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Lille new signing Jonathan David believes it will be difficult to replace ‘exceptional’ Napoli striker Victor Osimhen at the club.

The Canadian young striker joined the Stade Pierre-Mauroy outfit from Belgian First Division A side Gent this summer for a reported fee of €32 million as a direct replacement for the Nigeria international.

Osimhen made a significant impact during his one-year stay with the French side, having teamed up with the club from Sporting Charleroi.

The forward scored 18 goals and provided six assists in 38 appearances across all competitions which saw him win a number of individual accolades including the club’s Player of the Season award.

His performances became a talking point and generated interest from many European clubs including Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Napoli.

Osimhen eventually settled for the Serie A side in a club-record deal of €70 million which could rise to €80 million, to become the most expensive Nigerian player.

David, who scored 23 goals in 40 games last season, is, however, looking to make his own name with the Stade Pierre-Mauroy outfit.

“It will not be easy to succeed Victor Osimhen and his 13 goals last season in the league,” David was quoted as saying by Francebleu.

“We have a somewhat similar course. Victor came from Belgium when he joined Lille and this is also my case.

“He is an exceptional player. He proved it last season, but we are players with very different profiles. So everyone will have their own path.”

Osimhen started his European career with Wolfsburg, teaming up with the German side following his eye-catching performances at the 2015 U17 World Cup in Chile.

The 21-year-old striker helped Nigeria to win the title and won the Golden Boot and Silver Ball awards of the tournament.

Osimhen struggled to make much of an impact with the Bundesliga side but rediscovered his form after moving to Belgium to join Charleroi.

The forward is currently a key member of the Super Eagles and was part of Gernot Rohr’s side that finished third at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

Osimhen will hope to continue his sparkling performances, this time with his new club Napoli in the 2020-21 season.

Bayern Munich's Joshua Kimmich has admitted to being "almost ashamed" after scoring from Alphonso Davies' incredible assist in the Champions League semi-finals.

Hansi Flick's side booked their place in the last four of this season's competition by beating Barcelona 8-2 in a thrilling encounter in Lisbon on Friday night.

Bayern found themselves 4-1 up with only 31 minutes on the clock at Estadio da Luz, as a Thomas Muller brace and goals from Ivan Perisic and Serge Gnabry left Barca, who scored an early equaliser via David Alaba's unfortunate own goal, on the brink of elimination.

A superb Luis Suarez effort ten minutes into the second half gave the Blaugrana hope, which was cruelly dashed moments later when Kimmich tapped in from close range following a scintillating Davies run down the left-wing.

The Canadian full-back skipped past Arturo Vidal before easily beating Nelson Semedo with a combination of pace and guile, and laid the ball on a platter for his colleague to restore Bayern's three-goal advantage.

A Robert Lewandowski header and a late double from Barca loanee Philippe Coutinho against his parent club rounded off the scoring, as the German champions set up a last-four showdown against either Manchester City or Lyon.

When asked to discuss Davies' contribution to Bayern's fifth goal, Kimmich told reporters post-match: "Unbelievable. I was almost ashamed of how happy I was after the goal because it was 99 per cent, of course, his goal.

"In the end, I just had to push it in. World-class."

Flick added on the 19-year-old defender's remarkable surge into the box: "Simply beautiful. He has the quality. If he does it more often, it would be all the more beautiful."

Bayern have now won 19 games on the bounce in all competitions, and are on course to emulate Jupp Heynckes' 2012-13 treble-winning squad by securing the club's sixth European Cup later this month.

The showpiece event could yet be an all-German affair on August 23, with RB Leipzig and Paris Saint-Germain set to meet in the first semi-final tie next Tuesday, before Flick's men take centre-stage a day later.

Former Gor Mahia treasurer Sally Bolo has described Joash Onyango as a brilliant and astute leader.

The defender joined Simba SC of Tanzania from Gor Mahia and Bolo believes the Dar es Salaam team will greatly benefit from his attitude and character.

Onyango, 27, became the third player the Tanzanian 2020 treble winners signed in the ongoing August transfer window after he signed a two-year deal.

He is also the latest player to leave the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) side for regional rivals Simba.

Dan Sserunkuma, Meddie Kagere, and Francis Kahata are the other players to cross the border and join Wekundu wa Msimbazi in the recent past.

“Joash, I am very proud of your accomplishments, and the hard work you have always shown time and time again during your stay at the club and at national level,” Bolo said in his farewell message for the Harambee Stars defender.

“You are a brilliant player with a keen eye for teamwork and astute leadership.

“As you join Simba SC, we sincerely wish you all the best, may you continue to play with passion, display great wisdom on and off the pitch.

“You always accorded me immense support, and for that, I am very grateful. Your exemplary attitude and character will definitely be an asset.”

Meanwhile, former Tusker attacking midfielder Boniface Muchiri has described Onyango as the toughest opponent he ever encountered.

The two faced off majorly in the KPL matches with Tusker and Gor Mahia becoming the latest big rivals for the league title.

“Much respect man. Your hard work and dedication are amazing, toughest opponent I have ever played against,” Muchiri said in a post on his Facebook page.

“Sky is the limit Joash and all the best big man.”

Onyango is the third signing Simba have so far acquired. Bernard Morrison, whose move remains a controversial transaction since it is being contested by Yanga SC, was the first player to be confirmed by Wekundu wa Msimbazi.

Charles Ilamfia from Kinondoni Municipal Council (KMC FC) was the second player as he was brought on board to give more of a challenge to captain John Bocco and the Golden Boot winner Meddie Kagere in the striking department.

Simba are strengthening in a bid to be ready for continental football next season as well as defending the FA Cup and the league title.

Ahead of their Premier Soccer League (PSL) clash against Kaizer Chiefs, Polokwane City coach Clinton Larsen is wary of the Soweto giants, saying they deserve to occupy the top spot on the log standings.

Rise and Shine are set to welcome Amakhosi on Saturday afternoon at Loftus Versfeld Stadium and Larsen hopes his plan will bear fruit whilst banking on the venue used by defending PSL champions, Mamelodi Sundowns, saying it will suit their style.

On the other hand, the former Bafana Bafana midfielder remains wary of their fitness levels as he explains that all the other teams are set to face challenges in their first games since the season was halted in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“Yeah, life gets to start with this one and players don’t need motivation. Everyone is looking forward to the game and we’ve prepared well and we hope to get a positive result,” Larsen told Goal.

“I can’t make it public knowledge [how we plan to exploit Chiefs’ weaknesses] on what we want to try and do.

"They are a good team and they’re not at the top of the log for no reason. So, it’s going to be a difficult game but we believe we have got enough quality in our attacking players to cause problems for them.

“Hopefully we will be on top of our attacking game and really pose a threat for Chiefs.”

On playing at the iconic venue in Tshwane, the former Golden Arrows and Bloemfontein Celtic coach says the pitch will perfectly suit their philosophy.

“Yeah, it’s going to suit the way we play and because we are a ball-playing team. I think we have to try to keep the ball, try and create scoring opportunities,” he added.

“I hope the pitch will allow us to do that. It’s been a challenge for every team [to restart the games], we’ve seen the games so far [Nedbank Cup and the league].

“It hasn’t looked pretty at all and we knew the players will need a game or two to adjust and have some match fitness behind them.

“Yeah, I think it’s going to be a tough game, tough physically but I believe, from a conditioning point of view, we have prepared well and we have no injuries going into this one.”

The Polokwane-based club is placed 14th on the log table with 23 points and they desperately need three points for them to ease their relegation concerns.

Looking at the previous encounter at FNB Stadium in the first round, the Soweto giants succumbed to a 1-0 defeat and Larsen will be chasing another victory in the current campaign.

Lyon's Champions League clash with Manchester City is "50/50", claims Marcelo, who says "anything can happen on neutral ground".

The two teams are scheduled to meet in the quarter-finals of this season's competition on Saturday night, with the one-off tie set to take place at the Jose Alvalade stadium in Lisbon.

Lyon booked their place in the last eight by beating Juventus on away goals in the round of 16, with the Italian giants exiting early despite winning 2-1 in a second leg encounter in Turin last week.

City, meanwhile, knocked out 13-time winners Real Madrid 4-2 on aggregate, and are hot favourites to reach the semi-finals and set up a heavyweight meeting with Bayern Munich.

Lyon have only played two competitive games since April due to the cancellation of the Ligue 1 season, with a heartbreaking penalty shoot-out defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Coupe de la Ligue final coming before their loss to Juve.

However, Pep Guardiola's men failed to beat the French outfit in the group stages last term, as they suffered a surprise defeat at Etihad Stadium before being held to a draw in France.

Marcelo believes Rudi Garcia's team have a great chance of claiming another famous scalp due to the revised format the Champions League has taken on post-lockdown, despite being wary of the threat the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Gabriel Jesus will pose.

The Brazilian centre-back told l'Equipe ahead of the tie: "Football is incredible, sometimes incomprehensible things happen. In Lisbon, without the supporters, on neutral ground, anything can happen. It's 50-50. 

"We know the tactical and technical quality of De Bruyne and Jesus. He is really in good shape at the moment but we too can defend well and make efforts in front.

"If we play like against PSG and Juventus, I'm sure we can pass."

Quizzed on Lyon's mentality since returning to action after the coronavirus-enforced break, Marcelo added: "From training after confinement, even in friendlies, and against Paris, it was magnificent.

"We saw it again against Juve. The atmosphere was exceptional. We were looking for this state of mind. That's what made us feel good.

“Rudi is working on that, Juninho, the sporting director, also and the more experienced in the group like me, [Anthony] Lopes, Leo [Dubois], Memphis [Depay], we insist on it.

"It is a great team, we will play like a great team. We have to think big today."

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has been named Premier League Manager of the Season for 2019-20. 

The Reds won their first top-flight title in 30 years, finishing on a club-record 99 points, 18 clear of previous champions Manchester City. 

Klopp's side went unbeaten in their first 27 games, winning 26, and set a record for earliest title win by sealing their triumph with seven rounds of matches remaining. 

The German head coach, who was named League Managers Association Manager of the Year last month, won the Premier League prize ahead of fellow nominees Frank Lampard, Brendan Rodgers and Chris Wilder. 

Meanwhile, Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold claimed the Young Player of the Season prize and is also up for the Player of the Season accolade, along with team-mates Jordan Henderson and Sadio Mane. 

The Reds won three trophies in total over the course of their latest campaign, with the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup secured towards the end of 2019 to cap a remarkable year which also included Champions League success.

Klopp could yet win the fifth trophy of his reign at Anfield when he takes his side to Wembley to face Arsenal in the Community Shield final on August 29.

The Liverpool manager vowed that his side would continue their relentless pursuit of silverware after they were officially named champions of England on June 25, as he told reporters: "We will not stop, we really have to stay focused, because we see the opportunity. I will promise we will improve. 

"We have a good situation, we use our history instead of being held back by it. We will make sure we are still good from now on.

"We have a common dream. We have big dreams. The more people dream the more important and stronger it gets. So we will not stop. 

"The boys are more experienced, more convinced. But we know other teams are there and will do a lot to improve their situation. 

"There will be hard fights, and the hard fight starts now."

Frenkie de Jong said Barcelona's embarrassing 8-2 Champions League loss to Bayern Munich showed the beleaguered La Liga giants have a lot of problems.

Barca conceded eight goals in a game for the first time since 1946 as the Spanish powerhouse were mercilessly put to the sword by Bundesliga champions Bayern in Lisbon on Friday.

Bayern raced out to a 4-1 lead at half-time and they did not take their foot off the pedal following the interval – Barca eliminated in the Champions League quarter-finals for the fourth time in five seasons.

With Barca in crisis after the result and head coach Quique Setien reportedly set to be sacked, star midfielder De Jong addressed the result.

"I think today showed that we have a lot of problems in the team," De Jong, in his first season at Camp Nou following his high-profile arrival from Ajax, said. "I think tonight showed that and we know we have to make a lot of changes.

"It's difficult for the fans to take too so sorry to them. We have to change a lot of things I think.

"We believed we could beat Bayern. The first 15-20 minutes because they scored early but we scored the equaliser and had two good chances so believed in it of course. You could see that at the beginning.

"But they were much better than us. I don't think it's too much about talent, I think it's about putting in intensity and hard work and we need to change these things.

"Of course it's a big disappointment but not only for me, for the whole club because this club is used to winning trophies. It's the biggest club in the world so we have to perform a lot better than we did tonight."

Asked if anyone can stop Bayern – who will face either Manchester City or Lyon in the semis – Netherlands international De Jong replied: "I think City are also a really good team. Lyon are good.

"But...I don't care too much at this moment. I'm sorry but they were really good tonight and deserved to win of course."

Bayern Munich head coach Hansi Flick refused to get carried away with his team's stunning 8-2 demolition of Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals, insisting there is still plenty of work to do.

Bayern humiliated Lionel Messi's Barca in Lisbon on Friday as the La Liga giants conceded eight goals in a game for the first time since 1946 .

Flick's Bayern – who led 4-1 at half-time – ran riot thanks to braces from Thomas Muller and Philippe Coutinho, while Robert Lewandowski, Ivan Perisic, Serge Gnabry and Joshua Kimmich were also on target.

Bayern became the first team in Champions League history to score eight goals in a knockout match, and the first in the European Cup since Real Madrid in 1990-91.

Flick, however, remained grounded post-match as Bundesliga champions Bayern await either Manchester City or Lyon in the final four.

"I think we can enjoy an excellent game from our team today," Flick told reporters. "Of course we are delighted with the way in which we have achieved this 8:2.

"But we all know - and you could feel it in the cabin - that we still have a lot to do. We know how fast that can happen in football. It is important to look ahead to the next game.

"Our goal was to get to the semi-finals. We did that impressively. We are all very happy about that. But we also know that it is still a tough job to be where we want to be in the end."

"The way it was is impressive," he added. "And we have set a small fragrance brand. But even our experienced players know that it's about performing the same in the next game. We are preparing for this.

"The team put a lot of pressure on in the first half, forcing their opponents to make mistakes, and then the game of switching over the ball was just great. These are the things we wanted to do. And the team did a great job on the pitch."

Bayern have now become the competition favourites - ahead of likely semi-final opponent Manchester City - with PSG and Leipzig squaring off in the other semi for a spot in the decider.

Barcelona's 8-2 thrashing at the hands of Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-final was not the worst defeat in the club's history.

Friday evening's match at Estadio da Luz was the first time in 74 years that the Blaugrana had conceded eight goals in a game - when they were beaten 8-0 by Sevilla in the Copa del Rey in 1946.

But the Bayern masterclass was short of the biggest loss ever suffered by Barcelona, with the Catalans twice losing 11-1 in the 1940's.

The most humiliating of these defeats came against El Clasico rivals Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey in 1943.

After winning the first leg of the semi-final 3-0, Barcelona completely fell apart in the second leg to lose 11-1.

Three years earlier, the Blaugrana were beaten by the same scoreline in a La Liga match against Sevilla.

Incredibly, Barcelona took an eighth minute lead in the match before all 11 of Sevilla's goals came within an hour period - from the 23rd to 83rd minutes.

And at the end of the season, Barcelona finished in fourth in the La Liga standings - one position ahead of fifth-placed Sevilla.

In 1935, Barcelona were also beaten 8-2 by Real Madrid with Fernando Sanudo scoring four goals - the most ever by a single player in a fixture between the two sides.

It didn't look like Friday's match against Bayern was going to be a bloodbath, when Bayern defender David Alaba put the ball through his own net in the seventh minute - cancelling out Thomas Muller's strike 180 seconds earlier.

But three more Bayern goals - courtesy of Ivan Perisic, Serge Gnabry and Muller - before half-time put the Bundesliga champions in a commanding position.

Luis Suarez gave Barcelona hope of an extraordinary comeback with his goal 13 minutes after the restart, but Joshua Kimmich found the net shortly to extinguish the La Liga team's chances.

Between the 82nd and 89th minutes, Bayern scored twice through Philippe Coutinho and once through Robert Lewandowski to put the exclamation on a horrible night in Barca's history.

This season has been the first that Barcelona has gone without a single trophy since the 2007-08 campaign.

Britto PM is all set to join Indian Super League (ISL) side NorthEast United for the upcoming season, Goal can confirm.

The winger, who plied his trade with Mohun Bagan last season, had appeared in 11 I-League matches and was an integral part of the title-winning Green and Maroon side.

Britto made his professional debut with Kozhikode-based club Quartz FC before moving to Eagles FC. He came into prominence very late in his career during the 2017-18 I-League season at Churchill Brothers when he played at the top tier of Indian football for the first time.

His impressive show for the Red Machines prompted Mohun Bagan to sign him in 2018-19 season. In his maiden year at Kolkata, the Malayali winger won the Calcutta Football League (CFL) title.

Britto is employed with the Indian Navy and has played for the their football team. During Durand Cup 2019, Britto had to leave Mohun Bagan for a brief period to ply his trade with his employers. After the Durand Cup, he rejoined the club.

The 27-year-old will now reunite with his former Mohun Bagan teammates Gurjinder Kumar and Suhair VP at NorthEast United.

The Highlanders have so far signed Ponif Vaz from Churchill Brothers, Gurjinder Kumar and VP Suhair from Mohun Bagan and Aizawl FC duo Lalkhawpuimawia and Rochharzela.

The Guwahati-based club who had finished on the ninth position in the ISL table last year will hope to turn things around this time.

Gor Mahia coach Steven Polack has conceded the club will lose more players after defender Joash Onyango left on Friday.

The 27-year-old former Western Stima star became the latest player to leave the Kenyan champions after he signed for Tanzanian Mainland Premier League champion Simba SC for an undisclosed fee.

The exit of Onyango means Gor Mahia have now lost four key players in a span of three weeks – keeper David Mapigano who left to sign for Azam FC, winger Boniface Omondi who joined Wazito FC and winger Dickson Ambundo, who signed for promoted side Dodoma Jiji in Tanzania.

On top of that, Ugandan striker Juma Balinya, Ghanaian midfielder Jackson Owusu, and defender Charles Momanyi have all revealed they will leave the club, same as captain Kenneth Muguna, who Goal understands is already negotiating with Petro Atletico of Angola.

The British coach has now bemoaned the latest exit, terming Onyango as one of the best defenders who was leading the club through his heart and said he was sure more players would follow the exit door because of the financial situation at the club.

“I am saddened to lose Joash [Onyango], he was one of my best defenders in the team’s set up, he was good in the field and off the pitch and it is a blow that we won’t have him for next season,” Polack told Goal.

“I talked to him [Onyango] on two occasions, in fact, the last time he came to me was last week and I told him to stay, but he had already handed in a transfer request because of the financial situation the club is facing, they owe him money and he could not listen.

“It is beyond me, the situation at this club is beyond me, I can do nothing, I don’t have anything to say, the players are looking after money, we play football to get money but it is not the case here, so how can you ask the players to stay?

“I have said it and I will say it again, it will be difficult to keep our key players with the financial situation we find ourselves in, we have not paid salaries for the last five or six months and the players have families to take care of, it is not easy and many could likely follow.”

Onyango, who earned his maiden Harambee Stars call-up under coach Sebastien Migne, made his debut against Ghana at Kasarani during an Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier in 2018.

He was part of the 2019 Afcon squad in Egypt that was eliminated in the group stage after losing two matches and winning against Tanzania in Group C’s last encounter.

Onyango, nicknamed 'Berlin Wall' due to his defensive performances, had established himself as one of the outstanding defenders in the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) while serving the Green Army.

He never looked back since he became a regular first-team member for Gor Mahia when Musa Mohamed left for KF Tirana of Albania in 2018 as his outstanding partnership with Harun Shakava and later on Charles Momanyi saw him consequently appointed the K’Ogalo’s assistant captain.

Adil Ahmed Khan has had a remarkable career in football. He has been laid low by multiple injuries throughout but the 32-year-old has made a full recovery each time and is probably enjoying his best spell currently.

Adil is currently a first choice in the national team and is an integral part of the Hyderabad FC lineup in the Indian Super League (ISL).

Recognition has come late for the sturdy and versatile defender but it is just reward for his hardwork and persistence.

"Nobody should go through what I underwent. I always pray to God to keep everyone safe for Indian football to come up. If good footballers get injured and don't get to play games, then it's a problem for the country and for the players themselves," he remarked in a chat with Goal .

"Injuries are always a struggle although it's part and parcel of any sport. Even if you get injured, just work on yourself, don't give up. Believe in yourself and you will be back stronger," the Goan added.

Khan's first steps in football were at his hometown local club Verna Sports Club from where he donned the Vasco SC shirt at junior level before getting enrolled into the Sesa Football Academy in 2003.

"It began with inter-ward and inter-village football for me. We used to place bets with other wards and organise awards. Once, one of my neighbours (Jack Dourado) introduced me to the coach (Jose Sousa) of the Verna Sports Club U-15 team when I was 12. Then when I was 13, Jude Barreto called me to join the Vasco U-15," he recalled.

"From there, I got a call for the U-16 Goa Nationals. Augustin Dias was the coach. That's when I met a boy from Sesa Football Academy and got to know about them."

Among Adil's batch-mates that had the likes of Gabriel Fernandes, Pratesh Shirodkar, Augustin Fernandes, Anthony D'Souza and Sidroy Afonso, Khan is the only one currently plying his trade in the Indian Super League (ISL) - the current top tier of Indian football.

In his five years at Sesa, he explained, "We were in the third division when I started [playing for the first team]. We qualified in every year - second division, first division, played for two years in the first division and then in my last year there (2007-08), we qualified for the Goa Professional League."

The curse of injuries begins

Adil went under the knife for the first time in 2007 but made a successful return to help Sesa FA reach the elite league in Goa. However, he opted to move up a notch to the I-League with Sporting Clube de Goa while fate had something else in store for him.

"Although Sesa had qualified for the Goa Professional League, I didn't stay because I wanted to play in the I-League. They (Sesa) were giving me a good offer and also offered to make me the captain but I was thinking of the I-League instead of playing in the Goa League for another two-to-three years," he explained.

"When I was injured (recurrence of knee injury post surgery), Sporting Goa manager (Angelo Albuqureque) told me to look for another club. But when I played with (then Sporting junior team coach Levino) Anthony Pereira for the U-16 nationals and did well there, that's when he (Pereira) spoke to the boss (Peter Vaz) and my contract was renewed [in 2010]."

After a couple of seasons in the Goa league and in tournaments like Durand Cup, Adil went on to make his I-League debut in the 2010-11 season and earned himself another two years with the Flaming Oranje before a big money move to Mohun Bagan in 2013.

"When I moved to Mohun Bagan, it didn't work for me. The weather in Kolkata didn't agree with me and I left mid-season (December 2013) and I was without a club for the next eight months. I had a bad ankle injury and played with the same injury for two matches and worsened it. I should have taken rest but I forced myself to play, spoiled it and couldn't make it again. It was difficult for me to come back," he lamented.

Back in Goa, Dempo offered him trials.

"They wanted to sign me but there were very few matches left in the season. They told me to come for the next season but it was too far for me to travel without an income at the time. I told (then) coach Arthur Papas that I would do my own training."

The 'worst' decision

"Bengaluru FC was offering to sign me, Mumbai FC wanted me. Actually, it was the time when I was on trials at Dempo and by then the transfer window got over. When I was in talks with Dempo, I thought it would be good to play in Goa as Dempo was a top team that time. 

"Ashley Westwood and Pradhyum Reddy (former Bengaluru coach and assistant, respectively) were interested in signing me but I didn't feel like going out of Goa. It was my worst decision. If I had to sign for Bengaluru, I would have won so many trophies by now and I was feeling so bad that they had offered me. They (Bengaluru) told me to come and that they will take care of my injury and play whenever you are fit. 

"I wasted my year at that time but it also gave me some time towards recovery and get my own fitness back on track, and luckily ISL started. There was a draft but my name was not on the draft because they thought I was still contracted with Mohun Bagan. I would thank Lenny (Rodrigues) for that (getting my name being included in Indian players draft)."

Thanks to Lenny Rodrigues

"Once, when I had met Lenny, he told me that his name is the draft and asked me if mine was. I said no, as I didn't know anything about the draft. That time (before the inaugural edition of the ISL), only free agents were included in the draft and they (the league) thought I was contracted with Mohun Bagan. So Lenny spoke to an official and told him about me after which I was included in the draft," Khan revealed. 

"I started with a very meager amount, even lesser than what Bengaluru FC was offering, but I was lucky to make my come-back with Delhi Dynamos (now Odisha FC) in the ISL."

After managing to muster seven appearances under Dutch manager Harm van Veldhoven in the inaugural edition of the ISL, he was struck by another season-ending injury just as he was about to play on loan with Bharat FC (now disbanded) in the I-League.

"They (Bharat FC) had a good plan. They were thinking of building a team like Bengaluru FC and all but it didn't work. I got injured right in the beginning of the season when we were playing a practice match. January 4th, 2015 - my left ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) got torn - I still remember the date," Khan brought to mind.

"When I had my first surgery in 2007, I was with Sesa football academy and they took care of me and I made a comeback in one year. When I got injured at Bharat FC, my contract got over and they wanted to extend my contract but the club shut down. That's why I struggled a lot during that injury - because I had no club."

The 'best' decision

"By the time I got fit, the (2015-16) season was already getting over and that's when I started training with Salgaocar. I am very thankful that they gave me an opportunity to train with them. Actually, the coach (Malcolm Thompson) wanted to sign me there but he also got sacked. So I couldn't make it to the Salgaocar squad and there was no more option to go anywhere because the season was getting over.

"That's when I decided to go and play for a second division club at Lonestar Kashmir (on a three-month deal). That was the best decision of my career. And that's when it (the comeback) started. Dempo was playing in the second division and they called me even though they were doubtful whether they will be playing in the I-League or not back then. Salgaocar and Churchill (Brothers) were also offering me to play in the Goa Professional League.

'Nearly joined FC Goa'

"I played for Dempo for five months and from there, luckily Churchill got their team back (re-instated) in the I-League and I got a chance to play," Khan explained. 

He garnered consistent game time with both Dempo and Churchill during his time with the clubs and that opened the door for his comeback to the ISL with FC Pune City (now Hyderabad FC).

He further disclosed, "If FC Pune City hadn't to pick me, I think FC Goa was ready to pick me because coach Derrick (Pereira) had already told me that he would sign me there but I was already picked by FC Pune City. I started playing for FC Pune City and from there, Hyderabad FC now."

Having made his India senior team debut in an international friendly during the reign of Savio Medeira in 2012, Adil battled through his injuries and attended a national team camp under former coach Wim Koevermans in 2015 before another injury kept him out of the national team set-up. Seven years later he made a comeback in the 2019 King's Cup in Thailand under current India coach Igor Stimac.

"I just hope I don't get any more injuries now. I just want to play as many matches and seasons as I can. Being an a senior player now, I have to always be on my toes as there is a lot of competition in every position you play - may it be in the ISL, (Indian) national team or even in the I-League. One more injury and you're out again," Khan said.

Rio Ferdinand has said Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi may consider leaving the club following their 8-2 humiliation at the hands of Bayern Munich on Friday. 

The Blaugrana conceded four goals in either half as they were put to the sword by the rampant Bundesliga champions in the Champions League quarter-final. 

The result will likely see several changes made at Barcelona, with president Josep Maria Bartomeu hinting as much after the match.

Head coach Quique Setien and director of football Eric Abidal are among those rumoured to be departing, while Bartomeu himself may not be safe with presidential elections set to take place next year.

No departure would hurt Barca nearly as much as Messi, though, with the club still reliant on the 33-year-old superstar. 

Messi's contract expires next year and he has yet to sign a renewal, leaving many to ponder the previously unthinkable scenario of the Argentine playing for another club. 

Ferdinand is among that group, with the former Man Utd defender wondering if Messi has the patience to stay at Camp Nou through a rebuild. 

"The question is what is Messi thinking? What is he thinking going home tonight?" Ferdinand said on BT Sport.

"The level of performances that club has given and how the squad is looking at the moment in comparison to other teams around Europe. That's the big question he will be thinking about.

"Has he got the time to sit there and wait? Football comes and goes very quickly in your life so these next two years, where he is going to have power to influence games the way he does.

"Is he going to want to do that not competing for the big titles? I don't know."

Another former Man Utd star, Owen Hargreaves, added that Barca do not have the talent around Messi that they did during the club's heyday under Pep Guardiola.

"[Luis] Suarez and Messi are looking round thinking 'I miss Iniesta, Xavi, I miss [Carles] Puyol' because those guys aren't there any more," Hargreaves said.

"Ansu Fati came on and he looked great, but he's a 17-year-old kid.

"The gap between Messi and who's going to be next, you can't [see them being successful]."

Simba Queens have celebrated being crowned champions of the Tanzanian Women's Premier League following Wednesday's 9-0 defeat of TSC Queens in the final game of the season in Mwanza.

Aisha Jaffary opened the scoring for Simba just six minutes into the contest before Oppa Clement doubled the lead in the 42nd minute and Joele Bukuru added a third on the brink of the half-time break.

Simba continued from where they left off in the first half as Clement bagged her brace and the visitors' fourth, scoring two minutes after the restart.

Bukuru followed up with the fifth for Simba in the 52nd minute before Clement hit her treble two minutes later.

The rampant visitors never relented as Mwanahamis Omary found the back of the net three times in the final stages to complete the rout. 

The 9-0 triumph means the Queens recorded 18 victories out of their 22 games this season to garner 56 points, pipping last season's winners JKT Queens to the top spot, with a four-point difference.

Head coach Musa Hassan Mgosi told Cafonline: "When we started this team, we wanted to make an impact on women football in the country and protect the Simba brand as well.

“We are happy that we broke the dominance of JKT Queens and we are now looking forward to defend our title next season.

"We need to maintain this quality and also boost the squad to win more trophies.”

The maiden women's domestic success of the Queens means Simba has completed a double after the men’s side won the men’s Premier League title this season.

For awards, JKT Queens forward Fatuma Mustapha clinched the Golden Boot after netting 33 goals during the season.

Stella Mbachu has bemoaned the plight of women's footballers in the country with players of Pelican Stars being owed 14-month unpaid salaries by the Cross Rivers government.

Goal reported in April the protest of players of Pelican Stars at the Governor Ben Ayade's office in Calabar over their unpaid salaries, which has now stretched to 14 months, since June 2019.

Following the government's continued delay, the players on Wednesday stormed the governor's office to press their demands that the entitlements be offset without further delay.

And the former Nigeria international star sympathised with the players while urging the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) to intervene in the matter. 

“Female players suffer a lot in Nigeria, Mbachu,  who won multiple domestic titles with Rivers Angels, told Punch.

"We know that there are economic problems now and many state governments are striving hard to keep things in shape.

“But to owe the players this much is not good for the club, the players and the nation. I will support players to protest what’s their due.

“I once played for Pelicans, but during our time, nothing like this happened.

"These players have needs and they have families. How would they take care of themselves if they are being owed?”

Pelican are the record Nigerian Women's Premier League (NWPL) title winners with eight crowns in their cabinet.

Having made a NWPL return for the 2020 season, they hope to challenge for glory for the first time since 2010 after their relegation to the second tier in 2018. 

Former Hearts of Oak midfielder Esme Mends believes club's arch-rivals Asante Kotoko made a mistake in naming ex-Phar Rangers owner Nana Yaw Amponsah as new chief executive officer.

Last week, Amponsah was unveiled as the Porcupine Warriors' new man, replacing George Amoakoh, whose tenure ended in June. 

His appointment comes 10 months after an unsuccessful bid to become Ghana Football Association (GFA) president. 

''I don't believe Nana Yaw Amponsah is cut for the job,'' Mends said in quote published by ghanasportspage.

''He cannot do the job due to how I know him. I know him deeply and based on that, in fact, we've come a long way.

''I have moved with him for long, I will not say anything untrue but as to what he did and what he didn't do I can't say on air. 

"But I know and I'm really disappointed in whoever made the decision to appoint him as the new CEO for Kotoko because the Kotoko job is not a job for people like Nana Yaw Amponsah.

''For me, I know he’ll fail, I don’t wish him bad, though, but I know he’ll fail, and it pains me that Kotoko didn’t make the right decision at this moment of time. He is a pretender, Nana Yaw Amponsah is a pretender."

Kotoko are largely considered as Ghana's biggest club both on and off the pitch. 

They are the most successful side in the history of the Ghana Premier League (GPL), having lifted the royal diadem on 23 occasions. 

The Kumasi-based fold have also won the most FA Cup titles, with nine.

“Asante Kotoko is the biggest club in Ghana, no doubt. And for me, it’s the third biggest club in Africa, in structure. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of its content," Amponsah said at his unveiling.

“I am here to help the board and the entire Kotoko fraternity to match this superstructure with befitting content.

“I dare say that Asante Kotoko is bigger than [Ghana's two main political parties] NPP [New Patriotic Party] and NDC [National Democratic Congress]. Kotoko transcends boundaries. Kotoko is a culture.

“The joy this club gives its teeming supporters cannot be matched by any political party in Ghana.

“I, therefore, plead with you to give me double of the support you give your individual political parties of choice, and we will make Asante Kotoko great again.

“I’m going to make sure Kotoko participate in the Fifa Club World Cup."

Kotoko are also two-time African champions.

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane was left to lament their poor display in a 1-1 draw in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) against Highlands Park on Friday evening, admitting they are struggling to play their normal game.

After facing the hard-running Lions of the North at Dobsonville Stadium, the Brazilians failed to close the gap on log leaders Kaizer Chiefs who lead with 49 points, while the Tshwane giants have 46 points from 23 matches.

Moreover, his counterpart Owen Da Gama hailed his troops for their gutsy display, saying he will have a peaceful sleep, and that goalscorer Peter Shalulile is the top striker in the PSL by far.

“I’m not happy, yeah we were just killed by that early goal and in the first half we moved the ball well. We didn’t play enough but in stages of the game and I feel we could have played enough,” Mosimane told SuperSport TV.

“There was too much anxiety, too much anxiousness you know to try and score. The first-half was okay, we played better and you could see it coming.

"But yeah the first goal killed us, it looked like there was a hand that helped Shalulile to bring it forward. It looked like, I don’t know because too many hands in Dobsonville, there was another hand against [Orlando] Pirates. So, there was a hand again tonight in my opinion. If it’s not there I’m happy to be wrong.

"Yeah well, we should not go to [Motjeka] Madisha all the time, if we go to Madisha, he made a brilliant tackle here on Paseka Mako. He made another clearance against Orlando Pirates and no one was picking, why [must we] pick on Madisha again – we can’t destroy the player.

"We are trying to put the best playing team or players in the team, to try and play. It came up a little bit in the first half, second - half we struggled a little bit.

“I think we must seal the game earlier, like [Bidvest] Wits we finished well but for the last two games, it’s been tough. It’s difficult, we are trying. We want to play the way we always play with Themba Zwane but it didn’t come out. So, we move on what are we going to do?”

On the part of the hosts, Da Gama hailed his troops for their hard work, saying they vowed they would not lose to the reigning PSL champions for the third time this season.

“I’m so proud of the boys, it is our second season in the PSL and the very first-time Sundowns beat us in the last minute and again in the last game - we said it’s not going to happen again,” Da Gama told SuperSport TV.

“If we can’t win the game, we are certainly happy with a point. These are champions in the making, they are fighting for the league and I’m very happy, proud of the boys and they were exceptional.

“They fought and there were times I thought we could have taken the game, we don’t want to talk about the match officials. Let’s give the credit to the boys, I thought they played very well, they fought hard.

“Peter Shalulile, [he's] the best striker in the PSL by far. I mean he was controlling that entire defence alone. Aerial balls and on the ground.

"So, I’m very proud of each and every player, the technical team as well. In the second half when we came back, we came back much stronger. We fixed up in the middle and we were stronger.

“Shalulile has been scoring at training, he’s been scoring in friendly matches from the beginning of the season and proved it in the NFD (National First Division), he’s proved in the second season in the PSL."

Kaizer Chiefs legend Josta Dladla says his former side should be wary of Polokwane City, who will be looking to 'spoil' Amakhosi's party.

The Soweto giants have a chance to extend their lead to six points at the top of the PSL standings when they take on Rise and Shine at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Saturday.

Chiefs are currently three points above second-placed Mamelodi Sundowns, who dropped points on Friday by drawing 1-1 with Highlands Park.

Dladla turned out for both Chiefs and Sundowns during his playing days, but he is backing Amakhosi to clinch the coveted PSL title. 

“When at the top, everybody wants to spoil the party. It will be a crucial match for Kaizer Chiefs," Dladla told the club's official website.

The retired midfielder was impressed with how Amakhosi performed in their first game after a five-month break, due to the Covid-19 epidemic, against Bidvest Wits on Wednesday night as the two teams drew 1-1.

“We played well and the boys looked sharp. We looked set to win the match until the 89th minute – one mistake and we got punished. That’s football for you," he said.

“Willard Katsande, as usual, did well too. I was impressed with the youngster, Nkosingiphile Ngcobo, who looks to have a bright future ahead of him.

"Credit also to coach Ernst Middendorp for having the courage to field him in such an important match, as not too many PSL coaches would do that.”

Chiefs will be seeking revenge against Polokwane, who secured a 1-0  victory over the Soweto giants in the first-round clash at FNB Stadium in September last year.

“Polokwane City likes to play against us. They are one of those high-risk football teams in the way they play," Dladla continued. 

"You can’t give them space. They are also fighting relegation, which will make them like wounded lions."

Dladla, who won two PSL titles with Chiefs, urged Amakhosi to take it one game at a time as they look to end their five-year trophy drought. 

“However, we should just stay calm. The coach should tell the players, ‘we want to keep smelling the blood [league title] and show how hungry we are,'" he added.

"There are still seven matches to go, including the one on Saturday. We have to take it one game at a time.”

Barcelona's attempt to bring the Champions League back to Camp Nou after a five-year absence ended in humiliation on Friday, as Bayern Munich trounced them 8-2 in the quarter-final. 

The match in Lisbon started poorly for the Catalans as Thomas Muller gave Bayern the lead inside four minutes. Though a David Alaba own goal gave them hope, Barcelona were ultimately undone by the ruthless German champions. 

Ivan Perisic, Serge Gnabry, Joshua Kimmich, Robert Lewandowski, a brace from Philippe Coutinho and another goal from Muller would add further misery for Barca, who got a second-half goal from Luis Suarez that was a mere consolation. 

The Bavarians will move on to face either Manchester City or Lyon in the semi-final while the Catalans will head back to Spain to lick their wounds and contemplate a season with no trophies.

There was plenty of reaction as Lionel Messi and Co. were humiliated in the Champions League last eight. 

Luis Suarez finally ended his seemingly endless scoring drought in the Champions League, but it proved barely a consolation as Barcelona were utterly dismantled in Friday's record-breaking 8-2 defeat for the Catalans. 

The Uruguayan led the line for his team alongside Lionel Messi at Lisbon's Estadio da Luz as they took on Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals. 

Unfortunately for the Blaugrana, the highly anticipated tie quickly turned into a nightmare thanks to their own weaknesses in defence and Bayern's brilliant forward play. 

Thomas Muller fired the Bundesliga champions ahead after just three minutes and, while David Alaba's own goal briefly levelled matters, Ivan Perisic and Serge Gnabry were on hand to restore Bayern's supremacy before Muller hit again before the break. 

Trailing 4-1 at half-time after a disastrous opening 45 minutes, Barca needed an early goal to keep their hopes alive. 

And Suarez duly obliged with a fine finish before the hour to banish his Champions League woes. 

Not since September 2015 against Roma had the forward managed to net in an away match in the competition, a startling record for a player of his calibre and marksmanship. 

It took 1,952 minutes of action and no less than 69 shots to end that drought - an act that was soon made to look futile by the rampant Germans. 

No sooner had Suarez given his side a shred of hope than Bayern replied with their fifth goal of the evening, this time converted by Joshua Kimmich. 

Forty-four years had passed since the last time Barcelona had conceded five in a single European clash, when they went down 5-4 to Levski Sofia in March 1976 in the UEFA Cup.

But if Barca thought at that point the worst had passed, they were sorely mistaken. 

Lewandowski hit a sixth for unstoppable Bayern before Philippe Coutinho added insult to injury with a late double against his parent club, sealing a final, humiliating scoreline of 8-2. 

Yet another historic worst was thus recorded, with Barca conceding eight goals in a single match for the first time since 1946, when Sevilla inflicted an 8-0 thrashing on the Catalans in the Copa del Rey.

Bayern now advance to the semi finals of this rescheduled Champions League competition, which is being decided by a single match from the last eight onwards due to the postponement of the planned calendar during the coronavirus lockdown. 

The semi will take place on August 19 against the winner of Manchester City's encounter with Lyon on Saturday.