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Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Willard Katsande is confident striker Khama Billiat will be able to cope with the criticism he has received recently.

The Zimbabwe hitman has been struggling to find his best form for the Premier Soccer League log leaders this term, but Katsande believes it's testament to his compatriot's quality that he's receiving such attention from the supporters.

As they look to stretch their lead at the top to eight points ahead of second-placed Mamelodi Sundowns, Billiat will be expected to be key on Sunday evening when they face Stellenbosch.

“Khama is a big player and in most cases, criticism comes only to big players,” Katsande told Pindula. “I know he knows how to deal with it but as a player, he ought to remain focused.

“He is important and we are not worried he will deal with it, are praying to keep the winning spirit in us.”

‘Salt and Vinegar’s sentiments follow those of his coach Ernst Middendorp, who said Billiat will need support from his teammates as he looks to find his magic touch in the final third.

After drawing 1-1 to Bidvest Wits since football resumed, Amakhosi bounced back with a 3-2 win over Polokwane City before succumbing to a 3-1 defeat by Bloemfontein Celtic last week.

Meanwhile, the former Ajax Cape Town player has also attracted criticism from a number of Chiefs legends, with many saying his mind and heart are not at Naturena.

After featuring in 20 matches across all competitions for the Soweto giants, ‘King Khama’ has found the back of the net only once and has two assists thus far.

Following the Brazilians’ struggles in the league and their draw with Maritzburg United on Friday night, the Chiefs technical team will be pinning their hopes on Billiat to inspire the club to glory against Stellies at the Orlando Stadium.

Taking a look at the log table, Chiefs have 52 points from 25 games and lead coach Pitso Mosimane’s troops by five points. They will be looking to consolidate their lead and erase the loss to Phunya Sele Sele.

Kylian Mbappe said he joined Paris Saint-Germain to make history by winning the Champions League on the eve of the final against Bayern Munich.

PSG – who defeated RB Leipzig in the last four to reach their first Champions League final – go head-to-head with Bundesliga giants Bayern in Lisbon on Sunday.

Mbappe reached the semi-finals with Monaco in 2017, before making a big-money move to PSG.

The 21-year-old has looked sharp since recovering from an ankle injury and is determined to ensure PSG win the biggest club competition in Europe for the first time this weekend.

"This is exactly the reason I am here," Mbappe told a news conference on Saturday. "I always said I wanted to write the history of French football. I have another opportunity to do that tomorrow.

"When I arrived in 2017, PSG had difficulties, now we're in the final. It shows we never gave up and it will be an amazing thing for a French team to win the Champions League. It's why I signed.

"I have always dreamed of facing the best players. You want to face and beat the best. We need to play as we always do. We hope to go back to Paris with the cup. It's the biggest club competition.

"Obviously it's quite hard to play behind closed doors. We would have wanted the fans here but we know they will be supporting us. It's still a Champions League final. It is a very special year."

Mbappe, who says he is in a relaxed mood ahead of Sunday's showdown, also confirmed he has fully recovered from the injury he sustained in the Coupe de France final last month.

"I feel even better the more days that pass. I'm good," he said.

"I think the games have helped me prepare for the final. Munich are a great team but every team has flaws. We know they don't like to change the game. We look forward to playing tomorrow."

Thomas Tuchel's position as PSG's coach has been under scrutiny at times this season, but Mbappe believes the club's run to the final has validated the work of the former Borussia Dortmund boss.

"Yes, of course. Completely, the players are supporting the coach," Mbappe said when asked if PSG's squad were behind Tuchel.

"I heard myself, and I know a lot of people were hearing things about the coach, about him not being able to manage the stars.

"Honestly I think he's doing the best season in the club's season. We are in the Champions League final. He really pushed us and we are in a good state of mind.

"There were some exceptions during the season, it can happen in every team, but we really trust him and we will play for him."

Alice Ogebe opened her Polish Ekstraliga goal account with a quadruple for Sportis KKP Bydgoszcz as they thrashed Priscilla Hagan's ROW Rybnik 4-1 in Saturday's encounter.

The 25-year-old joined the Polish outfit from Spanish Primera Iberdrola side Real Betis in June and made a losing debut for Sportis after a 2-0 loss to Ernestina Abambila's Medyk Konin last week. 

Despite her false start, the Nigeria international banished the memories of the defeat to fire her side ahead with a long-range strike from the right edge of the box in the 16th minute.

Eight minutes from half time, Karolina Madja teed up the Nigerian to blast home for her brace and the visitors' second of the match.

Sportis continued from where they left off in the first half as Ogebe used her pace to outrun her marker and hit her hat-trick 14 minutes after the restart.

She went on to grab her fourth of the contest to wrap up the win with her 62nd-minute strike, despite Ghana's Hagan bagging a consolation goal for the hosts in injury time.
 
Ogebe, who played from start to finish, has now scored four goals in two matches for Sportis, while Hagan, who lasted the duration for Rybnik, has scored a goal in three matches.

The result means Sportis have secured six points from three matches to stand fourth on the log, while pointless Rybnik are 11th.

Ogebe's team will aim to extend the fine run when they welcome UKS SMS Łodz on August 29, while Hagan's side will seek to end their losing streak against Olimpia Szczecin a day later.

Ajara Nchout continued her impressive form in the current campaign after contributing an assist in Valerenga's 3-1 win over Lillestrom in a Norwegian Toppersien encounter on Saturday.

The Indomitable Lionesses star made her ninth appearance this season and has been influential in Valerenga's fine start to the campaign, scoring five goals in the previous eight outings.

Champions Lillestrom were aiming to bounce back from a 1-0 defeat at Rasheedat Ajibade's Avaldsnes last week, while Valerenga sought to extend their unbeaten run to six successive matches. 

Ingibjorg Sigurdardottir broke the deadlock for the visitors following a superb assist from Synee Jensen on the half-hour mark.

A minute from half time, Jensen's shot was deflected to Nchout and she located Dejana Stefanovic, who eventually blasted home.

Valerenga did not relent in their bid to claim their first win at Lillestrom as they found another breakthrough when Sigurdardottir's long pass set up Rikke Madsen to score the third in the 70th minute.

However, the hosts only managed to secure a consolation when Emilie Haavi's cross into the box was headed in by Sophie Roman Haug at the death but not enough to rescue them from defeat.

Nchout, who played for the duration, has now scored five goals and provided an assist in nine appearances this season for Valerenga.

The result means Valerenga moved four points clear at the top of the log with 20 points from nine matches and will square up with Lyn Football in their next fixture on August 26.

Kostas Tsimikas has set his sights on regular first-team action at Liverpool after making his first appearance for the club in Saturday’s 3-0 friendly win over Stuttgart.

The Greek full-back played 45 minutes of the pre-season clash in Austria, with goals from Roberto Firmino, Naby Keita and Rhian Brewster earning victory for the Premier league champions.

Speaking to the club’s website after the run-out, Tsimikas said: “I feel very good, I’m very happy I did my debut.

“Now I want to work more and to play more often in the league games. I want to be ready for everything.”

Tsimikas has only been at the club a matter of weeks following his £11.75 million ($15m) arrival from Olympiacos, but has quickly settled in after being made to feel welcome by his team-mates.

“The sessions have been really hard. But I have to try a lot to work hard and be ready,” added the 24-year-old, who will provide competition for first choice left-back Andy Robertson at Anfield this season.

“Every player made me a warm welcome. They helped me a lot to do my best on the pitch, to give everything. And all together we hope for the best.

“I want to start [the season], I’m looking forward to the new season. I hope we will do and achieve our goals.”

Saturday’s win came after a week-long training camp on the outskirts of Salzburg, as Jurgen Klopp’s side prepare for the defence of their Premier League title.

The Merseyside club face Salzburg on Tuesday before returning to England for the Community Shield against Arsenal at Wembley next weekend.

“The friendly games are difficult. First of all we have to be fit, that’s why I tried to run a lot first of all; to show a good image and play hard. And the result is the most important [thing], even in the friendly games and the competitive games,” said Tsimikas.

“It was a good performance, we did what we do all these days in training. What the coach wants, we did on the pitch. We won.

“We’ll keep this and we want to be ready for the [Community Shield] final on the 29th.”

Former Ghana goalkeeper William Amamoo believes ex-Black Stars boss Milovan Rajevac does not rank among the best coaches to have led the national outfit despite his 2010 World Cup exploits.

Serbian coach Rajevac took charge of the Black Stars between 2008 and 2010, inspiring the side to a runners-up finish at the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations in Angola and a quarter-final berth at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

The World Cup feat remains the West Africans' best ever performance in three tournaments appearances at the global showpiece, and Africa's third-joint-best showing.

“Nobody in Ghana should think that Rajevac was one of our best coaches," Amamoo, who played under Rajevac in 2009, told Happy FM. "If you look at the players we had, even if Sellas Tetteh had handled the team we had, we would have gone far.

“The core of the team that had qualified were players who had played together from the junior ranks. That was the vision that [former Ghana president Jerry John] Rawlings and the then GFA had.

"So if we will be honest, the best ever Ghana team is the 2006 to 2010. So if Milovan had been very smart, this team could have gotten to the semi-finals."

After bursting onto the international scene in 2008, the former Vasalunds goalkeeper looked to be heading for a long career with the Black Stars until 2009, when he conceded four goals as a second-half substitute in a 4-3 defeat by Japan, a game which ended his association with the four-time African champions abruptly.

Rajevac left Ghana after the World Cup but has recently expressed a desire for a return to the Black Stars.

"Of course, I will be interested [if offered the opportunity to coach Ghana again]," the coach told Kumasi FM in June. "It will be very difficult to reject it because of my feelings for Ghanaians.

"Of course, Ghana is my second country, and the success I achieved there and how I felt cannot be compared to anything in this world.

"I still have many friends and am in touch with a lot of them.

"Everyone at the Ghana Football Association, the media, and my technical team contributed to my success, it was a collective success."

Ghana and Rajevac came close to becoming the most successful African country at a World Cup tournament when Asamoah Gyan missed a last-gasp penalty in the quarter-final defeat to Uruguay.

Hakeem Odoffin scored his first Hamilton Academical goal with a late winner in Saturday’s Scottish Premiership clash against Motherwell, in the process ending his wait to find the back of the net in Scotland’s elite division.

With the game heading for a goalless draw, the Anglo-Nigerian defender gave Brian Rice’s men maximum points in the Lanarkshire derby with his 84th-minute header.

The centre-back met Reegan Mimnaugh’s corner kick with a powerful header at the near post that proved unstoppable for goalkeeper Trevor Carson.

That made up for the defender’s early miss after passing up a great goalscoring opportunity two minutes earlier when he fluffed a corner from Mimnaugh at close range.

Hamilton came into the game on the back of three consecutive losses to start the 2020-21 campaign, however, victory over Stephen Robinson’s side brought that run to a halt as they moved off the foot of the log.

They were first to threaten after 12 minutes when Marios Ogkmpoe outjumped Carson as they contested a lobbed Declan Gallagher back pass and nodded towards goal. The striker, however, was unable to get enough power on his header as Gallagher got back to clear the danger.

After missing several scoring opportunities, Motherwell began to pose more of an attacking threat as the first half wore on, with Mark O'Hara seeing a drive deflect off Odoffin.

Zimbabwe international David Moyo was handed a place in Hamilton Academical’s starting line-up, nevertheless, he was substituted for Callum Smith in the 67th minute. Bevis Mugabi defender was on parade from start to finish for the hosts.

Rice and his men will be hoping to shrug off their disappointing defeat when they travel to Celtic on August 30. Before then, they host Glentoran in a Europe League tie on Thursday, while the Accies host Rangers on Saturday.

Odoffin joined the New Douglas Park giants from rivals Livingston for an undisclosed fee, penning a one-year contract.

Before moving to Scotland, the 22-year-old he had featured for Barnet, Eastleigh and Northampton Town before he was released on January 30, 2019.

Born to Nigerian parents in England, Odoffin is eligible to represent the Super Eagles at international level.

Pitso Mosimane has praised youngster Promise Mkhuma following his first start for Mamelodi Sundowns against Maritzburg United.

‘Jingles’ believes the former MultiChoice Diski Challenge player is one for the future, saying that, although they had to throw into the deep end, the club need to manage him properly.

Mkhuma started in the Brazilians' 2-2 draw with the Team of Choice ahead of Themba Zwane, Tiyani Mabunda, and Sibusiso Vilakazi, where he troubled the hosts’ defence and nearly earned a penalty for the reigning Premier Soccer League champions.

“We need to manage him and give him time to come into the team and you can ask me how are we going to do that as we just threw him into the deep end, he can play,” Mosimane told Sundowns official website.

“We had to put him ahead of the bench and you saw who was on the bench and he repaid us, the boy is good and the future is bright.”

The 20-year-old former MDC skipper made his debut from the bench against Highlands Park in their 1-1 draw a week ago, but impressed the veteran tactician enough to earn a spot in the starting line-up against United.

Since the restart, Sundowns have drawn three games against Orlando Pirates, the Lions of the North and coach Eric Tinkler's team but have also suffered defeat to Cape Town City.

With the Brazilians having failed to regain the form they showed before the season was suspended in March due to the coronavirus pandemic, the pressure is mounting on Mosimane’s men to bag a win against Golden Arrows on Monday.

The Telkom Knockout Cup champions trail log leaders Kaizer Chiefs by five points from 25 games, and their struggles have put Amakhosi at a firm advantage as far as the title race is concerned.

In addition, should coach Ernst Middendorp lead his troops to a victory over Stellenbosch on Sunday and Sundowns fail to beat Abafana Bes’thende at Dobsonville Stadium, their hopes of defending their title would be in tatters.

On the other hand, the two PSL giants are scheduled to face off on Thursday at Orlando Stadium in what is seen as a clash that will also have a major influence over who will be crowned as 2019/20 league champions.

Meanwhile, Masandawana will be without central defender Ricardo Nascimento who was red-carded against the KwaZulu-Natal outfit at the Lucas Moripe Stadium.

Arsenal manager Joe Montemurro says there are 'no excuses' for his side to make after their Women's Champions League exit at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday night.

The Gunners fell behind early on in the quarter-final clash when Marie-Antoinette Katoto finished brilliantly from a corner, but were back on level terms when Beth Mead's curling shot found the bottom corner from range.

However, Signe Bruun netted a winner for the French side just 13 minutes from time as the match sharpness from their recent outings in the Coupe de France appeared to pay dividends. Arsenal, on the other hand, hadn't played a competitive game since February.

"Big-game intensities, big-game scenarios, big-game physicality can only be replicated in big games, so the more games you play, the more you are used to them," Montemurro said after the game.

"We haven’t had any, but it’s not an excuse. It’s what we were given in terms of preparation, that’s what we had, we made the best of the situation and so be it.

"I’m still proud of the players, the planning, the preparation, the ability to really give it everything they could under the circumstances. The staff have been brilliant. We did what we could with the circumstances we’re given and we’re not going to make excuses for that.

"They’re a powerful team, they have powerful players.

"Obviously, having the opportunity to play two or three important games did prepare them a little bit better. That’s the reality, but I make no excuses for that because the players, in patches, played some good football and we just needed a bit more continuity with that and to expose them a little bit more."

There were only 15 minutes on the clock when Katoto fired PSG ahead, amidst poor marking from the set-piece, a goal that got the Gunners off to the worst start possible.

Bruun's winner then also came from a poor defensive error in the closing stages. However, Montemurro refused to "point fingers" at any of his players.

"It always is [frustrating to concede from a set-piece], especially knowing the amount of work we do on set-pieces," he said.

"I don’t point any fingers for those things, they’re just moments in a game and we have to be better as a group.

"At this level, you’re going to make a couple of errors, and you’re going to get exposed. We made two errors, we got exposed. They opened us up a couple of other times, but also we had a chance with Kim Little in the first half and then a couple of others.

"I think they got into very dangerous positions and we knew that they would do that because they play with numbers up top. We had to be a little bit smarter in terms of when we did retain the ball and we didn’t do that in the second half especially."

The defeat means Arsenal will not compete in the Women's Champions League next season, having needed to win this competition to do so after finishing third once the Women's Super League standings were concluded on a points-per-game basis.

But he believes there were positives to take into the new season, which gets underway in just two weeks' time.

"We’re always motivated. We’re always motivated to be at the best levels. We’re always motivated to be at the highest level and I think this will stick in the memories for a lot of players.

"It’s a little bit fresh now and we need to review and be better.

"The motivation is there and I saw some very, very positive signs and some very, very positive things tonight."

Lionel Messi is "very unlikely" to leave Barcelona before the 2020-21 season, according to Brazilian legend Ronaldo.

Sweeping changes have begun at Barca following their humiliating Champions League exit at the hands of Bayern Munich, with head coach Quique Setien and sporting director Eric Abidal replaced by Ronald Koeman and Ramon Planes respectively. Presidential elections have also been brought forward to March.

According to reports, the majority of the first team – including stalwarts such as, Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets – have been put up for sale in the wake of the 8-2 loss to Bayern, with the exception of Messi.

Koeman has stressed his desire to work with Messi next season and believes the Argentine attacker has every right to be unhappy based on recent results.  

However, the six-time Ballon d'Or winner has supposedly informed Koeman he sees his future away from Camp Nou.

Messi is in the final year of his contract with Barca and talks over a new deal have been shelved, meaning speculation over the legendary striker's future is only likely to intensify.

Few sides could afford to put a transfer in place, though Premier League heavyweights Manchester City have regularly been linked with a sensational move for the 33-year-old, while Inter and Paris Saint-Germain have also been credited with an interest.

However, former Barca striker Ronaldo, who owns La Liga side Real Valladolid, believes the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic means a potential transfer is unrealistic.

"It is very unlikely that Messi will leave Barcelona, especially with the financial crisis in Europe," he said.

"Messi is the reference of the team and if I was Barcelona I would not let him leave in any case.

"Messi has a very intense relationship with Barcelona, I do not think he will stop being in love with the team. He's upset, of course, with how they were defeated in the Champions League.

"Messi needs his team-mates to help him, as they do, and Barcelona will have to think of something different for the next seasons. Letting your main player leave is not the solution."

Naby Keita scored as Liverpool recorded a comfortable 3-0 win over VfB Stuttgart in a pre-season friendly on Saturday.

The Reds started plans ahead of the 2020-21 season having won the Premier League in the previous campaign, doing so for the first time since 1990 and with an accumulated 99 points, 18 points clear of Manchester City in second place.

Jurgen Klopp selected a strong starting line-up that included Egypt and Senegal forwards Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane. Keita meanwhile started in midfield alongside Brazil international Fabinho and Curtis Jones.

Liverpool took the lead in the 15th minute thanks to another Brazilian in Roberto Firmino before Keita made it 2-0 five minutes to the half-time break. The Guinean was replaced by James Milner at the start of the second half.

The Merseyside outfit had one more say which came in the 68th minute via Rhian Brewster who impressed on loan at Swansea City during the second half of the Championship, netting 10 goals which was only bettered by Ghana international and Swans vice-captain Andre Ayew who had 15 goals.

Keita played 27 times in all competitions last season which could have been more had it not been for various injury problems. He did have more involvement for Liverpool at the restart of the league, playing in all the remaining nine games which ended in five victories, two draws and two defeats.

Within this period the former RB Leipzig man had a hand in three goals (one goal, two assists), the goal being a scorcher in a 5-3 win over Chelsea. Overall, he registered two goals and three assists in the top-flight.

Keita was also involved in a goal in the Champions League, coming in a 2-0 Group E away win at Red Bull Salzburg. He also found the back of the net in a narrow 2-1 win over Monterrey in the semi-finals of the Club World Cup which Liverpool went on to lift by dispatching Brazilian giants Flamengo in extra-time in the final.

His minutes on the pitch for the season totalled 1,395 minutes. Keita will hope to be involved in more games for the upcoming campaign starting with Liverpool’s first league game against newly-promoted Leeds United at Anfield on September 12, but before that comes the Community Shield against FA Cup holders Arsenal at Wembley on August 29.

Brian Rice claimed Hakeem Odoffin deserved his goal after the centre back powered Hamilton Academical to a 1-0 win over Motherwell.

Six minutes to the end of the Lanarkshire derby, the Anglo-Nigerian headed Reegan Mimnaugh’s corner kick past goalkeeper Trevor Carson.

That strike was his first goal in professional football as well as for the Accies, as the visitors secured their first win of the season after three consecutive defeats.

Speaking to media after the triumph over Stephen Robinson’s side, Hamilton boss showered encomium on the 22-year-old for settling the Scottish Premiership affair.

He also gave an assessment of the game where his side frustrated the hosts’ efforts.

“Just before the goal went in we had three or four dangerous crosses into the box and Hakeem missed one that was probably easier to score,” Rice told media

“But he deserved his goal. Since he came into the club, he’s been immense for me. I brought him in as a right-back and moved him into centre-back and I’ve been absolutely delighted with him.

“He’s only 22 but he’s a leader in that young team. So, him to get his first goal in a derby match, I’m sure he was delighted.”

“I felt we started the game well, but Motherwell grew into it and they were the better team in the first half,” he continued.

“But I felt in the second half when we changed the shape and brought the young ones on, they got hold of the ball, got us up the pitch. They have energy and enthusiasm, but they can also play.

“They had a big part to play in us winning today.

“We’re the smallest club in the league but the players have all got heart and will run through a brick wall for the club.”

The Dossers are yet to win a game so far this term with manager Robinson frustrated over his team’s inability of posing a threat in the final third.

“It was frustrating the whole game,” he said.

“We must have had 70 per cent possession – that’s Rangers and Celtic stuff – and I don’t know how many balls across the six-yard box.

“All the stats in the world don’t mean anything when you don’t get the result.

“The difference between the teams was the desire to go and score a goal.

“We didn’t show enough desire to finish the game off or defend in our own box.

“We can’t keep saying it’s bad luck, you make your own luck by being brave and we were not brave enough to finish the game off.”

Polokwane City could not secure all three points when they allowed Highlands Park to come back and draw 1-1 in the Premier Soccer League at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Goals through Charlton Mashumba and Peter Shalulile saw the two clubs walking away with a point in Tshwane, but it was a bitter pill to swallow for the hosts.

The draw leaves City 15th on the log with 24 points from 27 matches, while Owen Da Gama’s troops sit seventh with 34 points having played the same number of matches as their opponents.

Coach Clinton Larsen was looking to guide his troops to a first victory since the restart following back-to-back losses to Kaizer Chiefs and SuperSport United in the past week.

The Lions of the North drew against reigning league champions Mamelodi Sundowns last Friday, and went into the clash chasing maximum points.

Coming to the clash, City didn’t have a bright start in the contest and goalkeeper George Chigova was called into action in the 26th minute when he denied the visitors

After the 20th minute, the Lions continued to push for an early goal and Lindokuhle Mbatha was fouled on the edge of the area, but Mlungisi Mbunjana’s attempt went straight into Chigova’s hands in the 22nd minute.

Veteran goalkeeper Tapuwa Kapini displayed his experience in the 40th minute to deny Njabulo Buthelezi who outpaced his marker, before unleashing a grass-cutting shot on the left flank, but the keeper stood his ground and claimed his effort.

The opening half ended in a dull draw in Tshwane.

However, Highlands came back better in the second stanza as they controlled and retained the ball, yet their entries into the final third were dominated by stray passes which could not trouble their hosts.

Midfielder Wayde Jooste managed to beat two of his markers in the 53rd minute but his final decision making was poor where he saw his shot sailing over Chigova’s crossbar.

In the 65th minute, Mashumba finally made it 1-0 for Larsen’s boys against his former team, as the Zimbabwean hitman’s powerful header beat Kapini on his left corner.

Substitute Mokete Mogaila came close to making it 1-1 for the Tembisa-based club, yet he could not direct his shot on target inside the penalty area four minutes later.

However, Shalulile continued with his rich vein of form in front of the goal when he converted Mbatha’s cross into the box; the header in the 74th minute gave Chigova no chance to make it 1-1.

Shalulile’s attempt to bag a brace failed when Chigova blocked him from close range, as the Namibian saw his curling shot parried away in the 77th minute for a corner kick.

In search of a winning goal, the Lions of the North were the better outfit in the dying stages of the clash, yet they could not capitalize on their successive corner kicks and it ended at 1-1 after 90 minutes.

Antonio Conte and Inter look to be heading for a divorce, much to the disappointment of a long-serving former Nerazzurri president.

The 3-2 Europa League defeat to Sevilla on Friday meant head coach Conte finished without a trophy in his first season with Inter.

It appears increasingly likely to be his last campaign at the club, with former Juventus and Italy boss Conte casting doubt on his future after the game by saying Inter must plan for life "with or without me".

Conte said that "something happened" and also pointed to family commitments, questioning whether football should be his priority.

Ernesto Pellegrini, who was president of Inter from 1984 to 1995, indicated he would rather Conte be encouraged to enter a second season than leave now.

Inter finished second in Serie A, reached the Coppa Italia semi-finals and savoured their European run, amounting to their best season in almost a decade.

"I hope that everything can be resolved. If he intends to leave, it will inevitably happen but I hope it does not," said Pellegrini.

"Of course it is a question of taking Conte and asking him what he has in mind, the reason for this outburst that I don't understand.

"We fans are happy with the results. Of course if we had won the cup it would have been a pinnacle, but it wasn't to be and we move on."

Speaking to Radio Sportiva , Pellegrini said: "Everything is in place for a season of excellence next year."

He also spoke of the possibility of former Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri being a potential replacement for Conte.

That has been widely reported in Italy as being a plan Inter have in place, with Conte and current president Steven Zhang said to be poised for a meeting early next week.

"I really like Conte. Don't get me wrong, I also know Allegri very well and have a good relationship with him," Pellegrini added.

"Presidents come and go, coaches come and go, the club remains: the right solution will be found for us fans who have always loved this team."

Bruno Fernandes insists there is no “secret” to his success from the penalty spot, but the Portuguese does believe he can offer even more to Manchester United than he has done so far.

The Red Devils found considerable value in a deal struck with Sporting during the January window.

Having invested €55 million (£47m/$60m) in the 25-year-old playmaker, an immediate return was offered by the new arrival at Old Trafford.

Fernandes has quickly become a talismanic figure for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side, with 12 goals and eight assists recorded through 22 appearances.

Many of those efforts have come from 12 yards, with United earning a flurry of spot-kicks in the 2019-20 campaign.

Fernandes is yet to fluff his lines, with a faultless record stretching back to October 2018, but he claims to give little thought to an art that he has clearly perfected.

“I don’t have a secret,” the United midfielder told UEFA.com. 

“I think that I train a lot, I like to train a lot. I always pay attention to what the goalkeepers are doing – how they position themselves, how they best prevent shots on goal. Based on that, based on the match, and based on how I’m feeling on the pitch, I decide how to take a penalty.

“I don’t have a specific technique in taking penalties. There’s no certain run-up I take, I just stick to what I feel is most comfortable. 

“If I change it every so often, it might make the goalkeeper uncertain. I change my run-up for how I’m feeling during the match, or how I feel the goalkeeper [will move].”

Fernandes will be looking to contribute significantly to the Red Devils cause again in 2020-21, with the Portugal international of the opinion that he can make more of an impact in the final third.

He added on his style of play: “It's instinct. Over the years, because of the position in which I was playing, I developed my ability to move around and look forward.

“When we lose the ball, I try to be the first one to react and to call on the other attacking players to help out in winning back possession. And obviously for me, to be able to build up the play, to have the ball and provide passes to my team-mates to enable them to score goals – it’s very important.

“I think that's what I need to do a bit more because, yes, I've provided some assists but I could have provided more, given the quality we have up front. I believe I can improve on my numbers given the quality we have up front.”

Borussia Dortmund Head of First Team Football and former player Sebastian Kehl has stated that the German club could not afford to buy Achraf Hakimi even though the Morocco full-back was happy at the Signal Iduna Park.

The fledging 21-year-old full-back spent two seasons with BVB on loan, making 73 appearances, scoring 12 goals and providing 17 assists. He also won the German Super Cup during his time in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Hakimi was an established player at Dortmund, but they were unable to match his parent club Real Madrid’s demands of a permanent transfer fee of €40 million.

By contrast, Serie A runners-up and Europa League finalists Inter Milan were able to meet the asking price and secure his services.

“We should not have too many players on loan. Hakimi was beneficial to both parties. He was not on that level when he came. He learned a lot from [Lucien] Favre,” Kehl said during Dortmund’s virtual tour of Asia.

“Madrid got around €45 million for him. In the end, we could not pay that money and he joined Inter. Achraf was very happy here, but to answer the question I do not necessarily think that having one or two players on loan goes against the philosophy of BVB.”

Dortmund have been known to sell some of their big stars for big money in the past, such as Gabon international Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s £56 million move to Arsenal in 2018 and American forward Christian Pulisic’s £58 million transfer to Chelsea in 2019.

Kehl, however, dismisses the label of being a selling club, citing the longevity of players like Poland defender Lukasz Piszczek, who has been with the club since 2010 and was part of the side that won back-to-back Bundesliga titles in 2011 and 2012.

“It is not accurate to say that we are a selling club. Auba and Pulisic moved on but on the other hand, Hummels came back, is here for Piszczek 10 years,” Kehl continued.

“There are a lot of guys who identify with the club, but there a few youngsters for whom a few bigger clubs can pay more money. We develop players and we are well known for it and I think we have had a good mix.”

Thomas Muller is “like a machine” and capable of offering a bit of everything to the Bayern Munich cause, says Patrik Andersson.

The World Cup winner has spent his entire professional career at the Allianz Arena.

Considerable success has been enjoyed with club and country, with the 30-year-old proving to be a model of consistency.

Muller has reached a century of caps for Germany, while taking in 534 appearances for Bayern and moving to within one effort of 200 goals for the Bundesliga giants.

He has nine title triumphs to his name and will be chasing down a second Champions League crown on Sunday when taking in a meeting with Paris Saint-Germain.

Andersson expects Muller to shine again in that contest, with there seemingly nothing that he cannot do.

The former Bayern defender told Sport Bild: “Thomas Muller inspires me the most. He runs like a machine, shines as a playmaker and goalscorer, works on the defensive side and above all speaks strongly to his team-mates. Overall, Thomas has had an outstanding season. 

“But a very decisive factor in the success is that Manuel Neuer is now back to his absolute top level after his serious injury. In the early stages of the last games against Barca (8-2) and Lyon (3-0), the players in front of him allowed a few chances. If Neuer hadn't brilliantly prevented goals, Bayern might not be in the final now.”

Bayern’s 2019-20 campaign got off to a slow start under Niko Kovac, leading to him being relieved of his coaching duties.

A spark was found, though, under Hansi Flick, with a man who knows all about the demands of life under the brightest of spotlights in Munich helping to guide his side back to the very top of the game.

“Hansi Flick's experience is a big plus,” added Andersson.

“He was a Bayern player, knows the club inside out, and then learned a lot in various positions at the DFB. And most importantly, Flick has the absolute trust of his team. Everyone in the squad follows him. That is crucial. 

“This season, Flick has strengthened exactly the players who needed it most to get back into their absolute top form. The best example is Muller. He feels like his trainer is a thousand per cent behind him and he can do anything.”

Abraham Ndugwa has explained the measures he plans to undertake to enjoy more playing time for Vipers SC and return to the national team as well this season.

Ndugwa did not feature prominently in the 2019/20 campaign, a season which was cancelled after the 24th match day because of injuries, although he did ultimately clinch a winner's medal after Vipers were declared champions.

“When football resumes, I need to play more games in the forthcoming season at Vipers,” Ndugwa is quoted as saying by Football256. “First of all, I believe in myself, I always do self-evaluation and demand myself. I know what I can offer to the club and I will fight hard for a starting spot at the club.

“My ultimate target is to improve and become a better player so that I get back into national team fold. With hard work in training, I believe I will achieve this.”

The 24-year-old played in 14 league matches and managed to score just two goals before the Federation of Uganda Football Associations cancelled the competition in May.

The forward revealed how he has been trying to keep himself fit awaiting the new season to kick-off.

“As a player, it’s not easy to train alone, you need to have the discipline to train every day because you always need something that pushes you,” the Ugandan added. “We always become reluctant to train harder.

"So, you have to be highly motivated if you are to train alone but it’s not easy because we are out of action.”

He joined the four-time Premier League champions two years ago from Masavu FC after a rather good 2017/18 season.

Meanwhile, Ugandan defender Joseph Zziwa is elated after joining Tanzanian side Biashara United.

Zziwa was signed by Kenyan coach Francis Baraza and he says the move is a blessing after experiencing a tough time at Express FC.

“I am happy for completing this move especially during this pandemic time,” Zziwa told Football256. “I thank my agent for the tremendous work to find me a new home where I am going to showcase my talent.

“I count it a blessing having a chance to make this move. As a player, I was released by Express just after a season but I remained hopeful and positive and yes God has blessed my hard work.

“I am so delighted to be at Biashara United. I promise the team that I will do all it takes for the team to triumph and have a successful run next season.” 

The centre-back is the latest Ugandan to join a Mainland Premier League side. The 2019/20 defender of the year Nicholas Wadada of Azam FC, Cleo Ssettuba and Boban Zirintisa of Mtibwa Sugar are the other Ugandans plying trade in the neighbouring country.

Arsenal have signed Dutch teenager Salah-Eddine from Feyenoord on a free transfer.

The 17-year-old central midfielder, known as Salah, will initially join up with the Gunners’ academy squad ahead of the 2020-21 campaign and has already trained with his new team-mates.

“It feels great to join a massive club like Arsenal,” he told the club’s website. “It’s a good environment for me to work on my development and hopefully through the academy I can become a first-team player.

“They first contacted my dad and then I went there for a week just to see what the club is all about, and after that they didn’t really have to say anything. I immediately knew that it was the right club for me.

“My first impressions were that not only are my team-mates really good footballers, but they’re great people as well. The whole environment is positive and it’s lovely to work with them."

As well as strengthening the first team Arsenal have been busy bolstering their academy ranks this summer, with Salah following George Lewis, Tim Akinola and Jonathan Dinzeyi in signing up for the Gunners’ youth team in recent weeks.

The teenager, who spent his entire youth career with Feyenoord, describes himself as a box-to-box midfielder and has already stated his ambition to break into Mikel Arteta’s first team as soon as possible.

“I’m a central midfielder and I like to play box to box,” he added. “Offensively I’m a creative player and I can play with my left or right foot. I score goals and get assists, and defensively I like to think I do my bit too, especially in the transition.

“First I want to become an important player in the Under-23s and then eventually get involved with the first team in some capacity.

“I want to see what that’s like, but above all else I want to have a really good season with the Under-23s.

“Maybe if I do that then I’ll be able to join the first team here and there in training. Those are my targets.”

Romelu Lukaku’s exploits at Inter will have Manchester United thinking “why did we let him go?”, says Paul Ince, with the Red Devils considered to require a striker of the Belgian’s ilk.

They did have him on their books at Old Trafford for two seasons, with £75 million ($98m) required to snap him up from Everton in the summer of 2017.

Lukaku plundered 42 goals in 96 appearances for United, but never truly convinced as a leading man in the number nine role.

That led to him being offloaded by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, with Anthony Martial taking on central striking duties for the Red Devils.

The Frenchman delivered a personal best return of 23 goals in the 2019-20 season, but Lukaku notched 34 in his debut campaign at Inter.

That return has seen him match the efforts of Brazilian great Ronaldo, although the Nerazzurri did come up short in Serie A and Europa League competition.

Inter will hope that Lukaku can maintain his standards and lead them to major silverware in the future, with United now being left to mull over what might have been.

Ince believes they need to find another proven striker, with another transfer window open at present, with an option required that can be relied upon to deliver in the Red Devils’ favoured system.

A man who spent time with United and Inter in his playing days told BT Sport of Lukaku: "No I don't think he would be [scoring that amount of goals for United].

"He's with a different manager, I think what [Antonio] Conte's got out of him is a lot more than what [Jose] Mourinho or Ole got out of him at Manchester United.

"He looks fitter, he looks stronger, he looks at it.

"Has it benefited Man United? I don't think so, because they still need a man, if you go back to the game against Sevilla where they couldn't score, they need someone to put the ball in the back of the net.

"When you see Lukaku do that, you start thinking why did we let him go?"

There are options for United to explore when it comes to landing another frontman, with the Red Devils having been linked with Lyon star Moussa Dembele and urged to consider a move to snap up former Paris Saint-Germain striker Edinson Cavani as a free agent.