Looking for Soccer News?

Former Liverpool striker Emile Heskey believes Mohamed Salah should have left the club this summer had they failed to wrap up the Premier League title. 

After a long and nervous wait amidst the coronavirus pandemic, the Reds finally claimed England's top-flight competition in June this year, ultimately finishing 18 points clear of second-place Manchester City. 

While Salah failed to secure a third straight Golden Boot, his 19 league goals proved crucial as he continued to star for Jurgen Klopp's side. 

Heskey stressed Salah's importance to Liverpool going forward but admits if the club failed to end their Premier League drought this season, he would have advised the Egyptian attacker to find a new club. 

“Mohamed Salah is a very important player for the team. If he’s not in it, you find Liverpool losing a lot of their strength going forward," Heskey told ONTime Sport. 

“Everyone on the pitch needs him, he scores and creates goals. [Roberto] Firmino and [Sadio] Mane play well in Salah’s presence. H's a big part of the team’s strength and the trophies they've won.

"From my point of view, he should stay at Liverpool. If they didn’t win the league, I would have said that he should move to another place where he could win the title.

“But now that he's won the league, he must continue and try to win it again and again. Salah has won all the titles with Liverpool but the challenge is to continue and try to win them again." 

Salah, who is currently contracted at Anfield until 2023, has previously been linked with interest from Real Madrid and did cast some doubt over his immediate future last month. 

"No-one knows the future and what will happen. Let's see what will happen," Salah told LA FM Colombia in July. 

"But at the moment we win the Champions League, we win the Premier League, I'm happy. Let's see what will happen in the future, but I'm very happy to win and achieve those trophies."

Despite another successful season at Anfield, not everyone has been impressed by Salah's performances with Graeme Souness labelling the attacker "super selfish" after a match against Brighton. 

"I think Mane has fallen out with him [Salah] in the past over occasions where he feels he should have passed to him to score a goal and he shot himself," Souness told Sky Sports. 

"So I think there is an element in all goalscorers that they’re greedy at times, but I think he takes it to another level."

Raphael Varane said Real Madrid require many leaders on the pitch to overhaul Manchester City for a Champions League quarter-final berth in the absence of star captain Sergio Ramos.

Madrid travel to the Etihad Stadium for the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against City on Friday, having lost the opener 2-1 prior to the coronavirus-enforced break.

Gabriel Jesus and Kevin De Bruyne condemned Madrid – who had Ramos sent off in the Spanish capital – to defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu in February.

With Ramos sidelined, regular centre-back partner Varane said: "I think Sergio is a very important player for us, but we know that we are a group where we all have our role.

"For example, I always help my team-mates, it is my way of playing and I like to cover others. In the locker room I talk a lot with my team-mates about the tactic, that will never change.

"To win the Champions League we have to be a strong group, with many leaders, we know the importance of Sergio, but we all have to play a great game to qualify."

Madrid head into the second leg having dethroned bitter rivals Barcelona as La Liga champions after the 2019-20 season was halted in March due to Covid-19.

Zinedine Zidane's Madrid are riding an 11-game unbeaten streak since losing to Real Betis in March.

"I think we are doing well, we have made a very good streak to win La Liga, we are all doing very well physically," France international Varane added.

"It has been a different preparation and a little strange, comparing it with what we are used to. We have had many days to prepare this final, we have done it as always with a lot of concentration, working on all aspects of our game trying to improve all the time.

"We arrived with confidence for the latest results and with more rest compared to if it had been played in March. I hope we are well prepared to win tomorrow."

Elsewhere on Friday, Juventus will host Lyon needing to overturn a first-leg 1-0 defeat to book their place in the quarter-finals. 

Usain Bolt believes he didn't get a fair chance when he attempted to become a footballer in Australia. 

The Jamaican superstar trialed with A-League club Central Coast Mariners in mid-2018 as he chased a career kicking the round ball after retiring from athletics. 

Despite scoring twice in a friendly match, Bolt failed to earn a professional contract with the club and would later fail to agree terms with Maltese side Valletta. 

While now enjoying life away from sport after recently becoming a dad, the world's fastest man has claimed his attempt to become a footballer wasn't as smooth as it should have been. 

"I think I didn't get a fair chance," Bolt told Wide World of Sports. "I didn't do it how I wanted to do it, but it's something I think I would've been good at.

"But it's just one of those things you miss out on and just have to move on.

"I do think about it sometimes that it didn't work out the way that I wanted it to, because football is something that I love.

"The fact that it didn't work out I do think about it, but as I said, it's one of those things you've got to move past.

"I've had calls of people asking me if I really want to [go back to football], but after the time period has passed, I'm like you know what, I'm getting old, let's just retire and I now have my daughter so she keeps me busy." 

Bolt, a big Manchester United fan, also previously hinted that his trial wasn't handled perfectly in early 2019 when he accepted a football career wasn't going to happen. 

“I don't want to say it wasn't dealt with properly, but I think we went about it, not the way we should and you learn your lesson, you live and you learn," Bolt said at the time.

"It was a good experience. I really enjoyed just being in a team and it was different from track and field and it was fun while it lasted.

“I'm just doing many different things - the sports life is over, so I'm now moving into different businesses. I have a lot of things in the pipeline, so as I say, I'm just dabbling in everything and trying to be a business man now."

Bayer Leverkusen silenced Rangers 1-0 in Thursday’s Europa League game with Moussa Diaby netting the lone goal.

Before football was placed on a hiatus owing to the outbreak of Covid-19, the Germans secured a 3-1 first-leg win in Scotland – leaving Steven Gerrard’s men with an arduous task to secure a place in the quarter-final.

With limited scoring opportunities, the first-half ended goalless at the BayArena. Nonetheless, the hosts took the lead through Diaby after 51 minutes.

The 21-year-old winger timed his run perfectly as Charles Aranguiz played his pass across defender Filip Helander on the edge of the box. He controlled the ball with his chest before firing his shot past Allan McGregor.

Thanks to his latest feat, he has now scored a goal and assisted twice in all three of his Europa League appearances.

Also, he boasts eight goals in all competitions for Bayer Leverkusen in 2019-20, twice the amount he netted for Paris Saint-Germain during the 2018-19 season (four).

Seven minutes before full-time, Rangers could have reduced the deficit after Joe Aribo won the ball on the edge Leverkusen’s box but ended up being dispossessed by Edmond Tapsoba after he took too long to decide what he wants to do.

After putting up an impressive shift, he was replaced by Leon Bailey in the 68th minute as Peter Bosz’s team sealed their place in the last eight after a 4-1 aggregate triumph.

They will face Victor Moses’ Inter Milan in their bid to reach the semi-final of the tournament.

Born to Malian parents in France, Diaby has represented the French team at U18, U19, U20 and U21 levels. He produced a goal and three assists at the 2018 Uefa European U19 Championship, earning a place in the team of the tournament.

In 2019, he scored one goal and assisted two more in four matches at the 2019 Fifa U20 World Cup where France were eliminated at the Round of 16 stage. He is still eligible to represent Mali at senior level.

Real Madrid are facing a tough challenge to overturn their Champions League deficit to Manchester City, football legend Clarence Seedorf says.

Zinedine Zidane's side head to the Etihad Stadium for Friday's last-16 second leg trailing 2-1 from the reverse fixture at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Madrid are unbeaten since returning from the coronavirus-enforced break and such form allowed them to overhaul Barcelona to win the LaLiga title.

City, by contrast, finished 18 points behind runaway champions Liverpool in the Premier League and were knocked out of the FA Cup by Arsenal.

Seedorf, a European champion with Ajax, Madrid and AC Milan - twice with the Rossoneri - expects City to be keen to prove a point after an "average" domestic season.

"I think when Zidane came [back], he got that chemistry back in place and after corona, I think Madrid came out solid, when Barcelona came out a bit segregated," he told Stats Perform News.

"Obviously, when the club with players like [Sergio] Ramos and [Karim] Benzema smell the opportunity against that rival then that creates a motivation that they used and brought it home.

"Ramos and Benzema have been key, key players but, as I said, the whole team has shown a pretty solid shape.

"If you look at them without the results they have now, they are considered definitely [among] the favourites, Manchester City as well - these are two top teams in the world.

"It's going to be tough to go there and turn it around, but nothing is impossible in that sense. But also, Manchester City need to make up for the average season, if you can call it that.

"They can do it, but it's tough."

Barcelona, meanwhile, will need to improve their performance to overcome Napoli and reach the quarter-finals, after a 1-1 draw in Italy.

Much is expected of midfielder Frenkie de Jong, a €75million signing from Ajax last year who has yet to find his feet fully in Spain.

"He's a great player, a great talent and we hope to see much more from him over the coming years," said Seedorf.

"It's not easy to come to a new country and new club and perform. Barcelona... it's a privilege to come to a team that knows themselves so well, and you come into the same type of system.

"Frenkie will become better and better hopefully over the next years and we can enjoy his talent on the international pitches."

Similarly, Seedorf thinks new Chelsea signing Hakim Ziyech could find it tough to adapt to life in a new league - although he believes head coach Frank Lampard is the right man to help.

"Lampard has shown to have had a good, positive impact on the team and young players," Seedorf said. "Ziyech is a talent that will face challenges, because this is not the Ajax style of play, the Dutch style of play, and that's going to be his biggest challenge, I think: to adapt to a new style of play and everything that comes with it.

"But he has a proper mentor in place to guide him to the Premier League style and competitiveness that is needed. I think the ingredients are there for him to continue to spread his talent on the pitch and show that this next level was the right thing to do."

Sevilla centre-back Jules Kounde has mentioned the names of Real Madrid and Liverpool forwards Karim Benzema and Sadio Mane as his idols while growing up.

This might come as a surprise from a defender but the 21-year-old Franco-Beninese explains he was an attacking player earlier in his career.

Benzema played a pivotal role towards Los Blancos winning a 34th La Liga title, scoring 21 goals in 37 games while Mane netted 18 goals as the Reds lifted their first league crown since 1990.

“There are players that I like in many positions. I love football. I really like Benzema, Mane from Liverpool ... It's funny that they are all attackers,” Kounde told AS.

“I always liked to attack, I think that part comes from the Under-17's in Bordeaux. When I see a space, I like to attack it. At Sevilla, we have a game where we can do that, and the coach likes it.

Kounde has attracted the interest of Real Madrid, however, he states he is focused on playing for Sevilla and winning the Europa League.

“It's always good that there are clubs like Real Madrid that follow you, but I'm very focused on Sevilla, I want to win this cup [Europa League],” he continued.

“It's the only thing in my head and that of the team. I'm not interested in Madrid.”

Kounde stands at 181cm in height which is considered not tall enough for a centre-back. The former Bordeaux player has admitted he is not deterred by it, citing playing smart as the most important factor.

“I always had a good jump. I know that there are many people who, when seeing a 1.81 centre-back, are wondering how the aerial game will solve it when it comes to a big striker,” he said.

“That also happened to me in Bordeaux. At the end of my training, I played right back because a coach looked at me like that, too short. But it doesn't scare me to go upside down, it's one of my strengths indeed.

“For me, height is not just a matter of centimetres. The most important thing is to play smart. If we listen to many people, Cannavaro could not have played as a central defender in his life, and he ended up achieving a Ballon d'Or, he played for Real Madrid. You have to change that view that you always have to be tall in this position, or very strong.”

Tema Youth Wilfred Kwaku Osei 'Palmer' is not perturbed about the Court of Arbitration for Sport's postponement of the verdict of a legal battle with the Ghana Football Association (GFA).

The former Black Stars Management Committee member is seeking justice for his disqualification from the football governing body's presidential election last October.

The challenge, whose final outcome was originally scheduled to be released in July was first moved to August 5 before being rescheduled for the second time for September.

“Yes, it’s true the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has postponed the case to 1st September 2020," Osei Palmer's campaign team spokesman Ebo Appiah told Angel FM.

“We don’t want to talk when our opponents are talking because we have better things to do than to react. Palmer is not worried about the postponement of the ruling.

“You don’t go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport when you have less patience. CAS can still postpone the case and it's normal because the case is still within 90 days.

“We appreciate everybody who has supported Palmer until now and we thank you all.

“We team Palmer expect another postponement from CAS on September 1 scheduled to be the day for the hearing of the final verdict."

GFA Executive Council member Samuel Anim Addo believes CAS' indecision is affecting the football mood in the country.

“I think CAS shouldn’t have made this issue this tense. I think it is a normal thing in football. If someone thinks he has not been treated fairly, he or she takes it to the appropriate quarters to be addressed,” Addo told Citi FM.

"So I think CAS should’ve brought out the verdict so everyone will know their smoothness level. We have to know the verdict so we move from there. I don’t think this is an issue at all."

For former Ashanti Gold chief executive officer (CEO) Frederick Acheampong, the latest rescheduling is an indication of CAS' lack of regard for Ghana football.

“I think they don`t respect us, it's been far too long when you sit down and you calculate. I am even tempted to believe that they have not sat on the case,” Acheampong, a GFA Executive Committee member, told Kessben FM.

Tema Youth chief Osei Palmer was disqualified from contesting for the GFA presidency for breaching financial regulations following the transfer of a player of his club.

After seeing an initial local appeal rejected, he hauled the national association to the global tribunal.

Kurt Okraku ultimately won the election. 

Youssef En-Nesyri was on target as Sevilla defeated AS Roma 2-0 in Thursday’s Europa League encounter.

The Round of 16 clash was staged at the MSV Arena in Duisburg after the tie was cut down to one leg by Uefa.

Julen Lopetegui’s men dominated the game from start to finish and deservedly got the much-needed triumph to scale through to the quarter-final ahead of the Italians who were reduced to ten men in the 90th minute.

Three minutes into the game, Sevilla had the first chance but En-Nesyri’s low strike towards goal from the edge of the box was comfortable saved by goalkeeper Pau Lopez.

Los Nervionenses took the lead after 22 minutes through Sergio Reguilon who profited from an assist from Ever Banega. The Argentine picked out Reguilon who darted through the Italians’ defence before firing past Lopez after beating two of his markers.

A minute before the halftime break, En-Nesyri increased the advantage of Lopetegui’s side. Fernando released Lucas Ocampos down the right flank, and he skipped past the challenge of Roger Ibanez before sending a low ball across the face of goal for the run of En-Nesyri.

With Lopez stranded out of his net, the Morocco international made no mistake directing his effort first time over the line.

No goals were scored in the second-half with the major incident Gianluca Mancini’s dismissal in the closing stages after VAR confirmed he used his arm with violent intent on De Jong.

Thanks to this result, the Spanish elite division outfit have reached the Europa League last eight and will face Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers who silenced Greek outfit Olympiacos.

After an impressive showing, En-Nesyri was replaced in the 90th minute by Luuk de Jong, while his compatriot Yassine Bounou held sway in goal for the Spanish elite division side.

Guinea international Amadou Diawara was handed a starter's role by manager Paulo Fonseca, however, he was replaced in the 57th minute by Carles Perez.

The much-anticipated launch of FIFA 21 is right around the corner, with the latest iteration of the popular video game set for release on October 9, 2020.

FIFA 21 will be released as three separate editions: Standard, Ultimate and Champions Edition. Here's what you need to know about what makes each version unique.

How much does each edition of FIFA cost?

FIFA 21 Standard Edition

It costs £59.99 in the UK and $59.99 in the US.

FIFA 21 Ultimate Edition

The Ultimate Edition of FIFA 21 is a special version of the game that is jam-packed with new features and perks, such as more FUT packs.

It is a bit pricier than Champions Edition, but will appeal to those who enjoy playing Ultimate Team

Those who pre-order Ultimate Edition by August 14, 2020 will receive:

It costs £89.99 in the UK and $99.99 in the US.

Read more about FIFA 21 Ultimate Edition here.

FIFA 21 Champions Edition

The Champions Edition takes its name from the Champions League, with EA Sports acquiring the rights to UEFA competitions in 2018, beginning from FIFA 19 onwards.

Champions Edition allows you to play the game a bit earlier - on October 6 instead of October 9.

It costs £79.99 in the UK and $79.99 in the US.

Read more about FIFA 21 Champions Edition here.

How do the FIFA 21 editions compare?

You can see a detailed breakdown of what each edition offers in the table above.

Former Chelsea star Ricardo Carvalho is still supporting the Blues as they resume their Champions League run against Bayern Munich.

Chelsea face an uphill battle when it comes to securing their spot in the next round of the competition, having lost 3-0 in the first leg of their round of 16 clash.

Making matters worse, Chelsea are suffering from a string of injuries with Pedro, Christian Pulisic, Willian, N'golo Kante, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Cesar Azpilicueta all dealing with some sort of ailment at the moment.

Of that group, only Kante and Loftus-Cheek will be optimistic for this weekend's meeting with Bayern, with Frank Lampard set to bring youngsters Lewis Bate, Dynel Simeu and Ian Maatsen into the squad.

Carvalho, who played for Chelsea from 2004 to 2010, says that he is still pulling for his former side, although he admitted that the Blues are not among the favourites.

"Everyone's always talking about the same favourites: Barcelona, Real Madrid...They're teams that are used to being in the finals or semi-finals, and that's very important, as is the case with Bayern," he said at the presentation of the Champions League Trophy in Lisbon.

"But, now, it's only one match, and that makes everything even more unpredictable. One small mistake can be crucial.

"As for my favourites...Madrid and Chelsea are still in the competition, but they have a difficult task to get to the quarter-finals, but I'd like them to be in the quarter-finals, but the favourites are always the same: Barcelona, Real Madrid, Juventus, (if they beat Lyon), and Bayern.”

Carvalho, who also played for Real Madrid, Porto and Monaco throughout his career,  is currently an assistant to fellow Portuguese Andre Villas-Boas at Marseille.

The former defender also earned 89 caps for Portugal and was a member of the club's triumph at Euro 2016.

With the Champions League's final rounds set to be held in Portugal, Carvalho says that, despite the circumstances that forced the changes to the tournament, the event will be a big one for his home country.

"It's a great event for the Portuguese people," he said. "In a year in which there is no Euro or Olympic Games, the Champions League becomes even more important, because everyone will talk about this tournament.

"We already had a final in Lisbon in 2014, which was a great final. We have all the conditions here to make it a success."

Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT) has threatened to nullify Gor Mahia's elections scheduled for August 8 if they are done unlawfully.

The SDT, in a letter signed by Elynah Sifuna Shiveka who is the deputy chairperson and obtained by Goal, said the exercise must be conducted in strict adherence to the law if the results have to be recognised thereafter.

Ben Mathews Agunda, David Osewe Odero, Alfred Odhiambo Otieno, Gilbert Otieno Wandera, George Ochieng Gombe, Meshack Odera and Edder Jalang'o are the Gor Mahia members who have asked the tribunal to stop the elections which they claim is set to be done against the demands of the Sports Registrar.

Judith Nyangi, who has protested the eligibility requirements for candidates is also among the furious members who want the exercise conducted in accordance with the club’s old constitution.

Nyangi is running for the honorary treasurer’s position.

“Upon reading the chamber notice filed under a certificate of urgency and all the accompanying documents dated August 4 and filed on August 5, the tribunal hereby directs and orders as follows,” read the opening paragraph of the SDT’s letter.

“That no interim orders are issued in regard to prayer no. 3 of the chamber summons dated 4th of August 2020 and filed at the tribunal on 5th August, 2020.

“The activity of the first respondent scheduled for 8 August 2020 shall be declared null and void in case it was unprocedural and unlawfully done.

“The claimants shall serve all the respondents with the application and these directions on or before Monday 10th August 2020.

“The respondents shall have seven days from the date of service upon them to file and serve their responses and the parties shall attend the tribunal on 18th August 2020 at 2.30 pm for mention and agree on a hearing date.”

The panel which is set to hear the case consists of Shiveka, Gichuru Kiplagat and Allan Owinyi.

Through their lawyer Omondi Omollo, the dissatisfied members had pointed out instances they feel will make the August 8 exercise biased.

“We are further instructed that the Executive Committee members unilaterally abrogated upon themselves the powers to appoint members of the club's Elections Board without consultation or approval of the members or any other stakeholders,” Omondi’s protest letter to Gor Mahia elections board read in part.

“We are instructed that the same Elections Board has now come up with unlawful and illegal election rules, regulations, guidelines, time-tables, calendars and nomination forms.

“We are further instructed that all these activities of the biased Elections Board are designed to perpetuate the continued stay of the incumbents in office and indeed we are instructed that the chairman has already been declared as elected unopposed.

“We are instructed that most of the members including Ambrose Rachier and Francis Wasuna are term-limited by the act and therefore barred from contesting in any further elections of the club.”

Rachier stands elected as chairman as no one showed interest to challenge him for the influential position while Sam Ochola will become the new secretary-general after he, too, attracted no opponent.

The positions of the vice-chairman and the honorary treasurer attracted multiple candidates and thus members have to elect officials.

Kolo Toure believes it is high time Manchester City won the Champions League, as they prepare to renew battle with Real Madrid.

Former City defender Toure will be praying for his old team to come through the second leg of their last-16 tussle, following a hard-earned 2-1 victory at Santiago Bernabeu in February.

Goals from Gabriel Jesus and Kevin De Bruyne have put Pep Guardiola's side in the ascendancy ahead of their Etihad Stadium reunion on Friday.

With huge financial backing, City have been competing in European football's elite competition each season since the 2011-12 campaign, reaching the semi-finals in 2015-16 when Madrid edged them out 1-0 over two legs.

Toure told Stats Perform News: "City have to win the Champions League. They've been so unlucky for so many years, but I pray for them to do it. When I joined that was my dream, to win the Champions League."

Toure played for City from 2009 to 2013, having joined from Arsenal, and he went on to represent Liverpool and Celtic before retiring in 2017.

He sees Guardiola's leadership as the key to ongoing success for City, who were overhauled by Liverpool in the Premier League but have real hope of becoming European champions this month.

"They have a top manager, they have to keep him there and make sure they bring players who can add value," Toure said. "They need players who have experience of winning the Champions League. They have a big chance against Real Madrid."

Pointing to last season's Champions League exit, when a dramatic quarter-final saw City edged out by Tottenham on away goals, Toure reflected on how a little good fortune can go a long way.

"You need a bit of luck, they were so unlucky against Tottenham," Toure said. "I hope that they will win."

John Stones could have a part to play on Friday, with the England defender still striving to justify the £47.5 million ($62m) price tag that City met when signing him from Everton four years ago.

The arrival of Nathan Ake from Bournemouth for next season has raised questions about Stones' future at City.

"He needs to be consistent. He lacks it," Toure said. "He's a really good player with many qualities but needs to work on his concentration. Sometimes he does things that you don't know where they come from, because he has everything.

"He's tall, he can jump, technically good, he's intelligent, but he needs to focus for 95 minutes. Defenders have to be alert."

Gabrielle Onguene bagged her first brace of the season as CSKA Moscow secured a 3-0 win against Arna-Bjornar in Thursday's Russian Superliga triumph against Yenisey at Futbol-arena Enisey.

Onguene is already inching closer to match her form last season when she scored four goals in 16 appearances to help CSKA win the league title and secure their Champions League ticket.

The Cameroon international star made her second start of the season for her side, and opened her 2020 goal account, scoring in CSKA's 2-1 triumph over ZFK Zenit Saint Petersburg last Saturday.

Her equaliser for CSKA was voted the second-best goal of the first round of matches behind winner Angri Gabriel, who netted the opener for Zenit last weekend.

Following a hard fighting win at Saint Petersburg, the champions continued from where they left as Nadezhda Smirnova set up Onguene to open the scoring in the 31st minute of the match.

The visitors were gifted a penalty from the spot and Smirnova, who the Cameroonian's opener converted to double the lead for CSKA seven minutes after the restart of the encounter.

In the 77th minute, Onguene grabbed her second of the match and her side's third to wrap up their first away win in style. 

The 31-year-old Cameroonian, who lasted the duration, has now scored three goals in two appearances this season for CSKA.

The result means holders CSKA Moscow remain top of the Russian women's top-flight log with six points from two matches.

Former South Africa captain Lucas Radebe feels the Premier Soccer League (PSL) title-chasing pack will push leaders Kaizer Chiefs “to realise this great moment of winning the championship.”

Chiefs resume their title bid against Bidvest Wits at Orlando Stadium next Wednesday as they seek to tighten their grip at the summit of the log in their eight remaining matches.

But their push for league honours faces a stern challenge from their closest challengers Mamelodi Sundowns who are four points behind and have played a game less.

Third-placed SuperSport United followed by Orlando Pirates and Maritzburg United as well as Wits also pose a threat to Chiefs’ title quest.

Describing Chiefs' league campaign so far as “absolutely great,” Radebe has marked his former club as favourites and says they will be spurred by the challenge from the chasers.

“I think the [Chiefs] players are prepared and I think mentally they have to get ready to start where they left off‚” said Radebe as per Sowetan Live.

“They need this title more than anyone else and I think they’re capable of winning it. To see how they’ve played and how they’ve conducted themselves up until now‚ it’s been absolutely great.

“Not forgetting that Pirates‚ Sundowns and other teams are right there behind them‚ Chiefs will be pushed to realise this great moment of winning the championship. So it’s going to be tough but I think they’re capable of winning it.

“Never mind Covid-19‚ we’re all in the same boat. It’s a matter of coming back and focus on what we want to achieve as a club.”

Radebe has commended Chiefs for “working hard” despite a cloud of uncertainty that had been cast over the resumption of football in South African football in recent weeks.

“I never thought the season would be cancelled because there were dates that were already put aside to commence,” said Radebe.

“I think every Chiefs fan is excited about the prospect of the club winning the league title this season. Looking at how they’ve been playing‚ they’ve been working hard to make things right.”

After playing Wits on Wednesday, Chiefs will play the same side again on August 30, having played Sundowns three days earlier in matches that could define their fate.

Dinamo-BSUPC head coach Yuri Ivanovich has hailed the exploits of Rhoda Mulaudzi and Lebohang Ramalepe after the duo's debuts for his side in Wednesday's 7-2 triumph over Bobruichanka.

The Banyana stars joined the Belarusian outfit for the rest of the season last Friday, having parted ways with South African sides Polokwane FC and Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies respectively.

While the move saw Ramalepe earn her first contract abroad, Mulaudzi secured her third deal overseas after previous stints with Cyprus' Apollon Ladies and Australia's Canberra United.

Having failed to feature the duo against Bobruichanka last Sunday, the club's manager pledged to hand them their debuts in Wednesday's semi-final, second leg tie at home, which he fulfilled.

After a 5-1 first-leg win, Dinamo trashed Bobruichanka 7-2 in the reverse fixture to advance to the final, with a 12-3 aggregate win at Dynama-Juni Stadium.

Ramalepe played from the start to finish on her first professional debut, while compatriot Mulaudzi saw the final 24 minutes, having replaced Burkina Faso's Salimata Simpore.

Following their maiden appearances in the colours of Dinamo, the tactician has shared his views on the duo's performances.

"You know, considering that they have not trained for four months, both showed a very solid level," he told the club website. 

"It is clear that it still takes time to adapt, but they did a good job and, I hope, will improve with every game."

The victory puts Dinamo on the brink of a maiden title in their history as they will square up with holders Minsk in the final of the competition scheduled to be played on August 30. 

After their enterprising start to life in Belarus, they will seek to make their league debuts when Dinamo face-off with Neman on Saturday.

Ex-Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness says that David Alaba will not be lured away from the club, adding that "the last million is not that important" for a player that has found comfort with the Bundesliga giants.

Alaba has been linked with a move away from Bayern Munich in recent weeks as the defender has just 12 months left on his contract.

Manchester City are among the clubs reportedly eager to sign him, although new Bayern team-mate and former Man City star Leroy Sane has urged the Austrian to snub any offer to leave Bayern.

Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge recently stated that he is confident that the club can keep hold of Alaba, who he dubbed "the black Beckenbauer". 

And Hoeness also says that he believes Alaba's future remains with Bayern, as he says that moving to any other club would be a step backwards for the defender.

"I can only say from my own experience that the last million is not that important," he told DAZN and Goal. "He gets a secure job here, a lot of fun, home, a lot of love from the fans and acceptance, which he would have to work for at another club.

"There is no club that is as familiar, cosy and pleasant as FC Bayern. For him it would perhaps be a step forward financially, but in all other areas it would be a step backwards.

"And according to my feeling, at least the clubs he would like to go to have never knocked, fortunately. And that's why I hope that he will stay."

Alaba has been with Bayern since 2008, joining after emerging as a youth player for Austria Wien.

The 28-year-old defender has made 382 appearances for the Bundesliga giants, winning nine league titles during his time in Munich.

Alaba was also a member of Bayern's 2012-13 Champions League-winning squad, and the German giants remain a favourite in this season's competition as well.

The Bundesliga champions are set to face Chelsea on Saturday in their return to the competition, having amassed a 3-0 lead in the first leg between the two sides.

Gareth Bale was omitted from Real Madrid's squad to face Manchester City in the Champions League because he did not want to play, according to Zinedine Zidane.

On Wednesday, Madrid named a 24-man group to travel to the Etihad Stadium and while captain Sergio Ramos was included – despite the fact he cannot play in the second leg due to suspension – there was no place for Bale.

The Welshman scored twice in the 3-1 Champions League final win over Liverpool two seasons ago but will play no part as Madrid seek to overturn a 2-1 first-leg deficit against Pep Guardiola's side in the last-16 tie on Friday.

Bale has started just once since February – and has been restricted to 110 minutes combined since Madrid's campaign resumed in June – and Zidane explained it was the 31-year-old's decision not to be involved in Manchester.

"I will explain because many things are said," Zidane told reporters in a news conference.

"We have a relationship of respect between player and coach, that is clear. The only thing I can say is that he has decided not to play, and the rest is between him and me."

Zidane grew increasingly frustrated at answering questions on Bale, who may appear to have no future at Madrid but remains under contract until 2022.

"I have already answered before about the situation. The rest is a conversation between the player and the coach, and I am not going to tell you anything," Zidane added.

The fourth and final question on Bale – surrounding his future with Los Blancos – was met with a straight bat.

"Gareth Bale is a Real Madrid player, nothing changes. I respect that," Zidane replied.

"He has decided not to play. All of us here are focused on tomorrow's game."

Eden Hazard is part of Madrid's travelling party, though he has experienced an injury-hit debut season in the Spanish capital.

He was out between November and February due to an ankle problem and then sustained a broken ankle bone, with the congested end-of-season La Liga run-in causing him further discomfort, yet Zidane has been encouraged by his condition since.

"He has had some discomfort about the end of La Liga, but I think he is much better now, we have had time to prepare for the game and now he is confident," the Madrid boss added.

"I think there was a minor setback after that second injury but now hopefully he can play and hopefully there will be nothing there to hold him back."

AC Milan midfielder Ismael Bennacer has exclaimed he is happy about playing the role of Regista at the club, a position Italian legend Andrea Pirlo excelled in.

The retired 41-year-old was on the books of the Rossoneri between 2001 and 2011, making 401 appearances and winning nine titles including the Serie A and Champions League.

After he departed for Juventus, no one was able to fill in the boots of the midfield maestro. However, Bennacer played the role with exception during the just-concluded 2019-20 Serie A season.

He made 31 league appearances and scored once as Milan finished in sixth place to qualify for the Europa League. The restart of the league in June which was halted because of the coronavirus pandemic saw the 18-time Italian champions finish unbeaten, the only side to achieve that.

“I like everything about this role because you’re at the heart of everything,” Bennacer told The Athletic.

“It’s my second year playing in Italy as a Regista. I’m still working at it. I think I’m improving. I’m definitely learning a lot.”

Bennacer is considered to be very hardworking on the pitch and admitted he looks up to the likes of Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti and Thiago Alcantara of Bayern Munich.

“I watch a lot of [Paris Saint-Germain’s] Marco Verratti and Thiago Alcantara [of Bayern Munich] too. Thiago’s so, so good,” the Algerian continued.

“I have to give the ball away as little as possible. To do that, I have to be concentrated whenever I get the ball. I’ve always got to be in the zone. I have to read the game. I need to look first and look early. I do all that already but I have got to get even better at it.”

Bennacer started his career at youth level with Arsenal, but never made it into the first team and was ultimately sold to Empoli in 2017. He has no regrets about never making a name in north London.

“I had three years left on my deal, but I wanted to play and besides, they weren’t against my sale, so I left,” he said

Bennacer made mention of Algeria’s Africa Cup of Nations triumph in 2019 as a sweet moment for him and his country. The Desert Foxes overcame Senegal 1-0 thanks to Baghdad Bounedjah’s first-minute strike for their second continental title and first since 1990.

“It was the sweetest moment of my career,” he stated.

“We hadn’t won the Cup of Nations in 29 years. It was only the second time too. There were five million people on the streets. The population of Algiers, the capital, is three million, but there were five million people on the streets. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life.”