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Javier Mascherano is convinced Barcelona will overcome a "very good" Bayern Munich side in their Champions League quarter-final tie thanks to the presence of Lionel Messi.

Argentina superstar Messi took his tally for the season to 31 goals with a strike in last week's 3-1 last-16 second-leg win over Napoli as Barca progressed 4-2 on aggregate.

Bayern have won 26 of their past 27 matches in all competitions and now await Quique Setien's side in Lisbon on Friday after thrashing Chelsea 7-1 over two legs in the previous round.

Despite the German champions' impressive form, however, Mascherano is expecting former team-mate Messi to guide Barcelona to victory in the one-legged tie.

"Bayern have a very good team with some physically strong players but, in a one-off match, anything can happen and I'm convinced Barcelona will be good enough," Mascherano, who is now playing in his native Argentina for Estudiantes, told Catalan daily Ara ahead of the last-eight clash.

"Barcelona need to control the match because it's always difficult for them to defend around their own area. If they can control things, then it's down to individual moments and that's when things begin to happen.

"Messi is the main reason Barcelona can beat any team. He knows they are just two more matches away from the Champions League final. I saw that desire from him against Napoli and it spread to his team-mates."

Messi is likely to start alongside Antoine Griezmann and Luis Suarez on Friday but there is talk Barca are looking to bring in a long-term replacement for the latter.

Inter striker Lautaro Martinez has been strongly linked with a switch to Camp Nou during the close season, and Mascherano is a fan of his compatriot

"I don't know if he's the perfect replacement for Luis Suarez," he said. "What I do know is, he's a very good player and is very compatible with Messi for the national team.

"But I don't know if he's Suarez's replacement or if Suarez needs replacing."

Cape Town City moved closer to the top eight bracket following a 1-0 win over Chippa United at Orlando Stadium on Friday afternoon. 

Kermit Erasmus' first-half goal was the difference as the Mother City-based side bagged only their eighth win of the season. 

The former Orlando Pirates marksman headed home after being left unmarked in the box following a delightful cross by Fagrie Lakay. 

City dominated possession for the better part of the game while Chippa chased the game and often had to soak up the pressure.

With this being Lehlohonolo Seema's first game in charge of the Chilli Boys, changes in their usual starting line-up were expected. 

Seema started with Mlungisi Mazibuko in goals while Thokozani Sekotlong led the attack as a lone striker. 

His counterpart, Jan Olde Riekerink, didn't make any surprising changes to the team that featured heavily before the suspension of the season in March. 

Peter Leeuwenburgh kept his place in between sticks while Erasmus, Lakay and Surprise Ralani completed the 4-3-3 formation upfront. 

After a slow start to the first-half, City created their first real chance through Lakay in the 15th minute but he would sky his out-of-box effort over the crossbar after a brilliant combination with Erasmus and Shane Roberts.  

City then took the lead two minutes later through Erasmus who was left lurking inside the box and the diminutive striker made no mistake, heading the ball past Mazibuko.

This was after Lakay had positioned himself well to collect the ball from a Chippa United throw-in before whipping a cross into the box.  

It was the 25th goal that Chippa United had conceded this season - a record Seema will have to work on improving ahead of next season provided he keeps the job beyond the current campaign.  

The game lost its spark soon afterwards with Chippa United having to deal with the pace of City's front three while trying to create goalscoring chances of their own. 

However, it was a rather disappointing half as they only registered a single shot at goal - a Ruzaigh Gamaldien attempt which went wide without even troubling Leeuwenburgh. 

City made a forced substitution at the start of the second half after Thamsanqa Mkhize, injured from the first-half, was replaced by Ebrahim Seedat.

Whatever Seema told his players at half-time really worked wonders as Chippa United took the game to City soon after the restart. 

Perhaps the introduction of  Kurt Lentjies and Augustine Kwem also sparked them to life as they played with more purpose and determination, especially in the final third of the pitch. 

Their first shot at goal after the restart came a few minutes into the second half when Gamaldien fired wide from inside City's box.  

Lakay proved too much for the home side as he used his pace to unsettle the defence. 

He was fouled in a promising position for City to double their lead but Mduduzi Mdantsane's free-kick sailed over the crossbar.

As expected, fatigue crept in midway through the second half and goalscoring chances were few and far between.  

The last 15 minutes brought back the excitement as Chippa United pushed forward in numbers while City sat back and wanted to catch them on a counter.

Tashreeq Morris had a chance to put the game to bed and double City's lead in the 75th minute after a delightful through pass from Mdantsane but he failed to beat Mazibuko.  

There was drama with 10 minutes to go as Kelvin Moyo was red-carded for a second bookable offence. This forced Chippa United to finish the match with 10 men. 

Ultimately, the Citizens held on to their lead to register a comfortable win and move up to ninth on the standings.

Mamelodi Sundowns will get another chance to close the gap between them and Kaizer Chiefs when they take on Highlands Park at Dobsonville Stadium on Friday night. 

The Brazilians have already played two games since the return of football and will fancy their chances against Owen Da Gama's side. 

However, having recently played them before the lockdown, Sundowns know they cannot afford to take Highlands Park for granted. 

TV Channel, Live Score & How To Watch

The match will be screened live on SuperSport and SABC.

Highlands Park have not reported any new positive Covid-19 cases since the team entered the bio-bubble. 

Da Gama will therefore have a full squad to select his best starting XI from but all eyes will be on the usual suspects.  

Peter Shalulile has already been linked with a possible move away from the Lions of the North, and has set himself a target of 18 goals this season. 

He's undoubtedly Highlands Park's dangerman and the Sundowns defence cannot afford to let him leave their sight. 

There is also Mothobi Mvala who hasn't quite hit form this season but remains an integral member of the squad. 

Sundowns, on the other hand, had a few of their key players such as Anele Ngcongca and Thapelo Morena out injured while Sibusiso Vilakazi started on the bench against Orlando Pirates. 

However, their hopes will be on Gaston Sirino who is expected to walk straight into the starting line-up after serving his two-match ban. 

Lebohang Maboe started at right-back against the Sea Robbers, and it remains to be seen if Mosimane will again trust him with defending against Highlands Park. 

Sundowns' dangerman is Themba Zwane who has scored nine league goals this season while Rivaldo Coetzee is also expected to pull the string in the middle of the park alongside Hlompho Kekana. 

Match Preview

In head-to-head stats since 2016, the Lions of the North and the Brazilians have met seven times across all competitions. 

Five of the seven matches were in the league with Sundowns winning three and drawing the other two matches. 

The last two league matches were won by Sundowns while Highlands Park recorded consecutive draws against the Tshwane giants in 2017 and 2018. 

Sundowns are second on the log with 45 points from 22 matches while Highlands Park are placed eighth on the log with 31 points from 23 matches.  

Sofapaka FC have been dealt another blow after their target Michael Kibwage turned down their advances. 

Batoto ba Mungu had set their eyes on free agent and Kenya defender Musa Mohammed, but the latter's reported Ksh 6 million signing-on fee thwarted them. It is, for this reason, the 2009 league champions opted to go for KCB youngster Kibwage to help in strengthening their defense.

"Sofapaka president [Elly Kalekwa] met the player hoping to convince him to join his charges," a source close to the player told Goal on Friday.

"The team was prepared to part with Ksh 1.5 million as a sign on fee but Kibwage refused to join them. It is a blow for Sofapaka who are desperate to bolster their defence to stand a chance of winning the league next season."

Goal understands the Bankers are also desperate to keep hold of their captain whose contract expires in October.

The Bankers are one of the stable teams in the top-tier and are targeting the league title in the next few seasons. 

In an earlier interview, 22-year-old had revealed why he was enjoying his time at the club.

"Any player wants to play in a team which provides a good environment for development and KCB have provided that for me," Kibwage told Goal.

"I am happy here and to be honest, moving to another team playing in the same league is out of mind. I have not even thought about it and to be honest, there is no chance.

"As I said earlier, we have an ambition of winning the KPL title and it is a motivation for me; I want to achieve that with this team."

Before moving to KCB, Kibwage had managed to break into AFC Leopards' first team and was seen as the future of the 13-time league champions. Ingwe had signed the player from Mukumu High School in 2017.

A couple of weeks ago, the Kenya U23 defender was linked with a move to 20-time Tanzania Premier League champions Simba SC as well as a move to an unnamed Zambia team but the centre-back insists those are baseless rumours.

"Well, I was surprised to hear [Simba] are after me because I do not have an agent. So if someone wants me, there is no shortcut he has to talk to me," he said.

"Yes, it is a dream for every player to move abroad, but when the right time comes it will happen. Currently, my concentration is on helping KCB perform well and help in building the team towards winning the league."

Sports lawyers in Tanzania have questioned the Tanzanian Football Federation's (TFF) move to declare Bernard Morrison as a free agent.

TFF’s recent judgment on the contractual tussle between Morrison and Yanga allowed the Ghanaian to enter into negotiations with other clubs and eventually signed for Simba SC.

Yanga contested the winger had signed a two-year extension, an assertion that was denied by the player, leading to the TFF taking up the matter and later decided in favour of the former Orlando Pirates star.

According to Frank Chacha, a former legal advisor for Yanga, the judgement by the federation was far from convincing.

“Anyone above 18 years has been granted the free will to enter into a contract so long as he is of sane mind, the contract does not contravene the laws of the country and that it was not signed under duress,” Chacha told Mwanaspoti.

“I have not seen convincing reasons why the contract [the contested agreement between Yanga and Morrison] was nullified. The reasons given are not convincing enough to cancel a contract.

“It is only the manner in which one decides to sign a contract that is not illegal in the eyes of the law.”

Joseph Shingano, who is a former TFF legal advisor, said the federation must make it clear why they deemed the contract between the Ghanaian and Yanga illegal.

“A contract is a deal between two parties and must include intricate details. When it comes to football contracts it must include the seasons the player intends to play,” Shingano told the same publication.

“The contract can also be cancelled after taking into account a player's current form and an example is [Mbwana] Samatta when he left TP Mazembe.

“Therefore TFF must state the deficiencies that the Morrison-Yanga contract had which made it illegal in the first place.”

A former elections board chair for the TFF, Revocatius Kuuli, also gave reasons why he was left with a number of questions after the judgement.

“They [TFF] were saying that maybe the documents were fake, the player is a free agent, that Morrison has a case at the Disciplinary Committee and this is the first time I have seen a court giving a judgement that is not self-explanatory and independent,” Kuuli said.

“This is the first of a kind instance I have come across.

“There is no way one is going to be punished for a mistake that was committed by a different person.”

Morrison will, however, have to pay Yanga $25,000 to be fully cleared to play for Kariakoo rivals Simba.

The right-back registered four goals and 13 assists in 38 league appearances in 2019-20 - only Manchester City attacking midfielder Kevin De Bruyne set up more goals than the 21-year-old. 

Alexander-Arnold also helped the Reds keep 12 clean sheets as Jurgen Klopp's team ended their 30-year wait for the top-flight title.

The Liverpool academy graduate beat seven other players to the award, consisting of Manchester United trio Mason Greenwood, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford, Aston Villa star Jack Grealish, Christian Pulisic and Mason Mount of Chelsea and Sheffield United goalkeeper Dean Henderson.

He has also been nominated for the Player of the Season award.

"I can't ever remember one player have such an influence on his team at right-back as Trent has on Liverpool, let alone from a 21-year-old," former Chelsea and Blackburn defender Graeme Le Saux told the Premier League's website.

"He's adding more goals to his game, his assists record is second to none among defenders. I can see him continuing to improve in the environment he is playing in at Liverpool.”

The England international has been topped to become one of the world's best players in the future by Brazil, Roma and AC Milan legend Cafu.

"He’s a sensational player, a rare talent," Cafu told FIFA's website in June.

"If he keeps playing the way he has been he will be regarded as one of the best players in the world. He has the potential to win [The Best FIFA Men’s Player] award.

"He’s technically brilliant, he has so much quality. He has a Brazilian style of play. I love watching him play. And playing in such a great team will help him grow." 

Alexander-Arnold made his Liverpool breakthrough in 2016-17 and has made 134 appearances in all competitions. As well as the Premier League crown, he has won the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup with the Anfield side.

TheNigeria Football Federation (NFF), Confederation of African Football (Caf), Fifa, Bolton Wanders and Eintracht Frankfurt have celebrated with Jay-Jay Okocha on his 47th birthday.  

The midfielder is regarded as one of the greatest players from Africa, winning the Nigeria Player of the Year award seven times and twice scooped the BBC Africa best player prize.

The governing bodies and his former clubs, where he enjoyed great success, have congratulated him on his birthday.

Okocha, who was born in Enugu, started his career from his home town, where he joined Enugu Rangers in 1990 and his dribbling skills soon draw the attention of

One of his memorable moments in the Nigerian league was his skilful display against BCC Lions, where he rounded off experienced Super Eagles goalkeeper Willy Okpara before finding the back of the net.

He then moved abroad to begin his European career with FC Saarbrucken and his impressive showings soon caught the attention of Eintracht Frankfurt.

Okocha signed for the Bundesliga side in December 1991 and made 90 appearances for the club during his four-year stay.

One of his highlights at the club was his goal against Karlsruher SC in 1993, where he dribbled past a number of players, including German goalkeeper Oliver Kahn before slotting home his effort. The strike was awarded as the Goal of the Season.

The mercurial midfielder then teamed up with Turkish Super Lig side Fenerbahce in 1996 and helped the club win the Prime Minister's Cup and Ataturk Cup during his time with the side.

Okocha joined PSG for £14 million to become the most expensive African player at the time and scored 12 goals in 84 appearances for the French outfit.

In 2002 he moved to Bolton Wanderers and soon became the toast of the fans, steering the club from relegation in his debut campaign.

He was handed the captain armband following the retirement of Gudni Bergsson and led the side to their first League Cup final in nine years, finishing as runner-up in the competition. He also played for Qatar SC and Hull City before his retirement.  

Okocha had 73 caps and scored 14 goals for the Super Eagles and was part of the side that won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations.

He helped the West Africans finish as runners-up in the 2000 edition of the continental tournament and played a key role as Nigeria won bronze medals at 2002, 2004 and 2006 Afcons.

The midfielder played in three World Cup tournaments in 1994, 1998 and 2002 co-hosted by Korea and Japan. 

In one of the most surprising announcements of the season, Premier League side AFC Richmond have unveiled American coach Ted Lasso as their new manager.

The appointment has come as a shock to football pundits and supporters alike, with some notable names left confused as to why the Premier League side would appoint someone with no experience in football management and no experience in football at any level.

Despite those reservations, Lasso does have coaching experience in a different type of football, having previously taken charge of an American Football team at college level.

He will bring with him experience from his time as a lower-tier Kansas college coach and will be assisted by Coach Beard.

It is hoped that Lasso's arrival can help get the best out of players such as veteran Roy Kent and bright young star Jamie Tartt.

The announcement was a closely guarded secret until Friday's unveiling where Lasso was given the opportunity to speak to journalists for the first time and reveal why he has decided to test himself in England's top flight, having never coached a soccer team before.

Lasso spoke highly of his new employers and claimed that he would bring a different attitude to the team, one where hard work is important, but perhaps not the most important aspect of coaching.

"I know that AFC Richmond is going to give you everything it's got, win or lose," Lasso claimed at his first official press conference.

However, there may have been one eventuality Lasso did not prepare for: drawn games, which is something one intrepid reporter present was quick to point out.

"That's right, y'all do ties here," the coach exclaimed, before highlighting the importance of all aspects of player development.

"For me, success is not about the wins and losses," he said. "It's about having these young fellas being the best versions of themselves on and off the field."

Additionally, Richmond have revealed that the appointment of the former American football coach represents a new direction for the rudderless team, insisting: "Richmond are changing the way we do things. That way is the Lasso way."

Already, both the media and the team's players are cynical about the appointment, but the important question remains: can the new coach get them to see the Ted Lasso way?

Watch Ted Lasso from August 14 on Apple TV+

Lyon left-back Marcal believes that his team have a “great chance” of winning the Champions League despite having to face Pep Guardiola's Manchester City in the quarter-finals, citing the fact that the match will be played on neutral ground as a potential advantage.

The remainder of Europe's premier club competition is being played out in Portugal, with all matches being played over one leg rather than the conventional two, as UEFA look to wrap up the tournament in the safest manner possible.

It is no secret that City have one of the most expensive squads ever assembled, with Guardiola having several options for each position on the pitch and boasting some of world the game's finest footballers throughout the ranks.

Upsets can happen, however, as Diego Simeone's much-fancied Atletico Madrid side found out on Thursday as they were knocked out by Julian Nagelsmann's RB Leipzig – all without the services of former star striker Timo Werner.

With that in mind, Marcal has stated that the belief within the Lyon squad is high and that he and his team-mates already have one eye on the ultimate prize.

“In the locker room, everyone is thinking about going all the way to the final,” the defender said in an interview with Le Progres.

“And if we go there, we will have a great chance of winning. We play on neutral ground and without an audience. In that context, it might not be the favourites who win. This might be our chance.”

Marcal is under no illusions that City have the stronger squad, but after knocking out a Cristiano Ronaldo-led Juventus side and taking Paris Saint-Germain all the way to penalties in the final of Coupe de la Ligue, Les Gones are brimming with confidence.

“They buy the best players and their coach is one of the top three in the world,” the 31-year-old added. “So in this sense we are not on a level playing field. However, with what we did against Paris and Juventus, we know that we have a chance.”

Marcal's Lyon side take on Man City at Estadio Jose Alvalade on Saturday evening.

Wazito FC have continued their rebuilding with the signing of defender Mark Otieno from Leads United.

The versatile young defender has been confirmed at the 2018/19 National Super League champions.

"We are delighted to announce the signing of Mark Otieno from Leads United, United plays in the Super 8 Division One League," Wazito confirmed on their official website on Friday.

"Otieno is primarily a left-back but he can play across all positions at the back. He will compete with our first-choice left-sided defender, Dennis Ng’ang’a for the left-back berth."

Head coach Fred Ambani has welcomed the defender at the club and revealed why the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) side went for his signature. 

The youthful tactician has also welcomed the versatility of the defender in his team.

"He is a good young player. We watched him closely in the lower leagues and we were impressed with his quality. I am happy to have him in the team," Ambani commended the player.

"His versatility is also another important aspect of the game because sometimes you can miss one or two defenders through suspension or injuries but when you have a player who can comfortably play in any position that’s a big plus for the team." 

Otieno becomes the second player to be signed by the club after the arrival of Vincent Oburu from AFC leopards.

While at Ingwe, the winger managed to score 13 league goals in the three years he was involved with the senior team. He is delighted to join the 2018/19 National Super League champions, saying it will give him an opportunity to improve.

"I am happy to join this team, it is a good career step for me because it gives me an opportunity to work hard and improve as a player," Oburu said after sealing a reported three-year deal.

"I want to work well with my coach and teammates so that we can achieve what the team wants which is winning titles.

"To the fans, I urge them to keep supporting the team and we the new players will help take the team to the next level."   

Football Manager is one of the most popular sports video games in the world and fans of the long-running franchise can look forward to Football Manager 2021 (FM21) later this year.

There had been some concerns that there may not be a follow-up to Football Manager 2020, but Sports Interactive bosses eased those worries with an announcement in late July.

So, while we look ahead to the fresh instalment of the simulation game, Goal brings you everything we currently know about release dates, price, devices and more.

Contents

When will Football Manager 2021 be released?

Football Manager games are normally released around the beginning of November, but coronavirus-related disruptions this year mean that it will be slightly later than usual.

Sports Interactive head honcho Miles Jacobson said there would be a delay in the launch of Football Manager 2021, but gave an indication that it could be available in late November or early December 2020.

"Despite all the problems going on in the world, there will be new Football Manager games released later this year," Jacobson said in a message shared on the official Football Manager website in July. 

He added that the games "will be delivered a little later than we’d originally planned" but the expectation is that they will be ready in time for the Christmas and holiday period.

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How much will Football Manager 2021 cost?

It's not clear yet how much Football Manager 2021 will cost, but the standard version of the games usually cost in the region of £40, though there are usually pre-order and loyalty discounts available.

There are a number of different versions of the game, with Football Manager Touch - a scaled-down version optimised for tablet devices - being cheaper than the standard computer edition.

Last year, FM20 Touch cost just over £20 and that it likely to be the same for FM21.

To put the price of Football Manager into perspective, it is significantly cheaper than the FIFA franchise, with the standard version of that costing £59.99 in the UK, although they are admittedly very different games.

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Which devices will Football Manager 2021 be on?

Football Manager 2021 is expected to be available on the usual platforms of PC, Mac and Google Stadia, as well as Nintendo Switch, tablet devices and mobile phones (for Touch and Mobile versions).

Sports Interactive have also teased the news that FM21 will be available on "more platforms than ever before", but it is unclear which these will be exactly.

There have been calls over the years for Football Manager games to be made available on PlayStation and Xbox devices, but we will have to wait and see for now.

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What new features will Football Manager 2021 have?

It is normal for Sports Interactive to remain tight-lipped about new features until everything is locked in place, but we usually hear from them roughly two months before launch. 

So, while the coronavirus-enforced lockdown may have thrown a spanner into the works, we can safely assume that official details will be made public some time in September or October in order to whet appetites.

According to Jacobson, the new games will "have exceptionally strong feature sets", but not quite the 'dream feature set' he had originally envisaged pre-Covid-19.

FM 20 brought new features such as Club Vision and Code of Conduct, so it will be interesting to see what fresh additions appear. While we wait to learn of new features, here are some potential FM21 features:

Graphics

The issue of game engine graphics has long been a focus of Sports Interactive and, while strides have indeed been made to make the visual experience better, there is still a way to go.

Of course, it's not likely that FM21 will look as good as FIFA 21, but every step towards realism is one to be welcomed in a simulation game.

New player stats

While the old adage 'if it's not broke, don't fix it' may often ring true, some gamers would like to see new player statistics added to the usual technical, mental and physical columns.

RealSport suggests that player stats "have been static for a while" and they make a good case, arguing that fine-tuning your team's tactics would be easier if you knew if a striker with a strong finishing attribute was better at first-time shooting and so forth. 

More licenses

Manchester United taking legal action against Football Manager over a trademark complaint illustrates how fraught the question of licensing and likeness can be, but fans of the game always want the real deal.

However, that is sadly not always the case in Football Manager, but they are not alone in that respect. For example, Juventus' exclusive deal with Konami means that they are now known as 'Zebre' in Football Manager and 'Piemonte Calcio' in the FIFA franchise.

While getting more official licensing deals in plays sounds good, it may be tricky and the ongoing battle for alliances looks to be getting more competitive, with AC Milan and Inter set to be exclusive to FIFA 21.

Greater engagements between clubs and authorities

Every now and then, clubs will lock horns with the football authorities and sometimes, as Manchester City did with UEFA, they will end up taking a dispute to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Disputes arise at all levels of the game, so it may be a headache to cover all bases, but more dynamism on big-ticket issues such as ejection from the Champions League or transfer bans would enhance realism.

Improve international management

Management at international level is very different to management at club level and that is reflected in the game, with much greater control and options available to club managers.

The popular FM Blog has suggested that FM21 could benefit from increasing the training and scouting dynamics available to international coaches.

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Tanzania Mainland Premier League champions Simba SC have unveiled a new logo as well as the 2020/21 jersey.

The club’s spokesperson Haji Manara explained why they have altered the club’s logo which will no longer carry their slogan ‘Nguvu Moja’.

Wekundu wa Msimbazi made the changes in a season they recorded success on the pitch, they retained the league title, won the FA Cup as well as the Community Shield trophy.

“According to the growing demands of evolving football, many clubs have decided to change their logos in order to remain relevant in the current market,” Manara said during the unveiling ceremony.

“Simba are doing this because we are not an island. It is very few big clubs that have had their logos unchanged since their inception.

“Let me give you an example of clubs like Manchester United, Barcelona, Arsenal, and even some here in Africa have had to change their logos in order to be compatible with the modern market demands.

“Our slogan 'Nguvu Moja' will not appear in the new logo and this is the reason; just because of the modern demands and in the business perspective as it was done by big clubs world-wide we have decided to get rid of the slogan from our logo.

“Orlando Pirates have deleted the slogan, even Al Ahly, the best team in Africa for the decade have also done so.”

Manara stated that the intention of doing away with the slogan from their new jerseys and logo should not be understood as a step to completely do away with the ‘Nguvu Moja’ slogan.

“It does not mean we are completely doing away with the slogan, no. But given the demands of modern soccer and the markets we have had to make some changes,” the outspoken official said.

“We will, however, retain it in our constitution and in the press releases.

“I am making this explanation just to avoid misinterpretation that we have completely deleted our slogan.”

New boy Bernard Morrison was among the three players used to unveil the new jersey set for the upcoming season.

Morrison was signed from arch-rivals Yanga SC after just half-a-season stay.

Former Inter president Massimo Moratti has claimed that current owners Suning Holdings Group have “everything is takes” to sign Lionel Messi from Barcelona as fresh rumours continue to swirl regarding the Argentina captain's future.

Messi has voiced his disapproval at the level of performances at times in 2019-20, while the club's transfer dealings and head coach appointments have many wondering whether the six-time Ballon d'Or winner is considering a move elsewhere.

And while Moratti ultimately failed in his attempts to lure Messi to San Siro during the early stages of his Barca career, the 75-year-old businessman believes that the club's new owners have everything that would be required to land their dream signing.

“I am just a simple fan of Inter now, so I don’t have any inside information,” Moratti told Quotidiano Sportivo. “Having said that, I do know this: Suning have everything it takes to bring Messi to Milan, in terms of both resources and competence.”

One pursuit that did prove successful was the signing of Romelu Lukaku from Manchester United, a move that Moratti initially saw as a massive gamble – especially as it helped spell the end for former captain Mauro Icardi at the club.

Now, however, Moratti admits he was wrong to doubt Antonio Conte's push to sign the Belgian, with the striker proving a fantastic addition to the club alongside fellow frontman Lautaro Martinez.

“I got it wrong on Lukaku,” Moratti confessed. “In all honesty, I thought he was just physically strong and feared we would regret losing Icardi. Instead, Romelu is a champion, always helps his team-mates and has good vision.

“Antonio Conte was right to demand his signing and then did so well to improve him. Winning the Europa League won’t be easy, as there are four very competitive sides left, but I do hope Inter can be the next Italian club to lift a European trophy.”

One Serie A side that will not be lifting a European trophy this season is Atalanta, who lost out to two late PSG goals in painful fashion.

And while Moratti congratulated Gian Piero Gasperini's side for their Champions League efforts, his words for Juventus, who were knocked out by Lyon, were not so kind.

“It’s one thing to be eliminated by PSG, another to go out against Lyon, the team seventh in Ligue 1. There is simply no comparison,” he sniped.

“Inter waited for 45 years between Champions League trophies, so Juve are pushing 25 years, maybe they’ll be quicker than we were…”

Donny van de Beek says he is "proud" to play for Ajax and will not complain if he does not get a move away from the club amid interest from Manchester United and Real Madrid.

Ajax director Edwin van der Sar revealed in June that Van de Beek is a target for United and Madrid following another impressive campaign for the Dutch giants.

However, the Netherlands international concedes that leaving the club this year is unlikely due to the "messy" situation caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Van de Beek, who has two years to run on his Ajax contract, insists he has no problem remaining at the Johan Cruijff ArenA for another season.

"It is very messy, in any case a very messy period in terms of transfers," he told Fox Sports following Ajax's 5-1 pre-season friendly win over Utrecht on Thursday.

"Nothing is certain yet. I am still a player of Ajax and I am still proud to be there.

"If there had not been the coronavirus, it might have been different now. There is no clarity now and we have to wait and see how it turns out.

"I'm still here and after all these years I still have a lot of fun. If I also play at Ajax next season, I still have a lot of fun. You won't hear me complaining."

Academy product Van de Beek has spent five seasons in Ajax's first team, accruing close to 200 appearances in all competitions and has won one Eredivisie title and a KNVB Beker with the Dutch giants.

The 23-year-old is contracted to the club until 2022 and Ajax CEO Van der Sar has warned that they will not sell their players for a low price despite the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

"There will always be some who benefit from a crisis and some clubs will have to sell for less, but I think we're in a fortunate position thanks to our strong financial policy,” he said  in June.

“Therefore we don't have to sell, but we made agreements with the players. These won't go below a certain price level. We won't let go of our players for sale prices. We prefer to keep them here."

The relegation of Wimbledon and Watford in 1999/00, two overly direct teams, seemingly marked the death of route one football in the Premier League, until Sam Allardyce came along with his Bolton Wanderers side in 2001/02.

At the time, Jay-Jay Okocha was still plying his trade for Paris Saint-Germain, the club who made him the most expensive African player in a £14 million deal in 1998.

The Nigerian playmaker joined the Bolton revolution on a free transfer after the 2002 World Cup as PSG didn’t take up the option of renewing his contract.

The idea of Allardyce and Okocha joining forces was a strange one, owing to their contrasting styles: the English manager was intent on bringing back old school British football to a changing Premier League that was gradually becoming more global, while the skilled artist was a mesmeric showman who simply wanted to have fun after crossing the white line.

For his part, the talented Super Eagle was so excited about playing in England that he probably didn’t hesitate with his decision to play for the Bolton icon.

As it turned out, the next four seasons were thrilling for the West African star who thrived in Allardyce’s system.

Their style was degradingly tagged 'hoof ball' by naysayers, who felt exasperated by the swathe of long balls the Trotters played into dangerous areas. However, even though it seemed that way, there was a lot of method to the perceived madness that was witnessed on most weekends.

While what was often experienced on matchdays wasn't easy on the eye football, it was the result of several hours spent poring through clips of the opposition, trying to find strengths and weaknesses in an attempt to prevent the former and exploit the latter.

Allardyce perfected this in his time at the club, and it is to his credit that after finishing in the bottom five in their first two campaigns back in the big time, the Wanderers ended in the top eight for the next four years.

The English manager took football back to basics, and while this irked many, it tended to bring out the best in his signings, Okocha inclusive.

Under the ex-defender, the Nigerian formed a major part of a side that possessed more technical players than they were given credit for, but also perfected their direct style of play.

Okocha and Frenchman Youri Djorkaeff, who signed months before the ex-Nigeria star, playing at the Reebok Stadium was a big deal for fans given they were thrilled by both exciting imports who gave the side a bit of guile in the final third.

Allardyce also added Ivan Campo and Fernando Hierro, multi-time Champions League winners from Real Madrid whose exquisite passing ranges highlighted how the manager’s ethos wasn’t just about destroying the game plan of the opponent.

Furthermore, the addition of Stelios Giannakopoulos in 2003 gave the side added bite in attack owing to his propensity to time his runs into the box intelligently to score, while Kevin Nolan’s prowess at attacking second balls was equally impressive.

Still, the grit of Kevin Davies, a target man whose presence was nearly every centre-back’s nightmare, made Bolton’s strategy even more effective. On many occasions, the Trotters played balls forward to the striker knowing full well his physical presence would be a handful to their opponents’ rearguard.

Even though the Englishman averaged eight goals in the Premier League for the side from Greater Manchester, what he contributed to the side shouldn't be watered down by his modest numbers.

Many of the aforementioned were in the Bolton side that made it to the League Cup final in 2003/04 but fell to a 2-1 defeat by Middlesbrough.

While it took a collective effort to make the Wanderers an established top flight side, Okocha’s influence in making the club regular in the top eight saw him named captain at the start of his second season.

Indeed, the Nigerian turned out to be more than just a tricky showboater for Bolton, taking their 02/03 season by the scruff of the neck to score an important strike in a 2-0 victory over Sunderland, a late winning penalty against Tottenham Hotspur, an incredible winning goal in a 1-0 success over West Ham United and the winner on the final day at Middlesbrough’s expense.

The aforementioned four of the playmaker’s seven league goals came in the final nine games of the campaign, which helped the Wanderers retain their top flight status.

He not only led Bolton to their first final in nine years, but also captained the side in their Uefa Cup sojourn in 05/06 where they reached the Last 32 on their first taste of European football.

Allardyce’s men may not have been the most eye-catching side to watch, but with players like Okocha in his ranks, the Englishman transformed an unfancied side from Greater Manchester into one of the most consistent teams in the Premier League.

Sarina Wiegman has signed a four-year deal to succeed Phil Neville as England's head coach, beginning in September 2021.

The 50-year-old's appointment was announced on Friday in anticipation of Neville's departure, which will come in July 2021 when his contract expires.

Wiegman will take over after she leads the Netherlands at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, rescheduled for July of next year due to the impact of Covid-19.

She will lead the Lionesses to the upcoming Euros in 2022, for which England are the hosts, as well as the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand and the 2025 Euros.

However, Wiegman will not take charge of the Team GB squad that will fly to Japan next year - or a team at the 2024 Olympics, if Team GB were to qualify.

"I’m delighted and honoured to join England Women next year," she said.

"England is the cradle of football and the major developments in women’s football globally over recent years have been led by The FA. I’m very much looking forward to contributing my experience and expertise to this ambitious team.

"The ride with the ‘Oranje Lionesses’ has been amazing so far, but we haven’t reached our final destination yet. There are two more goals: qualifying for the UEFA Women's EURO in 2022 and challenging at the Olympics next summer. That would be a fitting completion for me of everything we've strived to achieve in women’s football in my home country.

"I am extremely excited by the prospect of leading England Women in the future, but for now I am one hundred percent focused on Oranje. I will do my utmost to add another chapter to their remarkable journey before making my next step."

The FA’s director of women’s football, Sue Campbell, added: "It speaks volumes for the progress of England Women over recent years and the bold ambitions we have for the future that we had so many world-class candidates apply for the role.

"Sarina was our number one choice. She is the perfect cultural fit for us, which is crucially important in building a winning team. Her technical expertise, leadership skills and winning mentality is hugely impressive.

"I am confident that together with our incredible support staff and ambitious, talented playing squad she can help us achieve the international success we are striving for.

"Sarina will also be a great ambassador for the FA and the women’s game in England, sharing our desire to inspire the next generation of English players, coaches, administrators and supporters."

Wiegman led the Netherlands to glory at their home Euros in 2017, when they beat Denmark 4-2 in the final. She then coached the team to the final of the 2019 World Cup, where they were beaten 2-0 by the United States.

The former Dutch international, who appeared over 100 times for her country between 1987 and 2001, had emerged as one of the front-runners to take Neville's position in recent weeks, along with former USWNT coach Jill Ellis, who had been one of the big names linked for the job for some time.

It was announced in April that Neville would leave his position when his contract expired. The former Manchester United defender took over in January 2018 and guided England to the semi-finals of the World Cup in France last year.

The FA are yet to confirm the coach who will lead Team GB, with a statement reading: "The FA will now renew its dialogue with the home nations in respect of the postponed Tokyo Olympics to take place in July 2021, as well as the 2024 Games, and a decision on the head coach for Team GB next year will be announced in due course."

FC Red Bull Salzburg midfielder Samson Tijani has joined TSV Hartberg on loan for the rest of the season.

The Nigeria youth international was signed by Die Mozartstadter in a deal that runs through 2025 - nevertheless, he will be seeking for first-team Austrian top-flight football elsewhere.

“Samson Tijani joins TSV Prolactal Hartberg on loan for the upcoming season of the Austrian Bundesliga,” a statement from the club read.

“The 18-year-old midfielder arrived in Salzburg from his home club from SC Collins Edwin last month and is now expected to collect playing time in last season's fifth-placed side.”

Meanwhile, Tijani has expressed his excitement over his move to Markus Schopp's Profertil Arena.

"I am very happy to be here. I believe in the team and hope I can help the team get even better," the young midfielder told Hartberg website.

For Hartberg, they are pleased to have the Nigeria youth international in their squad as they hope for an impressive 2020-21 season.

 "We are delighted to welcome an exceptional talent like Samson Tijani's to Hartberg,” says Sports director Erich Korherr.

 “We are looking forward to this player. Thanks also to Christoph Freund from FC Red Bull Salzburg for the possibility of the loan."

The defensive midfielder helped the Golden Eaglets to a fourth-place finish at the 2019 U17 Afcon last April where they bowed to Angola in the third-place playoff.

During the Golden Eaglets’ World Cup campaign in Brazil, he played every minute of the country's games and produced a man-of-the-match performance in their first group outing by scoring a brace in their 4-2 victory against Hungary.

Nevertheless, Manu Garba's side were eliminated from the World Cup in the Round of 16 after a 3-1 defeat to the Netherlands.

The Asian Football Confederation's (AFC) decision to postpone the remaining rounds of the 2022 World Cup and 2023 Asian Cup joint qualifiers has ensured that 2020 will go by without any international football on the continent.

The last round of the World Cup qualifier had taken place in November of 2019 before the Coronavirus pandemic put paid to the hopes of seeing international football in 2020. The AFC had initially postponed the matches set to be held in March and June to October and November owing to the Covid-19 situation in many countries.

However, with the pandemic showing no signs of easing in many countries including India, AFC have been forced to delay it further.

India were set to play Qatar in October, followed by crucial games against Bangladesh and Afghanistan in November 2020. But AFC's decision has thrown open a lot of question marks on the upcoming season of Indian football.

"With the aim of protecting the health and safety of all participants, FIFA and the AFC will continue to work together to closely monitor the situation in the region and to identify new dates for the respective qualifying matches,” the AFC said in a statement. “Further details on the new dates for the next round of qualifying matches for the FIFA World Cup 2022 and the AFC Asian Cup 2023 will be announced in due course.”

It is also likely that the remaining matches will be played as per the usual 'home and away' format after the pandemic eases across the continent and not at any centralised venue.

Goal understands that AFC had considered holding the games in October and November itself at a centralised venue for each group, much like how they plan to complete the 2020 AFC Champions League and AFC Cup tournaments.

It is known that most countries, including powerhouses like China, were not in favour of AFC's suggestion as none of them wanted to give away their home advantage for a crucial tournament like the World Cup qualifiers. Meanwhile, China had also announced that if it was to be a centralised venue, they will accept it only if China could host the same. This sentiment was echoed by many others which meant AFC had no choice but to postpone the fixtures.

“From talking to various federations and hearing their concerns, it was clear that it was best to take a decision as early as possible,” an AFC official told Arab News. “The situation was becoming more difficult and complex,“ the official said.

In effect, this means that AFC will need to draw out a schedule that allows for the home and away format in 2021. However, they will hope they can stage the matches as soon as possible because the 2022 World Cup is fast approaching and the third round of World Cup qualifiers is yet to start.

The second round, ongoing right now, was set to finish in June 2020 and the third round was to have started in September 2020. What this means is that 2021 is set to be an extremely packed calendar for many countries including India. Though the Blue Tigers will not be participating in the third round of World Cup qualifiers, they will have the 2023 Asian Cup qualifiers, which will run parallel, to worry about.

UEFA have already made it clear that they will add more international matchdays in 2021 to make up for the delays in 2020. AFC will also have no choice but to do the same.

The 2020-21 Indian football season also has a cloud of uncertainty hanging over it. As of now, both the Indian Super League (ISL) and the I-League are set to kick-off somewhere around November at centralised venues.

India would hope that the World Cup qualifiers are not rescheduled in the first two or three months of 2021 because the ISL and I-League are likely to be running during this time.

Not only does such a scenario disrupt the two competitions' scheduling but also is likely to break up the bio-secure environments that are being planned for the safety of the players of the staff.

We are not even considering the continental club competitions. The 2020 AFC Cup is set to resume in the last week of October but with large chunk of the competition yet to be played, there is every chance it also might stretch into early 2021. Then, of course, there is the 2021 AFC Champions League and AFC Cup, for which three Indian clubs have qualified - ATK Mohun Bagan, FC Goa and Bengaluru FC.

Those matches generally start around February and March. It remains to be seen when that will start. All in all, the postponement of the World Cup qualifiers due to the pandemic has thrown up a lot of disconcerting questions.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and FIFA on Wednesday announced that they have decided to postpone the remaining 2022 World Cup and 2023 Asian Cup joint qualifying matches to 2021, taking into consideration the Covid-19 situation in numerous countries in the continent.

But it must be noted that the other marquee competitions, namely the AFC Champions League (ACL), AFC Cup, and the AFC U16  and U19 Championships, which are slated to be hosted at a centralised venue will stick to schedule. 

The U16 tournament is proposed to take place from November 25 to December 12, 2020, in Bahrain. India have been drawn in Group C along with South Korea, Australia, and Uzbekistan. The tournament will be played at three venues, Riffa, Isa Town, and Muharraq. The Blue Colts will start their campaign on November 26 against Australia at the Bahrain National Stadium in Riffa. 

Group C fixtures

The AFC U19 Championship will continue to be hosted by Uzbekistan from October 14 to 31, 2020. India have failed to qualify for the final round of this competition.

Whereas, centralised venues are to be used for the remaining group stage matches of the AFC Cup and the AFC Champions League. All of the group stage matches will be played in full while the knock-out rounds will now consist of single match ties (rather than home & away), as will the final of both competitions.

India's lone representative happens to be Chennai City FC in the AFC Cup. They are drawn in Group E alongside Basundhara Kings (Bangladesh), TC Sports Club, and Maziya Sports and Recreation Club (both from Maldives). All the remaining group stage matches will be held in Maldives and the Lions will resume their campaign on October 23 against TC Sports Club. However, the team have a very tough task ahead of them to prepare themselves for the rest of the group stages, given the Covid-19 situation in India.

The winner of the group will be crowned South Zonal champions and will qualify for the Inter-Zone semi-finals which will take place on November 24 and 25, 2020. The venue of the single-leg ASEAN Zonal semi-finals and final will be confirmed after the AFC Cup 2020 knockout stage draw on August 27, 2020, at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur.

Meanwhile, Qatar has been confirmed as the centralised venue host for the ACL group and knock-out stage matches in the West region (A, B, C & D). While Malaysia will host the East Zone groups (G &H) from October 17 to November 1, 2020. Venues for Groups E and F as well as the remaining knockout stage matches and the final are yet to be confirmed. 

As far as the World Cup qualifiers are concerned the apex governing body had no choice but to postpone the matches, reportedly due to many member associations unwilling to do play the remaining fixtures in a single venue as that would prevent them from making the most of their home advantage. 

Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago “doesn't fit the mould” of what Liverpool require in their midfield, club legend Steve Nicol has warned, and would only be used as an impact sub or a cup player if the Spain international swaps Bavaria for Merseyside.

The Reds have been credited with an interest in the 29-year-old, who looks set to leave Bayern after seven years of service after telling the club's hierarchy that he would like to start a new chapter of his career elsewhere.

Head coach Hansi Flick has hinted that Thiago's preferred destination is the Premier League, while Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge admitted that the German champions would be willing to part with the ex-Barcelona man, who is in the final year of his contract, should the right offer arrive.

Nicol, however, who won a plethora of titles during his time at Anfield, does not believe Thiago to be a good fit for Jurgen Klopp's workmanlike engine room, although he did add that having him as an option off the bench could be useful.

“I would sign him, don't get me wrong,” Nicol said when quizzed on the subject during a discussion on ESPN. “I think he's a great footballer and he can pass the ball. Unfortunately, he just doesn't fit the mould of what Liverpool do in the middle of the park right now.

“Yes, he's got ability, but he also has to have dynamism, he has to have legs, he has to close down quickly, he's got to have energy. Those are thing that all those players in the middle of the park for Liverpool have.

“That isn't Alcantara. But at the same time, having a player like that to bring on, he can play in the FA Cup, the League Cup, you can bring him on and give him half an hour to pass the ball around if that's what you need.

“I would sign him, I think he's a quality player. If the money is right, go and get him.”

Thiago could have the chance to showcase his abilities to potential suitors on Friday evening as Bayern take on Barcelona in Portugal as part of the one-legged Champions League quarter-final clashes.