Looking for Soccer News?

Football Kenya Federation Presidential aspirant Sam Nyamweya has accused the current regime led by Nick Mwendwa of using the courts in the country to extend their stay in office.

On Tuesday, FKF was handed a temporary reprieve after a High Court in Mombasa 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 are set to file their submissions on June 19 with the first interested party (Football Kenya Federation) ordered to file their submissions by June 25.

The latest decision by FKF to move to court has irked Nyamweya, who has shown a keen interest to unseat Mwendwa from the top position when elections are held. He has maintained they will not be affected by the many court cases filed by the Federation and will fight to make sure justice is served to Kenyans.

“Whatever Nick Mwendwa and his cronies do, it does not matter how many courts they will go to on this land, they will never escape from the justice and it does not matter, they can go to 15 or 20 courts but we will not leave them and even those courts will not help them,” Nyamweya told Goal on Tuesday.

“We very well know they want to cling onto power to hide many of their bad deeds, but Kenyans and football stakeholders will not accept, we will smoke them out, we will go to those courts, wherever they go, they have filed more than five cases, and we will follow them there.

“It does not matter, justice will follow them, it does not matter how they conflict themselves, they file a case in Kericho, they file a case in Muranga and another one in Mombasa, but we will follow them there, that is in Kenya and unless they go to the moon, and no matter what they do, we will follow them, and justice will have to prevail.

“They will never hide away from the truth and justice must be done to Kenyans to regain their football, and elections will be done, a free and fair exercise, let them know that from today. We will follow them to Mombasa, even in Wajir, they have been going to court and not us, but their time is running out.”

Apart from Nyamweya, other aspirants for the top seat include ex-Cecafa secretary Nicholas Musonye, ex-Vihiga governor Moses Akaranga, Sammy Sholei, former FKF official Herbart Mwachiro, and Gor Mahia CEO Omondi Aduda.

To celebrate the return of Premier League football following the coronavirus suspension, Goal Africa are excited to introduce our latest venture: African Football HQ, a weekly podcast exploring the remarkable world of African football.

In association with the guys at African Football HQ, we’ll be tackling the big questions in the African game, keeping up to date with the continent’s top stars in Europe’s major leagues, and profiling some of the stars of the future.

Each week, we’ll run down the top headlines involving African players around the world—keeping you up to date with your favourite heroes—and also preview the stand-out fixtures over the coming seven days.

We’re looking to welcome guests aplenty—players, legends, coaches, pundits and fans alike—and will also be reviewing some of the in-depth topics explored by Goal Africa’s editorial team on site during the week.

In episode one, ahead of the return of the Premier League, African Football HQ will look ahead to the first round of fixtures and preview what’s in store for some of the continent’s big names.

On Wednesday, Mbwana Samatta and Trezeguet will relaunch Aston Villa’s battle against relegation when they face high-flying Sheffield United, before Arsenal and Manchester City collide in the evening’s second kick-off.

Can Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang inspire the Gunners to an unlikely triumph, or will Riyad Mahrez and the Citizens return to action with a win?

Arsenal’s transfer dealings also come under the microscope, as the pod ask what the future holds and assesses the rumours linking Atletico Madrid powerhouse Thomas Partey with a move to the Emirates Stadium.

Are rumours that the Ghana FA are keen to convince Eddie Nketiah to commit to the Black Stars true?

We also assess the chances of Africa’s biggest Premier League stars ahead of this season’s Golden Boot race, asking whether Auba can overhaul Jamie Vardy to top spot.

Could one of the league’s other big name players also be in with a shout? Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane will both certainly be keen to retain the Golden Boot they shared last season.

The pod debate whether Salah or Riyad Mahrez has made the biggest impact in the top flight, and we also ask whether either man can already be considered a Premier League great.

Finally, we examine the unlikely transfer rumour linking Bournemouth’s Ryan Fraser with a move to Mamelodi Sundowns.

Will the Scotland international really be gracing the PSL when his Cherries contract comes to an end?

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors forward Lars Veldwijk has expressed interest to one day play in the Premier Soccer League (PSL).

Currently plying his trade in the South Korea K League 1, Veldwijk has spent much of his club career in the Netherlands where he was born and bred, having also previously played for Nottingham Forest in the Championship as well as other stints in Norway and Belgium.

Although he is a South Africa international, the 28-year-old has never played in the PSL.

“I would love to stay in Asia for maybe two or three years. It’s a great place for a football player. I am also open to maybe one day play in South Africa,” Veldwijk told BBC Sport.

“I love to see the world and to see other places and in combination with football. I think I have the best job in the world.”

With the 2020 K League 1 currently underway, Veldwijk is heavily involved in action for Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors while most South African players around the globe are inactive due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The attacker has started two of his six league appearances for Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, scoring just a goal.

He assures that life is “back to normal” in South Korea and they are adhering to strict measures to try and stay safe from the virus.

“For the past month, it’s [the coronavirus] very good, and under control here, cases are low and everything is normal and the restaurants are full, the supermarkets are with people. People here follow the rules of the government really good. So yeah, life went back to normal.

“Everybody had to be tested before the league could start, so everybody went through the drive-through and that is a corona test. When we come to the training ground, we get this temperature check. If you are not feeling well or if you have been to places where there is a little bit of more coronavirus, they are really careful with that.

“And in games here it’s really strange, everybody is wearing a mask on the bus and at the stadium, you are not allowed to shake hands. Everybody has to have his own [water or energy drink] bottle with his number on it, so we are not allowed to drink from another bottle.

“We are checked every day and like in training it’s always been normal for example we play duels, we don’t have to be distant. Tackles are allowed so yeah in that kind of thing I am really happy that training is still normal.”

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors lead the K League 1 standings so far after seven rounds of games as they bid to reclaim the league title they last won in 2018.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson admitted he was unaware of Marcus Rashford's campaign to extend food vouchers for vulnerable children until the day the United Kingdom government made a U-turn, with the England international saying they had "done what is right" in changing their minds.

Manchester United striker Rashford wrote to members of parliament on Monday, imploring the government not to stop free school meals for around 1.3 million disadvantaged children from next month.

The food voucher scheme only normally runs during term time but was used during the Easter holiday because of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, and Rashford had asked for the government to extend it again.

On Monday, shortly after Rashford tweeted his letter, the Department of Education posted a blog on its website reiterating that the scheme was not due to run over the school summer holidays in the UK.

However, after support for Rashford's campaign continued to grow on Tuesday, the government announced a six-week, £120million "Covid summer food fund".

Speaking at the government's daily briefing, Johnson said: "I talked to Marcus Rashford today and congratulated him on his campaign which, to be honest, I only became aware of today. I thank him for what he's done. I think he's right to draw attention to this issue.

"We've got large numbers of kids who haven't been able to get back into school, we're got a problem in getting kids back into school in the way that we would want for the reasons that people understand - though actually there are lots of kids that aren't going back to school and I'd like to see that happen.

"I do think it's right that we should be looking after the families of the most vulnerable, the neediest right now and that's why we have got the Covid summer fund plan that we've announced today, and I hope it will make a big difference to those kids and those families."

Rashford, who has also helped charity FareShare reach a goal of supplying three million meals by the end of June, had spoken about his own reliance on free school meals and food banks growing up.

The 22-year-old - praised widely social media - wrote a message to MPs on Twitter that said his campaign was "never about politics".

Rashford said: "This was never about me or you, this was never about politics, this was a cry out for help from vulnerable parents all over the country and I simply provided a platform for their voices to be heard.

"I stand proud today knowing that we have listened, and we have done what is right. There is still a long way to go but I am thankful to you all that we have given these families just one less thing to worry about tonight.

"The wellbeing of our children should ALWAYS be a priority."

Former Everton and USMNT goalkeeper Tim Howard says ex-team-mate Sylvain Distin told him he wasn't planning on going into management due to the lack of black coaches in the Premier League.

Howard and Distin were teammates at Goodison Park from 2009 to 2015, as Distin made 210 appearances for Everton. In addition, the Frenchman played for the likes of Newcastle United, Manchester City, Portsmouth and Bournemouth before retiring in 2016.

Distin made a total of 469 Premier League appearances, the most of any foreign outfield player and the 19th-most all-time. As retirement loomed, Howard says he tried to direct Distin towards coaching.

Speaking on a Bleacher Report roundtable alongside Weston McKennie, Maurice Edu and Crystal Dunn, Howard revealed that Distin pointed to the lack of black coaches in the Premier League as the reason he didn't want to make that his next step after moving away from his playing career.

Howard said: "My best friend at Everton was a black guy from Paris, and we were the best of friends for over a decade and we still are. Afterwards, I said, 'Come on, like why aren't you coaching?' and he looked at me like I had three heads.

"He said, 'Coaching, how many black people do you see coaching?' I was like, 'Yeah'. So you're talking about a guy that has played more Premier League games than any foreign player in history and he doesn't think he can get a job coaching in the Premier League. It's crazy."

When the group was asked if they'd ever played for a black coach, Howard admitted that he hadn't while McKennie said he had one black coach as a youth player. Edu, meanwhile, pointed to his dad as a coach that he had as a younger player.

As protests begin to wind down across most cities in the U.S., Howard says it is important that the message continues and that those protests inspire actual change that prevents them from being needed again.

"Simply put, its too lenient. It's too lenient," Howard said. "The next step for all of us is the reason why you protest, the reason why you shout, is so you can get people's attention.

"Now that we have people's attention, the next step is to make sure that they're putting language in that allows us to peacefully protest, but we're not peacefully protesting for the sake of taking a knee because we feel like resting. It's to engage conversation and change the narrative."

Tanzania Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa has stated Simba SC are the best team in the country.

The 20-time Tanzania Mainland League champions are chasing their third title in as many seasons. In his address to parliament, the Minister stated a narrow 1-0 defeat in the Kariakoo Derby against bitter rivals Yanga SC is not enough to think the latter are better.

"I wonder why people are mocking Simba because they lost to Yanga in the recent meeting," Majaliwa said in his address to the 11th parliament.

"However, if you look at the statistics, Simba are leading in everything; look at the table. [Simba] are leading in terms of points, the number of goals scored, top scorer also comes from the team and they have conceded the least number of goals.

"Announcing the winner before the league ends on the pitch will dilute the sweetness of the competition."

The 58-year-old went on to mock the Jangwani based Timu ya Wananchi, Yanga.

"Actually, to prove how good Simba is, look at the leading goal scorer; it is Meddie Kagere with 19 goals," Majaliwa added.

"Namungo's Reliants Lusajo and Kagera Sugar's Yusuph Mhilu are on 11 goals each, and they are second on the list. We have Blaise Bigirimana and Paul Nonga of Namungo and Lipuli respectively who have scored 10 goals each.

"The gap is too big and it cannot be matched; Simba's spear is well sharpened as compared to their opponents."

Wekundu wa Msimbazi drew 1-1 with Ruvu Shooting on Sunday, June 14 in the league restart.

The league champions took a deserved lead in the match played at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam when Shiza Kichuya found the back of the net with a neat finish but the visitors drew level courtesy of Fully Zullu Maganga to ensure the spoils were shared.

The result coupled with their rivals Young Africans (Yanga SC) winning 1-0 against Mwadui and second-placed Azam FC beating Mbao FC 2-0 at the Azam Complex, left Simba fans a disappointed lot despite maintaining their lead at the summit.

Simba are now on 72 points after 29 matches; they have won 23, drawn three, and lost as many matches. They are 15 points ahead of Azam.  

Mamelodi Sundowns captain Hlompho Kekana has credited not suffering a lot of injuries as key for him staying on top of his game in his prolonged professional career.

Since breaking into the Black Leopards squad in 2004, the 35-year-old midfielder has not looked back in a career that has also seen him turn out for SuperSport United and Bloemfontein Celtic.

After signing a four-year contract extension with Mamelodi Sundowns earlier this year, Kekana would be 39 when his current deal expires.

He says he is always willing to go the extra mile to make himself stand out from his peers everywhere he has been in his career.

"I would say I have been so lucky to have not experienced [a lot of] injuries over the years," Kekana told SuperSport.com.

"However, the most important thing I did was to find a routine that works for me and I have stuck to it. I was always willing to do the things nobody was willing to do in all [of] the teams I have played for.

"There are also people who support me like my family and friends. They have also helped me and they understand my goals. They know what I need in order to reach a certain level in my game."

It is a glittering career that has seen Kekana claiming a Caf Champions League trophy, Caf Super Cup and six Premier Soccer League (PSL) titles (four with Sundowns and two with SuperSport) among other major pieces of silverware.

With Sundowns seriously contending for the league title this season, the South Africa international could bag his seventh league crown if the current campaign continues.

The Brazilians still have a chance of finishing top as they are four points behind leaders Kaizer Chiefs, having played a game less.

Kekana is however not losing much sleep at the prospect of the season being cancelled which would see Sundowns missing out on the opportunity of being crowned champions.

"Oh well, PSG were leading by 12 points and there were few matches left in the league. Here at home, we are talking about four points [and we also have] one game in hand,” said Kekana.g

SuperSport United CEO Stanley Matthews has made it clear that the club has no intentions to bring back Gavin Hunt simply because there's no coaching vacancy at the Tshwane giants.  

Hunt is set to leave Bidvest Wits at the end of the season following the management's decision to sell its PSL status to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) owner Masala Mulaudzi.

Mulaudzi is hoping to rename the PSL's oldest football club to TTM and relocate it to Limpopo as soon as the deal is approved by the league's executive. 

"There is no coaching vacancy at SuperSport United. I do think it is disrespectful to Kaitano and any other head coach. I think even Gavin himself will find it disrespectful more than anybody else to have someone linked to his job," Matthews told Sowetan. 

"He [Hunt] is an old school soccer tradition guy and it’s not nice when someone is in a job and their job is linked with somebody else."

Matthews added that Wits' decision to sell their status coupled with Hunt's availability doesn't mean SuperSport should forget about their obligations to current head coach Kaitano Tembo. 

However, the Matsatsantsa boss revealed Hunt would certainly be a candidate if Tembo was to leave the club for any reason but for now, the management doesn't want to disrupt the togetherness by making unnecessary changes to their technical team.  

"Just because Wits decided to sell their franchise doesn’t suddenly mean that SuperSport forgets its obligation to Kaitano‚ the rest of the coaching staff and all the people who have been competing against Gavin," he continued.

"Just because Gavin is now available has no impact on our club. If Kaitano decides that he is not our coach anymore for whatever reason and we are looking for a coach‚ then, of course, Gavin would be a candidate. 

"But we are very happy with Kaitano as our head coach and this is the same answer I gave when people were saying that Stuart Baxter was coming back to the club.

"Why in the world would SuperSport be looking to disrupt our togetherness and what we have because another club down the road decided to sell?

"I was quite shocked and disappointed when I read the speculation in the media and to be honest I really think it is disrespectful."

Simba SC midfielder Jonas Mkude has resumed training after missing the opening match of the Mainland Premier League on Sunday.

The Tanzanian giants took the National Stadium without their defensive player, who picked up an injury during their friendly against KMC, as they settled for a 1-1 draw against Ruvu Shooting.

Mkude, who was ruled out for two weeks, has now returned to training but under the care of the team doctor as he works his way to return to action.

Simba have confirmed the return to training of the player, but insisted he will still be out for at least two weeks.

“Mkude trained with team doctor today [Tuesday] and he is recovering well,” Simba said on their official website.

“The doctors are confident he will be able to kick the ball in two weeks’ time.”

On suffering the injury, Simba coach Sven Vandenbroeck named two players who can play for the team in his absence.

The Belgian tactician confirmed Mzamiru Yasin and Brazilian playmaker Gerson Fraga will perfectly fit into the role Mkude was playing for the Mainland giants.

“I just hope [Mkude] will not be out for a long time because we need him for subsequent matches in the league and the domestic competition,” Vandenbroeck told reporters last week.

“In Simba, we have a huge squad, and fans should not be worried because we can easily rotate the starting eleven. I can easily use Yasin or Fraga in the same position and I know they will do a good job and give us the result we need.”

Mkude was not in action as Simba dropped points against Ruvu Shooting, and will miss the next league match against Mbeya City and also sit out the team’s FA Cup quarter-final clash against Azam FC.

Meanwhile, Simba information officer Haji Manara has thanked the club's fans for keeping to the safety measures put in place by the Ministry of Health to help curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Manara said he was impressed with the fans' behaviour during their match against Ruvu Shooting and urged them to keep the spirit in the subsequent matches.

Manchester United striker and former Nigeria international Odion Ighalo has been celebrated on his 31st birthday.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Confederation of African Football (Caf), Premier League sides Watford and the Red Devils have sent heartfelt messages to the forward.

The Hornets and the Old Trafford outfit recollected the on-loan Shanghai Shenhua striker’s contribution with videos.

The forward, who was born on June 16, 1989, in Lagos, was raised in Edo State and started his professional football career with Prime of Osogbo.

He also played for Julius Berger before leaving Nigeria to continue his development in Europe, joining Norwegian side Lyn Oslo in 2007.

Ighalo then moved to Italy to team up with Udinese where he spent six years, including loan spells with Granada and Cesena.

The striker signed for Watford, initially on loan before the deal was made permanent in 2014, and made a significant contribution during his time with the club.

Ighalo scored 36 league goals in 90 appearances for the Vicarage Road Stadium outfit and in December 2015, he was named Premier League Player of the Month following his impressive performances in front of goal.

The forward left the Hornets in 2017 for Chinese Super League side Changchun Yatai and delivered fine displays during his one-year stay, scoring 10 goals in 17 league matches.

He left for rivals Shanghai Shenhua after turning down a chance to join Spanish giants Barcelona and in January he sealed a shock loan switch to Manchester United on transfer deadline day.

Since his arrival at the Old Trafford, the former Nigeria international has become the toast of the fans following his eye-catching showings.

The forward has scored four goals and provided one assist in only eight games across all competitions before the coronavirus outbreak which led to the suspension of the Premier League.

On the international scene, the striker bagged 16 goals in 35 appearances for the Super Eagles before his sudden retirement after helping the West Africans finish third at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, where he scooped the top-scorer award.

Ighalo will hope to continue his fine performances when the Premier League resumes on June 17, having recently extended his loan stay with the Red Devils.

Marcus Rashford has won his fight to get the UK government to provide free meals for vulnerable children over the school holidays after they performed a U-turn on their initial decision.

The Manchester United forward wrote an emotional open letter to MPs on Monday asking them to have a change of heart on the decision to stop a national voucher scheme aiming to feed children from low-income families while schools were closed during the coronavirus pandemic.  

At first they dismissed his campaigning but after mounting pressure from politicians, celebrities and the general public, which was led by Rashford, it was confirmed children eligible for free school meals in term time in England will get a six-week voucher.

The £120 million ($152m) extension to the scheme should benefit 1.3 million children and, following the announcement, Rashford tweeted: "I don’t even know what to say. Just look at what we can do when we come together, THIS is England in 2020."

When schools were shut down in March a food-voucher scheme was set up to help ensure vulnerable children did not go hungry. Vouchers worth £15 were sent to families that needed them but were due to come to an end when the term finished, until Rashford stepped up.

In a letter sent to government, the England international recalled his own experiences of having to rely on free school meals and food banks when he was a child growing up in Manchester and, in a series of tweets on Tuesday morning, the 22-year-old urged MPs to put politics to one side and reverse the decision.

He wrote: "1. When you wake up this morning and run your shower, take a second to think about parents who have had their water turned off during lockdown #maketheuturn.

"2. When you turn on your kettle to make a cup of tea or coffee think of those parents who have had to default on electricity bill payments just to make ends meet having lost their jobs during the pandemic #maketheuturn.

"3. And when you head to the fridge to grab the milk, stop and recognise that parents of at least 200,000 children across the country this morning are waking up to empty shelving.

"4. Recognise children around the country are this morning innocently questioning ‘why?’ 9 out of 30 children in any given classroom are today asking ‘why?’ ‘Why does our future not matter?’ #maketheuturn."

And announcing the decision to change tack, the Prime Minister’s official spokesperson said on Tuesday: "Owing to the coronavirus pandemic the Prime Minister fully understands that children and parents face an entirely unprecedented situation over the summer.

"To reflect this we will be providing a Covid summer food fund, this will provide food vouchers over the six-week summer holiday period. This is a specific measure to reflect the unique circumstances of the pandemic. The scheme will not continue beyond the summer."

The United forward has been widely praised by fellow professionals, politicians and celebrities for his campaigning which has also helped to raise £20 million for FareShare, a charity aimed at relieving food poverty, during the pandemic.

Kenya might not have a representative in the 2020/21 Caf Confederation Cup after missing out on the provisional list.

Caf had asked its member associations to explain how they intended to finish the season. 

While the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) cancelled the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) season and forwarded Gor Mahia's name for the Caf Champions League - a move that has been protested by league administrators - there was no name presented for the second-tier competition.

Kenya has always produced a participant for the Confederation Cup through the FKF Shield Cup, which was entering the quarter-final phase before it was suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

"We want to know the final date from Caf and then we will continue with the Shield Cup because we can play on Saturday and Sunday," FKF president Nick Mwendwa told Goal.

"We need two weekends to play Shield Cup and if Covid-19 stops us then we will not enter a team in the Caf Confederation Cup."

Uganda will be represented by 2018/19 Ugandan Premier League champions KCCA FC, who finished as runners-up after the league was annulled by the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa).

Another East African side, Rayon Sports, will represent Rwanda in Africa's second-tier club competition. 

South Sudan will be represented by Al-Rabita but the country did not field any team in the Champions League. Horseed of Somalia will also take part in the competition.

Just like in the Caf Champions League, Ethiopia opted against fielding any team in the competition after declaring the 2019/20 season null and void.

For Tanzania, the league resumed on June 13, however, the quarter-finals of the FA Cup will be played on June 30 and July 1.

On the last Tuesday of the month, the first match will be between fourth-placed Namungo and Alliance. The game will be played at Uwanja wa Majaliwa in Lindi.

The second match of the day will be between Young Africans and Kagera Sugar. Timu ya Wananchi will be aiming at avenging the 3-0 loss suffered in the first round of the Tanzania Mainland League. 

The two top tier sides will play at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

On Wednesday, July 1, minnows Sahare All-Stars will be at Mkwakwani Stadium in Tanga against Ndanda FC. The latter come into the match as favourites owing to their undoubted quality in the squad as compared to the second-tier side.

The biggest match, arguably, will be played on the same day at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam and will be between Azam FC, who are the defending champions, and league leaders Simba SC.

This is the fifth time the two teams will be meeting in the 2019/20 season - interestingly, the Chamazi based side have not defeated Wekundu wa Msimbazi in the earlier encounters.

The last time the two teams met was in the league when the 20-time league champions won the match 3-2.

Lyon coach Rudi Garcia has stated the club have not received any offers for striker Moussa Dembele or midfielder Houssem Aouar.

Manchester United have shown an interest in Dembele as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer explores options to strengthen his attack on a more permanent basis after securing a loan extension for Odion Ighalo.

Aouar, meanwhile, has been linked with Manchester City and Juventus, and Lyon’s sporting director Juninho Pernambucano recently acknowledged that both players could leave the club when the transfer window reopens.

However, Garcia says no bids have been received for the pair and is hoping that Aouar, along with former United winger Memphis Depay, will remain with the club.

“I hope that Houssem Aouar will stay,” Garcia told RTL. “Him and Moussa Dembele. I can tell you categorically that we have not received any offers for them.

“I am told that Memphis is also not on the list of possible departures.”

Missing out on the Champions League in the 2020-21 season after a disappointing seventh-placed finish in the controversially truncated Ligue 1 campaign has been a blow to Lyon and is set to shape their actions in the summer.

That led to Juninho suggesting that Aouar and Dembele could be on their way, and he is waiting to see what transpires in the coming weeks.

“Moussa and Houssem are among the best players in the squad but their cases are different,” he said at the unveiling of striker Tino Kadewere last week.

“Houssem came through the academy here and he’s been here a long time. He brings a technical touch in midfield, but we know that most young players trained at the club with the talent of Houssem will leave at one time or another.

“It’s president Jean-Michel Aulas who will decide. If we receive propositions, we’ll analyse them but he’s an important player.”

While much of the transfer speculation has focused on outgoings from Lyon, Garcia confirmed his hope that his defence will be strengthened before next season starts.

Garcia added: “We are looking for a central defender. Numerically, we only have three.

“We need leadership, but we are looking at young defenders, rather than those who are more seasoned. I don’t know if financially it will be possible.”

Joao Felix would be "at a higher level" if he had joined Real Madrid instead of Atletico Madrid, claims Carlos Carvalhal.

Atletico shelled out €126 million (£122m/$142m) to sign Felix from Benfica ahead of Antoine Griezmann's departure for La Liga rivals Barcelona last year.

However, the 20-year-old has only contributed six goals and three assists in 28 appearances, with ankle and hamstring injuries sidelining him for separate short spells.

Carvalhal, who is the head coach at Primeira Liga side Rio Ave, does not think the style of football played under Diego Simeone suits Felix.

He believes a move to their arch-rivals Real Madrid would have put a fellow Portuguese in a better position to develop his game.

"Joao Felix is​​a great player and I don't want to create controversy with my statements. He is a player with incredible technical ability, with a great level. But I'm not sure Atletico's way of playing is the best for him," Carvalhal said on Cadena SER.

"That was my doubt when he signed for them. Diego Simeone is a great coach, his teams are very strong, very competitive, but Joao Felix does not seem to be the perfect player to be there.

"In a different situation, we would see a great Joao Felix. It will be a little difficult and it will take time more time. He will have to transform as a player.

"If he had gone to a team like Real Madrid, he would be at a higher level. The context would be more favourable for him.

"It's not a criticism of Simeone, there is no doubt about what he has achieved. The work speaks for itself, I just believe this marriage is not the best."

Felix was suspended as Atletico returned from a three-month break due to the coronavirus pandemic with a 1-1 draw at Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.

He is, however, in line to make his first appearance since the stoppage when Simeone's men take on Osasuna in Pamplona on Wednesday.

Atletico are sitting sixth in the La Liga standings at the moment, a point behind Real Sociedad in the race for a top-four finish and 15 behind leaders Barcelona, with ten fixtures remaining.

Juventus coach Maurizio Sarri has revealed he gets “annoyed” when his critics say he has “won nothing” during his career in Italy.

Sarri was appointed Juve boss last summer after winning the Europa League with Chelsea – his first major piece of silverware as a coach.

He is preparing for Wednesday’s Coppa Italia final against Napoli and is also aiming to lead Juve to the Serie A title this season, and is irked by criticism of his CV.

“I get annoyed when they say, ‘In Italy, he has won nothing’,” said Sarri. “I earned eight promotions from one division to another, and I achieved them all on the pitch.

"That is perhaps a small thing compared to the Champions League and the Scudetto, but it is not easy.

"It's always an important incentive to win important trophies and there is a desire to lift the cup. I am happy that we are in the final."

Ahead of the meeting with his former club Napoli in Rome, Sarri has praised his opposite number Gennaro Gattuso, while urging his Juventus players to turn their fine season into something "concrete".

Sarri is under no illusions over the quality of Napoli, now led by Gattuso after he coached them between 2015 and 2018.

The Partenopei have only lost once in 10 matches and are bidding to win their first piece of silverware since 2014, while Juve are top of Serie A and still in the Champions League as they target multiple trophies.

"Napoli are a difficult team to face," Sarri said.

"They are solid when they close the spaces and dangerous on the counter. They won against us, against Inter and drew with Barcelona, they know how to play at a high level.

"Napoli are a team of dribblers, on Wednesday we must remain compact and not allow easy counterattacking situations. 

"I like Gattuso a lot, he is straightforward and direct. I'm not surprised by what he's achieving."

Sarri believes his approach has changed during the lockdown enforced by the coronavirus crisis.

He added: "From a mental point of view it's been a difficult period for everyone but I've seen the guys at their best: open, smiling and ready to play. 

"Maybe I've also improved too, I'm more patient and less uncompromising. I am completely focused on the final and on our team, with the right concentration and conviction.

"We've played for seven months, and then have had a long break in order to play these remaining matches. 

"Therefore, we'll have to give everything that we have and give that little bit more to win as many trophies as possible. 

"Apart from a few games that haven't gone our way the results have been good so far. 

"We have an excellent points average so we can be pleased with that, but now we want to transform it into something concrete."

Call of Duty: Warzone has quickly become one of the top-played games in the weeks since its release, with over 60 million players to date.

This free-to-play title features dynamic and frantic battle royale and Plunder gameplay with up to 150 players on the largest Call of Duty battleground ever.

On June 11, the season four of Warzone went live, and it brought an array of new content and changes. A new season also means a brand new battle pass with a bunch of items to earn and equip. The Season 4 battle pass has new operators, new weapons and blueprint, customization items, and a lot more.

Download Call Of Duty: Warzone

The game features two main factions of the Operators: the Coalition and the Allegiance. Both factions include a variety of Operators to choose from. The Coalition is a multinational alliance that consists of operators from SAS, Warcom and Demon Dogs, while the Allegiance is made up of the remnants of the Russian Forces in Urzikstan, foreign mercenaries and rogue NATO soldiers.

And while the Operators are getting famous among the gamers, Goal.com has teamed up with Call of Duty to make the "Coalition vs Allegiance" ultimate team. The concept consists on choosing 11 characters from both the Coalition and Allegiance who are featuring in Warzone.

We'll then analyze the specific traits of each character and potential Footballers who fit the mould and resemble well with the character. The audience will be involved by voting for their favorite Operator-Footballer combo to make it feature in the Ultimate team.

For our new poll, we are going to be looking at Mara from the Coalition faction and SYD from the Allegiance one.

Mara - Alex Morgan : Morgan is a forward whose game is built on speed and direct play. The USWNT star's flair and pace, along with her dribbling ability, make her a consistent goal threat. Mara is also a speedy operator. She relies on a her vast experience and knowledge of the battlefield to always make the right move and her shooting accuracy makes her lethal in the field.
 

SYD - Renard : Not only is Wendie Renard widely considered to be the world's leading central defenders, she poses a formidable threat to the opponents' goal with her aerial presence, particularly from set pieces. SYD, like Renard, is known for her toughness and an unwillingness to take unnecessary risks while attacking. She likes to have a clear plan in place before entering the battlefield.

Who should feature is the Coalition vs Allegiance utlimate team? vote below

Achraf Hakimi's agent Alejandro Camano has denied holding talks with Bayern Munich over a possible summer move for the Real Madrid loanee.

Hakimi rose through the youth ranks at Madrid before graduating to the senior squad in 2017, but has since made just 16 appearances for the club in all competitions.

The Blancos decided to send the 21-year-old out on loan to Borussia Dortmund in 2018, where he has established himself as one of the most technically proficient full-backs in European football.

Hakimi has contributed five goals and 10 assists to BVB's cause in 31 games in 2019-20, helping them challenge Bayern at the top of the Bundesliga while also reaching the Champions League knockout stages.

Dortmund are reportedly interested in making the Moroccan's move to the Westfalenstadion permanent when his two-season loan deal expires this summer, but Bayern are also being tipped to launch a bid for his services.

Camano has confirmed that a number of elite clubs are monitoring Hakimi's situation, but he claims to have heard nothing concrete from the German champions as of yet.

The Madrid defender's agent told Goal and SPOX: "There is interest from top European clubs, but I don't know where the rumours with Bayern have come from. It is not a topic.

"Nobody from Bayern or Real Madrid spoke to me about a possible move for Achraf to Bayern.

"We are totally relaxed and calm about the future of Achraf. He has a great relationship with Real Madrid and there is currently no reason for any talks because Achraf has a contract with Real Madrid until 2022.

"We'll see what happens when he returns to Madrid in the summer."

Camano went on to hint that Hakimi could still have a future at Santiago Bernabeu, while insisting that his client still enjoys a strong relationship with Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane.

He added: "There is no problem with Zidane at all. Achraf gets along with everyone at Real Madrid. And Zidane has known Achraf since he was a child.

"He likes him as a person and as a player. For me, Achraf is the best in his position."

Pep Guardiola has warned his Manchester City team will be undercooked for the return of the Premier League because they were given "not enough" time to prepare.

The former Barcelona boss is poised to see his City team officially dethroned as champions by Liverpool, and on top of that says his stars are not up to handling the intensive demands posed by the restart.

Guardiola, whose mother Dolors died after contracting Covid-19, will take charge of City against Arsenal when English football resumes on Wednesday after three months in lockdown.

He is relishing the Etihad Stadium reunion with his former City number two Mikel Arteta, who left to take charge of Arsenal in December, and hopes they can enjoy a post-match drink together.

And while Guardiola is hopeful his team can be competitive, he says rotation of his squad over the remaining weeks of the season will be imperative.

City will be back in action on Monday against Burnley, and the games will come thick and fast after the condensing of the schedule.

"If you ask me how the team is, I don't know," Guardiola said. "Tomorrow we will see the level. From there, we are going to see and suggest what we can do better."

He said the big worry since teams were allowed to train again was the "lack of preparation" they were afforded before games returned - "not like in Germany or Spain where they worked five or six weeks".

"All Premier League teams have three weeks," Guardiola said. "Of course we know it is not enough but it is what it is.

"We are ready to play one game, but three days after another, four days after another, we are not ready. That's why you have to rotate. But we have to start, we have to finish the season, because the damage economically can be reduced."

The same circumstances seem sure to apply to Arsenal, who have not lost a match in domestic football in 2020.

Guardiola said he was "so excited" to see Arteta, describing his fellow Spaniard as "one of the nicest people I have ever met" and "an incredibly important part of our success".

He would love to be able to share an evening tipple with Arteta but was unsure if that would be permitted.

"We sent a message one hour and a half ago. I can't tell you what that message said. It's about the wine we're going to drink after the game, if social distance allows us to drink," Guardiola said.

Guardiola has had to grieve during football's absence, and he said: "All the people who have been lost are important."

And he stressed "not even the best scientists in the world" had realised what a toll Covid-19 would take.

"At the end, the Premier League like in Spain and Germany, like other countries, decide we have to play, so we are going to play. We are going to adapt as quick as possible," Guardiola added.