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It isn’t too often that Real Madrid find themselves navigating the kinds of choppy waters that they have done in recent times, where a run of one win in five matches across all competitions prompted talk of a crisis for Zinedine Zidane’s side.

The stormy seas were quelled somewhat at the weekend as Los Merengues revealed their true class to defeat Sevilla 1-0 away.

It wasn’t always pretty—the decisive goal came from the hosts’ goalkeeper Yassine Bono—but it will at least give Real a boost as they look to tackle the next obstacle on the horizon.

And what an obstacle it is!

Typically, by matchday six of the Champions League, the most successful team in the competition’s history are able to step out onto the pitch knowing their passage to the knockout stages is secure.

Not so this time, where a troubled campaign to date has left Los Blancos with it all to do in their final fixture.

Their European form has been patchy so far, with a pair of defeats against Shakhtar Donetsk—3-2 at home, 2-0 away—have left Zidane’s team on the precipice.

Their away draw at Wednesday’s opponents Gladbach in October didn’t help either, although on that occasion, the Spanish champions demonstrated the character—coming back from two goals down with late strikes from Karim Benzema and Casemiro—that they’ll need to show again in midweek.

The permutations are not straightforward, although Real—who currently sit third in Group B—definitely cannot afford to let some of the deficiencies they’ve shown in recent matches undermine them once again.

They head into the contest tied on seven points with Shakhtar—who trump them in the head-to-head stakes—and one behind group leaders Gladbach.

A win would send Real through regardless of the result in the game between the Ukrainians and Internazionale, and will surely be the target of Zidane.

A draw would be enough if Inter defeat Shakhtar in Italy; it would take Real above the Ukrainians on eight points, and while Antonio Conte’s side would then also have eight points, Los Merengues would advance ahead of them due to a superior head-to-head record.

Either way, it would be unacceptable for Real to drop into the Europa League—or exit Europe altogether—as Manchester United have done already.

The good news for Zizou heading into the bout is that Real can welcome back Dani Carvajal and skipper Sergio Ramos, with the latter in particular a major boost.

Ramos is the heartbeat of this side, and his experience and big-game mentality will be major assets for Los Blancos as they look to navigate this tricky showdown.

Defensively, there have been lapses for Real in recent weeks—not least in Europe—and so the return of such a commanding presence as Ramos will doubtless ensure a greater measure of stability as he is set to feature for the first time since the international break.

Without him, Real have lost seven of their last nine UCL matches, and he should be central to their progression.

The return of Carvajal could also be vital as Real look to silence Gladbach dangerman Marcus Thuram, who will line up opposite the Spain full-back on the Germans’ left flank.

Thuram caused major problems for Real during the first match between the pair, and if Los Blancos cannot find a way to neutralise his threat, they may be destined to miss out on the knockouts.

Further up the field, however, several potential key contributors are missing.

Primarily among them is Eden Hazard, whose troubled time at the club continues to veer from injury worry to injury worry. His latest setback—a thigh problem—is likely to rule him out until 2021, while Fede Valverde, Mariano, Luka Jovic and Martin Odegaard are all absent for Real as well.

Instead, Zidane will have to rely on Benzema, as well as youngsters such as Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior as he looks to get past the German side.

Wednesday’s game may well represent a turning point for Real’s season; lose, and they will be plunged into yet more crisis talk. Win, and Zidane’s side will remain firmly in the hunt for the silverware they believe is rightfully theirs.

UEFA has rescinded the red card that Pierre Webo received during Paris Saint-Germain's postponed clash with Istanbul Basaksehir, and he will be present when the fixture is restarted.

Basaksehir assistant coach Webo was sent off for his reaction to alleged racial abuse from fourth official Sebastian Coltescu when PSG played host to the Turkish outfit on Tuesday night.

UEFA has officially reversed that decision ahead of the rescheduled fixture, which will kick off from the 14-minute mark at 5:55pm GMT (12:55pm ET) on Wednesday.

Basaksehir have confirmed the news via their social media channels, while European football's main governing body has released a statement outlining its plans to conduct a full-scale investigation into the incident.

The statement on UEFA's website reads: "In accordance with the Article 31(4) of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations, an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector has been appointed today to conduct a disciplinary investigation regarding the incident and the events that led to the UEFA Champions League group match between Paris Saint-Germain-İstanbul Basaksehir FK being abandoned.

"Information in regards to this investigation will be made available in due course."

A new set of officials will take charge of the match when it resumes, with Dutch referee Danny Makkelie set to replace Ovidiu Hategan, who showed Webo the red card which prompted both sets of players to walk off in a united stance against racism.

Basaksehir forward Demba Ba, who was on the substitutes' bench when the melee began, was seen arguing with Coltescu, Hategan and the rest of the officials on the touchline, as he stated: "You never say, 'This white guy, that white guy.' 

"But when it's a Black guy, you have to say, 'This Black guy'."

The scoreline was locked at 0-0 when play was stopped, but PSG are now assured of qualification for the round of 16 regardless of the final outcome after RB Leipzig's 3-2 home win over Manchester United.

The Red Devils will now drop into the Europa League, while Basaksehir were already destined to finish bottom of Group H having only picked up three points from a possible 15 in their opening five fixtures.

It isn’t too often that Real Madrid find themselves navigating the kinds of choppy waters that they have done in recent times, where a run of one win in five matches across all competitions prompted talk of a crisis for Zinedine Zidane’s side.

The stormy seas were quelled somewhat at the weekend as Los Merengues revealed their true class to defeat Sevilla 1-0 away.

It wasn’t always pretty—the decisive goal came from the hosts’ goalkeeper Yassine Bono—but it will at least give Real a boost as they look to tackle the next obstacle on the horizon.

And what an obstacle it is!

Typically, by matchday six of the Champions League, the most successful team in the competition’s history are able to step out onto the pitch knowing their passage to the knockout stages is secure.

Not so this time, where a troubled campaign to date has left Los Blancos with it all to do in their final fixture.

Their European form has been patchy so far, with a pair of defeats against Shakhtar Donetsk—3-2 at home, 2-0 away—have left Zidane’s team on the precipice.

Their away draw at Wednesday’s opponents Gladbach in October didn’t help either, although on that occasion, the Spanish champions demonstrated the character—coming back from two goals down with late strikes from Karim Benzema and Casemiro—that they’ll need to show again in midweek.

The permutations are not straightforward, although Real—who currently sit third in Group B—definitely cannot afford to let some of the deficiencies they’ve shown in recent matches undermine them once again.

They head into the contest tied on seven points with Shakhtar—who trump them in the head-to-head stakes—and one behind group leaders Gladbach.

A win would send Real through regardless of the result in the game between the Ukrainians and Internazionale, and will surely be the target of Zidane.

A draw would be enough if Inter defeat Shakhtar in Italy; it would take Real above the Ukrainians on eight points, and while Antonio Conte’s side would then also have eight points, Los Merengues would advance ahead of them due to a superior head-to-head record.

Either way, it would be unacceptable for Real to drop into the Europa League—or exit Europe altogether—as Manchester United have done already.

The good news for Zizou heading into the bout is that Real can welcome back Dani Carvajal and skipper Sergio Ramos, with the latter in particular a major boost.

Ramos is the heartbeat of this side, and his experience and big-game mentality will be major assets for Los Blancos as they look to navigate this tricky showdown.

Defensively, there have been lapses for Real in recent weeks—not least in Europe—and so the return of such a commanding presence as Ramos will doubtless ensure a greater measure of stability as he is set to feature for the first time since the international break.

Without him, Real have lost seven of their last nine UCL matches, and he should be central to their progression.

The return of Carvajal could also be vital as Real look to silence Gladbach dangerman Marcus Thuram, who will line up opposite the Spain full-back on the Germans’ left flank.

Thuram caused major problems for Real during the first match between the pair, and if Los Blancos cannot find a way to neutralise his threat, they may be destined to miss out on the knockouts.

Further up the field, however, several potential key contributors are missing.

Primarily among them is Eden Hazard, whose troubled time at the club continues to veer from injury worry to injury worry. His latest setback—a thigh problem—is likely to rule him out until 2021, while Fede Valverde, Mariano, Luka Jovic and Martin Odegaard are all absent for Real as well.

Instead, Zidane will have to rely on Benzema, as well as youngsters such as Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior as he looks to get past the German side.

Wednesday’s game may well represent a turning point for Real’s season; lose, and they will be plunged into yet more crisis talk. Win, and Zidane’s side will remain firmly in the hunt for the silverware they believe is rightfully theirs.

Mamelodi Sundowns forward Peter Shalulile has played down his impressive start to life at Chloorkop, saying it is not only a “developing a telepathic understanding” with Themba Zwane and Kermit Erasmus that has made him shine, but a contribution from the whole team.

The 27-year-old was signed by the Brazilians from Highlands Park in September on the backdrop of finishing last season as a Premier Soccer League (PSL) joint top-scorer with 16 goals alongside Orlando Pirates’ Frank Mhango.

In just six league matches so far in this campaign, Shalulile has managed three goals and two assists.

This is amid a terrific attacking combination with Zwane and Erasmus that shares between them 11 of log leaders Sundowns’ 13 league goals.

The partnership with Zwane and Erasmus is already a menace to many PSL defenders, but Shalulile insists that it is still developing and he is still learning the ropes at the club.

“I fitted in very well, I am still learning every day. When you play with great players daily, they make things easy for you,” Shalulile told the club website.

“I get help from coaches daily and on top of it, the telepathic understanding I am developing with Themba, Erasmus and the rest of my teammates is what makes me believe. We have been working hard at training also supporting each other.

“We give thanks to the guys behind us, as they do all the hard work, from the keeper, the defenders and also the midfielders. It’s teamwork and that is what we are about at the club.”

Shalulile’s partner Zwane is the league’s top goal-scorer with six goals in as many matches, while Erasmus has two goals and three assists.

Attention will again be on the trio when Sundowns host TS Galaxy next Tuesday in a league match after Shalulile was responsible for missing a glut of chances in their last PSL outing away at Maritzburg United.

Also to prove that their combination is no fluke, expectations are high when the Brazilians begin their Caf Champions League campaign against Botswana champions Jwaneng Galaxy away on December 21.

If fielded, it will be Shalulile’s Champions League debut where his pedigree would be further tested.

Lionel Messi would threaten the balance of Paris Saint-Germain if he joined the club from Barcelona, says Arsene Wenger.

Six-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi has been linked with PSG and Manchester City after failing to engineer a move away from Camp Nou in the close season.

The 33-year-old was not allowed to leave the club on a free transfer and is expected to depart when his contract expires at the end of the campaign, but with PSG already possessing Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, former Arsenal and Monaco boss Wenger wonders whether there is truly a need for Messi at the Parc des Princes.

"Lionel Messi is one of the two best players in the world. Those who will replace Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi are already at PSG," Wenger told Europe 1.  "After that, it's a question of balance in the club, a technical balance and a financial balance. Can you keep the balance at PSG by bringing in players like Messi? I'm not sure."

Success in the Champions League is the primary objective for PSG, who were defeated in the final in August by Bayern Munich - but having Messi does not necessarily guarantee success in the competition.

The Argentina star had seven shots on target in Barca's 3-0 home loss to Juventus on Tuesday, the most by any player in a Champions League game without scoring since at least 2003-04.

Ronaldo, a five-time winner of Europe's premier club prize, became the first player to score two penalties against Barca in a single Champions League fixture, helping bring parity to his head-to-head with Messi in the competition; they now have two wins and two draws apiece from six meetings.

PSG will on Wednesday resume their final Group H game against Istanbul Basaksehir – which was suspended on Tuesday following allegations of racism – with their spot in the last 16 already secured thanks to RB Leipzig's 3-2 win over Manchester United.

Thomas Tuchel's team look set for a more significant challenge in Ligue 1 this term, with their advantage at the summit just two points after 13 games.

Wenger believes less ingenuity in the middle of the pitch is the reason they are finding things tougher in the top flight.

"PSG have a little less potential because they had, for years, an absolutely flamboyant midfield, which is now a little less creative," he said. "I see them a little less dominant and it's reflected in the standings in Ligue 1.

"They still have exceptional players who can make a difference in key moments, as we saw again at Manchester United."

Wenger, who now serves as FIFA's chief of global football development, reiterated his objection to the possibility of PSG leaving Ligue 1 and joining a European super league.

"I will fight until the last day so that sporting merit is rewarded. The closed league, for me, is no longer competition, it is business," he said. "I will always be fiercely opposed to it. Everyone can dream and everything is possible for people who work well."

Former Orlando Pirates winger Daine Klate believes that Orlando Pirates have “the capabilities and the players to deal with the pressures of a Cup final” and that will push them to overpower Bloemfontein Celtic in Saturday’s MTN8 final at Moses Mabhida Stadium.

Pirates go into Saturday’s match having last won a piece of silverware in 2014 when they claimed the Nedbank Cup.

Their opponents have also gone for a long period without making additions to their trophy cabinet which last accommodated a major Cup in 2012 when they won the Telkom Knockout.

But Klate, who won the 2010 and 2011 MTN8 with Pirates, feels that the Buccaneers are favourites to prevail as winners on Saturday.

After impressively knocking out their Soweto rivals Kaizer Chiefs on a 5-0 aggregate scoreline in the semi-final, Klate takes Pirates as short favourites.

But the ex-Buccaneers star is not totally discounting Celtic whom he feels will not be pushovers.

“I would probably go for Pirates but I think Bloemfontein Celtic have done really well,” said Klate as per Sowetan Live.

“In fact, both teams have done well to get to the final. Celtic got through Mamelodi Sundowns in the quarterfinals to get to the semifinals where they beat SuperSport United, the reigning champions.

“Pirates beat Kaizer Chiefs to get to the final so I think both are deservedly in the final. It’s a difficult one to call but I would like for Pirates to win it. I don’t think Pirates have won a trophy since I left the team.

“I think they have got the capabilities and the players to deal with the pressures of a cup final. They have a lot of experience in the team again. The same with Celtic; they just came from the Nedbank Cup final which they narrowly lost against Sundowns.

“So I think it’s a very even final and both teams can win. But I would like for Pirates to triumph.”

Saturday’s showdown will be Celtic’s second final in three months after losing out on the Nedbank Cup to Mamelodi Sundowns in September.

But the Free State side got their revenge a month later when they eliminated Downs from the MTN8 at the quarter-final stage.

They then went on to knock out SuperSport United in the last four of this tournament.

The last time Celtic and Pirates met was early November when the Bucs edged Siwelele 1-0 away at Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium.

Barcelona "didn't turn up" against Juventus, according to Antoine Griezmann, who has admitted that the team lacked desire and attitude in the Group G showdown.

Juve claimed an impressive 3-0 victory at Camp Nou in the Champions League on Tuesday night as Barca surrendered their 100 per cent record in meek fashion.

With both sides already safely through to the knockout stages, the Blaugrana only needed a point to secure top spot in the group, but fell behind after just 13 minutes when Ronaldo stepped up to score a penalty after being fouled by Ronald Araujo in the box.

Juve doubled their advantage seven minutes later, with Weston McKennie rising to meet Juan Cuadrado's pinpoint cross with a flying volley which beat Marc-Andre ter Stegen all ends up in the Barca net.

All the pre-match talk centred around the renewal of hostilities between multiple Ballon d'Or winners Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who hadn't played against each other since the former's move to the Allianz Stadium from Real Madrid in 2018.

Ronaldo put his long-time rival in the shade by converting another penalty early in the second half, with Messi ultimately enduring a night to forget after failing to score with his seven shots on goal.

Griezmann, who led the line for Barca and came closest to scoring for Koeman's team when he headed a Messi free-kick onto the crossbar shortly after Ronaldo's second goal, was in no mood to offer any excuses for the defeat after the final whistle.

The Frenchman conceded that the hosts only started playing once the game had slipped away from them, before expressing a desire to move on quickly ahead of a La Liga clash against Levante on Sunday.

"We didn't turn up," Griezmann told reporters post-match. "In the first half, they got the better of us. It was a lack of everything: of desire, of attitude, willingness to run, all of it was bad.

"In the second half, there was already a three-goal advantage and it was easier for us but we had a bad day and a bad game.

"Who else can be blamed if we are the ones who play? We have to work on this and want to improve, want to play, and only in this way are we going to move forward.

"We are going to try to put the excuses to the side. The only way is to put everything aside, through work and nothing else. We have given a very bad account of ourselves, for the fans."

Juve qualified for the round of 16 as Group G winners after outscoring Barca 3-2 during their two meetings, and can thusly look forward to a favourable draw as they continue to chase down a first European Cup triumph since 1996.

The Blaugrana will have to face off against one of the other pool winners in the next stage, with the likes of Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Liverpool all waiting in the wings.

Real Madrid's record signing Eden Hazard has had a hard time in Spain ever since he moved from Chelsea for £89 million in 2019. 

The Belgium international has been blighted by ankle and leg problems since joining the Spanish giants from Chelsea nearly 18 months ago. Last season he started just 14 games in La Liga, playing a minor role as Madrid won the title in his first campaign at the club.

He has continued to struggle this term and suffered another injury in just his third league start of the campaign against Alaves last week. His Belgium teammate Thomas Vermaelen, however, has thrown his weight behind the winger and has stated that Real Madrid will see the best of Hazard soon. 

"Firstly, everybody is very quick to say that he's got an injury. Injury-prone and that kind of stuff. I think he had a knock on his ankle and that's not his fault. It must be a muscle injury. I think it's not too bad," he told Goal.

Vermaelen, currently in Qatar for the AFC Champions League campaign with his Japanese club Vissel Kobe, stated that the 29-year-old is a world-class player and he will show his best in Real Madrid colours sooner rather than later. 

"For me personally he's a world-class player, played against him in England. He will come back. He's very positive. When he comes back and starts playing the game. You'll see the best of him. I'm not worried about him. He'll come back." 

The 35-year-old defender also had words of encouragement for his former club and Real Madrid's arch-rivals, Barcelona. The Blaugrana are also struggling in LaLiga this season, currently languishing in the seventh spot, a far cry from the excellence they are used to. 

Off-field issues like Lionel Messi's transfer request and subsequent board-level changes have also affected the team. 

Vermaelen, who won four La Liga titles and a Champions League trophy with the club, believes that Camp Nou will witness their favourite back at their very best soon. 

"For me its just about the side. They have some problems financially as well. Barcelona is always a good team. Everyone is expecting Barcelona to be at the top of the club every season which is so difficult. Sometimes it goes like that.

"Eventually, Barcelona will come back at the top. At the moment, maybe it will be difficult for the situation the club is in."

Stefan Savic says Joao Felix can claim the Ballon d'Or one day but has insisted that his colleague must first win something with Atletico Madrid.

Atletico forked out a club-record fee of €126 million (£115m/$153m) to bring Felix to Wanda Metropolitano from Benfica in July 2019.

The Los Rojiblancos won the race for the Portuguese playmaker's signature ahead of a host of top European clubs, including Spanish rivals Real Madrid, but he has taken time to adapt to his new surroundings after a rapid rise to prominence in the Primeira Liga.

Felix was only able to show glimpses of his talent during his first season on Atletico's books, scoring nine goals in 36 matches as he found himself in and out of Diego Simeone's starting XI.

The 21-year-old has, however, taken his game to new heights at the start of the 2020-21 campaign, helping Simeone's men storm to the top of La Liga in the process.

Felix has found the net five times in 10 domestic outings while also recording three goals in five Champions League appearances, having developed an aggressive streak to complement his impressive creative skills in the final third.

Savic says the Portugal international was the subject of unfair criticism at the start of his Atletico career, and has predicted that his talented young team-mate can go onto win football's most coveted individual prize if he continues on his current trajectory.

“He is a different player, something that we did not have in the squad. He is still a young boy, he has room to grow and you have to leave him alone," the Montenegro international defender told Goal.

"You have chosen the best possible club to grow. He has a great future and if he continues like this, I have no doubt that he can be a great player or a Ballon d'Or winner, but before that he has to win something with the club."

Savic went on to play down Atletico's title chances, stressing that it is still far too early to get carried away by their position in the Liga standings.

“We are very good, but we don't like to talk now about how the League will end. It is too early to make calculations to win the League," he said. "We are very good, we have won eight games, but we did not get out of our 'game by game' and hopefully when the year ends we can win a title.

"Hopefully we can continue in this line until the end of the season."

Asked if it would be a missed opportunity if Atletico fail to win their first domestic crown since 2013-14, Savic responded: “It is not a failure if we don't win the league, for sure. There are other very good teams. No one can force us to win anything. The team tries every year to win titles. That's how it is.

"We have won the Europa League, we have won the Super Cup, we were very close to winning the Champions League and we are going to fight all the titles.

"This team has a lot of potential but it is still early to know how this season will end."

Wakiso Giants coach Douglas Bamweyana has expressed disappointment at how his team played against Kyetume FC in a Ugandan Premier League match on Tuesday.

The Purple Sharks were forced to fight from two goals down to pick up a point in a 2-2 draw with Kyetume at Kabaka Kyabaggu Stadium, Wakissha. Ibrahim Kasule and Yasin Mugume scored to cancel out goals from Baker Buyala and Saaka Sharif.

The result has left coach Bamweyana a disappointed man especially on the two goals his side conceded in their first home fixture of the 2020-21 campaign.

“I thought we never won second balls, we got a few bad situations at the start and probably we cleared that later,” Bamweyana told the club’s official website. “We gave away two easy goals and that shouldn’t be happening again, that was our let down today.”

On the team’s resurgent comeback from two goals down, Bamweyana said: “But again, I am proud of the boys, they came back, fought hard and tried to control things and for patches with moments of turbulence but I think we can do better on to the next games.”

On the overall game, Bamweyana explained: “We were the better team on the pitch and we should walk away with all points but it wasn’t our day.

“We had very good chances to win especially in the second half including one on one situations but it wasn’t meant to be our day.”

Bamweyana made four changes from the starting team against Police, handing Samson Kiirya his first game in over three years, Kasule his senior start, Lawrence Bukenya his first game, and Karim Ndugwa.

Wakiso started brightly with the man of the match Mugume forcing Mutakubwa into saving his two well-weighed crosses into the area.

But it was unfortunate as they went down in the 11th minute when Buyala slotted home after Kiirya had stopped Matovu’s shot from a free-kick on the edge of the box.

Four minutes later, Saaka made it 2-0 for the visitors with an easy tap-in after the Sharks failed to clear their lines.

However, Wakiso pulled a goal back when a good move initiated by Bukenya saw Ssenyonjo pass to the marauding Simon Namwanja, whose cutback found Kasule, who beat his marker and slotted past Mutakubwa.

The game was level six minutes to half-time thanks to Mugume’s strike after getting on the end of a good cross from the right by Amos Muwonge.

Wakiso will now prepare to host champions Vipers SC on Saturday.

Young Africans (Yanga SC) head coach Cedric Kaze has wondered why his side did not score more than two goals against Ruvu Shooting in a Mainland Premier League tie at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on December 6.

Yanga pulled off a 2-1 victory to keep their good run in the season going but the Burundian coach feels Timu ya Wananchi would have had more goals had they been clinical enough against a side that inflicted a 1-0 loss against their arch-rivals Simba SC.

“We faced a well-organised side who have a very experienced coach and who understand the league better, but we managed to make a statement that we are in the league to compete,” the former Vital’O coach told Daily News.

“Looking at that game from a technical perspective, one wonders why we only managed to score just two goals as we had instances where we could have got more than two goals.

“We squandered a lot of chances but the good thing is that we managed to get three points from a very difficult team.”

The next game for the record champions will be a clash against Mwadui FC on December 12 but Kaze has underlined the importance of his players remaining consistent.

“The most important thing is for the payers to maintain consistency in all games and not only in one game,” the coach, whose side have not been defeated in 14 games and with 34 points, added.

Kaze also explained why the arrival of Saidi Ntizanbonkiza, a Burundian free agent who was recently signed, will add more confidence to the players.

“Failing to score does not mean a player is bad but sometimes that happens because of low confidence. With Ntibanzonkiza’s arrival, definitely confidence of some players will improve,” he concluded.

The Burundian's arrival fuelled speculation around Yacouba Sogne’s future. Sogne is among the players signed in the last transfer window but rumours have it that he might leave the club in December.

There are is speculation around Farouk Shikhalo’s future, who has found it hard to dislodge Metacha Mnata from the starting XI.

Since signing for Yanga, the former Bandari and Posta Rangers goalkeeper has always had to contend with a place on the bench alongside Ramadhan Kabwili.

Didier Drogba has thanked the players from both Paris Saint-Germain and Istanbul Basaksehir for walking off the pitch in the fight against racism, with new officials having already been confirmed for the postponed Champions League match.

PSG welcomed Turkish side Basaksehir to Parc des Princes for a crucial Group H decider on Tuesday night, knowing that a win or a draw would see them qualify for the round of 16.

However, the contest only lasted 14 minutes before play was halted, as fourth official Sebastian Coltescu was accused of using racially offensive language towards Basaksehir assistant coach Pierre Webo.

Webo was sent off for his role in the argument, which caused the away side to walk off the pitch in protest, and PSG followed soon after in a display of unity against racial prejudice, which Drogba was pleased to see.

The Chelsea legend's former team-mate Demba Ba was heard remonstrating with Coltescu as he leapt off the substitutes' bench, asking the question: "Why, when you mention a Black guy, do you have to say 'this Black guy'?"

Drogba posted a video of Ba's protests on social media and praised the actions of both sets of players after the match was officially called off, writing on Twitter: "Thank you Demba Ba and Achille Webo for standing out and to the players for leaving the field."

UEFA has confirmed a new set of match officials will be used when the game is restarted at 5:55pm GMT (12:55pm ET) on Wednesday evening in an official statement on their website, which reads: "UEFA has - after discussion with both clubs - decided on an exceptional basis to have the remaining minutes of the match played with a new team of match officials.

"A thorough investigation on the incident that took place will be opened immediately."

PSG ended up qualifying for the Champions League knockout stages despite their fixture being pushed back by a day after Manchester United suffered a 3-2 defeat away at RB Leipzig.

The French champions' superior head-to-head record against the Red Devils means they will progress regardless of whether they go on to pick up a positive result against Basaksehir.

Uganda Revenue Authority (URA FC) coach Sam Ssimbwa has stated they deserved to win their Ugandan Premier League (UPL) match against Soltilo Bright Stars on Tuesday.

The Taxmen were playing their first home match for the 2020-21 campaign at the Arena of Visions in Ndejje but could only manage a 0-0 draw against a very defensive Bright Stars side.

Ssimbwa, who has also coached Kenyan side Sofapaka, has now said his side played fairly well despite missing two of their key strikers, and that they deserved to get a better result than the draw.

“We played above average and to me, I think we should have taken the day because we created scoring chances, unfortunately, our main striker of the day Steven [Mukwala] didn’t do what he was supposed to do,” Ssimbwa told reporters after the match.

“I am worried that my team is not scoring goals, and you know my top two strikers are out because of Covid-19 and this time around we even changed the formation, playing two strikers but if I could bring [Chikongo] back, that is our striker, he can solve the problem for us, but I hope it won’t continue.”

On their next fixture against SC Villa on Saturday, Ssimbwa said: “We are going back to the drawing board, to rectify mistakes which have hindered us from winning the game today [Tuesday].

“We shall sharpen the strikers, we shall also sharpen the attacking midfielders to see that if [Mukwala] doesn’t click alone, they can also assist us to score, we shall also organise our defending because we made some mistakes which could have resulted into us losing the match.”

Against Bright Stars, Ssimbwa made three changes to the team that started in the season opener against Mbarara City which ended in a 1-1 draw, Brian Majwega, Hudu Mulikyi, and Mutyaba Julius replaced Galiwango Ashraf, Katongole Faruk, and skipper Kagimu Shafik, respectively.

In the entire match, URA could only manage two chances, one from Ivan Sserubiri in the first 10 minutes and another by Michael Birungi in the 36th minute which all went begging.

URA will have a chance to make things right when they play at home against SC Villa on Saturday.

Ugandan left-back Fred Nkata has confirmed he will leave Football Kenya Federation Premier League side Bandari after his contract ends in December.

The former Sports Club Villa defender signed for Bandari in 2016 and worked with his Premier League-winning father Paul Nkata, and is now destined for a new challenge, as his time with the Mombasa club comes to an end.

“Good morning to the Bandari FC family,” Nkata wrote on his Facebook page. “It's with a heavy heart that I announce that I will be leaving Bandari at the end of my contract this year December 2020.

“It has been an incredible four years since I joined in January 2016. I leave with very good memories that will always remind me I have a home and a family here and people with whom I have made an everlasting bond.”

Nkata explained why he joined Bandari, where he went to feature in the SportPesa Super Cup final in 2018, the FKF Shield Cup final and in the Caf Confederation Cup up to the first round in 2019 alongside his compatriot William Wadri.

“When I chose to come to Bandari, it was to give my all and help to elevate the club to greater heights and I feel we achieved that,” he added.

“The reasons are solely footballing ones and I feel that now is the time to take another step in the right direction.”

The defender also named individuals whom he said were key during his time with the coastal side.

“I would like to express my sincere gratitude and absolute appreciation to the Bandari fans who made me feel at home and supported me every step of the way, through the highs and the lows, in triumph and in defeat, I say thank you very much,” the former Tusker defender concluded.

“I want to highlight my utmost respect for chairman Musa Hassan and Chief Executive Officer Edward Oduor for granting me the opportunity to serve Bandari FC.

“In a special way, I'd like to thank coach Paul Nkata, coach Bernard Mwalala and the entire coaching staff I have worked with, my teammates, the club administrators, the board and everyone who wakes up every day to try and take this club to greater heights.

“I wish the club all the best on their journey in the BetKing Premier League this season and future endeavours.”

Bandari, who will face Nairobi City Stars on December 14, were not as active as a number of Premier League sides during the last transfer window.

Gabriel Martinelli has given Arsenal a very welcome attacking boost after he returned to competitive action following nine months out injured.

The Brazilian striker played for the Gunners' Under-21 side on Tuesday night in their Papa John's Trophy clash with AFC Wimbledon. He started the game and played 45 minutes before being withdrawn at half-time.

Arsenal U21 went on to lose the game 3-0 to their League One opponents and ended the game with nine men after Tim Akinola and William Saliba were sent off in the final few minutes.

Martinelli has been out of action since March after suffering a serious knee injury in training, just as the 19-year-old was establishing himself as an important first-team player in Mikel Arteta's side.

The Brazilian scored 10 goals in all competitions last season - which is as many as Arsenal have managed as a collective in the Premier League after 11 games in the 2020-21 campaign.

Martinelli, whose injury kept him out of Arsenal's FA Cup and Community Shield triumphs earlier this year, signed a new contract at the club over the summer and in October gave a positive update about his recovery.

He said: “I’m feeling very well, I’m regaining confidence and I can feel my knee is better. After an injury like this you are kind of scared to force the knee again but the past couple of weeks it has been fine and soon I can start training with the ball.

“I think we have an excellent squad and along with Mikel’s forward-thinking and winning mentality we can carry on doing well. We are playing well and training well, everyone wants to win and we are all giving everything. I believe this season is very promising.

“We won trophies last season and I believe we can win this season again and also qualify for the Champions League.”

While Martinelli is nearing a first-team return, the Wimbledon defeat represents another blow for Saliba, who has failed to break into the Arsenal first-team picture since a big-money move from Saint-Etienne.

Saliba, who spent last season on loan back at the Ligue 1 club before returning to Arsenal to supposedly feature regularly for Arteta's side, was given a straight red card in the 90th minute at Plough Lane for a reckless tackle.

There is a "witch-hunt" to get Ole Gunnar Solskjaer out of Manchester United, according to Phil Neville, who insists the club's early Champions League exit is not a "disaster".

United missed the chance to book their place in the knockout stages of Europe's elite competition after losing 3-2 away at RB Leipzig on Tuesday night.

Solskjaer's men only needed a point to qualify, but found themselves two goals down after 13 minutes, with Manchester City loanee Angelino opening the scoring before setting up Amadou Haidara to increase the home side's lead.

The Red Devils fell even further behind midway through the second period after Justin Kluivert capitalised on hesitant defending from Harry Maguire and fearful goalkeeping from David de Gea to chip the ball into the net, leaving the visitors facing an uphill task in the final 20 minutes.

Bruno Fernandes was able to reduce the deficit from the penalty spot before Paul Pogba's goal set up a frantic finale, but Leipzig ultimately closed out the match to book their place in the Round of 16 for the second successive year.

There have again been calls for Solskjaer's head following another damaging defeat, with United once again struggling for consistency at the start of the 2020-21 campaign.

However, Neville thinks the Norwegian has been subjected to a lot of unfair criticism, and he has backed the Red Devils to respond by getting a positive result in Saturday's derby clash against Manchester City.

"There's an awful narrative where the minute United lose a game it seems like a disaster,” the treble winner, who formed part of the club's famous class of '92, told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"It's not a disaster tonight, but it's disappointing. United wanted to be in the last 16.

"There are Manchester United teams in the past with better managers than Ole Gunnar Solskjaer - like Sir Alex Ferguson - which have gone out at this stage. It does happen, it has happened.

"It's quite a freakish time at the moment. There are managers in the Premier League who are below United in the league but have great reputations and don't get the stick Solskjaer gets.

"If United win on Saturday - and Ole's teams tend to do well in big moments, I think Saturday is a big moment for the manager and for the players.

"They played poorly in the first 30 minutes, they got punished in a group which was really, really difficult and they're out of the competition. They're now in the Europa League, they've got to go out and win that.

"The narrative from inside the club is far, far different to that outside the club, where it seems there's a total witch-hunt to get this boy out of the job."

SC Villa coach Edward Kaziba has explained the importance of winning their first home match against Mbarara City in the Ugandan Premier League (UPL) on Wednesday.

The Jogoos had opened the 2020-21 campaign with a 2-2 draw against BUL FC and will now return home for their second match at Bombo Military Barracks Grounds in Bombo.

Coach Kaziba has now maintained they must strive to get a win in the home game, saying it will set their pace to reach some of the targets they have earmarked for the season.

“The first home game of the season is always important, and we are fully aware of this,” Kaziba told the club’s official website ahead of the match. “We need to start off our home games with a win.”

On whether the team has any injury concerns from the last fixture, Kaziba said: “We don’t have any injuries in the team, having passed the last fitness test in our previous fixture, Derrick [Ndahiro] is now fully fit.

“Benson [Muhindo] will sit out this game due to a red card he received on matchday one and shot-stopper Saidi Keni remains out as we complete the paperwork for licensing and Mohammedi Nsereko also returns to the squad and he is available for selection.”

About the team having never lost to Mbarara City in a home fixture, Kaziba said: “That is a good piece of history but that is in the past now. A lot of things have changed since then; we are going into this game basing on the present conditions not the past.”

Villa midfielder Emmanuel Alex Wasswa is confident they have prepared well to start their home matches with a win.

“I am very prepared for the game; the coaching staff have been taking the team through all the necessary drills. We are ready for the game," he told the same publication.

“In the same fixture last season, we beat Mbarara 3-1 so we will not settle for less. Since this is our first home game this season, we hope to win.”

Villa will, however, play the fixture without fans owing to the strict Covid-19 pandemic standard operating procedures set by Uganda’s Ministry of Health.