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Gabriel Martinelli has boldly claimed Arsenal are "one of the best in the world" despite the Gunners continuing to struggle for consistency under Mikel Arteta.

That has become a familiar issue for the north London giants over recent years, with Arsene Wenger and Unai Arteta enduring similiar problems during their respective reigns.

A young squad is, however, being pieced together at Emirates Stadium and 20-year-old Brazilian forward Martinelli is looking for their full potential to be unlocked.

What has been said?

The South American told UOL of his hopes for 2021-22 with niggling knocks being shaken off: "I lost about five months because of the injury, but I think in the end we did well. We had one of the best campaigns in the league after Christmas.

"It's a new team, with a new coach too, but already with experience and that, I consider it one of the best in the world already. 

"We had good games at the end of the season, the players are confident, so we have to try to go down this same path, so we need to start the season well."

The bigger picture

Arsenal could only muster an eighth-place finish in 2020-21, leading to them missing out on European qualification.

Fresh faces have, however, been acquired in the summer transfer window and expectations remain high.

Martinelli will, after 48 appearances across the last season, be hoping to figure prominently under Arteta in the upcoming campaign.

He has lofty ambitions, with a hot prospect hoping that a return to prominence at club level will fire him into the reckoning for World Cup duty with his country in 2022.

Martinelli added, with gold medal glory at Tokyo 2020 currently in his sights: "I'm Brazilian, and my dream is to play for Brazil, win titles: Copa America, a World Cup, the Olympics itself now. I want to win titles in the national team.

"It's a dream to compete in the Olympics for Brazil. We won the last one, so we came with this responsibility to play well. I'm very proud, honoured and I look forward to it."

Further reading

Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford has been ruled out of the start of the season after it was confirmed he will undergo shoulder surgery.

The England international has played with various niggles for the last two years and has been struggling with a muscle tear in his shoulder since November. 

Following conversations between Rashford, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and club staff it has been decided the best course of action is for him to have surgery. 

What has been said? 

United confirmed the decision in a statement issued on Friday. 

It read: “Following consultation between Marcus, the manager, club medical staff and specialists, Marcus will undergo surgery imminently to resolve his shoulder injury. He will now focus on his rehabilitation in order to return as soon as possible."

When could he be back? 

He was due to report for pre-season training on Monday, having had three weeks off following his involvement with England in this summer’s European Championships.

He will now undergo the surgery and will have to fully recover and get back to full fitness before he can start again for Solskjaer’s side. 

Rashford is likely to be sidelined for weeks with October being mentioned as a potential target return date. 

Is this a problem for Solskjaer? 

Rashford is one of United’s key players so to be without him for the first few weeks of the season is a blow for Solskjaer. However, the signing of Jadon Sancho has boosted United’s attacking line. 

The former Borussia Dortmund man is capable of playing on the left and is more than capable of filling in for Rashford, while there is also Anthony Martial who can play down that flank, as can Daniel James.

Towards the end of the last campaign Paul Pogba also featured down the left wing, so Solskjaer has plenty of options to cover for Rashford while he recovers. 

The United manager is also yet to make a decision on what happens with young attacker Anthony Elanga. The 19-year-old has impressed in pre-season and is capable of playing anywhere across the front three.

Should the decision to be made to keep him at the club instead of sending him on loan, he is another squad option for Solskjaer. 

Further reading

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says Bruno Fernandes has been the "catalyst" for Manchester United as they look to take the "next step" and bring a long wait for major silverware to a close.

The Red Devils were treading water when the Portuguese playmaker was snapped up from Sporting CP during the winter transfer window of 2020.

He has quickly become a talisman at Old Trafford with 40 goals in 80 appearances, and the 26-year-old has made no secret that he wants to bring a five-year trophy drought for Solskjaer's side to an end as quickly as possible.

What has been said?

United's boss has told the club's official website: "I think we’re developing. We’re progressing. Last season was a good season, apart from you don’t end up with a trophy. I think everyone can see the progress. The season before, coming third was a great achievement after all the changes we’d made, tried to gel a new team in. 

"Of course when Bruno came in that was a catalyst for winning more games and last season I felt we were so close to challenging for the top. Now the next step has to be there. 

"We just have to improve, hopefully we can add some quality to the squad and we’re ready to start the season well. That’s the main thing – to start well. The first game, then the first little bulk of games, to give us a foundation to build on."

How close have United come to winning a trophy?

The Red Devils have an unfortunate habit of falling at the final hurdle in pursuit of major honours.

Semi-final defeats have been suffered in the Europa League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup across the last two seasons, while the 2020-21 campaign saw Solskjaer's side suffer continental heartache against Villarreal in the final.

They also finished as runners-up in the Premier League, with arch-rivals Manchester City surging clear at the summit.

Further reading

Chelsea attacker Callum Hudson Odoi is anticipating the return of fans to cheer the players on in the forthcoming Premier League campaign.

The United Kingdom lifted restrictions on large outdoor events in July, and as a result, fans will be allowed to get to stadiums to cheer their respective teams.

The Blues' fans will have a taste of what they have been missing when the club host Tottenham Hotspur on August 4 in the Mind Series match with the league starting 10 days later.

"It will be amazing to see everybody, we have all missed the crowd. Every time someone scores a goal there is no crowd to celebrate and you miss the screams and shouts every time something happens," Hudson-Odoi told the club's official portal.

"When we see the crowd back, especially after winning the Champions League, we’re going to be delighted to show the trophy to them. Hopefully, when we get there it’s a game where we go out all guns blazing and win the game."

In the latter stages of last season, 10,000 fans were allowed into Stamford Bridge to watch Chelsea play Leicester and the number doubled in the FA Cup final against the same opponent.

During the Euro 2020 final between England and Italy at Wembley, 60,000 fans attended and the youngster has explained how it felt.

"I think I watched every single game at the Euros and England did really well to get to the final," Hudson-Odoi continued.

"Obviously it was unfortunate that they lost the game but they did really well, it was a good tournament to watch as well.

"I loved the atmosphere, fans coming back gives you more of a buzz watching it. The crowd makes the game sometimes, when the atmosphere is high everybody on the pitch is high as well, and when you are creating chances and scoring goals on the pitch the whole crowd makes it even better."

The 20-year-old is hoping to be regularly involved as the European champions hope to challenge for the league title.

Raphael Varane has bid an emotional farewell to Real Madrid as he prepares to link up with Manchester United, with the World Cup winner poised to complete a £41 million ($57m) move to Old Trafford.

The France international has spent the last 10 years at Santiago Bernabeu but he, along with fellow ex-Blancos stalwart Sergio Ramos, is preparing to open a "new chapter".

He is looking forward to embracing the Premier League challenge, with the finishing touches being put to his deal in England.

What has been said?

Varane posted on Instagram: "After 10 incredible and wonderful years at Real Madrid, a club that I will always carry in my heart, the day has come to say goodbye.

"Since I arrived in 2011, together we have exceeded all expectations and achieved things that I could never have dreamed of. I would like to thank all the coaches and all the people who work or have worked at the club for everything they have done for me.

"Many thanks also to all the Madridistas who always gave me a lot of affection and with their great demand they pushed me to give my best and fight for every success.

"I have had the honour of sharing a dressing room with the best players in the world. Countless victories that I will never forget, especially 'La Decima'. I realise that it has been a great privilege to have been able to experience such special moments.

"Finally, I want to thank all Spaniards and especially to the city of Madrid, where my two children were born. This country will always be special to me. It has been an incredible journey in every way. I leave with the feeling of having given everything and I will not change a single thing in this story of ours. A new chapter begins."

What has Ramos said?

Ramos, who spent 16 years with Real, is focused on shaking off an injury and kick-starting his spell in France with Paris Saint-Germain, but the 35-year-old is also keeping tabs on close friend Varane and has wished him well with the Red Devils.

He has posed on Instagram: "Dear Rapha, I can only thank you for these years of friendship, companionship and triumphs, and wish you luck in a new stage that will surely be exciting. If we face each other, always with the team of your country, right? Take care."

What did Ramos and Varane win together?

Varane joined the Blancos from Lens in 2011 and would enjoy a trophy-laden decade of service in the Spanish capital.

Many of his 360 appearances came alongside Ramos at the heart of Real's back four, with a fearsome partnership struck up between the defensive stalwarts.

Varane won 18 trophies during his time with Madrid - four short of Ramos' remarkable tally. Together, they helped to secure three La Liga titles, four Champions League crowns and four Club World Cup successes.

Both will be hoping to add to their respective medal collections in new surroundings, with PSG looking to dominate domestically and in Europe during 2021-22 while United are determined to bring a five-year wait for major silverware to a close.

Further reading

AFC Leopards and rivals Gor Mahia will face off in the second-round fixture of the FKF Premier League season on Saturday.

The two Kenyan giants will only play for bragging rights since they are out of the race to win the title after their recent poor run of results in the top-flight.

With only six rounds of matches remaining to end the season, Tusker and KCB are the two teams fighting for the title - the Brewers leading the table on 55 points from 26 matches while the Bankers are second on 54 points from 26 matches.

This will be the third meeting between Ingwe and K’Ogalo this campaign, the first coming in the league where the two sides battled to a 0-0 draw, and the second in the FKF Shield Cup final, where Gor managed a 1-0 win to clinch the ticket for Caf Confederation Cup.

How did it start?

The two clubs have been bitter rivals since they first locked horns on May 5, 1968, and it was Gor who won the fixture 1-0 at Nairobi City Stadium.

The Mashemeji derby is one of Africa’s biggest rivalries - it is the oldest rivalry in Kenyan football history and for both AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia, often referred to by their nicknames, Ingwe and K'Ogalo, respectively. recognise each other as arch-rivals.

To date, Gor Mahia have won the Kenyan Premier League a record 18 times, while AFC Leopards have 12 league titles to their name as of 2019.

Though AFC had dominated the rivalry, in recent years, Gor Mahia are unbeaten in the last 11 matches between the two sides, and in total, they have won 32 matches, while AFC have managed 28 with the other 32 ending in draws.

In a match on March 23, 2012, Gor Mahia fans began to riot after midfielder Ali Abondo was given a red card following a dangerous tackle on Leopards' Amon Muchiri.

Gor Mahia were banned by the Sports Stadia Management Board from using their facilities for the rest of the 2012 season - those being the Nyayo National Stadium and the Kasarani Stadium - as a result.

This was also the reason for the postponing of their derby match in the 2012 KPL Top 8 Cup.

Derby Heroes

As it stands, Sammy ‘Jogoo’ Onyango and Dan Sserunkuma of Gor Mahia are the leading scorers in the derby as each scored six goals during their time with K’Ogalo.

On four goals is former AFC Leopards forward Wilberforce Mulamba while nine players are on three goals, namely Laban Otieno, Maurice Ojwang, Peter Dawo, Dan Ogada, and Meddie Kagere of Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards’ Abdul Baraza, Dan Odie, Mike Baraza, and David Asibwa.

On two goals are Dennis Olando, Francis Mudanyi, Abass Magongo, Hezron Osuka, David Odhiambo, Deomande Selenga, Paul Oyienga, William Chege, Gnamien Yikpe, Jacques Tuyisenge, and Nicholas Kipkirui for Gor Mahia.

While on AFC side, the players with two goals are Aggrey Lukoye, John Joseph Masiga, Francis Kadenge, Dan Musuku, John Lukoye, Kitali Ngiara, Phillip Ouma, Fred Ambani, Francis Xavier, and Jacob Keli.

Who has the bragging rights?

In the last six matches, AFC Leopards are yet to beat Gor Mahia, with only one match ending in a 0-0 draw.

In the 2018 season, Gor Mahia beat AFC 2-0 in the first meeting and sealed a double over them in the second round fixture after another 2-0 while in 2019, it was another six points for K’Ogalo as they won 3-1 and 4-1.

Last season, Gor Mahia won the first meeting 1-0 before the second round fixture was postponed owing to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in the country.

Tusker midfielder Jackson Macharia has claimed they are not under pressure as the Football Kenya Federation Premier League hits the home stretch.

The Brewers are in pursuit of their 13th Premier League title but face a stiff challenge from KCB, who are second, and they are separated by just a point with seven matches remaining.

"Tusker is a big team and we are used to being in that position, so there is no pressure on us. We are just concentrating on our matches. Of course, sometimes it is painful when we drop points, but we usually regroup quickly and take the focus to the next assignment, " Macharia told the club's portal.

"So far, so good because we are still within our targets. We have seven matches remaining and we have to concentrate really well on all of them know there are also teams behind us who want to win the trophy too."

The midfielder also spoke about Friday's encounter against Nairobi City Stars.

"We are psyched up and looking forward to the game," he added. 

"We are going in for three points to try and maintain the gap. We know that City Stars are a good team if you look at how they pushed us in the first leg. But we are psyched and ready to go."

On his part, head coach Robert Matano called for organisation and determination when they will face City Stars: "We are well prepared for the game. We have trained well for the past one week and everybody is raring to go," the tactician said.

"Every game is important for us. We know City Stars will be a tough game because they are a stubborn team. But we are focused and determined to win the match.

"We will approach it with vigour and determination and a lot of organization. The team is technically and physically ready."

Matano will be without defenders Christopher Oruchum and Kevin Monyi for the crucial tie and this is the first game for Tusker since the departure of the experienced and Premier League-winning midfielder Hashim Sempala.

The Ugandan midfielder has so far joined Kabwe Warriors of Zambia.

Former Arsenal FC striker Kevin Campbell has urged the club to consider signing Yves Bissouma since he would be the ideal partner for Thomas Partey.

The Gunners are aiming at performing better than they did in the last campaign, and the midfield is one of the departments they want to strengthen.

They have already signed the 21-year-old Albert Sambi Lokonga.

However, it is unlikely that manager Mikel Arteta will use the Belgian on a regular basis. It is, for this reason, the ex-Gunner believes the Malian, who is currently contracted to Brighton and Hove Albion, will be the signing that will complement the Ghanaian the best

"Bissouma, for me, he is the ideal partner in there for Thomas Partey," Campbell told the Highbury squad.

"He is combative, he is a lot better on the ball than people give him credit for, the kid can play, he is young, he knows the Premier League, he is tough. he tracks back, he puts the tackles in, he is box-to-box, if you need him he can hold. That’s my guy."

On May 29, Brighton chairman Tony Bloom conceded they were willing to listen to offers for the club's most prized assets  after seeing the likes of Bissouma and Ben White become the subjects of intense speculation: 

"It’s not a flip side at all. The more big clubs there are interested in our players, the more we’re doing right, so I’m delighted with that," he told the Athletic

"We know some of our best players are not going to be with us forever.

"If the right offer comes along — and it has to be the right offer — and they want to go, then they will leave. 

"I foresee the vast majority to be here at the beginning of next season."

The Mali international has spent three productive seasons in English football, earning a reputation as one of the Premier League's best holding midfielders.

Juventus are entering into a third round of talks with Sassuolo regarding a deal for Euro 2020 winner Manuel Locatelli, Goal has learned.

Patience has been in order for the Bianconeri as they look to secure the services of the Italy international midfielder.

No agreement has been reached as yet, amid competition for the 23-year-old's signature from the Premier League, but further discussions are being held on Friday.

What has been said?

Sassuolo are looking to put pressure on Locatelli's suitors, with CEO Giovanni Carnevali telling Sky Sport Italia: "He wants to join Juve. We’d be happy to sell Manuel to Juve but they need to pay the right fee. Arsenal made a bid to sign him and also a new English club is now in the race."

Where do Juve stand at present?

The Bianconeri have tabled just one offer so far, back on July 16. Juve were looking to take Locatelli on a two-year loan with an obligation to buy, with it suggested that Sassuolo could be compensated with Radu Dragusin included in the deal.

That offer was deemed to be unacceptable, leaving a door open for Arsenal to join the bidding.

They have put €40 million (£35m/$47m) on the table, which is what Sassuolo are looking for, but Juve are still hoping to negotiate that fee down.

How will things play out from here?

With it revealed that another Premier League team has joined the running, Juventus need to make a decisive move.

Locatelli, who tasted international glory with Italy at this summer's European Championship, is eager to see a long-running saga brought to a close.

He wants to take on a new challenge as soon as possible, allowing him to head elsewhere before linking back up with Sassuolo for pre-season training.

Juve are prepared to get that ball rolling, with futher discussions set to be held over the phone.

The Bianconeri are ready to move closer to Sassuolo's demands, meaning that a compromise could be close that eventually suits all parties.

Further reading

Borussia Dortmund managing director Hans-Joachim Watzke has been discussing Erling Haaland's future once again amid ongoing talk of interest from Chelsea, with the Bundesliga giants saying "no-one really seems to listen".

The prolific Norwegian striker continues to attract admiring glances, with his exploits in Germany sparking talk of big-money bids from European superpowers.

Premier League heavyweights Chelsea are generating the most speculation with a €175 million (£150m/$207m) price tag said to have been set, but Dortmund maintain that they have no intention of sanctioning a sale.

What has been said?

Dortmund have already allowed Jadon Sancho to join Manchester United this summer and Watzke says Haaland and Julian Brandt will not be following the England international through the exits.

He said: "It is pretty clear to me that Erling Haaland will stay at Dortmund, just Julian Brandt will remain. I tend to say that every day but no-one really seems to listen as I hear something new every week.  

"To us, it is pretty clear that we will have Julian Brandt for the upcoming season. I hope that he will have a great season with us this year. I hope that he will be able to exploit his strong potential and tap into more of the talent that he clearly has.

"Julian is a great guy and I really like him. If he has a strong season then it will be great for all of us. It would never have made sense to give him away. It was never the topic of discussion of anyone here at Dortmund."

Will Haaland remain at Dortmund?

The German giants are under no pressure to sell, having tied Haaland to contract through to 2024.

Future sporting director Sebastian Kehl, who will replace Michael Zorc in that role next year, is another who believes the 21-year-old willk be staying put for the foreseeable future.

Quizzed by Bild on whether Haaland will form part of Dortmund's plans for 2021-22, he has said: “Yes.

"In the conversations with Mino Raiola about the [Donyell] Malen transfer, I did not have the feeling that we would have to meet again soon about Erling, and we have already emphasised 1000 times that we do not want to give him up."

Zorc himself has talked about the Haaland to Chelsea rumours in a DPA interview.

He called them nothing but "hot steam", and regarding the reported €175m offer Zorc said: "That offer does not exist and we do not expect it to arrive. When these numbers circulated in the media I guess certain people were still dreaming about the Super League. We do not have to sell Erling."

Further reading

Kenya will not have a representative in the upcoming Cecafa Kagame Cup scheduled to take place next month in Tanzania after the withdrawal of Tusker.

The Brewers were the only team forwarded by the Football Kenya Federation as the country's representative in the inter-club regional competition.

The choice to pick Tusker pitted the federation against Gor Mahia, who had expressed an interest in participating in the August 1-14 tournament as the defending Premier League champions. 

Tusker's decision to withdraw means they will focus on the league duties uninterrupted as they hope to seal the championship for the first time since 2016.

Consequently, the Cecafa competitions committee had to reshuffle the programme to change the groupings, which now places four teams in each of the two groups.

Ugandan Premier League champions Express FC - the country's representatives in the Caf Champions League next season - will begin their campaign against Atlabara FC of South Sudan on August 1 before Tanzania's Yanga SC - who will also participate in the continent's premier club competition - face Nyasa Big Bullets of Malawi, who were invited to the tournament, and both games will be played at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.

Le Messager Ngozi of Burundi will play Zanzibar's KMKM before a match between KCCA FC and Azam FC at Azam Sports Complex.  The second and third matchday actions will be played on August 4 and 5.

"We expect a very competitive tournament with the best two teams from each group going straight to the semi-finals. This event will also help some of our teams prepare better ahead of the Caf competitions starting in September," Yusuf Mosi, the Cecafa competitions director said.

KCCA are the defending champions after they won the trophy in 2019 in Kigali after beating Azam. The withdrawal of Tusker means KCCA, Azam and Yanga are the only sides in the tournament who have won the trophy before.

Group A: Young Africans (Tanzania), Nyasa Big Bullets (Malawi), Express FC (Uganda), Atlabara FC (South Sudan)

Group B: KCCA FC (Uganda), Azam FC (Tanzania), Le Messager Ngozi (Burundi), KMKM FC (Zanzibar).

Brentford coach Thomas Frank has revealed the reason new signing Frank Onyeka played for only 30 minutes in their pre-season friendly against Manchester United on Wednesday.

The 23-year-old sealed a transfer to the promoted side from FC Midtjylland and he was handed his debut on Wednesday, as the Bees twice came from behind to draw 2-2 against the Red Devils at Old Trafford.

The Nigerian forward was introduced in the 61st minute as a replacement for Max Haygarth and he came close to finding the back of the net in the 78th minute after combining well with Ethan Pinnock, but his effort went inches wide.

Brentford boss Frank has said his decision to give Onyeka 30 minutes was prompted by the fact the player has not enjoyed enough pre-season training.

“Brilliant, fantastic to see Frank getting some minutes,” Frank told the club’s TV.

“There’s a reason why we only played him 30 minutes because we wanted to build him, he got a little bit you know fragmented start because of pre-season in Midtjylland, and then quarantine and the transfer and all that.

“So we need to build him to get to the right fitness level but very nice to see him get thirty minutes.”

In a recent interview, Frank said the addition of Onyeka will help the team to do well in the Premier League

"We think he is a strong addition to the squad, and we are looking forward to working with him. He is a very dynamic player," Frank told the same portal.

"He has come from the Danish league and was one of the best midfield players in that league, we think he has the potential to develop further.

"All the coaches here are looking forward to working with Frank and pushing him to a higher level.”

Brentford, who earned promotion after beating Swansea City 2-0 in the EFL Championship play-off final in May, will play their league opener at home against Arsenal on August 13.

Mexico are facing more sanctions from FIFA after homophobic chants from their supporters caused their Gold Cup semi-final clash with Canada to be halted by match officials.

There were just two minutes remaining when the clock was stopped on Thursday, with the unsavoury actions of those in the stands forcing the referee to take action and call a break in play.

That decision ended up benefitting El Tri, who were on the back foot at that stage, with Hector Herrera scoring a dramatic winner nine minutes into stoppage-time.

What is the chant?

Mexico supporters are believed to have started the chant during the early 2000s, with supporters shouting a homophobic slur when an opposing goalkeeper is preparing to take a goal kick.

It has been claimed that their actions are intended to intimidate and distract rivals, with fans claiming that the words have different cultural meanings, but there have been regular calls for them to stop.

Mexican federation president Yon de Luisa said earlier in 2021: "It's not the intention with which you shout or with which you chant. It's how the other [people] receive it. If anybody feels it's a discriminatory act, then it is not something that we should include in a conversation. That is no longer a debate. If it is discriminatory, we should avoid it."

What action have FIFA taken?

In June 2021, FIFA hit Mexico with a $65,000 fine and forced them to play two official home matches behind closed doors following homophobic chants during an Olympic qualifier.

The FIFA Disciplinary Committee also opened proceedings against Mexico after the same songs were sung during a friendly with Iceland in Arlington, Texas in May.

Hungary are another nation to have been stung, with a fine handed out after supporters aimed homophobic abuse in the direction of Cristiano Ronaldo in 2017.

A three-step plan has now been introduced for match officials to combat the issue, with played being halted as a warning is handed out, before players are then removed from the field and ultimately games can be abandoned.

Will further action be taken?

Mexico have now been fined on several occasions, with the chant in question being heard at the 2014 and 2018 World Cups, and further punishments are in the pipeline.

"I want to remind you of the disciplinary measures that FIFA is contemplating," De Luisa said after Mexico's two-game home supporter ban. 

"It starts with fines, playing one or two games behind closed doors — which is what we're concerned with today along with the fine — deduction of points, losing matches and exclusion from a competition or tournament, and relegation as far as clubs are concerned. That's the situation today."

It remains to be seen if any sanctions will be imposed ahead of the Gold Cup final, with Mexico due to face United States on Sunday.

Further reading

Willard Katsande has stated he would be eager to see who Kaizer Chiefs fans will blame for poor results now that he has left the Premier Soccer League side.

The 35-year-old midfielder, who was released earlier this week after making 326 appearances since joining Amakhosi in 2011, regularly found himself at the receiving end of the fans' criciticsm whenever they posted poor results.

Katsande said he was criticised mostly because of his age and not his performances.

"I know that I am a guy who divided the attention in terms of the feelings about me," Katsande said as was quoted by FARPost. "Obviously, now Katsande is not there. 

"I want to see what is going to be the next reaction if things don’t go well, because, at the end of the day, we tend to give an eye to the older guys or the long-serving players to say they’re the reason why we are not doing well. 

"But if you are to say the contribution, you could see that the contribution of Katsande is as good as a 23-year-old, but because I have been there for so long, it is easy to say 'Katsande this and Katsande that'."

He also believes the Amakhosi fans were harsh on him ever since he signed from Ajax Cape Town, now Ajax Cape Town Spurs, a decade ago.

"For me, I feel like supporters were too harsh on me because they were expecting me to do much," he added.

"But if you are to analyze my position, as Willard Katsande, what I have offered to the team in each and every game – win, lose or draw – you would never doubt my commitment. I always take my job seriously, but at the end of the day, when the team loses, ‘It’s Katsande, he must go’.

"If I can tell you, my daughter and son are old enough to read about what [people] are saying about their father.

"So, my message to the supporters is that they need to be more proud of their players because, at the end of the day, are working in the field giving their all, serving Kaizer Chiefs supporters with every inch of their body."

Kaizer Chiefs did not renew Katsande's contract that expired in June.

Mexico coach Gerardo 'Tata' Martino explained Jonathan dos Santos' decision to play in Mexico's Gold Cup semifinal against Canada just hours after his father died, saying that the midfielder took the field because he believed it's what his dad would have wanted.

Geraldo Francisco dos Santos, better known as Zizinho, died at the age of 59 on Thursday, just hours before his son was set to take the field against Canada.

But Dos Santos opted to start the game for Mexico, playing 61 minutes as El Tri went on to win 2-1.

Who was Zizinho?

Zizinho was born in Brazil but began his professional career in Mexico in 1980 with Club America before going on to play for the likes of Club Leon, Necaxa and Monterrey.

He played in Mexico from 1980-91, with a one-year stop in El Salvador in between.

Two of his sons went on to become prominent members of Mexico's national team: Jonathan and his brother, Giovani.

What did Martino say?

"The situation with Jona and what happened today, first we hear the news with deep sadness," Martino said."After that, we all had to overcome the fact that Jonathan received this news and try to give him strength.

"Only he knows what he's feeling in these sad moments. After communicating with his mother, he decided to stay and play because, in his words and his mom's, it's what his dad would've wanted.

"Whatever decision he would've made in this circumstance, he has all of our support. It's one of those days where you analyze whether or not football is the most important thing in life or if it's family."

How did Mexico honor Zizinho?

After Oberlin Peralta scored the opening goal of Thursday's win, the entire Mexico team huddled around Dos Santos and pointed to the sky.

Hector Moreno was among the Mexico players to pay tribute to Dos Santos and his family after the game, saying in an interview with Univision Deportes: "It’s very tough because Zizinho was a great person.

"I only hope that he has a beautiful rest, that the family is good and from here we send our most heartfelt condolences.”

Up next for El Tri

With Thursday's win, Mexico booked a date in the Gold Cup finale, where they'll take on a familiar rival.

El Tri will look to repeat as Gold Cup winners as they take on the U.S. men's national team, who advanced to the final on Thursday with a 1-0 win over Qatar

Further reading