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Man United's De Gea contract conundrum shows how their transfer policy has been so flawed

There will be no fans at the remaining fixtures in both competitions, while the leftover second leg games will be played at the planned stadiums

UEFA has confirmed that the outstanding Champions League and Europa League last-16 second leg matches will be hosted by the clubs who were scheduled to play at home.

Four Champions League fixtures, including Manchester City against Real Madrid and Bayern Munich versus Chelsea, have still to be played, while in the Europa League, there are six second legs to be played, plus two fixtures that will be played as one-off ties after the first legs were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

As anticipated, all these fixtures will be played behind closed doors.

In a statement, UEFA said: “Consistent with the principle of sporting fairness and considering that current conditions - all clubs due to play at home in the return leg of the Round of 16 and are currently playing the remaining matches of their domestic leagues in their own stadiums, and that travelling is possible without restrictions for the visiting clubs – the UEFA Executive Committee decided that the remaining Champions League and Europa League round of 16 second-leg matches will be played at the home teams’ stadiums.

“As already communicated in June, the ties of Inter v Getafe and Sevilla v Roma, whose first legs were also postponed, will be played as a single leg in Germany.

“UEFA will continue to monitor the situation and reserves the right to reassign any such matches to the venues of the final tournament of the relevant competition should new events occur that would make it impossible to play one or more matches at the original venues.

“The respective fixture lists will be communicated after tomorrow’s draws at UEFA’s headquarters in Nyon.”

Additionally, UEFA have confirmed that qualifying fixtures for the 2020-21 continental competitions will be played as one-off matches, rather than home and away, and these matches will also be played without a crowd present in the stadium “for reasons of sporting fairness”.

The quarter-final stages of the Champions League are scheduled to be played in Lisbon, while the final stages of the Europa League are slated to take part in Cologne.

The Champions League final will be played on August 23, with the Europa League showpiece two days earlier.

Original author: Robin Bairner
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PSG boss in police custody over racism claims

The 31-year-old will make a return to Europe since she parted ways with Lithuanian side Gintra Universitetas last summer

Spanish side Logrono have completed the signing of South Africa defender Nothando Vilakazi for the 2019-20 season.

The Primera Iberdrola outfit captured the Banyana Banyana star from the Sasol Women's League side Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) ladies, who she helped to claim the domestic crown in 2019.

The 31-year-old enjoyed stints at Moroka Swallows, Palace Super Falcons and TUT ladies in South Africa before getting her first professional spell with Lithuanian side Gintra Universitetas in 2019.
 
At Gintra, the South Africa international enjoyed a fine though short spell, scoring three goals in eight games, including in the 2019 Amber Cup champions triumph for Rimantas Viktoravicius's team.

At international level, Vilakazi has been a regular face for Banyana since 2007 as she featured at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games and at four African Women's Cup of Nations.

Following her announcement, she becomes the sixth to join Gerardo León's side during the summer window, after Olga García, Paloma Tajonar, Julie Tavlo, Inés Juan Altamira and Marta Cazalla.

Vilakazi's signing further confirmed the determination of Leon to challenge for glory in the 2020-21 season, having finished seventh and reached the Spanish Women's Cup semi-final last season.

Her arrival also swells the number of Africans on the books of the club to four as she will team up with Equatorial Guinea's Jade Boho, Ghana's Grace Asantewaa and Cote d'Ivoire's Ida Guehai.

She also becomes the third South African woman to join a Spanish top-flight outfit after the stints of Ode Fulutudilu and Jermaine Seoposenwe with Malaga and Real Betis respectively.

On her second sojourn in Europe, 'Vivo' as nicknamed, will aim to impress and inspire her side to success when the 2020-2021 season gets underway.

Original author: Samuel Ahmadu
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Diallo and Ajorque power Strasbourg past Mounie’s Brest

The club became the latest to send a message in their first game of the MLS is Back tournament
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Barca need rally, extra time in stunning Copa win

Manchester United won a fourth successive Premier League game by three goals as Paul Pogba ended his drought in the 3-0 win at Aston Villa.

Paul Pogba scored his first Premier League goal in 15 months as Manchester United broke a Premier League record in a 3-0 victory at Aston Villa.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side became the first in the division's history to win four successive matches by a margin of three goals or more as they extended their unbeaten run to 17 games in all competitions.

Bruno Fernandes set them on their way by converting a controversial penalty, before Mason Greenwood took his tally to four goals in three games prior to the break.

Pogba picked out the bottom corner of the net from a Fernandes corner in the 58th minute to leave United one point outside the top four.

Despite United's recent purple patch, it was Villa who began brighter and Jack Grealish missed the target with a volley early on from a back-post Ezri Konza cross.

They came closer still when Trezeguet dispossessed Pogba and bent a low effort against the outside of the post.

Yet, a minute later, United had a penalty. Fernandes attempted a double drag-back to go beyond Konza, but his left leg came down into the defender, an act that referee Jon Moss deemed worthy of a spot-kick.

The contentious decision stood after a VAR review and it was Fernandes, rather than Marcus Rashford, who stepped up to slot home United's record-equalling 13th Premier League penalty of the season.

Greenwood and Fernandes then both came close before the former continued his fine scoring streak by blasting home right-footed in first-half stoppage time.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka really should have added the third early in the second half with a header that missed the target, and although he could not register his first goal of the season, Pogba soon did.

Fernandes picked out the Frenchman on the edge of the box from a corner and the World Cup winner steered his effort inside the post.

Pogba's compatriot Anthony Martial came close to adding a fourth - firing against the woodwork - but relegation-threatened Villa suffered no further misery.

 

What does it mean? Free-scoring United continue rich vein of form

Villa had good opportunities to open the scoring - and they may feel aggrieved at the manner in which United went ahead - but once Fernandes slotted in the penalty only one team looked like winning.

United are two points behind third-placed Chelsea and one behind Leicester City in fourth, and they still have to play the Foxes. In this form, it is hard to imagine them not finishing in the top four.

Brilliant Bruno

The impact January signing Fernandes has had on United is clear to see and this was another awesome display from the playmaker.

He has now had 28 goal involvements in 27 league goals this season with Sporting CP and United, scoring 15 and providing 13 assists.

Mings not merciless

England international Tyrone Mings was the latest target for Sky Sports pundit Roy Keane's ire at half-time, the ex-United captain ripping into the Villa defender for not closing down Greenwood.

Anyone who has seen Greenwood of late knows he possess a venomous shot from distance and Mings' inability to close the teenager down was emblematic of Villa's problems.

What's next?

United will hope to make it 18 unbeaten against Southampton at Old Trafford on Monday, while Villa will see the visit of Crystal Palace on Sunday as a more realistic chance to pick up points.

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Barcelona boss Koeman slams Di Maria for 'lack of respect' over Messi comments

Bournemouth claimed their first point since the Premier League resumed in June by holding a blunt Tottenham side to a goalless draw.

Tottenham's hopes of achieving European qualification suffered a setback with a toothless 0-0 draw at relegation-threatened Bournemouth on Thursday.

Spurs beat Everton 1-0 on Monday but could not make it back-to-back wins for the first time since the Premier League resumed last month, failing to register a single shot on target at the Vitality Stadium.

Harry Kane felt aggrieved not to be awarded an early penalty and Jose Mourinho was visibly irked neither the referee nor the VAR spotted Joshua King's shove in the area.

Bournemouth, who saw Adam Smith and David Brooks go off injured, thought they had a winner in the 90th minute, but Callum Wilson's overhead kick went in off King's arm and was chalked off, leaving them three points adrift of safety.

Mourinho was heavily critical of VAR after a 1-1 draw with Manchester United in June and a 3-1 loss to Sheffield United last week, and he had more cause to be frustrated with the system inside five minutes on the south coast.

King appeared to push Kane over in the six-yard box at the back post from a corner and referee Paul Tierney's decision not to award a penalty was upheld by the video official.

Kane made an important intervention to stop Nathan Ake nodding home at the back post, before Hugo Lloris kept Junior Stanislas' skidding 18-yard effort out of the bottom-left corner on the stroke of half-time.

Bournemouth saw Smith leave the pitch on a stretcher after a clash of heads with Ben Davies and then Brooks hobble off, before having a potential win taken away from them following a VAR review of Wilson's late goal.

Lloris produced a stunning stop to deny Harry Wilson in a one-on-one situation in the sixth added minute, ensuring Tottenham avoided a surprise defeat.
 

What does it mean? More problems than VAR

Mourinho will no doubt once again feel hard done by due to the lack of a penalty that really should have been awarded, but Spurs were dismal throughout.

They managed nine attempts on goal and were unable to test Aaron Ramsdale with any of them.

After Son Heung-min and Lloris had to be separated during the victory over Everton, Mourinho has bigger issues to worry about than contentious VAR calls.

Vertonghen back on song

Handed his first start since the restart due to Eric Dier's four-game ban, Jan Vertonghen was solid at the back for Spurs. Few impressed across the 90 minutes, but the centre-back was strong on the deck and forceful in the air.

Lacklustre Lo Celso

It was unsurprising to see Giovani Lo Celso hooked at half-time. He gave away three free-kicks and had a passing accuracy of just 73.3 per cent during his time on the pitch.

What's next?

Tottenham have a north London derby against Arsenal to look forward to on Sunday, when Bournemouth's fight against the drop does not get any easier with the visit of Leicester City.

Original author: Tom Webber
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Liverpool's slip-up makes Man City game a must-win

The current campaign has been suspended since mid-March but there's new information that it could resume in the next 10 days

The Premier Soccer League (PSL) has reportedly proposed July 19 as the return date for competitive football in South Africa

According to various media reports, the league discussed possible dates in their Thursday board of governors meeting which was conducted via Zoom. 

However, the proposed date (July 19) is subject to approval from both the South African Football Association (Safa) and the country's government. 

It's unclear at this stage how long the process will take before everything can be made public - as the suggestion was only made on Thursday.

Several PSL teams returned to training grounds late last week while others only allowed their players to train together this week.

And only clubs that have complied with government's protocols on 'return-to-play' have gone back to training while those who haven't complied are still relying on technological means to keep an eye on their players. 

Cape Town City, Kaizer Chiefs, Mamelodi Sundowns, Bidvest Wits, SuperSport United, AmaZulu and Maritzburg United are some of the teams that claimed to have returned to training. 

Nonetheless, with July 19 just around the corner, this means technical teams have only 10 days to prepare for what will be a very taxing fixture schedule. 

The league has proposed that all the remaining matches be completed by August 31 to allow for the transfer of players from one team to another. 

There are 54 PSL matches, 44 NFD games and three Nedbank Cup matches still to play before the end of the current campaign.

Chiefs still top the standings with 48 points from 22 games - they are four points ahead of second-placed Sundowns who have played a game less.  

Meanwhile, Gauteng is reported to be the province that has been put forward to stage the remaining fixtures of the suspended season. 

This is despite being the new epicentre for the coronavirus with over 75,000 confirmed positive cases to date. 

Last week, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and North West were reported to have raised their hands as the PSL looked for a biologically safe environment.   

Both KwaZulu-Natal and North West were touted as suitable bio-bubble venues but it appears the PSL executive has other ideas as their main intention is to complete the season. 

Original author: Ernest Makhaya
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'The final agreement insults club members' - East Bengal executive committee will not sign final agreement

The England international has warned that the newly crowned Premier League champions cannot afford to rest on their laurels

Liverpool are still "far from far from the finished article", according to Joe Gomez, who says the Reds must strive for consistent success after winning the title.

Since picking up a sixth European Cup at the end of last season, Liverpool have gone from strength to strength.

Jurgen Klopp's men added the UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup to the Anfield trophy cabinet in the first half of the 2019-20 campaign, while also storming clear of their rivals at the top of the Premier League.

The Reds opened up a 25-point lead over Manchester City at one stage, having enjoyed an 18-match winning streak between a 1-1 draw with Manchester United on October 20 and a shock 3-0 defeat against Watford on February 29.

Liverpool's 30-year wait for domestic glory came to an end when Pep Guardiola's Blues were beaten 2-1 at Chelsea last month, as Klopp's side were named champions with a record-breaking seven games left to play.

Gomes has now challenged his team-mates to bring a conclusive end to City's recent dominance of English football by continuing their relentless pursuit of silverware in the coming years.

The Reds defender told Premier League Productions: “I think consistency and striving year in, year out. Obviously, City have done it a fair few times now and they’ve set the bar for what it’s like.

“Maybe five years ago, with some of the points tallies, if you knew they had been achieved, you would say there’s no chance. I don’t know if it’s possible to carry on losing one or two games a season, but I think consistency is what we are striving for. 

“I just feel that the bar has been set so high that, maybe, it’s difficult to carry on emulating that level of consistency, where it’s 100-point seasons every year. 

“As a group, we are trying to maintain that consistency whereby we can continue getting results [and] I think that’s what is so good about this year - that regardless of whether we got the result, sometimes our performance might have lacked a few things or not been quite the way we wanted it to be, but we still got there in the end. 

“I think continuing to keep that level of desire to win and finding a way to win, while maintaining high levels of performance week in, week out is obviously what we can strive for now.

“We are far from the finished article and we’ve got a young, hungry squad that hopefully can keep on learning.”

Gomes added: "I am fortunate to be part of our current squad, under the manager that we have and the fact that we’ve been able to achieve those things over the course of this year. 

“It’s what we play football for and it will definitely be a year that I know we will look back on with great memories. Hopefully, we can continue to emulate that sort of success. "

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Aston Villa start Samatta and Trezeguet against Ighalo’s Manchester United

The Tanzania and Egypt internationals have been handed a starting role ahead of Thursday evening’s clash against the Red Devils

Mbwana Samatta and Mahmoud Hassan ’Trezeguet’ will start for Aston Villa as they face Odion Ighalo’s Manchester United.

Thursday’s game at Villa Park will see both teams battle for all the points at stake as they chase contrasting ambitions. While the hosts are battling against relegation, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men are fighting to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

The Tanzania international played as a substitute in the Claret and Blue Army’s 2-0 defeat at Liverpool, however, he has been recalled to the starting XI for the Red Devils.

This game will be his 10th in the English top-flight since joining from Genk on January 20, 2020 to become the 117th different nationality to play in the competition.

For Egypt’s Trezeguet, this will be his 30th Premier League fixture in his debut season at Villa Park following his move from Kasimpasa.

His compatriot Ahmed Elmohamady and Zimbabwe international Marvelous Nakamba will start proceedings from the bench as Dean Smith’s men will be gunning for their first win in 11 matches.

Former Nigeria international Ighalo will start from the bench as the Old Trafford giants will play this fixture with the same team that dismantled Bournemouth 5-2 on Saturday.

Original author: Shina Oludare
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LIVE: Hellas Verona vs Inter

72' Verona and Inter have met 57 times so far in Serie A. In those matches, the Yellow and Blues have won only four times, with 33 wins for the Nerazzurri and 20 draws. 

68' Adjapong is immediately involved as he sets off down the left-hand side of the field in seeking to force the issue. However, the hosts are quickly crowded out and forced to play back towards their own goal. 

65' There is going to be a brief stoppage in play as Dimarco is down and in need of medical attention. He looks to be in real discomfort. 

63' Conte’s team are enjoying their best spell at present with Verona struggling to retain possession for a sustained period of time. 

61' Sanchez attempts to find Godin from a free-kick down the left, but the Uruguayan was adjudged to have been offside.  

60' A member of the Inter backroom staff has gone into the book following his reaction to a foul on Young by Amrabat, who, of course, has already been given a yellow card. 

59' Gagliardini is fouled inside Inter’s half by Rrahmani, and Conte’s side are given a free-kick. 

57' Prior to kick off, Verona had conceded at least two goals in each of their last seven games against Inter. 

53' Inter win possession back just outside of the home side’s box, giving Valero space to try and slide the ball into Lukaku’s path. However, Amrabat is alert to the danger and makes a last-ditch challenge to deny the Belgian getting a shot away.

51' Godin makes an excellently-timed tackle to take the ball away from Pessina just as Verona looked to build down the right wing. 

47' SHOULD DO BETTER! Sanchez whips in an inviting in-swinging corner which Valero just misses. The delivery drops to Skriniar, who takes a hopeful swing at the ball, sending it wide to the right of Silvestri’s goal. He made more time than he thought there. 

46' SAVE! Inter show their attacking intent right from the off as Candreva sees a well-struck effort from the edge of the box tipped behind for a corner to the left by Silvestri. 

46' De Vrij and Handanovic almost get themselves in a mix up at the back straight after the restart, but Skriniar just manages to hook the ball away from the danger area. 

46' We are back underway! Irrati, the referee, blows his whistle and Verona get the second half kicked off. 

Verona’s Croatian manager will be pleased with how his side has performed thus far and will looking for more of the same after the restart. In addition to their goal, the hosts have created more clear-cut chances than their opponents, with Lazovic continuing to cause problems down the left flank. Conte, on the other hand, will demand a lot more from his team in the second half. Gagliardini and Brozovic have failed to have much of an impact on the match thus far, leaving the visitors to go long towards Lukaku, which did not prove fruitful in the opening 45 minutes. 

Following a competitive half, Verona take a one-goal lead in at the break. After just two minutes, the hosts found themselves in front when Lazovic latched onto Dimarco’s searching pass before darting past Skriniar and burying the ball into the bottom-left corner. Juric’s side had chances to extend their lead, including a Valoso strike that cannoned off the post, while Inter were mostly restricted to long-range efforts in their search for an equaliser.  

45' + 3' HALF TIME: HELLAS VERONA 1-0 INTER

45' There will be two added minutes at the end of the first half.  

43' INCHES AWAY! Lazovic drives down the left flank before passing the ball to Veloso. From the touchline, the midfielder sends a dangerous, low cross into the box which somehow evades Stepinski in the centre and Pessina, who was at full stretch at the far post. 

41' The pace of the game is being disrupted by a succession of cynical fouls. Brozovic this time brings down Pessina, leading to the referee giving the Yellow and Blues a free-kick just inside the Inter half. 

39' Valero found himself in acres of space and attempted to slide the ball down the right for Candreva, but the Italian just made his run a fraction too early and was flagged for offside. 

36' Lukaku catches Kumbulla on the edge of Verona’s box and Irrati awards the hosts a free-kick. 

35' Inter are beginning to get a foothold in the game despite being behind on the scoresheet. Young receives the ball from Sanchez before finding Brozovic on the edge of the box. The Croation opts to take on a first-time shot, but sends it wide to the left of Silvestri’s goal.  

34' Godin is well placed to block Pessina’s cross in the centre of the box with Stepinski lurking at the far post. 

33' Lukaku drops deep to try and link-up play in an effort to force the issue, although Amrabat reads the Belgian’s headed pass to Valero and sends it out for a throw-in down the near side. 

31' JUST WIDE! The following corner is cleared initially by the home side before eventually falling to Brozovic. From the edge of the box, the Croatian fires just wide on his right foot. Silvestri was scrambling across his goal for that effort.

30' TIPPED OVER! The resulting free-kick is taken by Sanchez, and he forces Silvestri to steer the ball over his bar for a corner in the centre of his goal. 

28' Inter have lost three of their last seven league games, as many losses as in their previous 35 Serie A matches. 

26' Faraoni concedes a corner to the left, but Sanchez’s in-swinging set-piece is easily headed away by Gunter. 

24' Sanchez is impeded by Gunter and the visitors win a free-kick in their own defensive third. 

22' OPENING! Veloso this time runs with the ball until spotting Lazovic to his left. After sending a pass out wide, the Serbian’s resulting whipped cross is nodded beyond the far post by Stepinski. The hosts are really starting to dictate proceedings here.  

20' ANOTHER CHANCE! Amrabat drives at the heart of the Inter defence before lofting a wonderful throughball over to the left for Dimarco. The wing-back opts to take it on first time from the centre of the box, and his volleyed effort marginally misses to the right of Handanovic’s goal. 

19' OFF THE POST! After their best spell of possession, Faraoni receives the ball down the right-hand side of the field before laying it off for Veloso. After skipping beyond two Inter players, the midfielder hits the post with a fierce left-footed drive. So close to extending their lead! 

17' Sanchez attempts to send Candreva away down the right, but the referee’s assistant has his flag up for offside against the winger. 

16' WIDE! Juric’s side manage to break out of their own half for the first time since their goal, and it results in Lazovic sliding through Stepinski. The attacker takes a touch to set himself before lashing a left-footed effort wide from a tight angle. 

14' BLOCK! The loose ball falls to Valero a few yards outside of Verona’s box, and the Spaniard tries his luck from range. Gunter reads the danger and puts his body on the line to block the effort. 

13' Lukaku shows good strength to protect the ball down the left side of the hosts’ penalty area. After cutting onto his right foot and crossing, Kumbulla calmly takes the delivery down before hooking it to safety. 

12' Candreva finds himself in acres of space down the right wing and drives at Dimarco. After getting to the byline, however, the Italian’s cross sails out for a goal-kick. 

10' The Nerazzurri are beginning to find their rhythm after Verona’s positive start. Valero once again drifts over to the left flank, but this time his lofted delivery is easily claimed by Silvestri. 

8' Inter are given a free-kick in a central area halfway inside Verona’s half following a foul on Sanchez by Amrabat. Conte’s team opt to work it short and over to the left-hand side of the field. 

6' CLOSE! After some patient work, Gagliardini creates space down the left to whip a cross into the hosts’ penalty area. Candreva rises well to meet the delivery in the centre of the box, but his flicked header just evades the far post. 

4' Candreva is caught down the right flank by Dimarco and the visitors are awarded a free-kick. 

1' The home cheaply lose possession on the edge of their area to Valero, who slides a forward pass to Lukaku. The Belgian attempts to backheel the ball into Sanchez’s past, but the Chilean’s first touch lets him down and Kumbulla makes a much-needed interception. 

1' Kick off! The referee, Massimiliano Irrati, blows his whistle and Inter get us underway. 

The teams are out, and kick-off will soon be upon us here at Marcantonio Bentegodi. 

Verona’s last win in Serie A against Inter was in 1992. Since then they have lost 14 times and shared three draws against the Nerazzurri.

Since the resumption of Serie A, Verona have won two of their five matches. However, in that time, Ivan Juric’s side have failed to keep a single clean sheet, conceding a total of 10 goals. The hosts come into this fixture ninth in the table, with a win potentially taking them five points behind sixth-placed Napoli in the race for a European spot. Inter, on the other hand, can leapfrog Atalanta and move into third with a victory over Verona. Conte’s team have lost only one of their last five league games, but have gone down to ten men on three occasions during that run. 

The Yellow and Blues make five changes for this clash following their defeat to Brescia. Gunter comes into the defence in place of Empereur, who drops to the bench, while Amrabat, Dimarco, Pessina and Stepinski also start ahead of Badu, Di Carmine, Mattia Zaccagni and the injured Fabio Borini. Antonio Conte, meanwhile, makes four alterations to his side. Godin, Skriniar, Valero and Sanchez return to the starting team, while Danilo D’Ambrosio, Alessandro Bastoni, Eriksen and Martinez all drop out.

INTER SUBS: Daniele Padelli, Tommaso Berni, Andrea Ranocchia, Lorenzo Pirola, Kwadwo Asamoah, Cristiano Biraghi, Lucien Agoume, Matias Vecino, Christian Eriksen, Lautaro Martinez, Sebastiano Esposito. 

HELLAS VERONA SUBS: Alessandro Berardi, Boris Radunovic, Alan Empereur, Matteo Lovato, Claud Adjapong, Emmanuel Badu, Lucas, Valerio Verre, Samuel Di Carmine, Filippo Terracciano. 

INTER (3-4-1-2): Samir Handanovic; Diego Godin, Stefan de Vrij, Milan Skriniar; Antonio Candreva, Roberto Gagliardini, Marcelo Brozovic, Ashely Young; Borja Valero; Romelu Lukaku, Alexis Sanchez. 

HELLAS VERONA (3-4-3): Marco Silvestri; Amir Rrahmani, Koray Gunter, Marash Kumbulla; Davide Faraoni, Sofyan Amrabat, Miguel Veloso, Federico Dimarco; Darko Lazovic, Matteo Pessina, Mariusz Stepinski. 

The home side come into this game looking to bounce back after suffering a 2-0 defeat last time out against Brescia. Inter, meanwhile, will be also be seeking a return to winning ways following their 2-1 loss at home to Bologna in their previous league match. 

Hello and welcome to live match coverage of the Serie A fixture between Hellas Verona and Inter at Marcantonio Bentegodi.

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Moukoko: Fahrenhorst hails Borussia Dortmund wonderkid

The Cameroonian starlet has been delivering spectacular performances for BVB youth teams which has earned him praise

Former Werder Bremen and Hannover 96 defender Frank Fahrenhorst has praised Borussia Dortmund youngster Youssoufa Moukoko.

The 15-year-old has been turning heads in the youth setup of BVB and his impressive showings in front of goal have seen him compared to four-time Africa Player of the Year Samuel Eto’o.

Moukoko has racked up more than 150 goals for Dortmund’s youth teams since joining the side from 2016, including 34 strikes in 20 games for the U19 side last season.

Fahrenhorst, who is currently the youth coach of Schalke 04 U17, recollected how the forward posed danger to his side and hailed his development.

“He [Moukoko] hurts us very often. [Laughs] He is without a doubt an exceptional player. The maturity and serenity he has at 15 are impressive,” Fahrenhorst told Goal and SPOX.

“You have to see how he can handle physically in the professional area, but you can only be curious to see what his future path will look like. His potential is unparalleled in old age.”

Moukoko has been allowed to train with the Borussia Dortmund senior team since January this year and could make his debut for Lucien Favre’s men when he turns 16 years in November after the German football authority lowered the age limit for a player to make his first senior appearance.

"We are very happy. The majority of clubs now want to give exceptionally talented young players the opportunity to take a new step in their development in absolutely exceptional cases," Lars Ricken, Dortmund's youth director, said in a recent interview.

Moukoko started his career with St. Pauli academy and scored 23 goals in 13 games during his two-year stay with the side before joining Borussia Dortmund in 2016.

The youngster has also been compared to Arsenal and Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who scored 141 goals in all competitions during his time with Dortmund, following his impressive showings in front of goal.

Moukoko will be expected to be a good addition for the Black and Yellows first team and help them compete for the Bundesliga title next season after finishing the 2019-20 campaign as runner-up behind Bayern Munich.

The 15-year-old forward currently represents Germany U16 but he is eligible to play for the Cameroon national team, should he desire to switch his allegiance to the West Africans. 

Original author: Gbenga Adewoye
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Inter retain Coppa Italia thanks to Lautaro brace

The Red Devils were awarded their 13th spot kick of the season at Villa Park after a piece of brilliance in the box from the Portuguese

Manchester United have equalled the Premier League's all-time record for penalties given in a single season, with Bruno Fernandes netting their opener against Aston Villa from 12 yards.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side travelled to Villa Park on Thursday night for a must-win game in their continued pursuit of a top-four finish.

The Red Devils have been in scintillating form since the Premier League restart on June 17, winning three of their last four fixtures, scoring an impressive 12 goals in the process.

Villa were able to stifle United's attacking players in the opening quarter of the game, but a breakthrough was eventually made when the referee awarded the visitors a penalty just before the half-hour mark.

Fernandes was felled by Ezri Konsa after spinning just inside the box, and Jonathan Moss pointed to the spot-kick after a VAR review.

The Portuguese midfielder showed nerves of steel to send Villa goalkeeper Pepe Reina flying the wrong way and sweep the ball into the bottom left-hand corner, taking his tally in a United shirt to eight goals since his €55 million (£49m/$62m) move from Sporting CP in January.

The Red Devils have now been awarded the joint highest number of penalties over a 38-game season in Premier League history, level with Leicester in 2015-16 and Crystal Palace in 2004-05.

Man Utd have been awarded 13 of the 79 penalties taken in this season's Premier League, making up 16.5 per cent of penalties given.

That 16.5 per cent is the highest proportion of any side in a season in the competition's history.

Fernandes, meanwhile, has been directly involved in 12 goals in his first ten outings for Solskjaer's side, as he continues to set English football alight.

Only former Newcastle striker Mick Quinn has hit more (13) in their opening ten appearances for a new club in the top-flight, and his brilliance in the final third could now see United move to within a single point of Leicester - who currently occupy the final Champions League spot.

The Red Devils also look set to extend their recent unbeaten run to 17 games, with Mason Greenwood doubling their advantage against Villa with a fearsome strike just before half-time.

  87 Hits

Messi leaving and another new manager hire to come: PSG's latest summer of change

Liverpool's much-anticipated unveiling of their new jerseys under Nike were forced to be postponed due to Covid-19, so when can we expect to see them?

After winning their first ever Premier League title in style - becoming the fastest team in top-flight history to win the Premiership - Liverpool will commemorate their status as newly crowned champions with a brand-new kit under Nike.

Goal has the latest information about the Premier League winners' 2020-21 shirts - home, away and third - as well as when they expected to be fully released and more.

New 2020-21 football kits: Chelsea, Bayern Munich & all the top clubs' shirts & jerseys revealed

Liverpool's 2020-21 home kit & release date

Liverpool are set to launch a completely all-new kit, with Nike having taken over previous suppliers New Balance starting with the 2020-21 season.

The Reds' five-year deal with New Balance was set to expire on June 1, but due to Covid-19 disrupting the season and delaying the final games of the season, Nike's partnership with the club will now begin on August 1.

A full kit release is not expected to take place until then.

An agreement was reached with the parties involved to have Liverpool lift the Premier League trophy with their current New Balance kit, whose deal will now expire on July 31.

Aside from some leaks, however, details about Liverpool's brand-new jerseys have been scarce, and information about their new look might not be unveiled until closer to August.

What is certain is that Liverpool are sure to be decked out in their traditional all-red kit - with their shirt, short and socks all in the famed shade of crimson.

Prior to New Balance, Warrior supplied the club's kits from 2012-15, with Adidas being the supplier from 2006-12.

Liverpool's 2020-21 away kit & release date

With Liverpool's new home jersey not expected to be unveiled until August 1, their away and third strips probably won't be released until then either - if not much later.

Clubs usually release their home kits first, and their away and third kits a few weeks after the initial launch, but Liverpool and Nike might be tempted to celebrate their new partnership by revealing all three kits (as well as the goalkeeping strip) at the same time.

Liverpool's 2019-20 away kit was a white number, and their third kit sporting a black base with aqua blue accents - so expect the Nike jerseys to take a completely different turn.

Original author: Goal
  131 Hits

Strasbourg vs PSG - Ligue 1: TV channel, team news, lineups & prediction

The 28-year-old shed light on his transfer to the Bundesliga outfit seven years ago

Ghana international Afriyie Acquah has disclosed his 2013 transfer to German side Hoffenheim was to get him a step closer to the English Premier League.

On top of his game at Italian Serie A fold Parma, the midfielder joined the Bundesliga outfit on a four-year deal during the January transfer window.

The move would end up a bad decision as he left Die Kraichgauer in 2015 without making a single competitive appearance.

“The Hoffenheim deal came too early for me. January transfers are hard. It’s rare for players to do well when they are signed in the winter window," Acquah Godfred Akoto Boafo, as reported by Citisportsonline.

“I was also in the form of my life in Parma. I had even earned another call-up to the Black Stars and scored my first goal against Malawi.

“Roberto Donadoni who was then the coach of Parma did not want me to leave. We were doing well and were in the top half of the league at the time.

“I opted to leave because I was convinced it was going to be a good stepping stone to the Premier League."

Acquah failed to make a single appearance for Hoffenheim as the 2012-13 season drew to a close.

Frustrated, he rejoined Parma on loan for the 2013-14 term where he made 27 league appearances.

A good show on his return saw the loan extended for one more season. The second year on loan was, however, cut short in the winter as he headed for Sampdoria.

In June 2015, Acquah permanently cut ties with Hoffenheim, signing a four-year contract with Torino.

After three seasons at Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino, the midfielder was on the move once again, this time around joining Empoli.

At the start of this term, he made a switch to Turkish outfit Yeni Malatyaspor for whom he has made 26 league outings. He netted his first goal for the side on Wednesday as the club secured a 1-0 victory over Sivasspor in the Turkish Super Lig.

A full Ghana international, Acquah made his first appearance for the Black Stars in a friendly tie against Chile in 2012.

He went on to represent the west Africans at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil as well as the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) where he missed a penalty in a final shoot-out defeat to Cote d'Ivoire.

He also played at the 2017 and 2019 continental gatherings.

Original author: Prince Narkortu Teye
  118 Hits

Lalengmawia: FC Goa was the most difficult opponent in ISL

The teenage striker took his Premier League tally to nine at Villa Park to help the Red Devils continue their recent hot-streak in the final third

Mason Greenwood has joined Wayne Rooney in Manchester United's record books after scoring in three consecutive appearances, with his latest strike coming against Aston Villa.

Greenwood has been one of the stars of the 2019-20 campaign, emerging as a key member of United's squad after being trusted to play alongside Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial up front by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The 18-year-old has scored 18 goals in 44 appearances across all competitions, and he's stepped his game up another level since the resumption of English football last month.

The teenage forward scored in a 3-0 victory over Brighton on June 30, before producing arguably his best performance yet for the Red Devils in a win against Bournemouth four days later.

United ran out 5-2 winners at home to the Cherries, with Greenwood bagging a brace, which earned him praise from the Premier League's all-time record scorer Alan Shearer.

The former Newcastle striker tipped the youngster for a call up to England's senior squad, telling The Sun: “The postponement of Euro 2020 for a year could actually be a blessing for Greenwood and I’m sure Gareth Southgate will be watching closely. I would not be surprised if he gets a call-up later this year."

Greenwood has built on that hugely impressive display by getting his name on the scoresheet again at Villa Park on Thursday.

After picking the ball up on the edge of the box, he rifled the ball past a hapless Pepe Reina in the Villa net, putting the Red Devils 2-0 up right on half-time.

Greenwood's latest effort saw him become only the second teenager to find the net in three successive outings for United, following in the footsteps of club legend Rooney, who achieved the same feat at the age of 19.

His ninth Premier League goal also saw him become the highest-scoring player below the age of 19 in the club's history, one ahead of his Old Trafford colleague Rashford.

Bruno Fernandes opened the scoring for United against Dean Smith's side from the penalty spot, and Paul Pogba's low strike gave the visitors a three-goal advantage just before the hour mark.

The Red Devils are closing in on 17 games unbeaten and a place in the top four with only four fixtures left to play following their clash with Villa.

  137 Hits

Diogo Jota Facing 2 Months Out With Knee Injury

The ex-Buccaneer dribbling wizard died a few months after joining Mamelodi Sundowns where he was already a key player

Former Orlando Pirates assistant coach Teboho Moloi has described the late Gift Leremi as a rare breed of a footballer whose kind will take South Africa another 20 years to discover.

A life cut short by a tragic car accident at the age of 22, Leremi was touted as the next big thing to happen for South African football.

Moloi who was the midfielder’s development coach at Pirates narrates a tale of his former player as someone who would, interestingly dream of an attacking move in his sleep and wanted to recreate it in on the football pitch.

“Gift was a dreamer. He would wake up and tell you he dreamt taking a shot. He would practice that and would want to see it come to reality,” Moloi told Far Post.

“He would force Cheeseboy [Lebohang Mokoena] to give him a pass he saw in his dream. He would insist they come early for training so they can keep trying the move from the dream. He was a gift.

“It’ll take us another 20 years before we can be able to find a player of that sort. I’ve coached everywhere, schools, the Vodacom League, I’ve scouted in all provinces, I’ve not seen something close to Gift. We’re still going to have to search.”

After joining Sundowns in July 2007, he passed away two months later and Moloi goes on to liken Leremi to Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo.

“He saw himself becoming this big star, he understood what it meant to play for Pirates. He had a body that resembled Cristiano Ronaldo, but with more muscle especially in the upper body. He was a dedicated player, but very humble. He was a people’s person. On the field, he was arrogant,” said Moloi.

Leremi was already a Bafana Bafana player at the time of his death and seen as one of the bright prospects for the 2010 Fifa World Cup that was to be hosted by South Africa.

Having come through the development ranks at Pirates, his move to was a shocker to most Buccaneers faithful.

Lebohang Mokoena who grew up with Leremi at Pirates chips in to confirm Moloi’s story of the late player always keen to act his dreams in real life.

“He was a prophetic footballer. The guy would dream of a move and he would explain it to me. Sometimes we’d score in the exact same way and after the game he would remind me of it,” said Mokoena.

Original author: Michael Madyira
  99 Hits

Wolves 0-1 Aston Villa: Player Ratings as Villans Grab Late Winner From the Spot

Manchester United won a fourth successive Premier League game by three goals as Paul Pogba ended his drought in the 3-0 win at Aston Villa.

Paul Pogba scored his first Premier League goal in 15 months as Manchester United broke a Premier League record in a 3-0 victory at Aston Villa.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side became the first in the division's history to win four successive matches by a margin of three goals or more as they extended their unbeaten run to 17 games in all competitions.

Bruno Fernandes set them on their way by converting a controversial penalty, before Mason Greenwood took his tally to four goals in three games prior to the break.

Pogba picked out the bottom corner of the net from a Fernandes corner in the 58th minute to leave United one point outside the top four.

Despite United's recent purple patch, it was Villa who began brighter and Jack Grealish missed the target with a volley early on from a back-post Ezri Konza cross.

They came closer still when Trezeguet dispossessed Pogba and bent a low effort against the outside of the post.

Yet, a minute later, United had a penalty. Fernandes attempted a double drag-back to go beyond Konza, but his left leg came down into the defender, an act that referee Jon Moss deemed worthy of a spot-kick.

The contentious decision stood after a VAR review and it was Fernandes, rather than Marcus Rashford, who stepped up to slot home United's record-equalling 13th Premier League penalty of the season.

Greenwood and Fernandes then both came close before the former continued his fine scoring streak by blasting home right-footed in first-half stoppage time.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka really should have added the third early in the second half with a header that missed the target, and although he could not register his first goal of the season, Pogba soon did.

Fernandes picked out the Frenchman on the edge of the box from a corner and the World Cup winner steered his effort inside the post.

Pogba's compatriot Anthony Martial came close to adding a fourth - firing against the woodwork - but relegation-threatened Villa suffered no further misery.

 

What does it mean? Free-scoring United continue rich vein of form

Villa had good opportunities to open the scoring - and they may feel aggrieved at the manner in which United went ahead - but once Fernandes slotted in the penalty only one team looked like winning.

United are two points behind third-placed Chelsea and one behind Leicester City in fourth, and they still have to play the Foxes. In this form, it is hard to imagine them not finishing in the top four.

Brilliant Bruno

The impact January signing Fernandes has had on United is clear to see and this was another awesome display from the playmaker.

He has now had 28 goal involvements in 27 league goals this season with Sporting CP and United, scoring 15 and providing 13 assists.

Mings not merciless

England international Tyrone Mings was the latest target for Sky Sports pundit Roy Keane's ire at half-time, the ex-United captain ripping into the Villa defender for not closing down Greenwood.

Anyone who has seen Greenwood of late knows he possess a venomous shot from distance and Mings' inability to close the teenager down was emblematic of Villa's problems.

What's next?

United will hope to make it 18 unbeaten against Southampton at Old Trafford on Monday, while Villa will see the visit of Crystal Palace on Sunday as a more realistic chance to pick up points.

Original author: Liam Blackburn
  100 Hits

England U-17 forward Musiala becomes Bayern's youngest ever Bundesliga player

The pair still have a future at Phunya Sele Sele but a final decision will be taken at the end of the suspended season

Bloemfontein Celtic midfield duo of Lucky Baloyi and Given Mashikinya will remain at the club until the end of the season, according to their agent and business manager Jazzman Mahlakgane. 

The agent confirmed the two players were handed contract extensions to complete the remainder of the campaign. 

The pair's contracts came to an end on June 30 and the club could have decided to let them go. 

"The club has given them an extension of two-month contracts until the 2019-20 season is completed," Mahlakgane told Daily Sun

Furthermore, Mahlakgane said talks are ongoing behind the scenes for the two players to stay longer at Celtic. 

"We are engaging Celtic and we now wait for the season to finish," he revealed. 

The latest developments will come as good news to Mashikinya who recently rejoined his teammates after recovering from Covid-19. 

On June 22, the former Cape Town City midfielder tested positive for the coronavirus and had to self-isolate for 14 days. 

His results came back negative from the latest tests conducted by Phunya Sele Sele and he was subsequently given the green light to resume training. 

Baloyi, on the other hand, will hope to have done enough for the club this season to earn himself a new deal. 

He has been one of Celtic's standout players over the past three seasons and was instrumental during Lehlohonolo Seema's tenure as head coach.

That was before Seema dumped the Mangaung-based side for Chippa United; the move that happened earlier this week. 

Baloyi, 29, has featured 79 times across all competitions for Celtic since his arrival from Kaizer Chiefs in 2017. 

He has contributed just a single goal and two assists and this is largely because he's playing more as a central defensive midfielder. 

Meanwhile, Mashikinya has been used far less than Baloyi in the three seasons he has been with the club. 

To date, he has played 67 matches for Phunya Sele Sele - scored once and recorded a single assist.

The remaining matches of the season will determine if Celtic will keep both the players beyond their current deals. 

Baloyi and Mashikinya will have to do that under the stewardship of John Maduka who was appointed head coach when Seema left the club.

Original author: Ernest Makhaya
  258 Hits

Mexico on high alert to avoid Gold Cup upset vs. Jamaica

Having scored 14 Premier League goals this season, the winger deserves to be placed among the game's very best, the former defender has argued

Manchester City attacker Raheem Sterling is surpassed in world football by only Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, according to former England team-mate Joleon Lescott.

The 25-year-old wideman may not have been able to help Pep Guardiola’s side record a third successive Premier League title but he has enjoyed another strong individual campaign, netting 14 goals and chalking up three assists in 29 league outings this season.

His latest contribution was scoring in City's 5-0 rout of Newcastle on Wednesday, and former centre-back Lescott believes the former Liverpool man should be recognised among the absolute elite of the game.

“Raheem has taken himself to the top tier now,” Lescott told the club’s ‘We’re not Really Here’ matchday show. “He has to be regarded as one of the top wide players or forwards in the game because he contributes.

"He has the ability to play well and win man of the match and not score and then on other occasions he just scores and impacts the game that way.

“I think you have to be pretty naïve to not respect what he’s doing. There are players like Messi and Ronaldo that are scoring 50 goals a season. They are super freaks! In terms of the next tier, Raheem has to be compared to those kinds of players.”

Lescott also suggested that Sterling could be a capable stand in for Sergio Aguero, who is presently out injured, in a centre-forward role for City.

“There are always going to be options for players to play in different positions, but Raheem has proven he can play as a No.9,” Lescott, who turned out for City between 2009 and 2014, said.

“The No.9s that we’ve come across in the past in the Premier League needed to hold up the ball, but that doesn’t need to happen for City.

“You need to make runs off the ball and create space for other people in possession and obviously have the composure that Raheem’s got in front of goal.

“He’s now our top goal scorer, I didn’t think there would be a time when someone would score more than Sergio Aguero whilst he is at the club. I know he’s been injured, but it’s a credit to him.”

Original author: Goal
  91 Hits

'Barcelona should focus on signing Neymar over Lautaro' - Star's return would allow Messi to 'take a rest', says Rivaldo

The former Camp Nou favourite would like to see his fellow countryman make his way back to Camp Nou this summer

Barcelona should focus on signing Neymar over Lautaro Martinez, according to Rivaldo, who says the Brazilian star's return would allow Lionel Messi to "take a rest".

Martinez has emerged as a top transfer target for Barca after a stellar campaign in Italy with Inter, during which he has scored 17 goals in 37 appearances.

The Spanish champions missed the opportunity to sign the Argentine for €111 million (£99m/$125m) when his release clause expired on Tuesday, but Goal understands that the club are still hopeful of arranging a deal this summer.

Should Lautaro indeed end up completing a move to Camp Nou, the possibility of Neymar retracing his steps will become far less likely.

The Paris Saint-Germain superstar came close to re-joining Barca last year, and although the two clubs failed to reach an agreement on a final fee, negotiations were expected to continue in 2020.

However, Blaugrana president Josep Bartomeu has insisted that the financial implications of the coronavirus outbreak will make it very difficult for such a move to materialise.

Rivaldo is adamant that his old club should still be going all out to bring back the man they sold for a world record €222m (£199m/$251m) fee in 2017, with it his belief that Lautaro would be worse value for money now that Inter can increase their valuation.

The Barca legend also thinks Neymar's presence would help ease the pressure on Messi as he enters the latter stages of his career.

He told Betfair: "Lautaro Martinez's release clause has recently expired, so Internazionale can now ask for more money to sell him and, apparently, they want to extend his contract and keep him at the club. For that reason, I think Barcelona should refocus on signing Neymar this summer.

"Leonardo might now be interested in negotiating the Brazilian star's move from PSG. I believe Neymar joining Lionel Messi would help Barcelona become again that sensational team that won many titles several years ago.

"Neymar would be the best possible signing for Barcelona as he will cheer up the squad and give a nice alternative to decide matches, allowing Messi to take a rest occasionally."

Lautaro is due back in Serie A action with Inter on Thursday night as Antonio Conte's side prepare to come up against Verona, while Neymar continues to take in an extended spell on the sidelines following the cancellation of Ligue 1.

  243 Hits

Pritam Kotal - ATK and Mohun Bagan are big brands in Indian football

The experienced defender is hopeful that the ATK Mohun Bagan merger will be a grand success…

India international defender Pritam Kotal’s first major club in the top tier of Indian football was Mohun Bagan. The Bengali defender won the I-League and the Federation Cup title donning the Green and Maroon jersey in the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons respectively and is currently plying his trade at Indian Super League (ISL) club ATK

Earlier this year, Mohun Bagan entered into a merger with the ISL defending champions ATK and formed a new entity which will play in the ISL and the AFC Cup next season. A company has already been registered with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) as ATK Mohun Bagan Pvt Ltd. The former Bagan defender is hopeful that the merger will be a great success.

“Obviously it is great for Kolkata football. Mohun Bagan have a very passionate fan base. Both ATK and Mohun Bagan are big brands in Indian football and the merger will be really helpful in the future. We have AFC Cup this time and we will try to win that. I hope to get the support of all the fans,” said Kotal during a live Instagram session with the ISL. 

After bagging two titles in the first three years of ISL, ATK went through a rough patch. However, they came back strong last season under the tutelage of Spanish coach Antonio Lopez Habas and clinched a record third championship.

Pritam Kotal, who was an important member of ATK’s winning squad, spoke about his experience of working under coach Habas. He said, “When I met him the first time he told me that he wanted to retain me at Pune (City) in 2016 but I had (already) moved to ATK. He directly asked me if I could play as a centre-back and I said yes.

“The best thing about Habas is the intensity in his training sessions. He also sees everyone equally whether you are Roy Krishna or Komal Thatal. We had an amazing dressing room. I really liked working under him. His only aim is to win even if it is a practice match. I personally like his tactics and game plan.”

 

Original author: Goal
  235 Hits

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