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AFC Leopards coach Patrick Aussems has confirmed he will be in charge of the team for the new FKF Premier League season.

The 56-year-old Belgian tactician joined the Den in February on a short-term contract but on Tuesday, he confirmed on his social media pages he had extended his stay with the struggling side despite receiving offers from other clubs.

What did Aussems say?

“I decided to extend my collaboration with AFC Leopards despite other offers,” Aussems said.

Aussems, who did not reveal the duration of the new contract, further said the main reason he had decided to stay at the club is to help them to win titles in the coming season.

“My target is to win titles by producing modern and attractive football and also make the fans happy, let us all be focused on the success next season! Future is bright!”

Aussems has struggled to have a positive display with Ingwe but he managed to help them reach the final of the FKF Shield Cup where they lost 4-2 on penalties to rivals Gor Mahia in the final at Nyayo Stadium.

On the league front, AFC were doing well when he came in, but they started to register poor results which at one time saw the team go seven matches without a win.

In their last assignment, they suffered a 2-1 defeat against Nairobi City Stars and the result came after they had drawn 2-2 with Nzoia Sugar and lost two straight matches – 3-2 against bogey side Western Stima and 2-0 against league leaders Tusker.

In a recent interview, Aussems blamed the team’s poor show on the standard of pitches being used for matches in the league and he even threatened to walk away if the situation does not improve.

“We have lost the points and have accepted the outcome and we now shift our focus to Thursday, so we all need to have a good recovery because on Thursday we have to be back in action but I hope not on this pitch but maybe another one," Aussems told Goal.

“It is one of the worst pitches I have seen for some time in my entire life, the ball is not moving on the ground and it is also causing player injuries, and it is unfortunate to play in such a condition, I just want to hope and pray we will not be forced to return and play here again.”

Apart from coaching in Kenya, in 2018 Aussems became the head coach of Simba SC of Tanzania and guided them to the Tanzanian Premier League title in 2018-19 and reached the quarter-finals of the Caf Champions League, losing out to TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of the Congo 4-1 over two legs.

Further FKF Premier League reading 

RB Leipzig midfielder Marcel Sabitzer has told the club that he doesn't want to extend his contract, Goal and SPOX has learned, amid reported interest from Bayern Munich.

Austria international Sabitzer's deal with the Bundesliga side ends in 2022 although, as it stands, he does not want to extend his contract beyond that point.

German champions Bayern have been the side most consistently linked with Sabitzer, although it is understood that no official bid has been made yet.

What's the latest?

Reports in Germany state that Bayern are keen on Sabitzer, with BILD going as far as claiming that negotiations between the two clubs are getting underway.

Indeed, new Bayern boss Julian Nagelsmann coached the Austrian during his time in charge at Leipzig, promoting the 27-year-old to the position of captain.

Sabitzer, who helped Austria reach the last 16 at Euro 2020, has been regularly linked with moves away from Leipzig, with Liverpool, Tottenham and Borussia Dortmund also among those said to be interested in the past.

It remains to be seen if a transfer will be arranged this summer, although Leipzig run the risk of losing him on a free transfer in 2022, should they fail to agree a contract extension.

Have Bayern made a bid?

Goal and SPOX have learned that, while Nagelsmann is a big fan of the midfielder, no official bid has been made to reunite him with Sabitzer at Bayern.

There have been suggestions that Leon Goretzka could leave in the summer, although it is understood that the Germany international is focused on staying put despite having thus far failed to agree a new contract.

Indeed, it appears Bayern are looking at adding to their midfield options rather than replacing Goretzka, with the likes of Michael Cuisance, who has been given a chance to impress in pre-season, and Corentin Tolisso also at the club. 

When asked about his future last year, Sabitzer revealed he was "open to everything" when linked with a switch to Tottenham and has now made his intentions clear to Leipzig over not wanting to extend his deal.

Further Reading

Louis van Gaal has been named Netherlands head coach for the third time following Frank de Boer's departure in June.

De Boer stepped down from the post following the Netherlands disappointing round of 16 exit at the hands of the Czech Republic at the European Championships, and the Dutch Football Association (KNVB) have now turned to a familiar face to steady the ship.

Van Gaal has been appointed on an initial one-year deal to oversee the remainder of the Oranjes' World Cup qualifying campaign, and will also be in the dugout if they make it to the 2022 tournament in Qatar.

What's been said?

Van Gaal has expressed his delight in an official statement, which reads: "Dutch football has always been close to my heart and national coaching is in my view a key position for the further advancement of our football.

"Moreover, I consider it an honor to coach the Dutch national team. There is little time for the next qualifying matches, which are immediately crucial for participation in the World Cup.

"The focus is therefore immediately 100 percent on the players and the approach. After all, I was appointed for that. It is good to be back in Zeist.

"By now I have already I have spoken to a number of players and the technical staff has been put together with the KNVB. I am very much looking forward to getting the job done together." 

KNVB director Nico-Jan Hoogma has added: "In the coming months we will be faced with the task of qualifying for the World Cup. We have a minimal preparation period for this.

"With a view to this job, we were looking for a coach with exceptional qualities, who is also fast can anticipate and for those who have no secrets in national coaching.

"With his experience and track record at the highest level, we believe that we have that coach in Louis van Gaal. The contact was established quickly and we have spoken frequently since then.

"In the past few days, we have been able to carefully dot the i's together. We are happy that Louis is taking on this job."

More to follow.

Gor Mahia assistant coach Sammy Omollo has conceded his charges will have nothing to play for apart from pride in Wednesday's Football Kenya Federation Premier League assignment.

K'Ogalo will be hosting Kakamega Homeboyz aiming at completing the double after winning the last round fixture 2-1. The experienced tactician insists they are prepared to entertain and take three points.

"To be honest, there is nothing we are going for apart from pride and honouring the match, it is tasteless," Omollo told Goal on Wednesday.

"Realistically, there is nothing we are fighting for, and they have nothing they are fighting for; just three points that might not have an impact at the end of the day. But we will give our best and we will get a win.

"Yes, we have gone seven matches without a win but I have never been so confident of getting a win like now. We have most of our players available and the spirit is high."

Homeboyz are 'tricky' opponents

The former Posta Rangers coach has further insisted their visitors will not be a walk in the park owing to the quality they have.

"Yes, I am confident we will win but that takes nothing away from Homeboyz," Omollo continued.

"They have a good technical team as well as the players, and I know they will be aiming at causing an upset. But this is not their day, we are not under any pressure and all we want is to put a smile on the faces of our fans and supporters at large." 

Gor Mahia are currently on 37 points from the 26 matches they have played while Homeboyz have three more.

K'Ogalo have played 26 matches this season, managing just 12 wins and four draws. They have lost 10 matches, scoring 31 goals and conceding 26 in the process. However, they were docked three points after skipping last weekend's match against sworn rivals AFC Leopards.

Homeboyz have almost the same stats, with the difference coming in goals where they have scored 37 and conceded 28.

Celebrated Al Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane has discussed how he is open to coaching in Europe once an opportunity comes his way.

The tactician is one of the most successful in African football having won three Caf Champions League titles, one with Mamelodi Sundowns and two with his current team Al Ahly. He will once again be lining up against the best in the world during the Fifa Club World Cup later this year.

The former Bafana Bafana coach has opined on which league he feels is the best.

Mosimane ranks the best leagues

"Well, you can’t choose [where to coach]. The best league in Europe is the English Premier League because it is well marketed and well resourced," Mosimane told SAFM as quoted by idiskiTimes.

"The best football playing place is La Liga and you know that Bundesliga also now with Bayern [Munich], [Borussia] Dortmund and Leipzig, there are a lot of intelligent coaches coming out of Germany.

"Hansi Flick, what a nice guy, top personality. People who will sit with you and say ‘Pitso let’s have tea’ and you ask yourself who are you to sit with Hansi Flick. Pep Guardiola spent a day with me and who am I?

"There are a lot of top coaches in the world, who are very good. Look at Thomas Tuchel who got a chance to be where he is because he came from Dortmund. Jurgen Klopp, he came from Mainz to Dortmund. So the Bundesliga is also very good."

Komphela's advice

Mosimane has further revealed what Sundowns coach Steve Komphela told him to do regarding his future assignments.

"So anywhere, you have been given an opportunity, you must take it. But I am not worried about going there. I am content with what I have," Mosimane continued.

"Steve Komphela used to say ‘don’t envy the neighbours, be happy with what you have because God gave you that.'"

Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane deals are "exciting" but Manchester United must now sort out their "goalkeeping situation", Gary Neville has warned.

Sancho completed his £73 million ($104m) switch to Old Trafford from Borussia Dortmund last month, bringing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's well-documented pursuit of the winger to an end.

United have also moved to bolster their options at the back with a deal now in place for Real Madrid star Raphael Varane, but Neville believes there is a more pressing issue in the squad that has yet to be addressed. 

What has been said?

The Red Devils legend has no doubt Sancho and Varane will bring a lot to the table, but now wants Solskjaer to make a final decision on who will be the club's No 1 goalkeeper between Dean Henderson and David de Gea.

"I think Varane is really exciting. Sancho’s exciting but it was almost inevitable that was going to happen," Neville told Sky Sports. "They needed to fill that right-wing spot. It’s been a bit of a problem for the last year or two. I think demonstrating patience and getting him, to be fair, was a bit more measured.

"I think Ole has brought that to the club, they’re not getting players for the sake of it. Varane is exciting and I think last season, every United fan, every commentator, pundit, fan and analyst watched United and said, “They need a partner for Harry Maguire”, and they’ve got one.

"If they can stay fit together, and obviously the two full-backs as well who have got great energy, both of them are great defenders – one of them is great going forward and Aaron Wan-Bissaka is definitely improving.

"I think just sort the goalkeeping situation out, settle that down, decide who is going to be number one and United are in a good position defensively and Sancho can hopefully bring that balance that’s needed in attack."

Will Henderson get the nod over De Gea?

De Gea has been United's first-choice shot-stopper since joining the club from Atletico Madrid in 2011, but has struggled for form since Solskjaer's appointment two years ago.

Henderson staked his claim for a regular role between the sticks after returning from a loan spell at Sheffield United last summer, however the England international is now a doubt for the start of the new season after contracting Covid-19.

It had been suggested that De Gea was set to lose his place to Henderson, having produced a poor display in his last outing for United as they lost to Villarreal in the Europa League final, but Solskjaer may have no choice but to stick with the Spaniard in their Premier League opener against Leeds on August 14.

Tom Heaton is also an option for the Norwegian head coach, with the 35-year-old having returned to Old Trafford for a second spell after leaving Aston Villa in June.

Further reading

Chelsea are preparing a new bid for Inter striker Romelu Lukaku of up to €130 million (£111m/$154m), Goal can confirm.

Lukaku is being tipped to return to Stamford Bridge this summer as Thomas Tuchel seeks to bolster his attacking options at Chelsea ahead of his first full season in charge.

Goal has reported that the Blues have already seen an opening offer of €100m (£85m/$119m) for the Belgian rejected , which included Spanish full-back, Marcos Alonso, as a potential makeweight.

What's the situation?

Chelsea are now willing to offer between €120m and €130m to land Lukaku, with Inter likely to accept a fee within that region as they continue to negotiate their way through a financial crisis.

Whether or not the 28-year-old signs for the Blues could now come down to final negotiations on the structure of the deal, but plans are already being made for his arrival in west London.

Goal has learned that Chelsea are looking at viable exit strategies for Tammy Abraham as they close in on Lukaku, with Aston Villa eager to bring in the England international on loan.

However, Chelsea would prefer that Abraham departs on a permanent basis, and they would like to earn around £40m ($56m) from his sale.

The bigger picture

Lukaku's first spell at Chelsea between 2011 and 2013 saw him fail to score a single goal in 15 senior appearances, but he went on to establish himself as one of the top forwards in the Premier League at Everton.

The Belgium international was then snapped up by Manchester United in 2017, and he hit 42 goals in 96 games for the club, albeit without ever quite managing to live up to the lofty expectations at Old Trafford.

The Red Devils took the decision to sell Lukaku to Inter for £74m ($103m) in the summer of 2019, and he has taken his game to new heights in Italy, recording 64 goals in 95 appearances while becoming a Serie A title winner.

Should Chelsea manage to re-sign the Inter star, they will be getting a far more experienced player than the one they had 10 years ago, and his presence could prove crucial as Tuchel's side aim to fight for the Premier League title in 2021-22.

Further reading

Football Kenya Federation has officially filed formal complaints to have further action taken against Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards chairmen Ambrose Rachier and Dan Shikanda.

The two officials were handed provisional bans of two weeks each after their teams failed to show up for the Mashemeji derby at Thika Stadium on Saturday.

On banning the two, FKF President Nick Mwendwa revealed they will have to appear before the federation’s disciplinary committee for further grilling and subsequent punishment.

Goal has obtained the two letters sent to both Rachier and Shikanda from the Independent Dispute and Arbitration Committee formally giving the officials seven days to respond to the complaint, to which the committee will proceed to consider the complaint and revert with its decision.

What does the letter from IDAC say?

In the letter to both Rachier and Shikanda dated August 3, 2021, it stated: “The Football Kenya Federation has filed a formal complaint against you, a copy whereof is attached together with the annexures.

“You are hereby required within seven [7] days of service to respond to the complaint by way of a witness[es]statement[s] or an affidavit[s] together with any submission that you wish to make by sending the same to the committee by way of email to idac@fkfpl.com.

“A hard copy thereof can also be deposited at the FKF headquarters in a sealed envelope addressed to the chairperson, FKF-PL IDAC.

“Note that should you fail to respond within the given time, the committee shall proceed to consider the complaint and revert with its decision.”

Rachier and Shikanda dismiss FKF ban

Both Rachier and Shikanda have since dismissed the decision to suspend them with the long-serving Gor Mahia boss terming the ban and fine imposed on the two clubs as “trash.”

“You cannot make a ruling without giving someone an opportunity to be heard, even natural justice advocates for such,” Rachier told Goal.

“The chairmen had to be given an opportunity to be heard. How do you suspend somebody without framing a charge? Where are the provisions of those fines and how were they arrived at? Or is it people who are trying to conjure up Ksh 10 million? What is the basis of those fines? And do you fine somebody who you have not tried, whom you have not found guilty?

“There is a disciplinary committee that is supposed to deal with us and it is at that time when we should know what the claims are. You cannot sentence without a hearing, it is a known process. Fining somebody is a kind of punishment. But without a hearing? That is the kind of trash that somebody could be talking about and says he is talking law.”

On his part, Shikanda told Goal: “What powers does Nick [Mwendwa] have to suspend me? Which member number is he at AFC Leopards? Nothing will change and his suspension has no consequences, I will continue to discharge my duties as AFC Leopards chairman.

“That suspension will not affect my work at AFC Leopards, even if he suspends me for 100 years [forget about the two weeks], it will have no effect on my work at AFC, that is a joke.

“What article did he invoke to suspend me? He is daydreaming, we shall respond to him accordingly, no problem.”

The two clubs were also fined a total amount of Ksh10 million – AFC Leopards Ksh6 million for being the home team and Gor Mahia Ksh4 million for being the away team – and on top of that, they had been deducted three points each.

Further FKF Premier League reading 

Aston Villa have confirmed the signing of Jamaica international winger Leon Bailey for a reported £30 million ($42m) from Bayer Leverkusen.

The 23-year-old is the third summer signing by Villa, following Emi Buendia and Ashley Young, and has agreed a four-year contract until 2025.

Bailey's arrival comes as another Villa attacker, Jack Grealish, is consistently linked with a move away from the club, with Manchester City having made a reported £100m ($139m) bid.

Who is Leon Bailey?

Bailey, who has 10 international caps for Jamaica, scored 39 goals and provided 22 assists in three-and-a-half seasons for Leverkusen in the Bundesliga, and played in both the Champions League and the Europa League for the German side.

However, a move to the Premier League has been mooted for some time, and Villa confirmed at the end of July that a deal had been agreed.

He forms part of a summer squad rebuild for ambitious Villa, who kick off their 2021-22 Premier League campaign with a trip to newly-promoted Watford.

What has been said?

Villa head coach Dean Smith told the club' official website: "Leon is a hugely exciting young striker with great pace and creativity.  

"He has enjoyed a successful career at Leverkusen and we are now looking forward to watching him show his skills and talents for Aston Villa in the Premier League."

What about Grealish?

The addition of another attacker will lead to further speculation regarding reports Grealish could be on his way to Manchester City before the new season starts, amid claims Villa are prepared to accept a £100m bid from City for their captain.

A bid has been submitted and City have the financial muscle to meet Villa's demands - and with Bailey now in place as a possible replacement, Grealish's transfer to the Premier League champions may well have moved a step closer.

Further reading

Kaizer Chiefs legend Tinashe Nengomasha has urged the club not to block Nkosingiphile Ngcobo from joining his reported admirers, Al Ahly. 

The 21-year-old attacking midfielder has been linked with the Egyptian football powerhouse after he helped Amakhosi reach the Caf Champions League final where they lost to Al Ahly.

His exploits are believed to have caught the attention of Al Ahly head coach Pitso Mosimane, who was in charge of Mamelodi Sundowns between 2012-2020. 

Nengomasha stated the Naturena-based giants should not stand in the South Africa under-23 international, Ngcobo’s way should Al Ahly make a formal approach. 

“This thing of saying it’s too early to try something else must end," Nengomasha told Sowetan. 

"If Ahly are really interested and the offer is good, Ngcobo must be released.

Mosimane recently revealed that the Red Devils will soon sign a player based in South Africa with the club having also been linked with Ngcobo's Chiefs teammate, Samir Nurkovic in the past.

Nengomasha, who is widely considered to be one of the greatest foreigners to have played in the PSL, believes Ngcobo would develop well under Mosimane's guidance. 

"It might be his last opportunity to go to Ahly, so he must leave as early as now if they really want him,” the former Zimbabwe international added. 

“Pitso is good with grooming players...he made [Percy] Tau and Keagan Dolly great players at Sundowns and they moved to Europe.

"I believe working with Pitso at Ahly can benefit Ngcobo in terms of making him ready to move to Europe.”

Bafana Bafana international Tau and Dolly flourished at Sundowns under Mosimane and they were key payers for the Tshwane giants as they clinched the 2016 Caf Champions League title.

Dolly was snapped up by French club Montpellier midway through the 2016/17 season and he recently returned home and joined Sundowns' Gauteng rivals, Chiefs.

While Tau was signed by English side Brighton & Hove Albion in August 2018 and he spent some time with Belgian clubs SG Union, Club Brugge, and RSC Anderlecht on loan.

Finally, he was able to play for Brighton in the Premier League, from January 2021.

Sebastian Caceres has denied any frustration regarding inconsistent playing time under America head coach Santiago Solari, insisting it is a good thing not to know if he will participate in a match until the day of a game.

Caceres, 21, was an unused substitute in the club's season-opening draw before starting at center back in a 2-1 win over Necaxa.

He said the tension in the squad could push players to fix a back-line that has allowed "many dangerous occasions" at the start of the campaign.

What has been said?

"It is very good to always be demanding each other and until the day of the game not to know who is going to play," Caceres said, via TUDN. "That is good because we are always with the tension of wanting to play.

"The competition that exists between the four [available center backs] because Jordan [Silva] plays a good role in the team, it makes you stay alert and always be in the best conditions to be able to play."

Still, Caceres was disappointed with the overall display against Nexaca.

"It was not the best game defensively, we allowed many dangerous occasions and we must emphasize that part," he said. "We always create chances, we are a team with a lot of goals and if we can keep the opponent zero there are many chances of winning.

“We are going to improve certain aspects of the game as the weeks and matches go by, we are going to go from less to more. We didn't have the best game last game, but it was won and it's very important. The victory does not cover the errors or the shortcomings, though, and we must improve."

Up next for America

Solari's men face Puebla in their third Apertura match before a CONCACAF Champions League semifinal fixture with the Philadelphia Union of MLS the following Thursday.

Further reading

Paul Onuachu was on song for Genk as they suffered a 2-1 defeat to Shakhtar Donetsk in Tuesday’s Champions League fixture.

In the first leg of the third qualifying round played at the Luminus Arena, the Nigerian put the Smurfs ahead, albeit, the Ukrainians bounced back to secure victory.

Genk came into the fixture on the back of a 4-3 defeat to KV Oostende in a league game on Friday.

For the visitors, they travelled to Belgium having silenced Lviv 3-0 their last time out.

From the blast of referee Anastasios Sidiropoulos’s whistle, Shakhtar dominated ball possession, although they did not create any clear-cut scoring opportunities.

Midway through the first half, they went close to scoring, nevertheless, goalkeeper Maarten Vandevoordt was well positioned to deny Manor Solomon and Lassina Traore on separate occasions.

Six minutes before the half-time break, the Belgians took the lead through Onuachu who headed Junya Ito’s cross past goalkeeper Anatolii Trubin.

Significantly, that effort was the African’s first goal in the 2021-22 campaign.

They almost doubled their advantage two minutes later but that was not meant to be. Theo Bongonda launched a counter-attacking move before passing the ball to Mike Tresor who in turn teed up Daniel Munoz.

Unfortunately, that chance was lost as Munoz could not find any teammate to put the ball beyond Trublin.

Knowing that anything short of victory could prove costly in their mission to reach the next round, Roberto De Zerbi’s men went into the second half with all guns blazing.

Their persistence paid off in the 62nd minute as referee Sidiropoulos pointed to the spot after Pedrinho was brought down in the box by Munoz.

Tete stepped up to take the resulting kick which he smartly dispatched past goalkeeper Vandevoordt.

Nine minutes from full time, Alan Patrick settled the tight encounter with a cool finish thanks to an assist from compatriot Ismaily.

Although Genk fought back bravely, they were unable to get the much-needed equaliser.

Onuachu was named in the starting XI but came off for Cyriel Dessers in the 82nd minute, while Spain youth international of Nigerian origin Mujaid Sadick, as well as DR Congo prospect Bogonda, were in action from start to finish.

Another defeat or draw for the Smurfs in the second leg billed for August 10 will see them crash out of the competition. 

Hector Moreno has acknowledged his move back to Liga MX was partially motivated by the desire to secure a starting spot with Mexico for the 2022 World Cup.

Now at Monterrey after a stint with Al-Gharafa in Qatar, the 33-year-old could have a difficult fight ahead to retain his place in the team. El Tri struggled defensively at the Gold Cup, eventually losing 1-0 to the United States in the final, and he will need to improve his form at club level to improve his stock.

But a leg injury suffered in the defeat to the USMNT has threatened to put his Monterrey debut on hold, 14 years after he first left Liga MX to fulfill overseas ambitions as a youngster.

What has been said?

"I have the greatest dream of being in the next World Cup," Moreno said via TUDN . "[Monterrey is a] club where you have all the tools, where I can keep myself physically as well as possible.

"I made a decision two years ago that I went to Qatar where I lived a spectacular life but in terms of football, it has not been the best.

"But now I have to recover and fight [for my place], as very capable people come to the national team and I want to continue competing. It will depend on the coaching staff, on my football here in Rayados to continue in the national team. It is my dream and my goal and I will work for it."

On his injury, Moreno added: "Tomorrow we will do some tests to see what the degree of the injury is. I hope it is the minimum possible because I am already looking forward to being able to join the team.

"If from the start I can't be on the field because I'm recovering, I'll try to do what is in my power to support my teammates."

Mexico's World Cup qualifying schedule

Following a dreadful summer in which they lost two finals to the USMNT, El Tri will try to pick themselves back up in World Cup qualifying against Jamaica on Sept. 2.

A rematch with the Stars and Stripes lies on Nov. 12.

Further reading

Referee Anthony Taylor has told for the first time his experience of taking the reins of Denmark vs Finland at Euro 2020, admitting that he knew instantly that Christian Eriksen was in danger following his collapse in the game. 

Eriksen fell to the ground uncontested during the first half of the group game, and received emergency treatment on the field before being rushed to hospital. 

Thankfully, the Inter midfielder made a full recovery after suffering cardiac arrest, thanks in great part to the quick thinking of his team-mates, medical staff and others involved in the game who ensured he was attended to as soon as possible.

What was said? 

"I could tell straight away. Christian was on his own. The only thing that was close to him was a bouncing ball which hit his knee," Taylor explained to the BBC when asked about the moment Eriksen went to ground. 

"I was actually looking directly at him when he fell over. I could see his face as he fell. I knew straightaway something was wrong because of how his face looked and how he fell to the floor. That is what concerned me the most.

"My main priority is the safety of the players. That means if a player is injured or not well, they need medical help.

"That is all I did. I called a doctor on to the field. Nothing else hit me until the following day when I was travelling back to [the match officials' base in] Istanbul. The real heroes on that night were the Danish captain and the medics who performed the initial CPR and defibrillation.

"In the moment it happens the sole focus is to ensure Christian got the treatment he needed. He clearly did because of the quick reaction of not only his captain but also the medics. That is the bottom line. The football, at that point, was irrelevant. At the end of the day, we are dealing with people.

"In the immediate aftermath of getting the teams on to Christian, everybody is still coming to me as the match referee for what do we do next. Is the game continuing? Is it not? What do we do? How long do we wait? That is my job in conjunction with the Uefa delegate. Even after that initial unfortunate situation, I still had plenty to do in terms of managing the emotions of everybody there.

"The fundamental thing was that Christian was OK and got the help he needed. Then we had to make sure both sets of players were OK and I had to make sure the rest of my team were OK."

When was decision to continue playing taken?

After a prolonged delay Denmark and Finland eventually resumed their match, with the latter running out 1-0 winners. 

"I had experienced that before, not only at a Premier League game but also in my previous work in the prison service. I genuinely needed to consider my assistants and my fourth official but at the time, when we took the players inside, I am not with these guys," Taylor said of the decision to continue playing once Eriksen's condition had been confirmed.

"They are sat in our changing room. I am in a different room with the match delegate and representatives of the teams.

"We had decided to suspend the game until we found out how Christian was. That was the fundamental piece of information we needed to know before we could make any further decision about the game continuing.

"I didn't get chance to speak to my team until I went back into my changing room quite a long time afterwards. I needed to see how they were and to make sure - if needed - could we continue the game ourselves."

Further reading

The Covid-19 pandemic continues to pose a dangerous threat, with multiple outbreaks of the virus occurring over the summer as well as the spread of the more transmissible Delta variant.

Coronavirus vaccines have arrived, but as distribution continues, the virus continues to rear its ugly head.

So with the Premier League and other European competitions beginning shortly, could attendees be required to be fully vaccinated in order to attend games? Goal takes a look.

Will the Premier League require vaccine passports?

According to reports, fans attending stadiums with capacities over 20,000 could be required to show proof of vaccination in order to be admitted.

The new regulations could potentially begin to be implemented from the end of September, as the government seek to introduce mandatory vaccine passports in October.

No plans for vaccine passports, however, have been set in stone or officially confirmed.

What's been said?

A government source reported by Sky Sports stated: "It's important that fans can continue to watch sporting events over the autumn, which is why we're exploring the role vaccines might play in this.

"This will not only allow full capacity stadiums but has the added bonus of incentivising people of all ages to go and get their jab."

Some government figures, however, have expressed their scepticism about making vaccine passports mandatory.

Shadow sports secretary Jo Stevens said: “To insist on vaccine passports less than a month before the start of the season will cause major disruptions, especially for clubs at the lower end of the pyramid.

“Labour has been clear that the use of Covid vaccination status alone will exclude those who can’t be vaccinated or haven’t had the jab because of delays.

“Being double jabbed doesn’t prove you aren’t carrying the virus. Testing for access to venues would be more efficient.”

Football Supporters' Association chairman Malcom Clarke has warned about the potential disruption and 'chaos' vaccine passports could cause for supporters.

"I think if they're going to do this with big football crowds they need to have the resources to do the checks," Clarke told Times Radio.

"I'm not convinced that all football clubs will be able to manage that in a way that doesn't cause some chaos.

"There are some specific issues, and that's why it's important that at both national level and at club level, supporters' groups are involved in the consultation."

Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi, however, told the House of Commons that "as a condition of entry" to spectator sport events "people will need to show that they are fully vaccinated and proof of a negative test will not be sufficient".

Sporting events that already require proof of vaccination

A number of high-profile sporting events already require either a proof of vaccination or negative Covid-19 test.

The British Grand Prix at Silverstone in July held a crowd of 140,000, which was the largest sporting event in the UK since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.

All attendees had to provide either proof of full vaccination or a negative test.

The 2021 Community Shield has the same requirements, with attending Manchester City and Leicester supporters needing to submit proof of vaccination or a negative test in order to gain entry.