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The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has organised a friendly between Kariobangi Sharks and Bidco United to test their readiness for the Premier League's start on November 28.

FKF CEO Barry Otieno has confirmed to Goal the match will be played at Nyayo Stadium on Tuesday, November 24, and will also be used by their broadcast partners StarTimes to test their machines in readiness for the season.

“We will use the match to gauge our preparedness ahead of kick-off and that is the reason we have planned to have the match,” Otieno told Goal on Tuesday.

“We feel we are now ready to resume action, but the test match will be a clear picture of how prepared we are, our TV partners StarTimes, will also use the chance to test their machines, and plan accordingly for the gruelling campaign.”

On Monday, the FKF successfully kicked-off the exercise of testing players and officials for Covid-19 ahead of the resumption of the league, which was prematurely ended in mid-March after the outbreak of the coronavirus.

In line with the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Sports and Culture protocols, Bidco United, Kariobangi Sharks, and KCB were the first to get tested at the Thika Stadium and Utalii grounds respectively on Monday.

Kakamega Homeboyz, Wazito FC, Tusker FC, Posta Rangers, Bandari FC, Nzoia Sugar, and Western Stima will be tested on Tuesday, at the Bukhungu Stadium, Marist University College, Utalii Grounds, KPA Sports Club Mbaraki, Sudi Stadium (Nzoia) and Moi Stadium (Kisumu), respectively.

Vihiga United, AFC Leopards, and Nairobi City Stars will close the Covid-19 testing process on Wednesday at the Senede High School (Vihiga), De Paul Center Karen and Ligi Ndogo grounds, respectively.

The 2020-21 FKF Premier League is set to kick off on Saturday with eight matches lined up for matchday one which will also see a total of three matches screened live by FKF partners Startimes.

Three matches will be played on Saturday with AFC Leopards taking on Posta Rangers at Nyayo Stadium, the game will also be live on TV, while Mathare United will come up against Kakamega Homeboyz and Bandari host Zoo FC.

On Sunday, two matches will be beamed live, Kariobangi Sharks against Wazito FC at Kasarani Stadium and Western Stima against Bidco United at Moi Stadium in Kisumu.

In other matches set for Sunday, promoted side Nairobi City Stars will open their campaign against Nzoia Sugar, Sofapaka host KCB at Narok Stadium, while Ulinzi Stars will come up against Vihiga United.

FKF PL Round 1 Fixtures: Saturday: AFC Leopards vs Posta Rangers (Nyayo Stadium, 15:00), Mathare United vs Kakamega Homeboyz (Kasarani Stadium, 16:15) and Bandari vs Zoo Youth FC (Mbaraki Grounds, 15:00).

Sunday: Nairobi City Stars vs Nzoia Sugar (Nyayao Stadium, 15:00), Kariobangi Sharks vs Wazito FC (Kasarani Stadium, 15:00), Sofapaka vs KCB (Narok Stadium, 15:00), Ulinzi Stars vs Vihiga United (Afraha Stadium, 15:00) and Western Stima vs Bidco United (Moi Stadium, 13:00).

The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has confirmed the 2020-21 National Super League (NSL) will now kick off on December 5.

The lower tier league, whose winner earns direct promotion to the FKF Premier League, was planned to kick off on November 28, 2020, but according to a signed statement from FKF CEO Barry Otieno, sent to all participating clubs, and obtained by Goal, the kick-off date has now been postponed.

“The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) wishes to inform you the league kick-off for the National Super League 2020-21 season earlier scheduled to kick off on November 28, 2020, has been pushed forward and the league shall now commence on December 5, 2020,” read the statement from Otieno.

“Further you are hereby incited to a club’s meeting scheduled to be held on Tuesday, December 1, 2020, at Kasarani Goal Project office boardroom at 10:00.

“The agenda of the meeting will be shared with you in due course.”

Last season, the league was prematurely ended in mid-March after the outbreak of the coronavirus with table-toppers Nairobi City and second-placed Bidco United earning promotion to the top-flight.

Third-placed Vihiga United were the third team to be promoted after they beat Kisumu All-Stars on post-match penalties after a 3-3 aggregate scoreline in the two-legged promotion play-off battle to seal their return to the top tier.

While the league had 19 teams last season, this season the tier will have 17 teams after relegated Chemelil Sugar and Ushuru FC got disbanded owing to lack of funds with three teams - Silibwet Leo's FC, Soy United, and Mwatate United FC – earning promotion from the FKF Division One League.

Meanwhile, the top-flight is set to kick off on Saturday, November 28, 2020, with eight matches lined up across the country on matchday one, while three of the matches will also be aired live by FKF broadcast partners StarTimes.

In the opening day, three matches will be played with AFC Leopards taking on Posta Rangers at Nyayo Stadium, the game will also be live on TV, while Mathare United will come up against Kakamega Homeboyz and Bandari host Zoo FC.

On Sunday, two matches will be beamed live, Kariobangi Sharks against Wazito FC at Kasarani Stadium and Western Stima against Bidco United at Moi Stadium in Kisumu.

In other matches set for Sunday, promoted side Nairobi City Stars will open their campaign against Nzoia Sugar, Sofapaka host KCB at Narok Stadium, while Ulinzi Stars will come up against Vihiga United.

While 14 clubs have signed the undertaking to start the season, four clubs – led by Gor Mahia, Mathare United, Zoo FC, and Ulinzi Stars – have not signed the document, with FKF president Nick Mwendwa warning them they risk being kicked out of the league if they don’t commit by season kick-off.

FKF PL Round 1 Fixtures: Saturday: AFC Leopards vs Posta Rangers (Nyayo Stadium, 15:00), Mathare United vs Kakamega Homeboyz (Kasarani Stadium, 16:15) and Bandari vs Zoo Youth FC (Mbaraki Grounds, 15:00).

Sunday: Nairobi City Stars vs Nzoia Sugar (Nyayao Stadium, 15:00), Kariobangi Sharks vs Wazito FC (Kasarani Stadium, 15:00), Sofapaka vs KCB (Narok Stadium, 15:00), Ulinzi Stars vs Vihiga United (Afraha Stadium, 15:00) and Western Stima vs Bidco United (Moi Stadium, 13:00).

The first Kolkata derby of the new season is historic in every possible way as the big-ticket clash of Indian football will be played in the Indian Super League for the first time in history. 

As the two Kolkata giants begin a new journey in the country's top tier league, we bring you a complete guide to this titanic match.

A is for Anthony : The newest foreign recruit of East Bengal has played for Premier League side Norwich City and has also represented the Republic of Ireland in international football. Anthony Pilkington has been a massive signing for the Red and Golds and all eyes will be on the 32-year-old winger when East Bengal make their debut in the ISL on Friday.

B is for Bhaichung : The Sikkimese Sniper, Bhaichung Bhutia   has scored 19 goals in the eponymous Kolkata Derby, 13 for East Bengal while six in his second stint as a Mohun Bagan player.

C is for Chingri : Mohun Bagan fans - the 'native' Ghotis have made themselves synonymous with chingri - prawns. The debate still continues with Bagan fans famously felicitating players with specially prepared garlands of Golda Chingri (Jumbo Prawns) after a derby win.

D is for Douglas : The versatile Brazilian footballer joined East Bengal in 2002 and was at the club for three and half seasons. During that time, Douglas de Silva won 11 trophies including two back-to-back National Football League (NFL) titles and the famous ASEAN Cup. In 2007, he joined arch-rivals Mohun Bagan and spent two seasons with the Mariners. A unique record which the Brazilian holds is that he has never lost a Kolkata derby.

E is for Embarrassment : Losing the Kolkata Derby is damning and a gut-wrenching experience. The embarrassment a team brings to itself is insurmountable and the echoes of the defeat still ring the ears of the ones involved until the next derby is played.

F is for Fans : The Kolkata derby is all about the millions of fans of Mohun Bagan and East Bengal who throng the stadium whenever the two rivals clash. Unfortunately, for the first time in history, the derby will be played without the presence of any fans in the stadium due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

G is for Goa : The Kolkata derby will be played in Goa this season as the ongoing ISL season is being held there as a centralised venue due to the Coronavirus pandemic. 

H is for Habas:  Antonio Lopez Habas is the new manager of ATK Mohun Bagan FC. The Spanish coach is a veteran in the ISL and is also the most successful coach in the history of the league, having won it twice with ATK.

I is for Ilish : The Hilsa fish, or Ilish as it is known, is the Bangal reply to the Chingri. Ilish is served when East Bengal win over Mohun Bagan.

J is for Jose Ramirez Barreto:  The Brazilian Magician, Jose Ramirez Barreto is a revered figure among the Mariners' faithful, having netted 17 derby goals while donning the Green and Maroon jersey. This is a record for goals scored by a player for a single team in the Kolkata derby.

K is for Krishanu Dey:  The 'Indian Maradona' played for both the clubs over a span of 22 years in the '80s and '90s. He made many defenders lose sleep over his ability to convert meagre chances into goals. He formed a lethal attacking combination with Chima Okorie at Mohun Bagan.

L is for Loyalty: While the likes of Goutam Sarkar, Prasanta Banerjee, Dulal Biswas and Renedy Singh have skippered both sides in their career, players like Jose Barreto, Subrata Bhattacharya, Satyajit Chatterjee, Chuni Goswami, Sailen Manna (All Mohun Bagan) and Tushar Rakshit, Alvito D'Cunha, Ahmed Khan, Tulsidas Balaram (All East Bengal) never jumped ships. Rest assured, supporters would always stay loyal to their badge, forever. 

M is for Maidan: Maidan is the iconic green belt of central Kolkata which houses the East Bengal and Mohun Bagan grounds. Many great players have started their careers at the Maidan.

N is for Nepal Chakraborty: The two teams clashed for the first time in history on 28 May 1925 in the Calcutta Football League when a solitary Nepal Chakraborty goal gave East Bengal a victory over their next door rivals, Mohun Bagan. 

O is for Okorie: Chima Okorie represented the Green and Maroon side in two stints, between 1991-93 and 1997-99, winning trophies galore including a National Football League. 

P is for Pal: Gostho Behari Pal was a Mohun Bagan legend. He played for 24 successive seasons between 1912 and 1936. Nicknamed the 'Wall of China', Pal was the first ever footballer to receive the Padma Shri. His legacy continues as the road leading to the Bagan ground is named after him.

Q is for Quess: Quess Corp were the former investors of East Bengal who parted ways with the club in June 2020 ending a two-year association with the club. After the Bengaluru-based firm left, the club brought in Shree Cement Limited as their new investors which facilitated their move to ISL this season.

R is for Robbie: The Liverpool legend has joined East Bengal this season as their head coach and will lead the Kolkata giants as they are all set to make their debut in the ISL.

S is for Suresh Chandra Chaudhuri: A noted industrialist, he was vice president of the erstwhile Jorabagan club but left his position after star player Sailesh Bose was not allowed to start against Mohun Bagan and formed a breakaway club which now is known as East Bengal. 

T is for Thapa: Legendary striker Shyam Thapa scored a brace on 29 September 1975 when the Red and Golds trounced Mohun Bagan 5-0 in the IFA Shield finals - the highest margin of victory in the derby till date. Also, not many can forget his scissor kick goal, this time for Mohun Bagan in the 1978 CFL derby at the Eden Gardens.

U is for Umakanto Palodhi : Umakanto Palodhi, a Mohun Bagan supporter committed suicide after the 0-5 loss in 1975. In his suicide note, the following line was written - “In my next birth, I will take the revenge by becoming a Mohun Bagan footballer.”

V is for Vijayan: The legendary Indian striker has had his fair share of derby experience. ' Kalo Harin'  or Black Buck as he was affectionately called, has played for both the Kolkata giants.

W is for Win-Rate:  East Bengal have a win rate of 37.77 per cent, marginally overshadowing Mohun Bagan's 33.33 per cent in the NFL and I-League. The Red and Golds have won the tie 17 times in the I-League while Bagan have won it 15 times. 13 matches ended in a draw.

X is for Xavier Pius:  In the 70s and 80s, there was a long-haired and bearded striker from Kerala who used to set the Maidan on fire with his lethal strikes. His name was Xavier Pius, a Mohun Bagan legend who now serves as a coach for youth teams in his home state.

Y is for Yuvabharati Krirangan : The Salt Lake Stadium or Yuvabharati Krirangan has been the 'Colosseum' for the derby. An arena which once housed more than 120,000 fanatics has been a part of history hosting quite memorable derbies. The 'Mecca of Indian football' had a major facelift for the 2017 FIFA U17 World Cup.

Z is for Zest: There is no other fixture in Indian football that can produce the kind of zest that the Kolkata derby can produce. The energy and enthusiasm surrounding the fixture starts weeks back and reaches a crescendo as the game approaches among fans. The same applies to the players as well. 

Toyota Motor Asia Pacific introduced the ‘Toyota Football for Tomorrow’ (TFFT) project, a corporate social responsibility initiative across Southeast Asia to create opportunities for the youth to discover, develop and reach for the possibilities of tomorrow. 

Toyota Football for Tomorrow empowers youth with skills in football and beyond to enjoy the thrill and joy of moving together and to believe in the possibilities of tomorrow. This is inspired by Toyota's vision to provide the freedom of mobility to all.

Football is not new to Toyota in the region. Since 2013, Toyota has been conducting football clinics. TFFT aims to standardise Toyota's football clinics across the region, delivering consistent and quality training. With the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, Toyota initiated the TFFT online training video series to keep the youth motivated, as well as to keep up their football skills in a fun and positive virtual environment.

Drills and tactics such as ball control (dribbling, passing, turning) and goalkeeping skills featured in the TFFT football clinic curriculum will be made into a five-part online training video series aimed for the U12 age category. The videos will star renowned coaches and former Japanese national football players, Seigo Narazaki and Motohiro Yamaguchi among others from Nagoya Grampus.

Seigo Narazaki, the legendary national goalkeeper who represented Japan from 1998 to 2010 was the first goalkeeper in history to receive the prestigious “Most Valuable Player” award in 2010 by the Japan Professional Football League. 

“Together with Toyota, Nagoya Grampus has conducted football clinics in this region, and we are thrilled to share our coaching expertise and skills such as dribbling, passing and others in this online video series. We hope that we can continue to share the joys of football and be a source of motivation for youth to confidently explore practical solutions to challenge themselves, even at the comfort of your own homes,” said Motohiro Yamaguchi, Executive Officer (Football Supervisor), Nagoya Grampus FC Academy.

“Toyota has been giving back to the community through football for years. It is a game that connects people and we believe it offers tremendous value to the youth. Despite the on-going pandemic, we remain committed to communities we serve. That’s why we’re taking TFFT online, so the youth can keep their soccer skills up, practising in and around their homes, coached by world-class players and experts,” said  Kaye Lim, General Manager, Corporate Communications and CSR Department, Toyota Motor Asia Pacific.

The TFFT five-part video series will be available for viewing on Toyota’s social media handles with the launch video available at the links below. It is intended for youth under 12 with an interest in football to maintain their football skills by practising them online at home or anywhere safe to do so. The videos are intended to be practised under the supervision by a parent or guardian and participants are advised to always place safety first.

Click here to watch the first of the five-part video series on Toyota Motor Asia Pacific’s YouTube channel. Subsequent parts can be accessed at this playlist; each part will be released every Monday from 23 Nov 2020.

When Mumbai City played NorthEast United in their first match of the season, Sergio Lobera's team was all about keeping the ball and dominating the midfield. That's how Lobera's teams have always been and nobody expects that to change when the Islanders come up against his former employers FC Goa, now managed by Juan Ferrando. 

Interestingly, Ferrando's Gaurs did not look too dissimilar in their first outing  - an interesting 2-2 draw against Bengaluru FC. They were just as defensively vulnerable as Lobera's team was in its first season.

However, Ferrando was able to pull the right strings by bringing on Alberto Noguera, Brandon Fernandes and Alexander Jesuraj in the second half, giving them just enough time to mount a comeback and make it 2-2 from 0-2 in the space of just 12 minutes. 

It will be an interesting battle when these two teams face off against each other but there are some strategies that may need to be redesigned to get the maximum out of each squad. 

For Mumbai City, Lobera will need to replace Ahmed Jahouh in the midfield - that is easier said than done. Jahouh was an irreplaceable member of Goa's midfield during Lobera's three years at his previous club and will continue to be the same at Mumbai City.

But his impulsive sliding tackle on Khassa Camara in Islanders' first match resulted in a sending off that nobody saw coming. Up until then, Jahouh ran the show in the centre, dropping deep to receive passes, turning and feeding the attackers with cross-field diagonals, through-balls and what not. He was everywhere and then suddenly, he was nowhere due to a silly decision just before the break. 

Lobera's blessed with a strong squad but there is no direct replacement to the Moroccan midfielder in that team. This could mean a deeper role for Boumous or Hernan Santana could be deployed in Jahouh's role with Mourtada Fall playing in defence. Anyway, Mumbai's midfield is an area that will be closely monitored by the opponents. 

The Spanish coach also needs to figure out how to use Adam Le Fondre and Bartholomew Ogbeche together effectively. They are two top strikers but can they play together in Lobera's system? Neither of them had an impact against an organised defence set up by Gerard Nus but against Goa, there will be chances and space to operate. 

Ferrando, on the other hand, will be hoping his Indian players can step up and outperform their counterparts against Mumbai City. Brandon and Jesuraj will hope to start the big game following their impressive cameos last game. The defence will need to be more alert than when they went to sleep and allowed Juanan to ghost into the box and score Bengaluru's second goal in their first game. 

Upfront, if Brandon can keep creating chances, there is an assurance that they will be converted, based on how two-goal hero Igor Angulo performed on his debut.

There was a ring of uncertainty on the fate of the Kolkata Derby a few months back when East Bengal's participation in the Indian Super League (ISL) was shrouded with doubts, while Mohun Bagan had already jumped ship into the top tier, courtesy of a merger with ATK. 

With Shree Cement Limited coming on board as the majority investor, East Bengal were finally handed a pathway to participate in the ISL. On the other hand, Indian football aficionados rejoiced as the Kolkata derby would only get bigger and better with the marquee match now set to be played in the top tier. 

Tiri has been somebody who has been associated with ISL since 2015 and has been a part of it in every edition. In fact, he has spent two seasons with ATK (2015 and 2016) and is well acquainted with the magnitude of the match. But he is yet to make a debut in this high-voltage fixture.

"I have been in India for 6 years and I have seen the derbies on television, it will be incredible to be able to experience it!  I think it will be something incredible. To be able to play a derby is always nice! This year will be different without our fans but a derby is a derby and you have to give 100 per cent as in every match," expressed the player to Goal. 

ATK Mohun Bagan have got off to a perfect start with the win against Kerala Blasters and now their focus is on the boro match (Big match) as it is fondly called in Bengal. 

Tiri put in a brilliant shift at the back against Blasters and he would hope to get another clean sheet against East Bengal as well. He followed Gary Hooper like a shadow throughout the 90 minutes and nullified the threat of the British striker. 

On Friday, it is likely that he would have to go up against either Balwant Singh or Jeje Lalpekhlua. Both the strikers haven't been at their best lately. While Jeje is making a comeback from a lengthy injury layoff, Singh hardly had minutes for ATK in the 2019-20 season. Hence, they might be a bit rusty. 

But Tiri must remain on his toes as both would be keen to prove a point and grab the opportunity of becoming the blue-eyed boy of millions of fans with a goal against the arch-rivals. 

However, this derby is likely to be a shadow of what it usually is as the fixture would be played behind closed doors in an empty Tilak Maidan due to the pandemic. Without the fans, Tiri would not get to experience the electrifying atmosphere that the derby is known for. Yet, a win on his debut derby would definitely make it a memorable one. 

Moving away from the trend of registering very few shots on target, the 2020-21 Indian Super League (ISL) match between Odisha and Hyderabad on Monday had seven attempts that the goalkeepers were forced to stop. 

Hyderabad had four shots on goal and Odisha tried their luck with three. However, interestingly. Hyderabad's goalkeeper Subrata Paul had an easy night in between the sticks. Overall, it was a good night for Manuel Marquez and there were a lot of positives to note down. 

Santana leads the way 

It was important for a team like Hyderabad, who had a disastrous debut campaign last season, to start on a winning note. By winning their season opener, Hyderabad have already won half the number of games they won last season. The Nizams have also registered their first-ever clean sheet in ISL. 

There was a lot to like about how Aridane Santana led the line for his team against his former employers. Santana's move may have slipped under the radar on social media considering the number of big-name arrivals at other teams but the Spanish striker had nine goals and two assists to his name from 14 matches last season - an impressive tally whichever way you look at it. 

An unfortunate injury had cut his season short but he's now back in yellow instead of blue and looked hungry to get off the mark. There have been debates about what constitutes a handball in various leagues around the world but as Steven Taylor slid inside the box to block Halicharan Narzary's shot after the half-hour mark, the ball struck the defender's arm which was away from the body.

The player's intention did not matter in this scenario as the referee Tejas Nagvenkar pointed to the spot right away. Santana confidently dispatched the spot-kick to put his team in the lead and the advantage was rarely threatened for the rest of the game. 

Impressive Indian duo 

There were two Indian players who impressed with their performances for Hyderabad. Left-back Akash Mishra was solid throughout the game and his display earned praise from Manuel Marquez. The coach said that the 18-year-old defender can become the best left-back in India - that's a good way to start the season!

Liston Colaco, who came on in the 62nd minute in place of Mohammed Yasir, was a delight to watch when he got on the ball. Granted, he was given time on the ball by his opponents but there were a few sumptuous touches in the centre by the former FC Goa forward that will have caught the eye of his coaching staff.

Odisha didn't look ready

Like a lot of the teams who have played their opening games this season, Stuart Baxter's Odisha also lacked a punch in all areas of the pitch. This could be attributed due to the improper pre-season that they were forced into due to the Coronavirus pandemic but the teams who can overcome that challenge early on in the season will be favourites to get into the playoffs. 

Baxter chose to go with Diego Mauricio upfront and pushed last season's star striker Manuel Onwu out onto the left flank. There may be reasons for a head coach to do that but Onwu's effect in the game was reduced by him being played out of position. Experiments will be forgiven by the fans at the start of the season but they will hope the Juggernauts can bounce back in the next game - against Jamshedpur on Sunday.  

Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo insisted Cristiano Ronaldo does not receive any special treatment at the Serie A giants despite his superstar status.

Ronaldo has made a fine start to the season for Juve, scoring eight goals in his first six games despite being struck down with coronavirus for a period also.

His brace guided Juve past Cagliari 2-0 on Saturday, and Ronaldo has scored 29 of Juve's 59 Serie A goals in 2020.

Ahead of Tuesday's Champions League clash against Ferencvaros, Pirlo discussed Ronaldo - and said the five-time Ballon d'Or winner was treated like any other player.

"I haven't challenged [Ronaldo] on set-pieces yet. I treat him like I treat all the other players. I'm always available on and off the pitch," he told a news conference.

"It's easy to have a good relationship between humble people. I'm like that.

"I behave with him – a champion – like I do with [Gianluca] Frabotta or [Manolo] Portanova, who are two young players.

"I do the same things I was used to doing when I was a player."

Pirlo will finally be able to call on all three of his star attackers, Ronaldo, Paulo Dybala and Alvaro Morara, to play at full strength in the same team against Ferencvaros, with each individual of the trio having their own issues this campaign.

Ronaldo, Juve's top scorer this season with eight goals in six appearances, missed four matches across Serie A and the Champions League after testing positive for coronavirus in October.

Dybala has battled injury and ill health and has only recovered full fitness in the past week, and Morata, who has six goals in nine games, needed time to settle after signing on loan from Atletico Madrid in September.

"We've been thinking about it from the start. Unfortunately, we never had them together in good condition," Pirlo told reporters on Monday. "We are thinking of different solutions.

"Dybala was injured, Morata wasn't there right at the start, Ronaldo had Covid... they trained together for a few days. Now, we'll try to balance the team, and then we'll look for a solution to let them play together, if possible."

All eight of Ronaldo's Serie A goals this season have come from inside the box, while he has converted 75 per cent of his big chances.

Ahead of hosting Ferencvaros, Juventus are second in Group G, three points adrift of Barcelona.

Antoine Griezmann says he will refuse to cut his hair even if Barcelona demand him to change it.

The 29-year-old has sported long hair for most of his career and has continued to grow his hair since moving to Barcelona from Atletico in the summer of 2019.

Griezmann's has struggled to maintain consistency during his time at Camp Nou and has come in for criticism from Barca fans that has often extended to the off the pitch.

Often, Barca's fans have blamed the France international's long hair for his poor performances, but Griezmann has vowed to not cut his hair, even if he was asked by the club itself.

The attacker also admitted he had grown tired of the hateful comments directed at him by supporters.

"I will keep my hair long even if they ask me to cut it. My children and my wife want me to keep it," Griezmann told Jorge Valdano on the latest edition of Universo Valdano.

"Since my arrival at Barcelona, I have not spoken. I said at the time that I only want to speak on the pitch, not publicly.

"I have been putting up with many different comments, and now I’ve said enough is enough. It is time to put things right."

Griezmann has scored two goals and provided one assist in eight La Liga games so far this season.

His big chance conversion (50 per cent) is at its highest since 2017-18, when it was 59.3 per cent and he netted 19 league goals for Atletico Madrid.

However, his involvement at Barca compared to Atletico is down. Only once during five seasons at Atletico – in 2014-15 – did he have fewer successful passes per 90 minutes than so far this season (28.4). His 43.4 touches per 90 this campaign are lower than he had in any of his seasons at Atletico.

Griezmann has also created just 0.7 chances per 90 minutes in La Liga in 2020-21, and not once did he have a lower figure at Atletico.

Coming off a 1-0 loss to Atletico, Barcelona visit Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Egyptian Premier League side Wadi Degla have completed the signing of Ludogorets Razgrad winger Jorginho

The 25-year-old Guinea-Bissau international has signed a loan deal with the Petro Sport Stadium side, having struggled to impress at the Bulgarian First League outfit.

Manager Nikodimos Papavasiliou has taken the attacker, who netted once in eight outings for the Eagles last season, on an initial one-year temporary deal that has an obligatory purchase option inserted for if the certain conditions are met.

Jorginho began his career at Manchester City Academy between 2012-2015. There, he represented the Citizens’ U19 and U23 sides, while featuring in the Uefa Youth League.

His inability to get a chance in the English side’s first team necessitated his move to Portuguese side FC Arouca in 2016 on a three-and-a-half-year- deal. He was handed his Primeira Liga bow in a 2-1 away triumph against FC Porto – coming on as a 78th minute substitute.

Against Moreirense FC on December 17, 2016, he scored a hat-trick in his team’s 4-1 away triumph

Jorginho scored a hat-trick in a 4–1 away victory over Moreirense F.C. on 17 December 2016 at Parque Moreira de Conegos.

The following season, he was transferred to AS Saint-Etienne, who loaned him later to G.D Chaves in a season-long move after acquiring him on a permanent basis.

In France, he made only seven appearances, including two against Manchester United in the Europa League qualifiers, while scoring in a French topflight game versus FC Lorient.

Even at that, he couldn’t cement his place in the first-team and was sent out on loan to Bulgaria’s most successful club CSKA Sofia, before joining their rivals Ludogorets permanently in July 2019. In his maiden season at Ludogorets, the African scored six goals.

On the international scene, Jorginho played for Portugal at youth level and was part of their squad to the 2014 Uefa European U19 championship, featuring in three games as they bowed to eventual champions Germany in the final.

In 2018, he pledged his international allegiance to Guinea-Bissau before earning his first cap on March 22, in their 2-0 friendly defeat to Burkina Faso.

After the first few of matches of the 2020-21 Indian Super League, the aftereffects of an improper pre-season is evident in how the teams have gone about their business on the field. 

After several months without football and on-field training due to the Coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown, the ISL clubs set up camp in Goa to train a month before the season opener on November 20. 

While domestic travel wasn't much of an issue, getting the foreigners to Goa proved to be a struggle due to visa delays and whatnot. The foreign players came in batches, sorted by country - some countries approved visas earlier than others and that meant none of the head coaches was able to train with a full-strength squad for at least a month. 

Not going through a proper pre-season can be detrimental's to a team's progress. 

This year, however, neither club nor the league can be blamed for this mess. It is what it is - due to the pandemic - and football fans are just glad to have football back. But they also need to keep in mind that their favourite teams may need a little bit of time before they showcase their full potential. 

None of the teams who took the field so far have looked ready for action. They all - especially the foreigners - look at least a few weeks short of being fully ready for a whole season. 

Before the season opener, Kerala Blasters Kibu Vicuna said, "It is true that pre-season is short. In a new team, you like to train more. You have players who ended quarantine three days ago. Every team has its own problems. No complaints and excuses. We are happy to start the league. 

“The foreign players came later due to visa issues and they need more time. The whole team needs more time, not only physically but also tactically. We are going to be better next month than today, I am sure about that."

While Kerala Blasters struggled to convert possession into clear-cut chances and struggled in the attacking third in the opening game, the matches since then have proved that it is going to be a common occurrence to have teams lacking the kind of chemistry that fluid football demands. 

FC Goa head coach Juan Ferrando has also been vocal about the issues teams will have to deal with due to the kind of pre-season they have all gone through. "Everybody knows that the pre-season was very short and the problem for us and other teams is that all the players were out of action for seven months. I feel that all the teams are not ready for 90 minutes.

"It's time to pay attention to the mentality of the players and it's very important to take care of injuries. In these situations, we need to forget the stress and to improve the team game-by-game," he added.

However, the decision by the league to allow five substitutions this season is a welcome tweak and will help coaches manage the situation better. 

It would be unfair to expect all players - especially foreigners who came late - to fire on all cylinders right from the start of the season. They will need some to settle into the coach's tactics - especially if the head coach is also a new arrival at the club and he wants to play possession-based football.

There are no shortcuts available for match fitness and tactical training and they need to be perfected game by game. The group that gets it right first may get an early advantage this season. 

Antoine Griezmann has asked for patience from Barcelona’s fans, saying he has had a difficult adaption process on account of the upheaval at the club over the past 18 months.

France international Griezmann joined Barca in the summer of 2019, but he has not shown his best form since making the move from Atletico Madrid.

Griezmann can understand criticism if he is not playing well, but he pointed to the fact that he is now working under his third manager at the club since his arrival as a valid excuse.

Ronald Koeman is currently in charge of a Barcelona side who sit in 13th in La Liga, having replaced Quique Setien in the summer.

Setien’s spell in charge only lasted eight months, as he took charge of the club in January 2020 following the departure of Ernesto Valverde.

Griezmann feels the manager upheaval has not helped his adaption process, while also citing the coronavirus pandemic as another obstacle to overcome.

"I accept the criticism,” Griezmann told Jorge Valdano on the latest edition of Universo Valdano. “I had three managers in a year and a half, that is really hard with Barca’s style of play. Together with a pandemic to deal with too.

“So I still need time to adapt, because we had three different systems under three different managers, and therefore the players need time to adapt to me and I need time to adapt to them.“

Griezmann believes that given time, he can prove that he was worthy of the €120 million (£105 / $140m) Barca paid to prise him out of Madrid.

“People are asking if I’m a good signing or not, I know I can help,” he said. “Maybe I haven’t helped as some people would have liked, but I want to help my team-mates.”

Barca may be struggling domestically and there is also upheaval due to the upcoming presidential elections, but Griezmann, who said in the same interview that he had cleared the air with Lionel Messi over his failed move on 2018, feels they have the quality to secure silverware this season.

“It has been a tough two years, but there is plenty ahead,” he said. “We have the Champions League to look forward to and lots of games coming up. I believe we have the group to show we can win big things and we have to respond.

“I’m excited to respond, to win, and to help the team. They trust me and there’s no problem at all. I just want to be left alone and have some peace.”

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has spoken in favour of increased matchday squads, as he believes isolation takes a mental toll on those not involved.

Solskjaer is preparing his side for a meeting with Istanbul Basaksehir in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday.

As well as being afforded the opportunity to make five substitutes, which cuts down the chances of players becoming fatigued, he will also be able to select a larger matchday squad than is allowed in the Premier League.

When United travelled to Istanbul earlier in November, Solskjaer had 12 players on the bench during the 2-1 defeat.

The expanded matchday squads allowed in Europe give managers more options from a tactical standpoint, but Solskjaer feels there is an intangible benefit in that the players benefit mentally from being involved as opposed to being in isolation at home.

"So I like the five subs, I also like the size of the squads because the players feel involved, especially during lockdown,” Solskjaer said. “Sometimes if you're told you're not in the squad you've got to stay at home and you can't go and see your friend or see the game with a friend. 

“That's another mental welfare that we have to look after with the players, so Champions League, I like it.”

United occupy top spot in Champions League Group H ahead of Tuesday’s game, but their position is not secure following the shock loss in Turkey on November 4.

Solskjaer does not have the luxury of being able to rotate his squad, but he has admitted he wants to get a breather into midfielder Bruno Fernandes at some stage.

The Portuguese is pivotal to how United play, but the Red Devils are heading into a period of 11 games before the turn of the year and Solskjaer wants to give his star man a rest.

"Bruno is not going to be able to play every single game, that's for sure,” Solskjaer said. “So when he only played one-and-a-half games with Portugal during the international break I was very happy."

Following the game with Basaksehir, United travel to Southampton and that may be a game Fernandes sits out as immediately after that match is a clash with Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.

Antonie Griezmann has admitted that his decision to reject a transfer to Barcelona in 2018 upset Lionel Messi.

Griezmann eventually joined Barca in 2019, but the previous year he teased the prospect of making the move to Catalunya - only to remain at Atletico Madrid.

Messi spoke positively about Griezmann joining the club in 2018, and the Frenchman has admitted the pair had a long conversation when he eventually joined Barca.

"When I signed for the club I asked for forgiveness for delaying the move and saying I wouldn’t join Barcelona," Griezmann told Jorge Valdano on the latest edition of Universo Valdano. "I told Lionel Messi that I would give everything on the pitch for the club.

"I spoke with Leo when I arrived and he told me that when I turned down the first chance to go, he was screwed because he had asked for it publicly, but he told me he was with me and I notice it every day.“

Griezmann has not shown his best form at Barca, but his situation has not been helped by off-field distractions.

His former agent Eric Olhats and uncle Emmanuel Lopes have caused controversy by saying Griezmann has a negative relationship with Messi.

The France international has denied this and says he has no contact with either man.

"He (Olhats) was very important in my life but I don’t have a relationship with him anymore,” Griezmann said. “I stopped having any relationship with him since the day I got married. I invited him to the wedding day, and he didn’t come. That’s why I stopped having a relationship with him. 

“My uncle doesn’t know how football works. And in the end, the journalist ended up getting the statement out of him. I told Leo that I never speak to them, in fact, I don’t even have my uncle’s phone number. 

“My parents don’t talk to Eric either, so who is going to talk to him? He can do a lot of damage, and create problems in the dressing room.”

Griezmann is well aware that the best way to put criticism behind him is to perform on the pitch.

Barcelona are struggling in La Liga, where they sit in 13th in the table - 12 points behind leaders Real Sociedad, albeit with two games in hand.

They are better placed in the Champions League with three wins out of three to top Group G, and they face Dynamo Kiev on Tuesday.

Manager Roy Hodgson has talked down suggestions that Crystal Palace are too dependent on Wilfried Zaha after Monday’s 1-0 loss to Burnley.

The former Manchester United winger, who has scored five league goals in eight appearances this term for the Eagles, was ruled out of the game after testing positive for coronavirus.

In his absence, goalscoring responsibilities fell on the shoulders on Chelsea loanee Michy Batshuayi, however, they left Turf Moor on a losing note following Chris Wood’s first-half strike.

Speaking at his post-match press conference, the 73-year-old was questioned on his level of worry for their lack of goals in the wake of the Cote d’Ivoire international’s imposed absence, but he was quick to put that to bed.

"We've scored 12 which is more than we've had in previous years after nine games," the former Liverpool, Inter Milan and West Bromwich Albion told media as reported by club website.

"I've had two years of listening to people tell us we don't score enough goals and we don't have enough goal-scorers. There are goals in the team, we do have players who can score and who will score.

"There are 29 games to go and the goals will come and will come from lots of different sources, I'm convinced of that.

"We were very much on the front foot (in the second half) and taking the game to Burnley.

"There were a lot of situations around their penalty area but unfortunately the last part when we shot wasn't there and when it was, we found the goalkeeper in excellent form."

Hodgson revealed he was left unsatisfied with the result and failure to finish off clear-cut opportunities.

“All defeats are frustrating, especially with the way we went about our game in the second-half which was very much on the front foot, taking game to Burnley,” he continued.

“We created lots of situations in and around their penalty area, but unfortunately, the last pass or shot wasn’t there, and when it was, we found the goalkeeper in excellent form.”

Zaha, 28, will also miss the team’s fixture against Newcastle United on Friday at the Selhurst Park as he remains in isolation.

Karim Benzema and Sergio Ramos have not been included in the Real Madrid squad for their UEFA Champions League clash with Inter Milan, but Zinedine Zidane has been boosted by the return of Casemiro.

France forward Benzema has not featured since picking up a knock in the loss to Valencia on November 8, and was absent as Real returned to action following the international break with a draw at Villarreal.

There was hope that he would be fit to link up with the squad for the trip to Inter on Wednesday, but his name was absent from the 21-man list.

Also missing is Ramos, who picked up a hamstring injury during Spain’s 6-0 win over Germany last Wednesday and may be sidelined for a number of weeks.

While Zidane is without his most potent attacking weapon and most experienced defender, he can call upon Casemiro.

The Brazilian has not featured since testing positive for coronavirus prior to the international break.

Casemiro linked up with the Madrid squad ahead of the Liga game with Villarreal on Saturday, but he was deemed to not be sharp enough for match action.

The Brazil international’s return is a huge boost to Zidane as he offers control in the middle of the park, which will be needed on the night in Milan.

Real travel to Inter occupying second place in Champions League Group B, with a win, a draw and a loss to their record from three games.

The match is not a must win for Real, but defeat would be a huge setback for their chances of reaching the knockout stages - and Casemiro’s calming presence will be of major significance.

An intriguing name on the squad list is Hugo Duro, the 21-year-old forward who is on loan at the club from Getafe.

With Benzema out and Luka Jovic absent after testing positive for coronavirus, Duro has been given the nod to travel.

He joined the club earlier this year and was expected to spend the season with the Castilla squad, but the lack of options has prompted Zidane to include him and he could make his Real debut in a Champions League tie.

FC Tokyo coach Kenta Hasegawa may not be a stranger to a centralized Asian tournament hosted by Qatar but that still did not prevent him from calling the 2020AFC Champions League East Zone a unique tournament.

In 1993, a good 27 years before the pandemic-delayed 2020 AFC Champions League currently ongoing in the 2022 FIFA World Cup host nation, Hasegawa had been part of the Japanese national team in the final round of Asian qualifiers for the 1994 FIFA World Cup which had followed a centralized hosting model.

On his return to another centralized completion in the West Asian nation, Hasegawa told media on Monday ahead of his team’s Group F clash against Shanghai Shenhua that the 2020 AFC Champions League is a tournament the likes of which he has never experienced before.

“This is a special tournament as it is being held in an unusual year,” Hasegawa implying the global COVID health crisis which has had massive sporting as well as political ramifications in Japan owing to the postponement of the 2020 Olympic Games scheduled to be held in the same city of which Hasegawa’s club is the face of in J.League.

The 55-year-old, however, lauded the contribution of the tournament organisers working to ensure things are as smooth as can be for the teams under the prevalent Government-mandated protocols.

“I understand that the AFC and the Local Organizing Committee of the tournament have put in a tremendous effort to make this tournament a reality in unusual circumstances and we appreciate this. Asian football is developing at a rapid pace and is catching up with the top level. We are happy to represent the J.League in this competition. We hope to play in the normal style of FC Tokyo in the coming days.”

Hasegawa acknowledges that the compact nature of the centralized hosting model will help his team achieve their objectives by focusing more on training and on-field performance and less on logistics.

“In a centralized hosting model such as this, we are saved from the stress of travelling,” said the former Samurai Blue forward who took charge of the capital club in 2018.  “In the AFC Champions League traditional home and away format, for example, we have to travel to Australia which is a 10-hour journey. This is not needed in the centralized format which we are having now.

Hasegawa also said that his team has been waiting for a long time to restart the AFC Champions League whose normal schedule was hit by the outbreak of the COVID pandemic in March. FC Tokyo had played two group games in February winning against Perth Glory and sharing points with Ulsan Hyundai. “My team has been wanting to come to Qatar to restart the 2020 AFC Champions League. We have had a week’s preparation ahead of our first game and we will be ready for the game.”

Kim Doo-hoon, the coach of FC Tokyo’s fellow Group F leaders Ulsan Hyundai, reemphasized his statement of last week when he had praised Qatar’s quarantine facilities and COVID safety protocols.  “It is true a lot of players were worried about Coronavirus and there is a lot of pressure because of the disease,” he told media on Monday ahead of his side’s group game against Perth Glory.

“We follow the safety protocols of Qatar and everyone in the team knows how important it is to do this. We also practice social distancing and one example is that we have single rooms in the hotel. Coronavirus has not affected our football preparations though – the players knew about the situation before they came for the tournament and have been focusing on what they need to do.”

Wilfried Zaha accentuated his importance to Crystal Palace after the Eagles bowed 1-0 to Burnley in Monday’s Premier League outing.

Since the start of 2014-15 when the Cote d’Ivoire international re-joined the Selhurst Park giants from Manchester United, Palace have lost 71.4 percent of English topflight games played without him.

These games included each of the last seven away matches away from home.

The 28-year-old did not travel with Roy Hodgson’ squad for the game against Sean Dyche’s men after testing positive for coronavirus.

"He has tested positive unfortunately for coronavirus so is self-isolating, and is awaiting the results of the next test,” Hodgson said prior to kick-off per club website.

“He is not feeling particularly ill, but unfortunately the test proved [positive], and he is following the procedures.

"We've known about it for a few days. We didn't want to broadcast it to the world because we were rather hoping that the second test might free him to play.”

In his absence, Michy Batshuayi was handed a starter’s role, albeit, they ended up on the losing side following Chris Wood’s eighth minute strike.

Senegal’s Cheikhou Kouyate failed to deal with a high ball from Johann Gudmundsson with Jay Rodriguez latching onto the centre-back’s misdirected headed clearance, neatly placing the ball first-time into the path of Wood who coolly slotted past Vicente Guaita.

Despite waking up from their slumber, Palace returned home with heads bowed low as the hosts put up a strong display defensively to frustrate their attacking forays.

With 30 minutes left to play, a chaotic Dwight McNeil back-pass gifted Batshuayi a golden chance, but Pope was quick to the danger, spreading his body to foil the Belgian’s first-time strike with an outstretched leg.

Followingthis result, Hodgson’s men have now lost four games in the 2020-21 Premier League campaign to sit in the 11th position on the log having accrued 13 points from nine games.

Zaha, who featured for Cardiff City on loan in 2014 and has found the net five times in eight Premier League games so far is also expected to miss Friday's tie with 15th-placed Newcastle United.

Wayne Rooney has revealed he was “ready” to join Real Madrid or Barcelona when he handed in a transfer request at Manchester United 10 years ago.

The former England skipper expressed his desire to leave the Red Devils in October 2010 after questioning the club’s ambition and ability to attract top players.

The news sparked a scramble among the game’s elite clubs as they attempted to lure Rooney away from Old Trafford.

Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea were believed to be frontrunners for his signature, as were bitter rivals Manchester City.

Rooney has now revealed that Real and Barca were also in the frame, and that he was tempted with a move to La Liga.

“I think it was well documented that Chelsea and Mourinho wanted to sign me,” Rooney told the UTD Podcast.

“There was Real Madrid, Barcelona and the Man City thing kept cropping up, but there was never the option for me to go there.

“Although there were rumours on that as well, but the other three, really, were more realistic options.

“In my head, at the time, in that two-day period, I was ready to go and play in Spain.

“Ideally, I would have liked to have gone to Barcelona, but it was looking more likely to be Real Madrid than Barcelona. Chelsea were always there as well.

“To be honest, it was two or three days where there was communication between myself and them, or my representatives and team.

“I remember sitting down for one day and thinking ‘imagine playing in that Barcelona team – Messi, Xavi, Iniesta and Busquets'. And at that time Messi wasn’t playing the way he plays now, as a no.9 for instance. He was out wide.

“I was thinking I could have slotted in perfectly. I could have come to the ball as well and have players running in behind.”

Rooney famously performed a drastic U-turn just two days after handing in his transfer request, signing a new five-year contract after talks with manager Sir Alex Ferguson and chairman David Gill.

“After a couple of days, I spoke to David Gill again and when there were those protests at my house, I’d actually already agreed to sign the new contract by that time,” he added.

“I was thinking “Jesus”, it was three o’clock in the morning and I didn’t fancy going out to calm down 20 or 30 lads with their hoods up!”