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Ghana’s reappointment of Milovan Rajevac as their new head coach has been greeted by mixed reactions.

Eleven years after leaving the Black Stars, having led the team to the quarter-final of the 2010 World Cup, the Serbian coach has made a return on a one-year renewable contract.

His appointment was announced at a press conference by the Ghana Football Association on Friday.

‘Milo’ is fondly remembered for his first Ghana spell, not only because of the World Cup exploits but also for leading the Stars to the final of the 2009 African Nations Championship and the final of the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations.

While his comeback has generated a lot of excitement, there have been some concerns about his ability to achieve with the Stars over a decade on.

Below are some of the best reactions to his unveiling in Accra:

Mauricio Pochettino has defended Kylian Mbappe from critics suggesting that the World Cup winner needs to become "more humble" in order to earn the full respect of his peers.

The talented France international forward is a confident and ambitious character, with there no chance of the 22-year-old backing down from a challenge.

Emotions can run a little wild at times, with Metz coach Frederic Antonetti urging a superstar of the present and future to change his ways after seeing him goad opponents in a midweek Ligue 1 encounter.

What did Antonetti say?

The Metz boss told reporters: "Kylian Mbappe needs to behave better if he wants to be loved.

"I love this player, he is very, very strong but he'd benefit from having a more humble side."

What has Pochettino had to say?

Unsurprisingly, PSG boss Pochettino is siding with his player in any debate regarding supposed character flaws.

The Argentine claims to have no complaints with Mbappe and believes his feet remain firmly on the ground, regardless of what others might think.

Pochettino told reporters ahead of PSG's latest outing against Montpellier: "I can understand what he [Antonetti] said after the game, it's a statement after a defeat in stoppage time. 

"As for Kylian, he is a wonderful boy, and a great competitor who always wants to win. And the things that happen on the pitch must be put into context. 

"I can understand the frustration of Frederic Antonetti but if there is a quality that Kylian has, it is humility."

Mbappe will be looking to line up for PSG again on Saturday, having hit four goals so far this season, but Pochettino will be without Lionel Messi as the six-time Ballon d'Or winner works his way back from a minor knee injury.

Further reading

Mikel Arteta has backed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to fire on all cylinders in Sunday's north London derby against Tottenham, after he was dramatically dropped for the fixture last season.

Aubameyang was punished for lateness last season by being left as an unused substitute for the home game against Spurs last season, which Arsenal went on to win 2-1.

Arteta feels his captain can put that incident, and his more recent run without scoring, behind him and feels Aubameyang is in prime form to make an impact against their local rivals.

What did Arteta say?

Speaking at his press conference on Friday, Arteta said of dropping Aubameyange last season: "I did that on the day and now I think Auba is in a different position. It doesn't mean he was in a bad position at the time, it was just an incident that we as a team had some ways of living together – that wasn't the case (from him at that time) and so we made a decision.

"Now he has been in really good form, I think the way he played at Burnley even though he didn't score a goal, was extraordinary in the way he played for the team so we are expecting him to keep doing the same.

"He has generated chances but we have to generate more, we have to put him through on more occasions when we know how it is going to end up and he is in good form.

"You need a special moment and details a lot of the time decide these types of fixtures. Big players do it normally, when they step in and are able to do it for the team normally the outcome becomes really positive."

Where should Aubameyang play?

Arsenal need to be switching ubameyang back into a left-sided attacking role, says Nigel Winterburn, with the Gunners captain still struggling for end product when used as a central striker.

The Gabonese forward, who has been a talismanic figure across his time at Emirates Stadium, has scored just twice in his last 10 Premier League appearances.

Many of those, particularly in the current campaign, have come when operating down the middle and Winterburn believes the time has come for Arteta to consider another tactical tweak.

Former Arsenal defender Winterburn, speaking in association with Paddy Power, told Goal when asked if positional tinkering is required in north London: "Asking if Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang should play on the left wing once again is a great question. If you ask Arsenal fans, when he doesn’t play up top, they ask why because he’s our main goalscorer.  

"I’ve said it all along, I feel he gets more freedom and space on the left wing, but if you’re playing on the left, you’re having to do a lot more defensively.  

"His issues are more a case of the type of service he wants when playing centre-forward. He isn’t going to face up to the play, link it up and then spin while looking for a one-two with another player.  

"His strength is on the back shoulder of defenders, and creative players making intricate five-yard passes for him to run onto. That’s how I see him scoring his goals.  

"Aubameyang is a completely different type of centre-forward to Alexandre Lacazette. When Lacazette plays, sometimes Aubameyang moves to the left-hand side, then cuts inside and we’ve seen him score some great goals doing that.  

"If Aubameyang doesn’t score in the upcoming fixtures, Mikel Arteta might bring Lacazette back in and put Aubameyang back out wide. But, what does Arteta then do with Bukayo Saka, Nicolas Pepe or Emile Smith Rowe? It’s a nice problem for Arsenal to have."  

Is Aubameyang's form a concern?

The man donning the armband for Arsenal does still boast an impressive record of 89 goals for the club through 153 appearances.

He has, however, struggled for consistency since signing a lucrative new contract in 2020 and needs to rediscover a spark if he is to inspire the Gunners to bigger and better things after a testing time for all concerned.

Winterburn added on the form of a proven frontman ahead of a derby date with arch-rivals Tottenham on Sunday: "It’s always concerning for a team when their main centre-forward isn't scoring regularly. 

"The conundrum with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was his issues last season with illness, and then again this season with him contracting Covid. No-one can be certain how long he will take to recover. 

"However, putting the previous issues aside, his form is a concern. We want the Aubameyang of two seasons ago, who was scoring plenty.  

"On the flipside, people must look at his outright form, and the reasons why he isn’t scoring as many goals. Are Arsenal still creating the same number of chances that give him the opportunities to score?  

"In my opinion, he isn’t in as good form as he was a few years ago, and Arsenal aren’t creating the same chances consistently for him."

Further reading

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has revealed that Thiago Alcantara will likely be ruled out of his plans until after the October international break, with the Spain international set to sit out key Premier League and Champions League games through injury.

The 30-year-old playmaker picked up a calf problem during the 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace and now finds himself stuck on the treatment table.

He will not be seen again any time soon, with a creative influence for the Reds due to miss domestic meetings with Brentford and Manchester City along with a European trip to Porto.

What has been said?

Klopp told reporters when asked for an update on a man snapped up from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2020: "It’s not 100 per cent clear when Thiago will be back. 

"It’s a muscle in the calf issue, so after the international break probably – I don’t think there’s anything earlier possible. We will have to see."

Who else is missing for Liverpool?

Klopp has also confirmed that the foot problem suffered by Naby Keita in the Carabao Cup victory over Norwich is set to keep him on the sidelines.

He added on the Guinea international midfielder: "[It’s] nothing really serious, but it keeps him out of the next game for sure - and maybe a little bit longer, we have to see.

"It’s nothing serious but it’s obviously painful and we have to see how we can deal with it.

"Of course, it’s not cool when players have had a good pre-season, could play a lot of games and now are out. That happens throughout a season and hopefully when they come back then that’s it and they can play the rest of the reason, that would be extremely helpful."

Any other updates?

While Thiago and Keita will not figure in a trip to Brentford on Saturday, Trent Alexander-Arnold is back from illness, James Milner has shaken off a slight knock and Roberto Firmino - who has been absent since the end of August with a hamstring complaint - is back in training.

Klopp told Liverpool's official website: "Trent was not injured, Trent was a little bit ill. He’s back in training and will be fine.

"James was a similar thing to Trent, so he should be recovered. I saw him running around here, nobody told me differently – I assume he will be in training.

"Bobby trained already for two or three days, so he is back in contention, let me say it like this. We used him a little bit as a ‘joker’ [in training].

"But he will be in the normal training and then we have to make a decision if we take him with us or not. Porto, 100 per cent. Brentford, we have to see."

Further reading

Ex-Arsenal midfielder Ray Parlour insists Yves Bissouma is a player he would love to see playing for the Gunners.

The Mali international has been consistent for Brighton & Hove Albion since joining in 2018 and has been linked with moves to Manchester United and the North Londoners. A move from the Seagulls in the last transfer window was expected but it did not happen.

The 48-year-old still hopes the Gunners can bring in a 'top-class player' in the next transfer window.

"I have said for a long time that Bissouma is a top-class player," Parlour told talkSPORT as quoted by the Daily Mail.

"I would love to see him at Arsenal, I said that in the transfer window: the one player I would like to see is Bissouma.

"I think he has got everything. He's efficient on the ball, he can put his foot in as well, he can pass. He probably could score a few more goals I should imagine, but he's not in the position to score goals. He is the one that is going to keep everything ticking."

In a recent interview with the club's media team, 25-year-old Bissouma revealed his desire to play in the Champions League.

"The most important thing for me is to play football; I am just happy when I play football, the rest is handled by my agent, it is his job. Football is all about going step by step and it is all I am trying to do," Bissouma stated.

"If I didn't go [last] summer, maybe it is because it was not my time to go; my time will come.

"I am happy at Brighton, I am happy to play football and I enjoy it. My dream is like every player's; I want to play in the top league like the Champions League; I want to win it and maybe win the World Cup with my national team.

"The best thing is to win a trophy with my country and club as well. I want to compare myself with top players in top leagues like the Champions League. That is my dream."

Bissouma has been instrumental for his team in the ongoing Premier League campaign.

They are so far, placed fourth on the table with 12 points from the five matches they have played. Brighton are just a point behind joint leaders Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United, who are on 13 points.

A start to the 2021/22 Premier League that has been less desirable for Leeds United than they would have preferred, the West Ham United game on Saturday represents the next opportunity to claim their first win of the league campaign. 

Three draws and two defeats, Leeds are languishing in the 17th spot but it is still very early days into the season and Marcelo Bielsa is not overly concerned yet about where his team are positioned at the moment.

However the Argentine tactician is well aware of the shortcomings that his side has shown thus far from August and through much of September, where minor adjustments are needed to be better.

“Our project to play is the same as last year,” said Bielsa in the pre-match press conference yesterday. “On the other side, I don't see the opponent has any different antidotes to those they used last season.”

“Now we’re not able to win, it means our game needs to evolve. Evolving in the sense to make better what we want to do.

“West Ham is the same team as last season. I see they have improved in their creative play. They have a very stable manner in which they play and the majority of their players are better this year than they were last year.”

This Leeds vs West Ham clash can be streamed live with LIVENow on Saturday at 10pm where how much evolving the home side does can be seen.

An evolution that could see several fresh faces being given an opportunity to face David Moyes’ side who are fresh from a triumphant League Cup success over Manchester United at Old Trafford. 

With Diego Llorente, Robin Koch and Patrick Bamford confirmed by Bielsa to miss the match against the Hammers, the 66-year-old has full confidence in youngsters like Charlie Cresswell and Jamie Shackleton to be able to come in and perform.

“If you observe, in the game against Newcastle, after taking [Luke] Ayling off, I pushed Shackleton in as a defensive midfielder and I put [Kalvin] Phillips in the backline in place of Cresswell coming on directly for Ayling, which would have been more natural. 

“That indicates a position of mine with respect to Cresswell. After the game against Fulham, he’s taken a significant step forward. I have to read that message.”

Ghana’s Ministry of Sports has revealed it has not approved Milovan Rajevac as the next coach of the Black Stars.

The Serbian coach has reportedly been chosen by the Football Association to fill the Black Stars’ vacant coaching position and since arrived in Accra on Monday.

The coach is understood to have already agreed terms and began work ahead of a 2022 World Cup qualifying double-header against Zimbabwe next month, although the FA are yet to officially announce him to the public.

“It has come to the attention of the Ministry of Youth and Sports of publications making rounds on social media that the Ministry has given approval for the engagement of Milovan Rajevac as the new coach for the senior national team, the Black Stars, and agreed to pay an amount of $45,000 [38,302.76 Euros] a month for his services,” the ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

“Much as the Ministry is aware of the process of engaging a new coach for the Black Stars by the GFA, the process has not been brought to the attention of the Ministry," the statement continued. “We wish therefore to state categorically that the publications that the Ministry has agreed to pay S45,000 for the Coach of the Black Stars are untrue and of no basis.

“It must be noted that the Ministry is awaiting the report of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) on the engagement of a new coach.”

Ghana are on the search for a new coach following the sacking of CK Akonnor earlier this month on the back of a 1-0 away defeat to South Africa on matchday two of the qualifying series.

The Black Stars had clinched a 1-0 win over Ethiopia in their opening game.

“By this release, the general public is entreated to disregard any such publications and treat it with the contempt it deserves,” the ministry’s statement added. “The Ministry will make it public when a decision is taken on who the new coach will be and his remuneration and conditions of service.”

Rajevac has already had a coaching spell with Ghana, having led the nation to the final of the 2009 African Nations Championship, the final of the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations and the quarter-final of the 2010 World Cup.

Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman blasted match referee Carlos del Cerro Grande after receiving a red card during his side's 0-0 draw with Cadiz, claiming: "In this country, they send you off for nothing!"

Barca extended their recent winless run to three matches in all competitions after a stalemate at Estadio Nuevo Mirandilla on Thursday night.

Frenkie de Jong was sent off midway through the second half for two bookable offences, and Koeman received his marching orders in stoppage time for dissent to compound a miserable night for the Blaugrana.

What happened?

Koeman was shown a red card in the dying moments of the match after protesting the referee's decision to show Sergio Busquets a yellow for kicking the ball away.

There were two balls on the pitch at the time and the Spaniard passed one of them at a Cadiz player who had the other ball, with Koeman's complaints earning him a one-way ticket to the stands.

What's been said?

The Dutch head coach expressed his frustration over the referee's controversial call while speaking to Barca TV after the final whistle, saying: “They didn't send me off for nervousness, they sent me off for telling the referee that there was a second ball and the game had to be stopped.

"In this country, they send you off for nothing! I asked why and he said 'attitude, attitude' ... we better leave it.”

Barca lose more ground in La Liga

Pressure is likely to increase on Koeman after another significant setback in La Liga that has left Barca seven points behind leaders Real Madrid in the standings having played one game less.

The Blaugrana had plenty of chances to see off Cadiz, with Memphis Depay the man most guilty of wasteful finishing as he failed to convert twice from close range, but they were also fortunate not to lose as the hosts dominated the final stages due to their numerical advantage.

Sergi Roberto, who played 45 minutes after coming on as a half-time substitute, was left disappointed by the final result, but still feels Barca have enough quality in their ranks to bounce back and compete for the domestic crown.

"We have to win La Liga. It is not good enough for us to enter the top four, you have to fight for La Liga," the 29-year-old told Movistar post-match. "I don't think the other teams have a better squad."

Further reading

Victor Osimhen has vowed to keep working hard after finding the net twice as Napoli silenced Sampdoria 4-0 in Thursday’s Serie A encounter.

Buoyed by his notable performance against Udinese on Monday – where he was among the goal scorers – the Nigeria international got a double as the Parthenopeans punished Roberto D'Aversa’s men for their lacklustre performance.

Osimhen put the visitors ahead in the 10th minute as his mishit strike beat goalkeeper Emil Audero after being teed up by Lorenzo Insigne.

In the 39th minute, Luciano Spalletti’s men doubled their advantage through Fabian who was assisted by Insigne.

The Super Eagle completed his brace five minutes into the second half – controlling Hirving Lozano’s cross before sending the ball past Audero, while Piotr Zielinski completed the rout nine minutes later.

Speaking to Napoli website after full time, the former Lille star is pleased with his current form, while stating that he is not willing to slow down.

“I’m really happy,” said Osimhen. “It was important for me to start the season well and I want to thank the coach for his confidence in me. I’m honoured to play for this club.

“Last year I had Covid and then got a bad injury. I’m in good shape this season.

"I’m training consistently and I’m listening to the advice the coach gives me and the help I get from the team.

“I’m pleased with what I’m doing but I know I need to continue working hard. We all need to continue down this track.”

Meanwhile, manager Spalletti has showered encomium on the African star who put up an awe-inspiring display at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris.

“Victor is doing well and working hard for every ball,” he said.

“He finishes his chances very well. I think we did well to read the game, both when there were challenges and when there were more positive moments.

“We did well to stand firm during the tough moments and then kick on when we had the ball.

“We got the game where we wanted it, partly through individual plays, and we took our chances well.”

Following his impressive debut season at Ligue 1 outfit Lille, Osimhen who scored 18 goals in 38 appearances in the 2019-20 season, joined the Italian side in a deal reported to be worth €50 million (£45m/$59m).

He is expected to lead Napoli's frontline when they welcome Cagliari to Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Sunday.

Paulo Dybala is close to signing a new long-term contract at Juventus, Goal can confirm.

Speculation over Dybala's future has been raging in recent months, with his current deal at the Allianz Stadium due to expire in June 2022.

As it stands, the Argentina international will be free to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with any potential suitors from January, but he gave the clearest indication yet that he wants to stay at Juve after their 3-0 Champions League win at Malmo last week.

Dybala's stance

"We hope to close soon for the renewal," Dybala said post-match. "There is everyone's desire to complete the negotiations, they know that on my part there is a great desire to stay in Turin. I know that the management also wants to extend my contract and we have started talking again.

"I hope that everything will be over soon and good news can arrive for everyone, I am very confident."

Juve sporting director Pavel Nedved added: "We have put Dybala at the centre of our project. We are counting on the player and will try to get the contract signed as soon as possible." 

Juve make a breakthrough

Goal understands that the Bianconeri are now on the verge of finalising a contract extension for Dybala, having made positive new contacts with his agent Jorge Antun this week.

Juve are prepared to hand the 27-year-old fresh terms through to 2025 and increase his wage to €8 million (£7m/$9m) per year plus bonuses, with club officials set to meet with Antun to put the finishing touches on the agreement in the coming days.

Dybala's record with the Bianconeri

Dybala initially joined Juve from Palermo back in 2015, and has since made 259 appearances across all competitions for the club, scoring 102 goals.

The Argentine forward has also contributed 43 assists while helping the Italian giants win 12 trophies, including five Serie A titles.

Further reading