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Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo has suggested Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi is suffering from a psychological problem that has nothing to do with on-field issues.

Pirlo is preparing his side for a meeting with Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday - with both sides already guaranteed to progress to the knockout stages of the competition.

Barcelona’s positive form in Europe is in stark contrast to their struggles on the domestic front, as they trail Liga leaders Atletico Madrid by 12 points.

The club’s struggles mirror those of Messi, who has been a long way short of his scintillating best so far this term - albeit he has seven goals to his name.

Pirlo does not believe Messi's talent is on the wane, rather he feels the Argentina superstar's struggles date back to the off-season when he was linked with a move away from the club.

"[Messi] is at a special moment in his life, not in his career, because he had a problem this summer," Pirlo is quoted by Marca as saying in a press conference on Monday. "[It's about] whether he would stay at Barcelona or not.

"But during games he has always shown his value. More than a football [issue], he probably has a psychological problem, but I don't want to go into it, as it has nothing to do with us.

"Messi is a phenomenon and he has shown it."

Juventus trail Barca by three points, and the Catalans have a vastly superior goal difference - meaning the Serie A side need a big win to top the group.

Pirlo is aware and with progress to the next round already secured, he will give his side the green light to go on the attack at Camp Nou.

"We have nothing to lose,” Pirlo said. “We can play an open game. We are aware of the mistakes we made in the first leg.

"It will be a very difficult game because we will have to suffer, but we will have our chances and we have to take advantage of them.”

There will be plenty of eyes on Cristiano Ronaldo upon his return to Spain to face off against his old rival Messi. Pirlo was asked for his opinion on the pair, but remained on the fence - saying “they are two phenomenons.”

Jamie Carragher has urged Manchester United to “get rid” of Paul Pogba following the latest inflammatory comments from the player’s agent.

With United preparing for a crunch UEFA Champions League tie with RB Leipzig on Tuesday, agent Mino Raiola threatened to take the focus away from the game by saying, “I can say that it’s over for Paul Pogba at Manchester United.”

Former Red Devils full-back Gary Neville hit out at Raiola for the timing of his comments, and Carragher has taken aim at the player and his agent - and urged the club to move him on.

When asked on Sky Sports for his views on how United should respond, Carragher said: "Get rid. I have been saying this for 12 months. 

"Oh my god, he is the most overrated player I have seen in my life."

Carragher feels Pogba would have been well aware of what Raiola was planning to say, and did not hold back with his views.

"I think the two of them are a disgrace," he said. "We will all look at the agent now, and say ‘ask Pogba what he thinks.’ 

"Agents in this day and age are not just agents, they are a parent, the best friend, the financial advisor, they book holidays; they go away together.

"He will be Pogba’s best mate, so Pogba will be well aware of what was going to come out of his mouth. And if he wasn’t, he should sack his agent."

While Carragher feels United should sell, he is unsure where the France international will go - and says he would be "flabbergasted" if Barcelona or Real Madrid stepped in.

"I don’t know where he’s going to go," Carragher said. "Who is going to have him? 

"Manchester United want rid of him. Don’t kid yourself.  Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been playing Scott McTominay and Fred in front of him and he put him in [against West Ham] as he was resting players.

"There are only two clubs better than Man United, and that’s Barcelona and Real Madrid. By better, I mean who players you can understand going to. So [Cristiano] Ronaldo goes from Manchester United to Real Madrid. Everyone sees Barcelona and Real Madrid as the pinnacle of club football.

"There is no chance in the world Real Madrid or Barcelona will buy him. I will be flabbergasted if they come in for him.

"Maybe there is a French thing with [Zinedine] Zidane. But I would not go anywhere near him."

Gareth Southgate will not set strict boundaries when it comes to team discipline but the England boss expects his players to be "reliable" and "good ambassadors".

Harry Maguire, Phil Foden and Mason Greenwood have all been involved in high-profile incidents in recent months that led to them being dropped from Three Lions duty. 

A breach of coronavirus isolation rules while in Iceland proved costly for Manchester City playmaker Foden and Manchester United forward Greenwood in September. 

The pair appeared to be shown in a Snapchat video posted by one of the women they were said to be socialising with at England's team hotel in Iceland, a meeting then forbidden under the country's strict rules in response to Covid-19.

Both were sent home and missed a subsequent game against Denmark, although Foden was recalled for England's matches against Republic of Ireland, Belgium and Iceland last month. 

Maguire was also in the headlines for the wrong reasons in August after he was arrested while on holiday on the Greek island of Mykonos.

The 27-year-old – who was originally selected, then dropped from the October internationals – is appealing a suspended prison sentence after he was found guilty of aggravated assault, resisting arrest and attempted bribery.

While Southgate is not prepared to lay down strict rules for his players, he does expect them to conduct themselves in a professional manner at all times. 

"I would think every club is going to want to minimise the issues," he told a media conference. 

"On a broader level, I mentioned the responsibilities of being an England player. That shows the change of landscape for any players involved with us. 

"We want the country to connect with the team, be proud of the team and that they are good ambassadors for everything we are trying to do. 

"Reliability is part of our criteria. I'm not going to say this is the line, and anyone who crosses it we don't consider, but we're always observing how professional they are and how they will be if they are away with us for 35-40 days. All of that has to come into our thinking."

Southgate was speaking after England were drawn against Poland, Hungary, Albania, Andorra and San Marino in Group I for 2022 World Cup qualifying.

That means a meeting with Poland striker Robert Lewandowski, who has started the season in scintillating form for Bayern Munich.

After 55 goals across all competitions last term for the Bundesliga and Champions League winners, Lewandowski has already plundered 15 goals this campaign. 

Southgate is an admirer of the 32-year-old and says his defenders will relish the opportunity to try and shackle one of the world's best strikers. 

"He's an incredible finisher," Southgate added. "I love the way he plays. He's got an excellent all-round game, protecting the ball, bringing others into play. All different types of finishes. 

"He's a huge talisman for Poland. It's a great challenge for our defenders to come up against centre-forwards like that.

"In the modern game, there are not so many number nines, but Lewandowski is absolutely in that mould."

Television personality and Arsenal supporter Piers Morgan has accused Mesut Ozil of being the Gunners' equivalent of Paul Pogba in an extraordinary rant on social media.

Morgan and Ozil have regularly clashed on Twitter over the years, with their last exchange occurring shortly after the German international was axed from Arsenal's Premier League and Europa League squads.

The 32-year-old's exclusion has seen him fail to play a single minute for Mikel Arteta's Arsenal so far in the last season of his contract at the Emirates Stadium.

Despite his exile from the first team, many Arsenal fans still support Ozil, who joined the North London club in 2013 and helped them win three FA Cup titles.

The German international used his Twitter account to thank the Arsenal fans who have backed him during his tough period, posting a picture of himself playing at the Emirates Stadium with the crowd in the background.

"The feeling of having fans behind you... #grateful #bestfans #hardtimes," Ozil posted.

However, the tweet drew an angry response from Morgan, who accused Ozil of being Arsenal's equivalent of Pogba, with the TV personality insisting the playmaker was seflish and not supported by the club's true fans.

"Real Arsenal fans aren’t behind you. You’re our Paul Pogba - massively overpaid, massively under-performing, & shockingly overinflated sense of your own importance. #truth." Morgan tweeted.

Ozil promptly responded, calling Morgan "bitter".

Piers, buddy, are you still bitter from the other day?�‚It seems like you're not a big fan of World Champions �©�ª�«�·�† I wish you would see as good as you hear things ☎️�‚ https://t.co/oIka73MdfK

Morgan first started his war of words with Ozil back in April, when he accused the former Real Madrid star of being selfish when the Covid-19 pandemic was threatening jobs at Arsenal.

"People like Mesut Ozil who have just said: ‘Sorry, no. I may be one of the highest-paid players at Arsenal, one of the highest-paid in the world, I might be worth gazillions and sitting on my backside at the moment doing nothing, but no I’m not going to take a pay cut," Morgan on his Good Morning Britain show.

Morgan and Ozil also exchanged several tweets last month with the broadcaster reiterating his plea for the midfielder to leave Arsenal during a heated back-and-forth.

Ahead of Arsenal’s meeting with Leeds United at Elland Road on that weekend, Ozil wrote on Twitter: “Let's goooooo.”

The tweet prompted a response from Gunners fan Morgan, who said: "I wish you would, Mesut. For your sake and Arsenal’s."

Ozil chose to respond, and his answer could certainly raise a few eyebrows.

"Piers, was that really you, or was your phone hacked?" was Ozil’s response.

Jamie Carragher says Mesut Ozil is not the solution to Arsenal's problems and believes the Gunners will have to go through a difficult period before things get better.

Ozil is unavailable to play for the north London side because coach Mikel Arteta left him out of the 25-man squads for the Premier League and Europa League squads for the season.

But Arsenal have had a difficult start to the campaign as they sit 15th in the league with four wins from 11 matches. 

The club's crisis deepened on Sunday when north London rivals Tottenham beat them 2-0. Arteta said after the game that he is happy with the number of chances they are creating but admitted they "need to score goals" to save their season.

Carragher was asked if Ozil would provide the quality Arsenal need, but the former Liverpool defender says their problems lie much deeper than that.

"I don't think the answer is bringing Ozil in," he said while discussing the Germany international with former Arsenal star and caretaker manager Freddie Ljungberg on Sky Sports.

"When three managers decide not to fully back him, I know you [Ljungerg] used him more, than those managers did, but I think you had a situation where he came off and threw his gloves. Mikel Arteta doesn't use him, two managers, maybe three with [Ljungberg], are they all wrong, really?

"There's no doubt he's got quality, but we've spoken about Ozil so often over the last few years and I don't think he's the answer to fix Arsenal's problem. Why don't people pick him? There must be something. 

"There might be talk about [Arteta] being under pressure now, or the situation he's in, I wouldn't even think about Mikel Arteta's position. I really like Arteta.

"There's a lot of nonsense around the cub. I think some of the signings have been a joke, in terms of bringing Willian in, [David] Luiz in, Cedric [Soares] in. There's Kia Joorabchian making signings at the club.  

"Mikel Arteta brought in [Thomas] Partey and Gabriel, they look like Arsenal's two best players at this moment.

"They've had four managers and three CEOs since 2018, just stick with Arteta, but there's going to be a lot of pain for Arsenal."

Ljungberg, however, believes the former Real Madrid star would have made a difference in some matches.

"I don't say that Mesut should play every single week," he said. "When you play maybe [Manchester] City, who keep the ball a lot, you'll just defend all the time, so when you have possession or need to find that little cute pass, I don't think there are many better players than Mesut in doing that. Of course you lose a bit defensively.

"It's a decision they made, I don't know why. He's outside of the 25-man squad so they can't use him, but for those things I don't see many players better in the world."

Mason Greenwood has been given a spell out of the limelight for both Manchester United and England but Gareth Southgate was delighted to see him back amongst the goals against West Ham.

The 19-year-old put the Red Devils ahead at the London Stadium in a 3-1 win on Saturday and he looks set to start against RB Leipzig in a crucial Champions League clash.

However, his last few months have seen him struggle to have an impact with club and country. England dropped Greenwood in September over a breach of coronavirus quarantine guidelines in Iceland.

Subsequently, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has since spoken with Southgate with the two managers agreeing he should avoid international duty, while also taking a back step at his club.

Now, it appears as though the youngster is back in the fold at Old Trafford and Southgate is keen to see him keep performing ahead of the next international break in March.

"I think for all the young players that we have got that there’s a huge competition for places," Southgate told reporters through a Zoom video press conference. "I think with Mason, you see that his finish for United epitomises his biggest strength for me. One chance and a fantastic touch to put him in a position and the finish.

"That’s what we were seeing towards the end of last season which was why we called him in to the squad in September so with any young players they will have moments when they are flying and going well with dips.

"He has great support at his football club, he has got people who care for him there and we will bring him in and out of the team at the right times. Hopefully, he will get a run of games now. At a club like Man United, any game is important and you always have to perform under pressure.

"You always perform with high expectations which is great for their young players because they will already deal with what they have to deal with for England."

England saw their group for the World Cup qualifying announced today with Poland and Hungary the two strongest nations to be drawn alongside the 2018 semi-finalists.

The qualifier dates will be announced tomorrow and campaign begins in March ahead of Euro 2020, which was pushed back to 2021 due to Covid-19 related disruptions to the football calendar.

Southgate admits that he knows his strongest XI for the upcoming pan-European tournament and also his best squad.

"I think we know now what team we would play if the tournament was tomorrow," he added. "But we have got 20 league matches before we see the players again. That’s an enormous about of games to see where the players are and we will potentially lose some to injuries.

"There’s still such a long part of the season to be played, that’s why we constantly track the players who are playing and on the fringes of the squad. You hope to be by March to be six weeks away from naming a final squad.

"So you will hope that’s what you have got for the summer but then there’s still another six or seven games. History says you might lose a few in that spell. We are pretty clear on what our long list would be, what it would look like for 23 and what our first XI would be."

Bengaluru FC have a game in hand as they face NorthEast United in the ongoing Indian Super League (ISL) at the Fatorda Stadium, on Tuesday evening.

TV CHANNELS & LIVE STREAM

The Star Sports Network have the exclusive broadcasting rights of the ISL in India.

Commentary will also be available in vernacular languages across India.

TEAM NEWS

Bengaluru FC Possible XI:   

Injured - None
Doubtful - None
Suspended - None

Key Players - Sunil Chhetri, Cleiton Silva     

NorthEast United Possible XI: 

Injured - None
Doubtful - None
Suspended - None

Key Players - Benjamin Lambot, Idrissa Sylla

Gary Neville has described Mino Raiola’s comments about Paul Pogba’s stint at Manchester United being over as “terrible timing,” and urged the player to correct the record if the statement is untrue.

Raiola gave a lengthy interview to Tuttosport, which will be published in full on Tuesday, and the headline announcement was the line where he said “I can say that it’s over for Paul Pogba at Manchester United. 

"Paul is unhappy with Man United as he is no longer able to express himself in the way that he would like and as he is expected to. Paul needs a new team, a change of air.”

The comments became headline news, and are threatening to overshadow the build-up to United’s must-not-lose clash with RB Leipzig in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday.

Raiola’s statement emerged following Red Devils boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s pre-game press conference, so the views of the Norwegian are not known.

However, It is likely that he will take a dim view of them - as has Red Devils legend Neville.

Taking to Twitter, the former full-back wrote: "Raiola - It’s happened many times before. 

“However surely Paul knew he was making this announcement? If he wasn’t aware then we should see a quote from him very soon correcting his agent. 

“Finally to do this ahead of Leipzig and the Man Derby is terrible timing for the team.”

United sit top of Champions League Group H, level on nine points with Paris Saint-Germain and Leipzig. 

A win or a draw in Leipzig would see the Red Devils progress to the knockout stages, but a defeat would in all probability result in them dropping into the Europa League as PSG are strong favourites to beat Basaksehir at home.

Following the trip to Leipzig, United entertain Manchester City at Old Trafford on Saturday.

With United sitting in sixth in the table, one point ahead of City, the Premier League game is of huge significance.

As such, Solskjaer will want total focus on the games at hand as opposed to a big-name player grabbing transfer headlines.

Raiola’s comments came a couple of days after Pogba netted only his second goal of the season in the win at West Ham on Saturday.

England manager Gareth Southgate has picked Poland superstar Robert Lewandowski as the biggest threat to his nation after the announcement of UEFA's World Cup qualifying groups for Qatar 2022.

The Three Lions were drawn into a group of six alongside Poland, Hungary, Albania, Andorra and San Marino, with the winner qualifying directly for next year's tournament.

With Poland and Hungary likely to be England's biggest threat to reaching the World Cup finals on a seventh consecutive occasion, Southgate singled out Lewandowski, who was arguably the Ballon d'Or favourite for this year before the award was cancelled due to Covid-19.

The Bayern Munich striker scored an extraordinary 55 goals last season as he led the Bavarians to the Champions League title and their eighth consecutive Bundesliga title.

"He's a fantastic player and he's as good of a number nine as there is," Southgate said.

"When you look at him, Harry Kane and [Romelu] Lukaku they are the number nines you think of as the best from around Europe.

"He is a player who can hurt you and his record for his country is phenomenally good. That's the challenge we will face at some point but let's see what the fixtures throw up tomorrow."

Despite England being hot favourites to win the group, Southgate was wary of the fixtures against Poland and Hungary, with the latter recently having success in the Nations League.

The Three Lions coach believes opposition players are keen to put themselves in the shop window for the Premier League and matches against England are a good opportunity to do that.

"Everyone has a mix of teams, Poland are a very good side, Hungary just got promoted into the Nations League top division so those two in particular will be tough games," Southgate said.

"The rest will be games that when I have played or managed with England are complicated games to navigate. Ultimately, it will be about what we do.

"Poland at Wembley and Poland in Poland is a game with great history. There was a period where we seemed to draw them every time so it is historic like the Hungary one as well.

"There's always an incentive for these nations to play well, put themselves on the map and try to put themselves in the sights of Premier League clubs so there's always a lot of incentives for the opposition."

Despite lavishing praise on Poland's talisman Lewandowski, Southgate was quick to single out England captain Harry Kane for compliments.

The manager believes Kane has grown as a leader in recent months and his leadership is starting to have a positive effect on the team performance.

"Not only are [Kane's] performances for us strong but his leadership is growing all the time," he said.

"He is growing with that responsibility and he is recognising the moment where his voice and attitude and mentality to training with interactions with other players is having a huge effect.

"So he really is growing as a captain and leader. It is not an easy thing to do. Captaincy is learned and leadership is learned. He has a lot of natural parts of that which he does without even realising.

"I thought in the last few months in particular he stepped up in other areas. We finished with a strong performance and a lot of young players on the field [with a win over Iceland]. They look to him as an inspiring player to play for and with."

The World Cup qualifying fixtures will begin in March 2021, with the group stage to be finished by November and the playoffs to conclude the qualification process in March 2022.

While the group winner will automatically qualify for Qatar 2022, the 10 group runners-up will go into the playoffs in March 2022, where they will be joined by the two best group winners of the 2020/21 Nations League that have neither qualified directly for the final tournament as group winners, nor entered the play-offs already as runners-up.

The 12 teams will then be drawn into three play-off paths for one-off semi-finals and a final, with the three path winners qualifying for the World Cup.

Caleb Ekuban was on target as Trabzonspor settled for a 1-1 draw with Sivasspor in Monday’s Turkish Super Lig encounter.

Nigeria’s Anthony Nwakaeme was ruled out of the encounter having suffered a muscle strain to his right thigh posterior muscle during training, while his injured compatriot Kayode Olanrewaju was expectedly ruled out.

Having lost their last two games across all competitions, the Braves came to the Medical Park Stadium with the ambition of arresting their poor form. Luckily for them, they returned home with just one point.

Sivasspor began the game on a cheerful note and went close to scoring in the third minute but Mustapha Yatabare was unable to beat goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakır.

The hosts had their chances too but Congolese Benik Afobe was a major culprit for missing clear-cut opportunities.

With the tight first-half heading for a goalless draw, Ekuban curled in a low shot past Malian goalkeeper Mamadou Samassa after receiving a pass from Turkish midfielder Abdulkadir Omur.

The second-half got off to an explosive restart with Rıza Calımbay’s men trying all their possible best to cancel the deficit.

They achieved that 14 minutes from full-time through Hakan Arslan who pounced home a short pass from Yatabare – which left Cakir stranded.

Despite a late surge from the hosts to get the winner, the encounter finished on a no winner, no vanquished note.

After playing for 67 minutes, on loan Stoke City striker Afobe was replaced by Mali international as Ekuban whose strike was his first of the 2020-21 league season saw every minute of action. Cape Verde international Djaniny was not listed for the game by manager Abdullah Avcı.

On the other side, Cote d’Ivoire’s Max Gradel, Gabon’s Aaron Appindangoye, Morocco’s Faycal Fajr and Samassa were in action for Sivasspor from start to finish.

Yatabare was substituted for Ghana’s Isaac Cofie in the closing stages of the fixture while Cote d'Ivoire's Arouna Kone was introduced for Chad's Casimir Ninga in the 56th minute.

Thanks to this result, Ekuban’s Trabzonspor occupy the 12th position in the log with 13 points from 11 games, while Sivasspor who take on Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv in Thursday’s Europa League encounter are 16th with 10 points from 10 fixtures.

Frank Lampard is hopeful that Hakim Ziyech’s hamstring injury only proves to be a minor problem.

The Moroccan only lasted 30 minutes of Chelsea’s 3-1 win over Leeds United on Saturday, and is due to receive the results of a scan on Tuesday.

Having spoken with the forward, Lampard gets the impression it is a problem that will sideline the player for weeks rather than months.

“He came to us at the back end of last season and trained a lot,” Lampard said of the signing from Ajax. “The injury [in pre-season] was disappointing and he missed some weeks, but straightaway he showed his intensity to work in the gym and on the training pitches as soon as he was back, and that was why he hit the ground running when he came into the team.

“I hope this is a minor injury. The feeling he had since the game is that it doesn’t feel too bad, which I’m hoping means we’ll be talking a couple of weeks, but we will wait for the scan.

“I’m not worried too much, he’s a fit lad, and he’s shown he will be an important player for us.”

Ziyech is definitely out of the Champions League clash with Krasnodar on Tuesday, but having already qualified it hands Lampard the chance to rotate his pack.

Lamard confirmed Kepa Arrizabalaga will take over in goal, and Billy Gilmour will start in midfield.

The manager stressed that he wants his players to get through the game without further injuries.

Asked about what he wants from the game, Lampard said: “Certainly no injuries, and some minutes for people who have not played as much as they would want and to show they deserve to play more, and to gain some more match fitness.

“You can’t switch the idea of winning on and off, so I want to see the right attitude in how we approach the game.”

Following the meeting with Krasnodar, Chelsea have games with Everton, Wolves, West Ham, Arsenal and Aston Villa before the turn of the year.

With Chelsea third in the table, the run of five games could shape their title challenge - and Lampard would like Ziyech to feature in a couple of those contests.

Manchester United head into their final Champions League 2020-21 group stage fixture top of Group H, but they still face a tough task to ensure they qualify for the last 16.

Man Utd, Paris Saint-Germain and RB Leipzig all sitt on nine points apiece in Group H, with the race for knockout stage qualification going right down to the wire.

Goal has what you need to know about what Man Utd need to qualify for the next stage of the Champions League.

Man Utd need at least one point - or a draw - away against RB Leipzig to progress to the knockout stage.

This is due to Man Utd having a superior head-to-head against Leipzig, who they beat 5-0 in the first leg.

They cannot qualify if they lose to RB Leipzig, even if PSG lose their final game against Istanbul Basaksehir..

Losing to RB Leipzig will see Man Utd drop down to the Europa League, and Leipzig and PSG progressing.

This is because Neymar's stoppage-time goal in Man Utd's 3-1 loss to PSG means that the French giants hold the superior head-to-head record between the two clubs. So in the event of both Man Utd and PSG losing, PSG will progress based on their head-to-head.

If both Man Utd and PSG draw their final games - with the duo plus RB Leipzig all finishing on 10 points - then Man Utd would win the group, PSG would finish second and RB Leipzig would enter the Europa League.

The Red Devils scuppered the opportunity to qualify for the knockout stages with an extra game when they lost to PSG at Old Trafford in matchday five.

Champions League 2020-21 knockouts: What does each team need to qualify for last 16?

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's team needed just a point against the French heavyweights to qualify, but the defeat means that they will now absolutely need at least a point to keep their Champions League dreams alive.

PSG are in pole position to qualify for the Champions League last 16, and need just a point at home to Istanbul Basaksehir to ensure progression.

They will top the group with a win against the Turkish side at the Parc des Princes.

Solskjaer has called for his United side to go into Tuesday's game at the Red Bull Arena looking for a victory, saying: "You can’t sit back and hope for a 0-0 draw. That’s not in our genes, it’s not in the team’s genes, it’s not in the club’s genes, we want to go out there and win a game.

"We showed that against PSG that we wanted to go out and create chances and we’ll do that again."

Didier Deschamps said agents can "say what they want" after Paul Pogba's representative claimed the France international wants to leave Manchester United perhaps as soon as January. 

Mino Raiola gave an interview to Tuttosport, which will be published in full on Tuesday, stating United should let the 27-year-old leave when the transfer window opens as he has no intention of extending his contract past 2022.

Pogba – who has scored two goals in 13 appearances this season – has been regularly linked with moves to Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and former club Juventus.

"Paul is unhappy... He has to change teams; he has a change of air," Raiola said. "He has a contract that will expire in a year and a half, but I think the best solution for the parties is to sell him in the next market."

Pogba’s international coach, Deschamps, is not interested in Raiola's remarks, though, insisting Pogba's current status as a United player is the only thing that matters.

"If I start reacting to the reactions of the agent, the uncle, the dog, the grandfather or the grandmother… they say what they want," he told a media conference. "For me, the important thing is the player. They have career decisions to make.

"It's early December and Paul is in Manchester, even though we don't know what might happen.

"Some will be able to change clubs. I can give an opinion if they ask me, but certainly not advice. It's their career and it's up to them to make their choices."

Deschamps is happy to see France striker Olivier Giroud impress at Chelsea, with the 34-year-old on a run of six goals in three matches.

"We often talk about Olivier. He is often decried. I say it over and over again, many things are unfair to him," the coach said.

"He has this strength of character. He has done everything to maintain himself athletically. When he is called upon, he scores. When he doesn't score, he is always useful.

"I always thought it was better to have him with you than against you. I'm glad he's going through a happier time, hoping it can last."

Deschamps was speaking after his France side were drawn against Ukraine, Finland, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kazakhstan for 2022 World Cup qualifying.

The holders – ranked second in the world – are expected to cruise through Group D, but Deschamps is refusing to get carried away. 

"We can have different interpretations of a draw," he said. "We know Ukraine and Finland very well, having met them recently. But we have never played Kazakhstan, for example. The trips will be very long. 

"We will have to wait until Tuesday evening to have the schedule. This may bring additional difficulties. I'm not going to jump to the ceiling. You always have to have enough humility and respect for these teams.

"France are favourites, but we will have to do what is necessary on the ground. We're seeded, so obviously we're supposed to be the best team. We will have to see if this is an advantage or a disadvantage."

Frank Lampard has brushed off concerns over the form of Kai Havertz and Timo Werner, with the Chelsea boss backing the pair to be top-class players for the Blues.

Havertz and Werner were big-money arrivals earlier this year, and have shown flashes of quality.

Werner has eight goals to his name since making the move from RB Leipzig, but has squandered a number of chances - with the one from a yard out against Leeds United at the weekend the most striking.

Lampard is happy with how the Germany international has fitted in at Stamford Bridge, and feels he will prove to be a “huge player” for the club.

“I’ve got no worries about Timo,” Lampard said ahead of his side's meeting with Krasnodar in the Champions League on Tuesday. ”I think he’s come into this league, he’s made a big impact straight away. His speed, his direct nature, things he’s creating for the team, the fact he’s getting lots of chances, he makes lots of chances through his explosive nature and his eye to be in the right areas. And that I love. 

“I’ve got no worries about him. Timo’s going to be a huge player for this club.”

Havertz had to overcome Covid-19, and given how ill he was Lampard is happy with his transition from Bayer Leverkusen.

“He had really strong symptoms of Covid, he was very ill and struggling for quite a while,” Lampard said. "Some of the players have had it like that, some have been symptom-free so we had to factor that in and that’s why it took two or so weeks before he was starting again once he returned from Covid.

“Going into when he fell ill, his form was fantastic and he was playing some really good stuff. 

“He was playing in the No. 8 role, the advanced midfield role, and I was delighted for him because you could see he was enjoying it and then obviously Covid cut that short.

“Long-term, I’ve got absolutely no worries about Kai – in fact it’s the opposite. I know he’s going to be a huge player for this football club, in the Premier League. 

“He has all the attributes, all the personality, all the attitude and he’s going to be an absolutely top-class player for me, in the Premier League and in the world.”

Andrea Pirlo agrees with Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman that it is wrong to pick a favourite between Lionel Messi and Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo. 

The debate over which of the multiple Ballons d'Or, Champions League and league winners is the best player around today has raged on for over a decade.

The discussion has come to the fore again as the two stars will go head-to-head once again on Tuesday when Barcelona host Juventus in the final game of the Champions League group stage.

Koeman was asked for his say on the topic, but refused to be drawn on it. He said: "It’s not nice to say who is better because both are incredible, I admire both players because they have given us so many nice evenings with great goals, great titles."

Juve coach Pirlo says he is just grateful to see the two stars dominate the sport, telling reporters in a press conference: "Koeman was right, it would be wrong to say who is better between Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. They are two phenomenons that put on spectacles for millions of fans. We just have to thank them."

Ronaldo has scored 10 goals in nine appearances for the Turin side this season and Pirlo is happy to see him in good form. 

"If Cristiano is in good form it means that he is in the right place at the right time and we are good at giving him the ball," he said.

Juve and Barca are guaranteed to go through to the next round of the Champions League, but the two sides have had inconsistent starts to their league campaigns.

While the Italian side are six points behind league leaders AC Milan, Koeman's side are said to be in crisis as they sit 12 points adrift of the top after losing 2-1 to Cadiz at the weekend.

Pirlo, though, believes the Spanish side will bounce back before long and says his side must be at their best when they visit Camp Nou.

"I don't believe at all that they are in crisis. They have strong players and a coach who is putting his ideas together, he needs time like us," he said.

"It's strange to see them struggling in La Liga, but it's normal, they had a season with two coaches and now there is a third, it is normal to have to find better solutions with the players to find the right conditions. They will recover in the league as well. 

"They are a great team and tomorrow we'll have a very good performance. Compared to the first game, we must be better out of possession and be closer to the midfield and defensive lines.

Thomas Tuchel has trusted centre-back Presnel Kimpembe with a leadership role at Paris Saint-Germain after the departures of Thiago Silva and Edinson Cavani.

The 25-year-old rose through the club's youth academy to become a regular in the senior team for Tuchel.

Kimpembe has been trusted to captain the team in the absence of regular skipper Marquinhos in Ligue 1 and Champions League matches this year.

The German coach said that the France international has joined a group of leaders within the squad.

"Today, Presnel Kimpembe and Keylor Navas are in this group," Tuchel said when asked during a press conference how his most trusted players have changed this season.

"Otherwise it's the same group as last season with Marquinhos, Kylian Mbappe and Marco Verratti. I can talk about more or less important things. We talk regularly, they speak for the team."

PSG take on Istanbul Basaksehir on Tuesday in Champions League and need just a point to book their place in the last 16. 

The Ligue 1 champions are in pole position to progress to the knockout stages after victories over RB Leipzig and Manchester United in their previous two games. 

They have won five of their last six matches at the Parc des Princes in the Champions League and will be confident of seeing off their Turkish opponents, who have conceded four goals in each of their last two games in the competition. 

But the coach says his players will do everything they can to seal a win that would see them top their group for a fourth consecutive season. 

"The first goal is to win and we don't want to think about anything else," said the PSG boss. 

"I want us to show the same respect to the game and to the opponent as the last games. First, we have to do everything to win.

"We must respect the game and Basaksehir. It's the Champions League and easy matches don't exist.

"The most important thing is that we use our qualities and our brains to play the match at 100 per cent.

"We have to defend with a lot of energy. I ask for the same energy and effort as against Manchester United.

"We can't give the opponent the slightest space as they are capable of making very dangerous counter-attacks. It's a third final and we will prepare the team to win this third consecutive final.

"If we finish first, that will give us the opportunity to play away first and then the second game at home in the last 16."

Tuchel confirmed Juan Bernat (knee), Mauro Icardi (groin) and Pablo Sarabia (hamstring) will miss Tuesday's clash, but he confirmed Julian Draxler is likely to return after recovering from a thigh injury. 

Should Draxler play, he could line-up alongside Rafinha, who has impressed Tuchel since his move from Barcelona in October, having made two assists in six Ligue 1 games. 

"I have always been a fan of his, he is exceptional," Tuchel said. "He has always played giving everything for the team and he has all the qualities to play in our team. 

"He had a lot of bad luck with his injuries, but I'm not surprised. Everything I expect from a Barcelona player I can see with him. He is humble, super pleasant and he always has a smile in training. 

"He always thinks of the team. He has technical and tactical qualities. Now the challenge is to keep him in good shape. 

"He gives a lot of volume to our game and, right now, he's super important. Everyone would like to have a player like him on their team. It's great to be his trainer."

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been going head-to-head in football for over a decade and their magnificence at the very top of the game means both are firmly in the GOAT category.

Games between the rivals have been reduced after Ronaldo's departure from Real Madrid in 2018, but they can still come up against one another in the Champions League.

Indeed, chance saw Barcelona and Juventus drawn together in the 2020-21 edition of the tournament so many fans are excited by the prospect of another showdown.

But who is the Champions League GOAT - Messi or Ronaldo? Goal takes a look at some of the stats.

Who has won more Champions Leagues?

Ronaldo has won the Champions League five times, which is one more such trophy in the cabinet than Messi, who has won it on four occasions.

While all of Messi's Champions League triumphs have come with Barcelona - the club he has spent his entire professional career with - Ronaldo has done it with two different clubs.

The Portugal star got his hands on the trophy for the first time in 2007-08 as a Manchester United player, before becoming the key player for Real Madrid on their way to four Champions League titles.

Ronaldo's last Champions League triumph came in 2018, during the end of Real Madrid's era of dominance, while Messi has been waiting longer to lift the trophy, having last won it in 2015.

Interestingly, despite being two years younger than Ronaldo, Messi was the first of the pair to get a Champions League winner's medal.

The Argentine was part of the successful Barca squad of 2005-06, playing in six Champions League games that season, scoring once. However, he did not feature at all in the final against Arsenal.

Who has won more Champions League top scorer awards?

Between them, Ronaldo and Messi topped the Champions League goalscoring charts for 12 consecutive seasons before Robert Lewandowski broke the run with 15 goals in 2019-20.

Ronaldo has finished as the top scorer in the Champions League on seven different occasions. Messi, meanwhile, has been the competition's top scorer in six different seasons.

Messi's best Champions League years in terms of top scorer awards came between 2008 and 2012 - during the reign of Pep Guardiola - as he was the best goal-getter for four seasons in a row.

Ronaldo dominanted for six seasons in a row from 2012-13 to 2017-18, though he was forced to share the limelight with Neymar and Messi in 2014-15.

Ronaldo has managed the best personal season between the two of them, bagging a record 17 goals in 2013-14. Messi's personal best in a single Champions League season is 14 goals (achieved in 2011-12).

The 2019-20 Champions League season was particularly poor for both players, with Ronaldo scoring four goals in eight games, while Messi scored just three in eight games.

Who has scored more Champions League goals?

When it comes to the question of the overall top goalscorer in the Champions League, Ronaldo is well ahead of Messi.

The Juventus star has scored a remarkable 132 goals in 173 games in the competition, meaning he boasts a goals-per-game ratio of 0.76. In addition to 132 goals in 173 Champions League games, Ronaldo scored one goal in four Champions League qualification games.

Ronaldo's knack for scoring goals in the continental tournament, as well as his 'big game' contributions on the way to the five titles, earned him the moniker 'Mr Champions League'.

Messi has scored 118 goals in 146 Champions League appearances and, while that is less than Ronaldo, the Barcelona star has a marginally better goals-per-game ratio (0.8)

He is 14 goals behind Ronaldo, but it is notable that he has played 27 fewer games than his perennial rival.

Assuming Ronaldo retires soon, Messi could well overtake him, should the Argentine continue to score at the rate he has been.

How many times have they played against each other in the Champions League?

While Ronaldo has more Champions League titles and holds the record for most Champions League goals, he has not had a good time when he has played directly against Messi.

Messi and Ronaldo have faced off in the Champions League on five occasions, with Messi coming out on top twice. Ronaldo has been on the winning side once (with Manchester United).

Ronaldo has never scored in the Champions League matches they have played against each other, but Messi has scored three, including a double in the Clasico Champions League semi-final in 2011.

Sofapaka head coach John Baraza has claimed their work has just begun after picking up a 3-1 win over Western Stima on Sunday in a Football Kenya Federation Premier League encounter in Wundanyi.

Goals from Ellie Asieche and Kepha Aswani were all Sofapaka needed. Batoto ba Mungu lost the opener after they went down to Bandari in Mombasa with a 1-0 scoreline.

“Yesterday [Sunday] was a must-win match for us, we had no option but to give a response and yes we did,” the former Harambee Stars winger told the club’s website.

“I am proud of the playing unit, they played to instructions, we created and utilised our chances. Work has just begun and we want to get positive results moving forward.”

Asieche, on his part, stated there was a great need to earn a win at home after the initial loss against the Dockers at the coast.

“We were coming into the match after a loss whilst facing Stima who got a point in the first game,” the midfielder, who was confirmed as the captain when George Maelo left, said.

“Equally we were playing for the first time at home, thus pressure was on us to give a good response.

“I am glad we as a team did play our part because a win was needed to kick-start our season. My teammates gave a good statement on Sunday and we want to carry on from that day’s win.”

The next game for the 2009 Kenyan Premier League champions will be a tie against AFC Leopards on December 12.

It will be the toughest side for Baraza and his charges for AFC Leopards remain unbeaten after two wins against Tusker and Bidco United.

Ingwe also look solid and dangerous in how they launch their attacks. Despite a coaching change, AFC Leopards went on to pick up a 2-0 win over the FKF Premier League debutants at Kasarani and that marked the first game this season for interim manager Anthony Kimani.

Tomas Trucha resigned claiming life threats and that forced Ingwe to fall back on their former defender until further notice.