Looking for Soccer News?

Former Spain boss Vicente del Bosque says Bert van Marwijk travelled to Madrid to apologise for Netherlands' playing style in the World Cup final in 2010.

Spain beat Van Marwijk's Oranje in the final in Johannesburg 1-0 after extra-time, with Andres Iniesta scoring the decisive goal just four minutes before the final whistle.

Netherlands were heavily criticised for the way they played throughout the tournament and their display in the final in particular was seen as overly combative by many.

The image of Nigel de Jong's foot planted firmly in the chest of La Roja midfielder Xabi Alonso was held up as the crowning example of the Dutch's physicality in South Africa.

Their destructive style marked a complete turnaround from the attractive Total Football philosophy pioneered by Rinus Michels and Johan Cruyff which guided them to consecutive World Cup finals in the 1970s, though they were defeated on both occasions.

Dutch great Cruyff slammed Van Marwijk's team for playing "anti-football" in the wake of the 2010 defeat, while Spain were hailed for their exciting passing game which helped them claim a first ever world title as well as success in two successive European Championships. 

Van Marwijk said in the wake of the 2010 competition that he was proud of his players for coming in second.

But while Del Bosque held back from chastising the Dutch for their harsh tackles on his side, he revealed that Van Marwijk went out of his way to say sorry to his counterpart.

"He felt a little bit. He didn't completely agree. We had a big respect for Netherlands and their whole traditional style," Del Bosque said in an interview with Goal.

"In the beginning of the game, in their early steps trying to destroy our game they did some things that weren't that good but I am nobody to scold it.

"But it is true he came to Madrid in December to join us for a while. He is such a gentleman, a great guy. You must be a special guy for making these kinds of gestures."

Del Bosque spent eight years in charge of the Spain team and retired from the game after his tenure ended in June 2016.

Real Madrid moved a significant step nearer to a 34th LaLiga title as Karim Benzema set them on the way to a 2-0 win over Deportivo Alaves.

The gap to Barcelona in second place is back to four points, and it would take a mighty collapse from this position for the teams to swap positions.

Marco Asensio grabbed Madrid's second goal after Benzema's early penalty, and Zinedine Zidane's side could have stretched their lead as a string of chances came their way.

But lowly Alaves contributed plenty to an entertaining game, enough to suggest they can survive in the top flight under their new coach Juan Muniz.

Madrid edged ahead with an 11th-minute spot-kick from Benzema after Ferland Mendy – starting in place of the injured Marcelo – was brought down by Alaves right-back Ximo Navarro.

Benzema, filling in for suspended regular penalty taker Sergio Ramos, calmly fired into the bottom-left corner.

Madrid had by that stage survived a scare when Joselu headed against the crossbar from just five yards and Lucas Perez's follow-up was booted off the line by Raphael Varane.

Joselu squandered another chance when he shot wide for Alaves, who have now lost six straight games to put their place among the elite in unexpected peril.

The visitors to the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano, being led by Muniz for the first time, continued to ask questions of Madrid's backline.

But the jig was up for them early in the second half, with Benzema fed by Rodrygo before slipping in Asensio to score from close range. To the naked eye, Benzema appeared offside, but VAR replays favoured Zidane's team.

Benzema and Rodrygo saw shots pushed away by Roberto Jimenez as Madrid went in for the kill.

It hardly mattered that they failed to add to their haul, the pressure now overwhelming for Barcelona as they head to Real Valladolid on Saturday.

What does it mean? Madrid edge closer

Barcelona are waiting for a Madrid stumble that does not look like coming. Los Blancos rode their luck in this game, especially in the first half when the clearest chances were created by Alaves, but it is eight wins from eight since the restart for Madrid, and a four-point cushion with three rounds remaining is massive. Alaves could do with halting their slide sooner rather than later, given their last game of the season is against Barcelona.

Benzema steps up

Not only did Madrid's number nine take over penalty duties from Ramos, he also took on the captaincy and performed like a true talisman. He finished the game in the stands, seemingly nursing an injury that may make him a doubt for upcoming fixtures.

Reasons to be cheerful for Muniz

Alaves are worryingly close to the drop zone, but this was always unlikely to be the game where they turned the corner results-wise. Six straight defeats is an awful run at any stage of the season, but it could be calamitous now should it be extended any further. However, for much of the first half here they were the more dangerous attacking unit, with Oliver Burke and Joselu especially threatening, and they should survive if this bold performance was not a one-off to mark the arrival of Muniz.

What's next?

Madrid are back in action when they face Granada on Monday. That could be the game in which they win the title, should Barcelona slip up against Real Valladolid on Saturday. Alaves face Getafe next, also on Monday.

Monaco forward Henry Onyekuru has revealed his desire to return to the Premier League in the future.

The Super Eagles star was snapped up by Everton in 2017 following his eye-catching performances for Belgian First Division A side KAS Eupen, where he scored 28 goals in 57 appearances during his two-year stay.

The forward was, however, immediately loaned to Anderlecht following his failure to secure a work permit which would have enabled him to play in the English top-flight.

The winger spent two years with the Goodison Park outfit without playing for the side as he made do with loan spells. 

Besides featuring for Anderlecht, the Aspire Academy graduate also played for Turkish Super Lig club Galatasaray and won the league title with the side.

Last summer the winger teamed up with Monaco permanently but his failure to quickly adapt to Ligue 1 saw him return to the Turk Telekom Stadı in January on a short-term loan deal.

The forward has recently returned to Monaco after reaching the end of his loan deal with the Turkish outfit and stated he is open to returning to the English top-flight.

“The Premier League has always been my dream and I hope to return someday,” Onyekuru told Channels TV.

The forward made his debut for the Nigeria national team in a friendly against Togo in 2017 and has now played 11 times for the West Africans.

He was part of Gernot Rohr’s side that finished third at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, where he featured prominently.

The 23-year-old winger has recounted his emotion when he received his first call-up to the Nigeria national team.

“I was very happy I called my mum; you know she named me after Henry Nwosu. I didn’t cry but could not eat,” he continued.

“It has been a good experience so far with the Super Eagles; we are on the right path with a good coach, young talents; everyone is on the same goal.”

Following the outbreak of coronavirus, the few leagues that have returned are now played behind closed doors and the forward feels the situation could remain the same until there is a cure to the pandemic, which has wreaked havoc across the world.

“I think spectator will be back when the cure is found, playing without the fans is not the same,” he added.

Onyekuru will hope to use pre-season to adapt to Monaco to enable him to make a significant impact for the French club in the 2020-21 season.

Ajara Nchout opened her 2020 goal account in the Norwegian Toppserien game on Friday as Valerenga claimed a 2-0 win over Roa.

The forward scored 15 goals in all competitions to help her side to a Toppserien runners-up spot and Champions League berth last term.

Nchout was making her first league appearance of the season for Valerenga, having come on as a substitute in their opener which ended 3-2 in favour of her former side Sandviken last week.

Stunned by defeat at Sandviken, the Cameroonian broke the deadlock at Intility Arena in the 31st minute after Synne Jensen teed up Nchout, who chipped the ball elegantly over Linn-Mari Nilsen.

In the 68th minute, the hosts came close to scoring their second goal of the match when Nchout sent a pass through to Celin Ildhusoy, but the latter's effort was denied by the visitors' defence.

Dejana Stefanovic then doubled the hosts' lead after capitalising on a goalmouth scramble in the 71st minute.

Five minutes from full-time, Nchout set up Rikke Madsen on the right side of the box but the latter was denied by the woodwork.
 
It was the Cameroonian's first goal for Monica Knudsen's side on her first start since the resumption after the coronavirus lockdown.

Knudsen's side are second in the league log with three points after two games and they visit Klepp for their next fixture on July 18.

Renowned Ghanaian coach Mas-Ud Didi Dramani believes the nation's quest for success at senior level has not been helped by their choice of players at various youth levels.

Despite winning the U17 world title on two occasions and the U20 world championship once, the West Africans continue to struggle for success at senior level.

The Black Stars' last major title came 38 years ago when they won the Africa Cup of Nations tournament at Libya 1982.

“When you look at the way sometimes we pick our U17, do we pick them based on the fact that our projection is that if we pick them when they are 10 years, in 10 years they should have played in our U20 and U23 teams?" Dramani, currently a youth coach with Danish side Nordsjaelland, told YAC Media.

“You should be thinking that in 25 years, they should be able to win something for the country.

“When we are able to think like this, we will be experts in putting people in their right places, because when you think about immediate success, then you are only thinking about today and tomorrow.

“It means you are only thinking about how to win and qualify for the U17 Afcon and when you begin to think about just qualifying for the Afcon, it means you have relegated players who would have been able to fit in for the 2025 period.”

Ghana beat Spain to win the U17 World Cup in Italy in 1991, becoming the first African nation to win the youth championship.

Four years later, the Black Starlets clinched their second title at Ecuador 1995, this time around accounting for Brazil in the final.

In 2009, Ghana became the first African nation to win the U20 World Cup following a penalty shoot-out victory over Brazil.

At U23 level, the Black Meteors won bronze at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain.

The senior Ghana team, however, only qualified for the World Cup for the first time in 2006 but their best outing came at South Africa four years later when they reached the quarter-final of the championship.

At the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, the Black Stars exited the competition in the first round and failed to qualify for the tournament altogether in 2018.

Their last quest for an Afcon title ended in a Round of 16 elimination at hands of Tunisia in Egypt last year, the team's first time of failing to reach the quarter-finals since 2006.

Dramani won the Ghana Premier League title with Asante Kotoko in 2012 and 2013.

Real Madrid left-back Marcelo was ruled out of his side's La Liga clash against Deportivo Alaves after it was confirmed he suffered a muscle injury.

The Spanish giants are unsure how long the 32-year-old will be unavailable for as their defensive problems worsen towards the end of the season.

Marcelo played all 90 minutes of Los Blancos' 1-0 victory over Athletic Club on Sunday, but was sent for a scan at the club's medical center on Friday which confirmed the injury.

"Following the tests carried out today on Marcelo by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with an injury to his left adductor muscle," a statement on the club's website read.

"His recovery will continue to be assessed."

The Brazil international could be out for the remainder of Madrid's La Liga campaign, as they have just four games left to go.

Marcelo has been limited to just 15 appearances in the Spanish top flight in 2019-20 having suffered neck and calf injuries throughout the campaign, while coach Zinedine Zidane has opted to pick Ferland Mendy ahead of him on occasion. 

The ex-Fluminense player could be fit on time to face Manchester City in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie, which will be played next month. City hold a 2-1 aggregate lead from the first leg and the winners of the tie will face either Juventus or Lyon in the quarter-finals.

Zidane has already been forced to get creative to deal with his side's availability issues heading into Friday's clash at the Santiago Bernabeu with Nacho Fernandez out with an injury and right-back Dani Carvajal and centre-back Sergio Ramos missing because of suspension.

Mendy was called upon once again to start at left-back for this week's match, while winger Lucas Vazquez lined up on the right side and Raphael Varane and Eder Militao lined up in the heart of defence.

Madrid are top of the table and could extend their lead over main rivals and reigning champions Barcelona to four points if they get the better of Alaves, who sit 17th in the Primera Division and three points above Mallorca, who are in the relegation zone.

Frank Lampard has offered words of encouragement to 19-year-old midfielder Billy Gilmour, who sustained a knee injury against Crystal Palace that will now keep him out for four months.

Gilmour is one of the most highly-rated players to come from Chelsea's academy in recent seasons and Lampard has given him full status as a first-team player since February.

Amid an injury crisis in late February and early March, Gilmour stepped up and produced two man of the match-level performances against both Liverpool and Everton, moving him past Jorginho in the midfield pecking order.

During the 19th minute of his side's 3-2 win at Selhurst Park, Gilmour suffered an injury in an innocuous collision with Joel Ward. Not knowing the extent of the damage, Gilmour continued to play for over 60 minutes, but will now be sidelined for several months.

Having himself suffered a broken leg in 1997 while playing for West Ham as a teenager, Lampard knows what it takes to come back from a big early setback in your career.

"It was a single moment, it happened in the game," Lampard told reporters ahead of his side's clash with Sheffield United on Saturday. "I saw it happen, midway through the first half. Completely accidental as he crouched down I saw his reaction as he got up, had a bit of a grimace.

"It’s a tear of his meniscus in his knee, that’s as far as my expertise will go as far as the injury itself but we have the best surgeon on it this morning so the things that are behind Billy are the fact that he is young and has an incredible attitude, health and he will build himself to hopefully get over it as quickly as possible.

"I haven’t been absolutely privy to all that [what the players have said to him] but I certainly got him in yesterday morning and spoke to him. He has got a tight-knit family, he is a good old Scottish lad and he’s tough as well so don’t be shocked or tricked by the babyface because there is a tough nature to him.

"I remember being out myself around 17, 18 with a broken leg for about three months which went over a summer as well and is part of the process, unfortunately."

Despite the injury to Gilmour, Chelsea remain in a strong position in their bid to qualify for next season's Champions League as they sit in third place. having gone above Leicester City during the midweek fixtures.

Mateo Kovacic will return from his Achilles problem, but N'Golo Kante remains out. Jorginho remains an option having not started since the restart.

Lampard believes that the Italian reacted well but added that he isn't scared to have unhappy players in his squad should they get dropped.

"I can sometimes see in players’ faces that they’ve got the hump," he continued "That’s the nature of my job. There’s 11 places for a squad of 20 odd players. I can’t keep everybody happy all the time. I don’t mind an unhappy face.

"I have to accept that in my job and I see that. But at the same time, we want professionalism and players to act the right way. He’s absolutely done that and, for that, I’m delighted with him. It says a lot about him and of course, he is a top-class player. There’s absolutely no doubt about that.

"With Jorginho I feel we’re hanging on this one at the moment. He’s been a big influence this season. Sometimes we play a holding midfield player. N’Golo Kante’s done it; Billy Gilmour’s done it; Jorginho’s done it a lot this season.

"I choose it where I see fit for the games and if we are playing well, I want to go again. I look at the opposition, I have to make choices. They’re not easy choices. Jorginho knows I’m always ready to talk. I’ve got a very good relationship that’s very open with him.

"Where he’s trained well and shown the right character, we haven’t had to have any sit-downs and I know I can rely on Jorginho when he plays at any moment. I know I can rely on him to drive the team and be the one in training who wins a small-sided game as much or as more than anyone else. In that way, he’s a fantastic player to manage."

Chelsea were relieved to survive and get the three points against Crystal Palace this week having sustained pressure for more than half the match despite taking a two-goal lead on two different occasions.

Palace hit the post and had Christian Benteke through on goal in the final minute as the latter incident was miraculously saved with a sliding tackle from Kurt Zouma. It came after Tammy Abraham cheaply gave the ball away and Lampard admits he can tolerate big mistakes as long as he sees effort from his players.

"Well in terms of that, yeah, Tammy gave the ball away and has to react better and yes, of course, I speak with the players when these things happen," he concluded. "It's part of the development but that can only go so far.

"Some things need to be better. Tammy gets us the goal that wins the game. I know his intentions are good, like all the players. They want to see out the game, it's a mistake, which can happen to anybody.

"Reactions and work ethic kind are areas where I would really come down hard and I generally think with the players we don't have that issue. But we do make mistakes maybe sometimes with youthfulness and that's something that we work on and we'll get better at.

"In terms of issues on the pitch. I'm not mad on seeing players fighting like that. I think those things should be at least held for the dressing room that can happen in the dressing in the training ground in the dressing room. I'm not an advocate of fairness, always positive things they care, every situation is different.

"Sometimes I feel when players have pointed fingers at other players, they’d better make sure their whole games are right as well and they're, they're doing the right thing. So I think a good squad of individuals will push each other and there's more of an unspoken rule of you don't let each other down and moments.

"I'm not mad on things that are in front of everybody else like that. But we're all humans and sometimes that happens and how you deal with it activates probably the important thing."

Jurgen Klopp believes Jordan Henderson is now “a role model for future Liverpool captains” – as he confirmed the Reds skipper WILL lift the Premier League trophy despite his season-ending injury.

Henderson will miss the remainder of the campaign after picking up a knee issue in the win over Brighton on Wednesday, although Klopp revealed that there is no need for surgery and that the 30-year-old is expected to be back in time for the start of the 2020-21 season.

It means he will not be on the field for the game with Chelsea at Anfield on July 22, when Liverpool will be presented with the Premier League trophy for the first time.

Klopp, though, says Henderson will be there to lift the trophy – even if his trademark ‘shuffle’ is not on display.

“We will do everything possible to do it the right way,” he told reporters. “I have no idea what the rules are, if you cannot lift the trophy if you are not in the starting line-up or whatever? That is not a rule? OK, so Hendo will be there and he will wear the match kit, and everything will be fine.

“It was a big relief that the injury is not as serious as we first thought. He deserves [to lift the trophy] for what he did in the last years. But life is like life is. If he would have had surgery and been in hospital, then it would have been difficult. But he is not. His rehab starts immediately, he will be fine in a few weeks. 

“We will find a solution where we can show the respect he deserves. They [the players] all want that, by the way. They want him to be there. 

“That was one of the first things I heard after we won the league. Virgil [Van Dijk] told Hendo he could do ‘the shuffle’ again! I’m not sure if he will be able to do the shuffle now, but that is the smallest problem of all!”

Henderson’s rise as Liverpool skipper has been remarkable. Having had to fight for acceptance in the early years of his Reds career, he has now captained the side to European, World and Premier League glory, putting his name alongside some of the all-time legends at Anfield.

“He is absolutely,” Klopp said. “He is the only captain I had here at Liverpool, and I am happy that this was decision was made before I came in.

“It’s always the same way in life, people have to grow in new roles. He had to do that. It was the most difficult job you can have. After Stevie [Gerrard], whatever manner the person doing the job did it, it was going to be difficult.

“Hendo grew in that role, and now he is probably a role model for the next generation of Liverpool skippers. That’s absolutely great and it is nice to be part of this development.

“He became a man, age-wise, and he became a proper captain. That’s exactly how it should be, and on top of that he improved. He was always a good player, but he made big steps in his game as well. 

“And when you are massively under pressure from outside, with big expectations, that is not easy to do. He achieved that, and after his career when he looks back, there are a lot of reasons why he should be proud.”

Mikel Arteta has hinted he wants Shokdran Mustafi to sign a new contract - but says the defender’s future is in the club’s hands.

Mustafi has been much maligned since he made the move to Arsenal from Valencia in 2016, with high profile errors a constant theme of his stay in north London.

He looked certain to leave under previous boss Unai Emery, with the Spaniard publicly advising the German that it would be better for his career if he moved elsewhere.

But Mustafi stayed put and has been brought back into the fold by Arteta, starting 15 of Arsenal’s last 17 matches and helping them to six clean sheets along the way.

There is now even talk of a new contract, with the defender into the final year of his current deal, and Arteta has hinted he would be happy if the World Cup winner put pen to paper and extending his stay at the Emirates.

“That’s something the club has to address but he knows my opinion,” said Arsenal’s head coach.

“I’m really happy with him as you can see. The way he’s playing, how committed he is with everything we’re trying to do, the level in his performance ever three or four days, he’s been really consistent.”

Mustafi will start again for Arsenal on Sunday when they travel to Tottenham for a crucial north London derby.

The Gunners go into the game eighth in the table, one point and place above their rivals - with both eyeing qualification for the Europa League next season.

But Arteta’s side sit 42 points adrift of runaway champions Liverpool and 19 behind second-placed Manchester City and Arsenal’s head coach accepts there is a lot of work to do if his side are to start challenging for the top honours again.

He said: “The level of the two top teams in the league has raised so much in a very short space of time.

“There are many reasons you can analyse but the gap has become so big in the past two or three  years that we all have to make good decisions and good work to catch up and make the distance much smaller.

“And don’t think it is just one or two clubs. It is a lot of clubs that are trying to do that at the moment.”

Ramon Azeez made a second-half substitute to help Granada clinch a 3-2 victory over Real Sociedad in Friday’s La Liga game.

The Nigeria international was afforded his 21st league appearance at Reale Segzuros and gave a good account of himself in the encounter.

Having recorded a victory against Deportivo Alaves and played out a draw with Valencia, the midfielder helped his side extend the unbeaten run to three games against the Whites and Blues.

Granada hit the ground running in the match with Antonio Puertas opening scoring for the visitors in the 21st minute after he was set up by Domingos Duarte.

Roberto Soldado then doubled the lead for the Nasrids moments before the break with a brilliant individual effort.  

Mikel Merino reduced the deficit for the Whites and Blues shortly after the restart of the second half before Mikel Oyarzabal dew the hosts levelled.

Super Eagles midfielder Azeez was introduced for Yan Brice Eteki in the 63rd minute as Granada aimed to secure all three points in the contest.

Duarte then scored the matching-winning goal with two minutes left to play after receiving a fine assist from Darwin Machis.

Azeez had an 86% pass rate in the game to help his side enjoy more possession and secure their 14th win of the season.

The victory propelled Diego Martínez’s men to the ninth spot on the league table after gathering 50 points from 35 games.

Azeez, who played a key role in their promotion to La Liga last season, has now featured 26 times across all competitions for the Nuevo Los Carmenes outfit this season.

The 27-year-old midfielder will hope to make more impact when Granada take on league leaders Real Madrid on July 13.

As leagues around the world restart their seasons following the severe disruption due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, a slow return to normality has begun with games coming back - but it might be a long while before we see stadiums at full capacity.

Major European leagues restarted their seasons in May and June behind closed doors to no fans, with strict safety measures in place and regular testing done for both players and club staff.

But when can supporters expect to watch games live and in person again?

When will fans be allowed to return to stadiums in UK & Europe?

There has been no official guidance on when clubs will welcome supporters back to the stadium in the UK.

Premier League medical advisor Mark Gillett stated that games would be forced to be played behind closed doors for up to a year, saying: “It’s very clear the public and social health situation is not going to change in the next six to 12 months."

With the UK having the worst Covid-19 death toll in Europe in May, opening stadiums up to fans - with games being a viral hotbed - would no doubt worsen the public health situation.

Supporters should be braced to watch games from their own homes for up to 12 months, and potentially beyond that.

According to Sky Sports however, the Premier League could introduce a system for the 2020-21 season that will allow fans who have tested negatively for Covid-19 to enter stadiums.

The report states that the Premier League could use a 'digital health passport' next season, created by the company administering testing programmes for the clubs, to link testing history to a person's mobile phone - with individuals testing negative using a QR Code on their device to enter the ground.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has given a more positive verdict, saying that he predicts supporters will be able to be allowed back into the stadiums sooner rather than later.

Speaking to the Guardian, Ceferin said: “It’s a serious situation but it is going down now and we are being more cautious.

“We know more about the virus and in general I’m an optimistic person.

“We are ready and we will follow the recommendations of the authorities but I’m absolutely sure, personally, that good old football with fans will come back very soon.”

The situation for fans in Germany might be a bit more positive.

The Bundesliga were the first major European league to restart their season following the Covid-19 outbreak, resuming their campaign on May 16 after passing safety protocols.

Bayer Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes credited Germany's health care system for allowing the Bundesliga to return smoothly, while Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge thanked the efforts of the country's politicians who tested aggressively nationwide and administered a vigorous test-and-trace regime to contain the virus.

“We can be the first to start again because of our health care system,” Rolfes said via the New York Times. “We are thankful to have the opportunity.”

"We have to say thank you to our politicians,” said Rummenigge.

On July 10, it was announced that the German Football League (DFL) would be collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Health for the possibility of fans returning to the stadiums in the Bundesliga, stating that there are currently talks "to discuss conditions and framework for a possible re-admission of visitors".

The ministry added that "compliance with infection protection standards" would be a prerequisite to the public being invited to football games again, with the possibility of partial admission of spectators - with everything having to be pre-approved by the local health authorities.

When will fans be allowed to return to stadiums in U.S.?

With the United States continuing to be the worst-hit country in the world, passing three million cases in early July and the country's daily Covid-19 numbers regularly hitting record highs, it is unlikely that stadiums will allow fans back at full capacity soon.

However, NFL executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent stated that they plan to see crowds back at football games as early as this autumn.

“We’re planning for full stadiums,” Vincent told NBC Sports, “until the medical community tells us otherwise. Now, remember when we’re talking. We’re talking about September... August, September. So, there’s a lot that can happen here. So, we’re planning for full stadiums.”

The NFL's Baltimore Ravens announced in early July that they plan to allow less than 14,000 fans  to attend any home game at M&T Bank Stadium in 2020, if the situation even allows for fans to go to games.

It is a small portion of the 62,000-capacity stadium.

"To offer a proper level of safety for fans who want to attend games, a reduction in capacity is necessary," Ravens president Dick Cass said.

"We are disappointed that this will be a disruption for many ticket buyers, but we have an obligation to our fans and our community to keep M&T Bank Stadium as safe as possible."

Phil Foden believes he has been in excellent form in recent weeks and feels he will score with every chance he gets for Manchester City.

The 20-year-old has scored four times in the Premier League this season, with all of his goals coming after football’s return from the three-month long coronavirus-enforced suspension.

Foden struck against Arsenal, Burnley and Liverpool to take his tally in all competitions this term up to seven for the campaign.

The midfielder is happy with his current form for Pep Guardiola’s team and believes he will add even more before the season is up.

"I am feeling really confident in front of goal. Every chance I get I feel like I am going to score,” he told Sky Sports.

“I just enjoy scoring goals and that is what I always want to do in training.

"I was in okay form before we broke up, if I am honest, but I have come back flying.

"Through quarantine I tried to work on some things like one-on-ones and come back stronger. I think I have had good start to the restart and I just want to keep the form going.

"Everyone is getting game time so I am really enjoying it at the moment.

"[Guardiola] has told me that he likes me in and around the box.”

Foden has played in several positions for City this term, moving from central midfield to a more advanced role and being deployed on both wings in recent games.

And he hopes he can continue to show his versatility as he develops as a player.

"It is good if you can play in as many positions as possible. I can play in midfield as well as out wide. I want to play in these different positions. I want to be flexible.

"The defensive side of the game, pressing from the front and things. I think I have come on a lot more in the last year with that."

He added: "I have become more physical up top and that is definitely helping my game.

"You obviously don't have to be physical to be a footballer but it is good when you have that little bit of physicality and you can use it well.

"I don't want to be too big but I just want to be big enough to give me that yard of space. It is something that I have been working on and it has come on a lot. It can still get better."

Foden has been compared to City team-mate David Silva, who is closing in on retirement after 10 years with the club.

The England Under 21 international says he will be sad to see his boyhood hero leave the club and says the Spain star has played a big role in the progress he has made since his breakthrough.

"He has been my idol growing up. I have tried to learn from him as much as I can and take it into my game," he said.

"It is not like I am trying to copy everything that he does but if I take his strong points - how he moves into spaces and receives the ball - it can only help me as a player.

"I think he has brought my game on massively."

Real Madrid moved a significant step nearer to a 34th LaLiga title as Karim Benzema set them on the way to a 2-0 win over Deportivo Alaves.

The gap to Barcelona in second place is back to four points, and it would take a mighty collapse from this position for the teams to swap positions.

Marco Asensio grabbed Madrid's second goal after Benzema's early penalty, and Zinedine Zidane's side could have stretched their lead as a string of chances came their way.

But lowly Alaves contributed plenty to an entertaining game, enough to suggest they can survive in the top flight under their new coach Juan Muniz.

Madrid edged ahead with an 11th-minute spot-kick from Benzema after Ferland Mendy – starting in place of the injured Marcelo – was brought down by Alaves right-back Ximo Navarro.

Benzema, filling in for suspended regular penalty taker Sergio Ramos, calmly fired into the bottom-left corner.

Madrid had by that stage survived a scare when Joselu headed against the crossbar from just five yards and Lucas Perez's follow-up was booted off the line by Raphael Varane.

Joselu squandered another chance when he shot wide for Alaves, who have now lost six straight games to put their place among the elite in unexpected peril.

The visitors to the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano, being led by Muniz for the first time, continued to ask questions of Madrid's backline.

But the jig was up for them early in the second half, with Benzema fed by Rodrygo before slipping in Asensio to score from close range. To the naked eye, Benzema appeared offside, but VAR replays favoured Zidane's team.

Benzema and Rodrygo saw shots pushed away by Roberto Jimenez as Madrid went in for the kill.

It hardly mattered that they failed to add to their haul, the pressure now overwhelming for Barcelona as they head to Real Valladolid on Saturday.

What does it mean? Madrid edge closer

Barcelona are waiting for a Madrid stumble that does not look like coming. Los Blancos rode their luck in this game, especially in the first half when the clearest chances were created by Alaves, but it is eight wins from eight since the restart for Madrid, and a four-point cushion with three rounds remaining is massive. Alaves could do with halting their slide sooner rather than later, given their last game of the season is against Barcelona.

Benzema steps up

Not only did Madrid's number nine take over penalty duties from Ramos, he also took on the captaincy and performed like a true talisman. He finished the game in the stands, seemingly nursing an injury that may make him a doubt for upcoming fixtures.

Reasons to be cheerful for Muniz

Alaves are worryingly close to the drop zone, but this was always unlikely to be the game where they turned the corner results-wise. Six straight defeats is an awful run at any stage of the season, but it could be calamitous now should it be extended any further. However, for much of the first half here they were the more dangerous attacking unit, with Oliver Burke and Joselu especially threatening, and they should survive if this bold performance was not a one-off to mark the arrival of Muniz.

What's next?

Madrid are back in action when they face Granada on Monday. That could be the game in which they win the title, should Barcelona slip up against Real Valladolid on Saturday. Alaves face Getafe next, also on Monday.

Leeds United are on the cusp of ending a period of wilderness outside of the Premier League that has stretched to a decade-and-a-half in duration.

One of England's best-supported clubs, they have been forced to look on in envy in recent seasons  as local rivals Huddersfield Town and Sheffield United enjoyed spells in the top flight.

Now led by legendary Argentine coach Marcelo Bielsa, their fast-paced style of play has earned plenty of admirers, but as much as impressing fans is important, getting the job done is the key.

So, as they aim to return to England's top table, Goal takes a look at the Yorkshire club's Premier League history and their most bitter rivals.

Contents

Who are Leeds United's Premier League rivals?

When it comes to Premier League rivalries, Leeds United's chief antagonists are undoubtedly Manchester United and the teams fiercely competed through the 1990s into the 2000s.

Leeds won the last First Division title in 1991-92, before the advent of the Premier League, and they finished four points ahead of second-placed Manchester United on that occasion.

However, the Elland Road side spent most of the ensuing decades in the shadow of the Red Devils and even had to contend with losing some of their best players to them.

Eric Cantona is arguably the most notable example, having switched to Old Trafford in the middle of the 1992-93 season and going on to help Man United win the league in that campaign.

Others who crossed the divide include Rio Ferdinand and Alan Smith, who signed for Man United in 2002 and 2004 respectively, during a period when the financial situation at Leeds was steadily worsening.

Sometimes referred to as 'The Roses Rivalry' due to the historic animosities between Lancashire (red rose) and Yorkshire (white rose), it has inspired plenty of spirited terrace exchanges between both sets of fans.

The teams have not met competitively since their meeting at Elland Road in 2011, when Man United triumphed 3-0 in the third round of the League Cup.

Leeds won the meeting prior to that in 2010, beating the Red Devils 1-0 in the third round of the FA Cup.

Chelsea are another rival of Leeds in the Premier League, having sustained many memorable encounters in the 20th century, particularly in the 1970s and 1980s.

However, the scale of animosity felt between the clubs has undoubtedly diminished and Leeds fans nowadays would certainly consider the Chelsea rivalry second to that shared with Manchester United.

Of course, Yorkshire club Sheffield United would serve as their local rivals in the division.

Leed's United's Premier League history

*relegated

While Leeds won the First Division in 1991-92, they have never managed to get their hands on the Premier League trophy.

The club's best performance in the Premier League came during the 1999-00 season, when, steered by David O'Leary, they finished third - behind champions Manchester United and runners-up Arsenal.

The Whites were consistent competitors in the division throughout the 1990s, but their fortunes steeply declined in the early part of the new millennium, when they were beset with financial troubles.

When were Leeds United relegated from the Premier League?

Leeds United were relegated from the Premier League at the conclusion of the 2003-04 season.

They finished 19th in the table after winning just eight of their 38 matches, losing 21. They had the worst defensive record in the division that season, conceding 79 goals, and only Wolves had a worse goal tally.

Under Kevin Blackwell, Leeds managed to steady the ship in the 2004-05 Championship season and they came close to a Premier League return the following season, losing the 2006 Championship play-off final.

Unfortunately for them, however, things deteriorated rapidly and they were relegated to League One at the end of the 2006-07 season.

The club spent a total of three seasons in League One, reaching the League One play-offs in 2007-08 and 2008-09 before earning promotion to the Championship in 2009-10.

They have spent nearly a decade in England's second tier since and only managed to achieve a play-offs place in 2018-19, under the guidance of Marcelo Bielsa.

That campaign was the closest the club came to a Premier League return since 2006 and was considered a major disappointment as they had been on course for automatic promotion.

However, they are well-placed to achieve automatic promotion in 2019-20, with Bielsa managing to keep them on course in the final stages of the league season.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have made the decision to cancel the 2019-20 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The top-flight was initially suspended on March 18 after matchday 25, as part of preventive measures to control the spread of Covid-19 in the West African country.

Almost four months after its suspension, the NFF held an online meeting which had in attendance its executive committee, national league chairpersons and the president of the Nigeria Referees Association.

During the meeting, it was approved that the current NPFL season should end at matchday 25 and the teams should be ranked by Points Per Game (PPG), with the top three teams automatically qualified for the 2020-21 Caf Inter-club competitions (two slots for Champions League and a slot for Confederation Cup).

It was also agreed that the 2020-21 Nigerian top-flight campaign, still subject to the approval of health authorities, will start between September and October 2020, and then end in May 2021.

“The league ends at current Matchday 25 and the Points Per Game (PPG) table will be used to rank the teams in order to ensure sporting merit and sporting fairness,” a statement from the NFF read.

“The names of the Top 3 (three) clubs on the NPFL final PPG table as at Matchday 25 shall be submitted to CAF to represent Nigeria in the 2020/2021 Caf inter-Club competitions (2 slots for Caf Champions League and 1 Slot for Caf Confederation Cup).

“There will be no promotion to, or relegation from, NPFL for the 2019/2020 season.

“The NPFL 2020/2021 season will start from September/October 2020 and end May 2021 subject to the full reopening of the country and the approval of the health authorities.”

The Nigerian National League (NNL), which is the second division, was declared null and avoid because it had been on hold since December 2019.

“The NNL 2019/2020 season which is at Matchday 3 - 5 and has been on break since December 17, 2019, is cancelled, null and void,” the statement continued.

“There will be no promotion to, or relegation, from NNL.

“The NNL 2020/2021 season will start from September/October 2020 and end May 2021 subject to the full reopening of the country and the approval of the health authorities.

“The NFF will work with the NNL, the participating clubs and other stakeholders to ensure a successful fresh start from September/October 2020. This will include a review of the NNL structure to optimize its development.”

The Aiteo Federation Cup, which was at the state level before the suspension of football activities in the country, will no longer continue while 2019 winners Kano Pillars will take the second slot in the 2020-21 Caf Confederation Cup.

“The Aiteo Cup 2019/2020 which had only commenced at the State level is aborted,” it added.

“The 2019 Aiteo Cup Winners to be presented to Caf for the 2020/2021 Caf Inter-club competition (Nigeria’s 2nd slot in the Caf Confederation Cup), reserved for Federation Cup winners.

“The Aiteo Cup 2020/2021 season to start from September/October 2020 to end May 2021 subject to the full reopening of the country and the approval of the health authorities.

“All dates for the 2020/2021 season to start are subject to the directives of the Federal Government in line with Covid-19 protocols.

“In addition, the full enforcement of licensing regulations and financial controls for the NPFL will commence from the 2020/2021 season. All clubs are required to comply, failing which they will be barred from participating.”

Newly-appointed Chippa United coach Lehlohonolo Seema believes he only needs three wins to save the club’s Premier Soccer League (PSL) status.

As they are left with six games to play to wrap up the 2019/20 PSL campaign, the former Bloemfontein Celtic manager says stability is important in football despite joining a club known not to be patient with underperforming coaches.

Taking a glance at the PSL log, the Eastern Cape-based outfit is 12th with 26 points from 24 matches, six points ahead of bottom club Black Leopards as the season remains halted because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“I think we [Chippa] need about three wins out of six and we will be good to go,” Seema told DailySun.

“Then we can prepare well for next season. The chairman [Siviwe Mpengesi] said I have his blessings to assemble the squad the way I want next season, and he will support me to get the players that I want.” 

The former Lesotho international skipper didn’t mince his words, and said he is not scared to get sacked even though Mpengesi has built a reputation as one of the most inpatient bosses in the division.

“Look, coaches will come and go. I’m not scared that I will get fired. I believe in my abilities and I will work as hard as I can,” the former Orlando Pirates skipper added.

“It’s one of the things we know as coaches. They say you are fired the day you are hired.

“Stability is always good. Even in my playing career, I didn’t play at many clubs. I stayed long at Celtic. I stayed long at Orlando Pirates.

“This [Chippa] is my second team. Let’s hope we can work together with the guys and everybody at Chippa and bring the results to the club.

“The chairman spoke to me and said it’s only six games left and there’s nothing much we can do. We just need to make sure we save the status.”

Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho says he is not interested in watching the documentary series about the team's season.

The Premier League outfit are the latest subject of Amazon's All or Nothing series, documenting their hectic 2019-20 campaign.

Despite reaching the Champions League final last term, the north London side endured a difficult start this time around and saw coach Mauricio Pochettino sacked in November.

Former Chelsea and Manchester Untied boss Mourinho took charge shortly after the Argentine's departure and has guided them to 13 wins from 31 matches in all competitions.

Spurs sit ninth in the table and were knocked out of the Champions League at the last-16 stage by RB Leipzig, while Norwich eliminated them from the fifth round of the FA Cup in March.

The series will be released later this year and Amazon released a trailer on Friday which focused on the Portuguese's arrival.

Mourinho says he does not know what will be included in the documentary show, but he has no desire to find out.

"I try to forget them during the time. If you ask me [is it] something that I enjoy, no," he told reporters.

"I don't like the feeling of being in Big Brother, I tried to forget them and I think I managed to do that for the majority of the time.

"I have no idea what is there, I have no concerns. Nothing is fake, everything is real.

"I think for them it must be great for them because they have day by day, 24 hours of what football club and dressing room is. They have everything.

"So, so, so, so real, nobody acted for it. It is just the way it is. Am I going to watch it? No. No I'm not. 

"It is not something I want to, also because I know better than anyone what our day by day is here but I think it will be very, very interesting for the people who love football and love sport. I think it will be really great for them."

Tottenham are in action again on Sunday when they host local rivals Arsenal, who sit one place and one point above them in the league.

Former Chelsea player Gael Kakuta has admitted playing for Lens has been a childhood dream for him after joining them on loan from Amiens.

The 29-year-old DR Congo international was on the books of Les Sang et Or between 1999 and 2007 as a youth player before moving to Chelsea, where his senior career kicked off.

He was not a first-team regular at Stamford Bridge, making just 16 appearances in six years, and spent time on loan at seven different clubs before joining Sevilla in 2015.

Kakuta has also played for Hebei Fortune in China and Spanish clubs Deportivo La Coruna and Rayo Vallecano.

“After I left, I continued to follow Lens. I have always kept in touch with my friends I have known here, players and employees.” Kakuta said on the Lens website.

“This is where it all started. I always wanted to play with the Lens first team. It was my childhood dream.

"This club has always been in my heart and Bollaert-Delelis is a stadium that makes you dream! I did not hesitate as soon as I got the Lens proposal. No matter which club approached me, it was Lens and nothing else.”

Lens are returning to Ligue 1 for the first time since 2015 after they finished second in the second division in the abruptly-ended season and coach Franck Haise is thrilled to have Kakuta, who he says will be an “important element”, at the squad.

“We really wanted Gael to join us. He has qualities and experience of the highest level. The most recent being that of Ligue 1 with Amiens,” Haise said.

“He also wanted to join us. Now make way for the field! We will expect a lot from Gael, but not only from him. Not everything will rest on his shoulders. It will be an important element for us.

“He is a creative player capable of making others play, of creating differences. He is comfortable in the broken phases. We need experienced players who are decisive and able to manage the pace of a match. We expect this from Gael."

Lens president Arnaud Pouille was equally pleased to have Kakuta, saying negotiations were lengthy with Amiens, but in the end worth it.

“It is a great satisfaction to be able to welcome Gael. The discussions were long, which is normal for a player of this quality,” Pouille said.

“We would like to emphasise the attitude very worthy of Gael. Between his determination to join us and get involved in our project and respect for Amiens SC, he demonstrated real values.

“The story is beautiful, that of a young man trained at La Gaillette that we hadn't managed to keep at the time. He will be able to bring to our group his high-level experience and all his technical abilities."

"We are really delighted to welcome him and wish him to accomplish beautiful things in our colours. "

Marseille left-back Jordan Amavi has compared the qualities of new teammate Pape Gueye to those of French midfielders Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante.

The 21-year-old Gueye joined the Olympians as a free agent from Le Harve. He was initially due to join Watford but due to contractual irregularities, he cancelled the deal which paved the way for Marseille to sign him.

Even without kicking a ball, he is already getting rave reviews about his qualities and his likeness to Pogba and Kante, who are on the books of Manchester United and Chelsea, respectively.

The duo of Guinean and Malian descent are World Cup winners with France and have won multiple trophies at club level with Juventus, Manchester United, Leicester City and Chelsea.

“He [Gueye] draws inspiration from Pogba's technique and Kante's recovery,” Amavi told La Provence.

"He has long legs and many qualities. He has a bit of a very fine style with his long passes and is technically comfortable. He is discreet, but on the field, he goes into the duel.”

Marseille boss Andre Villas-Boas revealed the club were on Gueye’s trail for a while and is hoping there will be no legal issues over his purchase as was the case with Watford.

“We have been following him for several months, he was on our list, we thought we had lost him to Watford," Villas-Boas told L’Equipe.

“I leave the legal part to [club President] Jacques-Henri [Eyraud]. We know that things can happen with Watford but we trust our legal department and I hope to have the player all season.

"He has athletic ability, he can play 6 or 8, he has technical qualities for a person his size [1.89m] and he is integrating very well.”

Gueye, upon arriving, equally acknowledged he needs to integrate quickly if he is to be a mainstay in the team.

“I know I will have to work a lot. I am a worker. I chose Marseille because it's a good challenge, with good players. I will learn on a daily basis,” Gueye said on the Marseille website.

“With a coach like Andre Villas-Boas, I can progress a lot in certain areas. I don't have too many fears. I know that I have to progress a lot, integrate as quickly as possible and be good on the field.”

Marseille finished the 2019-20 Ligue 1 season in second place and will be participating in the Champions League for the first time since 2013 next season.

The 2020-21 Ligue 1 season is set to commence on August 23 with Marseille hosting Saint-Etienne at the Stade Velodrome.

Young Africans coach Luc Eymael has warned Simba SC forward Bernard Morrison is ready to dump them out of the FA Cup on Sunday.

The two Tanzanian giants will clash in the semi-finals of the domestic Cup at National Stadium in Dar es Salaam, with Yanga keen to beat their sworn rivals and reach the final of the competition.

The Belgian coach has now told Goal the Ghanaian forward, who has been in and out of the team but was the tormentor when Yanga beat Simba 1-0 in the last league meeting, is now fit and focused to do another great job on Sunday.

“[Morrison] is fit and ready to down Simba again, he really wants to play against them, he is psyched up and I am also ready to unleash him,” Eymael told Goal on Friday.

“It is true [Morrison] has missed a couple of matches since the league resumed on June 13 but for the last week, he has shown real commitment and determined to help the team, he scored for us against Kagera Sugar and he now wants to score against Simba again.”

During the league match, Morrison curled in a 76th-minute free-kick which beat Simba Aishi Manula for the all-important win.

To further add to the narrative, Morrison has also been the subject of transfer speculation, with Simba reportedly among the teams interested in his services.

On whether injured captain Papy Tshishimbi and midfielder Haruna Niyonzima will face Simba, Eymael said: “The boys did well in training today [Friday], Harun [Niyonzima] is 70% ready and we will make last assessment tomorrow [Saturday] because he only trained alone, partly alone and we don’t want to take a risk with him because he fractured a fibula.

“On [Tshishimbi] we will also make an assessment after training tomorrow, he really wants to play but like I have said before, it is not good to risk a player coming back from injury with a big match like a derby, we will look at him again and decide whether to start him or not.”

On facing Simba again, Eymael said: “It is a derby, the biggest derby in the region and so it will not be an easy task. We have to be ready mentally and I am confident we will get the win we want.”

The match will kick off at 15:00 local time.