Looking for Soccer News?

Pedri and Jordi Alba have added to Barcelona's injury crisis after their Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich on Tuesday night.

Barca suffered a 3-0 defeat to Bayern at Camp Nou in their Group E opener, with Thomas Muller scoring first before Robert Lewandowski bagged a second-half brace to hand Julian Nagelsmann's side all three points.

Ansu Fati, Sergino Dest, Sergio Aguero, Martin Braithwaite and Ousmane Dembele were all unavailable for the heavyweight European fixture due to respective injuries, and Ronald Koeman could now be without two more star players when his side resume their La Liga campaign next week.

What's been said?

Barca have released a statement confirming that Pedri picked up a thigh complaint after playing the full 90 minutes against Bayern.

"The first-team player Pedri has a quadriceps muscle injury in his left thigh," the press release reads. "The player is unavailable for selection and his recovery will dictate his return."

Alba, meanwhile, sustained a knock during the game which saw him substituted for Balde Martinez in the 74th minute, with Barca's statement adding on the full-back: "Tests carried out on Wednesday morning on the first-team player Jordi Alba show that he has a hamstring injury in his right thigh.

"The player is unavailable for selection and his recovery will dictate his return."

How many games could Pedri & Alba miss?

Pedri and Alba are now both major doubts for Barca's next La Liga fixture against Granada on Monday, with there currently a three-point gap between themselves and leaders Real Madrid - who have played a game more.

Koeman's side will only have a three-day turnaround before facing Cadiz, and are then set to wrap up their September schedule with a clash against Levante and a second Group E encounter with Benfica in the Champions League.

Koeman laments lack of options

Koeman expressed his frustration over the reduced numbers in his squad after the loss to Bayern, while also admitting that Barca are some way behind the German giants in their overall development as a team.

“There were only three strikers available,” he said post-match. “Tactically there were moments in which we were in control. Bayern’s game is in the middle third and you have to fill [the gaps] there. It is what it is for the time being. I cannot complain about the attitude, but there is a difference in quality.

“They are a team that as a group have been together for a long time and also have a bench that has improved.”

Further reading

Paris Saint-Germain have emerged as a major European superpower over the last decade, and after another summer of exciting business in the transfer market look well placed to regain the Ligue 1 title and challenge for their first-ever Champions League crown.

Mauricio Pochettino already had Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Angel Di Maria to call upon in his star-studded PSG squad, but increased his options even further by signing Lionel Messi, Georginio Wijnaldum, Achraf Hakimi, Sergio Ramos and Gianluigi Donnarumma ahead of the 2021-22 season.

As a result, the French champions will be one of the most popular teams on FIFA 22, but which of their players will boast the highest ratings? Goal is here to bring you everything you need to know.

PSG FIFA 22 player ratings

Messi has held onto his title as the highest-rated player on FIFA despite seeing his 21-year stay at Barcelona cut short, with PSG's marquee summer signing graded at 93 on the latest version of the game.

The six-time Ballon d'Or winner was reunited with ex-Barca team-mate Neymar upon his arrival at Parc des Princes, and the Brazilian is ranked at 91 alongside Mbappe, whose stock continues to rise with each passing year.

Donnarumma has been classified at 89 following his move to PSG, with the former Milan goalkeeper marked just above Costa Rican shot-stopper Keylor Navas and Real Madrid legend Ramos - both of whom are at 88.

The Ligue 1 outfit have two players ranked at 87 in Di Maria and Marquinhos, while another pair of new arrivals, Hakimi and Wijnaldum, have been graded at 85 and 84 respectively.

Presnel Kimpembe and Mauro Icardi are both rated at 83, one ahead of Idrissa Gueye and Juan Bernat (82), with Leandro Paredes (81), Danilo Pereira (81), Julian Draxler (80), Rafinha (80) and Ander Herrera (79) completing the 20-man list.

Lionel Messi has been confirmed as the best player on FIFA 22 with a rating of 93, but how do the Premier League's top stars compare?

The likes of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and N'Golo Kante have been ranked among the best in the world recently, while Cristiano Ronaldo is back after a decade-plus absence.

So who are the Premier League's best players on FIFA 22? Goal brings you the division's top 20 players.

FIFA 22: Who are the best Premier League players?

According to FIFA 22, Cristiano Ronaldo and Kevin De Bruyne are the best players in the Premier League, with both players boasting an overall rating of 91 on the game.

Manchester United's 'prodigal son' has seen his rating go down for the third year in a row, having been a 92 overall in FIFA 21, 93 in FIFA 20 and 94 in FIFA 19, but he remains out in front in England along with De Bruyne.

Tottenham striker Harry Kane and Chelsea's midfield enforcer N'Golo Kante follow Ronaldo and De Bruyne, with each player rated 90 overall.

There are six 89-rated players in the Premier League, including Liverpool quartet Mohamed Salah, Alisson, Sadio Mane and Virgil van Dijk. They are joined by Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson and Tottenham playmaker Heung-min Son.

Romelu Lukaku has returned to the Premier League with Chelsea following a goal-laden spell in Serie A with Inter and the Belgium international is rated 88 overall - the same as Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes and Man City's Raheem Sterling.

Paul Pogba is one of a number of 87-rated stars, along with his Red Devils team-mate Jadon Sancho and Man City centre-back Ruben Dias.

Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris and Liverpool full-backs Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson are also rated 87 in the new game, while City defender Joao Cancelo rounds out the top 20 with a rating of 86.

More FIFA 22 ratings & news

Jack Grealish will justify his £100 million ($139m) transfer fee by firing Manchester City to Champions League glory, according to former Blues defender Joleon Lescott.

And Lescott believes City’s failed pursuit of Harry Kane will not hamper Pep Guardiola’s side in their quest for domestic and European honours this season.

Grealish became the most expensive English player in history when moving to the Etihad from Aston Villa in August, but City were unable to follow up that signing with that of Kane, with Tottenham refusing to negotiate with the Premier League champions over the England captain.

What’s been said?

Lescott, who won two Premier League titles during his five years at City, also played alongside Grealish during a spell at Villa, and believes the 26-year-old will relish the pressure and expectation which comes with such a hefty price tag.

He told Goal: “I think he’ll enjoy it. I think he wants that extra pressure, that kind of scrutiny he will be under, and the realistic goals that will be set for him. He’ll embrace everything that being at a top club brings.

“He knows he has to contribute in terms of goals and assists, but it’s important that we recognise that it isn’t all on him. We shouldn’t be analysing Jack’s individual performances all season long, it’s about what the team does. That’s why he’s joined, to win things and compete for big trophies. 

“So when we look back, let’s see how many trophy-winning teams Jack is part of. And if he wins the Champions League while he’s at City, then firstly it justifies his decision to go there, and secondly it means that transfer fee will be money well spent.”

‘The nation’s love will fade at City!’

Lescott spoke glowingly about the Grealish he encountered at Villa, and noted the improvements he has made since in terms of professionalism and dedication.

But he voiced a note of caution for the England international, warning that the love he felt from the public during Euro 2020 will fade now he has joined one of the country’s biggest clubs.

“He’s a confident lad, but there’s no arrogance there,” Lescott said. “He’s infectious, that enthusiasm for the game is there for everyone, he wants to do well. You can just see he cares.

“I’d compare him to someone like Phil Foden, they have that same mentality. They just want to play football, they just want a ball at their feet. And Jack is aware that he has huge ability, and that means there is a pressure on him to deliver and influence the outcome of games.

“He’s probably someone who was unprepared for the nation’s love for him, if I’m honest. You could see that he was one of the fans’ favourites at the Euros with England, but that will all change now he’s gone to Man City! 

“I don’t think every England fan will be as eager to see him play and do well now. He knows that, he knows it will change, but I think he’ll love that new kind of challenge.”

‘Kane wasn’t a necessity’

City, of course, would have followed Grealish’s big-money capture with another this summer, had they got their way.

But having missed out on Kane, and having seen Cristiano Ronaldo join rivals Manchester United, Guardiola’s side headed into the season light on specialist centre-forwards, following club legend Sergio Aguero’s departure.

Lescott, though, is unconcerned by the lack of a world-class number nine.

“I don’t think there was a reliance on definitely getting Kane,” he insisted. “Look, 100 per cent he improves the team and the squad, because he’s a world-class player, just like Ronaldo is and would have. But I don’t think everything depended on him.

“They obviously recognised that they needed a forward player, hence Grealish coming in. But in regards to having to get a number nine, I don’t think it was a necessity. 

“When you look back to last season, City were one game away from dominating domestically and winning the Champions League, and they’ve added Grealish since then, so they’re not exactly a poor squad!

“They’re definitely as strong as they’ve ever been. Yes, they’ve lost quality in Sergio but they’ve added quality in Jack. And the style of play that Pep has adopted in the last 18 months or so means there is less emphasis on specific positions. He wants ‘forward’ players, rather than wingers and centre-forwards. 

“He’s recognised that they always have a lot of the ball, in every game they play, so what they need is players who can take the ball in tight areas, see passes, play combinations and go past players when they need to in the final third. 

“Jack certainly fits that mould and when you add him to what’s already there, the squad looks as strong, if not even stronger, than it has been in previous years.”

He added: “In regards to the Champions League, they’ll always be one of the favourites, but this is probably the first year in a while where they are not THE favourites. 

“I think Chelsea are probably above them this year, because of what happened last season, and when you look at PSG - having [Lionel] Messi, Neymar and [Kylian] Mbappe should probably make you the favourites for any trophy, shouldn’t it?!”

Further reading 

BT Sport is the exclusive home of UEFA Champions League football. Watch every game of the 2021/22 competition live on TV, online and on the BT Sport app. For more info, visit btsport.com

Football Kenya Federation Premier League side Gor Mahia are facing a transfer problem after eight players turned down their approaches.

Harambee Stars' Cliff Nyakeya, who parted ways with Egypt's FC Masr recently and is linked with Wazito FC, and James Mazembe, - who has so far joined KCB - are among the players who did not want to entertain offers from the local giants.

Stewart Omondi, who had an individual stellar performance with Vihiga United, Bernard Ochieng, formerly of Wazito FC and Vihiga United, James Kinyanjui and Tyson Otieno of Mathare United, as well as highly-rated Wazito midfielder Rooney Onyango, are the stars who were not interested in the idea of joining the 19-time Premier League champions, despite persistent approaches.

"All of them did not want to hear anything about our interest," a source close to Gor Mahia told Goal.

"The majority of those players you mentioned cited our own struggle as the reason they were not going to pen deals with us. In fact, we promised better salaries and allowances, but most of them felt they should join smaller teams with lower but assured salaries.

"The players seemed not interested in the fact that we promised them continental football as their fears revolved around finances. Yes, we are struggling, but the fact that even small players are rejecting our offers hurts.

"We have never been in this situation before and the rejection is the main reason why we have not unveiled any new players up to this point. At this point, in most transfer seasons, we would have unveiled our new players, but this is not the case this time around. 

"I am wondering when our local players turn down offers from Gor Mahia, will we attract foreigners who have been key for us over the seasons? We wanted to strengthen with both local outstanding stars as well as a few from within Africa, but the probability of getting them is very low."

Recently, Gor Mahia have been linked with AFC Leopards' Yusuf Mainge and Austine Odhiambo, and former Azam FC striker Mozizi Mpaima. Robinson Kamura, who is keen to leave Ingwe after falling out with head coach Patrick Aussems, is a target for K'Ogalo too.

Liverpool's Harvey Elliott has come out in support of Pascal Struijk after Leeds United lost their appeal against his red card in Sunday's Premier League clash between the two teams.

Strujik was sent off for a strong challenge on Elliott in the second half of Leeds' 3-0 defeat at Elland Road, which left the midfielder with a dislocated ankle.

Replays showed that the defender clearly won the ball, but the Whites have seen their bid to get the red card overturned rejected, which has prompted an empathetic reaction from Elliott.

What's been said?

The Liverpool starlet took to social media to comment on the breaking news from Sky Sports' official Instagram account on Wednesday morning.

"Sorry about this Pascal! I think its wrong!" Elliot wrote. "But it'll soon be over brother and you'll be back in no timer smashing it again. Keep positive."

More to follow.

Cristiano Ronaldo gifted his Manchester United shirt to a Young Boys steward after knocking her over with a stray warm-up shot on Tuesday evening.

Ronaldo made his second Champions League debut for United at the Wankdorf Stadium, having re-signed for the club from Juventus in a £20 million ($28m) deal during the summer transfer window.

The 36-year-old marked the occasion with a goal, but was ultimately powerless to prevent the Red Devils from slumping to a 2-1 defeat, and was also involved in a bizarre incident just before the game that saw a steward knocked to the ground.

What happened?

Ronaldo limbered up for the contest by taking a few shots at goal, but miscued one of his efforts horribly, and the ball ended up striking the steward in question with considerable force behind the touchline.

She was laid out flat on the floor to begin with and was checked over by medical staff and a number of fellow stewards before returning to her feet, with Ronaldo also going over to check on her wellbeing.

After the match had finished, instead of swapping shirts with a Young Boys player, the five-time Ballon d'Or sought out the steward to present her with the jersey as a special keepsake, and she expressed her delight over the gesture by making a heart shape with her hands as the striker headed away from the pitch.

Ronaldo suffers first defeat back at United

United looked to be well on their way to victory when Ronaldo opened the scoring with just 13 minutes on the clock against Young Boys, as he produced a composed finish at the back post after latching onto a superb outside-of-the-foot pass from fellow Portuguese Bruno Fernandes.

However, the game turned when Aaron Wan-Bissaka was shown a red card for a rash challenge shortly before half-time, and the hosts eventually levelled proceedings via a Moumi Ngamaleu goal just after the hour mark.

Young Boys continued to pile on the pressure thereafter, with the Red Devils stubborn resistance finally broken deep into stoppage time as Jesse Lingard's loose back pass landed perfectly at Jordan Siebatcheu's feet, and the United States international subsequently slid the ball past David de Gea to give the Swiss outfit a memorable victory.

What's next?

Ronaldo and Co will have to dust themselves off quickly ahead of a Premier League meeting with West Ham on Sunday, which comes just three days before United are due to face the Hammers again in the third round of the Carabao Cup.

Further reading

Partick Bamford has been left bemused by his FIFA 22 rating after Raphinha scored the honour of being ranked as Leeds United's best player.

The FIFA Ratings Collective have started announcing statistics for the latest version of the game ahead of the official launch on October 1.

Several members of the Leeds squad have received upgrades following the club's impressive first season in the Premier League, including Bamford, but he has indicated that he is still not satisfied with his ranking.

What has been said?

Bamford was only rated at 71 in FIFA 21, but he has now been bumped up to 78 after netting 17 goals in 37 top-flight appearances last term.

However, the 28-year-old is only joint-fourth in the overall player rankings at Leeds alongside Jack Harrison and Junior Firpo, with strike partner Rodrigo at 79, Kalvin Phillips getting an 81 grade and Brazilian winger Raphinha coming in at 82.

Bamford took to social media to vent his frustration, quoting the club's official press release on Twitter with the caption:

Who are the highest-rated Premier League players on FIFA 22?

Raphinha may be the highest-rated player at Leeds, but he hasn't made the Premier League's overall top 10 list which is headed by Manchester United's returning talisman Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne - who have both been graded at 91.

Tottenham's Harry Kane and Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante are at 90, with the former's team-mate Son Heung-min and Liverpool duo Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk just below with ratings of 89.

City goalkeeper Ederson has also been classified at 89, while United's Bruno Fernandes (88), Liverpool's Andy Robertson (87) and fellow Anfield full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold (87) complete the all-star Premier League top ten for FIFA 22.

Further reading

Istanbul 2005 will forever be remembered as one of the finest Champions League finals in the annals of the European Cup.

The dramatic events of favourites AC Milan losing a 3-0 half-time advantage inside six rip-roaring second-half minutes still beggars belief to date. Liverpool’s dramatic, unforeseen comeback 16 years ago will probably never be matched, neither will a collapse analogous to Milan’s.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side did avenge that eventual shootout loss two years later, defeating the Merseyside outfit 2-1 in Athens, a victory Kaka and Gennaro Gattuso lauded following the harrowing defeat the Italian giants had suffered in 2005.

It was the Rossoneri’s seventh European Cup and their third final in the 2000s from which they’d claimed a couple of titles in 2003 and 2007. Little did they know that Athens success was to precede a cataclysmic decline on the continent.

Milan haven’t competed in the Champions League final since, a 14-year wait that couldn’t have been imagined at the time. Further demonstrating the Italian’s continental regression was their seven-year absence from the hallowed competition, until a second-place finish last season confirmed the giants’ return.

For a club that prides itself on its European success, this non-involvement must have rankled.

The Milan giants have won the European Cup seven times (including three Champions League titles), a haul higher than their biggest domestic rivals Inter Milan (three) and Juventus (two) combined.

A near decade long absence was a long time and Europe's elite competition missed the Rossoneri. Indeed, the Champions League feels whole again with Stefano Pioli’s team in it.

The returning greats are without the talismanic Zlatan Ibrahimovic for Wednesday’s clash with Jurgen Klopp’s side, but they can still lean on Olivier Giroud’s experience, Franck Kessie and Ismael Bennacer’s midfield expertise, Theo Hernandez’s thrust from full-back and the burgeoning relationship of Fikayo Tomori and Simon Kjaer at centre-back.

Even though Bennacer has had to make do with cameo appearances so far this season, his partnership with Kessie was one of the encouraging facets of Pioli’s army in 2020 until an injury slowed the Algerian’s progress in the second half of last season.

The Ivory Coast star, however, has become one of the leaders of this Milan side and is expected to play from the off at Anfield, possibly in tandem with Sandro Tonali who’s had a solid start to year two in Lombardy.

Having netted a staggering 13 times and assisted four times, the West African was the club’s joint goal contributor in 20/21 with 17, along with Zlatan. His two strikes from the spot in that hugely important final day win at Atalanta sealed this CL return.

Without a doubt, it’ll be fascinating to watch ‘The President’ compete with Europe’s elite after steadily progressing since his days in Bergamo to then become of Serie A’s finest midfielders and arguably the best in the competition last term.

Hosting the Rossoneri are Klopp’s Mentality Monsters, whose continental pedigree is equally undeniable. The Reds’ six European Cups is bettered by only Milan’s seven and Real Madrid’s 13 but double the haul of England’s next best competitors Manchester United, who have won it three times.

Incredibly, that 2007 final in Athens was Liverpool’s last for 11 years until Klopp’s rebuild on Merseyside yielded that 2018 final against Real. They were beaten by Los Blancos but recovered and returned a year later to reign supreme in 2019.

This Reds iteration is led by the inspiring Mohamed Salah, fresh from becoming the Premier League’s latest centurion after netting his 100th league goal in Sunday’s 3-0 success over Leeds United.

Following the Egyptian closely is Sadio Mane on 97 goals who, barring utterly unfortunate events, will become the 30th player to score 100 times in the top flight. The pair are expected to supplant Didier Drogba this season, finally outdoing the Chelsea icon’s long-standing 104 strikes, the highest by an African player in England’s top division.

At the heart of Liverpool’s defence is Joel Matip, whose partnership with Virgil van Dijk has produced three clean sheets from four PL matches. The pair are yet to concede from open play either — Kai Havertz’s headed effort was from a Reece James corner — and it’ll be rather foolhardy on Klopp’s part to disrupt their balance in central defence for the visit of Milan.

It remains to be seen if Naby Keita features, even though Harvey Elliott’s unfortunate injury at Leeds means the Guinea midfielder could be in contention to start on Wednesday.

There’s been an excessive focus on Group A — comprising Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, RB Leipzig and Club Brugge — but Group B offers the most intrigue, owing to the presence of Atletico Madrid and Porto together with Liverpool and Milan.

Continental pedigree aside, Pioli’s team are third favourites to advance from the group. Having said that, the Italians will hope for a continuation of Atletico’s indifferent performances and results in the Champions League which saw them win only two games last term.

Diego Simeone’s team picked up nine points to advance from a group containing Bayern Munich, RB Salzburg and Lokomotiv Moscow — a tally worse than all but one second-placed side in the group stage — and their meek exit to eventual winners Chelsea was indicative of the La Liga outfit's drop off on the continent.

Perhaps, the seven-time winners will have a chance to make it out of the group on their return to the competition after all.

Wednesday evening certainly doesn’t feel as weighty as the Istanbul encounter between these clubs, neither is it half as significant as Athens two years later when the Italian giants got their revenge.

Yet, there’s a level of anticipation seeing Milan return to this competition.

The fact that their first match comes against Liverpool makes it feel very much ideal. It will be the sides' third CL meeting, but neither will want to lose in what could be a nail-biting group.

Salah, Mane, Matip and possibly Keita in one corner. Kessie and Bennacer in the other. Events in front of a packed, raucous Anfield will be all shades of fun.

Manchester City had a "considerable chance" of signing Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of arch-rivals Manchester United in the summer transfer window, according to Fernandinho.

Ronaldo completed a sensational £20 million ($28m) move to United from Juventus on deadline day, returning to the club where he initially emerged as one of the top players of his generation between 2003 and 2009.

However, there was plenty of speculation that the 36-year-old might head to the blue half of Manchester before the Red Devils finalised a deal, and Fernandinho has now confirmed that his agent Jorge Mendes was present at Etihad Stadium to hold initial talks.

What's been said?

Asked how close City came to securing Ronaldo's services, the Brazilian midfielder told ESPN: “I think there was a good, considerable chance. I think his agent was here at the club renewing the contracts of Ederson, Ruben Dias, seeing the situation of Bernardo Silva, Joao Cancelo. 

"Obviously, if you're there at the table, you can talk about everything and every possible player."

Fernandinho went on to express his belief that all the outside noise in the media led to negotiations between the two parties falling through, adding: "I think that a lot of expectations were also raised with the possibility of him coming here. 

"No doubt this ends up infecting not only the fans, but also the people inside the club. But in the end, things didn't work out, he didn't close the deal, and ended up going to the red side of town. Life goes on."

How has Ronaldo started at Man Utd?

Ronaldo has already made a huge impact at the beginning of his second spell at Old Trafford, scoring three goals in two appearances for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side, including a brace in a 4-1 win against Newcastle in the Premier League.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner also found the net in United's disappointing 2-1 defeat at Young Boys in their Champions League group-stage opener, and will be in contention to start again when they travel to West Ham on Sunday.

Fernandinho on potential Manchester title tussle

Fernandinho also talked up United's chances of challenging for City's Premier League crown in 2021-22 after a summer of strong business which saw Raphael Varane and Jadon Sancho join Ronaldo in moving to the club.

The City captain still believes Pep Guardiola's side have a slight edge, though, as he said: "If you're going to compare name by name, I think it's very level. Both teams have a very good squad. Perhaps one or the other will wash away a very small advantage.

“But I think that, due to the standard of play, the way we have played for five or six years with Pep [Guardiola], we have a defined standard of play, we know exactly how each player behaves or should behave on the pitch, we know about the quality of each player and how he can play the best role in the matches. Without a doubt, in this matter, we have a little more advantage. 

"Having practically the same players since 2017, it's no wonder the club managed to win three titles in the last five. But without a doubt United, due to history, the weight of the shirt, the quality of the players, in a short period of time can reach the level we are at today."

Further reading

So far,  a little over 25 minutes against Reims at the end of August is all we have seen of Lionel Messi in a Paris Saint-Germain shirt.

Messi arrived in Paris on August 10 following his stunning departure from Barcelona amid much fanfare, and has been settling into his new life behind the scenes in France.

If he has not been playing much competitive football, what has Messi been up to in his first month in France? Goal takes a look.

Welcome to Paris

Messi, who spent his entire career at Barcelona up until his shock departure this summer with the Catalan club no longer able to afford him, has never previously been at the centre of a transfer saga - so has not previously felt the adoration which comes from joining a new club as a star signing.

The rapturous welcome he has received in Paris has surprised but pleased Messi , who is currently staying at the Royal Monceau hotel while he and his family find a permanent place to stay.

Having left their quiet Castelldefels villa behind, Messi's family are currently house hunting and are primarily looking to the affluent western suburbs of Paris, such as Vaucresson, Bougival and Neuilly-sur-Seine, the latter being where club and country colleagues Leandro Paredes and Angel Di Maria live.

Settling in

At PSG, Messi has been reunited with several friends, which has helped him integrate quickly into the dressing room atmosphere. The presence of several other South American stars means the predominant language is Spanish, another bonus for Messi.

Di Maria and Paredes have worked particularly hard to make Messi feel welcome. A few weeks after his arrival, Messi was gifted a painting by French artist Kamal Hill by Paredes, depicting Argentina's celebrations after winning the Copa America last summer.

Along with the Argentine duo, Messi has also been welcomed by close friend Neymar, ex-Barcelona team-mate Rafinha, and another friend in Marco Verratti, who he went on holiday with in Ibiza before his talks with Barca collapsed.

Perhaps more surprisingly, Messi has struck up a close relationship with Sergio Ramos, with whom he clashed often in Barcelona-Real Madrid matches.

Some had predicted tension between the pair, however pictures of the two in discussion shortly after Messi's signing were not faked, and Ramos has worked hard to welcome his new team-mate into the PSG fold.

Meetings with the manager

Since speaking to Mauricio Pochettino for the first time a few days before his transfer was confirmed, Messi has had several discussions with the PSG boss and his assistant, Jesus Perez.

Messi's exact role in the PSG XI has been the main topic under discussion, although Pochettino is known for also wanting a close personal relationship with his players, and non-football topics have also been talked about.

When will Messi start for PSG?

Since training with his new club for the first time on August 12, Messi has been placed on an intensive and personalised programme to bring him up to speed with his team-mates as soon as possible.

He was still allowed to travel to South America for Argentina's World Cup qualifiers at the start of the month, where PSG got an almighty scare as Messi was scythed down in a bad tackle during the win over Venezuela.

He emerged unscathed however, and the extraordinary abandonment of the game with Brazil had the positive side effect from a PSG perspective of giving Messi more time to rest.

Messi is eager to play against Club Brugge in the Champions League on Wednesday - and with PSG desperate to finally land the European trophy, a first start for their most prized asset is a distinct possibility.

Further Reading

South African Football Association has explained why Hugo Broos has been making trips back to his home country, Belgium.

The 69-year-old tactician returned home to have his second dosage of the Covid-19 vaccine after he was unveiled as the new Bafana Bafana head coach in May this year.

Therefore, Broos missed Bafana's international friendly match against Uganda and the Cosafa Cup with the team under the guidance of the European mentor's assistant, Helman Mkhalele. 

The former Cameroon coach returned to South Africa ahead of the two 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers against Zimbabwe and Ghana this month, but he has since traveled back to Belgium after the two games. 

There have been some, who are criticizing Broos for his visits to Belgium, but Safa chief executive Tebogo Motlanthe, insisted that Broos' recent trip back home is due to a work permit issue.

“The coach is in Belgium to sort out his work permit and there’s nothing untoward there," Motlanthe told Sowetan.

"He’d applied for a temporary work permit and it has since expired…now he’s forced to apply for another one.

“Remember, the coach signed a five-year deal, so he must have right papers to be in the country for that duration."

Motlanthe explained that the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations title-winning coach cannot stay in South Africa without a work permit

"We’re in contact with him and home affairs. Everything should be finalised in a week or two," he added. 

"People should understand the laws of this country…you can’t stay without a work permit while you’re here to work.”

Broos is expected to return to Mzansi ahead of next month's two 2022 World Cup qualifiers against Ethiopia which will be played on a home and away basis as Bafana look to advance to the next round.

Bafana are currently sitting at the top of the Group G standings with four points from two games and only the group winners will progress to the third round.

The third round will see the 10 group winners from the second round drawn into five home-and-away ties.

The winners of each tie will qualify for the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar.

Football Kenya Federation President Nick Nwendwa has revealed the main challenge they faced to finish the Premier League 2020-21 season.

The curtains for the season came down on August 22 with Tusker being crowned champions after topping the 18-team table with 65 points from 32 matches while KCB came second on 62 points and Bandari finished third on 53 points.

Despite the league being halted twice owing to the coronavirus pandemic, Mwendwa has told Goal the most difficult part they faced was for playing venues as they were forced to use three stadiums for a very long time as Kasarani and Nyayo were not accessible.

What did Mwendwa say?

“It was not easy to conclude the season and it is the reason I want to thank the players, the officials, and all stakeholders who made the work to ensure we finished the season,” Mwendwa told Goal after the FKF gala night on Tuesday.

“We were forced to improvise the Utalii Grounds, Ruaraka, and Thika Stadium for matches, and we could stage matches in the venues thrice a day and you know that is not good for a playing surface, but we did not have options.

“We could have done it comfortably had we been given access to main venues, Nyayo and Kasarani but it was not the case, we were forced to use what we have and those who were behind it did a marvelous job, I want to commend them.

“It was their effort of coming together and working to deliver that we managed to finish the season, it was tough you know, it was not easy and we hope and pray that our clubs can own their stadium and for me, I feel it is a dream they need to work for.”

Kenyan teams don't own a stadium

In Kenya, no team owns their stadium as they are forced to use a government facility to honour their matches.

During the awards, Karibangi Sharks striker Erick Kapaito was voted the Most Valuable Player after finishing the season as the top scorer with 24 goals while Tusker captain Eugene Asike scooped the Defender of the Year Award.

Tusker coach Robert Matano was named the best for the night while the Young Player of the Year was won by another Tusker player – Henry Meja.

Kariobangi Sharks striker Erick Kapaito has called on upcoming players to believe in themselves and continue to chase their dreams, after emerging as the Most Valuable Players of the 2020-21 FKF Premier League season.

The 25-year-old former FC Talanta player was feted as the best player during the gala night held on Tuesday and further walked home with a cool Ksh 8million (for the MVP win and also the Golden Boot award).

Kapaito managed 24 goals last season to emerge the Golden Boot winner and helped Sharks under William Muluya to finish the season in fifth position with 48 points from 32 matches.

Speaking to Goal after being feted, his second MVP, having won it in the 2017-18 season while still playing for Sharks, Kapaito urged upcoming players not to give up but trust in the process.

What did Kapaito say?

“I want to urge players who are yet to hit the headlines, the ones yet to be known that everything is possible, those players in the grassroots should trust in the process, anything is possible, and it is possible,” Kapaito told Goal.

The striker, who also won the Golden Boot in the 2018 season after notching 16 goals, won the MVP after beating Sofapaka midfielder Lawrence Juma and AFC Leopards striker Elvis Rupia.

“I was not expecting to win the MVP because I knew I was facing a stiff challenge from my opponents but I am happy to have secured it for the second time in the history of the league,” Kapaito continued.

“I want to dedicate the award to my teammates, without them, I could not have achieved it, it is a great honour to take it home, and will strive to do even better next season.”

Tusker dominate awards

During the awards, new champions Tusker dominated as their coach Robert Matano was named the best mentor after beating KCB’s Zedekiah Otieno and Casa Mbungo of Bandari.

Another award that went to the Brewers was that of the Defender of the Year which was scooped by captain Eugine Asike after beating David Kalama of Bidco United and Nashon Alembi of KCB while Henry Meja, also of Tusker, scooped the Young Player of the Year award.

ATK Mohun Bagan fans might finally get to watch Joni Kauko in action in the green and maroon shirt in their upcoming AFC inter-zonal semifinal clash against FC Nasaf. The finish midfielder was left out by coach Antonio Habas during the AFC Cup group stage matches but he is likely to be registered for the upcoming encounter, Goal understands. 

Hugo Boumous is likely to make way for the midfielder. Tiri has also joined the squad from Spain but he is unlikely to feature in the upcoming match. 

ATK Mohun Bagan's likely foreigners for the AFC Cup match against FC Nasaf

ATK Mohun Bagan are currently undergoing a six-day training camp in Dubai from September 11 to prepare for their next game. The match is scheduled for September 22. From Dubai, the team will fly to Qarshi, Uzbekistan to further train and acclimatise. 

“It’s a big game for the players and the ATK Mohun Bagan fans. FC Nasaf are a strong team and we have to be on our toes,” Habas stated before leaving India. 

How have ATK Mohun Bagan's opponent FC Nasaf performed in the recent past?

Nasaf emerged as the Central Asian Zone winners after winning 3-2 against Ahal FC of Turkmenistan. The Uzbek side had a two-goal cushion at halftime but a spirited display from Ahal wrote off the deficit. However, Hussain Norchayev restored the lead after converting from the spot. 

Ruzikul Berdiev’s side has had plenty of football going into the match as the Uzbek top-division league is on. They have played 17 matches and are currently in the fifth position with 27 points. But they have had a tough run in the Uzbek league as they have won only once in their last five league games. 

However, at the continental stage, they have been a completely different side. In the group stage, they won all their three matches to finish on top with nine points. They scored nine goals and did not concede any. It is almost a decade since the club had last played in an edition of the AFC Cup, as they last appeared in 2011 when they clinched the trophy. 

Whereas, the Mariners are also in a rich vein of form. They remained unbeaten in the group stage with two wins and a draw. They beat familiar opponents Bengaluru FC 2-0 in the opening match and followed that by a 3-1 victory over Maziya SRC. In their final group game against Bangladesh Premier League champions Basundhara Kings, Bagan rallied back to snatch a point.

With this, they have equalled their longest ever undefeated run in the second-tier club competition in Asia (W3 D2). They (as Mohun Bagan) achieved a similar feat in 2016 (W3, D2). 

Chelsea have opened talks with Antonio Rudiger over a new contract but remain cautious over his demands, with both Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid keeping an eye on the situation.

The two European giants will be able to sign the Germany international in January on a pre-contract agreement, with the defender's current deal expiring in the summer of 2022.

Despite interest from abroad, Goal can confirm that the 28-year-old would be happy to stay put in west London as long as his contract demands are met, with Rudiger believing this will likely be the last big-money deal of his career.

Why do PSG and Real Madrid want Rudiger?

PSG have invested heavily in their squad and have become adept at recruiting in the free transfer market, with the Ligue 1 side able to offer huge wages.

Lionel Messi, Sergio Ramos, Georginio Wijnaldum and Gianluigi Donnarumma all arrived after their contract expired at their previous clubs in the summer.

Blues boss Thomas Tuchel previously tried to sign Rudiger during his time in charge of PSG when he fell out of favour under former manager Frank Lampard over a year ago.

Similarly, Madrid can offer competitive salaries and still possess the prestige to attract top talent. Free transfers are part of their strategy to overcome the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic that have hit Spanish clubs particularly hard.

Los Blancos sold Raphael Varane to Manchester United amid fears he would exit on a free transfer and, with Ramos having already left, reinforcing the centre-back area is likely to be a priority.

Will Rudiger stay at Chelsea?

Germany international Rudiger has previously acknowledged talks over a new contract, revealing back in August: "I said before that I wanted to concentrate on the Euros and when I come back, talks can start.

"That’s what has happened. Talks have begun so we will see what time brings."

Tuchel, meanwhile, has been reluctant to be drawn on the subject, although it is clear that Rudiger is seen as a hugely important member of the first-team squad.

Indeed, he has arguably been the top defensive performer since the former Dortmund and PSG boss took charge at Stamford Bridge and has been an ever-present in the starting XI.

The boardroom view regarding Rudiger's situation may differ slightly, however, as the Blues look to keep the average age of the squad down and that could see the former Roma star moved on.

Do Chelsea still want to sign Kounde?

Sevilla centre-back Jules Kounde remains a major target having been close to joining the Premier League title hopefuls in the summer transfer window.

The 22-year-old defender wanted a move to the European champions this summer but he was frustrated as Chelsea opted against paying the huge demands of the Liga side.

The Blues are known to have made one official bid before refusing to match Sevilla's demands.

They could, however, attempt to sign Kounde in January but would need the Andalusian side to find a replacement if they want to sign the Frenchman for less than his €80 million (£68m/$90m) release clause.

Furthermore, the Blues remain in talks to renew Andreas Christensen's contract, with minor details now needing to be sorted. The Dane is expected to sign a new four-year deal in the next month, with the contract also including a club option for an extra year.

Chelsea are also trying to renew the contract of Trevoh Chalobah, who has been promoted to the first team this season.

Further reading