Looking for Soccer News?

Jules Kounde insists he is in no rush to leave Sevilla at the end of the season despite links with several European heavyweights, though he accepts not everything will be in his control.

Kounde, 21, joined Sevilla from Bordeaux last year in a deal that could reach €25million (£22.6m/$30m), which would make the centre-back the club's record signing.

The Frenchman has enjoyed an impressive adaptation and cemented himself as a regular partner for Diego Carlos, who, like Kounde, arrived from Ligue 1 last year and is attracting significant interest.

Kounde's impressive performances in the recent Europa League victories over Roma and Wolves have contributed to even greater exposure and admiration.

Real Madrid and Barcelona are just two of the clubs said to be interested in the France Under-21 international, who is reported to have a release clause greater than €75m.

Up next for Sevilla is a semi-final showdown with Manchester United, giving Kounde another opportunity to catch the eye, and while he sees it a good thing to be interesting other clubs, he is relaxed about the future.

"It is always good that you interest teams, be it Diego or myself," he told Marca . "We are very focused on winning this cup. I don't look at other teams.

"I'm good at Sevilla. Next year we are going to play in the Champions League and we all deserve it. I am very focused and very happy here.

"It is something that I control, but sometimes there are parameters that do not depend on me. I do not look away [from Sevilla]."

Despite Sevilla's pedigree in the competition and their 19-match unbeaten run, Kounde does not think Los Nervionenses will be considered favourites by most.

"I do not know if we are favourites. For most people I don't think so," he added. "But we don't care.

"Nobody wants to go to the final and win the cup as much as we do. We will give everything on the pitch. In the end, when we give everything, we can beat any team."

Sunday's contest will see Kounde come up against fellow Frenchmen Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial and he considers himself very familiar with the latter.

He said: "I have seen [Martial] play many times. He is a very good forward, very complete. Powerful, fast, skilful with the ball and we are sure that we will have to be very aware, as with Adama [Traore, against Wolves], even if he is another level of power.

"Diego and I will have to talk a lot. We cannot leave him spaces."

On Pogba, Kounde added: "He is an important player, a reference in world football. He has a lot of quality, one of the best midfielders in the world and is very important in the France team.

"Their individuals are very powerful, but we focus on the collective and ourselves. We know what United represents in the world, they are a reference."

Azam FC have denied reports they are in the process of parting ways with coach Aristica Cioaba.

Social media was awash on Friday with reports the Chamazi-based club was keen to do away with the Romanian coach, who failed to win silverware in the just-concluded season, only managing a third-place finish in the Mainland Premier League.

The club’s CEO Abdulkarim Amin has now dismissed the reports maintaining they have long term plans with the coach which he said are supported by the signings they have already done, saying he recommended for the same.

“He [Cioaba] is the one who proposed to sign all the players who are joining the team prior to the next term and if we let him go, then who will be able to use well the players we have?” Popat asked as quoted by Daily News.

“We are continuing our job to sign players as recommended by the coach and I can confidently say we have so far managed to achieve that by 95 percent.

“By next week on [Monday or Tuesday], we will be done with the signing of all the foreign-based players who are on our radars as demanded by the coach.”

The ‘Ice-Cream Makers’ have already signed Awesu Awesu from (Kagera Sugar), Ismael Aziz Kada (Tanzania Prisons), Ayoub Lyanga (Coastal Union) David Mapigano (Gor Mahia), Emmanuel Charles (Mbao FC) and Rwandan Ally Niyonzima.

Azam have also been linked with a move to Gor Mahia striker Juma Balinya, who in a recent interview told Goal that he was quitting the Kenyan champions.

The Chamazi-based club will be keen to make a good mark in the coming season after they ended the 2019-20 campaign without silverware.

Azam did not enjoy as good a season as they had anticipated at the beginning of the campaign, as they managed to finish third in the league with 70 points, 18 fewer than winners Simba SC, and two behind second-placed Yanga SC. They managed to get 20 wins, 10 draws and eight defeats.

The team also failed to retain their FA Cup title to stand a chance of representing the country in the Caf Confederation Cup.

Express FC have added a defender to their new arrivals after unveiling Richard Bbosa.

The Red Eagles have confirmed the signing of the centre-back on their official website by stating: “Express have continued to strengthen their squad ahead of the new season with the addition of centre-back Richard Bbosa.

“The 21-year-old has penned a four-year deal with the six-time league winners and is expected to boost the backline next season.

“Express have already strengthened the goalkeeping department but a solid backline would ensure Wasswa Bossa’s charges don’t leak in the 37 goals like was the case last season.

“A top-three finish last achieved in the 2015/16 season and an elusive seventh league title last won in 2012 are sure targets the technical team and players will have at the top of their lists when the season kicks off in October.”

On signing the deal, Bbosa revealed his main target is to avoid conceding goals.

“I have joined Express to ensure we don’t concede and also work together as a team so that we can win the league next season,” said Bbosa.

Express have been active in the transfer market as they have also unveiled goalkeeper Denis Otim, who arrived from Mbarara City to join the Red Eagles on a four-year deal ahead of the new Ugandan Premier League (UPL) season set to kick off on October 17.

Speaking after being unveiled, Otim said: “I have joined the Red Eagles because it’s a big club in the country and I expect to use it as a springboard to further my career.”

Otim, who was also being trailed by UPL champions Vipers SC and Nyamityobora FC, became the second custodian to join Wasswa Bossa’s charges after Cryspus Kusiima, who joined on Monday, August 10, 2020.

The young keeper was in the Uganda Hippos U20 squad that reached the quarter-finals of the Cecafa tournament held on home soil and his arrival means he will have to fight for a starting role alongside the first choice Matthias Muwanga, and Kusiima.

The goalkeeping department could be very competitive for Express, with Kusiima, who arrived from Tooro United on a two-year contract, already promising to keep 18 clean sheets if he gets the chance to play in the league.

Lille owner Gerard Lopez has confirmed that Manchester United and Arsenal-linked Gabriel will leave the club this summer.

Gabriel has established himself as one of the top defenders in Ligue 1 since breaking into Lille's first team last season.

The 22-year-old helped Christophe Galtier's side secure another top-four finish in 2019-20, featuring in 24 games before French football authorities called off the campaign in April.

Gabriel is contracted to remain at Stade Pierre Mauroy until 2023, but he has been tipped to move onto pastures new in the coming weeks amid interest from a number of top clubs.

Goal has reported that United and Arsenal have both identified the Brazilian as a transfer target, with Lille's current valuation of a prized asset set at around £25 million ($28m).

The Gunners have a good relationship with the French club after securing Nicolas Pepe's services last year, but the Red Devils are ready to compete for Gabriel's signature as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looks to bring in a suitable partner for Harry Maguire at the back.

Lopez has now revealed that Lille have given the talented centre-half the green light to speak to potential suitors, while promising that the club will advise him on the best next step in his fledgeling career.

“The way we work is very simple,” the 48-year-old businessman told BBC World Service's World Football.

“We explain to him and his environment, his agent, what we are looking for, and once we get those offers the choice is his, like we did with Nico [Pepe] and Victor [Oshimen].

“We are there now, so we told him: ‘Eventually you have to make a decision but we’re not pressing you.’ I think he will make it this week, or next week at the latest. He is leaving, we’ve given the OK for that.

“There’s a lot of competition. He’s a young player so he’s got to make sure he makes the right decision. We help him out a little bit so we tell him: ‘We think this might be the right manager or club for you.’

“He’s got so much talent, he will succeed wherever he goes.”

Gabriel opened the door to a transfer back in June, as he expressed a desire to reach the very "highest level" of the game at both club and international level.

"I want to go as high as possible, I came to Europe for that. England or Italy? Both are good championships," he told L'Equipe.

"Wherever I go it will be to play, to be at the top, at the highest level. And above all in a team that will allow me to go to the Selecao."

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane feels is it too early to give up on the Premier Soccer League (PSL) title following his side's failure to win their two league matches since the restart.

After resuming their season on the backdrop of four consecutive wins which boosted their title defence before football was suspended, Sundowns have returned to drop four crucial points in two matches.

They first drew 0-0 against Orlando Pirates, before a 1-1 share of the spoils with Highlands Park on Friday, leaving Mosimane lamenting the nearly five months of no competitive football.

“It is easy to speak but it is difficult to do it. You can do it if you have a good foundation but you have a foundation of not playing football for four months," said Mosimane as per Far Post.

"This is what you get, not very good performances. We know about it. We are not playing very well. We don’t play up to our standard. You can’t buy it, you’ve got to go through it and see how it goes and try. You got the final so try to win the final."

Mosimane's remarks are in stark contrast to his Orlando Pirates counterpart Josef Zinnbauer who says his players are in perfect shape despite the long break from competitive football.

The two draws have left Downs risking trailing further behind log leaders Kaizer Chiefs who are three points clear at the top.

A win for Chiefs against Polokwane City on Saturday will see Amakhosi extending their lead to six points, but Mosimane is wearing a brave face.

“Yes, we are not going to give up because you don’t know what is happening tomorrow [between Polokwane City and Chiefs]. You have just got to keep on going," Mosimane continued.

"We are an ambitious team. As always we are trying to win the three trophies. Sometimes you get and sometimes you might not. Sometimes you come out with two and sometimes you come out with one which you already have in hand.

"Maybe if you believe and you keep going, fortunes can change and you win the three trophies."

After winning the Telkom Knockout, Sundowns could end the season with a treble if they pick themselves up and claim the league title as well as being crowned Nedbank Cup champions.

They now seek to revive their campaign against Cape Town City at Loftus Versfeld on Monday as Downs are left with seven games before the season ends.

“Cape Town City likes to play a little like Sundowns. We will check the game," added Mosimane.

" At least, we have three days to check the game and we will see. They are always a difficult team that gives us tough times. A ball-playing team. I don’t know how far they are but we continue game after game.”

Former Watford striker Kevin Phillips believes Ismaila Sarr would be a good signing for Liverpool and has backed the forward to be a success at any of the top European clubs. 

The Senegal international teamed up with the Vicarage Road outfit last summer from French club Rennes on a club-record fee of £30 million.

The winger delivered eye-catching performances for the Hornets in his debut campaign after overcoming his initial struggle of adapting to the Premier League.

The forward scored six goals and provided six assists in 30 appearances across all competitions, including his brace against the Reds which ended the unbeaten run of the Premier League champions.

Sarr was, however, unable to prevent the Hornets from being relegated from the English top-flight after finishing 19th on the table.

The winger’s form for Watford has seen him linked to a number of European clubs and according to Sky Sports, the Championship club are willing to sell their star player but not for less than £40million.

Phillips feels the forward would be a hit in any of the top European clubs after making his own personal findings of him.

“He would be a good signing for Liverpool. I like him a lot," Phillips told Football Insider.

"I was amazed when he first went there that he was not played straight away because he arrived for a lot of money.

"Nigel Pearson got the best out of him. He started to score some goals and from what I have been told from within the club he is a top player and will only get better.

“Any of those big clubs like Liverpool will be looking and if they can get him out of there on decent money he could turn out to be a great signing."

Sarr began his professional career with Senegalese club Generation Foot before moving to France to continue his development, joining Metz.

The highly-rated forward spent two years with Rennes and scored 13 league goals in 59 appearances before he signed for Watford.

Sarr has 26 caps for Senegal since he made his debut against Namibia in September 2016 in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

The winger was part of the Teranga Lions team that reached the final of the 2019 Afcon in Egypt, which Algeria won.

Ashley Young has explained his decision to swap Manchester United for Inter as a "no-brainer", while insisting that he's "still got a lot to give" at the highest level.

Young's eight-year stint at Old Trafford came to an end when he joined Inter for €1.5 million in the January transfer window.

The 35-year-old won five major trophies during his time in Manchester, including the Premier League, and was named club captain following Antonio Valencia's departure last summer.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka's arrival from Crystal Palace, and the emergence of Brandon Williams, saw Young fall down the squad pecking order, and he only started 10 Premier League games for the Red Devils in the first half of the 2019-20 campaign.

Inter pounced for his signature before he dropped into the free agency pool, tying him down to a one-year contract with the option of an extra year.

Young has since helped Conte's men secure a second-place finish in Serie A and a spot in the Europa League semi-finals, with his stay at San Siro likely to be extended at the end of the season.

The former England international says it was an easy choice for him to leave United after being told he wouldn't figure in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's future plans, and he saw Inter as the ideal next destination due to their standing as one of Europe's most successful clubs.

"Obviously being in England all my life, it was a totally different change," Young told UEFA's official website. "But it was an experience that I jumped at. It was an opportunity for me to go and play regularly.

"I spoke to Ole and he said that I wasn't going to play as much as I wanted to, and when you’re coming towards the end of your career you want to be playing as much as you can. I’m as fit as anyone and I feel like I've still got a lot to give.

"For me, age is nothing but a number. Ole said that he was going to bring younger players through and that I wasn't going to have as many opportunities. When the opportunity arose to come to Inter, it was a no-brainer for me. I was like, 'get me on the plane, get me out there. Get me signed on the dotted line'.

"I was just speaking to the manager and players that were here that I knew as well. It was a fantastic opportunity; a club that’s massive worldwide, one of the biggest teams in world football."

Ahead of a last-four showdown against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Europa League on Monday, which could set up a final clash against his former employers, Young also offered an insight into Conte's coaching methods before discussing his forward-thinking role in Inter's line-up.

“He [Conte] demands everything, not just in matches, in training as well. You can tell he’s a winner," the ex-United star added. "He wants to win, and he demands that from all the players, a winning mentality. Everyone’s got that.

"Obviously, it’s more of a tactical league [Serie A] than I’ve been used to, but it’s one of those things you have to adapt to pretty quickly and I felt I have adapted to that.

“Playing the wing-back position, there’s a lot of running to do, getting forward, defending. But as the way that we play, you’re more on the front foot and playing as an attacker, and it’s felt like a new lease of life being able to get on the scoresheet and get assists.

"I’m used to that, but when I was back at United, I was more of an out-and-out defender, having to defend more. When you’re here, you’ve got a licence to get forward more than staying back.”

Tanzania Premier League and FA Cup winners Simba SC have confirmed their fourth new signing in the ongoing transfer window.

David Kameta from relegated Lipuli FC is the new man joining Wekundu wa Msimbazi. The Tanzanian is the second defender to join the local giants after the signing of centre-back Joash Onyango from Gor Mahia on Friday.

“Simba family, we have officially brought for you [David] Kameta, a right-back from Lipuli FC of Iringa,” the club announced as they revealed Kameta has signed a three-year deal.

“He is a player with a taste for Simba and a good player especially in defending. Welcome, David to the club of the people and the champions in the country.

“Kameta showed great potential and performances in the league that was concluded recently despite his team getting relegated. He was among the best three right-backs for the just-ended season.”

Kameta is expected to fight for the first-team position with Haruna Ramadhan Shamte as well as Shomari Kapombe, who has been majorly preferred in the previous assignments.

Charles Ilamfia, a striker from Kinondoni Municipal Council (KMC FC) and Bernard Morrison from Yanga SC are the other players who have signed for Wekundu wa Msimbazi already.

Meanwhile, Ruvu Shooting have parted ways with head coach Salum Mayanga and have consequently appointed former Yanga assistant coach Boniface Mkwasa.

Mkwasa acted as Yanga interim coach after Mwinyi Zahera was fired and became an assistant when Luc Eymael was appointed. He is among the technical bench members who parted ways with the record league champions recently.

Ruvu Shooting media officer Masau Bwire confirmed Mayanga was let free when his contract with the club expired.

“As the management of the club, we have agreed to have [Boniface] Mkwasa on board in order to lead our team. We are not going to reveal the details of his contract since that is what was agreed on by the two parties concerned,” Bwire told Mwanaspoti.

“After getting Mkwasa, that is when we are going to start our transfer business since he is the one to give directions on what must be done.

“We believe, with his great experience of Tanzanian football as both a player and a coach, we are going to see better results.”

Mkwasa previously coached Ruvu Shooting before he left to deputise for Hans van der Pluijm at Yanga.

Manchester United should be wary of seasoned knockout campaigners Sevilla when the sides clash in the Europa League semi-final. 

That is the warning from former United star Robin van Persie, who cited the Spanish club's fine record in the competition as a reason for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side to be on high alert in Cologne.

The Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan side eliminated Wolves in the quarter-finals to set up a last four tie with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team, who edged past Copenhagen thanks to an extra-time winner from midfielder Bruno Fernandes.

Sevilla have won the Europa League five times, including twice when it was the UEFA Cup, and claimed the honour three times in a row from 2014 to 2016. 

Even before that emergence as the dominant force in Europe's secondary knockout tournament, Sevilla had a profile that put them firmly on Dutchman Van Persie's radar before he ultimately swapped Feyenoord for Arsenal in 2004. 

And he knows Julen Lopetegui's men, unbeaten in 19 matches in all competitions, will pose a threat to United on Sunday.

"[Sevilla are] one of the favourites, [but] first they have to find a way around Manchester United," Van Persie, who won the 2012-13 Premier League at Old Trafford, told Stats Perform News . 

"They are cup fighters, they live to play these type of games. 

"I almost talked to them before my time at Arsenal, they were one of the three options I could go to. It was tempting to go there, but then I chose Arsenal." 

United finished the domestic season with a flourish to claim third spot in the Premier League, but it is a club which measures success in trophies. 

Asked if securing silverware was a prerequisite for calling this campaign a success, Van Persie said: "[The] last couple of months [have] definitely [been] positive but they have to keep showing that – the pressure is on. 

"I can't say that if they don't win the season is not a success, after the break it looks positive. It's promising for next season."

The winner of Sunday’s encounter will take on either Inter or Shakhtar, who will clash in the other semi-final on Monday.

Ander Herrera says it "wouldn't be a failure" for Paris Saint-Germain if they don't end up winning the Champions League this month.

PSG are on the verge of winning Europe's elite competition for the first time in their history, having earned a spot in the semi-finals for the first time since 1995.

Thomas Tuchel's men beat Atalanta in dramatic fashion in midweek to set up a last-four tie against RB Leipzig, who pulled off the upset of the round so far to knock out Atletico Madrid.

The Ligue 1 champions rode their luck to overcome Italian opposition at Estadio da Luz, with stoppage-time goals from Marquinhos and Eric Maxim Chupo-Moting cancelling out Mario Pasalic's first-half opener.

Neymar and Kylian Mbappe led PSG's charge in the second half to complete a stunning turnaround, and they are now considered strong favourites to reach the showpiece event on August 23.

However, Herrera says success in Europe won't define the club's season, given the fact they have already got their hands on all four domestic trophies on offer in France.

The 31-year-old midfielder told a pre-match press conference: "If we didn't win the Champions League, it wouldn't be a failure. It would be a failure for ten teams then. We have already done a fantastic job at the national level with four titles won this season. 

"But it is true that Leipzig, or Lyon for example, perhaps didn’t expect to be here. We have the quality and the ability to win the semi-final, but we have to know they will play free, without the pressure of winning the game. They will be very dangerous for us. "

Pressed further on the challenge Leipzig will pose PSG on Tuesday, Herrera responded: "They are a very offensive and very courageous team. They don't have the pressure of having to win the Champions League or play the final. It may be more dangerous for us. They have a diagram with the ball, and another without.

"We will have to prepare well for this match because they will play more liberally, with less pressure. The fact that they are offensive can be a good thing for us because our attackers can build up speed, but we will also have to defend well because they can create a lot of chances." 

The Spain international added on how Tuchel will set his team up to get a positive result against the Bundesliga side: "This season, we have played in several systems, with three central defenders, in 4-4-2 or in 4-3-3 as well. We have a lot of good players and possibilities. 

"It’s not just [Angel] Di Maria. Mbappe seems ready to help, Neymar too, Pablo Sarabia is reliable. He gives assists, he scores goals. We are very respectful towards Leipzig, but we are confident because we have a lot of players who can play and change the course of a game."

Herrera was also asked to weigh in on Bayern Munich's remarkable 8-2 victory over Barcelona in the quarter-finals, but refused to allow the focus to shift from the current task at hand for PSG.

"We were all impressed with the result," he said. "It’s the first time in history that something like this has happened in the quarter-finals, but we prefer to be aware of Leipzig. Our goal is Leipzig.

"The most important thing is to prepare this game against a team that played fantastic against Atletico Madrid. We saw a team with a lot of confidence. Leipzig impressed me too.

"We have to be very respectful of this team and prepare for the match in the best possible way."

Kenya’s Michael Olunga was on the scoresheet once again as Kashiwa Reysol lost 3-1 at Sankyo Frontier Kashiwa Stadium against Cerezo Osaka on Saturday.

Kashiwa Reysol were headed for a defeat without a goal before the former Gor Mahia forward struck in the 88th minute to deny the visitors a clean sheet.

Bruno Mendes scored Cerezo Osaka’s first goal in the fifth minute before an own goal by Taiyo Koga extended their lead in the 55th minute.

Jun Nishikawa scored the visitors' final goal in the 87th minute before the Harambee Stars striker struck just a minute later.

The goal is Olunga’s 11th of the season and has helped him remain at the top of the J1 League top scorers’ chart after engaging in 10 matches.

The former Thika United and Tusker striker has one assist to his name so far as he continues to enjoy a remarkable season since he helped Kashiwa Reysol earn promotion after winning the J2 League title in 2019.

Kashiwa Reysol lost the encounter against Cerezo Osaka despite enjoying more shots on goal - 23 against the latter’s five. They registered nine shots on target against the visitors' three.

Olunga and teammates also bossed ball possession; 62% against Cerezo Osaka’s 38% and had 478 passes against their tormentors’ 311.

Kashiwa Reysol also had a superior pass accuracy standing at 85% against Cerezo Osaka’s 76% but it did not help them pick up the fourth win in five matches.

The J2 League champions also recorded the most fouls; 16 against 11 committed by the winners.

There were three yellow cards registered with Kashiwa Reysol’s Shunki Takahashi getting booked in the 54th minute while his teammate Yuji Takahashi was warned in the 80th minute.

Hiroaki Okuno of Cerezo Osaka was the first man to be booked in the 44th minute of play.

The loss saw Olunga and Kashiwa Reysol drop to the seventh position and will be up against Vissel Kobe on August 19.

Meanwhile, Consadole Sapporo lost to Kawasaki Frontale with a 6-1 scoreline while Vegalta Sendai drew 0-0 against Shimizu S-Pulse.
 
Yokohama picked up a 4-2 win against Shonan Bellmare as Oita Trinita defeated Yokohama F. Marinos 1-0.

Urawa Reds registered a slim 1-0 victory against Sanfrecce Hiroshima while Tokyo FC picked up a win against Nagoya Grampus by the same scoreline.

The effusion with which the end of David Silva’s time at Manchester City was greeted left a bit of a bad taste in the mouth.

Not because the Spaniard was any less than spectacularly great for the Citizens. Far from it. Silva’s silky movements and wand of a left foot conducted many a Premier League game. He will also be held up as a living, breathing “proving the haters wrong” meme: able, despite his slight frame, to thrive in a league that has made physicality its calling card.

However, there was another who had an even more transformative influence on the club. Yaya Toure, unsavoury though his latter end was, did not so much subvert the Premier League notions of toughness as beat a path through it. There was very little stealth to it. Toure did not come to play the game, but to be the game.

A lot of the time, it felt like the only limit to his influence on a game was the brief the manager entrusted to him.

Signed as a defensive midfielder from Barcelona, the Ivorian continued to inch forward until he was pretty much playing off the striker, then decided it would be a good idea to start whipping free-kicks into the top corner. Capable in the air, and also able, even on an off day (he did not have many of them), of scoring out of nothing – witness his nonchalant side-foot finish in a 2-1 defeat at the hands on Arsenal in 2015/16 – Toure was frighteningly complete.

His legacy suffered in his final days at City – cake-gate and the arrival of Pep Guardiola ensuring a far-from-ideal departure. However, it would have been impossible to countenance anything at all damaging his overall perception if, as he had done in the league, he had dragged the club over the line in the Champions League as well.

It is the fascination for a club with all the money in the world; the quest, the Holy Grail. It is why they forked out for Guardiola to begin with. It is why, despite amassing 198 points over the course of two seasons to win two titles, there remains a sense of underachievement in the eyes of the punditry, as well as an air of irritation about the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager.

In Riyad Mahrez, City have another African playmaker who will seek to succeed where Toure arguably failed. The Algeria international already occupies a hallowed position in Leicester hearts, but leading City to the Champions League would make his legacy would be even more complete, and would immediately be the most meaningful achievement of what has been a splendid career.

Sure, he won the title with Leicester. However, whereas the Foxes’ title in 2016 was a rapturous surprise (it was not sought after, even by the most enthusiastic of fans), for City to triumph in Europe has been a goal long-denied.

It would make him a true African great, and complete a gauntlet not many can boast of: league title, domestic cups, Africa Cup of Nations and Champions League. Not even Toure managed that in his pomp; it would place Mahrez in extremely exalted company.

This is, after all, the one piece of silverware Toure was never able to deliver for the club.

He crashed home against Stoke in the 2011 FA Cup final to kickstart the cycle, and set eye-watering records in 2011/12 as City won a first league title in 44 years. In Europe, however, there was not the same level of accomplishment or dominance. On the whole, he only scored seven times for the club in the Champions League – fine for a midfielder, but only one more than Ilkay Gundogan has managed.

It took three tries for the Citizens to even get past the Group Stage in the competition, and a further three before they went past the Round of 16.

In 2015/16, a run to the semi-final was halted by eventual winners Real Madrid. Toure struggled with knee and thigh injuries for much of the run-in, missing the first leg of the semi-final tie, a goalless draw that meant City would have to score in the return. He only lasted 61 minutes in the return at the Bernabeu, a drab match that was settled by Gareth Bale’s freak goal.

That has always been the great “what could have been” moment for Manchester City. Might things have been different if their midfield talisman had been fit?

Saturday presents them with an opportunity to once again reach that stage and forever banish that regret.

There is no strapping midfield colossus anymore; under Guardiola, the team is more unstoppable force than immovable object, built around quick feet that flit about rather than thud.

This side is dependent on smaller technical talent: Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling, Phil Foden. Mahrez. Going one better this time around, and ultimately winning it, would not only be the culmination of a decade-long project, but would validate this different approach.

It would also immediately catapult this current crop into legend status at a club that has not been able to boast of a proud history in European competition.

In much the same way that Chelsea reached their Promised Land in 2012 and the likes of John Obi Mikel, Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou instantly passed into folklore, Mahrez could become the next African son to ascend to the pantheon of greats by virtue of being a part of City’s history.

Gor Mahia fans have accused Simba SC of turning their club into a feeder team after they sealed the signing of defender Joash Onyango on Friday.

The burly player, who also features for the national team Harambee Stars, completed his transfer switch to the Wekundu wa Msimbazi for an undisclosed fee and thus became the fourth player to leave the Kenyan champions for Simba.

Other players who have left Gor Mahia for Simba include Ugandan striker Dan Sserunkuma, Rwandan striker Meddie Kagere, and Kenyan midfielder Francis Kahata.

Below is how Twitter reacted following the transfer of the former Western Stima defender.

Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer said he was saddened to see German rival and Barcelona counterpart Marc-Andre ter Stegen concede eight goals in Friday's Champions League quarter-final humiliation.

Bayern embarrassed La Liga giants Barca 8-2 in Lisbon, where Neuer's team-mates became the first team in Champions League history to score eight goals in a knockout match.

Thomas Muller and Philippe Coutinho braces, and goals from Robert Lewandowski, Ivan Perisic, Serge Gnabry and Joshua Kimmich saw Barca concede eight goals in a game for the first time since 1946.

Neuer – Germany's number one keeper – expressed sympathy towards his compatriot Ter Stegen post-match.

"I'm a little sorry for Marc-Andre Ter Stegen that he conceded so many goals," said Neuer.

"It's good for us, of course, but you wouldn't wish that to any team-mate from the national team."

On the match itself, Neuer said: "You could see that we didn't let up [for even] a minute and that we always wanted to keep playing forward. Of course, Barca are also strong offensively.

"We know that goals can come. We tried to play [towards] Barca's goal until the very end. Accordingly, we were successful."

Bayern star Thiago Alcantara, who began his career at Camp Nou, produced an impressive performance against his former side in the middle of the park.

Thiago – tipped to join Premier League champions Liverpool – won two La Liga titles and the Champions League among other honours before leaving Barca for Bayern in 2013.

"For respect for my friends, the club I've been to and my colleagues, I think they are a great club and that they will turn around any situation that comes their way," the Spaniard said.

Manchester City or Lyon await Bayern in the semis and Thiago added: "This result gives us more confidence, especially against a team like Barca, but we know that it was only to go to the next round and we have not won anything. 

"We have played as if it were a final only to go to semi, nothing more."

Kenya international Ian Otieno has said winning titles at Super League side Zesco United is like a ritual.

Otieno failed to lift the league title in his maiden season at the Zambian side and has expressed disappointment.

Team Ya Ziko finished fifth and also missed a chance to feature in the Caf Champions League after qualifying for the competition in the past eight years.

“This is a big football club where winning is part of the business. Winning titles is a ritual here so failure to do so is a huge disappointment,” Otieno told the club’s portal.

“Everyone at the club is not happy with what has happened this season.”

The former AFC Leopards goalkeeper also blamed the coronavirus pandemic which he said interrupted their campaign.

The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) had to cancel the season after its resumption owing to the increasing number of Covid-19 cases.

“It is a difficult situation for everyone, especially that we didn’t have control over certain things that led us to fail to defend the title,” said the Harambee Star.

“We wanted to win the title and qualify for Caf but the league ended at a very premature stage making it difficult for us to compete and get the necessary points.

“I know the football governing body was overwhelmed by the Covid-19 situation. However, this could have been managed much better especially on the part of communication to restart and end the league.”

The Kenyan also challenged his teammates on what they must do in the 2020/21 season and register positive results.

“Everyone here knows what will be expected of them when the new season starts,” he added.

“We will need to learn to put away games at any crucial moment. This is something that affected us so much.

“There were games we drew that we could have won. I think it is a lesson to us all and fans should expect a much better performance next season.”

Otieno was signed from Red Arrows and became an instant first choice for coach George Lwnadamina and he has explained how his rival Jacob Banda was key.

“There is pressure here to perform and win titles,” he concluded

“I am constantly evaluating myself, especially after every game. I believe in self-criticism because it helps a lot and I am also learning new things every day.

“The environment here is also good for anyone to develop. People have been very supportive to me especially veteran goalkeeper, Jacob Banda.

“He has made life very easy for me especially during my early days at the club.”

Otieno is turning out for the Ndola club alongside other Kenya internationals including David Owino, John Makwatta and Jesse Were.

Kaizer Chiefs will travel to Tshwane to visit Polokwane City for their 24th league game of the season with one thing in mind - stretching their lead at the top of the PSL log and moving away from second-placed Mamelodi Sundowns. 

Highlands Park made things easier for the Glamour Boys by holding Sundowns to a draw on Friday night and Ernst Middendorp knows his side cannot afford to drop more points. 

However, Rise and Shine are certainly not going to be a walk in the park for Middendorp's men after giving them problems in the past. 

This means he needs better planning and proper structure to dismantle their defence while he also needs to organise his defence to avoid a repeat of the mistake that happened in midweek where they conceded in the 89th minute of the game against Bidvest Wits.  

TV Channel, Live Score & How To Watch

The game will be shown live on and SABC 1 and SuperSport 4. 

Squads & Team News

Amakhosi have not reported any injuries ahead of the clash against Polokwane City.

While there were concerns Leonardo Castro may be injured, Middendorp said he expected the lanky striker to be fit for Saturday's clash as he was just cramping against Wits. 

This means the German mentor has a large squad to choose his best XI from but all eyes will be on whether or not club captain Itumeleng Khune is back in the camp.

The veteran goalkeeper was left out of the matchday squad for the Wits game - and Middendorp said it's because Khune missed a few training sessions with the team. 

Nonetheless, Daniel Akpeyi is the club's No.1 goalkeeper this season, and he is again expected to keep his place in the starting line-up after pulling off some stunning saves in midweek. 

Middendorp is likely to call on to the more experienced players such as Kearyn Baccus and Siphelele Ntshangase to help Willard Katsande in midfield after experimenting with Nkosingiphile Ngcobo in the previous game. 

While the 20-year-old Ngcobo did extremely well as an attacking midfielder, he offered very little in terms of assisting the team to defend. 

Furthermore, Reeve Frosler returns from a one-match suspension - and his versatility gives Middendorp more options in defence and attack. 

With Peter Shalulile closing in on Gabadinho Mhango after scoring his 13th goal against Sundowns, it will be interesting to see if Samir Nurkovic can also score his 13th of the season as he's currently sitting on 12 league goals.  

Polokwane City have struggled for positive results this season and Clinton Larsen is likely to rely on more experienced players to move them up the log. 

Kabelo Mahlasela was recently told by Chiefs that his contract will not be renewed but he's highly rated by Larsen. 

He will now get the chance to face his former club and show them what they have lost in him. 

Captain Jabulani Maluleke is another player Larsen is likely to call upon to stabilise his midfield after doing brilliantly in the past. 

Their problem has been in the goalkeeping department where the technical team has had to make several changes before the suspension of the season, but George Chigova could be the man tasked with keeping Amakhosi at bay due to his experience.

Match Preview

In head-to-head stats, both Kaizer Chiefs and Polokwane City have met 17 times across all competitions since 2013. 

Chiefs have dominated this fixture with eight wins to City's three while the other six matches ended in draws.

The Glamour Boys have scored 28 goals in those 17 matches, while Rise and Shine have scored just 14. 

Polokwane City beat Chiefs 1-0 in the first round of the season, thanks to Jabulani Maluleke's penalty goal. 

Middendorp's men are currently top of the standings with 49 points from 23 games while Rise and Shine find themselves in 14th place with 23 points from 24 points. 

Young Africans (Yanga SC) have explained why they will move to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to appeal the decision taken by Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) on the transfer of Bernard Morrison.

On Wednesday, TFF ruled in favour of the Ghanaian forward and thus allowed him to play for rivals Simba SC. Yanga had lodged a complaint with TFF after the player signed for Simba, insisting he still had a running contract with them until 2022.

Yanga chairman Mshindo Msholla has maintained they are not satisfied with the ruling by the Legal, Ethics, and Players’ Status Committee of the TFF and will still proceed to file a case with the international court in Zurich.

“There are many irregularities made during the case of which we vehemently believe there was foul play by the concerned Committee which deliberately chose to consume three days deliberating on a case which could have lasted even 10 minutes,” Msolla is quoted by Daily News.

“By taking such time, it means they [members of the committee] do not have the capacity to handle such type of cases or they were getting pressure from outside to rule in their favour.

“I understand it is impossible to get committee members who do not support these two big teams [Simba and Yanga] but we have people who are clean and can make decisions which are fair regardless of the side they support otherwise; football development will highly be affected in the country.

“As a club, we have presented many complaints at the federation but most of them have not been replied like the issue of [Morrison] who spoke via audio that some people from Simba gave him money to sign for them. “We delivered that complaint on June 15, 2020, but until now, we have not been replied to which clearly indicates they take sides when dealing with complaints brought to them.”

Msolla believes the move by Simba to sign the player during that period unsettled him and he could not play his usual game for Yanga and it was the reason they lost 4-1 to the same team in the FA Cup.

Morrison became the first signing for the Wekundu wa Msimbazi, who have gone ahead to add former Gor Mahia defender Joash Onyango to their ranks.

The excitement brought about by the Champions League’s shortened format this year has thrown several curveballs, with RB Leipzig’s win over Atletico Madrid on Thursday night the perfect example.

On Wednesday, Atalanta were minutes away from an unexpected win over one of the favourites Paris-Saint Germain before the Ligue 1 giants turned the game on its head late on to secure a 2-1 success.

While Olympique Lyonnais’ elimination of Juventus on away goals doesn’t quite count, given it was the reverse fixture of the Round of 16 tie, it’s set up a potentially fascinating clash with another of the competition’s favourites Manchester City.

In truth, Pep Guardiola’s side are in better shape than the Old Lady were going into their clash with Lyon last week, defeating La Liga champions Real Madrid comfortably. While Maurizio Sarri’s side hadn’t pulled up trees in their Serie A run-in, which undoubtedly gave the French club the necessary self-belief, City have largely been unplayable since the Premier League’s restart in June.

Indeed, the post-lockdown form proves this, with Pep’s team atop that mini-table with eight wins from 10 after the restart, scoring a staggering 34 times and conceding just four. Still, as evidenced by their defeats by Chelsea and Southampton, the Citizens can always be got at defensively.

This is what Karl Toko Ekambi and his Lyon teammates will be out to exploit on Saturday, seeking to prevent the former Barcelona boss from making his first semi-final appearance as Man City boss. The Cameroon forward, now signed permanently from Villarreal, was involved in both legs against Juventus and only the woodwork prevented the African striker scoring in the first meeting at the Groupama Stadium.

Despite cutting a peripheral figure in Turin last Friday until his 67th-minute substitution, the striker is expected to play a part in Rudi Garcia’s game plan in Lisbon this weekend. The former Roma boss values the Cameroon star’s influence, demonstrated by how keen he was for the striker to join for keeps from the Yellow Submarine.

“We still have to build the team. We corrected the situation during the winter window, bringing in Bruno Guimaraes and Toko Ekambi,” Garcia told OLTV, per the Ligue 1 website. “Here at the club, we're all in agreement that we want to keep Karl.”

Even though he only returned to France in January, the Indomitable Lion has slowly become one of Garcia’s most influential players. According to Fbref, the striker is third behind Moussa Dembele and Memphis Depay for Expected Goals per 90 and is only behind the Dutchman for Expected Assists per 90. Interestingly, when penalties are excluded, only Depay outdoes the 27-year-old in the side.

Whether the pair can exploit the weaknesses in this City side, however, remains to be seen. Another reason this game has generated so much interest and has the added edge is the fact Pep’s team struggled against Lyon in both encounters last season.

Les Gones not only got four points from a possible six in their group meetings, including a 2-1 success in Manchester, then-coach Bruno Genesio was able to limit the four-time Prem champions to just one clear-cut chance over 180 minutes of football.

While the coach, tactics and personnel (only six starters from those games in 2018 started the last game vs Juventus) have changed since, the plucky French side will certainly look to keep things tight at the back, deny Pep’s side space in the attacking third and hope to catch them on a rare bad day at both ends of the pitch.

This is easier said than done, but it isn’t impossible.

As Chelsea, Southampton and especially Arsenal proved after the lockdown, this City side have a soft underbelly and tend to gift opponents a chance from bizarre mistakes or lapses in concentration in their defensive third.

Even against Real Madrid, despite their dominance for large periods, the Cityzens’ rearguard strangely allowed Karim Benzema rise unchallenged to head home the equalizer on the half-hour.

It came against the run of play but that has often been the case with Pep’s side this season.

Their volatility means the average observer really can’t tell which side you’re going to witness: the team that put eight past Watford in October, the one that put in arguably their best league showing vs Leicester City in December or the version that failed to breakdown Arsenal in the FA Cup semi-final regardless of their lion’s share of possession.

Whenever Man City are on their game – dominating the ball, creating chances and giving little away to the opposition – they are nearly unplayable. However, standards have slipped in the last 12 months, leading to a plethora of strange results.

Toko Ekambi and his teammates will hope to catch City on one of those rare bad days, where they seem out of sorts at both ends of the pitch and nothing seems to click.

If they do, the Kids could claim another huge continental scalp after eliminating Cristiano Ronaldo’s Juventus. Otherwise, Lyon will say goodbye to the Champions League having been denied a first semi-final appearance since 2009/10.

Thomas Muller says Bayern Munich had more control over Barcelona than Germany had in their 7-1 thrashing of Brazil at the 2014 World Cup.

Bayern recorded a famous 8-2 victory over Barca in the quarter-finals of the Champions League on Friday night, extending their winning run across all competitions to 19 games in the process.

Hansi Flick's side became the first team to hit eight goals in a knockout fixture, while the Blaugrana suffered their heaviest loss since 1951 after an extraordinary 90 minutes in Lisbon.

Muller and substitute Philippe Coutinho grabbed doubles for Bayern, with Ivan Perisic, Serge Gnabry, Joshua Kimmich and Robert Lewandowski also getting in on the act, with a David Alaba own goal and a Luis Suarez strike proving to be nothing more than consolation efforts for Barca.

The match bore some resemblance to Germany's demolition of Brazil at the World Cup finals in South America six years ago, during which Muller was also among the scorers.

However, the 30-year-old claims Bayern were far more dominant against Barca, who were ultimately fortunate to escape with only a six-goal margin of defeat after being exposed defensively.

"In 2014 against Brazil we never had the same control of the game," Muller said post-match.

"It was something that happened but let's not talk about it, let's talk about today. It was a special night, the result and the way we played was special.

"The best thing was to see that the players who came from the substitutes' bench had the same attitude and the same joy. 

"The important thing is to do what we want on the pitch and for everyone to go to the limit."

The Bayern attacker added on how it feels to have been involved in another historic game and the prospect of a semi-final showdown against either Manchester City or Lyon: "This is good, you can imagine how it feels, it was very special for us after this match.

"But we have to recover. It's a big statement but the next game, it starts 0-0. It doesn't matter.

"I know the other teams watch our games and we have to win the next game to reach the final. We have to be quiet, calm, relaxed and very happy."