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Barcelona head coach Quique Setien has denied reports that the dressing room is split after a recent run of poor results.

Since returning from the coronavirus suspension, which lasted three months, the Catalans have struggled to hit their stride in the league.

Although they initially swept past struggling Mallorca 4-0, they were unimpressive in home wins over Leganes and Athletic Club, while they were only able to draw against Sevilla and Celta Vigo.

Saturday’s 2-2 draw in Vigo, a match in which they twice led, has left their championship challenge in a particularly vulnerable spot, as they trail leaders Real Madrid by two points, with the capital side having the insurance of a better record in the head-to-head matches, the matrix by which the title will be decided upon should the teams finish level on points.

Following that setback, there have been reports of discontent behind the scenes, and Goal has learned that Barca are ready to sack the former Real Betis coach, who was only appointed in January, at the end of the season unless there is a dramatic improvement.

Meanwhile, Lionel Messi was seen apparently ignoring instructions from Setien's number two Eder Sarabia during the drinks break at Celta, where heated words were allegedly exchanged in the dressing room after the game. 

Speaking at a pre-match news conference for Atletico Madrid's visit, Setien insisted Messi and the squad are united in the battle to retain their title. 

“I don’t recall any problems that are worth mentioning,” said Setien.

"In reality it is true that there are always controversies, as in life, and it is normal that there are differences. 

"But this has always happened. I was not an easy player either. What we have to try to do is to convince everyone of the common idea.  

"I understand it as something natural. There is good communication. I don't give it any importance.

“When there are no victories, when things happen, everyone makes their point. This is the circus in which we show ourselves.

“The relationship between the players is good.”

Meanwhile, the coach is simply focusing on his own side and is not fixated on Real Madrid’s results.

“We can control what we can control: ourselves,” he said. “We have to improve so that what happened the other day doesn’t happen again.

“If we don’t win, our chances of winning the league are reduced. We have to try to win every game and what happens will happen.

“Hopefully, our rivals will give us the possibility, but we have to keep thinking about ourselves until the final day.”

John Utaka has opened up on his omission from Nigeria’s 2014 World Cup squad, claiming he “just moved on and forgot about it”.

He former Lens and Portsmouth forward enjoyed an appreciable career at the international level, racking 49 caps in total and scoring six goals.

Despite his notable performances in Sivasspor, a team he joined from Montpellier on a two-year contract in 2013, he could not make Stephen Keshi’s team to the global football showpiece staged in Brazil.

Six years later, Utaka revealed that not featuring in a third World Cup was a disappointment – found the cut tough, but saw his omission as a challenge to drive him onwards.

“I was disappointed but not upset. That was just it, I didn’t question anything, I did well for Nigeria and it was an honour to put on the National jersey. I just moved on and forgot about it,” the 38-year-old told Ojbsport.

“I did not really have a low point during my playing career. Maybe, I can say when I was not selected for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, it was somehow a low point for me.

“I saw it as a challenge because you know a football game comes with a lot of pressure. So whenever I come across a challenge I just brush it off because it can set you back if you dwell on it.

“I just turn to the bright side, take the positive part and keep going.”

Having shot into international limelight playing for Qatar’s Al-Sadd in 2001, Utaka featured prominently for Nigeria at the 2002 World Cup staged in South Korea and Japan, albeit, Festus Onigbinde’s men failed to get past Group B that had Argentina, Sweden and England.

He made Lars Lagerback’s team to the 2010 edition staged in South Africa, nevertheless, he was not listed for any game.

Before drawing the curtain on his international career in 2012, Utaka featured in the 2004, 2006 and 2008 Africa Cup of Nations where he won bronze in all.

Alongside compatriot Nwankwo Kanu, the 38-year-old contributed to Portsmouth’s 2008 FA Cup triumph.

Utaka is currently the U19 team coach of French topflight side Montpellier, a team he featured for between 2011 and 2013.

Liverpool have embraced Jordan Henderson as “one of their own”, says Jamie Redknapp, with a Premier League title-winning captain having proved in some style that there is “life after Steven Gerrard”.

A slow start to life on Merseyside was endured by the England international midfielder, with questions asked as to whether he could be a long-term option in the Anfield engine room.

Doubters have been silenced in style by Henderson, with a prestigious armband inherited from Gerrard along the way.

The 30-year-old has got his hands on Champions League and Club World Cup crowns, while a Premier League title has also been collected by Liverpool.

Henderson has become a key cog in Jurgen Klopp’s well-oiled machine, with the consistent performer doing the dirty work that allows others around him to flourish.

Said qualities are now getting the recognition they deserve, with club and country, and Redknapp is among those who feels that a figure who was once much-maligned is now destined to nail down a place among the greats in Anfield folklore.

“So many Liverpool skippers have tried and failed to lead their team to the title, myself included. But Henderson did it,” ex-Reds midfielder Redknapp told the Daily Mail.

“I took over as captain in 1999 from Paul Ince, a great player. When Steven Gerrard left in 2015, I thought: ‘Where do you go from here? How can you cope with losing the presence of someone like that?’ Liverpool were losing an icon — a leader whose personality coursed through the corridors of Melwood and Anfield.

“But Henderson took over and showed there is life after Gerrard. The players respect and respond to him. The 30-year-old showed that same leadership when it came to the Players Together initiative.

“He, like all Liverpool fans, will hope this is just the start of a period of domination. With Klopp and these players staying put, the odds are this will not be the last Premier League title they win together.

“Klopp is a remarkable person. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone capture another language with such humility, positivity and, occasionally, unrivalled comedic value. Kudos to Klopp’s English teacher — he always knows exactly what to say!

“Liverpool fans have embraced him as one of their own, and the same goes for captain Henderson.”

Henderson is up to 361 appearances for Liverpool and is tied to a contract through to the summer of 2023.

AFC Leopards head coach Anthony Kimani has confidence disciplined Marvin Nabwire will overcome a long knee injury ahead of next season.

The injury kept the youngster out for the better part of the 2019/20 season but Kimani says the forward is working perfectly towards full recovery.

Kimani himself got injured and had to retire at the age of 28.

"I've been in a similar situation before and I know how it feels being out injured," Kimani told Standard Sports.

"But I think he is a very determined and disciplined player; I've been keenly monitoring his development and progress in order to get himself back into the team again.

"It's definitely going to be a big boost to us once Nabwire returns. He made a return at some point but things didn't go well as he had to go back to the physio after a minor setback.

"And from where I sit, all looks good and his leg is not giving him any problem at all. He's gone past the recovery stage and he's fit enough to join the team and battle it out for a starting place.

"You rarely see a player who's talented and work hard for the team at the same time. His work ethics are also superb, therefore his return is like a new player for us."

Although Kimani is hopeful of the forward's full recovery soon, Nabwire admits the process has been very frustrating at times.

"It has been a really frustrating and draining experience for me. Just when I thought I had recovered, I suffered another setback," he told the same publication.

"My knee is now in good shape, but the worst of it is that I spend most of my time with the physio as my teammates enjoyed themselves on the pitch. However, I've always remained positive and that has helped me to come back. I thank the club for all the support they gave me."

Nabwire further detailed what he has learned as an individual during the recovery session.

"I think this experience made me grow mentally, hardened me, and made me a better player. It is my hope that I will be injury-free and continue playing," he concluded.

"To be honest, the break has been useful to me because it has given me more time to recover and work on my fitness. I've already started individual training as I wait for either the league to resume or start the new season. I can't wait to get involved in the team and doing what I love best."

Nabwire first got injured during a match against Sofapaka at Mbaraki Stadium in Mombasa.

Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has criticized Wilfred Ndidi for his poor defending which led to the goal conceded in Leicester City’s 1-0 FA Cup loss to Chelsea on Sunday.

Ross Barkley scored the goal which sent the Stamford Bridge outfit to the semi-final of the FA Cup, thus, extending the poor run of the Foxes, having failed to secure victory since the restart of the season.

Ferdinand feels the Nigeria international could have done better in the encounter and probably prevented Barkley’s goal. 

"The gap between the centre-backs start to develop. When that happens, when that big gap comes, the big job is for Ndidi, who has had great reviews for how he’s played over the years, and rightly so," Ferdinand told BT Sport.

"Once you see the gap between the centre-backs when the ball’s wide, his job is to drop in, drop in here and be that guard in there. If you keep your eye on Ndidi here and look how many times he looks over his shoulder to see where Barkley is.

"One look, two looks - when he looks there - he has to drop in there and cover the run from Barkley. He knows he can get in behind Ndidi because he’s not looking.

"Jonny Evans, one of my old team-mates, sees this but he’s marking his man - Tammy Abraham - once he sees it he’ll come over to try and cover. But once this happens at this level, it’s too quick, the quality is too good, it’s a great cross and the timing eliminates defenders out of it.

"Barkley sees the space, darts into it, great ball, great finish. Bad defending from Ndidi and the midfield."

Ndidi has been delivering solid defensive performances for the King Power Stadium outfit this season.

His impressive showings have seen him linked to a number of European clubs including Arsenal, Real Madrid and Manchester United.

The midfielder has made 32 appearances across all competitions for Brendan Rodgers’ men in this campaign.

Leicester take on Everton in their next Premier League game on Wednesday.

Kaizer Chiefs football manager Bobby Motaung and club legend Donald Khuse watched Khama Billiat in action for Zimbabwe’s Aces Youth Soccer Academy in 2009 but were not impressed by the pint-sized forward and instead settled for defender Thomas Sweswe.

Motaung and Khuse were on a scouting mission in Harare when Musona and Billiat, then 19-year-olds, played for Division One side Aces Academy in a curtain-raiser for a Premiership match between Dynamos and Monomotapa United in which Sweswe charmed the Chiefs men.

Musona was already on Chiefs radar for two years, dating back to the 2007 Cosafa Under-20 Championship where, as a 17-year-old, he came on as a substitute to fire in a hat-trick which helped Zimbabwe sink South Africa 3-0 in the final.

But Motaung and Khuse wanted to have another look at Musona and their eyes also settled on centre-back Sweswe ahead of Billiat who was just right under their noses.

This was despite how the club’s former defensive midfielder Tinashe Nengomasha had alerted Chiefs of Billiat, but the forward still appeared anonymous to the scouts.

“I had kept an eye on Knowledge Musona, and they wanted to fly out to Bulawayo to watch a different player, but I told them there was a gem of a player who had recently been to Sundowns for trials,” Nengomasha told Far Post.

Chiefs went for Sweswe although Billiat was already being monitored by other Premier Soccer League (PSL) clubs. He had just undergone trials at Mamelodi Sundowns who did not see much value in him.

A year later, Billiat was snapped up by Ajax Cape Town where he spent two and a half seasons before Sundowns he came calling for the man they had previously overlooked.

In 2018, it was now Chiefs’ turn to sign Billiat whose talent had escaped their eyes nine years earlier and when he finally arrived at Naturena, they made him their highest-paid player in the PSL.

Sweswe recalls that day in Dynamos FC colours at Rufaro Stadium when he made the Chiefs scouts turn a blind eye on Billiat.

“I remember seeing ‘BobSteak’ and Ace at the hotel where we were camping. They were with Nengomasha, whom I knew from school. He told me they had come to see Knowledge, but they would also watch the Dynamos game,” Sweswe said.

“I played my normal game, I didn’t try too hard or else I’d have messed up. Kaizer Chiefs changed my life, I live in my own house, I drive my own cars because of that opportunity.”

Sweswe spent three seasons at Chiefs, before crossing the Johannesburg divide to Bidvest Wits where he played for just a season.

Former Bafana Bafana defender Bongani Khumalo says he is honoured to have participated at the 2010 Fifa World Cup tournament and explains how he ensured hard work helped him.

The SuperSport United centre-back scored for the 1996 African champions in their 2-1 win over France in the final Group A match in Bloemfontein.

In addition, Khumalo was a 17-year-old when South Africa was announced as the host nation back in 2004 and the former Tottenham Hotspur defender says he told himself he couldn't miss the opportunity of representing his country on home soil.

“When it was announced that the World Cup was going to be played in South Africa, I was in matric, playing at Arcadia Shepherds. So, for me, the goal was to be part of it. That was something that was realistic, considering it was going to be on home soil,” Khumalo said as quoted by IOL.

“The challenge was there even for professional players at the time. Personally, all I did was to take the challenge, work as hard as I could, and prepare myself so that I am ready if the opportunity actually does arrive.

“There were so many camps before the World Cup, and a lot of players gunning for a starting position.

"Obviously, with the captain being a centre-back, it was clear that there was space for only one more. So, I didn’t focus on anyone else but myself in terms of the work.”

After representing the Southern Africans, Khumalo went on to join the Lily Whites in the English Premier League when he joined them in December 2010.

“The World Cup can be a springboard for anything. That’s where the legends are made. You are literally showcasing your talent in front of the world,” he added.

“But going into it, you don’t think about such but representing your country, yourself and family - hoping to do the best that you can.”

Although he didn’t command a regular spot at White Hart Lane, he enjoyed loan stints with the English Championship and with Greek Super Ligue 1 side, PAOK Thessaloniki.

A new scheme has been launched by the Premier League, English Football League (EFL) and Professional Footballers' Association to increase the amount of black, Asian and ethnic minority (BAME) coaches.

The scheme will start from next season and has been introduced to try and help BAME players move into full-time coaching positions within the professional game.

It will see up to six coaches per season undertake an intensive 23-month work placement at EFL clubs.

A statement from the Premier League said the first intake will work as a pilot scheme either in the club's academy or first-team set-up.

"It is vital that there are no barriers to entry to the pipelines for employment in coaching," Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said. "We need more BAME coaches entering the system to create greater opportunities throughout the professional game.

"This new programme has been developed through collaboration and consultation with our colleagues across football.

"We have taken what we have learned from running the Premier League Elite Coach Apprenticeship Scheme and applied that experience to develop this framework.

"We welcome the support from our Black Participants' Advisory Group and the PFA Coaching team, their experience and knowledge will undoubtedly provide meaningful mentorship to those involved in the programme.

"We hope this scheme will create clear pathways and substantially improve future employment prospects for BAME coaches."

Mentoring will be provided by the PFA's coaching team, while members of the Premier League's Black Participants' Advisory Group - including its chair Darren Moore - have offered to support players and clubs involved in the programme.

"This is a critical time for black, Asian and minority ethnic coaches," said Doncaster Rovers manager Moore. "We all know and agree that the diversity of coaches and managers must increase and this placement scheme represents a positive step.

"There are lots of roles in the academy system, all the way through to first team, and young coaches can slot in at different points to begin that journey.

"We need to have the right structures and people in place to develop their careers. I know from my own experiences the value of strong support throughout the coaching journey."

Liverpool will not be breaking the bank for Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly, claims John Barnes, with the Reds not in the market for “a Neymar or Lionel Messi” which requires them to spend big.

A raid on Napoli for another proven centre-half has been mooted for those at Anfield.

The Premier League title has been secured by Jurgen Klopp’s side in record-breaking style this season, but those on Merseyside are aware of the need to seek continuous improvement, and that means further bolstering star-studded ranks if the right additions become available.

Barnes concedes that Koulibaly would fall into that category as the “finished article” , with it possible that the Senegal international could aid the ongoing development of Joe Gomez, rather than stunt the 23-year-old’s progress.

The Reds legend told BonusCodeBets : “Koulibaly is a very good player and you’re looking at Joe Gomez coming through and he could help him, Koulibaly is already the finished article so if they get him that would be a good signing for them.

“If they don’t get him, well they’re still 25 points better than any other team, so as long as they don’t lose players…

“I don’t think there’s necessarily a reason to go out and make big-name signings. Yes, they’ve signed [Takumi] Minamino and they may be able to sign some players that aren’t going to go straight into the first team, but I don’t think they necessarily need that.”

Barnes does not expect Klopp to be drawn into a bidding war for any player in the next window and is not convinced that Liverpool’s standing as champions means that they are guaranteed to fend off competition for top targets .

He added: “If Manchester City offer Koulibaly twice the salary, then he’ll go to Manchester City.

“The whole idea that Liverpool are the champions and that means he’ll go to them, that’s not the case.

“Liverpool is an attractive proposition, as attractive as anybody else, whether they are more attractive than Barcelona or Manchester City I don’t think that’s necessarily true.

“What may happen is that his type of football may suit Liverpool. I don’t think he’s suited to the type of football that Manchester City play.

“Liverpool are always looking to improve on players and you’re always going to be linked with players if you’re a big club and it’s a good time to buy when you’re at the top.

“I don’t think there’ll be many signings coming to Liverpool. If there’s a signing that they feel will improve them they’ll do that, but that’s no different to any other club.

“Liverpool won’t break the bank to sign anybody, the type of player Liverpool want isn’t going to be a Neymar or Messi who you may have to break the bank for, so they will able to get the players they want but they won’t have to break the bank for them.”

Lyon star Memphis Depay’s future continues to be unclear, but club president Jean-Michel Aulas has confirmed that the Netherlands international will be available for the Coupe de la Ligue final against Paris Saint-Germain and their Champions League clash with Juventus.

The former Manchester United man’s contract is up in a year, but the prospect of Lyon being able to retain him appear slim.

Coming off the back of a serious injury and combined with the coronavirus crisis, however, Lyon may struggle to hold out for the return they might have wished for the player at the start of the year.

Despite this, Aulas knows that it will be complicated to retain the player, who has scored 14 times in 18 appearances including five in five in the Champions League, beyond the end of the summer transfer window.

“He will play in the finals that await us,” the president told Le Progres, also including the Champions League Juve – a match in which Lyon hold a 1-0 advantage thanks to their first-leg victory in France. “Unhappily, the international transfer window will last until October 13, so we’ve got until then to pick our players.”

Meanwhile, it appears highly unlikely that Lyon will be back in Europe next season, with the Rhone side required to win the Champions League if they are to play on the continent.

With that in mind, they are already looking at cutting down their numbers, with talented teenager Amine Gouiri set to switch to Patrick Vieira’s Nice while midfielder Lucas Tousart, who scored against Juve, has departed to Hertha Berlin.

“There will be departures and we’re going to have to make choices because we’ve already got more than 30 players,” Aulas send. “We’ll have to let some go, loan others, and we’re going to have to find compromises to have a good team.

“Coming out of such a crisis, you have to aim for the top places. I’m not saying the title, but why not?”

OL finished last season in seventh place in Ligue 1, a distant 10 points behind Rennes, who claimed the final Champions League berth.

Juventus have confirmed that veterans Giorgio Chiellini and Gianluigi Buffon have both signed contract extensions with the club.

The Serie A leaders have awarded the pair deals that will stretch until June 2021, by which time Buffon will be 43 and Chiellini will be close to celebrating his 37th birthday.

Juventus have indicated that the contracts are a reward for the long-term loyalty and quality of the pair.

“There are players who need no introduction,” Juventus said on a statement published on their website. “Champions whose story speaks for itself, and whose connection with the shirt they wear is indissoluble.

“Examples on the pitch and in the locker room, leaders, driving forces, bearers of the Bianconeri DNA, who wear it as a second skin.

“Gianluigi Buffon. Giorgio Chiellini. Captains, legends. Bianconeri since the beginning. Bianconeri forever. And to confirm it, in case there is a need, today their contract renewals have become official, for another: 2021!”

Although both have been legendary figures in the history of the Turin side, neither has played a significant role in the 2019-20 campaign.

Buffon has featured seven times in Serie A but has largely played understudy to Wojciech Szczesny. Nevertheless, the influence off the field was highlighted by former Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Kylian Mbappe, who spoke of the World Cup winner’s influence on his young career and the regret he felt when the Italian was allowed to depart Parc des Princes.

“I always liked listening to the senior players. Buffon was also very important to me,” the young Frenchman told L’Equipe. 

His last competitive league action came on December 18 in a 2-1 victory over Sampdoria at Juventus Stadium, while he has played 696 games for the club over the course of two spells, the first of which ran from 2001 until 2018.

Captain Chiellini, meanwhile, has had his game time seriously restricted by a cruciate ligament rupture, which sidelined him from the opening match of the Serie A season through until February. He has yet to feature for the first team since the return to action following the coronavirus suspension.

The defender has been at the club since 2005, when he made the switch from Roma. Since then, he has amassed over 500 appearances and has scored 36 goals, picking up eight Serie A titles along the way.

Ryan Giggs’ standing as the most decorated player in English football history will come under threat from Manchester City starlet Phil Foden, claims Joleon Lescott, with the 20-year-old already eight trophies into chasing down the United legend’s haul of 25.

An era of unprecedented success at Old Trafford in the 1990s and 2000s allowed the Wales international to accrue a remarkable collection of silverware.

Sir Alex Ferguson delivered 13 Premier League titles for United, along with a number of successes in domestic cup competitions and two Champions League crowns.

Giggs was an ever-present throughout that run having broken through as a teenager, and now sits at the top of the British game when it comes to honours.

However he could knocked from that perch, with City starlet Foden among those with the potential to rein in him given the success City have enjoyed and the longevity he could have at the very top of the game.

Former Blues defender Lescott expects the Etihad Stadium academy graduate to overtake Giggs at some stage, telling CityTV:  “Regards to what he can achieve, hopefully, touch wood, he can withstand injuries, he can be the most decorated English player in history.

“What has he got? Two Premier League titles, an FA Cup, two League Cups. He's 20 years old. If he continues at this level and stays at City for the remainder of his career, which I hope he does, he'll average two, three trophies a season which is going to be remarkable.”

Lescott added on Foden: “I don't think his quality is ever going to be in question. What he has, which I don't see many players have, is an obsession with football. I don't just mean love of the game - I love the game - but he's like weirdly obsessed with the game.

“He walks around with a football, I did some work with England Under-21s and I had to ban footballs from the hotel because he was constantly with one at his feet. He would want to stay extra on the field and do extra stuff so I had to monitor that. His obsession for football is none like I've seen before.”

While chasing down more silverware at club level, Lescott is also tipping Foden to make a senior international breakthrough at some stage in the near future – with the rescheduling of Euro 2020 set to work in his favour.

The former Three Lions defender added: “The timing of it all could benefit him especially.

“We're going to miss David Silva, but if that means Phil Foden getting more minutes, him playing more minutes for Man City inevitably leads to him playing more minutes for England. Hopefully that is the case for him next season.

“He's fearless, he loves the game, he's a sponge to all information given to him. Hopefully he can get more minutes next season, then get into that Euros squad.”

Jaap Stam has revealed that David Beckham tried to intervene to prevent the Netherlands international centre-back being sold by Manchester United to Lazio.

Stam, who turned out for the Old Trafford side from 1998-2001, was one of the game’s best centre-backs when he was let go by the Red Devils following controversial passages of his autobiography being published by the Daily Mirror.

The FC Cincinnati coach has revealed that while that was a catalyst to United offloading him, it was a deal that surprised everyone – including his club-mates. 

“Just after I arrived in Rome, I got a call from David Beckham,” he told FourFourTwo . “The United squad had spoken about it, and he expressed the general feeling among them that I should stay. 

“My departure was a big blow to everyone, as nobody expected it to happen. It was nice to hear that from him, and it showed how close we were as a group. That made it tough to leave, but given the situation at the time, I felt it was better for me to go.”

Stam also revealed the torment that he suffered during the period extracts of his book were being released.

“When a paper buys the rights to publish extracts from a book, they can make up their own headlines – and that was what troubled me,” Stam said. 

“It kept me awake at night, as I was wondering what would be in the paper the following day. Initially, Ferguson had told me not to worry about it, but on Wednesday – the morning of the match – I was informed that I should report for talks with him the next day, because he wasn’t happy about some of it. 

“After the game, I went home and reported the next morning at 8am, because I was keen to resolve the matter. I said, ‘You know what’s in the book – nothing bad’. But he maintained that he wasn’t happy. A week later, I was left out for a game against Blackburn. On the day, he called me to say I wasn’t in his squad because of the book hassle. He felt it might calm down if I wasn’t playing. We had a few conversations, although none of them were really satisfactory.

“A bit later that week, I was driving home from training when my agent phoned, telling me I’d been sold. I was like: ‘What?!’ He said, ‘Yeah, they’ll contact you in a minute’. 

“Moments later, Ferguson called me and asked where I was. We lived in the same area, and he told me to wait for him so that we could have a chat. I pulled into a petrol station and he met me there. When he arrived, he got in my car and told me that the club had accepted an offer from Lazio. It was a big shock.”

Stam went on to play with Lazio, AC Milan and Ajax before retiring in 2007.

AFC Leopards chairman Dan Shikanda is confident they will not go 30 years without winning the Kenyan Premier League title.

Shikanda, during the club's virtual Annual General Meeting, said AFC Leopards are determined to win the league title soon to avoid waiting as long as Liverpool.

Liverpool won their first title after a 30-year wait and Leopards, who won their last title in 1998 are keen to avoid that length of a period without a trophy.

“Liverpool went for 30 years without a Premier League title. We have gone 22 years and we don’t want to go the Liverpool way. We are keen to build a team that will lift the KPL title sooner,”  Shikanda assured during the AGM.

The chair, who has been in office for the last year, acknowledged the difficulties they underwent during the cancelled season. He, however, states there is a need to work even harder in the coming seasons so as to achieve the set targets.

“AFC Leopards look to the future with renewed confidence after a difficult season that saw the departure of a key sponsor and now the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic,” the chair added.

“We are encouraged by the fact that we have managed to ensure the club ran smoothly and met our league obligations. Going forward we need to up our game to compete favourably.”

AFC Leopards have already signed a sponsorship deal with Betsafe for the next three years but Shikanda says they must work hard and bring more financial partners on board.

“It may not be enough, but it is a sign of confidence by sponsors. We call upon for more corporates to partner with AFC Leopards,” continued the former Ingwe star.

With the transfer window ahead, Shikanda revealed players are going to be signed and others will exit. Rumours though have had that they target former captain Duncan Otieno and ex-Gor Mahia star Harun Shakava.

On the reported list of those expected to leave, Eugene Mukangula and Musa Saad have been named.

“The team is intact as there are no departures so far. There are those whose contracts will be renewed and others let go when the time comes," Shikanda concluded.

“We will definitely have some arrivals to reinforce the team.”

Barcelona have agreed to sell Arthur to Juventus for €72 million (£66m/$81m) plus up to €10m in bonuses, the Catalan club have confirmed on their official website.

Juve's Miralem Pjanic is set to move in the other direction, although both players will conclude the 2019-20 campaign at their current clubs.

Initially, the player was not keen to move to Italy, but Goal reported a dramatic U-turn in his stance on Thursday, which has paved the way for the deal to be completed.

"FC Barcelona and Juventus FC have reached an agreement for the transfer of player Arthur Melo. The Italian club will pay €72 million, plus €10 million in variables," the club confirmed in a statement published on Monday.

"The player will stay at FC Barcelona until the end of the official competitions of the 2019-20 season."

And head coach Quique Setien has included the player in the squad to face Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.

"I have no doubt about his greatest commitment until the last day he is here," the head coach told the media.

"He is a player until the last game of the season. He has committed himself to being one more [member of the squad].

"He will dedicate himself fully to achieving the objectives. I have no doubts about him.

"He has said that he will be in the best conditions. I'll decide if he plays more or less."

Arthur joined the club from Gremio in 2018 and has turned out 72 times in total for the Camp Nou side, including 28 appearances in all competitions this season, during which he has scored all four of his goals for the club.

Two draws in their past three games have left the reigning champions two points behind Real Madrid at the top of La Liga with six matches remaining, heightening speculation that Setien will be dismissed at the end of the season despite only being in post since January.

The coach, however, has played down any concerns he has ahead of the clash with Diego Simeone's side, who lie third in the standings, though a distant 11 points short of the Catalan outfit with only six matches of the campaign remaining.

Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers has explained his reasons for leaving Kelechi Iheanacho on the bench in their 1-0 FA Cup defeat to Chelsea on Sunday.

Ross Barkley’s 63rd-minute winner at the King Power Stadium ensured the Foxes were eliminated from the competition.

Iheanacho has been delivering fine performances for Leicester in the second half of this campaign having struggled at the start of the season.

The Nigeria international has found the back of the net eight times and provided four assists in 20 appearances across all competitions so far this campaign.

The former Manchester City forward was expected to be introduced in the second half to boost the Foxes’ comeback in the game but was surprisingly left on the bench throughout the encounter.

When asked his reasons for his action, the Northern Irish tactician revealed he felt Jamie Vardy could rescue the day for his side.

“I was just looking at Jamie knowing he still looked fresh,” Rodgers said, as per Leicester Mercury.

“We felt he [Vardy] could grab a goal, he doesn’t need many opportunities, so it was just waiting for that opportunity for him to come. So it was as simple as that.”

Iheanacho's compatriot Wilfred Ndidi, however, featured for the entirety of the match but could not help Leicester avoid the elimination. 

The defeat against the Stamford Bridge outfit means the Foxes are now winless in their last three games after draws against Watford and Brighton and Hove Albion.

Iheanacho has featured in 65 appearances since joining the side in the summer of 2017 from the Citizens and has scored seven Premier League goals.

The forward will hope to feature and help Leicester return to winning way when they take on Alex Iwobi’s Everton on Wednesday.

The King Power Stadium outfit are currently third on the Premier League table and will hope to clinch a Champions League spot at the end of this campaign.

South African Football Association’s (Safa) head of referees Tenda Masikhwa says their officials are ready to hit the ground running as far as the restart of the 2019/20 Premier Soccer League (PSL) season is concerned.

He says their officials were given training programmes since the country’s Level 5 of the lockdown with the help of Fifa’s Mademba Mbacke who heads Africa’s fitness team, they have been working hard behind the scenes.

With media reports suggesting the PSL season could be completed in one province, Masikhwa says he is confident the referees are ready to get back to the field but insists protocols will still need to be followed.

“The departments of health and sport have set strict criteria before they can sanction any sporting event. The checks and balances need to be in place to safeguard everyone, and this includes the match officials,” Masikhwa told City Press.

“The [Safa and PSL] task team has been working hard to ensure that the protocols for match officials – referees, assistant referees, and match commissioners – are in place.

“Specific protocols speak to specific functions to make the event a success, so it is certainly not a case of one size fits all. Referees have different roles to play and, therefore, the protocols need to be different too.

“Given that the rounding up of the 2019/20 season may be in tournament format, we are more than ready to meet the demands that may be placed on match officials.

“The match officials and match commissioners have been working hard – in confinement – during the months since the national state of the disaster was declared by President Cyril Ramaphosa [in March].

“Our fitness coaches, led by [Safa referees fitness instructor] Derek Hanson, has given the match officials training programmes to follow since lockdown Level 5.”

With Sports minister Nathi Mthethwa having announced that PSL clubs can return to training last week, the league’s governing body is yet to indicate on when they can go-ahead as well as the dates and venues for the remaining games.

“The Fifa fitness team in Africa, led by Mademba Mbacke, has given guidelines for our fitness coaches and, indeed, all leagues returning to competition, to follow to ensure that match officials are competition-ready and pose no risk of injuries or even worse, death,” he added.

“Each match official has had to upload their training data and training logbook to a central database.

"The data was analyzed and the fitness coaches then gave each match official assigned to them specific feedback to improve their level of fitness. We are therefore confident that match officials are close to competition readiness.

“We also know that a match official does not only need to be fitness-ready but also match-ready. We are therefore looking at how we can meet this target, just like players need actual game time and friendlies to sharpen their skills.”

After the matches were forcefully halted in March because of the coronavirus pandemic, Kaizer Chiefs lead the table with 48 points followed by Mamelodi Sundowns who have 44.

Sharing third spot is Orlando Pirates and SuperSport United who are both tied on 40 points so far.

Cote d’Ivoire international Jeremie Boga has recorded his first double for club and country after striking twice in Sassuolo’s 3-3 draw over Hellas Verona in Sunday’s Serie A outing.

The midfielder’s second-half efforts proved handy for the Black Greens as they ensured the game ended on a no winner, no vanquished note.

Sassuolo went into the encounter on the back of their 3-3 draw against Antonio Conte’s Inter Milan on Wednesday, as they aimed to silence the visiting Mastiffs.

Nevertheless, they were shell shocked in the empty Mapei Stadium-Citta del Tricolore as the visitors took a 51st-minute lead through Darko Lazovic who unleashed an unstoppable missile past goalkeeper Andrea Consigli at the edge of the box.

However, it was the second-half substitute who levelled matters for the hosts two minutes later. The 25-year-old capitalised on disorganised defending from Verona to fire past Marco Silvestri.

In the 57th minute, the visitors restored their lead through Mariusz Stepinski. The Polish forward chested into an empty net after Lazovic had chipped a cross to him in the penalty area after displacing defender Mert Muldur.

The game looked over for Sassuolo who conceded a third goal courtesy of Matteo Pessina’s solo effort, but the hosts who are chasing a place in Europe next season never gave up.

First, Boga completed his double in the 77th minute after firing into the top corner after receiving a pass from Francesco Caputo in the opponent’s goal area before Rogerio evened the scores with his 90th-minute strike.

Since he began his professional career in 2015, it was the first time the ex-Chelsea man would find the net at least twice to take his goal tally in the Italian top-flight to 10 after 27 matches.

His compatriot Hamed Traore who is on-loan from Empoli was brought in for Gregoire Defrel in the 72nd minute, while Equatorial Guinea international Pedro Obiang replaced Morocco’s Mehdi Bourabia 10 minutes later.

For Hellas, Ghana’s Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu came in for Miguel Veloso after 67 minutes, while Morocco star Sofyan Amrabat was on parade from start to finish.

Ranked 12th in the log having accrued 34 points from 28 outings, Sassuolo are guests of Fiorentina on Wednesday.

Trent Alexander-Arnold has praised the work ethic and attitude of fellow Liverpool academy graduate Neco Williams.

While Alexander-Arnold is a long-established presence in the Reds starting XI, featuring 127 times for the top team since debuting in 2016 in the EFL Cup, Williams made his Premier League bow last Wednesday against Crystal Palace.

The Wales Under-19 right-back, who must vie for a spot in the team with his England international colleague, played the last 16 minutes of the champions’ 4-0 victory.

Alexander-Arnold is full of praise for the youngster, highlighting the player’s “eagerness to learn and improve every single day” in an interview with the club’s official website.

He said: “You can see him improving and picking up little things every day - likewise with all the young lads - and I think there’s no better place for young players to be than at Liverpool, to be given the chances like they got [against Palace]. 

“To be given the opportunity to train with world-class players is only going to make you better and prepare you for days like this so I was over the moon with the way he’s performed and likewise with Harvey [Elliott] when he came on. 

“They’ve shown the quality and shown that when the gaffer is ready then they will be given the chance - and they deserve the chance as well.”

With the league title now locked down for the first time in 30 years, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp could offer more opportunities to the club’s academy stars to shine in the first team, although the former Borussia Dortmund boss may also have one eye on breaking Manchester City’s record for points in a single campaign.

After 31 matches of the season, the Anfield side have picked up 86 points, drawing two games and losing only one. As such, the 100-point total amassed by Pep Guardiola’s side in 2017-18 is now well in sight, with the Reds still capable of reaching 107.

Next up for Klopp’s men is a meeting with City on Thursday at the Etihad Stadium, where they are set to be given a guard of honour by the team they have replaced as champions.