Looking for Soccer News?

11 matches in 39 days, that is what the 20 teams in LaLiga will face when the Spanish first division returns to action starting 11 June. A condensed fixture like no other as LaLiga scrambles to complete the 2019/20 season before the resumption of European cup competitions in August.

Unlike the Vietnam V-League which resumed operations on 5 June without any fan restrictions, LaLiga will follow the same protocol as the ones seen in the Korean K-League and German Bundesliga with matches played behind closed doors.

Atmosphere inside the stadium generated from the stands is part and parcel of a game of football but it differs in impact to players according to former Atletico Madrid and Villareal forward, Diego Forlan.

“It’s going to be different without fans. For myself, it is always a motivation to have fans in the stands, whether that is home or away. Without them, it will feel strange in the beginning but you have to realise that is the new normal.

“While I thrive on fans’ reaction inside the stadium, for other players it could be a blessing because sometimes they feel pressure with the fans around and in this case, it might be easier for some to play in empty stadiums. That is the way it’s going to be and everyone will have to adapt. It’s not the best way but the only way we can proceed because we need to play and finish the league.

“It’s good what LaLiga is doing and the protocol will ensure that everything will go smoothly. Hopefully there won’t be another spike in the infection and the league can be a good example to others,” said Forlan during a teleconference session with Malaysian media.

It looks increasingly likely to be a similar situation in Malaysia when the Super League and Premier League gets going again following the Malaysian government’s approval for training to be able to begin as early as 15 June. Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and Malaysian Football League (MFL) are already preparing the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) on how to handle the various stages prior to competitive matches being allowed to be held again. 

With LaLiga being an official partner of MFL, learnings will undoubtedly be shared across for reference, just like what the K-League, V-League and to an extent, the Bundesliga has done.

The former Uruguayan international also went on to explain that the teams and players who have been the most disciplined during the lockdown and isolation period will be the one that comes out the better. It takes a period of adaptation from not only the players with regards to the steps that need to be followed leading up to a game and even during the game, but as well the coaching staff with new rules like extra substitution allowed.

With only two points separating the top two, Forlan thinks it is too close to call who between Barcelona and Real Madrid will lift the LaLiga title, as he believes both sides have their own advantages to seize on. 

“It’s going to be between Real and Barcelona. They have too big a gap to the others. But it’s difficult to say who will win because the fixtures are condensed with a lot of games in a short period of time. The one who can adjust the most will have the advantage. Real have a bigger squad with more experienced players but while Barcelona’s squad is young, sometimes that can be to their advantage as well,” he explained.

Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said the Bundesliga champions are adopting a careful approach in the transfer market following the coronavirus pandemic.

The 2019-20 Bundesliga season resumed last month after the campaign was suspended in March due to the Covid-19 crisis.

While football has returned in Germany, albeit behind closed doors, the coronavirus outbreak is set to impact clubs financially.

Bayern have been heavily linked to Manchester City star Leroy Sane as well as Bayer Leverkusen's Kai Havertz but Rummenigge tried to curb expectations midweek.

"We have to wait and see how this curious transfer market after coronavirus develops," Rummenigge told ARD prior to Bayern's 2-1 DFB-Pokal semi-final victory over Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday.

"We all do well to do our job and also take into account that the next season may be more financially challenging than the current one.

"The longer we have to play without a spectator, the more difficult it will be financially."

"We work on the transfer market - like all our colleagues in Germany and Europe," added Rummenigge, who did not want to discuss Sane.

Defending champions Bayern will contest their third consecutive DFB-Pokal final against Leverkusen in Berlin on July 4.

Bayern are seven points clear atop the Bundesliga table with four matches remaining this season. The titleholders will welcome fourth-placed Borussia Monchengladbach to the Allianz Arena on Saturday.

Despite the ongoing pandemic, May was a busy month off the pitch for Bayern as  Rummenigge secured veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to a contract extension. 

"Manuel is the best goalkeeper in the world and our captain," the Bayern chief said last month. 

One player who won't be playing for the Bundesliga giants next season is Philippe Countinho, with  Rummenigge confirming the club hadn't activated the clause connected to the Brazilian who is on loan from Barcelona. 

"The option expired and we haven't activated it," Rummenigge told German magazine Der Spiegel. "We're going to plan our squad for next season and we'll see if he still has a role to play with us or not."

Coutinho has since been strongly linked with a return to the Premier League with the likes of Arsenal and Newcastle reportedly interested. 

Newly appointed chairman of the Goa Football Development Council (GFDC), Brahmanand Sankhwalkar, has urged for transparency in the operations of the same.

The GFDC was conceptualised by former Chief Minister of Goa, late Manohar Parrikar, when he had declared football as the state sport in July 2012. The council since then was led by Dr. Rufino Monteiro who stepped down as chairman in November 2018.

Dr. Shrikant Ajgaonkar, brother of the state's Sports Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar was appointed as deputy chairman but his term, too, expired. Without a council, there has been no GFDC meeting held after the one on August 29, 2018 and Sankhwalkar is eager to get the ball rolling post the Covid-19 lockdown.

"Being a GFDC member in Mr. Parrikar's time when Dr. Rufino was the chairman, I visited a lot of centers. And despite being at Sesa Goa at the time, they (Sesa) also supported me. I was at Sesa Goa for 12 years and I really cherish my time with them," the Goan Arjuna arwardee told Goal.

"When I met CM (Chief Minister, Pramod Sawant) for one of our Sesa functions, as the function was getting over he requested to have a word with me. After speaking with Mr. Sawant, he said 'I want you to handle this' and I instantly said yes and sent a message to my company (Sesa) and they agreed."

The council has recently come under controversy with allegations of siphoning off of INR 1.15 crores of public funds in the name of football development but Sakhwalkar chose not to comment on it at the moment.

"That is a separate issue and a different department will handle that,: he said, "At the same time, we have to bear in mind that we are using funds from the government and we have to ensure that we utilise it properly. All I want is transparency in everything and the focus should be more on the grassroots and coaches. GFDC has constantly stressed on coaching education and I was one of the first persons to get my AFC 'A' License under their wing.

"We may train 5,000 or even 10,000 children and we may not get quality. May be around 10 players will get selected for residential training or other teams. Dempo, Salgaocar, Sporting Clube de Goa are doing a good job at their academies but for these thousands of children that we train, my first aim is to look after their education," the former India international added.

The current 11-member council committee of GFDC will have Shankhwalkar as chairman, Shrikant Ajgaonkar as vice-chairman and Aleixo da Costa as the member secretary. Avertano Furtado, Bruno Coutinho, Lector Mascarenhas, Agnelo Fonseca, Shantaram Naik, Stanislaus D’Souza, Sanjiv Nagvenkar and Pradeep Chodankar will form the council committee of the GFDC council.

Indian Super League (ISL) side Kerala Blasters have submitted a proposal to the Kozhikode District Football Association regarding the renovation of the EMS Stadium to fit the league standards. 

While the Kochi-based club has no immediate plans to permanently shift their home venue, talks to conduct a few matches and football activities in Kozhikode have been ongoing since November last year. As a follow-up, the officials of Blasters and the District FA held another meeting in the presence of the city mayor to discuss the project on June 10.

To meet the standards of the league, work needs to be done to improve the pitch, gallery, floodlights and broadcast facilities. The suggestions submitted by the club will cost around 13 crore INR. The deadline for the works to be completed is set for May 2021, with an inspection by ISL officials likely to follow in September 2021. The technical committees of the club and the Municipal Corporation is set to discuss the further steps later this week. 

Although the stadium is currently being used as a home ground by I-League club Gokulam Kerala, there are no guidelines against the sharing of the stadium. Blasters have also received the green signal from the ISL authorities to go ahead with the plan to bring the ISL atmosphere to the Malabar region. 

It has also been learnt that the officials of the football body in Kozhikode are keen to host ISL matches at the EMS Stadium. If everything goes according to plan, the stadium could be the venue for a few ISL matches of Blasters but not before the 2021-22 season.

Blasters have also stated that they will not be able to invest a lot of money into this plan but have offered a small-scale investment, the details of which will be discussed in the meetings to come. 

The Yellow Army, which came into existence in 2014, has helped wake up the football-loving stadium-goers in Kerala in the last six years despite a lack of success in terms of trophies. By making their presence felt in the Malabar region which is known for their love for the sport, the ISL club and the league will be hoping to gain and engage with a lot more fans. 

Bayern Munch equalled a record after defeating Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 to reach the DFB-Pokal final on Wednesday.

DFB-Pokal holders and Bundesliga champions Bayern scored their 128th and 129th goals of the 2019-20 season from just 43 matches in all competitions.

Ivan Perisic and Robert Lewandowski were on target as Bayern reached a third successive DFB-Pokal final, while matching their own goals record set in 1972-73.

Of their 129 goals this term, 90 of them have come in the Bundesliga after just 30 rounds – Lewandowski contributing a league-high 30.

Bayern will face Bayer Leverkusen in the competition decider in Berlin on July 4 after  Peter Bosz's side beat Saarbrucken 3-0 in their semi-final.

Hansi Flick felt his side deserved their DFB-Pokal win, despite "reeling at times" in a tight contest. 

"It was a cup match, our opponents pressed very well, we were reeling at times," the Bayern head coach said, via the club's website.

"But at the end of the day it was a deserved victory. We should have taken our chances and scored one or two more goals, the second half would have been different then. But I still have to pay my team a huge compliment.

"We're on a great run, the players are doing a very, very good job, so we can accept the second half. The main thing was to advance after such a cup fight. It's the step we wanted to take – toward the final in Berlin."

Thomas Muller, who claimed another assist in the win, felt both sides struggled physically at times. 

"Frankfurt showed a lot of fatigue in the first half. We were fresher, we should have taken a bigger lead," Muller said.

"But we too were tired and fatigued after the last few weeks, unfortunately it was similar in the second half. We were unusually sloppy. Our pressing wasn't deserving of our name.

"Our defenders did a good job. They stifled a lot, but in terms of our play, the final ball, we can be anything but satisfied. We stepped on the gas after the equaliser."

Brazilian fullback Rafael da Silva believes Bayern Munich midfielder Corentin Tolisso would be a perfect signing for his former club Manchester United. 

Tolisso, 25, is contracted in Germany until 2022 but has been linked with a summer sale as he struggles to secure regular game time under Hansi Flick. 

Old Trafford has emerged as a possible destination for Tolisso, who joined Bayern in 2017 from Lyon for €41 million ($47m).

Rafael played with Tolisso in Ligue 1 and rates the Frenchman very highly, noting he would be a perfect addition to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side. 

"One of the best midfielders I've played with. I think he will be perfect for Manchester United. Hope he goes there," Rafael tweeted in relation to reports of Tolisso opening discussions with the Red Devils. 

Tolisso has made 24 appearances for Bayern this season, scoring three goals and contributing five assists, but has started just 15 times. 

After a bright start to his time in Germany and winning the 2018 World Cup with France, Tolisso tore his anterior cruciate ligament in late 2018 but recently noted that setback has only made him more determined to prove himself. 

“I think it made me grow mentally, it hardened me,” Tolisso told reporters in September last year. “It forges a mindset.

“I knew that I had to work hard to get back to the top level. I have to continue like this and find my true level before my injury. It depends only on me. I have to give myself a little time.

“With Bayern, I worked a lot too. I made good preparations. It's up to me to continue like this." 

Rafael, meanwhile, is no stranger to giving Manchester United transfer advice, having stressed in April new signings mustn't be coming to the club simply for the money. 

“It has taken too long to get back on track. Two years should be enough to do that but now it’s been seven years. We did some things wrong. We started signing expensive players and giving them a lot of money. I don’t agree with that,” Rafael told ESPN.

“Just because a player is £150 million does not mean he’s good for the team. It depends on the character of the player. We have made some mistakes but I hope now that we can get back on track."

Partizan head coach Savo Milosevic hailed the club's supporters after fans flocked to watch the Serbian Cup holders upstage bitter rivals Red Star Belgrade following the coronavirus pandemic.

Serbian football resumed behind closed doors on May 29 but there were no restrictions on crowd numbers on Wednesday as defending champions Partizan beat neighbours Red Star 1-0 in the semi-finals.

A near 25,000 capacity crowd watched Partizan move a step closer to a fifth successive Serbian Cup crown following Bibras Natcho's 58th-minute winner at Stadion Partizana midweek.

"I thank the fans for their fantastic support and it was great to grind out this win in front of a full house," Milosevic said.

"Having that kind of support was absolutely imperative today. It was great to see a near-capacity crowd after such a long barren spell."

After a limited number of fans watched Red Star rout Radnik Surdulica 4-1 on Saturday, a full house greeted Dejan Stankovic's men in the Serbian capital.

Red Star have already wrapped up a third consecutive league title, but they were denied a first league and cup double since 2006-07.

Milosevic, who was appointed last year and claimed the Serbian Cup in his first season, added: "I think we did pretty well in a very tough match and reaffirmed that when the going gets tough, the tough get going.

"It was tense, tempers flared here and there but no one crossed any lines and credit to Red Star too for their sportsmanlike behaviour."

Seven-time champions Partizan will face Vojvodina in the final on June 24.

While football is returning to normal in Serbia, the game is only just restarting across Europe and the big five leagues. 

Though the Bundesliga resumed last month, the Premier League, La Liga and Serie A are only set to resume in the coming week with no fans to be allowed into games for some time. 

The Ligue 1 season, meanwhile, was abandoned completely, much to the dismay of Lyon, who will now miss out on a place in European competitions next season. 

Papu Gomez believes Atalanta can win the coronavirus-hit Champions League, with the possibility of one-off matches leading into the decider.

Atalanta dazzled before the Covid-19 pandemic halted football in March, the Serie A side seeing off Valencia 8-4 on aggregate to reach the quarter-finals for the first time.

UEFA wants to complete both the Champions League and Europa League once domestic leagues have been concluded, meaning the remaining fixtures could potentially resume in August.

One proposal has been for the quarter-finals and semi-finals to be condensed into one-off fixtures instead of two-legged ties at a neutral venue until the final, which could be held in Lisbon.

Atalanta star Gomez told Tyc Sports: "We touched the sky, experiencing a unique and historic moment for the club and city.

"It's incredible that it all ground to a halt. Now we're going to be in the Champions League quarter-finals and it would frankly suit us to play one-off games, because anything can happen in 90 minutes. It's going to be spectacular."

Asked who he would like to face in a Champions League final, Argentine attacker Gomez picked out a meeting with countryman Lionel Messi.

"Maybe a Spanish side, hopefully I'd play against Leo Messi for Barcelona," the 32-year-old said.

"Considering our playing style, I'd say we would have a better chance against a Spanish team rather than English or German."

The 2019-20 Serie A season is set to resume on June 20 following the coronavirus crisis. Atalanta, who are fourth in the table through 25 games, will host Sassuolo on June 21.

Gian Piero Gasperini's Atalanta had won six consecutive matches in all competitions prior to the postponement.

Italy was hit particularly hard by the coronavirus pandemic and Gomez has stressed he's only willing to play now that the worst of it seems to be over. 

"If I had been asked two months ago whether he wanted to keep on competing, I'd have said no," Gomez told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"But now, there is more security, this virus seems less aggressive and I'm in favour of playing again. Serie A is an industry which involves millions, there are lots of people who need football to live, not only the players.

"Football is a spectacle, we are very keen to get going again, without thinking about having to play 13 games in 43 days."

Canada Soccer have announced that Women’s National Team head coach Kenneth Heiner-Moller will depart the role in August.

The 49-year-old took the role in 2018 and led them to the quarter-finals of the World Cup 12 months ago, though they were defeated by Sweden 1-0 in Paris.

Canada had gone winless in their previous four matches, though had tough encounters to negotiate against the world champion U.S. women's national team.

In addition, Canada lost 1-0 to France in a mini-tournament in March, where they also drew 0-0 with the Netherlands and held Brazil 2-2.

A statement on Canada Soccer’s official website said: “Canada Soccer have announced that Women’s National Team Head Coach Kenneth Heiner-Moller will leave his role after August 2020.

"Canada Soccer have begun the search for an immediate replacement to lead the Women’s National Team to the Olympic Games in July and August 2021, which were postponed from this year because of the world pandemic.”

Steven Reed, the president of the FA, said: “Canada Soccer wishes Mr. Heiner-Møller all the best in his return to the Danish Football Association and thank him for his contributions to our Women’s National Team Program. He is a highly-regarded coach who gained the respect of the Canadian soccer community in his time with our organization and we thank him for his genuine approach with both players and staff.”

“This was not an easy decision to make because of the quality of the people that I have had the pleasure to work with since my time at Canada Soccer,” Heiner-Moller added.

“As a leader in the women’s game, Canada Soccer’s investment in the Women’s National Team Program will ensure its continued success. I would like to thank the players, staff and Canada Soccer for the opportunity to represent a great nation and program who I have every confidence will return to the podium at Tokyo 2020.”

Canada has won the bronze medal in each of the previous two Olympics Games, the only nation to win medals at both events, while the national team has participated in each of the last seven World Cup tournaments. 

Samuel Eto’o has instructed Xavi to return to Barcelona while Lionel Messi is still playing, with the former Cameroon ace branding the six-time Ballon d’Or winner the “God of Football”.

Xavi already enjoys legendary status at Camp Nou, having turned out for the club on more than 500 occasions in the top flight, having spent 17 years as a professional with the team he joined in 1991. 

Now 40, the ex-Spain international star is managing Al Sadd, where he spent the final four years of his playing career, but is continuously linked with a move back to Catalunya, particularly if there is a vacancy in the dugout.

While Xavi has previously stated that he does not feel ready for the task of leading Barca, Eto’o, who helped the club to the 2009 Champions League title under Pep Guardiola, has encouraged his former team-mate not to wait much longer.

“I’ve told Xavi that whatever happens, he has to go back to Barca – and I told him that he has to do it while the God of Football is still there,” he told Cataluyna Radio.

“He played with him, and that will make it easier for him than for another.”

Meanwhile, Eto’o has told Barca that Luis Suarez cannot easily be replaced, even if they add Lautaro Martinez to their ranks from Inter this summer.

“I love Suarez. He’s making an incredible story with Barcelona,” he said when asked if he or the Uruguayan is the club’s greatest No.9. “We’re both lucky to have played for such a club.

“Luis is always Luis, he is one of the best players in the world in his position. It is obvious that Barca have to reinforce themselves, but it is not necessary to take away the stripes of a general. Luis is a general, he is a captain, and he cannot be demoted.

“Lautaro is doing very well, but people have a tendency to forget recent history. Luis has written the history of Barca and of football. We must admit it. That does not mean that new players should be excluded, but you can’t forget the greats.”

Bayern Munich reached a third successive DFB-Pokal final thanks to a 2-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt, with Robert Lewandowski's winner 16 minutes from time setting up a clash with Bayer Leverkusen.

Hansi Flick's men were made to work for the victory in the second half after seeing their standards slip, but their superior individual quality eventually shone through as Lewandowski netted his 45th goal of the season.

Ivan Perisic put Bayern in front with less than a quarter of an hour played by nodding in an inch-perfect pass from the excellent Thomas Muller and they should have been coasting to the win by half-time, with the defending champions spurning several opportunities.

Frankfurt looked to have capitalised with a deserved equaliser but Danny da Costa's strike restored parity for just five minutes – Lewandowski finishing off an incisive move to book Bayern's passage to another final.

Bayern, and Muller in particular, looked in the mood right from the start, and Frankfurt were fortunate with a couple of early escapes.

Muller met a Joshua Kimmich corner with a glancing header that was cleared off the line by Dominik Kohr, before the in-form forward played the ball across the face of goal for Lewandowski and saw it to go straight through the Pole's legs.

But Bayern took the lead in the 14th minute, Perisic meeting Muller's delicate pass with a diving header.

Chances continued to fall to the hosts, but Kingsley Coman spurned two presentable opportunities and Lewandowski missed again just past the half-hour mark.

Bayern failed to raise their game to a similar level after the break, with clear-cut chances drying up and Frankfurt took advantage with 21 minutes left.

Daichi Kamada turned into space in the box and his scuffed pass fell kindly to fellow substitute Da Costa, who slotted home emphatically.

But Bayern were soon in front again – Lewandowski steering in from close range following a well-worked move, after a VAR check for a potential offside in the build-up initially delayed their celebrations.

What does it mean? Bayern show glimpse of weakness

It is fair to say the second half of this contest was easily the hardest Bayern have had to work since German football resumed last month. For a time, their midfield stopped finding incisive passes and Lewandowski's supporting cast looked devoid of ideas.

Given the standard they had set in recent weeks, opponents will need to take any encouragement they can get against Bayern, and Leverkusen might just have a little extra belief on the evidence of this performance.

Muller cream of the crop

The German forward is having a remarkable season. He was, once again, hugely influential on Wednesday, setting up Perisic's opener and another four opportunities. No one else on the pitch played as many key passes.

Thiago off the pace

He has had injury troubles of late, so Thiago Alcantara can be forgiven for looking a little rusty. Nevertheless, after his introduction from the bench, he lost the ball in dangerous places on a few occasions, and one of those almost led to a goal.

What's next?

It is back to the Bundesliga at the weekend for both sides, as Bayern host Borussia Monchengladbach, while Frankfurt go to Hertha Berlin.

Atletico Madrid should be rewarded for their victory over Champions League title-holders Liverpool by being handed the trophy if it is not possible to conclude the tournament this season.

That is the view of Atletico president Enrique Cerezo, who suggested the winners of the 2019-20 edition should be the team that knocked out the reigning champions.

His comments, quite probably tongue in cheek, come as UEFA is formulating a plan to finish the competition, with Atletico having progressed past the Reds to reach the quarter-finals.

One possible solution is for a single host city to stage matches for the last eight onwards, with one-off fixtures likely to replace the traditional two-legged contests.

But Cerezo has his own ideas on how things might be settled if the Champions League cannot be finished.

"In the hypothetical case that the Champions League was not played for the coronavirus, then the champion [should be] the one who beat the champion," Cerezo told Mundo Deportivo . 

"There are still a few knockout games left, the quarter-finals, the semis and the final.

"We understand that UEFA tries to centralise all these matches in one city, there was talk of Spain, Portugal... nothing is known yet.

"There are 11 games left, plus the final phase of the Champions League, which can be four games. I imagine that the government is waiting to see how the pandemic evolves and will take the decision it considers."

Atletico have lost two Champions League finals, in 2014 and 2016.

Diego Simeone's side resume their LaLiga campaign at Athletic Bilbao behind closed doors on Sunday.

While there has been no confirmation when the European Cup might be concluded, reports suggest that it could take place throughout August. 

Atleti are one of four sides through to the quarter-finals, with Paris Saint-Germain, Atalanta and RB Leipzig having progressed to the last eight.

Tino Kadewere has expressed his delight after joining his ‘dream club’ Lyon on a four-year deal.

Earlier this year, Ligue 2 club Le Havre announced that they have reached an agreement with Lyon to release he Zimbabwe star who was the top scorer in the 2019-20 Ligue 2 season.

Kadewere scored 20 goals in 24 appearances before the second division was cancelled due to coronavirus as Le Havre finished sixth in the table.

During his presentation in Lyon on Wednesday, the 24-year-old expressed his readiness to fight for his place in Rudi Garcia’s squad.

“I am very happy to have joined OL. It’s a very big club, a club I have dreamed of. I worked a lot to be able to sit in this place,” Kadewere told the club website.

“I would like to thank the president, Juninho and Bruno Cheyrou, who all facilitated my arrival. The players have been very friendly to me and integrated me directly into the squad.

“To be a good player, you have to be a team player. I have my own qualities, but I know how to blend into a squad. I like to hold up the ball.

“Growing up, I always had a ball at my feet. I'm also pretty quick. But again, the most important thing is to be a team player.

“My progress has been very rapid and rather atypical. When I was very young, just after school, I joined my first club, before going to Sweden, then to Le Havre and finally to OL today.

“If you look at my choices, they stem from a personal strategy of development. I'm taking the plunge today because I feel ready. Many great players have come through Lyon, like Juninho, Benzema, Lacazette… It is a club which can help me in my progress and which I can help thanks to my experience at Le Havre. Being top scorer in Ligue 2 gives me confidence on arrival.

“In football, there are starters and substitutes. Everything will depend on my performance and that of my teammates.

“I respect those who are already here. The most important thing is to work, and the coach will make his decision. I am right-footed but I know as well how to use my left foot.

“As a professional footballer, I cannot say that I have one foot better than the other, you have to be able to use both. During the match, one can never decide where the ball will arrive and you have to be able to be ready."

Meanwhile, Lyon owner Jean-Michel Aulas described Kadwere’s arrival as one that will strengthen Les Gones ahead of their Coupe de la Ligue final against PSG and the return leg of their Champions League round of 16 game against Juventus.

“We are very happy that Tino is there. He was a significant transfer signing in January,” Aulas said.

“He stayed with Le Havre for six months and now arrives to strengthen the team as they start preparing for the Champions League and the Coupe de la Ligue final. He has many qualities, on and off the pitch.

“This is part of our recruitment strategy. There was a lot of competition to add to the squad and Tino stood out. He was top scorer in Ligue 2 last season and won a number of best player trophies last season.

“He is an international, which was a very strong element in our decision; we believe in him. He will be qualified to play as soon as the first matches happen."

Usuthu have struggled in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) this season as they are placed 15th on the league standings which is the relegation play-off spot.

Sokhela refuses to believe that the team will be relegated to the National First Division (NFD) if the current season resumes having been suspended definitely due to the coronavirus pandemic last March.

“We have embarked on a long-term strategy of recruitment, development and talent nurturing,” Sokhela told IOL.

"For us it is a far more sustainable model. We started this process three years ago. If you look at where we are in terms of players, I think we have representation in all the junior national teams.

"If you look at how well our MDC [reserve] side has done, they were placed fourth when the season closed. We were competing among the best - the likes of [Mamelodi] Sundowns."

The last time Usuthu won a major trophy was in 1992 when they clinched the Coca-Cola Cup which is now known as the Telkom Knockout Cup.

Sokhela is convinced that the plan is coming together with the team boasting talented youngsters like Sibusiso Mabiliso, Siphesihle Maduna and Sibusiso Magaqa.

“A lot these boys are schoolboys and we have a number of young players in the senior team as well. We have the likes of Sibusiso Mabiliso, Siphesihle Maduna and Sibusiso Magaqa. If you look at what is coming in next year, that should tell you that something is taking shape here,” he stressed.

“It is unsustainable to try and compete for players in the transfer market. For example, because Bradley Grobler has done well, we say, ‘let us break the bank and pay R150 million to buy him from SuperSport United and pay him R300 000 a month’. We can’t do that. We want to get to that level but through a different model altogether."

The Usuthu official then gave an example of Ajax Cape Town, who came close to winning the PSL title in 2011 with a youthful team.

“Ajax Cape Town got it right under [coach] Foppe de Haan. They had the likes of George Maluleka, Thulani Serero, Khama Billiat, Sameegh Doutie and Lebo Manyama," he said.

“They almost won the league with that team. That’s the model that we are developing and it takes time."

Sokhela urged AmaZulu fans to be patient with the team as it will take time before they can start competing for silverware with the likes of Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs.

“Even the model that Sundowns took, they had to wait for nine years to win the league. If you look at Kaizer Chiefs with all their sponsorship and infrastructure," he added.

"They haven’t won anything in five years. It’s not easy but the way in which we are going will work if we are patient while the foundation is being laid.”

Borussia Monchengladbach defender Ramy Bensebaini said it has been difficult for them to find motivation in the absence of fans in the stadium.

The German Bundesliga resumed on May 16 without spectators after it was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic in March.

In an attempt to recreate the stadium experience, Bensebaini’s Monchenghadbach resorted to decorating empty seats at Borussia-Park with cardboard cut-outs of fans.

The Algeria international, however, does not see the league outings differently from friendly games.

"It feels like we are playing friendly games," Bensebaini told BBC Sport.

"It’s hard to find motivation in front of no-one, but we have to play, 100%.

“It’s not the first time in my career I have played behind closed doors - it happened to me in France - but even if you actually don’t feel at home, it’s the same for everybody.”

The 25-year-old is having a fine debut campaign in the Bundesliga since his move from French Ligue 1 club Rennes last August.

The left-back has contributed five goals and two assists in 16 league appearances so far for the Foals, and he thinks the German league is more disciplined than the French top-flight.

“I feel like everything is more straight in Germany than in France," he continued.

"Even generally. Like at the beginning of the season, I arrived two or three times late for training. The coach told me, 'here you are not in France, you are in Germany'.

"He wasn’t having it when I told him it was because of the traffic. He answered: 'if you need to leave one hour earlier, do it!'."

Bensebaini credited his French-speaking teammates for his quick adaptation to life in Germany and also highlighted the 'great' team bond for their impressive results this term.

“There are a lot of French-speaking guys in the group (Alassane Pléa, Marcus Thuram and Mamadou Doucouré from France, Ibrahima Traoré from Guinea) and it helped me a lot when I joined the team.

"There is a great bond in the group and it transpires on the pitch.”

Borussia Monchengladbach are fourth in the league table with 56 points after 30 games. They battle league leaders Bayern Munich for their next league outing at Allianz Arena on Saturday.

Salma Amani has joined French top-flight outfit Dijon from second-tier club Issy for a one-year deal.

The Morocco international was impressive for Issy last season as she has scored eight goals in 16 matches for the French side following the league cancellation due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Before her move to Issy, the 30-year-old previously starred for CNFE Clairefontaine, Saint-Brieuc, Guingamp and Fleury, scoring 35 goals in more than 200 matches in the elite division since 2005.

Amani's arrival saw her become the third signing for Dijon during this transfer window after the capture of Nigeria's Desire Oparanozie from Guingamp and goalkeeper Maryne Gignoux from Fleury.

On confirming her acquisition, head coach Yannick Chandioux extolled the technical and tactical qualities of the Moroccan.

"She is a player with above-average technical qualities, capable of playing a technical leadership role on the team," Chandioux told the club website.

"Salma has a large playing volume and should contribute a lot technically and tactically."

Commenting on her transfer, Amani admits the ambition of the French top-flight side lured her to agree to the offer. 

“I wanted to find the Division One. The Dijon project directly convinced me. DFCO was the first club to make me an offer and I didn't hesitate for a second. I can't wait to start here," she said.

Juventus boss Maurizio Sarri has told midfielder Miralem Pjanic that he must show the attitude of a great player if he is to retain his place in the coach’s first-team plans.

The 30-year-old has played 32 times in all competitions for the Turin giants this season, scoring three goals and laying on a further four.

His form before the coronavirus break, though, was a source of significant concern for Juve, with the midfielder lasting only 50 minutes before being replaced in a 2-1 away defeat to Napoli, while he flopped against former club Lyon in the Champions League, again being replaced prematurely in a 1-0 last-16 reverse.

Sarri expects better of a man linked with a summer move to Barcelona or Paris Saint-Germain, however.

“Miralem is a fantastic player,” he told Sky Sport Italia. “He can't afford to underperform for four or five matches like he did. I spoke to him; he wasn't able to recover from some bad matches. 

“He needs to understand that he is a great player who can mistakes. He needs to react.”

Meanwhile, the former Chelsea and Napoli boss explained that he has a headache having two players of the quality of Paulo Dybala and Cristiano Ronaldo on his books simply because they are so similar to one another.

“Dybala is a phenomenal player, although tactically it’s difficult to make him and Ronaldo coexist,” he admitted. “They can make a difference but it’s not easy for them to play together. But with the technical and physical qualities that they have, they can make the difference at any time.

“The team must adapt in both the defensive and attacking phase, but it is a pleasant headache to have.”

Juve are leading the way in Italy, though they are only a single point clear of Lazio, and though third-placed Inter are nine distant, the San Siro side have one match in hand. 

With that in mind, Sarri is refusing to take anything for granted.

“With 12 or 13 games to play, anything is possible,” the coach said. “Losing points at this point is very easy.

“Nobody knows where we are. We’ll only discover on the pitch.”

Juventus return to league action after a three-month layoff on Monday, June 22 away to Bologna but first have a Coppa Italia semi-final against AC Milan to play.