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More than 100 years ago, Mohun Bagan created history by beating British regimental side East Yorkshire to become the first Indian club to clinch the IFA Shield. The barefooted Indian unit fought fearlessly against the British side to etch themselves into the Indian football history books.

Thus, every year, Mohun Bagan celebrate July 29 to remember the heroics of their club legends.

When is 'Mohun Bagan Day'?

‘Mohun Bagan Day’ is celebrated by Mohun Bagan Athletic Club every year on July 29 which is the anniversary of the historic triumph in 1911.

What is Mohun Bagan Day and what does it signify?

It was a glorious moment in the history of Bengal as well as Indian football as the Green and Maroons became the first ever Indian club to win the prestigious shield by beating British clubs.

The victory not only enriched Mohun Bagan’s history but it also invoked a great sense nationalism among the native Indians against the British regime at that time.

The Kolkata club started their campaign in the IFA Shield by beating St. Xavier’s 3-0 and followed it up by going past Rangers and Rifle Brigade 2-1 and 1-0 in the pre-quarter and quarter-final respectively.

The semifinal tie against Middlesex ended initially ended in a 1-1 draw but Bagan managed to beat them 3-0 in the replay.

The final generated a lot of attention, given that an Indian side was vying for the title. Locals irrespective of their caste and religion and flocked the stadium in the hope of history being made. According to historians nearly 100,000 people had turned up in the Maidan on July 29 to cheer for the local club.

The East Yorkshire side turned up in their Black and White jersey while Mohun Bagan had donned their iconic Green and Maroon shirt. The match started in an anticlimactic manner for the local team as the regimental side took the lead in the first half.

It wasn’t an easy task for the Kolkata club as 10 out of 11 Bagan players were playing barefoot. Only Reverend Sudhir Chatterjee wore a pair of boots.

Nonetheless, Mohun Bagan came back in style in the second half when skipper Shibdas Bhaduri restored parity. Centre forward Avilash Ghosh scored the winning goal in the dying moments of the match to script history in favour of Mohun Bagan.

What happens on this day every year?

1911 IFA Shield winning Mohun Bagan team, the ‘Amor Ekadosh’ or the ‘Immortal Eleven’ will forever remain etched in the history books of Indian football as well as Mohun Bagan. Every year Mohun Bagan club celebrate this day in a grand manner. They organise cultural programmes and also conduct their annual awards night were the best performers from all sports are felicitated.

The Mohun Bagan Ratna awards are also handed out on this day.

What is Mohun Bagan Ratna and when was it awarded for the first time?

The 'Mohun Bagan Ratna' is the club's highest honour, an award which was started by the club in 2001 to honour their yesteryear legends. The very first recipient of the honour was legendary Indian footballer and former Mohun Bagan skipper Sailen Manna.

How are Mohun Bagan celebrating 'Mohun Bagan Day' this year?

The 109th anniversary of Mohun Bagan Day will be celebrated in a slightly different manner. Unlike previous years when thousands of fans used to attend the grand function, due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the club has decided to conduct all celebrations virtually. The celebrations will be streamed on various social media platforms related to Mohun Bagan.

The function starts at 9 AM with an opening message from club president Swapan Sadhan Bose. Throughout the day several programs including talk shows with former players, current players and eminent Bengal personalities from other spheres of the society will be held.

List of awardees in 2020

Mohun Bagan Ratna: Gurbux Singh (Hockey), Palash Nandi (Cricket)

Lifetime Achievement: Ashok Kumar (Hockey), Pranab Ganguly (Football), Monoranjan Porel (Athletics)

Best Football Player (Senior): Joseba Beitia

Best Youth Player: Sajal Bag (U18 team)

Anjan Mitra Memorial Best Administrator Award (Inaugural): Joydeep Mukherjee

If you ask Kenyan football fans they will tell you that data bundles are a precious commodity, It is always a pain receiving that infamous "Your bundle balance is below 5MB" message.

Kenya's leading sports betting firm Betika is well aware of this problem as their customers rely on the availability of an internet connection to place their bets.

In order to overcome this issue, Betika have partnered with the leading Kenya telco Safaricom to offer their customers free access to the Betika website.

That's right, Betika customers on Safaricom will no longer require to have data bundles to place a bet or view and analyse games on the Betika website. The #TurudiUwanjani campaign will save Betika customers' money on mobile data and increase their chances of winning their bets by allowing them to spend as much time as they need analysing the games and odds before placing their bets.

With Betika Bila Bundles the betting company's punters are in for a pleasant surprise as they can now enjoy free browsing on Betika.com and with sporting activities still on the comeback trail after Covid-19 there are plenty of alternative betting options on the Betika site.

Customers can now enjoy the live football feel of the English Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga and other top football leagues with Betika's Simulated Reality League and enjoy almost-real matches being simulated based on real team statistics, rankings and historical performances.

As well as the Simulated Reality Leagues, Betika also offers a virtual Super League and casino games, giving punters the freedom to vary their play from the comfort of their homes.

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To make it even better for their customers, Betika have also launched a virtual Jackpot for their virtual football Super League, where customers do not have to place an actual Jackpot bet to win! By playing the available virtual football games, customers automatically stand a chance to win up to 1 Million Shillings!

This means that whenever you win a bet in the Betika Super League on the virtual EPL or La Liga, that is not the end of it, Betika could surprise you with an additional win of up to 1 Million Shillings!

James Rodriguez "has problems" with Zinedine Zidane, according to his former team-mate Arturo Vidal, who has urged the Real Madrid outcast to secure a move away from the club this summer.

After watching James finish as the top scorer in the 2014 World Cup for Colombia, Madrid forked out €75 million (£68m/$85m) to bring him to Santiago Bernabeu from Monaco.

The 29-year-old has since scored 37 goals in 125 appearances for the Blancos, but only 14 of those outings have come during the current campaign.

James returned to Madrid last summer following a two-year loan spell at Bayern Munich, with a view to forcing his way back into Zidane's plans.

Unfortunately, he has just slipped further down the squad pecking order in 2019-20, with the likes of Isco, Fede Valverde and Eden Hazard all now regular starters ahead of the Colombian.

Zidane hinted at issues behind the scenes when revealing that James "wanted to be left out" of a 1-0 win over Athletic Club on July 5.

The former Monaco star picked up a La Liga winners' medal later in the month, but is expected to seek a transfer at the first available opportunity amid rumoured interested from the Premier League.

Vidal, who played alongside James at Bayern, admits he has found James's current situation at the Bernabeu difficult to stomach.

"James and I are brothers, we forged an incredible friendship in Munich," the Barcelona star told Win Sports .

"We talk all the time, on holiday we did and it's annoying that he has problems with the coach.

"James has a high level to play as a starter for that team and I don't know why they didn't give him a chance this year."

Vidal went on to advise James to try and rediscover his best form elsewhere, while insisting he still has plenty to offer at the highest level.

"I hope he takes the best decision and begins to play," the Chile international added.

"I think people, football admirers, love to see quality players and James is one of them.

"He has to grow, search for his future and find a place to play and enjoy football."

Antonio Conte has again dismissed the possibility of Lionel Messi joining Inter, suggesting it would be easier to move Milan's cathedral than Barcelona's icon.

There was renewed speculation that Inter could attempt to pull off an audacious move for Messi in this transfer window when a picture of the Argentina great was projected onto the Duomo di Milano on Tuesday.

Reports in Italy said Inter's owners were behind the stunt, which had been designed to publicise television coverage of the Nerazzurri's Serie A clash with Napoli later that evening. 

It did more than that, though, once again reigniting the rumour that Messi – who has not been afraid to express his unhappiness at Barca this season – could move to Milan, where his father has recently bought a house.

However, after chief executive Giuseppe Marotta said suggestions Inter could sign Messi were merely "fantasy football", Conte also poured cold water on the idea.

Asked by Sky Sport Italia whether he would rather sign Messi or four players worth €50million each, Inter head coach Conte replied: "I think both of those scenarios are pretty improbable!

"I am holding on tight to my players, as they are giving their all, I can guarantee that.

"It'd be easier to move the Duomo than to bring Messi to Inter!"

It was Inter's current Argentina star who helped them defeat Napoli 2-0 on Tuesday. There were shades of Messi in Lautaro Martinez's brilliant run and 30-yard finish into the bottom corner, though it was just his third goal since January.

Danilo D'Ambrosio was also on target for an Inter side that moved back up to second and extended their unbeaten run to seven games.

Though Juventus have already been crowned champions, Conte is keen to secure the runners-up berth, which Inter would do if they avoid defeat against third-placed Atalanta in their final league fixture at the weekend.

"It was not easy after Atalanta had won at Parma, as we were in a certain sense forced to win our game," Conte added.

"These are important situations, because being in front – even if it's for second place and someone else won the Scudetto – we need to get used to feeling the pressure of teams pushing up behind us."

Nigeria international Leon Balogun trained with his new Rangers teammates for the first time on Tuesday.

The 32-year-old joined the Scottish Premiership side on a one year contract with an option of an extension after leaving Championship side Wigan Athletic and becoming a free agent at the end the 2019-20 season.

Having been unveiled by Steven Gerrard’s men, the Super Eagles defender moved swiftly into action by training with the team at the Rangers Training Centre.

At the Ibrox Stadium, the former Mainz man would be seeking a new adventure while hoping to adapt quickly to his new environment as Rangers face Aberdeen in their first game of the season on August 1.

"I think it is an advantage for me not to be coming off 14 days or a 21-day break so I can come straight to fit into it, work with the team and get to know the team,” Balogun told the club website.

"The league starts next week, so I am looking forward to joining the squad and integrating as quickly as possible.

"It's amazing. I'm coming to a club which has an incredible history and an incredible fan culture. I, unfortunately, haven't witnessed it yet, but I am looking forward to it.

“On a personal note, my best friend, my oldest friend, was a huge Jorg Albertz supporter. That's how I first got in touch with Rangers because of my best friend and the Hammer, so it is a proud moment for both of us - we never really saw it coming but it's immense."

Apart from this, he wants the club to achieve success during his time.

"Obviously, to have this kind of crowd behind you in every game at home is amazing. I've been lucky enough to experience it, or something similar before in my career at some stage,” he continued.

“I just want to experience it as everyone has been telling me you have no idea just how big it is, and I am looking forward to getting started and getting in touch with them. Hopefully, we can have some success together."

Bukayo Saka and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are in the running to be crowned 2019-20 Arsenal Player of the Season.

The Anglo-Nigerian and Gabon star were named in the final three-man shortlist for the annual award alongside goalkeeper Bernd Leno.

18-year-old Saka - who was promoted to the first team in 2018 -  has enjoyed a breakthrough season with the Gunners and has become a key figure in Mikel Arteta’s squad. He underlined his importance to the Emirates Stadium giants by featuring in a variety of different positions, while scoring four times and claiming 12 assists across all competitions.

In the season under review, captain Aubameyang produced an awe-inspiring performance by recording 27 goals across all tournaments.

The Gabon international ended the English Premier League with 22 strikes in 36 outings, the same number of goals he scored for Arsenal in his first full campaign in England following a move from Borussia Dortmund.

He narrowly missed the chance to retain the Golden Boot he shared with Liverpool duo Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane in 2018-19, as Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy clinched it with 23 goals this season.

For former Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper Leno, he was consistently one of the Gunners’ finest performers - making a string of great saves throughout the campaign until his season was ended prematurely against Brighton and Hove Albion after landing heavily on his right leg under pressure from Neal Maupay.

Winner will be decided by votes from Arsenal faithfuls. Frenchman Alexandre Lacazette was named winner of the 2018-19 season.

Nigeria prospect Saka had expressed his delight playing alongside marksman Aubameyang, whom he was watching as a teenager at the academy.

"In the academy we got tickets to watch [the first team] and I used to see him scoring goals. To now be playing with him is just amazing,” Saka told Sky Sports.

"You know he's going to score a goal for us. He's such a good guy who helps all the young players with advice and he's also funny as well!"

Having finished eighth in the just concluded English topflight season after garnering 56 points from 38 games, Arterta’s side would be hoping to end the season on a high by beating Chelsea to the FA Cup title on August 1 at Wembley.

Jordan Ayew has expressed his gratitude after winning three Crystal Palace awards following an impressive 2019-20 season.

Accruing 37 percent of the total votes, the Ghana international dismissed competition from Vicente Guaita (28.2%) and Gary Cahill (16.7%) to clinch the Player of the Season prize.

Apart from that, he was named club’s Players' Player of the Season while his 87th-minute effort against West Ham United in October was named as the Goal of the Season.

“Last season was very tough for me but I was determined to work hard and repay the faith shown in me by the club.

“Thank you to our supporters for the amazing support once again and for the love they have shown me. We have missed you alot since the restart but we will see you again soon when it’s safe and it will be a very special feeling.

“As a team, we have worked so hard collectively and I want to thank my teammates for all their efforts on the pitch. A big thank you also to the boss [Roy Hodgson], the coaching staff, the board, and all the club staff for everything they have done for us this season.

“Whilst it’s always special to receive personal awards, the most important thing is that we work even harder and come back stronger next season. I would also like to thank my amazing family for their unconditional love and support every day.”

The Ghana international also paid tribute to former Olympique Marseille boss, Pape Diouf who died in March after battling with coronavirus.

“These awards are dedicated to the late Pape Diouf, who we sadly lost during the quarantine period. He was a very special man, who helped me and my family so much. I will miss him greatly,” he continued.

“It’s time for a short break now before the hard work starts again. See you all very soon and stay safe.”

Jordan Ayew has been crowned Crystal Palace Player of the Season after his outstanding performances in the 2019-20 campaign.

Ayew saw off competition from Vicente Guaita and Gary Cahill to clinch the award after earning 37 per cent of the total votes from almost 6,000 club supporters.

It was an eventful Tuesday evening for the Black Stars forward who contributed nine goals and two assists for the Eagles this term. They ended the Premier League campaign in the 14th spot after a 1-1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

Ayew was also named the Players' Player of the Season and his 87th-minute  winning strike against West Ham United back in October was awarded the Goal of the Season.

After receiving the three awards, the 28-year-old paid tribute to former Marseille President, Pape Diouf who died in March after battling with coronavirus.

“I’ve worked so hard to get into the team and I think the first season I came into this team wasn’t the best but the club had faith in me, the club wanted me to stay and I wanted to stay as well,” Ayew was quoted by the club website.

"I had the desire to have a better season and things have gone so well. I’m just grateful.

"I want to thank everyone at the football club; I want to thank the fans especially, they’ve been massive for us this season, for me especially they’ve been massive. I’d like to thank all the people that supported me within the difficult moments that I had in my football career.

"When I have this type of award I just think of my family and obviously of the fans. And one man that’s been so influential in my football career: that’s [mentor and former Olympique de Marseille president] Pape Diouf. I lost him within the period of COVID and he passed away, I wish he was still here so I could present him this."

During the season, Ayew was named Crystal Palace Player of the Month twice and he scooped 10 man-of-the-match awards.

Roy Hodgson, in his remarks, described the Ghana international as an ‘unbelievable’ player and also reserved praise for his work ethics.

"[Jordan] is an unbelievable enthusiast and hard worker, somebody really who never falls below a certain level of performance, someone who never misses a training session and is always lively and alert in each training session, irrespective if it’s the day after coming back after a long journey or after having a day or two off,” the manager said.

"He's made great strides going forward. When he came to us, he showed a lot of qualities but I think the qualities he possesses he really has worked on and improved... Well done, Jordan."

Inter could not afford Lionel Messi and any suggestion of them signing the Barcelona superstar is "utopian", according to chief executive Giuseppe Marotta.

There was a stir in Milan and beyond on Tuesday when a picture of Messi projected onto the city's cathedral circulated on social media.

Italian media said Inter's majority owners, Suning, used the image to publicise the televising of Inter's game against Napoli in China. It is not the first time there has been speculation they could be interested in signing Messi.

However, Marotta, who is hopeful Alexis Sanchez could stay with the club next season, cannot see how Inter could make any deal for Argentinian superstar Messi happen.

Marotta told Sky Sport Italia: "Messi on the cathedral? It wasn't my idea. It reminds me of football from the past with such situations. We are talking about an icon, a great player, a desire that everyone has."

He stressed it would be "extraordinary to see such a champion at Inter", adding: "It's fantasy football, a utopian situation."

Marotta added: "Our football [in Italy] needs a lift. Champions raise the value of the Italian brand and football. If we could consider ours to be a championship in which the great champions come and stay, it would be better.

"No Italian team is capable of carrying out such an operation unless extraordinary factors arise related to the shareholders, and therefore the actual owners.

"Let's not forget that we must respect FFP [Financial Fair Play]. This year, Covid-19 has ensured that there is some flexibility, but afterwards the rules will have to be respected.

"Suning has already injected many millions into the company. Today investments have to give continuity and be done with a project."

Marotta said Inter must look to "raise the bar" next season, in Antonio Conte's second campaign as head coach.

Whether Sanchez remains at the club remains to be seen, given the on-loan Chilean forward has two years remaining on a lucrative Manchester United contract.

"It is not easy," Marotta said, pointing to Sanchez's United's terms.

The intention is nevertheless there on Inter's part to push for an extension to Sanchez's stay, with Marotta saying: "We would like to have him with us today, tomorrow and the day after tomorrow."

Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) have announced the signing of former Orlando Pirates captain Oupa Manyisa and ex-Kaizer Chiefs winger Joseph Molangoane. 

The Limpopo-based outfit took to their social media platforms on Tuesday night to confirm the arrivals of the experienced duo. 

TTM didn't disclose the length of the duo's contracts in their statement. 

The news comes hours after Mamelodi Sundowns' statement that Manyisa was no longer their player. 

According to the statement, Sundowns decided against taking the option they had on the midfielder's contract which expired at the end of June. 

Manyisa had been with the Tshwane giants for three seasons but injuries coupled with stiff competition for places made it difficult for him to cement his place in Pitso Mosimane's starting line-up. 

He was limited to just nine appearances across all competitions in the last two seasons with his last two coming in the Caf Champions League against Cote d'Or in 2019. 

He suffered a long-term Achilles tendon injury in the Shell Helix Cup match against Kaizer Chiefs in October 2019. 

His former coach Mosimane said Manyisa only recovered in February but revealed the Randfontein-born had fully recovered at the time the club released him.   

Malongoane, on the other hand, parted ways with Kaizer Chiefs following the expiry of his contract on June 30. 

The speedy utility player had been with the Glamour Boys for four years after his arrival from Chippa United in 2016. 

Like Manyisa, Malongoane also suffered a career-threatening injury when he broke his leg in the MTN8 quarter-final against Free State Stars in 2018. 

He was given enough time to recover by Amakhosi but he never really managed to get back to his best and it is for that reason Ernst Middendorp had not played him this season. 

The two midfielders will hope to revive their careers with the Limpopo-based side which will be campaigning in the PSL next season after purchasing the status of Bidvest Wits.

Substitute Lautaro Martinez's stunning strike ensured Inter are in pole position to finish as runners-up in Serie A after a 2-0 victory over Napoli.

Atalanta's win earlier on Tuesday dropped the Nerazzurri down to third, but Danilo D'Ambrosio's first-half goal put them on course to move directly behind champions Juventus once again.

Martinez then came off the bench and fired home from range in the 74th minute for just his third goal since January as Inter made it seven games without defeat ahead of Saturday's season-ending clash with Atalanta, who are just one point behind them.

A second straight away defeat for Napoli left them seventh, though their Coppa Italia victory has already assured them of a Europa League place in 2020-21.

It took Inter just 11 minutes to go ahead, D'Ambrosio reaching Cristiano Biraghi's cutback and steering a first-time shot into the net.

Napoli then seized control of proceedings, though, with a passage that began with Lorenzo Insigne flicking Piotr Zielinski's effort just wide with Samir Handanovic rooted to the spot.

Handanovic then made saves from Zielinski and Matteo Politano before an Antonio Candreva deflection diverted an Insigne effort wide when a goal looked certain.

Napoli keeper Alex Meret did his best not to be overshadowed, brilliantly tipping Marcelo Brozovic's effort wide at the end of an entertaining first half.

Momentum was lost after the break and an hour had gone when Eljif Elmas next went close when firing wide.

Biraghi could have wrapped up the three points but he got his effort horribly wrong on the counter, and it was left for Martinez to run forward and pick out the bottom corner from 30 yards out to seal it.

What does it mean? Unbeaten run goes on for Conte's men

A second-placed finish in Serie A would be nice but Conte would mainly like to keep this momentum going ahead of the Europa League resumption.

Atalanta, unbeaten since January, will represent a serious test, but Martinez started on the bench here and should be fresh for that, and imbued with the confidence of his long-range goal.

Bastoni a solid presence at the back

This was another clean sheet for Inter – their third in a row – and Alessandro Bastoni deserved plenty of credit for his role in that.

He jointly led the team with five clearances and two interceptions, won both of his duels and had a team-high 77 touches to boot.

Milik goes missing

While Bastoni had a big part to play, Arkadiusz Milik was a bit-part player instead.

The forward had only 18 touches despite being on the pitch for 84 minutes and struggled to get involved throughout.

Key Opta Facts

- Inter have scored the most goals (seven) with their first shot of the match in Serie A this season.
- Martínez has scored four goals from outside the box in Serie A this season. The last Inter player to do better in a single top-flight campaign was Zlatan Ibrahimovic (six in 2008-09).
- Only Robin Gosens has delivered most Serie A assists than Biraghi (six) among defenders his season.
- Napoli have not scored in five of their last six away games at San Siro in Serie A (against Milan or Inter).
- Inter have kept the clean sheet in three consecutive Serie A games for their first time since last September.

What's next?

Inter round off the season at Atalanta before facing Getafe in the Europa League. Napoli's final Serie A game is at home against Lazio.

Atalanta are likely to be without top scorer Josip Ilicic for their Champions League quarter-final tie with Paris Saint-Germain.

The 32-year-old Slovenia forward has starred for Gian Piero Gasperini's side this season, scoring 21 goals in 34 games including five in seven in Europe.

His contributions have been key to Atalanta's stunning scoring form this year. With one league game to play, they need two more goals to reach 100 in Serie A alone.

However, he hasn't featured since the 2-2 draw with Juventus on July 11, and there seems little prospect of him returning soon.

Speaking after a 2-1 win at Parma on Tuesday, Gasperini told Sky Sport Italia: "We're getting closer to the day [of the PSG game]. With each passing day, it is more difficult for us to have Ilicic back. It would be very difficult for him to be with us in Lisbon."

After finishing their league season with a home fixture against Inter on Saturday, Atalanta will face PSG on August 12. With the closing stages of the tournament played as one-off knockout games in Portugal, the winner will go on to face either Atletico Madrid or RB Leipzig in the semi-final.

The Atalanta-PSG fixture had seemed a likely goal glut, but Ilicic isn't the only star forward set to miss the fixture.

Kylian Mbappe is almost certain to miss the game with an ankle injury picked up in PSG's 1-0 Coupe de France final win over Saint-Etienne, while Angel Di Maria is suspended.

The Ligue 1 champions will be relying on Neymar and Mauro Icardi to provide attacking inspiration, with club-record scorer Edinson Cavani having left at the expiry of his contract.

While Atalanta would clearly prefer to have Ilicic back, they have spread goals throughout their squad this season.

Colombian duo Duvan Zapata and Luis Muriel have 19 each, while Mario Pasalic and Robin Gosens have also hit double figures. Ruslan Malinovskiy and Alejandro 'Papu' Gomez have been key contributors, with Gomez adding 18 assists to his eight goals.

Atalanta will go into their final league game against Inter looking to secure second place for the first time. That would improve on their best-ever finish of third, which they managed last season.

Hernan Crespo says he wants to return to England as a manager, possibly following in Marcelo Bielsa’s footsteps by cutting his teeth in the Championship.

Unlike his vastly experienced former boss Bielsa, Crespo is relatively new to the coaching game. His current side, Argentine outfit Defensa y Justicia, are the fourth team he has managed, following previous spells at Banfield, Modena and the youth team at Parma.

The former Chelsea, Milan and Inter forward is enjoying coaching and dreaming of a return to British shores.

“I was very happy playing in England, going to training, very happy with the fans,” Crespo told the Daily Mail. “That is why today as a manager I would like to be able to re-live that. I admire the Premier League and even the Championship, too.

“Being a coach is beautiful. Being beside Jose [Mourinho] at Chelsea and Inter, I learned that the manager is 360 degrees.

“How to deal with journalists, doctors, players, backroom staff, the atmosphere, fans, with everything. These three [Mourinho, Bielsa and Carlo Ancelotti] opened up my mind to certain things.”

While Crespo played under his fair share of top managers, he is adamant that his coaching style will be his own – just as his playing style was.

“I admired Marco Van Basten, Romario but I couldn’t be Van Basten or Romario, I had to be Hernan Crespo,” he said.

“I will simply try to put my name on the map without imitating anyone. For me it’s about identity. I like the managers who have identity like Pep Guardiola or Diego Simeone or Jurgen Klopp.”

Away from his future in management, Crespo also spoke about his playing past, including his lowest moment. The then-forward scored twice in the first half of the 2005 Champions League final to give Milan a 3-0 lead at the break, before Liverpool executed their famous comeback in Istanbul.

“I don’t remember what you’re talking about,” he joked when asked about the game.

“The pain was so great, but that is why we love football, because it is not mathematics. Pain won over reason. Things simply happened which had to happen. It’s not something you could control.”

Prince William has explained how he ended up supporting Aston Villa.

The Prince's footballing allegiance has long been a source of curiosity for some fans, given the lack of an obvious local or familial connection to the club.

He tweeted his support after Villa avoided relegation from the Premier League on Sunday, joking that survival was "never in doubt".

Speaking on the BBC's That Peter Crouch Podcast , Prince William said: “Only in the last few years have I really got a grip of Villa as my team. I watch them a lot. I get into stats and I watch them every week.

“It was the first FA Cup game I went to. It was a Villa vs Bolton game and I remember sitting in the stands with a beanie on.

“I must have been about 12 or 11 and I went with a load of mates. I sat there amongst all the Villa fans and I loved it. I thought the atmosphere and team ethos was great.

“At the time, I desperately didn’t want to support Man Utd or Chelsea like everyone else at school.

"I liked the idea that Villa had a real history, winning European Cups and stuff like that. I felt a real connection with the club, more than I felt watching some of the other ones. Villa felt like a really proud Midlands club and it felt very special.”

William also said he had taken his children, George and Charlotte, to Villa's 5-1 win against Norwich earlier in the season - but he wasn't pushing George to follow in his footsteps.

“I’m trying not to persuade him to be a Villa fan – I’m letting him choose his own way. It’s about finding what fits for him," he said. “Previously I was a bit concerned about him supporting Chelsea, but now Frank [Lampard] has come in I feel the culture’s a bit different at Chelsea and I’d be ok with it.

“I do like the values and the ethos of the club. I want them to look after the players and set a good example to the young fans. I want our children, when they go the match, to come away loving what they’ve seen, enjoying it and seeing their role models behave in a way that we’d all want them to.”

That Peter Crouch Podcast is available on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio 5 Live

Portugal can expect an influx of thousands of football supporters when Lisbon hosts the final stages of the Champions League - which has been described as "a gift for the country".

Europe has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, and UEFA decided in May it would move its flagship club competition to Portugal from the quarter-final stage onwards.

By having all eight teams together in the same city, UEFA will be able to closely manage the organisation of the competition, in the hope it passes off without any Covid-related problems.

According to Daniel Sa, executive director of the Portuguese Institute of Administration and Marketing (IPAM), Portugal can expect to benefit to the tune of around €50 million in extra income.

Along with potentially priceless showcasing of the country, there appear to be good reasons for Portugal to welcome the Champions League to its capital, even if all matches are currently due to be played behind closed doors.

Lisbon last hosted the Champions League final in 2014, when Real Madrid beat Atletico Madrid 4-1 after extra time at Benfica's Estadio da Luz, the venue that will also stage this year's showpiece.

Sa said: "We believe that we will have more than 15,000 fans, without tickets of course, that are going to gather during these 12 days in the country and basically having fun around the tournament."

That would be just a small fraction of the number that gathered in Madrid last year when Liverpool faced Tottenham, when up to 150,000 fans were reported to have travelled, but it may be a manageable number for the local authorities.

"Portugal is a country that loves football," said Sa. "So having an event like this with the eight top European teams, during 12 days in Portugal in a year where we had no football for three months, this is a gift for the country."

It would surely help the cause locally if Juventus qualify, given Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo plays for the Italian giants. Juventus trail Lyon 1-0 after the first leg of their last-16 tie, with the second game in Turin on Friday, August 7.

Barcelona and Real Madrid are also among teams whose participation is on a knife-edge, ahead of last-16 second legs against Napoli and Manchester City respectively.

"Ronaldo is a very big, big brand in Portugal and right now some Portuguese are supporters for Juventus," Sa said. "So I think this could raise the attention in Portugal and raise the economic impact.

"People are very excited to have the best players in the world for 12 days in the country."

He pointed to a track record of successfully staged football events in Portugal, including Euro 2004 and last year's Nations League finals.

"I suppose that was the first reason to choose Portugal," said Sa. "The second one I believe it is related to the situation of the pandemic, and probably UEFA had confidence that Portuguese authorities would be able to provide the right standards and the right level of security, mainly about health security, and there is trust in the way Portugal is dealing with the pandemic."

IPAM has studied likely behavioural patterns, examining travel bookings, the prospects of restaurant use, shopping, entertainment and tourism activities on offer.

Sa said the 2014 Champions League final resulted in €46m of economic impact, while last year's game in Madrid saw the Spanish capital benefit to the tune of around €60m.

He added: "In these days having an event that can generate €50m for the country, but more than this can give a visibility around the world, is so important and very positive for the country in this moment."

AFC Leopards legend Charles Okwemba feels youngster Austin Odhiambo was misled by going to the media and publicly expressing his frustrations.

The Ingwe youngster has been under pressure from the fans for revealing he is 90% sure about leaving the team. He went on to reveal he has not been able to pay his rent and the 13-time champions are doing nothing about it.

The midfielder categorically stated he wants to play in the Caf Champions League next season, but might consider staying at the Den if Ingwe clear what they owe him.

"I understand his frustrations, but he could have taken them to the office and not in the media," Okwemba told Goal on Tuesday.

"The best thing he could have done is send his agent or if he does not have one, get a representative who can go and negotiate with the team on his behalf. 

"It is a very concerning situation, yes, but it needed sober and wise handling. It is the only way to go because we also understand the situation of most teams in the country."

The 40-year-old believes the move was misinformed and might bring him dire consequences once the season resumes. To avoid that, the former Kenya international has advised the young creative midfielder to be humble and own up to his mistakes.

"The outbursts put the boy at loggerheads with the fans and it might put him under pressure when the league resumes," Okwemba continued.

"The fans will not make it easy for him during his bad days in the office, they will hit him with all kinds of insults. The best thing for him to do is use the same channel or maybe find a way of apologising to the fans.

"He has to mend the otherwise spoiled relationship with the Ingwe faithful."

So to avoid all these, should Leopards let him leave?

"No, he is a good player and can be influential for the team," Okwemba stated. 

"We all know he is talented. All that the team need to do is talk to him and advise him. Being a young boy, he needs to be guided.

"Furthermore, he still belongs to the team and has a running contract."

Kakamega Homeboyz have finally complied by remitting their bank account and will thus receive their first payment from the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) as part of the sponsorship from BetKing Kenya.

After Gor Mahia complied on Tuesday, Homeboyz were left on their own as the other teams in the top-flight, including promoted sides Nairobi City Stars and Bidco United, had already submitted the forms and received first grants from Friday.

Homeboyz chairman Cleophas Shimanyula confirmed to Goal they have submitted their bank account to the federation and were expecting to receive the payments anytime soon.

“We wanted to read the deal which was signed between FKF and BetKing Kenya and on Monday, my club officials were at the federation to go through the same, we are not 100% satisfied but have decided to submit what they [FKF] had asked for,” Shimanyula told Goal.

Goal now understands the FKF had threatened to kick out Homeboyz from the top-flight had they not responded to the letter in the next seven days.

“We will give them seven days to confirm their participation or otherwise they get relegated to the lower tier league and we will not promote any team thereafter. In that way we will end up having 16 teams in the top tier,” an insider from FKF, and who did not want to be named, told Goal.

“We will remove them and let them go to court and we will handle it from there. They have clearly shown that they are not willing to work with us.”

In a previous interview, Homeboyz chairman Cleophas Shimanyula told Goal they will only fill the form after getting a clearance from their legal team.

“We are not in a hurry to get the money, first of all, we want to know whether the deal signed by FKF is genuine or not,” Shimanyula told Goal on Friday.

“We are not starving, and furthermore Ksh500, 000 is very little to even pay player salaries so we are not in a hurry to go for the money, we will sign the form and remit our bank account when we are very sure that the deal signed between FKF and BetKing is binding.

“I know some other club chairmen have been lured to sign and submit their bank accounts but I can assure you Homeboyz, will be the last, we have to be very sure what we are doing is legal and binding.”

A week ago, the FKF signed a lucrative sponsorship deal worth Ksh1.2billion with the betting firm, who is replacing SportPesa, and will see each club in the top-flight receive Ksh8million annually.