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Alphonso Davies' pace has been a talking point since the Bundesliga's return, and now the Bayern Munich star has officially smashed the Bundesliga's speed record.

The Canadian has been one of the breakthrough stars since the German league's return, with much of the footballing world tuning in to see the Bayern star's evolution as a left back.

Davies was one of the stars of Bayern's victory over Borussia Dortmund on May 26, effectively sealing the Bundesliga title for the reigning champions.

On that day, Davies chased down Dortmund star Erling Haaland from a seemingly-impossible position, with Romelu Lukaku and Declan Rice among those to weigh in on social media .

After the match, Thomas Muller nicknamed his team-mate "the FC Bayern Road Runner", a moniker that Davies has since embraced ,

The Canadian international was at it once again on Tuesday during Bayern's clash with Werder Bremen, a match where the Bundesliga leaders could seal the title officially.

In the first half on Tuesday, Davies was clocked at a speed of 36.51 kilometres-per-hour ( 22.69 miles-per-hour) during one sequence.

That speed smashed the Bundesliga record, with Davies becoming the fastest of any player since Opta's data collection began in 2013-14.

Although his pace allows him to get out of some pretty bad situations, the fullback says that he's still looking to develop as a defender and find himself in situations where his speed won't be required.

Davies says he is still learning how to play as a fullback after initially breaking through as a winger in Major League Soccer. His inexperience showed as he picked up a second yellow card against Bremen and was sent off, leaving Bayern having to see out the final 10 minutes with reduced numbers.

Davies, who joined Bayern Munich in 2018 after breaking through with the Vancouver Whitecaps, has made 42 total appearances for Bayern.

After making just six appearances in 2018-19, Davies has emerged as a regular this campaign, with 36 games including 27 in the Bundesliga.

The 19-year-old has also scored three goals this season, having netted once last campaign as well.

Internationally, Davies has become a key figure for Canada, having scored five goals in 17 caps so far for this country.

Following Tuesday's match against Werder Bremen, Bayern will return to action on Saturday when they host Freiburg.

Bayern Munich claimed the Bundesliga title for an eighth successive season with an unconvincing 1-0 win at relegation-threatened Werder Bremen.

Hansi Flick's men approached Tuesday's clash at a rain-soaked Weserstadion knowing victory would be enough to retain the crown with two games to  spare.

As in Saturday's 2-1 triumph over Borussia Monchengladbach, Bayern were below their best but it mattered not against opposition fighting for their top-flight lives.

Robert Lewandowski's sublime 43rd-minute finish proved enough to seal points and the championship, his 31st goal of the league campaign wrapping up a 30th German title despite Alphonso Davies being sent off for a second bookable offence 11 minutes from time.

Bayern were sluggish out of the blocks and lacked their usual fluency, the visitors fortunate to see Maximilian Eggestein's low drive from the edge of the area flash wide of the left-hand post.

Flick's side enjoyed predictable dominance of possession but it did not tell until the 43rd minute, when Lewandowski produced a lethal demonstration of his finishing prowess.

Lewandowski chested Jerome Boateng's ball in from the right and fired a right-footed effort beyond Jiri Pavlenka to surpass 30 goals in a Bundesliga season for the first time in his career.

The Poland international had the ball in the net again within 10 minutes of the second-half restart but the flag was correctly raised after Thomas Muller strayed offside in the build-up.

Davies was dismissed for a foul on Milos Veljkovic before Pavlenka was forced into action to prevent Kingsley Coman from making the game safe, with Manuel Neuer producing heroics at the other end, his fingertip save denying Yuya Osako a dramatic late leveller.

What does it mean? - Werder fail to rain on Bayern's parade

Werder acquitted themselves well but paid the price for the mistake of giving Lewandowski space in the box as the former Borussia Dortmund talisman fittingly netted what proved the decisive goal.

Bayern can look to rotate their squad in the final two league games with an eye on the DFB-Pokal final with Bayer Leverkusen on July 4 and the eventual resumption of the Champions League. Werder are three points adrift of 15th-placed Mainz and are level on points with Fortuna Dusseldorf, who occupy the relegation play-off place.

Robert's return the difference

Suspended against Gladbach, Lewandowski's absence was telling as Bayern laboured in front of goal. His title-clinching goal was a scarcely needed reminder of why he is one of the most feared strikers in world football.

Home woes continue for Werder

Just one of Werder's seven league wins this season has come at home, and that was back in September. Despite a decent performance, they rarely looked like recording a second and putting the Bayern party on hold even until Neuer's stunning save from Osako.

What's next?

The first of what are effectively a pair of tune-ups for the Pokal final sees Bayern host Freiburg on Saturday. Werder face a massive clash with Mainz as they bid to avoid the drop.

Blackburn Rovers centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo has stated the team’s readiness to resume the 2019-20 Championship season after the three-month hiatus caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Tony Mowbray's men welcome Bristol City to Ewood Park on Saturday and Adarabioyo is looking forward to helping Rovers end the campaign well with nine league fixtures left to go.

The 22-year-old defender who is on a season-long loan from Manchester City, has played 28 games for Blackburn Rovers across all competitions this term, and he has two goals to his name.

As part of the steps to control the spread of Covid-19, football matches in England will be played without fans in the stadium but the Anglo-Nigerian does not see the restriction as a new thing as he shifts focus to the ‘massive games’ ahead.

“It was brilliant to be back at Ewood again, having a game between ourselves, it was great to be back on the grass," Adarabioyo told the club website.

“Playing in our home stadium without any fans, it’s something we’ll have to get used to.

“It’s going to be different, but with nine games to go we’ve just got to get our head around it and get on with it. We all played in empty grounds when we were kids, so it’s not something that we have never done before.

“They are massive games for us, every game is important for us to get into those play-off spots. There’s only a few days until our game against Bristol City, we’re all really looking forward to it.”

Blackburn Rovers are 10th in the Championship table with 53 points from 37 matches, with three points adrift of the relegation zone.

The Manchester-born defender said he had initial fears about the abrupt end of the 2019-20 campaign due to the coronavirus pandemic which has disrupted global economy.

“There were points where you did think that the season would get cancelled,” he added.

"But we’re all here now, we’re all ready, and we’re all looking forward to the games.

“We wanted to finish the season, but we wanted to do it safely. We feel that’s been done now so it’s time to look forward at what’s ahead of us."

Gianluigi Buffon believes Juventus coach Maurizio Sarri will excel at the club next season after having time to develop his style with the players.

The champions are currently aiming for their ninth consecutive Serie A title and are sitting on top of the table, one point clear of Lazio with 12 matches to play.

Ahead of their return to league football against Bologna on June 22 following the coronavirus-forced hiatus, Buffon thinks Sarri will start to produce better results once the squad gets used to the tactician's methods.

"I believe that next year we'll have the opportunity to see the real Sarri and Sarri's real Juventus," Buffon told DAZN Italy. "After so many years, when you make a change, the individual stimuli and willingness to be responsive to instructions of a new coach always make the difference."

The Serie A was suspended in early March as the Covid-19 pandemic swept around the globe, with Italy suffering 34,405 deaths from 238,000 cases of the illness.

Juve attacker Paulo Dybala was one of the footballers to contract the disease, but has since made a full recovery and is expected to be fit when the team returns to action.

Dybala, who has scored 13 goals and created 12 assists from 35 appearances, is an important part of Juve's attack, with his ability to impact matches both as a starter and as an impact substitute, according to Buffon.

"I see [Dybala] as a very good player," Buffon said. "He has the awareness that he can be decisive either starting or starting from the bench. For us being able to count on Paulo in this condition is very important."

The main main in attack alongside Dybala - Cristiano Ronaldo - has enjoyed a better second campaign in Turin, already reaching 21 league goals in 22 matches, which was the figure he achieved in the entire Serie A season in 2018-19.

Buffon believes Ronaldo has ensured his high standing in the game and revealed the Portuguese superstar has mental capabilities he has never seen in another player.

"Cristiano is a champion of football history, he's undeniable," he said. "He's a player with a determination, a ferocity, a mentality that I have found, to date, in no one."

Bayern Munich set record after record as they sealed another Bundesliga title.

A sluggish start to the season under former boss Niko Kovac was almost forgotten as Hansi Flick led a charge to glory. Bayern clinched their latest silverware with a 1-0 win at relegation-threatened Werder Bremen on Tuesday, Robert Lewandowski scoring the winner in the first half.

Here is a look at some of the records and personal bests they established in a history-making campaign.

EIGHT IN A ROW

Bayern's dominance reached a new peak as they extended their streak to eight successive Bundesliga triumphs.

A record 30th title looked in doubt back in the European autumn as they stuttered, but they have sauntered to glory with two games to spare.

Borussia Monchengladbach (1975-77) and Bayern themselves (1972-74, 1985-87, 1999-2001) had previously achieved three in a row, but this era of dominance by one team is unprecedented in Germany.

MULLER, THE ULTIMATE HELPING HAND

Thomas Muller was the World Cup's Golden Boot winner with Germany in 2010 and has been a regular goal hero for Bayern for over a decade, but there is more about him than an assured finish.

The 30-year-old has become king of the assists in the Bundesliga this term, racking up 20 to match the highest total achieved since data collection began in 1992-93.

Opta statistics showed that Muller drew level with the total set by Kevin De Bruyne for Wolfsburg in the 2014-15 season.

LETHAL LEWANDOWSKI

Lewandowski's goals have provided the fuel behind Bayern's surge over the second half of the season.

The Poland striker has recorded his best haul of 31 Bundesliga goals and notched 46 across in competitions, a personal high point in his Bayern career.

For a while, he even looked like challenging Gerd Muller's league record of 40 goals in a single campaign, but that is surely out of reach now.

BAYERN CLICK WITH FLICK

Across all competitions, head coach Flick won a startling 26 of his first 29 games in charge, the best start by any Bayern boss, beating Pep Guardiola's 22 in 27.

Kovac lost his job after winning five of the opening 10 Bundesliga games this season, with three draws and two defeats.

The required standard is higher than that Bayern, but Flick's success to date has surpassed all expectations.

GOAL GLUT

Bayern scored 93 goals in their 32 Bundesliga games, setting a new league best. That teed up a shot at the 34-game complete league record of 101 goals, set by Bayern in 1971-72.

Their haul of 132 goals in 45 games across all competitions is also a record by a German team.

Bayern have scored at least four goals in a game 12 times, a figure last achieved by Stuttgart in the 1996-97 season. Bayern own the record in this respect with the 13 occasions they achieved the feat in 1973-74.

Pep Guardiola believes new assistant coach Juanma Lillo is exactly what he needs to help Manchester City back to their form of the last two years.

The City manager has been without an assistant since Mikel Arteta left for Arsenal in December and the Gunners boss will return for the first time on Wednesday night as the Premier League restarts following the Covid-19 outbreak.

Much-travelled coach Lillo will be on the City bench for the first after he was appointed earlier this month, and Guardiola believes he will bring fresh ideas after a disappointing season that has seen them fall behind leaders Liverpool.

"When Mikel decided to go to London to be Arsenal manager, I felt I needed someone to help us with this amount of games but I wanted to have time to take the right decisions," the City boss told a virtual news conference.

"I discussed it with [football director] Txiki [Begiristain], with friends, about the solution. I decided on Juanma because I know him and what I need. I think he is the right person to help us, to understand the game better, the mythology of the training sessions.

"I have known him for a long time ago, like he helped me understand the way he looks [at it], and that’s why he is going to come here. I’m pretty sure he is going to help me and help us sustain the level we had in the last years."

The 54-year-old has signed a one-year contract and Guardiola has the same length of time remaining on his own deal. He said there has been no talks about an extension during the three-month break from football in England.

"We are going to finish this season. We have two months and then we have time to talk about this," he said. "Like I said since the first day, how delighted I am here, how I like to do my job, how comfortable I am. I don’t have any complaints about what the club offer me from day one. About extend or not, we will see, we have time."

One player who will be staying slightly longer is David Silva, with Guardiola confirming the midfielder will sign a short-term extension until the end of the season.

The Spaniard will definitely leave before the new campaign and Guardiola hopes that in the future the supporters will get the opportunity to say farewell to a player that many view as the greatest in the club's history after his 10 years of success at the Etihad Stadium.

"He will stay until the end of the season and yes it is unfortunate that he is going to finish his last games here without people," Guardiola added. "But he is coming back and hopefully he can have the big farewell with people.

"Always the clubs become a big club when they make the big gestures to these players for what they have done for more than one decade. It was Vincent Kompany, it was Joe Hart, Yaya Toure, Pablo Zabaleta. I would say more, sorry for the guys I forget, but they make the club what it is.

"The situation is what it is. No one wants it. The club will make an agreement with David and do what they have to do."

U.S. women's national team forward Crystal Dunn said she felt "joy" when teammate Megan Rapinoe decided to kneel in protest at racism and police brutality, but admitted that she didn't feel comfortable doing so herself as she feared for her future.

Dunn has been with the USWNT since 2013, earning over 100 caps while earning a spot on the World Cup-winning squad in 2019.

She was a member of the USWNT in 2016 when Rapinoe opted to kneel in solidarity with NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who began doing so during the national anthem as a form of protest.

Rapinoe, though, was the only member of the USWNT to kneel and, shortly after her initial protests, U.S. Soccer ruled that players must stand during the national anthem.

That rule has since been repealed amid ongoing protests and discussions of racism and police brutality in American society following the death of George Floyd, with President Donald Trump specifically calling out the federation for that decision.

Trump said he would not be watching if American players decided to kneel, with Florida senator Matt Gaetz stating that he believes that all national team players should be required to stand for the anthem.

As part of a Bleacher Report roundtable on race, Dunn revealed why she didn't initially join Rapinoe in kneeling.

"I just remember our conversation where she came up to me and said, "Crys, I'm thinking of kneeling'," Dunn recalled, "and I remember being just filled with so much joy for her wanting to fight a cause that, in my opinion at that time was like, 'You have nothing to do with this'.

"That was ignorant on my part just thinking that off the bat. I was just so moved that she wanted to fight for this cause.

"I also remember telling her that I had to stand because I don't know what's going to happen. I'm scared for my job. I'm scared that it's going to look differently if a black girl on the team kneels and I don't know.

"I just had really hard conversations with her, how I was internally conflicted and saw the way U.S. Soccer responded and treated Megan. To me, I'm thinking they kept her out of some games, kept her out of camp, and yeah that was mad, but for me, I was thinking that they could rip up my contract."

Dunn, a member of the North Carolina Courage, was the 2015 NWSL Most Valuable Player and has been named to the league's Best XI twice.

The NWSL is set to return on June 30, becoming the first major American sports league to return to play.

Pep Guardiola says he admires Marcus Rashford and Raheem Sterling for their positive impact on society and feels only “stupid people” think footballers should not have an opinion.

Manchester United striker Rashford successfully convinced the UK government to U-turn on a decision to provide free meals to vulnerable children over the school holidays in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, England team-mate Sterling voiced his support of the anti-racism protests that have spread across the United States and Europe following the death of unarmed black man George Floyd in police custody in the U.S.

Both players have won praise for their using status to speak out and the Manchester City manager hit back at people that insist they should stick to talking about sport.

“Because maybe these stupid people don’t believe you are human beings too,” Guardiola said of the critics ahead of City’s first game in three months against Arsenal on Wednesday night.

“We can have an opinion the same as a nurse, a doctor or even a politician. What we are, we are humans and why shouldn’t we say our opinion when you believe you can make a better society, when you are public.

“What Raheem Sterling has done many times, players in our club, Marcus Rashford or whoever, of course they have to use these platforms to make a better society. They don’t need to get more money - fortunately for them they have enough - so they do it to get a better place to live, for their families, for our kids, for the next generations.

“So that is always why, when the people say it is not enough, of course it isn’t but let’s start from here. I admire a lot these kind of gestures because they do it for all of us.”

Footballers have been generous in making donations and helping communities affected by coronavirus. Guardiola is among them, with the City boss making a €1 million (£900,000/$1.1m) donation to help buy medical supplies in his home of Catalonia.

Despite games being played behind closed doors, it is hoped that the return of football can help raise spirits in the UK, which has been badly affected by the virus with more than 40,000 deaths.

The majority of Premier League clubs decided against furloughing staff, with Liverpool and Tottenham u-turning on initial decisions, and Guardiola says they deserve credit as many in Spain, including former club Barcelona, did the opposite.

“I would like to say too, how pleased I am for all the clubs in the Premier League that didn’t ask the government for money,” he added.

“In Spain, it didn’t happen. All we can do for these people, we have to do it but not just with applause but good actions because maybe it is coming back and in that moment they can be safer and protected better to do their jobs even better to save our lives like they have done. So a big compliment.

“Thank you so so much. I will never forget what the NHS and health workers all over the world have done to keep us safe, working in incredibly difficult circumstances and situations to make our lives safer.”

Alphonso Davies hailed Robert Lewandowski as the best striker in the world after his goal clinched an eighth straight Bundesliga title for Bayern Munich.

Bayern saw off lowly Werder Bremen 1-0 on Tuesday, claiming the points required to seal another championship with two games to spare.

Lewandowski's 31st Bundesliga strike of a record-breaking campaign was enough for victory, controlling Jerome Boateng's lofted pass on his chest and firing into the net late in the first half.

The Poland international's latest exploits earned praise from Davies, who was sent off 11 minutes from time.

"We call him 'Lewangoalksi' for that reason," the left-back said. "He's a top striker, the top in the world. Coming in and scoring 31 goals, it's unbelievable."

Davies also took the opportunity to laud head coach Hansi Flick, who has overseen 26 wins in 29 games in all competitions after a tough start to the season under previous boss Niko Kovac.

"Incredible. He's a good coach, he expects a lot from his players," Davies said of his coach. "We know we have to battle each and every game for everything."

The Werder game proved a mixed affair for Davies prior to the title celebrations as he again impressed before being dismissed following a seemingly innocuous incident.

"Unfortunately, anger comes into play," he explained. "I got a yellow card, apologies for that. The second yellow card, I don't know what happened, I tried to run backwards, he came into me.

"It's the referee's decision, so I apologise to everyone. That's not the FC Bayern way, but I'm happy we can win the championship."

Davies had registered the Bundesliga's fastest speed since Opta data collection began in the first half, his new 36.51km/h record prompting a smile at full-time.

"I just do my job I guess," the teenager said. "I don't know when that happened, I just do my job trying to get the ball back defensively. I'm happy I can break a record."

The Canadian has been one of the breakthrough stars since the German league's return, with much of the footballing world tuning in to see the Bayern star's evolution as a left back.

France under-18 international Tanguy Kouassi will join Bayern Munich after choosing not to sign a professional contract with Paris Saint-Germain.

The 18-year-old will officially link up with Bundesliga champions in June and sign a five-year contract, according to Goal.

Kouassi, a defender who can also play in midfield, has made 13 appearances for the Parisians this season, scoring three goals.

It was revealed by Goal on June 14 that Kouassi has decided to leave PSG, with his destination unknown at the time.

The decision to leave brings to an end months of discussions between PSG, Kouassi and his entourage. As recently as last month, club sources had suggested they were hopeful of being able to keep him in Paris.

The teenager was linked with several clubs around Europe including Barcelona, AC Milan, RB Leipzig and Rennes - bu has ultimately picked Bayern as his new home.

Kouassi's choice to join Bayern was influenced by the stabilty of the project at the club, which claimed their eight straight Bundesliga title on Tuesday with a 1-0 win at Werder Bremen. There are also several other French players on the books of the Bavarian club, including Benjamin Pavard, Kingsley Coman, Lucas Hernandez, Corentin Tolisso and Mickael Cuisance.

Kouassi joined PSG in 2016 from youth club Pays de Fontainebleau and has represented France at Under-16, Under-17 and Under-18 level, winning U17 World Cup bronze last year.

His PSG professional debut came December last year during a 3-1 in against Montpellier, while his first goal was scored for the club in the 3-0 Coupe de la Ligue win over Reims in January.

The Paris-born utility man hit the headlines in February when he scored his first two league goals, bagging a brace during the 4-4 draw at Amiens.

Kouassi will leave Paris as a Ligue 1 champion, with the club being awarded the domestic championship once the season was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

In a recent interview, the young star spoke of his quick development into a senior squad, but was quick to hose down comparisons with some of PSG's star defenders.

"It's true that I have had a good two months," Kouassi told France Bleu Paris. "It gives me great pleasure to play with the club that trained me. I really worked hard to get there. I hope that it will continue like this.

"Saying that I am walking on water? I don't think so. I haven't done anything yet, compared to Thiago Silva, Marquinhos or Presnel Kimpembe."

Goals from Ansu Fati and Lionel Messi proved decisive as Barcelona made hard work of a 2-0 home win over Leganes to further boost their LaLiga title hopes.

The Blaugrana had not been as convincing as the scoreline suggested when they thrashed 4-0 Real Mallorca away at the weekend, and they toiled against another struggling outfit on Tuesday

But Quique Setien's side secured another three points after Fati - Barca's standout star - broke the deadlock three minutes before half-time. 

Messi then scored his 699th goal for club and country from the penalty spot as Barca extended their advantage at the top of the table to five points, at least until Real Madrid host Valencia on Thursday.

Leganes coach Javier Aguirre was shown a red card in stoppage time, seemingly for dissent, on a frustrating evening for the bottom side.

Barca, who took just 65 seconds to score against Mallorca on Saturday, had been fortunate not to faLell behind to Leganes early on.

Miguel Angel Guerrero twice beat Marc-Andre ter Stegen from the right-hand side of the penalty area, only to be denied by first Clement Lenglet, retreating to his goal line, and then the outside of the far post.

The Catalan giants were clinical when their moment came late in an otherwise frustrating first half, though, as Fati fired a sweet low finish into the bottom-right corner from just inside the box.

The officials then took centre stage in the second period, with the VAR asked to assess a pair of controversial moments in quick succession.

Antoine Griezmann saw a goal ruled out when replays showed Nelson Semedo was a step offside before crossing for his team-mate to tuck into the net.

But Barca did not need to wait long for their second, as Messi held off a series of robust challenges before going down just inside the area under minimal contact to win a penalty that he dispatched following another video review.

Aguirre saw red in the closing stages as toothless Leganes remained bottom.

What does it mean? Suarez the key

If the sign of champions is a side playing poorly and still winning, LaLiga might as well hand Barca the trophy now. Comfortable results have disguised tough tests against mediocre opposition in recent days, with trickier quests to come.

But as against Mallorca, Barca looked a different team once Luis Suarez was called from the bench to combine with Messi. His pass led to the penalty award and a fully fit front line should prompt improvement.
 

Fati to the fore

With Suarez still not quite fit to start, Fati was promoted to the starting XI in place of Martin Braithwaite and certainly made his mark. The 17-year-old's fifth league strike punctuated a lively display in which he linked up well with Junior Firpo, the threat coming from the left in a quiet first half for Messi.
 

More Griez groans

This was another frustrating outing for Griezmann. Still searching for his best form in a Barca shirt, the striker was largely ineffectual in the first half and guided one header well wide. But he looked to have added to his Blaugrana tally in the second period, only to see Semedo flagged offside.
 

What's next?

After playing consecutive matches against sides facing relegation battles, a more demanding fixture awaits Barca next up as they go to Sevilla on Friday. Leganes have a huge clash against Mallorca on the same day.

Nigeria’s Anthony Nwakaeme picked up an injury while Ghana’s Caleb Ekuban and Senegal’s Badou Ndiaye powered Trabzonspor to the Turkish Cup final after a 3-1 win over Fenerbahce on Tuesday.

The African stars earned their spots in the Black Sea Storm starting XI on Tuesday but Nwakaeme could not continue the game after suffering a knock and he was replaced by Bilal Basacikoglu in the 35th minute.

A brace from Alexander Sorloth and a stoppage-time goal from Filip Novak gave Trabzonspor a crucial away win at the Ulker Stadium and a 5-2 aggregate victory.

Ekuban provided a brace of assists for Sorloth's goals in each half of the encounter and Ndiaye turned provider for Novak's strike that sealed their triumph.

Mali's Simon Falette ad Morocco's Nabil Dirar were also on parade for Fenerbahce, but their contributions could not save the hosts from defeat.

The winner between Alanyaspor and Antalyaspor in the second semi-final scheduled for Thursday will face Trabzonspor in the final.

The Black Sea Storm sit at the summit of the Turkish Super Lig standings, level on 56 points with second-placed Istanbul Basaksehir but they have been handed a one-season ban from European football for breaching Uefa Financial Fair Play regulations.

Ahead of their next league fixture against Alanyaspor on June 22, Huseyin Cimsir’s side will be hoping to have Nwakaeme back in full fitness.

The Nigeria forward has played 35 games in all competitions this season, and he has contributed 14 goals and seven assists so far.

Ekuban is another impressive player at the Senol Gunes Stadium who has contributed five goals and five assists in 24 appearances while Ndiaye who is on a season-long loan from Stoke City, has returned two goals and three assists for the Black Sea Storm.

The Premier League has finally returned! We are excited to announce to all sport lovers that DStv and GOtv will broadcast all the remaining games of the 2019-20 season, which kicks off on Wednesday, 17th June, live on SuperSport. 

Topflight football in England has been placed on a hiatus owing for over three months following the outbreak of the pandemic which silenced several activities across the globe.

Nevertheless, SuperSport viewers can therefore look forward to a feast of football as the English league resumes. 

Here are some of the top matches you can’t afford to miss. The pick of the midweek matches sees Arsenal head to the Etihad Stadium to face the defending champions, Manchester City on Wednesday at 8:15pm on DStv SuperSport 3.

The Gunners come into the clash placed ninth on the log, but at least looking to build momentum after a 1-0 win over London rivals West Ham United in their last clash before the league suspension.

Meanwhile, Manchester Cityare relatively safe in second spot but will be hoping to claim the three points and ensure that Liverpool does not secure the Premier League title in their first match upon resumption. 

Also, Wednesday marks a crucial clash for relegation-threatened Aston Villa who will host Sheffield United in Birmingham. The match will air live on SuperSport 3 & 10 on DStv at 6pm and GOtv SuperSport Select 2. 

Villa are placed second from bottom and risked a drop to the second tier had the season been cancelled, but this game in hand offers them the chance to rise as high as 16th spot. The first full round of Premier League matches begins on Friday 19th to Monday 23rd June.

The schedule for the weekend includes the match between Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester City, which will air live on DStv SuperSport 3 at 8:15pm. 

On Saturday, Brighton & Hove Albion and Arsenal battle it out on DStv SuperSport 3 & 10 and GOtv SuperSport Select 2 at 3pm. Rounding up the fixture is the Merseyside Derby between Everton and the champions-elect, Liverpool on Sunday.

Azam FC coach Aristica Cioaba has explained the reason they must beat Young Africans (Yanga SC) in their next Mainland Premier League.

After the Tanzanian top-flight resumed on Saturday, the two giants will square off in a top of the bill clash set for the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Sunday.

Both teams won their respective opening matches, Azam beating Mbao FC 2-0 at Azam Complex in Dar es Salaam while Yanga picked up vital points away from home after edging out Mwadui FC 1-0 at Kambarage Stadium in Shinyanga.

The Romanian coach has now stated his desire is to make sure they cruise past the Jangwani Street-based side in the second round fixture so as to help them cement second position in the 20-team league table.

“I am working on the few mistakes we committed in the win against Mbao as my main aim now is to win against Yanga on Sunday,” Cioaba is quoted by the club’s official website.

“It will be a difficult game because Yanga will also be keen to win but I want my team to get ready for the maximum points, we have started off well after the league resumed and I want us to keep the momentum going.

“I also want Azam to finish second in the table, we are currently sitting second and that is the position we want to finish in unless miracles happen, then we can eye the top position but for now I can see ourselves finishing second and must protect that position.”

Despite releasing their lead striker Donald Ngoma, whose contract runs down on June 14, Azam have received a major boost with two of their foreign players - Bruce Kangwa and Never Tigere – arriving from their native Zimbabwe on Monday where they were stranded owing to the lockdown occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic.

The ‘Ice-Cream Makers’ will also welcome back Ugandan Nicolas Wadada, whom the club chartered a flight to airlift him from Kampala, where he had relocated to when the league was halted in mid-March.

Azam are currently sitting second on the log with 57 points, 15 fewer than table-toppers Simba SC, while Yanga are third on 54 points.

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has been handed a temporary reprieve after a Mombasa High Court barred the Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT) from entertaining any proceedings against the Federation until a petition before it is mentioned on June 29.

The petition was filed by FKF Coast National Executive Committee Members Gabriel Mghendi and Lilian Nadundu as the first and second petitioners respectively.

The petitioners will file their submissions on June 19 with the first interested party [Football Kenya Federation] ordered to file their submissions by June 25.

In an order dated June 16, the matter will be mentioned on June 29 to confirm and fix the date of the ruling. 

"An interim conservatory order staying all the proceedings and further proceedings against Football Kenya Federation at the Sports Disputes Tribunal and is hereby granted forthwith until June 29, 2020," read part of the order obtained by Goal.

As a result, the SDT is expected to postpone the KPL vs FKF ruling regarding the annulment of the Kenyan Premier League. 

The Federation had cancelled the top tier on April 30, crowning Gor Mahia in the process. However, the league managers were not happy with the move and after trying to engage the Federation in vain, they raised the matter with the Tribunal in conjunction with Chemelil Sugar.

Submissions were made on Friday, June 12, with chairman John Ohaga setting the end of June as the day for the ruling.

The SDT had twice cancelled the FKF elections citing a failure to meet set standards.

A couple of weeks ago, the incumbent Nick Mwendwa hit at Tribunal Chairman Ohaga stating he should stop interfering with the Federation business.

"The Tribunal has now been turned into a consultancy firm asking stakeholders to give the way forward, since when did a court ask stakeholders to speak on matters of FKF?" Mwendwa told Goal.

"Ohaga should simply stay away, keep off anything to do with football in the country, I have never seen a judge meddling into football matters the way Ohaga is doing, he is even telling stakeholders he will do away with the FKF constitution, to bring another constitution which is not possible."

The agitated FKF boss wondered why Ohaga had placed so much effort to arbitrate on football matters whereas he has a case – for a swimming association before him - which he is yet to make a ruling.

"It is unfortunate even with several cases lying in his desk, Ohaga has decided to put much effort on football matters," Mwendwa continued. 

"He [Ohaga] has even gone ahead to create a forum where he wants people to discuss FKF elections. Who is he?

"If he wants to contest for the top seat, let him come clear, we have other associations suffering the same issues but he has decided to ignore them.

"As FKF, we don’t have any faith in the tribunal anymore, we are asking the chairman of the tribunal [Ohaga] to stop interfering with football matters once and for all, and allow us to do the elections. He is not a member of football and cannot host a meeting for stakeholders."

Arsenal defender Shkodran Mustafi says that is interested in a return to Germany someday, as he believes the Bundesliga has made great progress since he left his home country.

Mustafi has spent the entirety of his senior career away from Germany, having left the Hamburg academy as a 17-year-old in 2009 to move to Everton.

He made one senior appearance for the Merseyside club, as a Europa League substitute in 2009, before moving to Sampdoria in 2012.

After shining with the Italian club, he truly broke through with La Liga side Valencia, emerging as a regular with the Spanish club while earning a place with Germany's national team in time to be a member fo the 2014 World Cup-winning side

Now at Arsenal, Mustafi has made 133 appearances in four seasons with the Gunners, including 40 appearances last season across all competition as the London side reached the final of the Europa League.

However, with 28-year-old's contract set to expire in 2021, the defender's next move is uncertain as he could be set to depart the Emirates.

As a result, Mustafi is considering his future, with the Bundesliga being one potential landing spot if he were to leave Arsenal.

"The Bundesliga is always interesting for me," Mustafi told Sport Bild.  "In terms of sport, it has made great progress. It's also my home."

He added: "In the current situation, it is difficult to predict how the transfer phase will go."

Mustafi, who has made 18 appearances for the Gunners this season, has watched from afar as German sides have kicked off with the early return of the Bundesliga from the coronavirus break.

The Bundesliga became the first major league to return from the break, with the Premier League among those gearing up for a return, with Arsenal set to return to play against Manchester City on Wednesday.

"Many are amazed at the level there," Mustafi said. "In England, they were very surprised at how well the Bundesliga managed to restart. The Premier League has certainly taken this as an example."

After facing Manchester City in their return match, Arsenal will then visit Brighton over the weekend. The Gunners currently sit ninth in the Premier League, eight points behind fourth-place Chelsea with a game in hand on their London rivals. 

Aduana Stars forward Yahaya Mohammed believes derogatory remarks concerning the Ghana Premier League from the likes of coach JE Sarpong has contributed to the top-flight's challenges in attracting a headline sponsor.

The Ghana international was reacting to an allegation by the coach which claimed 60 per cent of players in the nation's top two football divisions smoke marijuana, also known as weed.

The Premier League went without a headline sponsor between 2015 and 2018 after First Capital Plus Bank, now Capital Bank, prematurely ended a partnership over restructuring purposes.

Xylofon took over the mantle in 2018 but a turbulent corruption scandal crashed the partnership in less than a year. The league has since been without a lead sponsor.

"How can we get sponsorship if an experienced coach like JE Sarpong brands our local players as weed smokers?” Yahaya quizzed during an interview with Light FM.

“This type of utterances does not help the league to attract sponsorship, so coach Sarpong should desist from that.”

After Sarpong made his controversial claim, Ghana striker Yahaya, current second top scorer in the Premier League expressed disappointment in the coach and called on Sarpong to retract his statement and apologise.

The coach has, however, remained unapologetic, rather lashing out at the former NC player. He has worked with top-flight outfits Asante Kotoko, Aduana, Liberty Professionals and Ebusua Dwarfs. 

Former Hearts of Oak and Free State Stars striker Louis Agyemang spoke to Angel TV on the matter.

"Weed smoking among Ghanaian footballers is nothing new. Even some colts footballers smoke before playing, so Premier League footballers smoking in Ghana is no news. It didn’t start today. We just have to be honest with ourselves and take measures to end it," said Agyemang.

“When I was in Ghana, I witnessed many footballers doing it but when I went to South Africa, I realised that at the end of every game, they’ll invite one or two players and test their [blood and urine] samples. It is because we don’t test in Ghana that’s why most of the players feel free to smoke. I can say it is one of the reasons some players cannot excel when they travel outside Ghana."

The 2019-20 Ghana Premier League is currently at a standstill due to the coronavirus pandemic.