently, but we have had discussions with the club for quite a few months,” he told TF1’s Telefoot program. “The board know very well why nothing has happened so far. They have the key. It's up to them to do their job and then we'll see how it goes. 

“It's a turning point in my career and, to be frank with everyone, this will be a very difficult decision to make. But beware, I haven't made my choice yet. It will be perhaps the most important decision of my career.”

Aubameyang has been at Arsenal since January 2018 and has a been a prolific marksman for the club since, netting 49 goals in only 75 Premier League appearances. In total the Gabon international has scored 61 times in 97 outings.

Previously, he was with Borussia Dortmund, where he enjoyed prodigious success in front of goal, scoring 98 times in 144 Bundesliga matches, while the early part of his career was mostly spent in France, with Dijon, Lille, Monaco and Saint-Etienne.

He will expect to take part in the Gunners’ Wednesday fixture against Manchester City, which will be their first since the coronavirus pandemic brought play to a halt in England in the middle of March.

Arsenal legend Gilberto Silva is excited to see the progress of striker Gabriel Martinelli at the club.

The 18-year-old is already into double figures of goals for the season and has proven something of a surprise package since arriving from Ituano last summer.

Gilberto is pleased to see his fellow Brazilian thrive at the Gunners, the club at which he won the 2003-04 Premier League title as one of The Invincibles.

“I'm pleased that Arsenal have Brazilian players. I think it's fantastic after some of the Brazilian players that followed us not quite hitting the heights but now Martinelli and David [Luiz] are at the club,” he told the club's official website in a chat with technical director Edu.

“David made the transition from a rival [Chelsea] and joined Arsenal, a club that needs no introduction. 

“Then you have Martinelli, a promising youngster not just for Arsenal, but he's being talked about in Brazilian football and he made a very good start. He's doing well and shown his bravery.

“He wore the Arsenal shirt as if he were still playing with his friends at his previous club. I'm pleased that Arsenal managed to get the deal done and he's in a good position to follow in the footsteps of all the Brazilian players that Arsenal have had.”

Edu, meanwhile, also had special praise for the youngster.

“He’s got a great future ahead of him,” he said. “He’s a Brazilian with very interesting prospects because it’s not easy to start the way he did. We know that don’t we Gigi?

“The way he started to make himself stand out isn’t easy is it?”

And Edu hinted that David Luiz’s future seems set to be in London, despite previous indication that he might return to Benfica.

“He’s a guy who can really help in the day-to-day on and off the pitch, as he’s been doing,” he added.

“I already knew him well because I got to be with him at the national team when I was a coordinator and it went very well.

“We help each other. You know it’s important to feel that support and to be happy in the day-to-day at the club. It’s an incredible club with fantastic principles. They also have to be proud to be where they are; that helps as well.”

Arsenal recommence their Premier League campaign on Wednesday at home against Manchester City.

Atletico Madrid were unable to enhance their top-four prospects with victory on their return to LaLiga, playing out a 1-1 draw at Athletic Bilbao.

Iker Muniain's delightful 37th-minute opener was cancelled out 129 seconds later by Diego Costa, who claimed his third goal of the season and first since October.

The striker paid tribute in his celebration to Atletico's women's team midfielder Virginia Torrecilla, who underwent successful surgery to have a brain tumour removed last month. Costa showed a shirt bearing her name.

Substitute Santiago Arias came closest to snatching all the points for Los Colchoneros, who sit sixth in the table on goal difference.

Marcos Llorente opened up Athletic with a fine diagonal throughball in the 12th minute, sending Yannick Carrasco scampering through to shoot just wide across goalkeeper Unai Simon, who briefly lost his footing.

Jan Oblak was uncharacteristically wobbly when he took two attempts to grasp Inaki Williams' 25th-minute header but the Slovenia international displayed his brilliant best when he kept out Yeray's glancing attempt at full stretch.

Oblak had no chance when Muniain dispatched a clever finish with the outside of his right boot into the bottom right corner.

Atletico sprung immediately from their mid-half slumber – Koke's cute pass leaving Costa to slide a finish beyond Simon.

That seemed to inspire a role reversal during the early stages of the second half, with Atletico enjoying plenty of attacking territory but Athletic keeping their visitors honest on the break as Yuri Berchiche crashed an effort into the side-netting.

Diego Simeone's anguish in the dugout was clear when Arias arrived unmarked at the back post 10 minutes from time, drawing a brilliant point-blank save from Simon.

What does it mean? Atletico away form still a worry

Simeone's side might have memorably prevailed at one of European football's great fortresses in their previous competitive match, but that victory at Anfield cannot obscure the fact that they have now won just one of their past 11 away games in LaLiga. They are level on points with Real Sociedad - who host Osasuna later on Sunday - and Getafe in fourth and fifth respectively and such diminishing returns on the road are why their battle for Champions League football will probably go down to the wire.

Muniain and Garcia roll back the years

Lockdown has done nothing for anyone's conception of time and dates, but when Athletic's creative forwards took control of the first half, it was easy to imagine being somewhere during the early stages of the previous decade. Muniain – still only 27 – was irresistible, evoking memories of when he was a wonderkid and Spanish football's next superstar in waiting. Playing against the club he starred for in their 2013-14 title win, Raul Garcia proved a superb foil for the number 10.

Llorente ill-suited to number 10 duties

Llorente's two-goal heroics against Liverpool undoubtedly played a part in Simeone's decision to start him in an advanced role behind Costa. Although the Spain international's play was typically neat and he did not lack for work rate, the absence of his creative qualities from deep as the likes of Thomas Lemar and Alvaro Morata awaited second-half introductions was perplexing.

Key Opta facts

- Atletico drew for the 13th time in LaLiga in 2019-20; they have never previously played out more stalemates in any completed season in the competition in their history.
- Koke moved level with Juan Carlos Arteche in fourth place on the list of players with the most LaLiga appearances for Atletico, playing his 308th top-flight game for the club.
- Oblak played his 181st match for Atletico, passing Antoine Griezmann to move fifth on the list of non-Spanish players with the most appearances for the club.
- Muniain’s goal was his 60th in 412 appearances across all competitions for Athletic.
- Costa has now scored 51 LaLiga goals for Atletico, with 15 of those coming from Koke assists.
- Morata could not make the difference after coming off the bench for Atletico, but the appearance took him to 50 games across all competitions for the club, in which he has scored 18 goals.

What's next?

Atletico are on the road again at Osasuna on Wednesday, when Athletic travel to struggling Eibar.

Former South Africa defender Mark Fish feels that ex-national team coach Clive Barker was let down by his country after he was denied the opportunity to lead the team at the 1998 Fifa World Cup finals.

A year after guiding Bafana Bafana to claim the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) title, their only continental crown, Barker ensured qualification for the World Cup in France.

But his time with Bafana Bafana ended in December 1997 following a poor outing at the Fifa Confederations Cup.

Phillipe Troussier ended up presiding over an uninspiring World Cup campaign which saw South Africa drawing 2-2 against Saudi Arabia, 1-1 against Denmark and losing 3-0 to the hosts in Group C, amid reports the Frenchman was unpopular with players.

Fish who was a regular under Barker and also helped South Africa being crowned African champions feels all the legacy built by the coach was disregarded when he was fired.

“We failed Clive Barker’s legacy but we also failed South African football’s legacy in general,” Fish told Far Post.

“In the sense that, if we go back to 1992 when we got re-admitted into international football, in the space of four years we won the biggest cup in the continent when we came from nowhere. Instead of backing the coach, let him carry on and go to the World Cup and he [Barker] should have been given that opportunity."

Since then, various coaches have taken charge of Bafana including Carlos Queiroz, Stuart Baxter, Joel Santana, Ted Dumitru, Gordon Igesund and incumbent Molefi Ntseki.

The likes of Jomo Sono, Trott Moloto, Ephraim Mashaba, Stuart Baxter and Carlos Alberto Parreira have each had more than single stints at the helm of South Africa.

"Unfortunately when we talk about the national team coaches now since 1992 we have had close to what? 22 coaches? I even lost count of the different coaches coming in and out,” said Fish.

After Barker, the only other coach to help South Africa qualify for the World Cup was Carlos Queiroz but he too faced the same fate of failing to complete his Bafana World Cup journey as he did not make it to Korea/Japan 2002.

There’s been much excitement in the Nigerian media and among Super Eagles fans over the last 10 days at the prospect of Odion Ighalo returning to the national team.

The striker returned from international duty after winning the Golden Boot at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, and was able to ride away from a somewhat underwhelming Nigeria career on a high note.

Since then, however, his stock has climbed, with the attacker signing for Manchester United on loan in January, and then renewing his loan deal with the Red Devils to stay at the club until early 2021.

However, earlier this month, rumours of a return to the Super Eagles fold were fuelled when Ighalo told Brila FM that he was considering a comeback.

“I am still in contact with Gernot Rohr and Amaju Pinnick, and they congratulated me on my loan deal,” the former Watford man told the local station.

“I am still thinking about returning to the national team, but right now I want to concentrate on my club career.

“I left the national team because of the distance between Nigeria and China, but now that I am in Manchester and just like life and in my career, you never can tell."

It’s easy to see why Ighalo’s potential return gets people excited, even though there are concerns about how his return may affect the squad’s young strikers.

Should Ighalo return, it would take gametime away from the likes of Victor Osimhen, Joseph Maja, Kelechi Iheanacho, Samuel Kalu, Cyriel Dessers, Emmanuel Dennis and David Okereke, and that may be to the detriment of their establishment as potential leading men for the West Africans.

However, while the excitement around Ighalo’s new contract at Old Trafford appears to overlook the fact that he hasn’t actually netted in four Premier League outings yet for the Red Devils, the thrill around his potential international return has taken attention away from the claims of another potential Nigeria frontman.

While Gernot Rohr has done much right in terms of his personnel decisions with the national side, the continuous overlooking of Anthony Nwakaeme remains questionable.

Certainly, the German coach has favoured youth over experience—apart from a few exempt names—and his lowering of the squad’s average age is something that is to his credit.

However, this policy has also led to the neglecting of some worthy names, of whom Nwakaeme is arguably the most notable.

He scored the first Super Lig goal since the resumption of competition following the coronavirus pandemic on Friday with a header as Trabzonspor defeated Goztepe 3-1.

It was his 11th goal of the campaign, putting him second highest African scorer in the Turkish top tier, and the joint fifth overall.

He’s also contributed sixth assists, and only two players in the division—Alexander Sorloth and Vedat Muiriqi—have had a direct hand in more goals than the Nigerian.

Considering the Turkish top flight is one of the world’s strongest outside Europe’s big five, his goal haul is an excellent return, particularly considering the fact that the vast majority of his goals have come from the left flank.

This versatility is another attribute that Rohr could—and should—be employing to Nigeria’s advantage.

It’s not like Rohr has never looked at him, and indeed, it was the veteran coach who handed the forward his international debut in 2017, during the controversial 1-1 draw with Algeria.

Despite scoring 20 over the subsequent two seasons—both in Israel and Turkey—Nwakaeme hasn’t been given any more playing time, but it would be an error for Rohr to completely write him off.

Nwakaeme’s experience—albeit not in the international arena—could also prove the squad with some balance in this department.

The squad have lost Victor Moses, John Obi Mikel and Ighalo in recent times, while Ogenyi Onazi, another experienced head, has also been culled by Rohr.

This leaves Ahmed Musa and Leon Balogun as the only two outfield regulars who are over 26, and this is an area that Nwakaeme’s calm head could also be valuable.

Finally, Rohr has constantly sought to identify an striking ‘Plan B’ for the Eagles, the kind of player who could be introduced late in games and give opposition defences something to think about.

He briefly considered the towering Simy Nwankwo for this role, but six footer Nwakaeme could also be an ideal option for the Eagles.

His work rate and desire to constantly chase lost causes would represent a nightmare for opposition defences, while he’s also capable of carrying the ball effectively, and of getting the best out of those players around him.

How much would Nigeria’s young strikers benefit from having a link-man like Nwakaeme—with six Turkish top flight assists under his belt—alongside them to help create the chances they will need to take to settle at this level?

Now 31, time is, unfortunately, not on Nwakaeme’s side.

However, with Nigeria potentially set to play in two major tournaments over the coming two and a half years, Rohr may begin assessing which potential difference-makers, in form and playing at a high level, could step into the group and make an impact.

Nwakaeme’s strike against Gotzepe on Friday demonstrates that he ought to still be in the conversation.

Former Bidvest Wits midfielder Josta Dladla calls the sale of the club’s purchase as an injustice to South African football, saying the move to relocate to Limpopo is not just a loss to Gauteng but to South African football.

Dladla is one of the players that broke into the professional ranks under the club with the likes of Jethro Mohlala, Bradley Carnell as well as Stanton Fredericks, and the former Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs playmaker is now calling the sale a sad day for the game.

The Braamfontein-based club is set to move to Thohoyandou next season following the confirmation of the purchase by the National First Division (NFD) outfit’s owner Masala Mulaudzi and the 40-year-old reacts to the deal.

“It’s a big club and one of the oldest clubs in South African football. It has a rich history and I mean this thing is deeper than we can think,” Dladla told Goal .

“I think from the development of the club as a whole, you mention big names in the game such as Junaid Hartley, Stanton Fredericks, Lovers Mohlala, Kaizer Junior and the list goes on, and what I know of Wits University is that the club has been part of South African history.

“The team has produced good players. Whoever was not in the club can also attest that the club has done tremendously well for the country in terms of football development.

“So, I think there is a lot of quality players that were produced by the club and so for me, it’s very sad. This is the club that gave me the lifeline and we all know Josta now because of Wits. Every player like Mohlala, [Ashley] Makhanya, Hartley, Carnell because of Wits.

“All of that history is just going to disappear and go like that, I don’t know what were the negotiations, we were not part of it but I don’t know what, whoever is taking over will have to think about the staff. That is one of the oldest clubs [formed in 1921] when we also count Orlando Pirates [1937] and AmaZulu [1932].

“When you look at it, there was apartheid, this is one of the clubs that gave players [a chance]. So, it’s got so much history. What can I say? I’m just a player. There are so many players even in the apartheid era [Mike Mangena and Absalom Thindwa], they made their careers at this club."

As one of the oldest clubs in South Africa, the 2017 Premier Soccer League (PSL) champions were rapidly growing their numbers on the stands and the Soweto-born legend says he feels for the players that are set to be without jobs.

“As it is, you can see the club management was starting to bring in good people in terms of marketing the club. The support base was growing," he added.

“I still remember during our days, we could hear the supporters, I mean people from the kitchen laughing at the stands and the likes of Fredericks can tell you.

“I think they were doing much better in rebranding the club and taking it to the masses. So, it’s a great loss for Joburg [Johannesburg] as a whole, not just for the students and the [Wits] University.

“But for the players that were coming to study there and also get a chance to further their careers in the field of play. There are lots of players that broke into professional football whilst studying. So much talent is going to be lost. I don’t know if they will be joining the new team but it’s a sad day for South African football.

“The guys that are taking over will have to decide on the players, I don’t think they can have some of these players. It’s really sad because the players are now frustrated, anxiety is creeping in on concerns about their careers.

“I feel for them and I wouldn’t like to be in their shoes. I feel for everybody that has been part of the club. But I doubt they will absorb everybody.”

Coastal Union defender Bakar Mwamnyeto has heaped praise on Simba SC striker John Bocco saying his style of play can help him perform well in Europe.

Mwamnyeto has described the Taifa Stars forward as a complete player, who knows how to hold onto the ball when in possession, position himself to score and deliver a pass quickly when he sees an opposing defender.

Mwamyeto further confessed he has never come up against a striker of Bocco’s calibre insisting he is the only player to have troubled him since he made his debut in the top-flight.

“Without malice or favouring anyone, [Bocco] is the best striker in the Tanzanian league currently, he has the physique you need in a striker and I am sure many upcoming players are working hard to be like him,” Mwamnyeto is quoted by MwanaSpoti.

“He also has the advantage of being tall and can easily score goals either by using the head or leg and because of his experience, most defenders have always struggled to play against him, you don’t know what he will do when with the ball."

Mwamnyeto, who has been linked with a transfer move to both Simba and Young Africans (Yanga SC), also revealed the Tanzania national team should be proud to have the striker.

“He is the kind of striker Tanzania needs, a good striker who doesn’t waste chances and always troubling defenders,” Mwamnyeto continued.

“It is difficult coming face to face against him, you must be prepared to come up against him, he is not easy to handle and I would want to play alongside him to avoid his troubles.”

Bocco is among the strikers who have helped Simba as they chase a third straight Mainland Premier League title in this campaign.

Bocco’s partnership with Rwandan striker Meddie Kagere has helped the latter to lead the goalscoring charts with 19 goals.

Simba are currently leading the table on 71 points and will take on Ruvu Shooting on Sunday, with a win set to push their fight to retain the title.

The Tanzanian top-flight resumed on Saturday with Yanga managing a 1-0 win against Mwadui while Namungo FC settled for a 2-2 draw against Coastal Union.

Kevin-Prince Boateng has taken to social media to clarify his reason for allegedly throwing his shirt in Besiktas' 2-1 defeat at home to Antalyaspor in the Turkish Super Lig on Saturday evening.

The Black Eagles were in action for the first time since mid-March when the league was suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic.

It was clearly a bitter return with Antalyaspor taking a 2-0 first-half lead courtesy of Sinan Gumus and Amilton Silva. 

Second-half substitute Adem Ljajic then pulled one back for Besiktas in the 68th minute.

Boateng was taken off three minutes prior to the consolation goal, with Umut Nayir taking his place.

The 33-year old Ghana international was reported to throw his jersey on the ground which was not well received by some sections of the club.

Boateng has however cleared the air that he would never disrespect Besiktas.

"I would never disrespect to throw the Besiktas shirt on the ground," Boateng said in a post on Twitter.

"After leaving the game, I tried to take off my jersey and threw it towards our shopkeeper.

"I don't even have a disrespectful attitude towards this club and jersey. But I'm sorry if it was understood from the outside."

Boateng has been at Vodafone Park since January when he joined on loan from Serie A club Fiorentina.

He has made seven appearances in the Super Lig, scoring two goals.

In the 65 minutes he played against Antalyaspor, the former AC Milan forward made 45 touches and 30 accurate passes at an impressive 93%.

He also made one key pass, played two successful long balls and won six of 10 total duels. He was also fouled by the opposition three times.

Prior to Saturday's game, Boateng trended on social media after scoring a sensational goal in training in which he controlled the ball nicely before firing a volley that curved its way into the post.

He will be hoping to get another goal on the pitch when Besiktas travel to the Denizli Ataturk Stadium to tackle Denizlispor on June 20.

Toby Alderweireld admits he was “honoured” after residents of his home town of Ekeren began a petition to erect a statue of the Tottenham defender to replace that former king of Belgium Leopold II, though he has played down suggestions the idea could become a reality.

Likenesses of Leopold II, who oversaw atrocities in the Congo from 1885 to 1908, have been graffitied or removed following anti-racism protests across Belgium, which were sparked by the killing of George Floyd in the United States last month.

One such statue was removed from the centre of Ekeren, a northern district of the municipality of Antwerp, as protestors call for the country to confront its colonial past.

Some locals quickly decided on who they wanted as a replacement, with more than 900 people signing a petition calling for a statue of Alderweireld. The 31-year-old, though, isn’t taking the calls for him to be immortalised in bronze seriously.

“I was laughing.I thought it was some kind of joke, that people are actually signing the petition,” he told the Guardian .

“I have to say I’m a little bit honoured as well. It’s a small town in Belgium and until I was 15 I spent my youth there. I went to school there and I still go back. If they really wanted to I would never say no because I would be honoured, but I will not sign my own petition. Of all the people who have, I think about 80 per cent are my friends.

“I would never say: ‘This is a good time to put up a statue of me,’ because I don’t think I will ever deserve a statue."

Alderweireld would not be drawn on the removal of the King Leopold II statue, though he does agree that lessons can be learned from the actions of previous generations.

“I don’t know if it’s good to take down the statue and I’m not going to get involved in that, but I do think it’s good to look back at the history and learn from it,” he added.

“It’s the same with the history from the world wars. Of course I’m disgusted about all the things that have involved racism and I will never understand it, but taking a statue down? All I will say is that we have to look to that period and look at what went wrong so we never get in that situation again.”

Alderweireld and his Tottenham team-mates have been gearing up for the return of the Premier League, with their first match since the coronavirus shutdown against Manchester United on Friday.

The unscheduled break has worked in Tottenham’s favour, as it gave forwards Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min extra time to recover from injuries that were originally expected to rule them out fo the rest of the campaign.

“In training he looks fully fit, top fit, so we’re going to see the old Kane again,” Alderweireld said. “He has been out for a longer period so his desire to show everyone is unbelievable, so you’re going to see a very good Kane.”

Alderweireld also insists that the rest of the squad kept themselves fit during the three-month break, meaning they will be fully prepared when they face the Red Devils on Friday.

“Everyone went into ‘beast mode’ – training, training,” he said. “We didn’t know when we were going back. Maybe the week after, two weeks after. So people think we were on holiday but we sure weren’t.

“When we were back training we felt like: ‘I’m ready,’ not like in pre-season when it’s: ‘Oh, I have to start all over again, I feel muscle pain.”