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Simba SC assistant coach Selemani Matola has explained why they opted to play two build-up matches within ten hours on Monday.

The Mainland Premier League champions first beat Transit Camp 4-2 before edging out fellow league side KMC 3-1 in matches played at Simba Mo Arena in Dar es Salaam.

Matola has now revealed they featured in the two build-up matches in a single day because they wanted to check the fitness levels of each player in the squad ahead of the league resumption on June 13.

“We have a good depth in our squad that is why we decided to have two games within ten hours and see how everyone was responding to training sessions we have had so far,” Matola is quoted by Daily News.

“It was a good test from KMC, who came to win and approached the game like a final but in the end, we won and that is the positive thing from us.”

But Simba suffered a huge blow in the second match after midfielder Jonas Mkude was rushed to hospital after colliding with a KMC player.

The club’s team doctor Yassin Gembe revealed they will need to assess the player further, after he was discharged from hospital, before establishing whether he be available for their first league match against Ruvu Shooting at National Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Sunday.

“For now, Mkude has left the hospital and he is looking good and doing fine, however, he will have to undergo further scans and tests to know how bad the injury was,” Gembe told the club’s official website earlier.

Simba, who are chasing a third straight title, have been boosted with the arrival of their foreign players, who had relocated to their countries when the league was halted in mid-March owing to the coronavirus pandemic.

Coach Sven Vandenbroeck has also urged the players to ensure they bag the first 12 points to win the title in earnest.

The Wekundu Wa Mzimbazi are leading the league table on 71 points, and are followed by Azam FC in second-position while rivals Young Africans (Yanga SC) are trailing in third position.

Tanzania international Mbwana Samatta has revealed how Didier Drogba and Cristiano Ronaldo have inspired him.

The Aston Villa forward singled out the Ivorian for praise for what he did at Chelsea, where he helped the London club lift the Champions League trophy in 2012 in Munich.

He also named Juventus star Ronaldo as the player who has influenced him most during his formative years.

“I watched so many players and I felt like I wanted to be like them. But let me go with [Didier] Drogba even though inspiring players were so many. He was doing well at Chelsea where he became a champion a few times as well as scoring many goals,” Samatta, 27, told Villa TV.

“He helped Chelsea became Champions League winner.

“[Cristiano] Ronaldo is the sporting icon that has influenced me the most. I love how he works hard and is always fighting for the team to win.”

The former Tout Puissant Mazembe forward also revealed how he has come to forge a close relationship with Marvelous Nakamba since his arrival at Villa Park. 

“I have a few friends but I will go with [Marvelous] Nakamba. He is a guy who we meet outside the pitch a lot. He is a cool guy and also he is coming from Zimbabwe and I am coming from Tanzania,” Samatta added.

“When we talk about the culture and struggle of our countries it is all the same. He is a good guy, quiet and I am quiet as well. He is always positive too.”

In addition, Samatta - who signed for Villa in January - also pointed out the funniest player in the squad.

“[Henri] Lansbury, he does not talk too much but whatever he does everyone loves it he can say one word and everyone starts laughing. It is fantastic to have one person in the group who can make people smile,” explained the Taifa Stars captain.

Samatta joined the English side to become the first Tanzanian to play for a Premier League club, and has explained the differences between England and Belgium, as well as what he thinks of the club's supporters.

“First of all, it was my dream to come to the Premier League and when Villa showed up, I think I could not say no. They gave me the chance and I love Villa because I wanted to be here,” revealed former Simba SC star.

“There is no big difference [between live in Belgium and England] but where I was in Belgium, I was in a small city but here Birmingham is a bigger city. But I think there is no big difference. 

“The Villa fans are amazing sometimes when you come to a club and you are a new player, supporters would wait a little bit to know who you are and what you can do to the club before they start supporting you.

“But immediately when I came and before I even touched the ball, they weres singing my name and I was like 'wow these guys are going to give me boost so that I can try and win the game for them'.

“When fans support you, I think it is everything for me. You can't make them go home heads down and so I always want to fight hard and win the game for them.”

Michael Owen believes Manchester United need to find their next Wayne Rooney, suggesting that Mason Greenwood could be the man to follow in the club's legendary former striker's footsteps.

Greenwood has been a bright spark for United during another frustrating Premier League campaign, proving himself on the biggest stages after being asked to step up following Romelu Lukaku's move to Inter last summer.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has turned to Greenwood to provide much-needed support for Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial in the final third, and has been richly rewarded for his faith in the teenage forward.

Despite most of his 35 appearances in 2019-20 coming from the bench, Greenwood has hit 12 goals  and shown his impressive ability with both feet.

The 18-year-old has even been compared with former United striker Robin van Persie , who fired the club towards their last league title in 2013, and is already being tipped to break into Gareth Southgate's England squad.

Owen believes the Red Devils are still lacking a talismanic leader in the mould of Rooney, the club's all-time record goalscorer, but has also suggested that Greenwood could well pick up the mantle in the coming years.

The ex-United frontman told Premier League Productions : "I still think that Manchester United could do with – I know it’s impossible but if they could find that next Wayne Rooney, that next 19, 20, 21-year-old who was going to be there for the next 10 years…

"They’ve almost been getting by with [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic, getting by with [Odion] Ighalo.

"These players are very good but coming to the end of their career but they probably need to find that one like a Rooney, right at the start of his career that’s going to carry them forward.

"Can it be Mason Greenwood? It might be that they use these types of players while he grows with them.

"It’s all fascinating at the moment at Manchester United, a real, interesting puzzle to solve. But I do think they’re going in the right direction."

Greenwood will likely be back in contention for a spot in Solskjaer's line-up when United resume their season with a crucial clash against Tottenham on June 19.

The coronavirus outbreak saw English football shut down for three months but remaining fixtures have been cleared to take place behind closed doors following an easing of lockdown restrictions across the country.

United are fifth in the table at the moment, three points behind Chelsea, and cannot afford any slip-ups as they look to secure a return to the Champions League.

Gor Mahia coach Steven Polack has cast doubt on his future with the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) champions.

The British coach, who joined K’Ogalo at the start of the 2019-20 season, has exclusively told Goal he would love to see through his two-year contract with the club, which comes to a close next season, but he was not sure if that will indeed be the case.

“I have a contract [with Gor Mahia] to the end of next season, so you know, so I am here until then for sure,” Polack told Goal on Wednesday.

“But like I say in football you never know what is going to happen, football is completely different to any other business, and you never know what tomorrow is going to bring.”

Asked if he had received any offers from different clubs, Polack said: “I keep reading the teams who want me but nobody in this world has given me a call or have contacted me.”

Asked whether he is committed to Gor Mahia, Polack explained: “Of course yes, of course, but like I said tomorrow you will never know, the club [Gor Mahia] could tomorrow say, they don’t want me, so will I stay on if they don’t want me?

“So I just want to do my work for the best of my ability and then we can just move on from there but let’s just see how things unfold.

“The way the situation is with the coronavirus pandemic and then we have the resources, the financial struggles of the club, let us just get over this first and see where we can go from there.

“That is the best thing you know, we need to get over this because it is not easy for clubs [not Gor Mahia alone in KPL], so we need to get over the problems and then tackle the other issues later when everything is back to normal.”

The former Asante Kotoko coach guided Gor Mahia to the season curtain-raiser trophy and was on course to clinch the KPL title when the league was banned indefinitely owing to the Covid-19 outbreak.

While the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has moved to crown Gor Mahia the champions, the KPL has insisted the fate of the league is not decided yet.

Kingsley Coman says he will have "no problem" if Bayern Munich sign Leroy Sane, and has vowed to stay and fight for his place in the team.

Sane has been linked with a move to Bayern from Manchester City over the past year, with speculation beginning to intensify once again ahead of the summer transfer window.

Talks between the two clubs reached an advanced stage last week, but a final deal has yet to be agreed with City reportedly holding out for a fee in the region of €70 million (£62m/$79m) for a prized asset.

Should the Germany international indeed complete a move to Allianz Arena when the market reopens, he will be expected to slot into Hansi Flick's line-up on the left wing.

However, Coman has occupied that role for the majority of the 2019-20 campaign, and isn't worried about losing his place after competing with a whole host of world-class players for regular minutes throughout his time at Bayern.

The 23-year-old told Sport Bild: "If Sane came, it would not be a problem! Except if the club says to me that they no longer need me, but I think the club knows what it has in me. 

"The situation of Leroy Sane has nothing to do with my own future.

"When I came to Bayern Munich we had Franck Ribery, Arjen Robben, Douglas Costa and me, and I was still a young player, in front of the legends Ribery and Robben! You can see that that's not a problem for me.

"It is better for the team if there are many players at this level."

Coman went on to insist that he is in no rush to make a decision on his long-term future, adding: “I have a contract until 2023, which means we have time.  I want to finish the season, after that, in the summer, I can think about my situation: what I want to do, what decision is good."

Coman opened the scoring in Bayern's 4-2 victory over Bayer Leverkusen last weekend, taking his overall tally for the season to six goals in 29 appearances.

The Frenchman - who previously enjoyed spells at Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus - is on the verge of picking up the eighth successive league title of his career, with Bayern now only two wins away from retaining their Bundesliga crown.

Former Bidvest Wits midfielder Mark Haskins is very concerned amidst reports indicating that the club is set to be sold.

National First Division (NFD) side Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila is reportedly close to securing Wits' Premier Soccer League (PSL) status.

It is said that the club would then relocate to the Limpopo province ahead of the 2020/21 season.

This has come as a huge surprise to Haskins, after his former side established its self as one of the top teams in the PSL under coach Gavin Hunt.

“Nobody knows what the truth is, because people have come out and denied the claims, so we are all looking for truth, direction and clarity,” Haskins told Far Post.

“It came as a big surprise when it was first reported in the media, especially when you think of how well the team has done in the past couple of years

"I mean being one of the teams that has been able to win the league [ in the 2016/17 season] which is not an easy thing to do and now to think that they are being sold you have to wonder what went wrong or is it just the ambition of the club has changed or what?

"I don’t know. But it’s very surprising given how competitive this team has been."

Haskins, who is the head coach of the Wits University team which competes in the Varsity Football Tournament, revealed that his son is part of the Clever Boys' academy.

“The crazy thing is that my son plays for the Bidvest Wits U15 side so even the youngsters are not sure what the future holds for them because they had just started their league campaign already and they have been wanting to see it through should they get to resume but everyone is everything up in the air right now,” he continued.

Haskins feels for the players, who don’t know where they will be playing next season, after the current campaign was suspended indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“That’s why I am saying it’s surprising because the quality of the squad and the quality of the coaching staff is of a higher standard," he added.

"The players I can just imagine what is going through their minds, whether they are going to have to relocate or not. Nobody really knows what is going to happen.”

Anthony Martial and Bruno Fernandes "have hit it off" at Manchester United, according to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who is hoping to see a new partnership "flourish" at Old Trafford.

United have been starved of success on the biggest stage since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013, and their struggles continued in the first half of the 2019-20 campaign.

Solskjaer's side showed glimpses of their future potential during fixtures against the top six, but fell out of contention in the race for a top-four finish after failing to maintain any sort of upward trajectory.

However, the mood of gloom surrounding the club was lifted almost instantly following the £50 million ($62m) signing of Fernandes from Sporting CP in the January transfer window.

The Portuguese playmaker inspired a turnaround in fortunes which saw United win eight of their 11 fixtures before the coronavirus outbreak stopped play in March.

The 25-year-old's energy also appeared to rub off on his new team-mates, especially Martial, who found the net in three of his last four outings to take his tally for the season to 16 from 34 appearances in all competitions.

Solskjaer wants to see the pair pick up from where they left off when the action gets back underway, with the Red Devils set to take on fellow Champions League hopefuls Tottenham on June 19.

The United boss told Premier League Productions: "Anthony’s had a difficult season with injuries but he started the season really well and he’s finishing off…well, the season’s not finished yet but he did really well towards the end.

"He’s working hard and for me Anthony was on the way to his best season at Manchester United so let's see if he finishes it off and kicks on again.

"Tony and Bruno [Fernandes] have hit it off together so it’s a partnership that we hope can flourish.

"We knew he was a quality player and knew that when he came in he would have an impact straight away but you never know if he’s going to settle early in a new country but he’s taken to it like a duck to water."

Gicumbi FC and Heroes FC have lost their appeal case in which they sought to reverse the decision which saw them relegated to the Ferwafa Men’s Second Division.

When Ferwafa moved to suspend the Rwandan Premier League on March 15, due to the coronavirus restriction measures, Heroes were 15th with 16 points while Gicumbi were bottom with 15 points.

Ferwafa cancelled the league on May 23 after it had held consultative meetings with clubs and stakeholders and arrived at the decision of declaring the champions and as well as the teams relegated and promoted.

When Heroes and Gicumbi learnt of their fate, they launched an appeal to Ferwafa but the Appeals Body has moved to dismiss their case.

The two clubs claim the decision to relegate them went against what clubs had agreed on during the consultative meetings.

“The appeals have no legal ground. The Ferwafa Appeals Committee has upheld the decision to relegate Heroes and Gicumbi from Rwanda Premier League following the abrupt end of the season,” Ferwafa's Appeal Body stated as they delivered their judgement on the case launched by the two clubs.

“Based on Match Day 23 standings, Heroes FC and Gicumbi FC with 16 points and 15 points respectively are therefore relegated to the second division league for the 2020/2021 season," Ferwafa said at the time of league cancellation.

Heroes president Fidele Kanamugire had stated previously that the relegated clubs had the chance to redeem themselves if the league was restarted. There were seven matches remaining before the competition ended.

“The decision is against what we discussed during the consultative meeting with Ferwafa. The idea was to award the title to APR as runaway leaders, but relegate no team,” Kanamugire said as he argued against Ferwafa's move to end the 2019/20 season and consequently relegate his side.

Although the Premier League was cancelled, the women's competition would wait to see whether the government will allow its continuation.

“Due to the nature of women's competitions, the 2020 edition of the women’s first and second division leagues are hereby suspended and will resume when Government of Rwanda eases the lockdown on sporting activities,” Ferwafa's statement at the time read.

The 2020 Peace Cup tournaments for men and women were declared null and void while Ferwafa's youth competitions in all age categories for the 2020 edition were postponed.

APR were declared champions of the cancelled league.

Talks between Juventus and Paulo Dybala are progressing well, with the Argentina international forward aiming for a new €12 million-a-year (£11m/$14m) contract with the perennial Serie A champions.

Juventus resume their campaign on Friday evening against Milan in the Coppa Italia, the first game back in Italy in the 2019-20 season following the lengthy break enforced by coronavirus.

Dybala, who contracted the virus and suffered an especially bad case of the disease, is set to feature having become an important part of Maurizio Sarri's team as they aim to hold off title challengers Lazio and Inter to retain their Serie A crown.

The 26-year-old, who has a contract in Turin until the summer of 2022, previously said there had been no contact from Juve about an extension and that the onus was on the club to make the first move.

He told CNN on Monday: "Renewal? For now there is nothing. I have a year-and-a-half left on my contract, it is not so much, and I understand that since what happened with the coronavirus it is not easy for the club, but other players have renewed. Let's wait, it depends on Juventus."

While this set alarm bells ringing in Turin, Goal can confirm Juventus are very confident of agreeing a new deal with Dybala and the player himself wants to stay with the club. Talks have started, and both parties want to find a resolution quickly.

Dybala, who has moved out of the hefty shadow of Cristiano Ronaldo at Juve and has established himself as a potent attacking force in his own right, is aware of his value to the club and wants €12m a year, a substantial increase on his terms at present.

He said in his CNN interview: "I am happy to be here, people love me very much and I love people very much. I have a great appreciation for the club and the people who are here, I have a good relationship with my president and we will certainly talk at some point."

Goal has also learned that Dybala, who has scored 91 goals in 216 appearances for Juventus, has demanded that he keep the No.10 shirt which he has worn for four years at the club, regardless of who they sign in the future.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has "done a tremendous job" since being appointed Manchester United manager, according to Peter Schmeichel.

Solskjaer was handed a three-year contract at Old Trafford in March 2019 after a hugely impressive interim spell in the dugout following the departure of Jose Mourinho.

The Norwegian was unable to build on that platform initially as United slumped to a sixth-place finish last season, but signs of improvement have been shown in 2019-20.

The Red Devils sat fifth in the Premier League standings when coronavirus stopped play in March, and had also made their way through to the latter stages of the FA Cup and Europa League.

January arrivals Bruno Fernandes and Odion Ighalo seemed to complete the puzzle Solskjaer had been piecing together, with an 11-match unbeaten run raising the levels of expectation among supporters heading into the business end of the season.

With English football's three-month hiatus set to end later this month, Schmeichel has offered an assessment of Solskjaer's first year at the helm, expressing his belief that an old-team mate has already affected significant change.

"I think he's done a tremendous job. I think he's far exceeded my expectations on what could be done in a relatively short period of time, it has to be said," the ex-United goalkeeper told CNN.

"Basically what he's taken over is six years of too many different directions. He's taken over players that were with Sir Alex (Ferguson), he's taken over players that were with (David) Moyes and Louis Van Gaal and then (Jose) Mourinho.

"All of them are different. They're different in their approach, they're different in the players they like. So he's not really had an opportunity to build what he wants but he has.

"I think he has been helped by circumstances for absolutely sure but he's given opportunities to players who you always thought that they were good, they could do the job, but because of the lack of patience or understanding of the players' ability."

United will need to pick up as many points as possible from their remaining nine fixtures to leapfrog Chelsea in the race for a top-four finish, and Schmeichel is well aware of the importance of Champions League football when it comes to attracting top talent.

He added: "Getting into the Champions League, that is a massive leap towards [winning the Premier League in the future].

"Not getting into the Champions League is not a disaster because it's another year of development and I don't think there's anything wrong in taking one step back to take two steps forward.

"But if we could manage to get into the Champions League, that would mean that the up-and-coming transfer windows will have a different feel to it because the best players in the world want to compete in the Champions League."

Playing for South Africa's 'Big Three' teams is almost every player's dream but not for retired defender Jacob Tshisevhe. 

Tshiseve played professional football for 10 years between 1993 and 2003, but unlike many players who played for Kaizer Chiefs, he still regrets joining the Soweto giants. 

He spent seven of those 10 years at Amakhosi between 1993 and 2000 but he feels he shouldn't have donned the famous gold and black jersey. 

Surprisingly, the now 51-year-old retired defender didn't disclose what really happened during his time at Naturena as he opted to say he learned to live with some of the "disturbing things" he found at the club when Chiefs signed him.

Tshisevhe was 24 years old at the time, and he arrived when the Glamour Boys had the likes of Lucas Radebe, Ntsie Maphike and Neil Tovey in their ranks, who became the top defenders in the country.    

He went on to become a household name in the PSL and many would recall his rivalry with former Orlando Pirates striker Jerry Sikhosana in many Soweto Derby matches in the 1990s. 

"Any regrets? I think playing for Kaizer Chiefs was a big regret for me because you go there as a player, you want to play in the team but you find some other things that disturb you or some things that you didn't know you'd find them in life," Tshisevhe said on SA FM.  

"But because you are there, you just have to carry on with them."

Tshisevhe left Chiefs in 2000 and took a break from football for a season before joining Black Leopards for the 2001/02 season. 

He then signed for Mamelodi Sundowns where he lasted for three months before ending his career at the now-defunct City Pillars in 2003. 

Speaking about playing against Sikhosana, Tshisevhe said: "When you talk about Jacob Tshisevhe and Jerry Sikhosana, you are talking about the real Derby because when you talk about it, some the whole week some would be saying, 'Sikhosana is going to get passed Tshisevhe', and others would be saying, 'No, Sikhosana won't get passed Tshisevhe'.

"That made the Soweto Derby very interesting. 

"Actually, it was not a nightmare because I loved playing against forceful like Jerry Sikhosana; players that are physical and like to terminate others.

"I knew that playing against me would make me exactly what I wanted."       

Young Africans (Yanga SC) have set off to Shinyanga ahead of their Mainland Premier League match against Mwadui without key striker David Molinga.

The Congolese import has been training with the team since sporting activities were allowed to resume in the country ahead of the league resumption, but was conspicuously missing from the travelling squad named by assistant coach Boniface Mkwasa.

Speaking before the team left for Shinyanga, Mkwasa could not talk about Molinga but confirmed they will miss the services of another player – Bernard Morrison - through "domestic issues".

“We will travel to Shinyanga by flight ahead of the first match on Sunday,” Mkwasa told reporters after the team’s last training session in Dar es Salaam.

“We have worked hard to rectify a few mistakes which cropped up during our defeat to KMC in a friendly and I am sure the boys are ready to take on Mwadui and return home with maximum points.

“We missing a number of players the likes of Morrison, who is left behind because of domestic issues but I am confident the squad we have will win the match.

“I also want to say that Mwadui is a good team, we will not underrate them as they will be playing at home but Yanga is also a big team which never minds whether playing home or away, the most important thing is to win the match.”

Meanwhile, Molinga has refuted claims he was left behind because of staging a go-slow ahead of the trip.

“I want to deny the rumours going round that I have refused to travel with the team, let me remind all of you that what brought me to Tanzania is to play football and there is no way I can refuse to travel whereas I have been training with the same team,” Molinga said.

“When the coach named the list of the traveling squad, my name was missing and the one who can answer the reason why I have not travelled is the coach because he picked the squad.

“I have not missed training since we resumed and I don’t know why the coach decided to leave me behind.”

Yanga will face Mwadui at Kambarage Stadium on Saturday.

Peter Schmeichel has described Fred as "one of the great stories" of Manchester United's season, while insisting the Brazilian has been "instrumental" in the club's recent revival.

Fred arrived at Old Trafford from Shakhtar Donetsk for a fee of £52 million ($62m) in the summer of 2018, and was initially hailed as the man to add "another dimension" to United's midfield by Jose Mourinho.

The 27-year-old failed to hit the ground running in Manchester, however, and quickly fell down the squad pecking order amid persistent form and fitness issues.

Mourinho publicly expressed his belief that Fred wasn't up to the task defensively, which led to question marks over the club's decision to fork out such a large fee on the Brazilian.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was drafted in when the Portuguese head coach was sacked from his post in December 2018, and he immediately set about stamping his own mark on the squad.

Initially, Fred did not figure much in the Norwegian's plans, but after a summer of intense transfer speculation he reported for pre-season training with a point to prove.

The ex-Shakhtar star has rediscovered his best form this season, helping United gradually re-emerge as a Premier League force while racking up 39 appearances across all competitions in total.

Solskjaer's men are now within sight of a top-four finish and an FA Cup and Europa League double, with a clash against Tottenham up next on June 19 which will mark the club's first fixture since the coronavirus outbreak called a temporary halt to proceedings in March.

Schmeichel has credited Fred for playing a key role in the club's recent success, and has also reserved praise for Solskjaer for helping to restore the playmaker's confidence.

"Fred has been, for me, absolutely instrumental in how well the club has done this season," the former United goalkeeper told CNN.

"He was always perfect for the club but he's now been given playing time and the more time he's been given, the more confidence he's gained and for me, he's been one of the great stories this season at Manchester United.

"Of course it's down to Fred but it's down to Ole for giving him that confidence. I like that. I like the way he's kind of introduced players that were already there but are now in the first team and are now playing well.

"He's also brought all these values in. The players now know them. If you don't share our values, there's no place for you here.

"So you have to live up to his values. And he's bringing in his own culture and you can see it and it's there and it's brilliant."

Aston Villa and Tanzania striker Mbwana Samatta has picked Cristiano Ronaldo as his best player when asked to choose between Lionel Messi and the Juventus star.

Ronaldo and Messi have been subjected to intense discourse over the last decade over who is the best, but the Taifa Stars skipper has explained why he would pick the Portuguese star over the Argentinian.

“Messi or Ronaldo? I will go with Ronaldo,” Samatta told Villa TV during an interactive session with supporters.

“I love Messi as he is a fantastic player and it is amazing to watch him but for me when I started playing football, I was watching Ronaldo as an example and when you can play, shoot or head you can be as good as Ronaldo.

“I will stick with Ronaldo because I know he is fantastic and what he is doing and showing every player that if you want to be that good you can be but you have to work hard.”

The 27-year-old striker also revealed why Liverpool's Virgil Van Dijk is the toughest opponents he has encountered before.

“[Virgil] Van Dijk is the toughest player I have come across. I remember when we, at Genk, were playing in a Champions League match against Liverpool it was difficult to beat him,” the former Simba SC star stated.

The Tanzanian also spoke about his short stint at Villa Park so far, his targets and the challenges he has encountered in England.

“I have been here for five months and I am trying to adjust and be as good as the teammates. I am working extra hard to help the team to remain in the Premier League. I cannot guarantee what to expect but I will do my best,” promised the ex-Tout Puissant Mazembe forward.

“I think I have not settled fully yet but I am trying. I think it is going well because as I am starting to understand many things about England and football here, the club, the teammates, and everyone around.

“The supporters are fantastic and for me, I think football is everything for the supporters and people who like football here. They love the game and love the players.

“I feel good to be here as it was my dream as well because this is the best league in the world I can say that.”

Aston Villa will face Sheffield United on July 17 when Premier League restarts.

Rudi Voller said Bayer Leverkusen were still hopeful of keeping Kai Havertz despite the speculation around the star attacker's future.

Havertz is linked with numerous European giants, with Chelsea the latest reportedly ready to launch a bid for the Germany international.

The 20-year-old missed Leverkusen's 3-0 win over Saarbrucken due to injury on Tuesday as they reached the DFB-Pokal final.

While talk continues to surround Havertz, Leverkusen sporting director Voller said the Bundesliga side were hoping to hold onto their star.

"We haven't given up hope that he'll stay with us," he told ARD.

"We try to give him every possibility that he can call up his qualities. He made that outstanding in the second half of the season."

Bayern Munich have also been linked with a move for Havertz, and German legend Lothar Matthaus claims the club can afford a move for the Leverkusen star and their other reported target Leroy Sane despite the financial constrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Matthaus told Sky Deutschland : Leroy Sane and Kai Havertz may make this team better. But you only know that when they are there. Of course there is no doubt that both are outstanding and that Bayern Munich would certainly not get weaker, on the contrary.

"Bayern could economically handle both transfers and buy Sane and Havertz at the same time.

"Before a big change, though, every top player asks himself the question: Where can I be almost sure to play if I perform? The Leverkusen player [Havertz], who is sure to be hunted by the vast majority of clubs, should in my eyes have the character and quality to assert himself at Real, Barcelona, ​​Juventus or the top English clubs.

"Havertz has made a very good impression on me and that, paired with insane talent, means he has what it takes to show his class abroad. But of course Bayern will also be a factor.

"It could also be an option to agree on the season after next, with Bayern allowing him to stay in Leverkusen for another year – especially if they qualify for the Champions League."

Without Havertz, Leverkusen cruised past Saarbrucken thanks to goals from Moussa Diaby, Lucas Alario and Karim Bellarabi.

Leverkusen head coach Peter Bosz was pleased with his side's performance, with Bayern Munich or Eintracht Frankfurt awaiting them in the final.

"Satisfied because we went into the game very serious, 2-0 after 30 minutes, that's game over," he said.

"And we finished it off very well. Maybe we could've scored one or two more goals because we had the chances.

"But all in all, satisfied and happy because we're through to the final."

Fernando Morientes believes Inter star Lautaro Martinez could fit in at either Barcelona or Real Madrid.

Lautaro, 22, has been heavily linked with a move to Barca after a fine season during which he has scored 16 goals in 31 games.

Madrid also reportedly have an interest in the Argentina international , who is said to have a release clause of €111 million (£99m/$126m).

Former Madrid and Spain forward Morientes feels Lautaro would have no trouble fitting in at either of the La Liga giants.

"In Spain, we were lucky to enjoy great Argentine players and coaches. They have a competitive gene that is very difficult to find anywhere in the world," he said, via Sport.

"Barcelona is very interested in buying him, but there has also been talk of Real Madrid although I think more about Barca.

"He is a very interesting player for either team. He has a very good vision of the game.

"He is one of the best forwards in the world at the moment and I think he could fit into either team."

A move to Barcelona would see Lautaro reunite with international team-mate Lionel Messi.

Argentina assistant coach Roberto Ayala feels the national team would benefit from the attacking duo playing together at club level .

"The more matches they play together, the more they can get to know each other, it can be an advantage [for Argentina]," Ayala told Ole.

"But we will have to see if Lautaro plays for Barcelona or not because we can't forget [Luis] Suarez is there. We will see.

"It's an important decision Lautaro will have to make. Whatever he decides you have to respect because he's managing his career.

"The more chances of them playing together, the more they're going to understand each other.

"Lautaro is in a very important club at the moment and scoring goals in Italy is not easy.

"At Inter he's grown a lot and learned to earn his place. Inter trust in him a lot, his coach is empowering him, he found a partnership that complements him very well."

Messi is out of contract next year, but Morientes believes the six-time Ballon d'Or winner is destined to finish his career at Camp Nou.

"I don't imagine him outside Barcelona. He reminds me of [Paolo] Maldini, [Francesco] Totti, [Carles] Puyol, like them," he said.

"He is a club player, one of those who have started and finished his career in a very powerful club. I don't even think about it.

"I hope he reaches an agreement. He is the most important player in Barcelona and he will be until the end of his career."

Real Sociedad president Jokin Aperribay believes Martin Odegaard will stay at the club rather than returning to Real Madrid ahead of next season.

Odegaard, 21, joined Sociedad on a one-season loan deal last year, although there is reportedly an option for that to be extended for another campaign.

The Norway international has been linked with a return to Madrid , but Aperribay believes Odegaard will stay at Sociedad.

"I think Odegaard is going to stay at Real. It is what I believe and the hope we have," he told Radio Euskadi on Tuesday.

"When you stay at Real, if you stay, you have to be convinced, like when he came last year. Convinced that it is the best option for next season.

"The decision is up to him and I think he will stay."

Odegaard had scored seven goals and provided eight assists in 28 games this season before the campaign was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.

He helped Sociedad reach the Copa del Rey final, in which they are due to face Basque rivals Athletic Bilbao, but Aperribay is unclear when the decider could be held.

"It is not easy to organise a final in a short time. I see that as impossible. We have no knowledge of any date," he said.

"It is not easy to imagine that scenario now – that of a final with an audience before the end of the season."

Sociedad legend Roberto Lopez Ufarte believes Odegaard has the ability to claim a first team spot at Real Madrid , possibly ahead of veteran midfielder Luka Modric.

"I think he has his head screwed on and he knows why he came here: to show people, to show that he has a lot of ability and that he is waiting for a spot to open up at Real Madrid," Ufarte told told Noticias de Gipuzkoa.

"These are just my thoughts, but possibly in the next year when Modric leaves.

"Possibly, as he has said many times, he is here for two years. They might leave him here because it's down to the club who pays him, which is not just Real Sociedad but Real Madrid.

"If you ask anyone who the most important players at La Real are, they will say Odegaard, [Alexander] Isak and [Mikel] Oyarzabal but Odegaard will always be in first place. 

"He has almost all of the tools to play in midfield. We won't just speak about his technique, which is exquisite, and he knows the exact moment when he has to do something and when to give the ball but what also stands out is his recoveries and pressures. Because the first to put the central defenders under pressure is him.

"If you pushed me to find one, maybe he holds onto the ball a bit much but they are at the right moments when he thinks the best thing to do is hold onto the ball to let his team-mates get free, but he is a player with talent, he knows what is best for him and for the team above all."

East Bengal will not be able to participate in the 2020 editions of the Calcutta Football League (CFL) and IFA Shield unless their investors Quess Corp return the sporting rights to the club.

Bengaluru-based business service providing company Quess Corp had stated their intention to end their association with the Kolkata giants East Bengal on May 31, 2020, for the last one year or so.

As per the contract between Quess and East Bengal which was legally drawn in 2018 after Quess came on board to become the club’s investor, the sporting rights of the football and cricket teams were transferred to Quess East Bengal FC, a Joint Venture formed between East Bengal and their investors. Quess had 70 per cent stake in the new entity while East Bengal had 30 per cent.

It was initially a three-year partnership but Quess have decided to make an exit after just two years.

There is no clarity on the exit strategy between the two parties and whether the sporting rights, currently enjoyed by the joint venture, has been transferred back to the club.

The following rights were transferred to the joint venture according to the contract between the club and Quess.

“The Club shall be entitled to independently pursue Hockey, Lawn Tennis, Table Tennis and Athletics without any objections and/or interruptions from the Company (“Club Domain Activities”). Apart from the Club Domain Activities, Football, Cricket and all other sporting activities which the Club pursues shall be collectively referred to as “Club Sporting Activities.”

“Club Sporting Activity of the teams participating on behalf of the Club in any sport across state-level, regional, national and international tournaments will be under the name ‘Quess East Bengal FC’.”

This means that unless Quess Corp transfers the sporting rights back to the club, the Red and Golds will not be able to take part in any football competition both at the national and state level.

Thus, even though East Bengal are registered with the Indian Football Association (IFA) as East Bengal Club and not Quess East Bengal FC, the club can still not take part in the CFL or IFA Shield.

East Bengal need to find a solution quickly if they are to participate in the traditional season opening tournaments - the IFA Shield and the CFL.

FC Goa is set to appoint Clifford Miranda as the assistant coach for the upcoming Indian Super League (ISL) season 2020-21, Goal can confirm.

The 37-year-old who spent a majority of his senior playing career with Dempo SC had started his coaching career in 2018 as assistant coach at FC Goa's reserve team that was led by Derrick Pereira. 

Pereira currently serves as the technical director of the club and also was the assistant and interim manager of the first team during the Super Cup.

However, it was Miranda who was named as the interim manager of the first team after the exit of Sergio Lobera, earlier this year. He helped the Gaurs win their last three league games on the trot and guided them to the top spot in the regular season.

It saw them earn a direct spot in the 2021 AFC (Asian Football Confederation) Champions League group stage and become the first Indian side to do so. But Miranda's team could not get the better of Chennaiyin FC in the play-offs, with the first leg seeing Chennaiyin triumph 4-1 and the second leg finishing in Goa's favour 4-2 (with the aggregate score 5-6 in favour of Chennaiyin).

In the five games that Miranda was in charge of Goa, he helped them win four and lost one.

The former FC Goa winger recently completed his AFC Pro Diploma Coaching course fulfils the criterion of the league - that of possessing a Pro Diploma - for an Indian to be eligible for the post of head coach. However, he is all set to extend his contract at the club in the capacity of assistant manager.