Looking for Soccer News?

Jose Embalo found the net in Alashkert’s 4-1 loss to Maccabi Tel Aviv in Tuesday’s Europa Conference League Group A encounter.

Goals from Stipe Perica, Gabi Kanichowsky, Dan Biton and Matan Hozez powered the Israeli top-flight side past the reigning Armenian champions.

The Yellows reached this stage after they were knocked out of the Europa League by Scottish Premier League champions Rangers.

Aleksandr Grigoryan’s men travelled to the Bloomfield Stadium full of hope despite failing to win any of their last five matches in all competitions.

Despite showing early promise, they were pegged back in the 13th minute as Perica controlled a pass from Biton, created some space in the box before firing past goalkeeper Ognjen Cancarevic.

The lead lasted for just four minutes with Embalo profiting from a well-executed counter-attack before unleashing a fierce show past goalkeeper Daniel Peretz outside the penalty area.

Maccabi restored their lead in the 32nd minute through Kanichowsky who slipped in an assist from Biton.

In the goal-laden first half, Patrick van Leeuwen’s team extended their lead on the stroke of halftime as Biton capped an impressive display with a goal from the penalty spot.

Eduardo Guerrero had been pulled down by Taron Voskanyan – who was cautioned by the referee. Although Biton’s kick was saved, the Israel international got a reprieve as Ognjen Cancarevic was adjudged to be off his line, and he had a second opportunity to smash home the retake.

The Armenians put up a spirited fight in the second half, but their attacking forays were curtailed by the hosts’ defenders.

Super-sub Hozez sealed the win for Maccabi in the 72nd minute thanks to an easy tap-in from Perica’s pass.

Alongside Cote d’Ivoire’s Didier Kadio, Embalo was in action from start to finish for Alashkert. Wangu Gome was named in the starting XI but was subbed off for David Khurtsidze in the 40th minute.

Elsewhere, Nigeria's Deou Dosa and Cote d'Ivoire's Ismael Fofana were not listed for action.

They would be hoping to bounce when they host Finland’s HJK to the Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium on September 30. Before then, they take on Noravank and BKMA in their next league fixture.

Liverpool expect Harvey Elliott to return later this season after the teenager underwent surgery on the ankle injury he suffered at Leeds last weekend.

Elliott, 18, sustained a fracture dislocation of his left ankle following a challenge from Pascal Struijk during the Reds’ 3-0 win at Elland Road on Sunday.

He was operated on in London on Tuesday, and now faces a number of months on the sidelines as he recovers.

When will Elliott be back?

Liverpool, understandably, are placing no specific timeframe on the teenager’s recovery, but Jim Moxon, the club’s doctor, believes Elliott will be fit to resume playing again before the end of the campaign.

He told Liverpool's official website : “Harvey sustained a fracture dislocation of his left ankle during the game.

“We were able to reduce the dislocation immediately on the pitch and Harvey had surgery today to repair the fracture and ligaments damaged in the incident. The operation was a success so his comeback starts now.

“We won’t put pressure on him by setting a specific timeframe beyond being able to say with confidence we expect him to feature again later in the season following our rehab programme.”

What did Jurgen Klopp say?

Speaking earlier on Tuesday, at a press conference ahead of Liverpool’s Champions League group game with AC Milan, Klopp said Elliott was doing as well as could be expected following such a horrific incident.

"I spoke to him right after the game, he was in the best possible place," he told reporters. "He had accepted already that he would be out for a while.

"He is in London and will have the surgery today (Tuesday). That is the next step on the way back and we all wait for news on that."

Elliott himself has thanked Leeds’ medical team, as well as staff at Leeds General Infirmary, for their care following the injury.

He also absolved Struijk of any blame for the challenge, which he described as “a freak accident”.

Further reading 

Kariobangi Sharks striker Erick Kapaito has scooped the FKF Premier League Most Valuable Player award for the 2020-21 season.

During a colourful ceremony held at a Nairobi hotel, Kapaito, who scored 24 goals to clinch the Golden Boot, took home a total of Sh800,000 (Sh500,000 for MVP and Sh300,000 for category winner) and monumental trophies engraved with his name.

The 25-year-old striker, who won the MVP award for the 2017-18 season, beat Sofapaka midfielder Lawrence Juma and AFC Leopards striker Elvis Rupia to the award.

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

“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.”

The coach of the year award was won by Tusker’s Robert Matano, who beat Zedekiah Otieno of KCB and Casa Mbungo of Bandari.

Meanwhile, Ulinzi Stars goalkeeper James Saruni scooped the Golden Glove award after managing 12 clean sheets in the campaign while the runners-up award was shared amongst KCB custodian Joseph Okoth and Nairobi City Stars’ Steve Njunge.

The Defender of the Year award was scooped by Tusker captain Eugene Asike after his solid display ensured the Brewers clinched the FKF Premier League title.

2020-21 FKF Premier League Winners

MVP: Erick Kapaito – Kariobangi Sharks;

Golden Glove: James Saruni – Ulinzi Stars – WINNER, Joseph Okoth – KCB FC -Runner-up and Steve Njunge – Nairobi City Stars – Runner-up.

Defender of the Year: Eugene Asike – Tusker FC – WINNER, David Kalama – Bidco United – Runner-up, and Nashon Alembi – KCB FC – Third.

Midfielder of the Year: Lawrence Juma – Sofapaka FC – WINNER, Anthony Kimani – Nairobi City Star – Runner-up, and Jackson Macharia – Tusker– Third

Golden Boot: Erick Kapaito, Young Player of the year.

Young Player of the Year: Henry Meja – Tusker FC – WINNER, Lawrence Luvanda – Vihiga United – Runner-up, and Sylvester Owino – Kakamega Homeboyz – Third.

Fair Play Team of the Year: Kariobangi Sharks – WINNER, Tusker FC – Runner-up, and KCB FC – Third.

Coach of the Year: Robert Matano – Tusker FC – WINNER, Zedekiah Otieno – KCB FC – Runner-up, and Andre Casa Mbungo – Bandari FC – Third.

Digital Team of the Year: Tusker FC – WINNER, Bandari FC – Runner-up, and Kariobangi Sharks – Third.

Referee of the Year: Peter Waweru – WINNER, Anthony Ogwayo – Runner-up, and Davis Omweno – Third.

Europe's showpiece competition the Champions League has returned, as the continent's heavyweights battle it out for one of the biggest honours in football.

The likes of Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Liverpool, Bayern Munich will decide between themselves who can claim victory.

Goal has everything you need to know about this year's edition of the competition, from draw dates, fixtures, groups, results and more.

Contents

Champions League 2021-22 draw dates & fixtures

Group A fixtures & results

Group A Fixtures

Group B fixtures & results

Group B Fixtures

Group C fixtures & results

Group C Fixtures

Group D fixtures & results

Group D fixtures

Group E fixtures & results

Group E fixtures

Group F fixtures & results

Group F fixtures

Group G fixtures & results

Group G fixtures

Group H fixtures & results

Group H fixtures

Wazito FC are close to securing the services of Kenya international Cliff Nyakeya, who is a free agent.

The Harambee Star has been a target for immediate former Football Kenya Federation Premier League champions Gor Mahia who, Goal understands, failed to guarantee the attacker that his financial demands will be met on a regular basis.

It is at this point Francis Kimanzi's charges managed to convince the Kenya winger to join them.

What has been said?

"Nyakeya and Wazito have agreed on most of the things and the deal will be made public soon," a source close to the player and club told Goal on Tuesday.

"It was an easy pick for Nyakeya because he had worked with Kimanzi at Mathare United. They understand each other and are willing to be reunited again.

"With Wazito pushing for their maiden league title next season, Nyakeya is seen as a vital player by the technical bench and that is why he is coming on board."

Nyakeya is currently a free agent after his contract with FC Masr expired. The winger had served them for two seasons and was one of their key players, but their relegation to the Egyptian second-tier contributed to his exit.

Who has left Wazito?

Meanwhile, the team has confirmed the exit of four players ahead of the forthcoming campaign.

"We can confirm the following players have left the club upon the expiry of their contracts/on mutual consent: Bernard Ochieng, Levis Opiyo, Dennis Ng'ang'a, Whyvone Isuza," read part of a statement released by the club.

"We would like to thank them for their service to the club and wish them well for the future."

The four players were all signed at the start of last season with hopes of helping the team to win the top-flight title but Wazito performed disappointingly in the campaign as they finished ninth on the 18-team table with 45 points.

The move to release the four came a couple of days after Fifa lifted the embargo that had been imposed on the club after violating transfer rules.

Ochieng has since joined Ethiopian outfit Arba Minch Kenema. Another centre-back, Johnstone Omurwa, is having trials with South African outfit Maritzburg United.

Cristiano Ronaldo has equalled Iker Casillas' record for Champions League appearances after starting Manchester United's game against Young Boys.

Ronaldo made his first appearance for Man Utd in the competition since 2009 on Tuesday as he featured in the club's group-stage opener.

And in his 177th appearance in the competition, he marked the event in typical fashion with an early goal to match another milestone held by one Lionel Messi.

Ronaldo's records

Matching Casillas is far from the only record that Ronaldo has earned in the Champions League.

He's the competition's all-time top goalscorer with 135 finishes, including 17 in 2013-14, the most in a single campaign.

Ronaldo also has more knockout-round goals than any other player with a total of 67 outside of the group stage.

In addition, the Portuguese star is the only player to score in three Champions League finals, the only player to score in all six games in a Champions League group and the only player to score in 11 straight Champions League games.

It took Ronaldo just 13 minutes to open the scoring in Switzerland to put United 1-0 ahead, sealing in the process a share of another record.

Young Boys became his 36th Champions League victim, with only Messi scoring against as many different rivals in the competition. 

Restarting life at Man Utd

Ronaldo made his second debut for the club this past weekend as he returned to Old Trafford 12 years after leaving for Real Madrid.

He scored twice in that match, helping lead Man Utd to a 4-1 win over Newcastle.

Further reading

AmaZulu’s woes continued when they were held 0-0 by SuperSport United in a Premier Soccer League match at Jonsson Kings Park Stadium on Tuesday. 

It was a match where both sides ended the match with 10 men each following red cards to defendersTercious Malepe and  Luke Fleurs.

After three rounds of matches, AmaZulu remain winless with a defeat and two draws, placed second from bottom.

On the other hand, Matsatsantsa climbed up two rungs on the table to second spot with two points behind leaders Mamelodi Sundowns.

Usuthu went into this looking for their first win of the season and coach Benni McCarthy opted to start Siphelele Mthembu as a lone striker while Lehlohonolo Majoro started from the bench.

Former Orlando Pirates star Augustine Mulenga was out injured in what limited McCarthy’s options upfront. 

Missing in the SuperSport squad was midfielder Sipho Mbule who has a shoulder problem which saw Kuda Mahachi making his first start of the season. 

Experienced defender Buhle Mkhwanazi started from the bench as coach Kaitano Tembo preferred the centre-back pairing of Fleurs and Thatayaone Ditlhokwe while midfielder Thamsanqa Gabuza also came off the bench.

Both sides started the match struggling to penetrate each other and in the 15th minute, Kuda Mahachi got SuperSport’s first chance of the match but shot straight at Usuthu goalkeeper Veli Mothwa.

AmaZulu’s woes upfront manifested themselves as it took 26 minutes for them to have a first realistic chance at goal when Ronwen Williams did well to tip over the bar a Thabo Qalinge effort.

The hosts appeared to have then gained some momentum going forward as two minutes later, Siyethemba Sithebe missed the target while attempting to connect a Malepe cross from the left flank.

Another chance presented itself for Usuthu on the half hour mark but midfielder Tshepang Moremi missed target by a whisker with a grounder. 

Amid some pressure from AmaZulu, SuperSport tried to make a foray at the other end but Iqraam Rayners was denied by Mothwa in a on-one-one situation.

After the teams went for the halftime goalless, stadium lighting delayed the start of the second stanza with Tembo returning to replace Mahachi with Gabuza.

The former Orlando Pirates player made his first meaningful contribution eight minutes after his introduction by setting up Bradley Grobler who shot just wide.

Grobler then tried to make amends shortly after, but Mothwa impressively saved his headed effort off a corner kick.

As the match dragged on without goals, a seemingly frustrated McCarthy could be heard raging with anger on the bench directing some strong words at Kaitano Tembo.

More frustration was to come for McCarthy as he witnessed the visitors enjoying a patch of dominance, before he watched Mthembu’s curler going just wide. 

As McCarthy continued to rant on the touchline, it only got worse for him when AmaZulu were reduced to 10 men in the 74th minute after Malepe was shown a straight red card for a lunge on Jamie Webber. 
 
With four minutes remaining, SuperSport tried to exploit their opponents’ numerical disadvantage and almost stole the day but Rayners blew Giuly Manziba’s cross over the bar at close range.

But the two sides became level on numbers again when Fleurs was red-carded with a minute to go for elbowing Sithebe before the match ended goalless.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Harry Kane and Kevin De Bruyne headline the Best XI of Premier League players in this year's iteration of EA Sports' FIFA.

EA released the ratings for the Premier League's top 11 players for FIFA 22, with Ronaldo and De Bruyne the top rated at 91 overall.

They're followed closely by Kane, who is joined by Chelsea star N'Golo Kante as the league's only two 90-rated players.

The Premier League Best XI

The four players mentioned above are obviously included in the Premier League's Best XI, with Liverpool star Mohamed Salah joining Kane and Ronaldo in the attack with an 89 rating.

Also in the team is Kane's Tottenham team-mate Heung-ming Son, who also checks in at 89.

Ronaldo's Manchester United team-mate Bruno Fernandes joins De Bruyne and Kante among the midfield options with the Portuguese playmaker earning an 88 rating.

The defence, meanwhile, is made up of a trio of Liverpool stars with Andy Robertson (87), Virgil van Dijk (89) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (87) included.

In goal is Ederson, with the Manchester City goalkeeper earning an 89 rating after helping guide the club to the Premier League title last season.

The rest of the top 20

EA also announced the rest of the Premier League's top 20, with Liverpool stars Alisson and Sadio Mane both earning an 89 rating.

Romelu Lukaku and Raheem Sterling have been rated as 88s while Sterling's team-mate, Ruben Dias, earned an 87 rating after emerging as one of the league's best defenders last season.

Manchester United newcomer Jadon Sancho is also rated as an 87 after joining from Borussia Dortmund, as is his new team-mate Paul Pogba and Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.

Rounding out the top 20 is Joao Cancelo, who has seen his rating boosted to an 86 this season.

When does FIFA 22 come out?

This year's edition of FIFA is set to be released on October 1 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Stadia, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

Further reading

Al Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane wishes to avoid Chelsea in the earlier rounds of the 2021 Fifa Club World Cup as he is keen to meet the Premier League giants in the final.

The Cairo giants will be returning to the global club football competition in December this year after being crowned African champions for the 10th time.

Chelsea will represent Europe at this year's edition of the Club World Cup while Auckland City from New Zealand will be carrying the Oceania Football Confederation’s flag. 

Participants from Conmebol, Asian Football Confederation and Concacaf are yet to be confirmed.

“I am hoping to meet a Japanese team in the first game. Hopefully, we avoid Chelsea. Then we get a South or Central American team and Chelsea in the final,” said Mosimane as per Sowetan Live.

With Japan having surrendered their hosting rights of the tournament due to Covid-19 restrictions, South Africa has raised its hand to stage the competition.

If Fifa approves South Africa’s interest, that is likely to see Premier Soccer League Mamelodi Sundowns automatically qualifying for the Club World Cup to take up the slot reserved for winners of the hosts' national league.

In the event Mosimane’s dream comes true to meet Chelsea in the final, it would be a perfect fixture for him to take place in his home country. 

Also, if Mosimane lasts as Al Ahly coach until December, it would be his third appearance at the Fifa Club World Cup.

He first went there with Mamelodi Sundowns in 2016, before participating earlier this year where he led Al Ahly to a bronze medal. 

At that edition, Al Ahly met then European champions Bayern Munich in the semi-finals and lost 2-0.

Mosimane has admitted how he becomes nervous before every match. 

“I get nervous before every game, even in the friendly,” Mosimane added

“It is just anxiety to know how it is going to come up and who is going to score, what kind of goal are we going to score, can we score a goal that we worked on? So, yes, I do get nervous. I don’t think there is a coach who doesn’t get nervous before the game.

“Otherwise it means you know that you are going to win. All the games that I am involved in the Premier League in SA or here in Egypt, you are not sure if you are going to win.”

Cristiano Ronaldo returned to the club where he initially became a global superstar on transfer deadline day, rejoining Manchester United from Juventus in a £20 million ($27m) deal.

The 36-year-old was given back his famous No.7 jersey by new strike partner Edinson Cavani upon his arrival at Old Trafford, and has already made his first appearance for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side in the Premier League.

But when will Ronaldo take his second bow for the Red Devils in the Champions League? And how can it be watched? Goal takes a look.

When is Cristiano Ronaldo's Champions League debut for Man Utd?

Ronaldo is fit and available to make his second Champions League debut for United on Tuesday, September 14 , in a Group F fixture against Young Boys.

The match between the Red Devils and their Swiss opponents is due to kick off at 5:45pm BST (12:45pm ET).

Ronaldo travelled to Switzerland with the rest of Solskjaer's squad on Monday, and has had two full days of recovery after being welcomed back to Old Trafford in a top-flight encounter against Newcastle at the weekend.

Solskjaer has not given any firm hints as to whether the five-time Ballon d'Or winner will retain his place in the starting XI at the Wankdorf Stadium, but has insisted that he won't always be an automatic choice despite his status as one of the greatest players in history.

"No, it's not impossible to leave him out," the United boss said. "He is 36. Mason (Greenwood) is 19, so it's the same. I have to manage his minutes and I have to manage a 36-year-old's minutes as well."

How to watch Cristiano Ronaldo's Champions League debut on US & UK TV

BT Sport will be broadcasting all Champions League and Europa League matches this season once again, with subscribers able to stream the games via the company app and desktop website.

Manchester United's clash with Young Boys will be shown on BT Sport 2 and Goal will also be on hand to provide live text commentary, while talkSPORT will be offering the same service via their radio channel.

The game will also be available to watch in the U.S., with Paramount+ having the rights for all European fixtures in America.

How has Ronaldo played so far?

Ronaldo was thrown straight into the deep end by Solskjaer after just four days of full training with the rest of the United squad as he lined up against Newcastle on Saturday.

The Portugal international marked his homecoming in style, tapping home the opening goal of the game right on half-time to send the Old Trafford crowd into raptures, and he doubled his account early in the second period.

Luke Shaw slid an inch-perfect pass into Ronaldo's path 25 yards from goal, and the veteran striker took the ball in his stride brilliantly before firing through the Newcastle goalkeeper's legs.

United went on to secure a 4-1 victory as Bruno Fernandes and Jesse Lingard rounded off the scoring, with Ronaldo's triumphant return providing supporters with fresh optimism of a successful 2021-22 campaign that could perhaps include a first piece of silverware in five years.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp offered his congratulations to the newly-crowned US Open winner Emma Raducanu, stating that the teenage prodigy is the "talent of the century". 

Raducanu, 18, stunned the world when she battled through to win the tennis tournament on Saturday without dropping a single set. 

And, while the Reds are preparing for a key Champions League test this week, Klopp took the time to acknowledge an incredible achievement from Britain's newest sporting star. 

What has been said? 

"I watched the final, and it was absolutely impressive. It's been a long time since I watched a full women’s tennis game, to be honest, and I was really impressed by the power, speed, and the whole game. Women’s tennis is obviously in a brilliant moment," Klopp told reporters of Raducanu's final victory over Canada's Leyla Fernandez. 

"These two girls were 18 and 19, and what they showed was massively impressive. Both during the game itself, and then during the trophy ceremony. Both girls, how they spoke, at 18 or 19, that was inspiring to be honest, even more so than the tennis! I was absolutely overwhelmed by the way the two girls presented themselves.

"Fernandez was obviously disappointed, rightly so, after losing the game, but Emma showed great respect for her. They know and hope they will face each other many more times in the future, many more finals I wish for them as well. It was just a great show of sportsmanship, elite sport, how humble you can be when you are that young and already on top of the world. It was really nice.

"That’s what you can take from it. If you are 18 years old and you win the US Open, there is one thing that has obviously happened in the last 10-15 years; hard work. She is for sure the talent of the century, but without hard work it is not possible to be there.

"To see her there and smiling during the game, it really was the nicest thing I could imagine. I will for sure watch women’s tennis much more now than I did in the last few years."

What did Raducanu achieve?

Raducanu became the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam tournament when she beat fellow teenager Fernandez 6-4, 6-3 in the final in New York on Saturday.

She was also the first British woman to win a Grand Slam final since Virginia Wade took the Wimbledon title in 1977, having previously won the US Open in 1968.

Raducanu went through qualifying and the tournament itself without dropping a set in what was just her second Grand Slam appearance.

Further reading 

Seven-time Champions League winners Milan are back at Europe's elite table after a seven-year absence in 2021-22, and Stefano Pioli now has a star-studded squad at his disposal that has the potential to deliver great things in both continental and domestic competition.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the man leading from the front in the current Milan side, which also boasts the likes of Franck Kessie, Theo Hernandez, Olivier Giroud and Brahim Diaz.

But how do the Rossoneri's best players measure up in the ratings on FIFA 22? Goal is on hand to bring you everything you need to know about the squad in EA Sports’ new game.

AC Milan FIFA 22 player ratings

Milan have three outfield players ranked at a squad-high of 84 in the form of Ibrahimovic, Kessie and Hernandez, with number one goalkeeper Mike Maignan earning the same grade.

Denmark defender Kjaer comes in at 83, one ahead of Romagnoli and Rebic, while Florenzi, who spent the 2020-21 season on loan at Paris Saint-Germain, has been classified at 81.

Bennacer is rated at 80 and former Chelsea duo Giroud and Tomori are at 79 alongside Bakayoko, who is currently on loan at San Siro from Stamford Bridge.

Elsewhere, Real Madrid loanee Diaz and Calabria have received 78 grades, with Samu Castillejo, Rafael Leao and Italian midfielder Sandro Tonali ranked just below at 77.

Finally, right-sided pairing Andrea Conti and Alexis Saelemaekers are ranked at 76 apiece to complete a well-balanced Rossoneri squad bursting with exciting talent.

Jamal Musiala is far from being the finished article and continues to work on his faults at Bayern Munich, but a specialist neuro-athletics coach that the 18-year-old is training with admits that the youngster already plays "as if he has a magnet on his foot".

Dribbling ability is an obvious strength for the talented teenager, who has continued to see his stock soar this season on the back of a memorable 2020-21 campaign that delivered 37 appearances, his first senior goals and international recognition with Germany at Euro 2020.

Steffen Tepel is one of those charged with the task of taking Musiala's game to even greater heights, and he sees no reason why a driven character cannot reach the very top of the game by becoming a more all-round performer.

What has been said?

Tepel, who counts Musiala as one of his clients, told Goal and SPOX of impressive development that has been made to this point: "Jamal's success is based primarily on his exceptional work ethic. It's made him acquire things, as Julian Nagelsmann said the other day, he plays as if he has a magnet on his foot. 

"In terms of dribbling, you can't teach him that much even at 18; his imagination in one-on-one situations is simply a special gift. He has an incredibly good feel for where the ball is around him and what's happening in the zone he's in. 

"His coordination, coupled with his technical skills and signature lightning-fast lateral movements, make it possible for him to weave his way through opposing lines. These are high neuronal requirements, which Jamal masters superbly. 

"But as I said, he's also a very ambitious boy who works on himself obsessively and constantly wants to improve things in addition to his training at FC Bayern. And this is where we come in."

What does Musiala need to work on?

As a hot prospect still finding his feet in the senior game, it comes as no surprise to discover that Musiala has areas of his game that he feels can be improved.

Tepel is hoping to play a part in addressing those deficiencies, with the plan being to turn the Bayern starlet into a player who can do a bit of everything.

He added on the ambitious midfielder and the skill sets he is looking to refine: "On his touch and how he handles the ball. His first contact is already very good, but there's still room for improvement. 

"In the meantime, we know that once Jamal has the ball under control, he's ready to go. The goal, however, is to receive and carry the ball even faster and more efficiently than before, especially with harder passes or when turning towards the opponents' goal. 

"It's about always being half a step ahead and being able to follow up immediately after receiving the ball. In addition, we place great emphasis on overall joint control in training. Jamal should become the boss of his body."

Further reading

Alisson Becker has called for a resolution to the row which prevented the Liverpool goalkeeper from playing in Brazil’s recent 2022 World Cup qualifiers.

Alisson was one of a host of players who did not travel to South America for the games against Chile, Argentina and Peru, with Premier League clubs unanimously agreeing not to release any player who would have to travel to a red-list country, and therefore need to quarantine for 10 days upon their return to the UK.

The issue escalated late last week, with the Brazilian FA - as well as its counterparts in Chile, Paraguay and Mexico - asking FIFA to enforce the ‘five-day rule, which would have prevented the withdrawn players from featuring for their clubs in last weekend’s domestic fixtures. That proposal was withdrawn late on Friday, allowing Alisson and Co. to play.

What’s been said?

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday ahead of Liverpool’s Champions League group clash with AC Milan, Alisson was asked how he had been able to prepare for Sunday’s Premier League game with Leeds, given the uncertainty surrounding his inclusion.

He told reporters: “In the way things are going in the world in the last two years I think we are prepared for all the situations. I think we learned a lot from these difficult times we are living. 

“This week wasn't different. I wasn't sure if I would play or not but I just had to be sure I would be ready for the game. My preparation was the same as the other game, as the other matches. 

“I'm really happy that all the sides worked together - the national teams, the clubs, the Premier League and FIFA worked together to bring a solution for the situation.

“Also I really trust in the club, the Premier League, FIFA and the national teams and the government to find a solution for the next international break. That is something that we need to start to speak about now.”

What happens next?

Goal revealed on Saturday that talks between Premier League clubs, the respective national federations and FIFA are continuing, with two more rounds of international fixtures scheduled before the end of the year.

The next Brazil squad is named on Friday, and Liverpool are keen to avoid a repeat of last week’s situation. They have found a key ally in Juninho, the Brazilian FA's general co-ordinator, and are keen to find a resolution that suits all parties going forward.

FIFA has unsuccessfully lobbied the UK government to allow an exemption for players travelling to red-list countries, which would see them avoid the mandatory 10-day quarantine period. It argues that the strict ‘bubble’ conditions teams operate in should count in their favour. Further discussions are expected.

On Monday, Championship club Blackburn confirmed that they had reached an agreement with the Chilean FA over Ben Brereton Diaz, whereby the striker will be available for selection in his country’s first two fixtures in the next international break before being released early, thus limiting the amount of club games he would miss due to quarantine.

For Premier League clubs, however, that is seen as a far from ideal solution. Liverpool already have concerns over the scheduling in South America, with Brazil’s qualifier against Uruguay due to finish less than 48 hours before the Reds face Watford in the Premier League. Were Alisson, Fabinho and Roberto Firmino called up, they would almost certainly miss that clash, even if a quarantine exemption was granted.

Further reading 

Jack Wilshere is planning to hold talks with Arsenal after seeing Mikel Arteta state that the "doors are always open" for a familiar face at Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners boss offered that olive branch to his former team-mate last week after seeing the midfielder, who has 34 England caps to his name, fail to find a new club.

Wilshere has been a free agent since reaching the end of his contract at Bournemouth over the summer, with Arsenal happy to let him train with them as he searches for another opportunity.

What did Arteta say?

The Spaniard, who spent five years playing alongside Wilshere, said: "He is someone that I know who I shared the dressing room with, someone who is so loved around the club with every person here and our doors are always open."

What has Wilshere said?

The 29-year-old, who left Arsenal for West Ham in 2018 but has continued to struggle for form and fitness since then, told Sky Sports of Arteta's offer: "I spent the majority of my life in that club, I gave a lot to that club.

"To hear the manager - who I played with, who I had a good relationship with, I really enjoyed playing with him, sharing the dressing room with him - to hear him come out and say the door is always open is nice."

Pressed on whether he will take up an invitation, Wilshere added: "It can only help me.

"Being around good players, training with world-class players and as well just being in a team environment is something I'm interested in.

"I'm sure that I'll have a conversation with someone at the club over the next couple of days."

What was Wilshere's record at Arsenal?

Having joined the Gunners' academy system at the age of nine, Wilshere progressed through the ranks to make his senior debut in September 2008.

He went on to take in 197 appearances for Arsenal, scoring 14 goals, but Injuries would become an all too familiar theme for an all-action playmaker and his progress stalled as a result.

From being the Gunners' Player of the Year and a PFA Young Player of the Year award winner in 2011, he left as a free agent in the summer of 2018.

A spark could not be rediscovered at West Ham or Bournemouth, leaving Wilshere scratching around for a new club in the present.

He did take in a brief spell training with Como in August, but is back in England as Serie B sides can only sign non-EU players from other Italian clubs.

Further reading

Former Ghana defender John Paintsil believes the Football Association’s sacking of CK Akonnor as Black Stars head coach is a move in the wrong direction.

Akonnor was kicked out of the post on Monday, having led the Black Stars to win only 40 percent of the matches played under his leadership.

A 1-0 away loss to South Africa in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers last week was the straw that broke the camel's back.

“It’s not a nice feeling, when it happens to a coach, it is like it has happened to all of us,” Paintsil told Citi FM.

“However, this is the nature of a coaches’ job, sometimes you get a good start, other times you get a bad start.

“I would say that it is rather unfortunate, this is not the right time at all, he should have been given time to work on the team.

“When you look at his statistics and what he has done, you can tell that he came at the wrong time, and he didn’t get the chance to camp the players enough before most of the games. For me, it is very disappointing.”

Former Ghana and Udinese star Mohammed Gargo has suggested a reason for Akonnor’s poor performance was interference in his job.

“I don’t know if he was being controlled or manipulated. I cannot say if he was doing things on his own, but I knew he was being influenced,” said the ex-midfielder.

Akonnor’s reign as Ghana boss began with a 3-0 loss to Mali in an international friendly last October but he responded with a 5-1 victory over World Cup hosts Qatar three days later.

In November, there was another mix-bag of results for Akonnor as he led the Black Stars to a 2-0 home win over Sudan in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying, and saw his side succumb to a 1-0 away loss in the reverse fixture.

Ghana then held South Africa to a 1-1 away draw and beat Sao Tome and Principe 3-1 in Cape Coast to seal qualification for next year’s Afcon.

In June this year, Ghana lost 1-0 away to Morocco in another friendly, before holding Cote d’Ivoire to a 0-0 stalemate back home.

Earlier this month, the West Africans laboured to beat Ethiopia 1-0 in World Cup qualifying, three days before falling 1-0 away against South Africa to move to third position on the table in Group G.