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England manager Gareth Southgate has declared his side are 'better off' after Euro 2020 was delayed until next year. 

As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the tournament has been pushed back to June 2021 with the Three Lions drawn in Group D alongside Croatia, Scotland and Czech Republic. 

Since international football resumed this year, England have enjoyed mixed results and most recently bounced back from a 2-0 defeat against Belgium to smash Iceland 4-0 in the Nations League.

That big win saw Manchester City prodigy Phil Foden highlight his potentially bright future at international level and Southgate believes his relatively young side will be more ready to compete at Euro 2020 next year. 

“We’ve got this strange split where half of the squad from Russia have drifted away really,” Southgate said.

“They’re not playing with their clubs or have retired from international football so we’ve got a lot of guys who were the base of the team against Iceland - [Kieran] Trippier, [Kyle] Walker, [Eric] Dier, [Harry] Maguire, [Jordan] Pickford - who have good experiences and have started to build a lot of caps. 

"But then we have this younger group who are really innocent at international level in terms of the number of caps and experiences and a lot of them are so young as well.

“We’ve got to keep improving and they’ve got to learn from all the experiences they’ve had but I think we are definitely in a better place than we would have been after last autumn because those games weren’t the challenge we needed to improve.

“This autumn’s games have and so we’ll be better placed for next summer, whether we will be far enough ahead only time is going to tell. But we feel happier about the depth we’ve got from last Autumn, we feel very excited about the young players coming through and that is going to be for now but even more so two, four, six years time. We think England are in a good position for the future.

“And we’re looking forward to working with everyone in March to see what we can progress then.”

England are currently scheduled to play two World Cup qualifiers in March 2021 before Euro 2020 kicks off in June. 

One of the most notable foreign recruits of NorthEast United FC this season is Ghanaian international Kwesi Appiah who will play for his 28th professional club this season.

Yes, you heard that right. Before joining NorthEast United, the 30-year-old man had played for 27 different clubs in a decade-long career. He has changed clubs almost every single season and, in some seasons, has played for multiple teams.

The longest commitment he had ever made was with his last club AFC Wimbledon where he had spent three years.

After graduating from the youth system of Ebbsfleet United, Appiah was promoted to the club’s senior team in 2008 and made his professional debut in the fifth division of England at the age of 18.

He plied his trade for numerous clubs in League Two, League One and the Championship in England before signing for Premier League outfit Crystal Palace in the 2011-12 season. Unfortunately, the striker never made a league debut in the Premier League and had to remain content with League Cup and FA Cup appearances.

Though his contract with Palace lasted for four and a half years, Appiah could play only six matches for the club and spent most of his time on loan to other clubs in the lower divisions.

His best season was in 2013-14 when he scored 10 goals in 14 appearances for Cambridge United in the Conference league.

Interestingly, the NorthEast United FC will only be his second club outside England with the first being Viking FC in Norway. He made 12 appearances for the Norwegian club and could muster only three goals.

It has been a long and somewhat colourful ride for ‘Journeyman’ Appiah who is nearing the twilight of his career. He has come to India for a new challenge and will hope to have a successful season with the Highlanders.

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has admitted he's considering making training changes to combat growing concerns about football and dementia. 

England legend Sir Bobby Charlton was recently diagnosed with dementia, while Nobby Stiles sadly passed away last month after battling the illness. 

Recent research has suggested that players are more likely to develop dementia later in life as a result of heading the ball but clubs are yet to be told to make any changes. 

Lampard feels strongly about the issue and suggested he may personally make some tweaks to his training at Chelsea to ensure the safety of his players. 

"The rules need to be stronger to make sure we're not making younger children head it if they don't need to. In the development game, that's more than possible," Lampard said on Thursday.

"We have to start with youth football. When children are developing, we can control the levels of training. Anything we can do to make things safer, we should.

"I think we can work up the pyramid. Already, I'm certainly considering it in terms of how we train here because of the seriousness of the issue.

"At the professional level, the small gains are huge and we need to make sure we're working under the same guidelines and trust each other that we are. At the moment, there are no guidelines. It has to be something that goes across the board."

Aston Villa manager Dean Smith is just as worried about the link between football and dementia having seen first hand just how debilitating the disease can be. 

"I think it's a question for a wider debate until we have the full science data about heading the ball," Smith said.

"I was a defender and my game was about heading a football. Yes, it is a concern. If the data comes out and shows a correlation. We'd need to change something.

"I recently lost my father through Covid but he also had dementia and he was not a footballer. Dementia and Alzheimer's is more prevalent throughout the world now unfortunately but I think if there is a correlation between heading a football and dementia then we need to do something.

"There's a lot of people putting in money and intelligence to find out if there is a correlation between heading and dementia. The balls were heavier back then. We are all saddened about the former players who are suffering with dementia at the moment."

Daniel James says he's "sticking in there" as he continues to battle for a regular spot at Manchester United.

United forked out £15 million ($20m) to bring James to Old Trafford in the summer of 2019.

James made a blistering start to life in Manchester, scoring three goals in his first four Premier League appearances, impressing with his blistering pace in the final third and direct style of play.

The 23-year-old was not able to sustain that form, however, as he embarked on a 32-game scoreless run which left supporters questioning Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's faith in the Welshman.

James' first season at Old Trafford was still deemed a success as he featured in a total of 46 matches during United's run to a third-place Premier League finish and three semi-finals, but he has fallen down the squad pecking order at the start of the 2020-21 campaign.

With the summer arrivals of Donny van de Beek and Edinson Cavani increasing competition for places in attacking positions, the ex-Swansea star has been restricted to just three cameos from the bench for the Red Devils in the top flight to date.

James had the opportunity to get some regular minutes under his belt with Wales during the international break, and scored a stunning goal in a 3-1 Nations' League win over Finland on Wednesday, but he insists he doesn't enjoy playing for his country more than his club at the moment.

"I wouldn't say it's a release," the mercurial winger told BBC Sport when discussing his work with the Dragons over the past week.

"Man United is my club and I love it there. Whether I am playing or not, I'm proud, as proud as I am to play for Wales.

"There are obviously times where I played a lot last season. I may not have played as much this season, but I am sticking in there and always in and around it.

"I feel really good at the moment. When I do play, I give my all. I bought into everything we wanted to do and thankfully I got that goal and assist."

Wale secured promotion to the top tier of the Nations' League by beating Finland, and James is looking forward to pitting his wits against the best teams on the continent in both that competition and next summer's European Championships.

"After we qualified for the Euros we wanted to make sure we made another achievement, we knew it would be tough coming into this group with some tough games," The United starlet added.

"Qualifying for the Euros was such a massive achievement and we've got that to look forward to.

"Having qualified it put us in a great position in this group to push on and see what we could do next.

"To compete with the best teams in Europe in League A is where we want to be. We're really looking forward to that."

Jurgen Klopp has expressed his belief that Premier League clubs need five substitutions in order to ensure the welfare of the players over the course of a shortened 2020-21 campaign.

Top-flight clubs were given permission to make five substitutions per game after returning to action following the coronavirus lockdown in June last season.

The new rule gave managers the chance to rotate their squads amid a congested fixture list, and a proposal for the initiative to continue was put forward ahead of the new season, which was reduced in length by four weeks by schedulers due to the coronavirus crisis.

However, Premier League clubs ultimately voted against keeping the five-subs system in place, with the original format of three changes per game subsequently reinstated.

Unfortunately, the early stages of the current campaign have been significantly disrupted by injuries, and Liverpool have been among the worst-hit clubs having seen the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Trent Alexander-Arnold sidelined.

Klopp believes the time has come for football's top officials to start prioritising player safety, with it his belief that they are being unnecessarily pushed to their limits.

"We fought hard for a winter break in the normal season. One week after the season’s most intense period. One week where you don’t have to think about football, don’t have to train, don’t have to get up in the morning and think, ‘How will I play tonight?’ We fought so hard for one week less," he told ex-Reds midfielder Jamie Redknapp during an interview for the Daily Mail.

"But this now is not a normal season. This now is a season which is four weeks shorter but with the same amount of games. This is a very special time, not only for football but for the whole world. All of us have to dig in and fight hard to get through it. In football, it’s like this. It looks like the whole world changed but the two things which stayed were the fixture list of the Premier League and three subs.

"These are the two things we have to talk about. We have to talk to the broadcasters. People need to understand football players. People say: ‘Oh, but they earn this much.’ It’s not about that. They earn that much because they are so special. 

"There are actors who are brilliant but will never be James Bond. But as a James Bond, you earn more than others. With football, it’s the same. So many people play football and the best of them earn more. But that doesn’t make them more robust for everything in life. On Wednesday we had a meeting between all of the managers and it was so important."

Asked if he felt the five substitutions experiment had been a success earlier in the year, Klopp responded:  "Yes. Before the season, some people thought it would be an advantage for us, the people who said we should stick to five substitutions.

"But it was never — and I can promise you this, I’m a Christian — it was not for one second about having an advantage. All the other countries did it. Italy — Juventus, Inter Milan, they have the biggest squads, but still the other clubs said, ‘We need five subs.’

"Yesterday six managers changed their minds. We need it. For the players, not the clubs. December and January in a normal season is brutal. We know that. But this year, for the Champions League and Europa League clubs, October is like December. November is like December. December is still December, then January, then February.

"It’s not about me. It’s not about Liverpool. It’s about player welfare. Nothing else. The problem is if you ask the players, they say, ‘I’m fine!’ Because players — and you were one yourself — always want to play. Always. Until they are injured. They are not the best source.

"The PFA should not ask the players, ‘What do you think?’ It’s common sense. The LMA don’t have to ask the managers what we think because the problem is clear. Make the decision. Five or three? The best solution is five. Do it."

Jose Mourinho has opened up on his newfound success as an Instagram star, with the Tottenham boss offering some advice out on how to keep it real on the social media platform.

The Portuguese has emerged as something of an unlikely influencer in the digital world since his arrival in north London, with the 57-year-old offering an inside glimpse of his regime previously only speculated at by fans.

Having previously deleted the app during his time at Manchester United, Mourinho has since revived it and helped build a 1.1 million-strong audience, assisted by a striking emoji game amongst other things.

In a tongue-in-cheek video posted to the club's own social media channels, the manager has admitted that he does not know why he has amassed such a significant online following, while dispensing a collection of key tips to keep followers hooked on content.

"I have no idea," he quipped when asked why people should follow him. "It's just about being real."

Making reference to several of his more popular posts, Mourinho pointed to a shot of him sequestered on a plane with a tablet to watch a film, adding; "[You need to] take your followers on a journey.

"I was watching Legend, with Tom Hardy. The message is that I am relaxed before matches. Of course, a nice movie needs good popcorn [too]."

Other suggestions made in the four-minute clip saw Mourinho imploring followers to "engage your audience", "embrace the moment" and "keep it fresh", while in reference to a now-iconic image taken after a Europa League defeat in Antwerp where he sat stoically on an empty bus, he stressed the need to "be real in good times and bad times".

"One of my assistants took the picture and I think the picture says everything," the former Real Madrid and Chelsea supremo added. "It was a bus of silence and later on it became a plane of silence. Many, many times, silence is better than many words."

Tottenham will return to action following the November international break this weekend with the visit of Manchester City, as Mourinho prepares to resume his long-standing rivalry with Pep Guardiola.

James Rodriguez has spoken out amid reports of a bust-up in the Colombia dressing room after their World Cup qualifying defeat to Uruguay.

Colombia suffered a major blow in their bid to qualify for Qatar 2022 after being thrashed 3-0 by Uruguay at Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Melendez last Friday.

Edinson Cavani fired home the opening goal of the game with just five minutes on the clock, and Luis Suarez doubled the visitors' account via the penalty spot early in the second period.

Darwin Nunez rounded off the scoring when his thunderous long-range strike went flying past David Ospina in the 73rd minute, with Colombia's misery compounded when Yerry Mina was shown a red card in stoppage time.

It has been reported that tensions within Carlos Queiroz's squad boiled over after the final whistle, leading to a physical confrontation behind the scenes which James was allegedly at the centre of.

The Everton midfielder vehemently denies those claims, however, and has threatened to take legal action against the publications responsible for defaming his character.

"To the public opinion, the media and fans in general that I DISMISS all kinds of supposed information alluding to mistreatment, aggression, disputes or all kinds of controversy raised between players and in which I am mentioned as the protagonist, After the World Cup qualifying commitments that took place on November 13 and 17, 2020," James said in an official statement on Thursday.

"What happened on the court and the unfortunate results have not prospered beyond what the game represents. Both in the dressing room and in my personal life, I maintain excellent and respectful relationships with each of my teammates from the Colombian National Team.

"The moment is complex from the sporting point of view, we players are the first to recognise our responsibility. However, as a group we remain united and with the intact dream of qualifying for the World Cup in Qatar, something for which we will work even harder.

"For the above, we need to clear all kinds of doubts about what harmony and the environment in the dressing room represent, which although it is affected from the soul has never passed into conflict between us its members.

"Finally, I ask everyone not to fall further into the misinformation of these slanders. Those responsible and creators of these false stories only intend to foment discord and chaos by affecting my name, so I will proceed in law where necessary."

Colombia did nothing to ease speculation of disharmony in the dressing room after losing 6-1 to Ecuador on Tuesday following their Uruguay defeat. 

Xavi believes Frenkie de Jong can 'mark an era at Barcelona' as the Spaniard heaped praise upon the midfielder. 

De Jong moved to Camp Nou last season from Ajax and showed glimpses of his full potential in an otherwise disappointing campaign for the Catalans. 

Now playing under Dutch coach Ronald Koeman, De Jong looks set to be played in his preferred position moving forward after being forced to fill in across the midfield last term. 

Still only 23, Xavi believes the best is yet to come from De Jong, with the man tipped to soon return to Barcelona as manager, adamant the Netherlands prodigy is capable of carving out his own legacy at the club and with his country too. 

"When Barcelona signed Frenkie de Jong, it made me happy. I wished him good luck on Instagram, he responded very well, saying 'Thank you, it's an honour'. I consider him a footballer that can mark an era at Barcelona," Xavi told the 2022 World Cup's Instagram account. 

"Surely for Netherlands he will be one of the best players of his generation at Qatar 2022, without a doubt, he's still so young. 

"I think he is an extraordinary footballer, he's not afraid of getting the ball in areas that make it difficult to turn, he's such a good player. 

"Obviously, Barcelona requires players to be at an excellent level, otherwise there's always criticism. When you arrive at Barcelona, you have Messi, Griezmann, Pique, Busquets, Ter Stegen, the best players in the world are on your team. And you need time to adapt to a different culture, different language. It was also difficult for me, for Iniesta as well, when we were younger at 20-23, it's hard at a big club to make a difference.

"Frenkie de Jong is Frenkie de Jong. He has nothing to do with Iniesta, with me or with Busquets, he's totally different. 

"He's a very capable player and he will be the organiser of this generation of Dutch players. He's capable of organising a team from the midfield and I have no doubts, it's up to him.

"The Netherlands had the bad luck that they didn't qualify for the last World Cup but now they have a generation of players who are really good and can achieve great things, without a doubt." 

Mohamed Salah and Mohamed Elneny have secured a private flight back to England after testing positive for Covid-19.

Liverpool talisman Salah was forced to sit out Egypt's Africa Cup of Nations qualification double-header against Togo after being diagnosed with coronavirus last Friday.

The 28-year-old posted another positive test on Wednesday while in self-isolation, and is now set to miss the Reds' top of the table Premier League clash against Leicester on Sunday.

It has been reported that Salah will have to wait until Monday for his next test, which would mark his tenth and final day in quarantine if the result comes back negative.

Egypt announced that Arsenal midfielder Elneny had also contracted coronavirus on Tuesday, and he subsequently sat out their 3-1 victory over Togo, having played in the first of their Group G meetings with their African rivals three days earlier, which ended in a 1-0 win for Hossam El Badry's side.

The Gunners will be forced to make do without the 28-year-old when they take in a trip to Elland Road to face Leeds United this weekend, but he will be travelling back to London with his compatriot on Friday.

Elneny and Salah will be returning to England on a "medically equipped" plane, and will be tested again once they touch down in the country's capital city before continuing their respective spells in self-isolation.

The Egyptian Football Association has confirmed the news via the following statement on their official website: "Salah and Mohamed Elneny, the stars of the professional national team in England, would travel tomorrow from Hurghada airport on a private plane equipped with medical equipment, hoping that their cases would soon turn negative and be able to return to the participation of their two teams in their next matches.

"The Egyptian Federation has been in constant contact and coordination with the two clubs since each of them was infected with the Coronavirus, and communication was made through Captain Mohamed Fadl, a member of the five-year committee in charge of managing the Federation's affairs at the administrative level, and Dr. Muhammad Abu Al-Ela, the doctor of the national team at the medical level, while the two players made a new swab for each."

Kerala Blasters take on ATK Mohun Bagan in the Indian Super League (ISL) opener at the GMC Stadium, Bambolim on Friday evening. 

TV CHANNELS & LIVE STREAM

The Star Sports Network have the exclusive broadcasting rights of the ISL. It will be broadcasted live on 15 Star channels and in eight languages. 

TEAM NEWS

Kerala Blasters Possible XI:   

Injured - None
Doubtful - None  
Suspended - None  

Key Players - Gary Hooper, Sahal Samad. 
 

ATK Mohun Bagan Possible XI: 

Injured - Jobby Justin
Doubtful - None   
Suspended -   None

Key Players -  Roy Krishna, Javi Hernandez  

Lionel Messi is the "only number one" in football, according to Ivan Rakitic, who says it was a "dream" to play alongside the Barcelona superstar for so many years.

Rakitic moved to Camp Nou from Sevilla for €18 million (£16m/$19m) in the summer of 2014, and went on to appear in over 300 games for the club across all competitions, scoring 35 goals while also providing 42 assists.

Messi was often the man to get on the end of the Croatia international's searching passes in the final third, as the two men enjoyed an effective partnership that garnered four La Liga titles and the Champions League during a six-year period.

The Argentine is generally regarded as the greatest player of his generation, having won a record six Ballon d'Or awards while establishing himself as Barca's all-time record goalscorer, but Raktiic thinks he is also head and shoulders above legendary figures of bygone eras.

Asked what he thinks of Messi as a player, the 32-year-old midfielder told FIFA.com: "One hundred per cent football. It doesn’t matter who you are, you just have to watch and enjoy this guy. He’s on another level.

"With all respect to the other greats, there’s only one number one – it’s Leo. To play 311 games next to him, it was a dream.

"I enjoyed it so, so much. I just want to say this: ‘Thank you for everything, Leo, because you’ll never know how much it meant to me to play next to you.'"

Rakitic returned to Sevilla in September after being deemed surplus to requirements at Camp Nou, but says he will always look back on his time with Barca fondly for both professional and personal reasons.

"Six years, 311 games – the foreigner with the fourth-most games after Messi, Dani Alves and Mascherano – 13 titles. I think I can say that I’m part of the history of the club," he added.

"I got so much out of those six years. I will have Barcelona – the club, the city, the people – in my heart for the rest of my life. My family got bigger there – my youngest daughter was born in Barcelona.

"I’m really proud of my time there and will always cherish it."

Rakitic will be back in action with Sevilla when they play host to Celta Vigo on Saturday, while Messi will line up for Barca against Atletico Madrid at Wanda Metropolitano in the weekend's standout La Liga fixture.

Tottenham Hotspur Women have appointed Lionesses assistant Rehanne Skinner as their new head coach on a two-and-a-half year deal, the club has confirmed.

The former England Under-21 boss, who stepped up to the senior set-up earlier this year, will replace former co-head coaches Karen Hills and Juan Amoros following their dismissal earlier this week.

Spurs sit one place off bottom in the Women's Super League, and are yet to win a top-flight game this term, with three draws and four losses to their name.

Skinner's arrival brings an end to her tenure in the national set-up, with the FA confirming that they will announce a replacement in due course for the ex-Great Britain assistant coach.

“I am incredibly excited by this opportunity," the new Lilywhites boss revealed in a statement. "I would like to thank Phil, Kay Cossington and Sue Campbell for their understanding, and their recognition that this will be a great chance for me to further progress my coaching career.

“I have really enjoyed my time at The FA, working alongside some wonderfully talented people and with players who have done so much to put women’s football and our England teams in the spotlight.

"It will be very hard to leave but I will always have such fond memories of my ten years working with England teams.”

The FA's head of women’s technical development Cossington offered her admiration for Skinner, adding: “I am delighted for Rehanne. While we are sorry to see her leave, we are committed to helping our talented coaches progress in the game.

“This is a brilliant opportunity and I am sure England teams will feel the benefit in the future of having another WSL head coach who understands our commitment to furthering the player pathway and can continue to build on the excellent relationship we enjoy between the domestic and international game."

Skinner first joined the FA in 2017 as Under-19 coach and has gradually worked her way through the ranks over the following three years, having previously worked in the women's set-up at Wales.

Outgoing Spurs coaches Hills and Amoros only signed new two-year deals with the club in September, but have paid the price for their poor start to the current season.

Their sacking brings to an end a relationship with Tottenham forged since 2007 and 2011 respectively, with the pair having guided the side to promotion to the Women's Super League in 2018-19.

Lionel Messi will only consider staying at Barcelona if they win the Champions League or La Liga, according to Rivaldo.

Messi attempted to manufacture a way out of Camp Nou at the end of the 2020-21 campaign, having reached the end of his tether over the way the club was being run at board room level following a shocking 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Barca ultimately managed to block the Argentine's exit with the help of La Liga, but speculation over his future continues to rage as he heads towards the final six months of his current contract.

Messi has continued to enjoy a prominent role in the Blaugrana starting XI despite ongoing transfer rumours, and has continued six goals in ten appearances across all competitions at the start of the new season.

Barca have won all three of their Champions League group stage matches with the 33-year-old leading the line, but consistency has proved elusive for Ronald Koeman's men in the Spanish top flight, with only 11 points picked up from a possible 21 so far.

Should head coach Ronald Koeman ultimately fail to deliver a major trophy by the end of the season, Rivaldo doesn't believe Messi will stick around at Camp Nou, especially given the fact the club may be unable to afford to keep on him such a lucrative contract after La Liga's decision to reduce its salary cap amid the coronavirus crisis.

"Barcelona had already negotiated some salary cuts with players and also tried to make a general cut that was declined by the squad, so, this is not new for the players," the ex-Barca forward told Betfair.

"But it does reinforce the idea that reaching an agreement to renew Messi's contract is going to be tough with a reduced margin to increase his salary.

"Of course, Messi will have better offers from other clubs, and was already trying to leave the club by the end of last season. I can't see how our board will convince him to take a step back on that decision.

"In my opinion, only winning a Champions League or La Liga title this season, or watching Koeman getting the team playing beautiful football can convince Messi to reconsider his options.

"Unfortunately I'm afraid this will be his last season with the club."

Messi and Co will be back in La Liga action away at Atletico Madrid on Saturday, but Diego Simeone's men will be missing top scorer Luis Suarez, who moved to Wanda Metropolitano from Barca in the summer transfer window, after the Uruguayan tested positive for Covid-19.

Rivaldo thinks Koeman's side have a better chance of a positive result due to Suarez's absence, but he still expects Atletico to provide a stern test after their bright start to the campaign.

"Barcelona have a tough clash against Atletico Madrid in la Liga on Saturday, and while everyone will wish him well, Luis Suárez's absence with COVID-19 is a positive for Ronald Koeman and his boys," the Brazilian added.

"We all know Suárez's quality from his time at Catalonia, but given the way he was 'dismissed' from the club he would undoubtedly be motivated to punish his former club and show the Barca board that they made a mistake by letting him go.

"It's a big loss for Atleti, but they are playing well and I'm sure it will be a very tough match for Barca. As I mentioned last week, they are here to battle for La Liga title this season and I don't imagine Barcelona comfortably winning at Wanda Metropolitano."

Christy Ucheibe's SL Benfica have advanced to the Round of 32 of the Uefa Women's Champions League following Tuesday's 2-1 victory over Anderlecht at Lotto Park in Brussels.

Having suffered a 3-0 defeat to Sporting CP last week, the Nigeria international was afforded a place in the starting XI as she was in fine form to help her side reach the next round of the competition.

To reach the second round of the qualifying stage, SL Benfica beat Greek side PAOK 3-1 earlier this month, while hammering Linfield 8-0. 

After a goalless first half, Charlotte Tison broke the deadlock to the shock of the visitors 10 minutes after the restart.

Benfica's Nycole Raysla struck in the 62nd minute to inspire the visitors' second half before she netted her second of the match to later complete the comeback victory 12 minutes from time.

Ucheibe was in action from the start to finish and her presence proved to be a huge bargain for Benfica against Anderlecht.

With the win, Benfica progressed to the Round of 32 for the first time on their debut outing and they will find out their next round opponent on November 24's draw, with fixtures billed for December.

Benfica will aim to bounce back to winning ways at Estoril Praia in their next league game after the international break on December 19.

Frank Lampard remains insistent that Christian Pulisic can prove a hugely influential figure at Chelsea once the club is able to help the American winger solve his hamstring problem.

The United States international, who missed the start of the new campaign, looked set for a run in the Blues' starting XI until he suffered a twinge in the warm-up before last month's game at Burnley.

A previous hamstring injury ended Pulisic's involvement in August's FA Cup final against Arsenal, after he scored the game's opening goal, and he continues to be troubled in that area.

The £58million (€65m/$77m) signing from Borussia Dortmund has been ruled out of Saturday's trip to Newcastle United, three weeks after his Turf Moor setback was described by Lampard as "very minor", and it remains to be seen when he will be next available for selection.

There is no doubt the situation is frustrating to all concerned at Chelsea, with the club's medical staff working to help Pulisic back to full strength.

"With Christian, we're still searching," said Lampard. "He's in a position at the moment where he's had a problematic injury.

"Christian had a history before coming to us of some muscular injuries and he's had them again.

"Everything about Christian and how he is around the training ground, and how he prepares and how much he wants to play, is perfect.

"We need to try to find the right balance between playing and resting and maintenance during the week to try to get the best out of him.

"He's a young player still. It's not abnormal and we will find a solution. I don't want to make more of it than it is, because we want as many games out of Christian as we can possibly get because of his ability.

"But at the minute he's injured so in the short term it's a work in progress.

"But we have a great medical team here and we're very much joined up in the idea of getting the best of Christian, to get him fit as much as we can."

Pulisic has made just three Premier League appearances in the 2020-21 campaign to date, and has failed to add to the Blues' table-leading haul of 20 goals to date.

AmaZulu FC have provided an injury update of Bonginkosi Ntuli, Siphesihle Maduna and Siphiwe Tshabalala ahead of their big encounter against Mamelodi Sundowns. 

Usuthu are set to travel to Loftus Versveld Stadium where they are scheduled to face Masandawana on Sunday in a Premier Soccer League (PSL) match.

Experienced striker Ntuli and young playmaker Maduna, who both played an instrumental role in helping Usuthu avoid relegation last season, are yet to feature for the team this term.

AmaZulu physiotherapist Ryan Coert has disclosed that the two players sustained a fifth metatarsal fracture on both their left feet when speaking on the club's official website on Thursday.

“Both Ntuli and Maduna suffered a fifth metatarsal fracture on both their left feet. We are currently using a machine called an Osteotron which helps speed up the healing of the bones with the fracture just a little bit,” Coert said. 

“So, we are doing x-rays on a weekly basis to see the progress. Ntuli is doing very well, he is currently still on a moon boot, but we are hoping to get him out of it within the next week.

"Maduna suffered the same injury a week and a half after Ntuli’s injury so he will probably follow in the same progress soon and get off the moon boot and crutches," he continued. 

"Then both can start running on the anti-gravity treadmill before they can start on the field again."

The 2019/20 campaign saw Ntuli enjoy one of his best seasons in the PSL as the former Sundowns marksman hit the back of the net 13 times in the league.

It was Maduna's breakthrough season as he made 25 appearances in the league and netted once which saw him being nominated for the PSL Young Player of the Season accolade.

Meanwhile, Coert revealed Tshabalala has suffered a thigh strain and the veteran winger is still being monitored by the club's medical team.

“Then Siphiwe Tshabalala sustained a thigh strain. We are still monitoring him, and he should be cleared soon,” he concluded. 

The former Kaizer Chiefs captain, who is yet to make his official debut for Usuthu, joined the club on a two-year deal last month having been clubless for over a year after leaving Turkish club Buyuksehir Belediye (BB) Erzurumspor.

AmaZulu will be looking to record their second successive win in the league when they face Sundowns having defeated Black Leopards 2-0 in their last match on November 4. 

Two-time African champions Asante Kotoko have served the Ghana Football Association (GFA) with a letter, threatening to withdraw from the collective Premier League (GPL) TV rights sold to Chinese broadcasting firm StarTimes. 

The Porcupine Warriors have been at war with the national football's governing body following a heated disagreement over the club's attempt to film its league opener against Eleven Wonders for educational (performance analysis) purposes in Accra on Sunday. 

Match officials initially held off Kotoko's attempt to film the game with their newly-acquired football videoing technology, arguing the activity infringed on the broadcasting agreement with StarTimes. The impasse saw the Porcupine Warriors threaten to abandon the game, delaying kick-off for about 15 minutes. The club, arguably Ghana's biggest, ultimately had their way. 

The GFA has been quick to issue a warning to the club about any future attempts, drawing a prompt response from Kotoko who held no punches in their reply. 

"In your letter, you stated that filming of matches infringes on your contractual obligation with StarTimes Ghana. To this end, we wish to request a copy of the contract between the GFA and StarTimes to enable us to ascertain our rights and obligations and the relevant breaches with regards to clubs filming their matches," part of the Kotoko statement read. 

"If we do not receive our copy of the contract by Monday, November 23rd, we would not be in a position to honour any obligations towards StarTimes since we cannot honour obligations without knowing our rights.

"We wish to posit that your decision to stop clubs from filming matches only for educational purposes is with due respect arbitrary and against the provision of the Ghana Premier League Regulations (2019).

In the GFA's warning letter against the filming of matches by clubs, it urged clubs to rely on StarTimes for match footage for their performance analysis activities or face disciplinary action.

Kotoko, however, maintain "as a progressive club, we are sorry to tell you that we cannot rely on the post-match footage for StarTimes for technical analyses since it does not provide the necessary ingredients, especially for analysis.

"Should you continue to insist on this absurd, primitive and backward approach to the development of the game, we would instruct you to furnish us with your account details in which we would refund the $5,000 [€4,213] out of the $15,000 [€12,639] you were supposed to pay to clubs as sponsorship packages from StarTimes and also instruct you of our decision to cease dealing with StarTimes."

The Porcupine Warriors, Caf Champions League winners in 1970 and 1983, are the most successful club in the history of the Ghana Premier League, having clinched the title on 23 occasions. 

In the 2019 African Sports Centre for Data Research and Technology (ASC) Ghana Premier League Report, 41 per cent of respondents in the nationwide survey declared as fans of Kotoko, 14% more than archrivals Hearts of Oak. 

The latest dispute has seen fans of Kotoko launch a barrage of attacks on the GFA and TV partners StarTimes, particularly on social media. 

In January, StarTimes signed a five-year agreement with the GFA worth $5.25m [€4.42 million] to be the exclusive television rights owner of the Ghana Premier League.

Vipers SC head coach Fred Kajoba is struggling to have his three players released from the Uganda U20 team ahead of their Caf Champions League game which starts on November 27.

The Ugandan Premier League (UPL) giants will be representing the country in the competition to be played later in November. The tactician has now said the three players, Najib Yiga, Aziz Kayondo and Bobos Byaruhanga should be released to help the team have a better chance of advancing.

"I really wanted my players because they are very valuable to the team as we head to the Caf Champions League qualifiers against Al Hilal," Kajoba told Football256. 

"I talked to [Hippos coach] Morley Byekwaso asking him for the boys but my request hit a deaf ear. I explained to him how I badly needed them but I got a negative reply.

"I reached the extent of asking for at least two players namely Aziz Kayondo and Bobosi Byaruhanga but still my request hardly materialised."

The U20 team is preparing for the Cecafa U20 competition which will also be used as a Zone 5 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier and Byekwaso explains why he cannot release the aforementioned players.

"I have spent a good time with these players organising for Cecafa," the tactician said.

"This is a crucial time for our preparations and we can’t afford to lose these players because they are crucial to us. The system that registers players to play in the tournament by Caf was closed so we cannot add any player to the team.

"If we had a chance to bring on other players. You never know we could weigh possible options. I have no say on this though.

"I have informed my bosses at Fufa noting that they are very valuable players on my team. If I lose the three players I am left with only 17 players eligible to participate in the Cecafa tournament."  

Uganda are in Group B alongside Burundi, Eritrea and South Sudan while hosts Tanzania are in Group A, including Somalia, Rwanda and Djibouti.

Kenya, Sudan and Ethiopia are in Group C. The tournament recommences on November 23.