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Frank Lampard says he's not under "pressure" to play Kepa, and has admitted that Edouard Mendy is now a "permanent fixture" in the net after his bright start to life at Chelsea.

Chelsea spent a then-club record fee of £71 million ($95m) to sign Kepa from Athletic Club in the summer of 2018, having seen previous number one Thibaut Courtois complete his own big-money move to Real Madrid.

The Spanish goalkeeper has since struggled to live up to his hefty price tag, and saw his position come under threat for the first time under Frank Lampard last season due to his erratic form between the sticks.

The Blues boss dropped Kepa for veteran shot-stopper Willy Caballero on several occasions before the club decided to bring in a new keeper in the summer transfer window.

Edouard Mendy was drafted in from Rennes for £22m ($29m) in September, and the Senegalese star has quickly made the first-choice keeper slot at Stamford Bridge his own.

Mendy has started Chelsea's last six Premier League games, while Kepa has had to make do with the odd appearance in the Champions League after losing his place.

Lampard has dismissed any suggestion that the 26-year-old will eventually be restored to his line-up because of how much the club invested in his talent two years ago, insisting he picks his team based on form rather than status.

He also revealed that Kepa will return to his starting XI for the Blues' final Champions League group-stage outing against Krasnodar on Tuesday, telling a press conference: "There’s no pressure [to pick Kepa], and I am not saying it is being spoken about, it is to win games.

"I do that through selections game-by-game and Mendy, of course, has made himself a permanent fixture at this point. 

"The pressure to win games means I pick people in form whether it is a striker, winger or goalkeeper, whoever. At the same time, the game tomorrow is a chance to give Edou a rest and give Kepa a game. 

"He is training well and he deserves it."

Asked how Kepa has reacted to the extra competition for places at the Bridge following Mendy's arrival, Lampard responded: "How he has been with Edou is very supportive with him. I see that and I see it from afar sometimes as they work together with Hilario [goalkeeper coach] a lot. 

"What I do see when I watch from afar and we are in hotel rooms a lot at the moment is that he is someone who is supporting him quietly, which is right. 

"He is also training well which is the main thing that I look at because the training particularly for goalkeepers, because of the one-on-one training nature, there can’t be one that drops their level. 

"They have to all push each other and I see that in the group and I am very pleased with that from Kepa. His reaction has been spot on."

Billy Gilmour is ready to battle for his spot at Chelsea after returning from a knee injury that he sustained in July, but Frank Lampard hasn't ruled out a January loan move for the youngster.

The 19-year-old signed for the Blues three and a half years ago in a £600,000 ($800,000) move from Rangers and he has since worked his way up into Lampard's first team. However, a knee injury sustained against Crystal Palace last season halted his progress after a headline-grabbing breakthrough in senior football.

The Blues have since spent £220 million ($275m) on new signings and climbed into league title contention since his recent return. Still, the Scotland Under-21 international is not hiding away from increased competition.

“I am a Chelsea player right now. I don’t know what the future holds, but I am proud to be here and playing games and will have to wait to see what happens,” Gilmour told reporters ahead of his side's Champions League clash with Krasnodar.

"The gaffer has been really good with me. He has been speaking to me while I have been injured. I need to work hard here and get my opportunity and when I do, hopefully, I take it and play well. It has been a long time out with my first major injury.

"I was disappointed to get it, but now I am back and feeling strong and I can’t wait to be going again. There has been a lot of new signings, good players, good additions to the squad and you can see the competition for places in the team is a good thing and that’s why we are playing so well.

"You can see they are good players that have come in, in the attacking sense we have been doing really well with the goals we’ve been scoring, but I need to focus on coming back into the team and playing again.

"Chelsea are a massive team and everyone knows the standards. That is why we are doing so well in the league."

Chelsea have qualified for the last-16 of the Champions League and confirmed their top spot with a game to spare after beating Sevilla 4-0 last time out.

In the final matchday of the group, Krasnodar will visit Stamford Bridge with little to play for, and it will allow Lampard to give Gilmour his first start since his knee issue.

Having already given him his Champions League debut from the bench,  Lampard spoke in detail about his plans for Gilmour in the next month and the winter transfer window.

"I think Billy will start tomorrow," Lampard said at Cobham Training Centre. "With Billy, I don’t want to have that thought or conversation until the window opens and it is not open now. I value him a lot in this squad.

"You say we have options in midfield, that quickly changes as we have seen with the winger situation. Hakim gets injured at the weekend [versus Leeds] and Callum gets injured in training and the numbers are not so great. I will make that decision going forward."

Gilmour's impressive start to his senior professional career has only added to the value that the Scottish Football Association (SFA) place on their young talent.

Having been with the Under-21s since he was just 15 years old, there are now loud calls for him to make his senior debut under manager Steve Clarke.

Clarke's side qualified for Euro 2020, which will now take place in the summer of 2021, and Gilmour is keen to be in the discussion to make the squad ahead of group matches against England, Croatia and Czech Republic.

“I am a Chelsea player and I need to work hard here then hopefully the opportunity does come," he continued. "It would be amazing, but I need to play here, work hard and play well."

He went onto describe his feeling of watching Scotland qualify through penalties in a European Championship Play-Off match with Serbia: "We were with the Scotland U21s team, in the hotel and all the players and staff were in the dining room watching on the big TV.

"When they scored to equalise, it was tense, but after that and through we were buzzing. We were all jumping around and celebrating. It was a good feeling.”

Ronald Koeman has once again criticised the scheduling of Barcelona's La Liga fixtures after losing Ousmane Dembele to injury.

Dembele suffered an "elongation" in the hamstring of his right leg in Saturday's 2-1 loss to Cadiz and is facing another spell on the sidelines.

The France international joins a growing list of injured players at Barca, with Gerard Pique, Ansu Fati, Sergi Roberto and Samuel Umtiti also ruled out.

Koeman is unsure how long the injury-plagued Dembele will be out but suggested this latest setback would have been avoided if his side were given a different kick-off slot.

"It's a shame to lose another player to injury," he said at a press  conference ahead of Tuesday's Champions League clash with Juventus."He noticed something in the second half when he came on. He thought it was nothing but it's a step back considering his history. It's one more reason why I complain about the match schedules.

"I don't know who sets the match schedules, but if you play in Europe on Tuesday, thinking about the Spanish teams, you don't get back from the prior until four in the morning.

"We have played five matches away from home at nine in the night. If you play Wednesday that gives you a day extra to recover, but not when you play on Tuesday."

Barca are through to the last 16 of the Champions League and will seal top spot in Group G if they avoid a three-goal loss, or any two-goal margin of defeat other than 2-0, against Juve.

A victory for the Catalan giants would make it just the eighth instance of a side winning all six group matches - Barca having previously achieved the feat once before in 2002-03 - but they have struggled domestically, a return of 14 points from 10 LaLiga games their lowest tally since 1987-88, and Koeman takes full responsibility for the poor return.

"It is always down to the coach," he said. "He makes the decisions and with his staff decides the team.

"We have to analyse the defeats. It is difficult losing to Cadiz compared to Atletico [Madrid]. You have to look at how they marked us, how we attacked.

"If I am annoyed after a game I will let the players know. I told them yesterday before training that we cannot accept the way we played in certain games.

"What we discuss stays in the dressing room, but there are things we need to improve on. There is not much time to train but we can still seek maximum performance.

"In general, we are a team that creates five or six clear chances every game. We have to find a balance to take advantage of this, while making fewer mistakes."

Tuesday's visit of Juventus could be the sixth occasion that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have met in the Champions League, and their first such meeting since May 2011.

Miralem Pjanic has expressed his frustration over a lack of regular minutes at Barcelona.

Pjanic has had to make do with a bit-part role in Ronald Koeman's set-up since joining Barca from Juventus in the summer transfer window.

The Bosnian moved to Camp Nou in an exchange deal involving Arthur, having spent the previous four years of his career at the Allianz Stadium.

He established himself as one of the most consistent midfielders in Serie A during his time in Italy, but has not yet been given the chance to build on that reputation in Catalunya.

Pjanic has only started one La Liga game for Barca to date, despite the fact Koeman's men are struggling for form on the domestic front with only four wins recorded through their opening 10 fixtures this season.

The 30-year-old feels he's proved he can bring a lot to the team during his five Champions League appearances, and cannot understand why Koeman continues to overlook him in the Spanish top flight. 

"Should I play more? Yes, and that's what I want. Honestly, I don't even understand the reason for this situation. It's clear that I want to play a lot more," Pjanic told Gazzetta Dello Sport .

"I know I can give a lot, and when the coach called on me, I always did well, I played good games.

"I don't know what more than that I could do. I'm training, I'm ready."

Pressed on whether he will continue to be patient for his opportunity to shine at Camp Nou, the ex-Juve star responded: "I'm not satisfied and I can't be, in my career I've never accepted the idea of ​​not playing and I don't even do it now.

"We'll see, I'm ready, I train well and wait, I can't do it [indefinitely]. It's a very delicate situation that doesn't suit me."

Pjanic will come up against his former club when Barca welcome Juve to Camp Nou for their final Champions League group-stage fixture on Tuesday, and he is looking forward to seeing some familiar faces.

The experienced playmaker looks back on his time in Turin fondly, but insists he doesn't regret his decision to take up a "new challenge" in Spain.

"I am satisfied with the club and with my team-mates. My nine years in Italy were very beautiful, and honestly I miss them," Pjanic added.

"I had a great time at Roma and Juve, I enjoyed important seasons. Now I have this new challenge in the biggest club in the world and I have to get back into the game.

"It's something new I wanted to try."

Gareth Bale will not be enjoying bench duty at Totteham, says Jamie Redknapp, but he says the Welshman does not do the “hard yards” required to make Jose Mourinho's starting XI.

Spurs threw open their doors to a familiar face over the summer when it became apparent that an eventful stint at Real Madrid was ending.

Bale had been frozen out in Spain, and regular rounds of transfer talk eventually delivered a season-long loan back to north London.

The 31-year-old was always going to need time in which to rediscover his best form, while hopes of him emulating efforts from his previous stint at Tottenham look optimistic.

Bale has been filling a support role so far, with Mourinho keeping him among the substitutes for the 2-0 derby win over Arsenal, and Redknapp says a man who was once the most expensive player on the planet may have to rein his ego in and make peace with the fact that he is not starting material.

The former Spurs midfielder told Sky Sports: “I'm almost undermining an incredible player, one of the best players I've ever seen live, Gareth Bale. The things he's done for Real Madrid and for Tottenham. There was a spell when he was unplayable.

"Right now, Jose thinks he's not the player he needs in this team.

“This team has to work to a man, and Gareth might just upset that balance and not quite do those hard yards if you like.

“That feels a bit unfair on him because he's probably watching now thinking 'how am I going to get in this team? If I am going to get in, the only way I can do it, is by working hard and showing in training that when I come on, I make an impact.'

“Make no mistake, Gareth Bale will have a role and he will score a couple of wonderful goals here before the end of the season, but I can't imagine he's too happy about sitting on the bench.

“I can't imagine a player of his stature can be enjoying not being involved and not even coming on. We've all got egos as players.”

Bale has played just 116 minutes of Premier League football so far in four appearances, with the vast majority of his game time coming in the Europa League.

The Al Rayyan Stadium is set to welcome approximately 20,000 fans under strict health and safety protocols for the Amir Cup final on December 18. 

The fans will be required to adhere to strict social distancing rules, including wearing a face mask, showing their Ehteraz app (risk detector app for the use of citizens and residents living in Qatar) on arrival and sitting only in a designated seat.

The Al Rayyan venue is set to become the fourth FIFA World Cup™ stadium to open in Qatar after Khalifa International, Al Janoub and Education City. The inauguration will take place on 18 December (on Qatar National Day) exactly two years before the country hosts the FIFA World Cup final. The match will kick-off at 7 PM.

Any fan who attends the match must return either a positive COVID-19 antibodies test or a negative COVID-19 test to be allowed access into the stadium.

Priority access to tickets was granted to fans of both Al Sadd and Al Arabi – the two clubs who will contest the final. In addition, frontline healthcare workers who helped Qatar battle the COVID-19 pandemic have also been given priority access to purchase tickets.

Speaking during a press conference on Monday, Khalid Al Kuwari, Director of Marketing and Communications, Qatar Football Association, said, “We are looking forward to a great atmosphere at Al Rayyan Venue on 18 December. Our priority is to ensure everyone’s safety, in line with the measures implemented by the Supreme Committee for Crisis Management. We have adopted a new ticketing process, which includes testing everyone for COVID-19 before they are allowed to enter the stadium. A good number of people have already claimed their tickets and we are looking forward to a great occasion on Qatar National Day.”

Earlier this year, it was announced the Al Rayyan stadium would host seven matches during Qatar 2022 up to and including the Round-of-16 stage.

Edinson Cavani and Anthony Martial have been ruled out of Manchester United’s Champions League clash with RB Leipzig with niggles.

Both players came off in the second half of United’s comeback win against West Ham in the league at the weekend and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer confirmed they would not be making the trip to Germany for the crucial final group stage game.

“David (de Gea) is back and travelling, Luke (Shaw) is travelling, Edinson (Cavani) and Anthony (Martial) only minor niggles but they won’t be making the trip,” Solskjaer said.

“Of course, get to the last game of the group stage and you’re in the next round if you win or get a draw so it’s an important game, of course it is.”

United travel to Germany for Tuesday night’s game needing just one point to send them through into the knockout rounds. They beat Julian Nagelsmann’s side 5-0 in the reverse fixture at Old Trafford in October but, despite that convincing victory, Solskjaer knows it will be a tough test.

“It’s a game we will remember fondly because we did many things right,” Solskjaer explained.

“We need to do lots of things right again, we should also correct a few wrongs, we know Leipzig well enough to know they’re unpredictable in their shape and system but, we know the players and the style they play in so we know it’s going to be a tough game and we need to be at our best to get a good result.”

But, despite being in a position where just a point is needed, Solskjaer joked that it could be a dramatic evening.

His side have come behind to get a result in their first five Premier League away games of the season and said it is ‘typical’ of the club to make things difficult for themselves.

“The character of the group is getting better and better and we’re looking forward to the game, it’s something that we want, games like this,” the United manager said.

“It’s tradition for Manchester United, we never make it easy for ourselves, we look at the games, especially the Istanbul away game when we could have got three points, that’s just the way we do things.

"We make it hard for ourselves. It’s been like that ever since I played, and that’s a long time ago.”

N’Golo Kante has paid tribute to Chelsea’s “beautiful squad”, with the World Cup winner saying summer recruits already feel like established parts of the fold.

Frank Lampard, after two windows of little activity on the recruitment front, invested heavily in fresh faces as Roman Abramovich dusted off the cheque book in west London.

Chelsea bolstered their ranks all over the field, with every department seeing reinforcements added.

There is now more depth and competition for places at Stamford Bridge, which is helping to raise collective standards.

Kante, who finds himself back in a favoured holding midfield role this term, is among those to have welcomed the flurry of transfer activity.

He believes that Chelsea now boast the options required to compete for more major honours, with new additions such as Edouard Mendy, Thiago Silva, Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner slotting seamlessly into the fold.

“For sure we have a beautiful squad,” the France international told the Blues’ official website.

“Everyone is involved. As players we know what is required to be part of the starting 11 and on the bench, because many players have shown that even with less time they play very well. It’s for the manager to decide but as soon as we are on the pitch, we try to give the best for the club.

“We had some new players coming in this season and so far they are doing very well. They feel good and we feel good with them. Now they are part of the team we don’t see them as new players because everyone is in a good mood and has the desire to do well for the club.”

Kante added on Chelsea’s quest for silverware: “This season there are a lot of teams at the top of the table with not many points difference.

“It means this season is open for everyone so it’s good for us to keep up in this part of the table. We are in a good position but this season is still young.”

Chelsea sit third in the table as things stand, two points back on Liverpool and Tottenham.

They have gone unbeaten through 13 games in all competitions, and had 13 different players get their name on the score sheet.

Kante, who has never been prolific, is yet to add his name to that list, but the humble 29-year-old is happy for others to steal the spotlight.

He said: “This season I didn’t have many chances to score, but as long as the team keeps scoring and keeps winning and taking points, it’s okay for me not to score.

“It’s a good sign for us that the goals can come from many different players. But the most important is the result and we are happy to do well. If the goals come from one player or another it’s not the most important.”

Chelsea edged past Leeds 3-1 in their last outing and have continental and domestic outings against Krasnodar and Everton to take in this week.

Philippe Coutinho has admitted that his performances for Barcelona have fallen short of expectations, but has called for patience as the club continues to go through a "renewal process".

Signed from Liverpool in 2018 in a deal potentially worth €160 million (£142m), the Brazil international has not had the desired impact at Camp Nou.

Coutinho, who has scored 15 goals and provided nine assists in 60 La Liga appearances, spent last season on loan at Bayern Munich and won the treble under Hansi Flick.

He returned to Barca for 2020-21 and has been directly involved in four goals in eight league outings, but the Catalans' inconsistent form has not helped him to thrive.

Coutinho started Saturday's shock 2-1 loss at Cadiz but managed only one shot and one key pass before being substituted for Ousmane Dembele at half-time.

With Dembele having suffered another hamstring injury, Coutinho is likely to start on Tuesday against Juventus as Barca look to secure top spot in their Champions League group.

While he accepts Barca are negotiating their way through a transition period and that his own form has not been as hoped, Coutinho says he has become mentally and physically more robust.

"I know my form hasn't been what everyone expected," the 28-year-old said ahead of Juve's arrival at Camp Nou. "Barca have the attention of everyone and what I can say is that I've worked a lot more mentally to be well, and nowadays, I consider myself stronger in that sense.

"We're in a renewal process. We've changed coach, the players... all this forms part of the renewal process. You have to be patient and do everything to make it that things work as soon as possible.

"Whenever you lose an important game, the atmosphere is one of frustration. But I see everyone wanting to change this moment we're going through. Mentally, I'm stronger than before and the team looks eager to change this.

"I started to work in a different way. It was necessary to have more strength. And mentally, it's the same. There are things that are making me stronger and, physically and mentally, I'm doing a better job."

Barca face Juventus knowing they will finish top of the group if they avoid losing by three goals or more, or by a two-goal margin other than 2-0.

Manchester United “can’t play without Bruno Fernandes”, says Gary Neville, with the Red Devils legend admitting it is “bizarre” to see results being picked up by a side that leans so heavily on “four or five match-winners”.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team have been looking for moments of “individual brilliance” on a regular basis this season.

More of those were delivered in a 3-1 victory over West Ham, with Fernandes stepping off the bench at half-time as United battled their way back to earn a fifth successive comeback win on the road in the Premier League.

The Portuguese playmaker, along with Marcus Rashford, proved to be key for the Red Devils at the London Stadium, while Paul Pogba started a stirring second-half fightback with a stunning long-range strike.

Neville says he has been left baffled by United’s performances this season, and their fifth-placed standing in the table, with Solskjaer’s team becoming overly-reliant on certain players.

The former Red Devils defender told his podcast for Sky Sports: “What Manchester United have is four or five match-winners, game-changers, that play in moments.

"My concern is for the longer term because you need performances that knit together that look like an identity is building. I can't quite see what they are yet.

“They can't play without Bruno. I don't know what it is, he's a very good player but you'd think that [Donny] van de Beek and Pogba, [Scott] McTominay in midfield with [Mason] Greenwood, [Edinson] Cavani and [Anthony] Martial would be able to do so much better than that.

“The minute Bruno comes on - and Marcus Rashford as well who probably had a bigger impact - but Bruno's impact on the team is huge. You can't compare Bruno to Harry Kane but you know Kane has an influence on his team that's bigger than just his performances, which are excellent.

“Bruno is exactly the same with this Manchester United team and he's only been there a short amount of time. As soon as he came on, they seemed more arrogant, more connected, more cohesive. I don't know what it is when he doesn't play.

“I can't get excited. Manchester United, if you'd said to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and the fans at the start of the season, they would be a couple of points off Liverpool, playing in a group with Paris Saint-Germain and Leipzig and need to go to Leipzig for a draw, in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup hasn't started yet, you'd say it's a pretty good start to the season, it's where I'd expect them to be. How they have got there is the bizarre bit.

“You watch them in matches and you think 'what's that?'. They go to Turkey and they're awful, then beat Leipzig 5-0 at home (the Leipzig win came first). It's up and down, not even from game to game, it's half to half.

“For 20 minutes [against West Ham] they were brilliant but for large portions, it was below par. They have to be consistent but I'm not sure they can because there are players that play individually, they don't knit together.

“With United, I'm still thinking 'what kind of team are they?'. All I can describe them as at the moment is a team that wins games in moments of individual brilliance.”

United will be back in Champions League action against RB Leipzig on Tuesday, as they take aim at the last 16 of that competition, before then playing host to arch-rivals Manchester City in an eagerly-anticipated derby date on Saturday.

Ronald Koeman will not be dragged into the Lionel Messi versus Cristiano Ronaldo debate, but the Barcelona boss is looking forward to seeing two “incredible” talents lock horns again in the Champions League.

The Blaugrana are readying themselves for a heavyweight continental clash with Juventus on Tuesday.

Ronaldo will be returning to Camp Nou for that contest, with the former Real Madrid star having sat out a meeting with Barca in Turin after contracting Covid-19.

Messi found the target in that contest, as he converted a late penalty in a 2-0 win for the visitors, and the Argentine will be hoping for more of the same in midweek.

Koeman is expecting fireworks in Catalunya, as two all-time greats prepare to rekindle their long-running rivalry, but the Dutchman says there is little to choose between the pair when it comes to greatness.

“It’s fantastic that these two players have been so long at this top level in the world,” said the Barcelona boss at a pre-match press conference.

“They are the best players, in my opinion, in the last 10-15 years. Being successful all this time is incredible. It’s a great compliment to those players.

“They are different, but they have incredible stats about scoring goals, hat-tricks, about winning prizes.

“It’s not nice to say who is better because both are incredible, I admire both players because they gave us so many nice evenings with great goals, with great titles. Let’s hope we can enjoy them tomorrow night.”

Barca will need to have a plan for containing Ronaldo, with the 35-year-old Portuguese netting 13 goals through 15 appearances for club and country this season, but Koeman says he will not be paying special attention to one player in a star-studded Juve side.

He added: “For us it is not an extra motivation because of an individual player.

“We always thought of this as an important match with two big teams meeting. The two teams are going to fight for first position in the group.

“It’s always important the best players are there. I think Cristiano Ronaldo is still one of the best, he always scores and always fights.

“Because of his daily work he is still in the elite in our sport. It’s a great compliment to him. Not just any player can do that.

“We have to defend well against him and when we have the ball that danger goes away.”

Barca head into their meeting with Juve sat top of Group G, with both sides already through to the last 16, but their domestic form has been worrying of late – with a 2-1 defeat suffered at the hands of Cadiz last time out – and they will be looking for a spark in European competition.

Franck Kessie has revealed AC Milan’s target is to qualify for the Uefa Champions League this season after they defeated Sampdoria 2-1 in a Serie A match on Sunday.

The Ivory Coast midfielder opened the scoring for the Rossoneri on the stroke of half-time with his effort from the penalty spot.

Sunday’s goal was Kessie’s fourth league goal of the season after 10 games, equalling the goal record he managed in the entire 2019-20 Serie A season in 35 matches.

Samu Castillejo later sealed the victory for the visitors in the 77th minute as Albin Ekdal's effort failed to inspire Sampdoria's comeback.

The victory stretched AC Milan's dominance at the summit of the Serie A table to 26 points from 10 matches with a five-point lead above second-placed Inter Milan.

However, Kessie disclosed Milan's ambition is to return to the elite European tournament in which they last featured in the 2013-14 season.

“We have an amazing group, we knew the game would be tough but we fought until the end," the 23-year-old told Sky Italia via Milan Live.

“It’s not easy to play without two experienced players like them [Simon Kjaer and Zlatan Ibrahimovic], but we did what the coach told us to take the three points home.

“Our target is to qualify for the Champions League. We can’t lose our heads and continue like this, the dream is to get a Champions League placement.”

AC Milan were knockout of the Champions League in 2014 by Atletico Madrid following a 5-1 aggregate loss in the Round of 16.

They returned to the Uefa Europa League this season after they were banned last season for breaching Uefa Financial Fair Play Regulations.

Stefano Pioli's side have already advanced to the last-32 stage of the Europa League but they will aim to finish their Group H campaign on a high on when they travel to Czech Republic to battle Sparta Prague on Thursday.

As APR confirmed support for head coach Mohamed Adil Erradi, the Online Fan Club president Pierre Muragijimana has blamed goalkeeper Umar Rwabugiri for their early Caf Champions League elimination by Gor Mahia.

There were rumours the Rwandan champions were set to fire the Moroccan tactician after a 3-1 defeat in Nairobi in the second game but the speculation was finally dismissed by the club.

“APR FC administration confirms the continuation with our coach Mr Mohammed Adil Erradi as well as the great confidence that we have in him and his quality work despite the elimination of the Caf Champions League,” APR confirmed.

However, Muragijimana explained why he places all the blame on the Rwandan goalkeeper after the club were knocked out despite winning the first leg in Kigali 2-1.

“I don’t have a problem with a coach but the goalkeeper,” Muragijimana said as was quoted by The New Times.

“We have often doubted the quality of the goalkeeper. For years, the best goalkeepers in the league always belonged to APR FC, but it is now the opposite.

“If you can’t rank among Rwanda’s top five goalkeepers or make it into at least the national team’s squad, it’s simple for people to question your performance.”

The fans president also called upon the APR management to ensure the goalkeeping issue is looked into in order to ensure they get good results in future.

“The only problem we have is a goalkeeper and I believe the club’s management will address it if we are to perform well in continental competitions,” he concluded.

“And if the policy of playing homegrown players doesn’t materialise, we can also start thinking about foreign players.”

On his part, Gregoire Gisa said the struggle seen at APR against their continental rivals will spill over to the national team.

“Only the best in the league has to come to APR FC and if the coach got the best out of them, the club and even the national team will, sooner or later, bear fruit for both of them,” the fan added.

The army side will now focus on domestic duties with the biggest task being the league title defence. They will be hosted by Sunrise FC on December 14 after two of their Premier League actions were postponed to give them time to engage in the Champions League.

Angers manager Stephane Moulin said Sofiane Boufal might have suffered a muscle strain or a tear in his thigh after he was stretchered off in their 2-0 win over Lorient.

Boufal could only play 55 minutes of football before he broke down on the field with an injury at the Stade Raymond-Kopa.

Shortly after the Morocco international was taken off on a stretcher, Cameroon-born Ibrahim Amadou also picked up an injury and he was taken off immediately.

While assessing the duo’s injuries, Moulin described the incidents as "bad news" for Angers on a day when goals from Angelo Fulgini and Pierrick Capelle sealed their second straight win in the Ligue 1.

The French coach stated that the injuries could be a consequence of their late signing to the team as they both joined the Black and Whites in October.

“It's hard to tell before the exams, but it looks like it's a muscle strain or a tear,” Moulin was quoted by Foot Mercato.

“This is the bad news of the evening. Especially because just after, it was Ibrahim Amadou who also came out with an injury. He felt discomfort in the ischium.

“It’s less serious [than Sofiane Boufal], but it makes sense. These are players who arrived late. They pay for their lack of preparation.”

Boufal returned to Angers on a free transfer two months ago after finding it difficult to secure a regular playing spot at Premier League club Southampton.

The 27-year-old has returned a goal in five matches for Moulin’s side who are seventh on the Ligue 1 table with 22 points after 13 games.

Amadou, meanwhile, joined the Black and Whites on a season-long loan from Sevilla and he has played in seven Ligue 1 matches so far.

Prior to the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon, the Douala-born defender was among the seven players who snubbed an invitation to the Indomitable Lions' set-up.

Express FC captain Enock Walusimbi admits he was gutted to have been sent off against Onduparaka FC in a Ugandan Premier League (UPL) match which ended 1-1, but was happy to have picked up a point from the fixture.

The Red Eagles were targeting a perfect start to the 2020-21 campaign and they indeed took a deserved lead in the 11th minute when Frank Kalanda converted from the penalty spot.

However, despite holding onto the lead for most of the game, they were denied maximum points as Kabong Livingston levelled matters for the home team in the 68th minute, also from the penalty spot, after Walusimbi was sent off for deliberately handling the ball inside the box.

The 22-year-old, who started at the back partnering Murushid Juuko in the club’s first league game, has now said he was disappointed to be sent off but remained hopeful the team will come good.

“I was so disappointed because it’s always sad to be sent off yet you want to play the entire game and help the team to win,” Walusimbi said as quoted by the club’s official website.

“I think as a team we gave our all and we shall take a point but there’s always room for improvement and am sure we shall come good going forward.”

Express, who have vowed to fight for the title this season, started the game on a high note and saw Kalanda miss a clear chance in the fifth minute after rounding Onduparaka's backline but shot wide.

Kalanda was, however, provided with a chance to score when he was fouled inside the box by Joven Mahad, and he gladly took the honours to send the keeper the wrong way for the opening goal.

Despite taking the lead, Express still looked vulnerable at the back and it needed the experience of Uganda international defender Juuko to deny Onduparaka, as he raced to clear a ball that was rolling into an empty net in the 18th minute.

In the 68th minute, drama ensued when Express skipper Walusimbi was sent off for handling the ball deliberately in the box, and Kabong made no mistake sending Mathias Muwanga the opposite way for a 1-1 draw.

The Red Eagles will next take on Bright Stars on Saturday, December 12, 2020, at Wankulukulu.

Chelsea "can't afford" to let Olivier Giroud go in the winter transfer window, according to Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, who has urged Frank Lampard to block the in-form striker's exit.

Giroud has enhanced his reputation as one of the most consistent centre-forwards in the Premier League since joining Chelsea from Arsenal for £18 million ($24m) in January 2018.

The Frenchman has scored 35 goals in 99 appearances in all competitions for the Blues despite largely serving in a back-up capacity, while also getting his hands on the FA Cup and Europa League.

Frank Lampard initially opted to use summer signing Timo Werner and Tammy Abraham ahead of the 34-year-old at the start of the 2020-21 campaign, but the veteran frontman has forced his way back into contention with a string of eye-catching displays.

Giroud scored all four goals in the 4-0 Champions League win at Sevilla last week after being handed a rare start, and retained his place in the team for the home fixture against Leeds United on Saturday.

The World Cup winner, who is set to become a free agent at the end of the season, opened the scoring during Chelsea's 3-1 victory at Stamford Bridge, leaving Lampard with a welcome selection headache ahead of the congested festive period.

Giroud has admitted he may have to seek a move away from west London in the new year to boost his chances of playing for France at the next European Championships, but Hasselbaink says the Blues must do everything possible to ensure that they retain his services.

"I don’t think they can afford to let Giroud go,’" the former Chelsea striker told Premier League Productions. "Even if he’s not number one. Coming off the bench and making something different. I know that he is going to want to leave but I think Frank has to be very selfish there and say no.

"Maybe he can call Deschamps and have that conversation with Deschamps saying, 'Okay, what does he need to do to be in your team? How much does he need to play?' and have that conversation with Giroud, 'Okay, you’re going to play this amount of matches for sure so you can go to the European Championship'.

"I don’t know but maybe Frank has to be a little bit creative to just keep him because I think he’s important for the team. His team-mates love him. They love him. So to keep that together is also important.

"In the beginning he hardly played but then Chelsea became a little bit in trouble with the forward players. He started playing and he saved them, I think, to get that fourth place because he was crucial.

"He was scoring important goals, that’s why he got a little extension and then this year it’s a little bit the same. Abraham started, scoring goals and he has come from the bench, but at the moment, at the right time, he’s making the difference and I don’t think that Chelsea can afford to let him go."

Hasselbaink added on Giroud's ability to bring the best out of his team-mates: "He’s not been scoring regularly but he’s been doing other things well, making other people play better and letting other people score more goals.

"When you have a successful team we always look at the striker scoring 30 goals, but he is not that kind of person. Yes, he scored in midweek four goals but it hasn’t happened that often.

"If you look how many hat-tricks he has, I don’t think he has a lot of hat-tricks but he does make other people around him play better.

"I don’t think he is that kind of player [who should be judged on how many goals he scores]. We all have our strengths and I think that is his strength, making other people play better.

"Of late he’s scoring also more and important goals. Today, 1-0 - he scores a lot of 1-0s, 1-1s, 2-1s and not a lot of strikers do that. The strikers that score 1-0 and important goals, those are the strikers that you want."

Zlatan Ibrahimovic could be in line for another contract extension at AC Milan, with the club’s sporting director Frederic Massara revealing that the Rossoneri want to keep the Swede for “a long time”.

The enigmatic frontman returned to San Siro in January after spreading his wings outside of Europe at MLS side the LA Galaxy.

He has passed his 39th birthday while back in Italy, but is showing no sign of slowing down.

An unfortunate injury is keeping Ibrahimovic on the sidelines at present, having already contracted Covid-19 this season, but he will be welcomed back at some stage in the near future.

Milan have cemented a standing at the top of the Serie A table in the absence of their talismanic striker, with Stefano Pioli’s side chasing down a first title triumph since 2011.

Ibrahimovic, with 11 goals to his name this season, will have a key role to play heading forward.

He is, however, only tied to terms through to the end of the current campaign, as he continues to work on short-term agreements, and extension talks need to be lined up in order for him to remain in his current surroundings.

Massara says those plans are being pieced together, telling Sky Sport Italia of Ibrahimovic’s future: “Ibra is now with us and we have not yet talked about a renewal.

“We will do it at the right moment. It will depend a lot on him, on his state of mind and on his desire.

“So far he has shown that he wants to stay here. I think Milan are also giving him a lot in terms of desire. We hope to have him with us for a long time.”

Ibrahimovic has already revealed that he plans to play on beyond the age of 40, saying: “I’m not going to stop next year, I’ll play either at Milan or elsewhere.”

The Rossoneri are determined to keep him on their books, with there a chance that the Serie A giants could also tie up permanent deals for loan stars Brahim Diaz and Diogo Dalot.

Both men have caught the eye since completing moves from Real Madrid and Manchester United respectively, with Massara adding on Milan’s plans there: “The current market has changed a lot, these loan formulas are very much in vogue in this period.

“We are happy with Diaz and Dalot, in due course we will sit at the table with the respective clubs and evaluate what to do.”

Gor Mahia captain Kenneth Muguna is confident the team can still get a positive outcome in league assignments despite the fact that they are not 100% fit.

The Kenyan champions have not yet opened their campaign in the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League owing to continental assignments.

The soft-speaking midfielder is optimistic the season will be fruitful for the club despite stiff competition from other teams.

"We are looking forward to our first league game since we are psychologically set," Muguna told Goal.

"We are ready for the premier league even though we are not 100% fit. I am confident we can still get positive results once we start our campaign in the next few days.  

"As usual, the competition will be stiff since many teams are prepared, but we know we will still get a positive outcome by the end of the season."

The 24-year-old played a crucial role in helping Gor Mahia eliminate APR of Rwanda from the Caf Champions League. In the first round of the preliminaries, Muguna was on target as K'Ogalo fell 2-1 away in Kigali during the first leg.

In the second leg, he was directly involved in one goal and created an assist for the winner scored by Nicholas Kipkirui in the 3-1 win.

"The team cohesion is good, we managed to get the victory and qualify for the next round. We still need to train harder," Muguna continued.

"The job is not finished, we have just qualified from the first round. We still need to win the second round to make history. 

"Even when APR scored the equalizer, we had belief that we would get something from the match. So we did not give up. The two subs worked hard to give us the two goals and it was a plus to the team."

Gor Mahia have not been doing well financially and prior to the APR game, players refused to train for about three days protesting for their pay. The skipper, however, was not keen to speak on the issue.

"The chairman can talk about it or any other official. My job is to play; I don't control the financial issues at the club," he concluded.