Looking for Soccer News?

The Premier League has announced that it will trial the use of concussion substitutes during matches, however, no start date has yet been announced.

Amid growing concerns about the impact of head injuries and heading the ball in football, the English top-flight confirmed today that it will implement a trial period in which teams can make up to two changes in a match for players who have suffered or are suspected of having a concussion.

These substitutions will be additional to the three substitutions currently allowed in Premier League fixtures, and teams will be allowed to sub a player with concussion even if they have already made all their regulation changes.

The statement on the Premier League website read: "Premier League shareholders today formally agreed to introduce the International Football Association Board's (IFAB) additional permanent concussion substitutions trial.

"The trial will be confirmed when the implementation of the reporting processes, including private medical information, has been resolved with IFAB and FIFA.

"With player welfare the Premier League's priority, the protocols will allow a maximum of two concussion substitutes to be used per team, with the opposition side able to use the equivalent number.

"The additional concussion substitutions may be made regardless of the number of substitutions a team have made already.

"The trial is a result of the IFAB's consultation with stakeholders and recommendations from their concussion expert group to allow additional substitutions for players with actual or suspected concussion."

It follows the Premier League saying in December that it had agreed in principle to trial concussion substitutes among new protocols to protect players from head injuries.

They said at the time that the new rules could be implemented as early as this month, but no start date was mentioned in the statement.

The decision comes after increased coverage of the long-term impact of head injuries in football, with Sir Bobby Charlton among a number of former players having been diagnosed with dementia linked to heading the ball during his career.

This season, Wolves striker Raul Jimenez suffered a fractured skull following a collision with Arsenal defender David Luiz. The Brazilian centre back continued playing until half-time after the incident in the fifth minute, despite visibly bleeding from the head.

Former Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen, meanwhile, recently revealed that he was still feeling the effects of a head injury for nearly a year after suffering a knock during a match.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has admitted he is unsure on Juan Mata's future as the Manchester United star nears the end of his current contract.

Mata looks set to become a free agent in June, having only played a bit-part role in Solskjaer's squad in the first half of the 2020-21 campaign.

The Spain international, who has scored 40 goals and laid on 47 assists in 256 appearances for the Red Devils since moving to Manchester from Chelsea in 2014, has been restricted to just 10 outings across all competitions so far this term amid intense competition for places at Old Trafford.

The 32-year-old now finds himself behind Bruno Fernandes, Paul Pogba, Fred and Scott McTominay in the midfield pecking order at United, who have emerged as realistic title contenders over the past couple of months.

It now appears that Solskjaer has little use for Mata and that he will not be offered the chance to extend his stay at the club, with some reports suggesting that he could be in line to return to Mestalla for a second spell at Valencia before the January transfer window closes.

Solskjaer admits that he can no longer guarantee the Spaniard regular minutes, despite the fact he still sees him as a vital member of the dressing room, and did not rule out sanctioning the playmaker's departure when quizzed on his situation at a press conference.

"The decision is very difficult every time with Juan. You know he's got the quality. If he plays, he scores goals, he's contributed this season," the Norwegian boss told reporters. "Then again, we've had other players who have taken his role as well - Mason [Greenwood] has done well in that position, Paul [Pogba] now, and Juan really contributes in and around the group.

"So it's one of those that I have discussions with all the time, it's difficult to leave him out but unfortunately that's where it is at the moment, so no decision has been made there yet."

Mata will be available for selection again when United travel to Craven Cottage to face Fulham on Wednesday night.

The Red Devils can return to the top of the Premier League if they beat Scott Parker's side, before Solskjaer starts preparing his players for their heavyweight FA Cup fourth-round tie against Liverpool at the weekend.

Manchester City are on a roll in the Premier League at the moment, having won five games in a row that has seen them stretch their unbeaten run to eight matches.

The latest win, a 4-0 triumph over Crystal Palace, also propelled them to the third in the table. They are just three points behind league leaders Leicester City with a game in hand. If they win their tie against Aston Villa on Wednesday, Pep Guardiola’s side will climb up to the summit.

It seems that Manchester City fans are in for a memorable season this time around. As Guardiola and team go about in their quest for silverware, Goal brings a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Manchester City fans in Nigeria.

In the Champions League, the club has qualified for the Round of 16 with an unbeaten record that saw them finish top of their group.

In association with the club and TECNO, Goal has an exciting stint for Manchester City fans to get to know their club from close quarters.

We are looking for a trainee correspondent to create content on all things Manchester City. The candidate will need to write reports, shoot videos, connect with local communities and conduct interviews around Manchester City matches.

This will be a paid programme and the correspondent will be mentored by Goal’s dedicated Man City correspondent and regional editorial teams.

To enter, all you have to do is create a single 60-second video on the Man City vs Liverpool match on February 6, 2021. Using your mobile phone, simply capture your preview, review or in-game piece to camera that demonstrates your personality and lets us know why we should select you. Go to this link to submit your entry: https://www.mancity.com/tecno-goal

So what are you waiting for? Apply now for the role and get a chance to cover your favourite team as they look to reclaim the Premier League crown this season.

TECNO Mobiles, a premium mobile phone brand, has been associated with Manchester City as their Official Global Tablet and Handset Partner since 2016. TECNO, who are already established as a leading mobile phone brand in Africa, also enjoy a substantial presence in over 40 emerging markets which includes Nigeria  where City’s fan base continues to grow.

Liverpool have been handed a boost with Joel Matip returning to training after three weeks on the sidelines, but Jurgen Klopp has also revealed that Diogo Jota is still a "few weeks" away from full fitness.

Matip has been out of action since picking up a groin injury during Liverpool's 1-1 draw with West Brom at Anfield on December 27.

The 29-year-old missed subsequent Premier League fixtures against Newcastle, Southampton and Manchester United along with the FA Cup third-round tie against Aston Villa, but he could be available for selection again when the Reds play host to Burnley on Thursday.

Klopp delivered an update on Matip's recovery at a pre-match press conference, telling reporters: "Joel is in full training, and now we have to make a decision. We will see tomorrow."

The Liverpool boss was unable to give more good news with regards to Jota's rehabilitation though, with the £41 million ($56m) summer signing still working his way back from a serious knee issue.

"Diogo is still a few weeks away. He needs time," said Klopp.

The reigning Premier League champions have suffered an alarming dip in form in recent weeks as Matip's absence has left Klopp desperately short on options in central defence.

The German head coach was forced to pair Fabinho and Jordan Henderson in the heart of the defence against Southampton and United, with first-choice duo Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez also still missing through respective long-term injuries.

Liverpool lost against the Saints before being held to a 0-0 draw by the Red Devils which extended their recent winless run to four top-flight matches, but Klopp took plenty of positives from their latest outing at Anfield.

"Our situation is not a catastrophe, it's just not perfect. And I saw a lot of good signs in the Man United game," he said. "But because we didn't win, nobody was interested."

The Reds, who are now four points behind league leaders Leicester City, are currently enduring their worst scoreless streak since 2005, with Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane all struggling to deliver the goods in the final third.

However, Klopp insists the burden of putting the ball in the back of the net should be shared among the entire squad, as he added when asked to address his front three's ongoing drought: "Of course it's about the whole team, no doubt. The boys themselves know that goals are not flying in. We just have to work on it.

"[John] Stones, a week ago he scored his first goal for [Manchester] City, then the next game he scores twice!"

Manchester City are on a roll in the Premier League at the moment, having won five games in a row that has seen them stretch their unbeaten run to eight matches.

The latest win, a 4-0 triumph over Crystal Palace, also propelled them to the third in the table. They are just three points behind league leaders Leicester City with a game in hand. If they win their tie against Aston Villa on Wednesday, Pep Guardiola’s side will climb up to the summit.

It seems that Manchester City fans are in for a memorable season this time around. As Guardiola and team go about in their quest for silverware, Goal brings a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Manchester City fans in India.  

In the Champions League, the club has qualified for the Round of 16 with an unbeaten record that saw them finish top of their group.

In association with the club and TECNO, Goal has an exciting stint for Manchester City fans to get to know their club from close quarters.

We are looking for a trainee correspondent to create content on all things Manchester City. The candidate will need to write reports, shoot videos, connect with local communities and conduct interviews around Manchester City matches.

This will be a paid programme and the correspondent will be mentored by Goal’s dedicated Man City correspondent and regional editorial teams.

To enter, all you have to do is create a single 60-second video on the Man City vs Liverpool match on February 6, 2021. Using your mobile phone, simply capture your preview, review or in-game piece to camera that demonstrates your personality and lets us know why we should select you. Go to this link to submit your entry: https://www.mancity.com/tecno-goal

So what are you waiting for? Apply now for the role and get a chance to cover your favourite team as they look to reclaim the Premier League crown this season.

TECNO Mobiles, a premium mobile phone brand, has been associated with Manchester City as their Official Global Tablet and Handset Partner since 2016. TECNO, who are already established as a leading mobile phone brand in Africa, also enjoy a substantial presence in over 40 emerging markets which includes India, where City’s fan base continues to grow.

Manchester City, Celtic and Crystal Palace are all moving to sign Sinclair Armstrong from Championship side Queens Park Rangers on a free transfer to bolster their academy ranks.

Armstrong is regarded as one of the top talents to come out of the Republic of Ireland, making his professional debut for Shamrock Rovers when he was still just 15 in 2018. He made six Irish first division appearances and also played in the domestic cup.

The Republic of Ireland Under-17 international only joined QPR in October but he only signed a deal until June 2021, which makes him eligible to sign a pre-contract with another club.

The deal to join the second-tier side was seen as a coup, with Bundesliga club Hoffenheim said to have brought him in on trial just before the coronavirus pandemic hit.

With optimism that he would quickly sign a longer deal, there are now fears that he could leave Loftus Road having scored several goals in their Under-18 team already this season.

Now 17, the Dubliner is a striker who can also play on the left-wing.

Man City have recently won the FA Youth Cup and are regarded as one of the top academies in England. However, the pathway might be easier at either Celtic or Crystal Palace with both clubs having some success in bringing through talented prospects in the past.

Celtic have the advantage to be able to start talks earlier as they are regarded as a club in an overseas league and, like their rivals Rangers, they have used their status to attract a host of talents from English academies to join their club.

The Scottish Premier League has proven a good competition for young talents to move on and achieve bigger things with Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson and Moussa Dembele having excelled in their early careers north of the border before moving onto bigger things.

Crystal Palace meanwhile have given a pathway to several academy products, most notably Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who went on to join Manchester United.

Mark Warburton's QPR are currently 20th in the Championship and are unlikely to debut the youngster while battling against relegation.

Arsenal have confirmed that defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos has had his contract terminated by mutual consent.

Sokratis’ deal was due to expire at the end of the season, but the 32-year-old has been freed up during the January transfer window to find a new club.

The Greek centre-back had spent two-and-a-half years at the Emirates Stadium, but had not been included in Mikel Arteta’s squads for the Premier League and Europa League this season.

When was Sokratis’ last appearance for Arsenal?

The last competitive first-team game Sokratis appeared in for Arsenal was as a late substitute in the FA Cup final victory over Chelsea at Wembley in August at the end of last season.

But, having not been included in the 25-man squads for the Premier League or Europa League campaigns for the first half of the season, his sole outing in an Arsenal shirt in 2020-21 came in the Football League Trophy against AFC Wimbledon in December.

In total, Sokratis made 69 appearances for the Gunners after joining the club from Borussia Dortmund in a £14 million transfer in the summer of 2018.

Who will Sokratis join next?

Goal reported earlier in January that Real Betis are interested in a deal and that Sokratis would be keen on a move to La Liga.

However, it is understood that Betis will need to sell players first as they are struggling under the Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules enforced by La Liga and need to reduce their wage budget before they can make any major signings.

Betis are looking at ways to offload either Sidnei or William Carvalho to free up the funds for Sokratis, who had been earning £5m a year at Arsenal.

Sokratis would also be open to returning to Germany or playing in Italy, with Napoli having shown an interest in taking him to Serie A during the last summer transfer window.

The bigger picture

Sokratis' departure from Arsenal is likely to soon be followed by Mesut Ozil, who is in Istanbul to finalise a move to Turkish giants Fenerbahce.

Like Sokratis, Ozil had not been included in Arsenal's squad this season and manager Mikel Arteta has been looking to free up room in his squad for January loan additions.

What's been said?

Arsenal technical director Edu told the club's official website: “On behalf of Mikel, our coaches, players and everyone at the club, I would like to thank Papa for his contribution to the club. 

"He has been an important part of our group and has been a model professional throughout. The negotiations to end his contract have been collaborative and we wish Papa and his family well for the future.”

Further reading

Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman has responded to Paris Saint-Germain chief Leonardo's comments on Lionel Messi, admitting he "would say yes" to signing Neymar or Kylian Mbappe.

PSG are reportedly eager to bring Messi onto their books at the end of the season, with the Argentine's current contract at Camp Nou set to expire in June.

Messi pushed for a move away from Barca last summer only to perform a dramatic U-turn, but has yet to make a final decision on his long-term future.

PSG chief executive Leonardo fuelled rumours linking the 33-year-old with a switch to Parc des Princes earlier this week, telling France Football: "Great players like Messi will always be on PSG's list."

The Brazilian's remarks have not fazed Koeman, though, with the Dutchman insisting he would also be interested in signing Neymar or Mbappe.

"If you ask me if I have interest in Neymar or Mbappe I would say yes, so it's the same," the Blaugrana boss told a press conference on Wednesday.

"We do not know what will happen and I cannot comment on them (the rumours about Messi leaving), I only know that we seek to have the best possible squad."

Koeman was speaking ahead of Barca's Copa del Rey round-of-32 clash against Cornella on Thursday, which Messi is due to sit out after receiving a two-match ban for being sent off in last weekend's Supercopa de Espana final.

The six-time Ballon d'Or winner was given his marching orders for taking a swing at Athletic Club defender Asier Villalibre during the Blaugrana's 3-2 defeat, but his employers have launched an appeal to the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).

"The club has told me that they do not agree with the two games so we will see, there are things that can be defended," said Koeman.

"Hopefully they will reduce their sanction and, if not, we will play two games without Leo."

Barca will hope to have Messi available again as soon as possible, and Koeman insists that the club captain is still in high spirits despite picking up the first red card of his career.

"He has trained with enthusiasm and I do not see anything strange in him, everyone was sad about the result but we have to move on," he added.

"We are on the way to improve, the game showed us that we must improve defensively but we continue forward and Leo is very much involved.

"In my opinion, we are on the right path, especially in La Liga, and we have to move forward."

Al Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane has told jobless South African coaches to get “out of their comfort zones” and seek employment elsewhere on the African continent.

Mosimane is in his first job outside South Africa after joining nine-time African champions Al Ahly in September 2020.

The former Mamelodi Sundowns tactician says he would be “disappointed” to learn that no South African coach has applied for the vacant Simba coaching role as he singled out Eric Tinkler to make an attempt.

“I would like to encourage my colleagues, coaches in South Africa, even the players that you don’t know until you are on the other side. I knew but not knowing as much as I know now,” Mosimane told the South African Football Journalists Association.

“I think the floor and the space is open for exchange, the chance of players and the exchange of coaches. I think there are good coaches here and there are good coaches in South Africa who should test themselves not only in the Middle-East but the continent.

“In our [Caf Champions League] group we have Simba and I would be so disappointed to hear that none of the South African coaches has applied and tried to coach Simba, a team that is always making it into the group stages with Al Ahly.

“We can’t settle for what we always have at home. We have the quality [to coach abroad]. People like Calvin Johnson are here with us. So we need South African coaches, people like Eric Tinkler are out of jobs now. We can’t be doing the same thing everytime like a hamster on a wheel. I think he has a CV to coach Simba.

“I’m not saying he must go there, I’m only talking names and I’m mentioning him. He has a CV to coach Simba. He has been to the Champions League final [as assistant to Roger De Sa], he has been to the Confederation Cup final with Orlando Pirates. He has experience, he has the biggest CV more then the Europeans who come and don’t understand what African football is all about or what Champions League is about.

“So I am saying it is an opportunity. Probably some of us must lead the way and show that there is no problem outside the borders of South Africa. We lose opportunities. For me it is about coming out of the comfort zone and test yourself.”

Tinkler, however, angrily reacted to reports linking him with a move to Simba last week.

The former Bafana Bafana midfielder who was employed by Maritzburg United until November 2020 described the rumours as “a joke” as he took aim at football writers linking him with a job in Tanzania.

Former Orlando Pirates midfielder Thamsanqa Sangweni has confirmed he is set to return to Chippa United.

The experienced player has been plying his trade in Eswatini where he turned out for Swazi Premier League giants Mbabane Highlanders.

Recent reports indicated Chippa were keen to re-sign Sangweni after the club re-appointed Dan Malesela as their new head coach.

Sangweni has now said his goodbyes to Highlanders having joined the club on a six-month deal in November 2020. 

“I don’t even know what to say," Sangweni said, as quoted on Times of Swaziland. 

"This is so huge for me and I want to thank Chief Ally [Kgomongwe] and of course Chippa MD [Chippa Mpengesi] for talking this through as they have given me a big opportunity."

Sangweni moved to Eswatini almost a year after being released by Maritzburg United in December 2019 having struggled for game time at the KwaZulu-Natal side.

The 31-year-old player is grateful to Highlanders club director Kgomongwe, who was behind his move to the 13-time Swazi Premier League champions.

“Chief Ally is the reason I am where I am through Mbabane Highlanders. He trusted in me when I never thought I’d return to play football again," he added. 

"He took me in and I thank him, Highlanders, Baba Dlamini and my teammates there, as well as all, who are involved in this."

Sangweni is returning to Chippa for his third spell with the Eastern Cape-based side having spent three full seasons with the club between 2014 and 2017.

The former Bafana Bafana international was the Chilli Boys club captain when he was snapped up by Pirates in June 2017.

However, Sangweni, who can also operate as a centre back, struggled for game time at Bucs as he made just three appearances in the PSL.

The lanky player moved back to the Chippa after one season with the Buccaneers, but he parted ways with the Chilli Boys midway through the 2018/19 campaign.

Sangweni had a six-month spell with Richards Bay in the National First Division (NFD), before joining Maritzburg ahead of the 2019/20 season.

The nomadic player has also played for AmaZulu FC, Mamelodi Sundowns and Ajax Cape Town in the PSL. 

Nigeria international William Troost-Ekong is hoping Watford embark on a run of positive results with victory over John Obi Mikel’s Stoke City on Friday.

The Hornets followed up on Saturday’s 2-0 defeat of Huddersfield Town with another triumph over Barnsley on Tuesday evening.

A first-half penalty from captain Troy Deeney in the 27th minute proved the difference as Xisco Munoz’s men defeated Valerien Ismael’s side to move to third in the English Championship log after garnering 43 points from 24 games.

They take on the Potters in their next outing and victory against Michael O'Neill’s men at the Bet365 Stadium will see them move into the top two.

The centre back who featured for 82 minutes before his substitution for Craig Cathcart - is hoping his team can secure maximum points against the team that boasts compatriot Obi Mikel.

“I’ve just been in the changing room and everyone is very happy, but it won’t mean a lot unless we can get something again on Friday,” Troost-Ekong told Hive Live.

“We need to close the week well and we’ve said we need to try and get on a run, so playing Stoke away is going to be a great opportunity for us.

“We’ve done the basics and put the foundation in place to have a good week and get a good run going.”

Troost-Ekong had attributed Watford’s 1-0 win over Barnsley to better preparation.

“We were better prepared this time,” he continued.

“We had to try and get revenge after what happened when we played them away.

“They played real Championship football, it was a real battle tonight, but we did well to try and get the ball onto the ground and play as much as possible.

“We knew this was going to be a massive week, we wanted to get as many points as we can to attack the top again and we did what we needed to do in the last two games at home.”

Born and raised in Haarlem, Netherlands, the 27-year-old started his professional career in the Dutch elite division with Groningen and Dordrecht before heading to Gent and Haugesund.

The Super Eagles centre-back teamed up with Watford in September 2020 from Serie A club Udinese on a five-year deal.

In the 2020-21 campaign, he has featured in 14 league games with one goal [against Coventry City] to his credit.

Tony Cascarino says Frank Lampard is "walking on eggshells" at Chelsea, and has also warned that struggling £47.5 million ($65m) striker Timo Werner "can't play upfront on his own".

Chelsea slipped down to eighth in the Premier League standings after a 2-0 reversal against Leicester at the King Power Stadium on Tuesday night.

That result marked the Blues' fifth loss in their last eight matches, with pressure now building on Lampard as he toils to bring the best out of a squad brimming with top-class talent.

A club legend spent over £200 million ($274m) on new recruits in the summer transfer window after delivering an impressive fourth-place finish in 2019-20, but the likes of Werner, Kai Havertz and Hakim Ziyech have so far failed to live up to their hefty price tags.

Chelsea are now in serious danger of missing out on Champions League qualification unless Lampard can address a worrying dip in form, with a home fixture against Luton Town up next in the FA Cup on Sunday.

Crucial top-flight fixtures against Wolves and Burnley follow that meeting with the Hatters, and Cascarino says the current manager must deliver three wins to avoid being sacked by Roman Abramovich.

“It never goes down well when you spend loads of money on signings who don’t work out or are not playing well,” the former Blues striker told talkSPORT.

“Upstairs will go, ‘we’ll give him more money and spend again’, but they get a little bit nervous and edgy about doing that.

“He knows the job at Chelsea is full of criticism and it doesn’t take a lot for that owner to make a change.

“Their performances have been really poor; take the win against Fulham, it was 1-0 and they struggled for long periods of the game.

“The highest team they’ve beaten this season is seventh – they’ve not beaten anybody above seventh.

“Their 3-0 win against West Ham at Stamford Bridge was their best result; they did enough to get over the line, but getting a performance plus a result is a huge problem.

“He’s got three home games now back-to-back, one in the FA Cup against Luton and two league games.

“He has to win them. He might make the end of the season, but if he’s going to make the end of the season he has to go on a run of winning games now.

“He can’t go through getting knocked out of the cup or getting a horrendous result against Burnley or Wolves at Stamford Bridge.

“He won’t survive that, and if the owner thinks, 'we aren’t going to make the Champions League, we’re way adrift of that position'... he knows he’s walking on eggshells.”

Cascarino also weighed in on Werner's loss of confidence in front of goal, with the Germany international's last strike in the Premier League coming way back in October.

“I don’t quite get it because he started well. He got goals in the early part of the season," said Cascarino.

“I think Frank has shuffled way too much; he’s been spinning plates in defensive areas, midfield, the forward line.

“But yes, he hasn’t played well. I’ve seen a lot of Timo Werner from his days in Germany and playing international football, and I know he can’t play up front on his own.

“He’s not the best left-sided player so you are going to have to play like you did in the second half with the two [in attack].

“He’s always played with a big man; that’s when he’s played his best football.

“I referred this before to Michael Owen; Michael Owen would never have been the player he was, and he’d admit this, without Emile Heskey. And that’s what Timo Werner needs to be in that position.

“Frank is going to have to rethink his team and his formation slightly to get the best out of Timo Werner.”

Tanzania head coach Etienne Ndayiragije has stated the fans enjoyed the game despite his side suffering a 2-0 loss in the African Nations Championship encounter against Zambia.

Goals from captain Collins Sikombe and Emmanuel Chabula saw Chipolopolo pick an opening victory and they are now second in Group D behind Guinea who defeated Namibia 3-0 in Limbe.

Taifa Stars conceded when Simba SC defender Shomari Kapombe handled the ball and Sikombe opened the scoring from the penalty spot.

Kapombe’s club teammate Aishi Manula saved Tanzania from conceding more when he stopped Sikombe in a one-on-one situation by clearing the ball by his feet after the half-time break.

A goal in the 81st minute by Chabula was enough for Zambia to see off the Cecafa nation, seal a win and a clean sheet.

Ndayiragije believes no side was superior during the clash but admitted they went down because Zambia used their chances effectively.

“The game was basically a 50/50 and our opponents Zambia managed to capitalise and take their chances,” the Burundian coach told Caf Online.

“The two teams played good football and the fans enjoyed what they saw. We need to keep working hard because we still have two games to play in the group and we have a chance.”

Namibia's Richard Bobby Samaria said their focus is now on Taifa Stars after they lost their respective opener.

Horoya AC forward Yakhouba Barry who scored a brace and Morlaye Sylla's effort handed Guinea the win over the Namibians and pushed the Syli National to the top of Group D.

“We take lessons from this defeat to Guinea,” Samaria said. “We conceded two goals because of some silly mistakes. There are no excuses here, but we lost to a well-prepared team of Guinea.

“We now need to go back to the drawing board to plan for our next game against Tanzania.”

Zambia will face Guinea in the second group game while Tanzania and Namibia will battle each other looking for their first wins that could end up opening the gates for more and remain in the tournament for long.

Among the group members, Zambia are the side that had rigorous preparation since they were part of a pre-Chan tournament and also played Libya in a friendly tie.

Zimbabwe head coach Zdravko Logarusic has refused to blame Cameroon’s alleged witchcraft for his side’s defeat in their African Nations Championship opener after a bat carcass was found on the pitch ahead of the game, but he has outlined his belief that such intimidation tactics have no place in the sport.

Chan hosts Cameroon dispatched the Warriors 1-0 in their tournament opener at the weekend, with Salomon Banga scoring the only goal of the game with an acrobatic bicycle kick late in the second half.

However, the contest was marred by pre-match allegations of witchcraft, with Logarusic pictured alongside a bat’s carcass that had been found on the centre circle.

“If you want to talk professionally, those things should not be involved in anything professionally,” he told Goal. “For sure, football is football, sport is a sport.

“We exposed it, this photograph exposed that these things still exist,” he added. “Those things did not surprise me, because already I saw it in different counties where I worked in Africa.

“You have some people in Africa who [believe in] juju or witchcraft, or they go to see some people to see magic, or pay people to do things,” the Croat noted. “I already saw a few things, I already had some experiences because I saw that some club officials paid people to do things, I’m not unfamiliar [with it].”

Earlier this week, the Confederation of African Football confirmed to Goal that they were taking the matter seriously and that they would dish out sanctions to Cameroon if the hosts were found guilty of any wrong-doing.

However, Logarusic insists that he has not made a big deal about the attempted intimidation, has made no formal complain to Caf, and hasn’t discussed the incident with local journalists.

“We did not make a complaint,” he continued. “Officially, I did not make any comment in a press conference before or after the match, because I know what Africa is like.

“As a national team, we didn’t complain about it, we just showed it, we smiled, and then we continued in preparation for the game. After the game, in press conference, I didn’t mention that someone did it.

“It’s how they live, they believe in this, it’s their freedom.”

While Zimbabwe lost the match narrowly, Logarusic has refused to blame the defeat on bat-gate, and has taken a magnanimous approach to Cameroon’s victory.

“In the press conference, I didn’t say this was to blame,” he continued. “We lost the game 1-0; if we wanted a positive result, we should have scored a goal. We didn’t.

“Cameroon were even better, maybe we could have got a draw, but that was how it finished.

“Afterwards I complimented the coach, and I didn’t complain about witchcraft. It’s not the level of an international coach to complain about witchcraft.”

While stopping short of attributing Zimbabwe’s defeat to Cameroon’s alleged employment of the dark arts, Logarusic did acknowledge that some of his players may well have been affected by the would-be witchcraft.

“Some of them felt a bit uncomfortable,” he confined. “Some of us say these things exist, some of us say they are nonsense, but officially, we just tried to forget and focus on the game.

“In my opinion, these things can never help me, but how they impact on African players, I’m not so sure. There will be some distractions, because out of 20 players, for sure you have a percentage who think these things work.

“It’s a possibility that it can be a distraction, it’s a possibility some players believe in it, but they didn’t express it to me.”

Zimbabwe continue their Group A campaign against Burkina Faso, defeated 1-0 by Mali in their opener, at the Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo in Yaounde on Wednesday, where Logarusic will be hoping to sidestep any further unwanted distractions.

“I don’t put so much [emphasis] on this, because most of them are not sure, some of them say maybe, some of them have a feeling, but we try to ignore it,” he concluded. “The main thing is we are not saying we lost the game because of that, we lost the game because we didn’t perform.

“Did we not perform because of witchcraft, or because we were not ready, or because there was lots of tension, or because it was the first game?” he concluded. “We didn’t analyse it so much, but we’re not blaming witchcraft for this.”

Emiliano Buendia is not expecting Arsenal to make a late move for him in the January transfer window and is happy to wait until the summer before deciding his future.

The Gunners have been heavily linked with the Argentine attacker,  whose impressive recent form has been spearheading Norwich’s bid for an immediate return to the top flight.

Buendia has seven goals and six assists so far this season, with Norwich sitting top of the Championship table at the halfway stage, four points clear of closest challengers Swansea City.

The 24-year-old’s form has seen him mentioned as a possible replacement at Arsenal for Mesut Ozil, who is currently in Turkey finalising his switch to Fenerbahce.

But whilst Buendia believes he should be playing in the Premier League, sources close to the player have told Goal that he remains fully focused on Norwich and their promotion push.

The Argentine’s representatives, who also look after Emiliano Martinez, have a good relationship with Arsenal and are in regular contract with technical director Edu.

They are aware of the Gunners’ interest in Buendia, but concrete discussions about a potential move this month have not taken place and Norwich have not been contacted by the north Londoners.

Whilst being open to a move this month, Buendia has now accepted that a switch is highly unlikely given how advanced the transfer window is and so will concentrate fully on getting Norwich promoted back to the top flight at the first attempt before exploring his options in the summer.

The Canaries are believed to value their playmaker at around £40 million ($55m), but remain adamant that they have no interest in doing business at this key stage of the season.

Speaking about Buendia this week, Norwich boss Daniel Farke said: "He is a proper team-mate, concentrated in the training sessions and the last game.

"He is absolutely happy and knows he has a coach and team-mates who want him to be successful and love him.

"Arsenal are one of the best clubs in this country and also Europe. But it makes no sense to have a move in January."

Agents across Europe are aware that Arsenal are in the market for a creative midfielder this month, but the belief is that should any deal materialise it would only be a short-term loan until the end of the season to provide cover for the in-form Emile Smith Rowe .

Arsenal did hold an interest in Real Madrid star Isco,  but the 28-year-old is looking unlikely to leave the Spanish champions before deadline day.

Lucas Podolski says he is happy to see Mesut Ozil leave Arsenal and start playing football again after almost a year on the sidelines at Emirates Stadium.

Goal has reported that Ozil is on the verge of joining Fenerbahce on a free transfer after reaching an agreement with Arsenal over the termination of his current contract, which was originally due to expire in June.

The 32-year-old has already touched down in Istanbul ahead of his unveiling at the club he supported in his youth, with the curtain now set to come down on his seven-and-a-half-year career at Emirates Stadium.

Ozil has not featured in a competitive match since March, having been exiled from Mikel Arteta's plans following their return to action post-lockdown.

Any glimmer of hope the ex-Germany international had of getting back into the Gunners starting XI was seemingly dashed when he was left out of the Spaniard's Premier League and Europa League squads in October, much to Podolski's frustration.

A man who played alongside his fellow countryman in north London between 2013 and 2015 slammed Arsenal for their treatment of the midfielder earlier this season.

"I generally think with a player who is now in his sixth or seventh year with the club, to kick him completely out of the squad, that’s absolutely not okay," he said.

"He's shown his class on the pitch, he's never been negative towards his colleagues or the club. Arsenal as a club have not looked positive in this situation over the last months."

Podolski, who now plies his trade in Turkey with Antalyaspor, has now expressed his relief after seeing Ozil finally secure a move away from Emirates Stadium while predicting that he will be a great "asset" to the Super Lig after so many years playing at the very highest level of European football.

"I am delighted that Mesut will play for us in Turkey in the future. He is an asset to the league and at 32 years of age is still in his prime footballing age," the former Arsenal forward told Sport Bild. "It happens again and again in the Süper Lig that great player names are presented by the club bosses in order to satisfy the fans."

Podolski is saddened by the acrimonious nature of Ozil's departure, but is pleased that he will finally be able to get back to what he does best on the pitch after so many months on the sidelines with the Gunners.

"It was really a shame that it ended like this. No professional is satisfied if he is not allowed to play," the striker, who formed part of Germany's World Cup-winning squad alongside Ozil in 2014, added. "Now Mesut can finally do what we all love again: play football."

On the final day of the 2019/20 season, Aston Villa travelled to West Ham United needing a result to maintain their top flight status.

They would eventually manage precisely that, thanks to 1-1 draw against the Hammers. However, while Jack Grealish’s goal six minutes from time officially cued in the celebrations, it was their victory – five days earlier over Arsenal at home – that had truly set the scene for that momentous escape.

That 1-0 triumph, secured by the right boot of Egypt international Mahmoud Trezeguet, served as something of a turning point, as Villa have begun 2020/21 in absolutely blistering form.

Key to that, somewhat ironically, has been embracing a ruthless outlook on squad composition.

Dean Smith’s side have made a number of upgrades to the first-team squad, but perhaps the most impactful have come on the team’s right flank: Ahmed Elmohamady has been replaced by Matty Cash at right-back, and Trezeguet, in spite of his survival heroics, has been usurped by Bertrand Traore.

The 25-year-old, who joined in the summer from Ligue 1 semi-finalists Lyon, has enjoyed a quite colourful career so far.

Plucked from the Auxerre youth system by Chelsea in 2013, Traore was fed into the London club’s famous loan mill, enjoying productive spells at Vitesse and Ajax, before being traded to Les Gones in 2017.

Despite a tough first stint in England, a transfer to Villa afforded the Burkina Faso international a chance to fulfil his long-held desire to prove his worth in the Premier League, and so far he has grabbed it with both hands.

It took him a bit to really get going, but three in his last five matches have signalled his intent, and offer a taster for what is to come.

Perhaps the pick of the bunch came against struggling West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns – an early, caressed finish into the bottom corner that left Baggies goalkeeper Sam Johnstone completely flat-footed and powerless to resist. It was a microcosm of all Traore offers at his very best: guile, culture and unpredictability.

Trezeguet of course had the latter in spades, but often in the more unflattering sense of the word.

Toward the end of his time in the starting lineup, he became increasingly prone to improbable misses. The most egregious of the lot came in the 2-1 defeat to West Ham, when he materialized unmarked inside the six-yard box, but somehow failed to turn in an Ollie Watkins centre.

It is likely, given the not insignificant transfer outlay made by the club, that Smith would have put Traore in the side eventually. Nevertheless, Trezeguet’s misfortune in front of goal made the decision that little bit easier, and Traore has responded emphatically, picking up the slack as striker Watkins labours to come out of an eight-game goal drought.

Wednesday's meeting with Manchester City, however, will present a particularly stern challenge, but one which is pregnant with opportunity for the ex-Chelsea wonderkid.

He will have regretted not getting on the scoresheet against his former employers at Stamford Bridge recently, even if only to show them they were wrong to let him go without affording him a proper run in the team. His equalizer against Manchester United four days later was also overshadowed by Bruno Fernandes’ penalty, which denied Villa a share of the points.

The clash against City, therefore, offers Traore a chance at a true statement performance in claret.

Their most recent outing – a lone-goal defeat to Southampton – saw captain Jordan Henderson deputizing at centre-back, a far from optimal solution which could have been punished more severely had the Saints shown greater composure during transitions.

While Villa have lost their last two fixtures, they will be well rested having not played their first team in a fixture since the defeat by Manchester United on New Year's Day.

It's a near-three-week rest - considering they played their U-23 team against Liverpool amidst a Covid crisis - that should ensure Villa are well-rested during the run-in, even if they face a hefty fixture backlog.

First though, they face City, and another opportunity for star signing Traore to remind Chelsea what they're missing.

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar has been compared to AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic by his ex-team-mate Youri Mulder after returning to Schalke for the remainder of the 2020-21 campaign.

Huntelaar re-joined Schalke from Ajax on a short-term contract earlier this week , having been dropped from Eric ten Hag's starting XI at Johan Cruyff ArenA following Sebastian Haller's arrival in Amsterdam from West Ham.

The 37-year-old will now be tasked with helping the German club stave off the threat of relegation, and could be in line to make his debut when they host Cologne on Wednesday night.

Schalke also had Huntelaar on their books between 2010 and 2017, during which time he hit 126 goals in 240 appearances, becoming the second-highest goalscorer in the club's history.

The Netherlands international has re-traced his steps after four years at Ajax where he took his overall career tally to 364 goals, with seven of those efforts coming in the first half of the 2020-21 campaign.

Huntelaar has proved he can still deliver the goods in the final third despite his advancing years, much like Ibrahimovic has since making his way back to Milan in January 2019.

Mulder, who played alongside the Dutchman during his first spell at Vetlins-Arena, thinks his old colleague is in equally good shape as the veteran Swedish forward after tracking his progress closely in the Eredivisie.

"Besides the minor calf injury that was last bothering him, he has looked very fit lately," the former Schalke frontman told Goal and SPOX . "He almost looked like Zlatan Ibrahimovic! Very well trained, extremely ambitious, appeared in the games with an incredible will and above all he looked as fit as a sneaker.

"Physically I don't see any problems with him."

Asked if Huntelaar can help Schalke beat the drop come May, Mulder responded: "Yes, I think so. Any help can currently be used. If you look at statistics, Schalke is much better in terms of goal opportunities than goals scored. This shows that they have a need in attack.

"I've seen Huntelaar many times over the past year and he scored very well. Seven goals in 383 minutes speak for themselves. Of course, it's a weaker league, but he knows the Bundesliga very well and his goal risk is still undisputed.

"In Holland, people are wondering what he wants at Schalke because he is the type of player who is strongest around the box and Schalke focus on the defensive, but these people also don't understand what it means for a Schalke heart to help Schalke."

Schalke are rock bottom of the Bundesliga standings and seven points adrift of safet, but Christian Gross still still has 18 fixtures left to turn his side's fortunes around.

Mulder thinks Huntelaar has returned to Gelsenkirchen because of his love for the club rather than personal gain, with the striker swapping a simpler life at Ajax for a tough and potentially heartbreaking second stint with the Royal Blues.

"For me, that is the most beautiful thing. He doesn't do it for himself, perhaps to make himself immortal. He's only doing it to help keep Schalke from relegating," he added. "I can also identify very well with this club love. If your former club is facing such problems, one will be happy to help.

"It would have been easier for him to stay with Ajax. There he plays in a great team, scores many goals based on his playing time, can become champion again and also play internationally, but he puts everything on the back burner to help Schalke. It's a noble gesture of his - but I can understand and would do the same."