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Diego Simeone tried to sidestep a question relating to reports Barcelona coach Quique Setien has lost the support of key players but emphasised the importance of managing a squad's emotions.

Barca host Simeone's Atletico Madrid on Tuesday amid a difficult situation, with media reports claiming Setien and his coaching staff are at odds with key players .

A clip from Barca's 2-2 draw with Celta Vigo on Saturday went viral on social media as it appeared to show Lionel Messi ignoring Setien's assistant Eder Sarabia.

Although Setien conceded it is normal to have occasional differences, he insisted the squad is unified despite the apparent issue with Sarabia and the fact certain publications have suggested the head coach himself has a strained relationship with Messi.

Simeone, who is rarely forthcoming regarding internal matters in news conferences, was typically reluctant to appear as if he was offering an opinion on Barca's problems, though he did stress the importance of squad harmony.

"You know me, I don't give my opinion on what's going on in other dressing rooms," Simeone told a news conference on Monday.

"I just make an opinion on ours. We need to keep it protected, always take care of it and always manage the feeling of the players, which is the most important for a squad.

"The most important thing is to manage, in my team, the emotional part, which I consider to be the key part."

When asked how he would solve any issues similar to those appearing at Barca, he added: "I wouldn't tell you, and I would try to solve it naturally in our camp, which is the dressing room or the training session.

"A cup of coffee could also be there in any informal chat that could help for solving any internal issue."

In contrast to Barca, Atletico have been in good form since La Liga returned from the coronavirus-enforced break.

They have recovered from a difficult start to the season, winning their last four games and now looking safe in third place.

With six games to play, they hold a four-point advantage over Sevilla in fourth.

Thiago Silva, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Sergio Rico will all stay at Paris Saint-Germain until the end of the season.

French football was halted in March due to the coronavirus pandemic, with Ligue 1 subsequently concluded early at the end of April. Final table positions were decided on a points-per-game basis and thus secured PSG the title.

But a decision on the two cup competitions, the Coupe de France and Coupe de la Ligue, was delayed in the hope of potentially playing two finals at a later date.

The French Football Federation (FFF) confirmed earlier this month that the two matches will take place on July 24 and 31, respectively, while UEFA also announced the remaining rounds of the Champions League are to take place in Lisbon the following month.

PSG have now ensured Silva, Choupo-Moting and Rico will be available for all three competitions.

The Parisians had already announced club captain Silva, 35, will be leaving at the end of the 2019-20 campaign, but his extension means he could depart having potentially lifted three more trophies.

Choupo-Moting is also set to leave the club on a free transfer, while Rico had been due to return to parent club Sevilla at the end of June.

PSG will face Saint-Etienne in the Coupe de France, before contesting the last ever Coupe de la Ligue final with Lyon.

They are also into the quarter-finals of the Champions League having eliminated Borussia Dortmund prior to the season's hiatus.

While PSG have secured the services of three players for the competition, Thomas Meunier and Edinson Cavani aren't expected to be involved with coach Thomas Tuchel recently admitting it makes his job that much harder. 

"We have always played with these players and therefore we lose quality with their departures, that's for sure," Tuchel said. 

"After that it will not be impossible and I am convinced that we will be very strong. We have to prepare this team for the two finals with a very good mentality.

"We played an extraordinary Champions League with everyone. It is different but not impossible."

Kaizer Chiefs have announced new deals for three of their players in the form of midfielder Siphelele Ntshangase, goalkeeper Brylon Petersen and left-back Phliani Zulu.

Ntshangase's future has been a subject of specualation in recent times following his lack of game time under coach Ernst Middendorp.

The former Baroka and Black Leopards midfielder has now expressed delight after extending his contract, saying he wants to thank chairman, Kaizer Motaung.

“Foremost, I am emotional about it. I want to thank the Chairman for this opportunity," Ntshangase said as quoted by Chiefs' Twitter account.

"I want to thank everyone involved in seeing that I can still contribute to this immense institution."

The 26-year-old player has fallen out of favour under Amakhosi coach Middendorp and he is yet to make a single appearance this season.

In addition, Petersen also said he is excited to sign a new deal by a further year as it gives him an opportunity to improve and challenge senior goalkeepers daniel Akpeyi and Itumeleng Khune. 

“I'm excited about my contract extension. It gives me a chance to improve further and compete at one of the best clubs on the continent. It is an honour to be here," Petersen said on the club's Twitter account

On thw other hand, Zulu echied his teammates' sentiments, saying he is grateful to the club and his duty is to show gratitude. 

"I feel happy and grateful. All I can do to show gratitude and appreciation is to continue working to the best of my ability. I want to give back to the club. Thank you to the Chairman,” Zulu expressed on the club's Twitter account.

The 27-year-old winger completed his switch to the Soweto giants in 2017 but he has found the going tough this term as he has featured in three league matches this season just before the matches were indefinitely suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Meanwhile, the Premier Soccer League (PSL) log leaders are set to part ways with midfielder George Maluleka who is bound to join Mamelodi Sundowns at the end of the season.

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) presidential aspirant Herbert Mwachiro has lauded Fifa's move to financially assist its member associations during the coronavirus pandemic.

The relief plan is expected to be released in three stages and will see Fifa avail up to $1.5 billion to the member associations which Mwachiro feels is coming at the right time.

"The move is very timely and it’s a shot in the arm for many federations whose footballers, match officials, coaches, and other technical officials have been adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic with most losing their revenue streams and sponsors pulling out or temporarily halting their sponsorship," Mwachiro said in a statement seen by Goal.

With Fifa stating some of the funds, which will come in the form of soft loans and grants, can be availed to teams and players, the former FKF vice-president and CEO says it will help the involved sportsmen and women a great deal.

"This has put the vulnerable sportsmen and women in a very difficult position as they are among the hardest hit by the pandemic," added Mwachiro.

"Problems in relation to hunger, health, and housing are affecting this class of sportspersons. They are already in debt over the past three months and the need to be alleviated is even more urgent.

"The opportunity to access the interest-free loan could also be looked into to help ease the burden on the hard-hit football community."

The FKF is entitled to $1,000,000 from the Universal Solidarity Grant and $500,000 for Women's Football Support, which means the local FA would end up getting a total of $1,500,000 in the near future.

While confirming the approval and manner of disbursements, Fifa stated the use of the funds will be subjected to strict auditing.

"To ensure effective oversight of the plan, there will be strict controls on the use of funds, audit requirements, as well as clear loan repayment conditions,” Fifa said.

"A Fifa Covid-19 Relief Plan steering committee will also be established to supervise the administration of the scheme."

The move came at a time the Kenyan government had rolled out a programme that will see footballers enjoy a KSh10,000 monthly package for three months.

Simba SC coach Sven Vandenbroeck has revealed they have now shifted their focus to winning the FA Cup after being crowned Mainland Premier League champions on Sunday.

The Wekundu wa Mzimbazi bagged their third straight title after securing a 0-0 draw against Tanzania Prisons in a match played at Sokoine Stadium in Mbeya City.

Simba’s work was made easier on Saturday after their closest challengers Azam FC dropped points in a 1-1 draw against Biashara United.

Vandenbroeck has now stated they don’t have time to rest after arriving in Dar es Salaam from Mbeya on Monday and insisted they have already shifted gear towards doing well in their quarter-final match against Azam on Wednesday.

“We are happy we won the league and now our focus is to do well in the domestic Cup,” Vandenbroeck told the club’s official website.

“In our league match against Tanzania Prisons we only had two agendas, to win or draw and get the title and we managed to get the draw which gave us the title, now we want to do well in the FA Cup.

“We have a huge game lined up against Azam and I have asked my players to focus on the fixture, this is a must-win match for us, we want to win a double this season and must make sure we go past Azam to reach the semis.

“All my players are good, no one picked an injury in Mbeya where we played two matches, everyone is raring to go, and the players know what we have discussed before, and what we want to achieve this season, I know Azam is a tough team but we are ready for them.”

The league victory underlined Simba and Yanga's dominance in the Tanzanian competition in the last decade since the two arch-rivals and Azam FC in one attempt, have bagged every title.

Simba's three successful consecutive campaigns, in the 2017/18, 2018/19 and in the 2019/20 seasons has matched Yanga's record achieved in the 2014/15, 2015/16 and 2016/17 seasons.

It is the second time Simba have been champions in three straight campaigns as the same feat was achieved from 1993 to 1995 and apart from Yanga and Simba, no other Tanzanian club has managed to win the league gong and defend it in two or more consecutive seasons.

Mamelodi Sundowns team doctor Carl Tabane has described Barcelona goalkeeper coach Jon Pascua Ibarrola as “very useful” to them in gaining crucial information on how to return to training after just over three months without football.

Ibarrola, a former Sundowns goalkeeper coach who spent five seasons at Chloorkop, is now at Barca who are back in action bidding to defend their La Liga title.

With PSL teams now allowed to resume training, Tabane said they are getting assistance from Ibarrola on how best to resume their football activities in groups without compromising the health and safety of players and staff.

So far, there have been no confirmed coronavirus cases at Sundowns after most Premier Soccer League (PSL) clubs started testing their players and non-playing personnel.

“You must remember that this is very new in the whole world. We may have players who are scared of getting infected. Imagine after one match that one player has tested positive, this will send shivers to other players,” said Tabane as per Sun Sport.

“We use Europe as our yardstick and there were many players and coaches in Europe who tested positive for Covid-19. We talk to our former colleague at Barcelona FC Jon Ibarrola and he is giving us great advice from the best club in the whole world.

"He talks to coach Pitso Mosimane and us about players’ travelling, what happens after training – do the players go home or not? He has also given insights as to how often and frequent to test players and staff.

“He is very useful and still one of us even though he is at the biggest club. So we get information from everywhere so we can continue our quest to defend our league title and try to win the Nedbank Cup.

“What’s on our minds is that the league must be finished and never be declared null and void. That’s why we are working so hard to be ready to fight when we restart.”

Sundowns’ quest to gain expert advice from Europe might be a sign of their seriousness to win a third straight PSL title when football resumes.

They are second on the PSL standings, trailing leaders Kaizer Chiefs by four points, but enjoy a game in hand which could prove crucial in the title race.

Tabane has also given an update on injured players Thapelo Morena and Mauricio Affonso, who are now able to work with the ball, but said they will be cautious with the players when the season resumes.

“They are doing a bit of ball work. We are very happy. We had given Thapelo a timeline of four months and he is now running and playing with the ball – he is a bit ahead," Tabane continued.

“Affonso is still at home in Uruguay and is feeling no pain and is now comfortable. We won’t throw them back into the deep end until we know they are 100 percent fit to play again.”

Layvin Kurzawa has signed a new contract with Paris Saint-Germain despite widespread reports that the Frenchman would depart the club this summer.

Kurzawa has come to terms with the club on a new four-year deal just as his current contract was set to expire, keeping him with PSG through to June 2024.

With the club already set to lose Thomas Meunier and Edinson Cavani, many expected Kurzawa to be among the big departures for PSG this summer, with several stars reaching the end of their current contracts.

Kurzawa, who will turn 28 in September, had been seen as an option for Chelsea and Arsenal, both of whom having been in the market to bolster their defences with the addition of an experienced full-back.

The PSG defender, who had been set for free agency, was seen as Chelsea's back-up plan should the pursuit of Ben Chilwell fall apart, but that option is now gone as Kurzawa has committed to continuing on at PSG.

Having started his career at Monaco, Kurzawa joined PSG in 2015 for €23 million, signing on via a five-year contract with the Ligue 1 giants.

He's been a fairly consistent part of PSG's backline ever since, making at least 21 appearances in each of his five campaigns in Paris.

In total, Kurzawa has made 123 appearances across all competitions, scoring a total of 13 goals from the left-back position.

During his time in Paris, Kurzawa has won the league in all but one season, while also claiming three Coupes des France, three Coupes des la Ligue and four Trophees de Champions.

Internationally, the defender has earned 13 caps for France, including two for Les Bleus in 2019.

PSG were named Ligue 1 champions after the decision was made to end the season as a result of the coronavirus.

Currently, the club is preparing for the return of the Champions League, with PSG having already secured their spot in the quarter-final round.

They have already been joined by Atalanta, Atletico Madrid and RB Leipzig, with four round of 16 matches still left to be played.

The Champions League is set to continue with the resumption of the round of 16 beginning on August 7, with the quarter-final round beginning on August 12.

Barcelona have confirmed the signing of Miralem Pjanic from Juventus on a deal that could rise to be worth €65 million (£59 million/$73 million).

The confirmation comes shortly after Barcelona announced that fellow midfielder Arthur would be heading the other way, joining Juventus in a deal worth €72 million (£66m/$81m) plus up to €10m in bonuses.

Both Barcelona and Juventus have been locked in discussions for a swap deal for several weeks, with Arthur initially not keen on a move to Turin.

However, the Brazilian midfielder was eventually convinced, paving the way for Monday's announcement that the two sides had agreed to terms to swap the two midfielders.

Pjanic has signed a deal with Barcelona for the next four seasons, with that deal including a release clause of €400 million (£366 million/$449 million).

The midfielder will remain at Juventus for the rest of the campaign, however, with the Bosnian continuing on through the club's Serie A and Champions League campaigns.

Pjanic heads to La Liga after four seasons with Juventus, having joined the Serie A champions from Roma in 2016.

During his time with Juve, Pjanic was able to lift three Serie A titles, with the club favoured to claim a fourth this season as he prepares for his Barcelona departure.

In addition, Pjanic has won two Coppas Italia and one Suppercoppa Italia since moving to Turin.

Pjanic has made a total of 171 appearances for Juventus, scoring 22 goals across all competitions for the Italian side.

Prior to his time in Turin, Pjanic blossomed into one of the world's best midfielders at Roma, earning the first of his four selections to the Serie A Team of the Season.

He spent five seasons in Rome, having also featured for Lyon and Metz earlier in his career.

Barcelona currently sit second in La Liga, two points behind league-leaders Real Madrid through 32 matches.

Having settled for a draw against Celta Vigo in the club's last match, Barca will now look forward to a vital clash with Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.

Juve, meanwhile, maintain a four-point lead over Lazio in Serie A ahead of Wednesday's clash with Genoa.

Cape Town City defender Thamsanqa Mkhize says he understands the frustration faced by many Premier Soccer League (PSL) coaches after the 2019/20 season was halted because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Citizens skipper also spoke about Bafana Bafana coach Molefi Ntseki, saying the pandemic has delayed his plans to assemble a strong squad for the national side.

On the other hand, Mkhize believes the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations tournament will not go ahead as planned because of the pandemic that has forced many leagues around to be suspended and qualifiers postponed.

“I feel for the coaches and the players because going back to play after over three months [while we have] been training individually it will take a sizeable time to get back into the rhythm of the game,” said Mkhize as quoted by DailySun.

“As for the national team coach Molefi, I’m sure he wishes to have assembled a team this year and [see us] playing. I don’t think it is possible for the Afcon to be played.”

With Bafana having already commenced with their Afcon qualifying campaign, the KwaZulu-Natal-born defender is not convinced the tournament set to be staged in Cameroon will go underway.

Coach Ntseki was meant to lead his troops against Sao Tome E Principe in a qualifier in March, but the match was cancelled, and while the PSL season is also yet to return to complete the season, it remains to be seen if the continental showpiece will go ahead.  

According to the website, should Caf plan to go ahead with the Afcon tournament in January, Bafana would have to play all four remaining qualifiers before October.

However, global governing body Fifa have scheduled the 2022 World Cup qualifiers that month.

Meanwhile, Mkhize will be expected to lead the Mother City outfit to a top-eight spot when the top-flight resumes.

Coach Jan Olde Riekerink’s side were 10th on the log table with 27 points from 23 matches when the season was halted in March.

Following huge speculation about his future, defender Siyanda Xulu’s agent, Paul Mitchell, has confirmed that his client is leaving Maritzburg United.

Although he has been linked with a move to Orlando Pirates, Mitchell says there is nothing new in terms of offers for the former Kaizer Chiefs centre-back.

On the other hand, the experienced player-manager also shared an update on Bidvest Wits defender Buhle Mkhwanazi, saying he is not focusing on his future.

“Yes, he’s [Siyanda] is leaving and there's nothing new at this stage,” Mitchell told Goal.

“Buhle is contracted to Wits. So, he’s concentrating on finishing the season.”

Although Mitchell was recently quoted as saying that Xulu was staying with coach Eric Tinkler’s men for now, reports surfaced on Monday morning that the Bafana Bafana defender is set to part ways with the club.

The Bafana Bafana international's contract with the Team of Choice is set to expire at the end of this month after joining the KwaZulu-Natal side at the beginning of the 2017/18 season on a three-year contract, following his release from Amakhosi.

In the wake of his departure from Naturena at the end of the 2016/17 campaign, the 28-year-old went on to represent the club on 58 occasions in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) in his first two seasons - missing only two games in the competition.

On the other hand, he also played all five matches in the Nedbank Cup as they reached the final, where they were narrowly defeated by Free State Stars in 2018.

Meanwhile, Clever Boys defender Mkhwanazi has also been linked with a move to the Buccaneers following the club’s sale to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM).

Together with his skipper Thulani Hlatshwayo and left-back Sifiso Hlanti, Mkhwanazi is one of the players in the Students camp whose future has attracted media speculation.

Manchester United midfielder Nemanja Matic has defended world number one tennis player Novak Djokovic after his fellow Serb came in for widespread criticism over a tournament he hosted.

Djokovic recently confirmed he tested positive for coronavirus after helping to host a number of Adria Tour exhibition events in Serbia and Croatia.

The events, played in front of full crowds, ignored social distancing advice and players were pictured enjoying nights out together.

Djokovic and his wife Jelena have since tested positive for Covid-19, as have a number of other players and attendees.

The 33-year-old has apologised but Matic thinks the criticism of him has been unfair.

“People need to understand that the situation in Serbia was better than here,” Matic told Sky Sports News.

“The country allowed everyone to do whatever they want, everything was open, the shopping centres and the restaurants.

“So, they started to live normal lives because our country was closed for three months completely. You were not allowed to walk on the street, you couldn't leave your home, so it was different than [in England].

“But when they opened, they said, 'You are more than free to do whatever you want'. Before that tournament, there was a game with 20,000 people and nobody said anything about that.

“I just wanted to say that it is not his fault that he made the tournament. He just wanted to help the players play competitions. I don't see that he [did] something wrong.”

Djokovic and his wife were both asymptomatic, and self-isolated after testing positive.

The five-time Wimbledon champion released a statement admitting he was wrong to host the tournaments.

“I am so deeply sorry our tournament has caused harm,” Djokovic said. “Everything the organisers and I did the past month, we did with a pure heart and sincere intentions.

“We believed the tournament met all health protocols and the health of our region seemed in good conditions to finally unite people for philanthropic reasons.

“We were wrong and it was too soon. I can’t express enough how sorry I am for this and every case of infection.”

Among the other players to test positive were Grigor Dimitrov, Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki, as well as Troicki’s pregnant wife, Aleksandra.

The Government of India has announced that all sports gatherings will continue to be banned in the country until further notice. 

After two months of lockdown due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, the government had allowed stadiums to be opened for sports without the involvement of spectators. As part of a phased re-opening following the lockdown, the ban on gatherings will remain in place and a date for restarting sporting activities normally will be decided separately. Necessary 'Standard Operating Procedures' (SOP) will also be issued for the same by the Ministry of Home Affairs. 

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) had acted on the instructions of the government to pause all football activities in March earlier this year as the country entered into a lockdown.

The Indian Super League (ISL) was wrapped up before the lockdown began but the I-League had to be halted with four rounds left to play. The remaining rounds were later cancelled and Mohun Bagan, who had an unassailable lead, were declared as the champions. The I-League second division and youth leagues were also paused.

Several major leagues around the world have resumed without the involvement of spectators. A decision about the dates for the 2020-21 football season is yet to be taken.

AFC Leopards have joined the race to acquire the services of former Gor Mahia defender Musa Mohammed.

Goal can exclusively reveal that Ingwe already have an eye on signing the ex-KOgalo captain, who is currently a free agent after ending his two-year contract with Nkana FC of Zambia.

A source within the club, who did not want to be named, has told Goal they have shortlisted the player among those who will be signed before the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) season kicks off in August.

“We already have a list of players we are targeting to sign and I can openly tell you that Mohammed is among them,” the source told Goal on Monday.

“The club is keen to sign young and experienced as we want to do well in the new season, we want to fight for the title and the list of players, we already have Mohammed is among them and that is for sure and we will talk to him when the right time comes.”

Sofapaka were the first club in the top-flight to show interest in signing the player after club president Elly Kalekwa told Goal he was a keen admirer of the defender, who won the KPL title with Gor Mahia.

“It is not an open secret that Sofapaka have always wanted to sign Musa [Mohammed], since we engaged him last season before he left for Zambia,” Kalekwa told Goal last Tuesday.

“I am informed he is now a free agent after ending his contract with Nkana but we have not reached out or talked to him, we will talk to him when the right time comes, he is a good player, who can fit in well into our squad and give us the leadership quality that we want in the team.”

In a recent interview, Mohammed revealed he had enjoyed his stay at Nkana and was looking at extending his contract with the club soon.

“I could renew my deal at Nkana,” Mohammed was quoted by Nairobi News. “I have enjoyed my stay at Nkana and even though we did not win titles over there, we had some great success especially in the continental matches.

“Life in Zambia and Kenya is almost the same and the club is professionally run. Other clubs have shown interest in my services and we have had some talks. I have an elaborate decision to make on the way forward. I hope to have some news soon.”

Tanzanian giants Young Africans (Yanga SC) are also among the clubs that have reportedly shown an interest in signing the defender.

Former Asante Kotoko coach 'Golden Boy' Karim Abdul Razak has revealed he quit the club after winning the Ghana Premier League (GPL) title in 2003 because management discredited his success.

After clinching the championship prize in 1993, the Kumasi-based side suffered a series of disappointments as they went 10 straight years without laying hands on the title.

Razak turned out to be the ultimate hero as he led Kotoko to end their frustrating run. It was their eighteenth time of ruling the elite division.

“The management of Kotoko at the time asked me to sign a new contract but I gave it [contract] to my manager Jones Abu Alhassan to study it and I told them [Kotoko] to wait for a while before [I make] decision to put pen to paper," Razak told Pulse Ghana.

“After the league success, [Kotoko life patron] Otumfuo [Osei-Tutu II] invited us and when we met him in the company of some of the sub-chief, they all praised us for the good job done.

“However, when the management were asked to render an account, they stated that they bought some of the games we won and that contributed to the success we chalked.

“Looking at the calibre of players I had, I couldn’t let them attribute our league triumph to match-fixing, so I had issues with the management and I had to leave."

Since the 2003 feat Kotoko have won the Premier League on five more occasions and currently stand as the most successful club in the history of the top-flight, with 23 titles.

After leaving the Kumasi-based side, Razak returned to Malian side Stade Malien. He also had a stint with Dragons de l'Oueme in Benin before joining the Kumasi-based outfit.

But coaching was not the 64-year-old's only association with the Porcupine Warriors.

A former footballer, Razak played for Kotoko in the 1970s and 1980s, helping the club to three league titles, one FA Cup gold and one Swag Cup success.

On the international scene, the former attacker played a key role as Ghana won the 1978 Africa Cup of Nations on home soil.

That year, he earned the African Footballer of the Year award. 

Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Denis Onyango is relieved that football is back in South Africa with the Premier Soccer League (PSL) clubs now permitted to begin group training.

A few weeks after South Africa was placed on coronavirus lockdown alert level three, the government has now lifted the ban on contact sports.

Dates for the resumption of official matches are expected to be announced on Tuesday as football can now continue under strict health and safety protocols, and clubs will soon begin training.

Uganda captain Onyango said he was under the impression that they would return to the pitch as a group at the onset of level three but, all the same, he is looking forward to finally getting back to training.

“We are still waiting for an official letter from the PSL to start training even though the Minister of Sports allowed us to start,” Onyango told Daily Monitor.

“So we are still home but at least now we know we can play again. I think they [PSL] just need to supervise the training grounds first and see if it’s safe and then allow us to start.

“I actually thought it would have started long before this because we were given a green light when we started level three of the lockdown.

“But with contact sports, you need to check first the safety of the players before you restart. Also, looking at how the numbers [for Coronavirus cases] were growing, it made the process difficult.

"But at last, here we are... but I think we have to go back for second testing before that.”

Most PSL clubs have already conducted coronavirus tests on their players and staff, and positive cases have been confirmed at Kaizer Chiefs, Stellenbosch and Bloemfontein Celtic.

After winning three PSL titles with SuperSport United, Onyango has gone to win three more at Sundowns.

With Downs four points behind log leaders Kaizer Chiefs and with a game in hand, Onyango is now eyeing a fourth league crown with the Brazilians, and overall seventh, when football resumes.

Troy Deeney says it is crucial to keep up the momentum of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Premier League footballers have taken a central role in the conversation about race and systemic inequality in the UK, with every player kneeling in support before every match since play resumed.

Deeney is pleased with the progress being made within the game but is keen to ensure the movement doesn’t peter out without achieving real change.

"It's at the forefront of everyone's mind. The hardest part is to keep the conversation going," Deeney told BBC Sport.

"We have to make sure that this isn't a couple of weeks of news and then we move on to the next thing."

The Watford captain has been praised for his role in organising players’ support for the movement, but he was keen to ensure others weren’t forgotten.

"People say it was me and Wes [Morgan], and naturally we are going to take a bit more credit as we are black and naturally have an emotional attachment, but Kevin De Bruyne was massive in the chat, Seamus Coleman was massive in the chat, Jordan Henderson was massive in the chat," added Deeney.

"People were having our back and saying: 'No, we want to do this. We want to help. We want to step up.'"

Deeney was also appreciative of those at the Premier League who have helped players make their statements and been open to change.

On Monday, a new scheme was announced to try and increase the number of black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) coaches in the professional game.

"They've been very good, very open, very receptive to challenge," Deeney added.

"Also, they've told me to shut up when I don't know what I'm talking about, which is good as well.

"So, it's not a case of just, whatever a person of colour says, they go: 'Yeah, we want to do it.'

“If they can't do it or it doesn't make any sense, they said: 'We can't do that' or: 'We can talk about this idea.'

"I think that's the conversation that everybody needs to have."

New KCCA midfielder Stefano Mazengo has promised to bring competition to the team after signing a three-year deal.

Mazengo accepts that some of the current players might be better than him but he is ready to fight and become a pivotal player for Mike Mutebi's team.

"I am a simple guy, a simple player. I know there are certain players here who have played on the national side," Mazengo said as quoted by Sports Nation.

"There are young and hungry players and I know there is going to be a big level of competition but I am here to compete, wait for some minutes and when I get my chance I know I will do well and I become a gold piece of the KCCA team.

"I know that there are players in this team who are better than me, faster than me, heading, passing long balls, right foot, left foot, shot balls, and defending.

"I am aware of all that, but fans will see the football intelligence and I am going to use my brain to bring something different on the team."

Mazengo, whose parents are Italians and have resided in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, also talked about some of the experiences of his career which has seen him play for Hellas Verona in Italy, among others.

"This has been a journey of miles, I was very young to play football professionally and I had given up on the challenge of playing it but when this opportunity came, I had to grab it with both hands," Mazengo added.

"I came here [Uganda] in 2006 and I joined KKL [Kampala Kids League Academy] and that helped me to integrate with the people here.

"I was playing with the likes of Gift Ali, Saddam Juma, and all these guys have actually made it to the football world, so I am excited to join that group of people, and let’s see what I can do."

Meanwhile, Diana Nyago has maintained she will continue to serve Busoga United as the club's chairperson.

When Nyago resigned as the headteacher of Jinja Senior Secondary School, questioned were raised on whether she will continue to serve as the club's top official.

"The club is majorly owned by the school board and me. I’m still going to be the chairperson and will strive to take the club forward,” Nyago told Daily Monitor.

"I will still fight for all the privileges that we deserve as the club."

Nyago also spoke about the ongoing ownership dispute between Busoga United and the Busoga Kingdom.

"This club had no major agreement with the kingdom over shares and name," she continued.

"If they had proceeded to court, we would out-rightly win because they haven’t been involved in the running of the club."

"This club had no major agreement with the kingdom over shares and name."

Barcelona striker Asisat Oshoala has revealed she left Dalian Quanjian after the Chinese Women's Super League club "had one or two challenges" 

Oshoala joined Barcelona temporarily in January 2019 for a loan spell, after Farid Benstiti's side advised her to leave the Chinese club.

The 25-year-old shined during her loan outing in Spain, playing 11 games and scoring eight goals in the Primera Iberdrola, and she was rewarded with a three-year contract in the summer of 2019.

She revealed there were offers from several European clubs after she won four trophies in China, however, Barcelona’s interest convinced her to make the switch.

"My team [Dalian Quanjian] in China had one or two challenges," Oshoala said in recent Instagram Live session with Channels TV.

"So, we came to the conclusion that I will see what I can do and I spoke to my agency.

"We decided that I could move to Europe for six months or thereabout then come back to China with hopes that my team's situation will have settled a bit before then.

"I gave them [my agency] a couple of teams I will like to play and Barcelona responded fine and brought a good offer and I decided to move there and return to my [Chinese] team after.

"It was a tough one for me because I only came to just play a half-season in Europe and after then go back to China but it became more interesting after the loan expired."

In December, the three-time Chinese champions were dissolved following its financial crisis after the arrest of Quanjian Group's owner Shu Yuhui in January 2019.

After agreeing on a permanent deal with Barcelona, Oshoala scored 26 goals in 25 games for the Catalans, including 20 in 19 league outings, and won two titles, including the Spanish diadem this season.

During her 12 months under the tutelage of coach Lluis Cortes, the Super Falcon also won her fourth Africa Women's Player of the Year and she explained her decision to stay put at Nou Camp.

"Barcelona showed interest to keep me and it was a little tough for my team in China but we later came to an agreement," she continued.

"And I decided to remain in Europe with Barcelona to see how things pan out."

Oshoala is keen to lead the Spanish champions to European success as they compete in a mini-tournament of the Champions League final stages from August 21-30 in Spain.

Wazito FC and Harambee Stars defender Bernard Ochieng is hoping to have fully recovered from a knee injury by September.

Ochieng was injured earlier this year, underwent surgery in March, and hopes he will be healed completely in two months' time. 

“The target is to return to full training by September and I believe I will be ready for next season,” Ochieng told the club's website.

“I am doing well. I think the progress has been good and I am looking forward to getting fully fit in the near future.” 

The former Vihiga United center-back also detailed how he has been dealing with his recovery from an injury which has kept him out for a considerable length of time.

“Right now, I am working on strengthening my left knee. I am also doing some agility and reaction training so that when I have recovered fully from the injury I do not lag behind in terms of fitness,” he added.

“I think no one told me what to expect after surgery. The pain was unbearable sometimes but slowly by slowly I overcame and I am happy with my current state."

Ochieng has been under the care of the Wazito team of doctors led by physiotherapist Noel Mandi, and feels the doctor has done a great job so far.

“Our team is a special one, after surgery I was assigned a doctor who has been with me throughout and I must admit that he has been very helpful," added the Harambee Star.

"If I didn’t have a doctor especially during this Covid-19 pandemic period, I think things would have been really tough,"

Mandi had given Ochieng a tentative return date in August in an earlier interview.

"Bernard is doing well. I think the recovery has been fast and he is now on rehab," Mandi stated.

Next month he will begin work on strength and fitness, by August he should be able to resume normal training."

Ochieng was among the players who were signed before the 2019/20 season started but did not play regularly enough due to the injury. 

Teddy Osok and Ali Hassan are the other players battling injuries.

Miralem Pjanic has penned a heartfelt goodbye to Juventus as the Bosnian star has officially completed his move to Barcelona.

The two clubs announced the deal on Monday, with Pjanic heading to Barca while fellow midfielder Arthur will move to Juventus as his replacement.

Both players will remain at their respective clubs for the remainder of the season, with both Juventus and Barcelona hopeful of ending the campaign with a league title.

While Pjanic still has matches left before concluding his four-year stay with Juventus, the midfielder took to Instagram to say goodbye to the Italian side.

"Breathe, Mire, this is the mantra I keep repeating in my mind during the decisive moments of a match," he wrote on Instagram.

"This is what I continue to repeat now, while I try to write down what I am feeling in this moment. I arrived four years ago so I could try to win everything. Because even when you don't manage it, a Juventus player must always try.

"These were four intense years, experienced alongside great professionals, but above all real friends, with whom I shared victories and records, but also bitter defeats on the cusp of triumph.

"These are years in which I matured as a man and a father. This is the city where Edin grew up, becoming the biggest fan of this team, and where, with my family, we built the best memories of our lives.

"I don't think I can ever thank you enough, so:

"Thank you to the Agnelli Family. Thank you to all those team-mates who shared this journey with me. Thank you to all the employees and members of the staff, who helped me to grow. Thank you to the fans who made me feel special every day.

"Because if there's one thing I have learned, it's that there is no minimum time in which you can fall in love. At the end of the day, it's very simple: you wear this jersey like a second skin, you always give everything, and you'll never go wrong.

"Now we don't have much time to lose and there's so much to win from here to the end of the season.

"Therefore, breathe, Mire. Because what today might seem so sad, from tomorrow will be a wonderful memory that you'll keep in your heart for the rest of your life."

A total of 10 games still remain in the Serie A campaign, while Juventus also remain involved in the Champions League following a 1-0 first-leg loss to Lyon in the round of 16.

Up next for Juventus, though, is a Serie A clash with Genoa on Wednesday.