Looking for Soccer News?

Sergio Ramos is set to miss a trio of games for Real Madrid but the Spanish champions will be left relieved that their captain is not set for a longer lay-off after he pulled up in Spain's Nations League victory over Germany.

The veteran centre-back, who skippers both Los Blancos and La Roja, was forced off in the first half of Tuesday's 6-0 drubbing of the visitors in Seville, raising concerns that he could be set for a prolonged spell on the sidelines.

The 34-year-old was able to leave the field under his own steam, making way for Eric Garcia just before the break at Estadio La Cartuja, but his premature exit stoked fears that Madrid would be forced to do without their stalwart defender for the foreseeable future.

The club has now confirmed that Ramos has suffered a hamstring injury in his right leg, and that he will certainly miss upcoming clashes in La Liga with Villarreal and Alaves, as well as a Champions League tie with Inter sandwiched in-between domestic commitments.

"After the tests carried out today on our player Sergio Ramos by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with an injury to the biceps femoris in his right leg," Madrid revealed in an official statement.

Though the club is yet to provide a further timeframe beyond that, stating that the former Sevilla man is awaiting further tests, the lack of a further timeline suggests a hope that the player will be able to figure in Zinedine Zidane's plans for December's trip to Shakhtar Donetsk.

Ramos has started every league game for Madrid so far this season, forming the core of their defense as they look to defend their crown, with Saturday's trip to Villarreal offering a chance for the club to reset following a 4-1 defeat to Valencia heading into the international break.

The centre-back had also been in fine form for Luis Enrique's national squad, extending his own record as the most-capped player in Spain history while helping the 2010 World Cup winners to their maiden Nations League finals with victory over holders Portugal.

Ajara Nchout continued her goalscoring form in Valerenga's 7-0 win over Ruvimbo Mucherera's Gintra Universitetas in Thursday's Uefa Women's Champions League second-round qualifying match.

The Cameroon international has been superb for Valerenga since she arrived in 2019, netting 11 times in 19 games in all events, including a brace in a 7-0 first-round victory over Faroe Island's KI.

On the other hand, US-born Zimbabwean Mucherera came into the encounter on the heel of her Champions League scoring debut in Gintra Universitetas’ 4-0 first-round win over Slovan Bratislava.

The Norwegian giants started like a house on fire in Telsiai as Sherida Spitse's cross was headed in by Ingibjorg Sigurðardottir for Valerenga's opening goal after just 19 minutes of the encounter.

In the 33rd minute, Rikke Madsen profited from Jalen Tompkins' poor goalkeeping inside the area to tap in the second of the match.

On the brink of half time, Dejana Stefanovic turned in a goal after a scramble after Spitse's fine cross from the left-wing.

After the recess at Telsiai Stadium, the visitors continued their ruthless form in the second half as Stefanovic tapped in from close range her second of the match in the 61st minute of the encounter.

A minute later, Madsen's effort off Synne Jensen's cross was turned out by goalkeeper Meda Seskute but Nchout was in a good position to convert the rebound for Valerenga's fifth of the match.

In the 69th minute, Vestina Neverdauskaite mistakenly turned a cross in from Spitse into her own net inside six yards before Jensen got on the scoresheet with a seventh to seal Valeranga's win.

Nchout, who lasted the duration of the game has now scored 12 goals in 20 outings in all competitions this season for Valerenga.

The result saw Valerenga and Nchout book a spot in the Round of 32, while Mucherera, who was in action for 81 minutes and could not save Gintra from being booted out of the competition.

In their next fixture, Valerenga will square up with title rivals Avaldsnes in the Norwegian Women's Cup semi-final on Sunday. 

Jose Mourinho is "taking Tottenham in the right direction", according to Dimitar Berbatov, who says the Portuguese boss has turned Spurs into "genuine title contenders".

Mourinho has gradually transformed Tottenham back into a formidable force since replacing Mauricio Pochettino in the hot seat in November 2019.

Spurs had slipped into the bottom half of the table before the 57-year-old's arrival, but he managed to guide them to a sixth-place finish and Europa League qualification by the end of the season.

The Lilywhites have built on that platform at the start of the 2020-21 campaign, winning five, drawing two and losing just one of their opening eight fixtures to rise to second in the early Premier League standings.

Mourinho's men have also scored 19 goals, the second-highest total in the division, and Berbatov says the former Manchester United and Chelsea manager has proved he is the right man to take the club forward after initial scepticism from a large section of supporters over his appointment.

"It is exactly a year since Jose Mourinho took over as Spurs manager. At the time I said it was a good appointment and backed Mourinho to succeed when many fans were unhappy about his arrival," the ex-Tottenham striker told Betfair.

"I bet they're not complaining now. Spurs' league position shows Mourinho is taking the club in the right direction. And they're not just playing defensive football either - just look at the brilliant form Son Heung-min is in at the moment.

"At the same time, no manager is more than two defeats from a crisis so he needs to keep up the good work."

Tottenham will have the chance to move ahead of Leicester City at the top of the Premier League when they play host to Pep Guardiola's Manchester City on Saturday.

Berbatov is backing Mourinho to come out on top against his long-time rival on the touchline, and says a victory for Spurs would represent a huge statement of intent in this season's title race.

"It will be fascinating to see Mourinho take on Pep Guardiola on Saturday," he added. "Their rivalry has been played out in some heady atmospheres - El Clasico in Spain and the Manchester derby - but in front of no fans in north London on Saturday it will be different. There probably won't be any verbal clashes between the pair because they wouldn't want the TV cameras picking that up!

"The rivalry is always there between them and it will be played out on the pitch as they pit their wits tactically. I want to see Tottenham win, to say to the whole league that they're serious about challenging for the title, and I believe they will win a tight match.

"Spurs have already sent a powerful message to the rest of the Premier League with their performances so far this season, whether that was demolishing Manchester United 6-1 at Old Trafford or grinding out victory at Burnley.

"If they beat City then Spurs message will resonate even more. City have had their problems this season but they're still one of the best teams in the world. Spurs are capable of beating them and are genuine title contenders, especially in a year when the race looks wide open."

Former Serbia star Marko Pantelic has hit back following Nemanja Vidic's criticism of the football association by asking if he remembers missing a decisive penalty against Slovenia in a European Championship play-off eight years ago.

Serbia's hopes of reaching Euro 2021 were ended when they fell to a penalty shoot-out defeat in last week's play-off encounter at the Rajko Mitic Stadium in Belgrade.

The game finished 1-1 after normal time, with Ryan Christie and Luka Jovic grabbing the goals for their respective nations, and spot-kicks were needed after a goalless 30 minutes of extra time.

Scotland held their nerve to win 5-4 on penalties, with Serbia failing to qualify for the European Championships for the fourth time since they began competing as an independent nation in 2006.

Ex-Manchester United star Vidic, who won 56 caps for his country over the course of his career, launched a scathing attack on the FA for the way they have been running the national set up on Thursday, insisting that they have been putting money ahead of the team's progress on the pitch.

"The whole system works in the interest of managers and officials, and not in the interest of football. It allows people, to put it mildly with dubious biographies, to make huge money," he said in a lengthy statement published by Danas.

"A system that replaces a coach who qualifies for the World Cup? Footballers and coaches are doomed to cooperate with such people, because, unfortunately, they are the ones who decide their fate. 

"They teach children that for the path to success, it is important who is your manager and who is the coach, because quality is not a measure, neither football, nor human.

"Such a way of functioning starts from the younger categories. By the time a player comes to the first team, he has learned the opposite of what should create emotion and respect for the jersey he wears. Only when that changes then every player will fight to play in such a national team!

"Capable people in our football are those who manipulate the system and the law! Just ask them where they got their money from and how they earned it! Until that changes - there is no progress! I am really interested in which of the next experts will come forward to defend such a system."

Pantellic has issued a swift response to his old team-mate, urging him to become a part of the solution instead of adding fuel to the fire after a damaging defeat, while also bringing up some of the high profile mistakes he made in a Serbia shirt.

The ex-Hertha Berlin and Ajax star reminded Vidic of his infamous penalty miss during Serbia's 1-0 defeat to Slovenia back in 2012 during his own statement, which reads: "My dear Nemanja, there are few Serbian football players who have achieved what you are and who have represented our country in such a way. 

"There are few who had the courage to take responsibility on the ground like you. You never hesitated, you entered everything uncompromisingly. We called you before this cycle to get involved in the work of the alliance, to take responsibility and to be with a new generation, just like on the field. 

"But this time you didn't want to. You turned down every suggestion. Decided to stay in the shadows contrary to your position.

"Now you have welcomed the moment and hit the alliance that was with you as a player, but also now. You say you see a lot of problems. There were a lot of them when you, as a member of the national team, did not manage to go to big competitions or when you took responsibility and made mistakes when it depended on you. 

"Remember the penalty against Slovenia, the defeat against Estonia, the penalty against Germany ... Not everything was good even then. However, you did not write statements then. You did what you know best. Now you have decided to start fighting the system. The only question is with which people.

"It's easy. Protect coaches and players with your name and authority. Get in the system and show that you can do better. Who will be able to ban Nemanja Vidic from anything? You weren't at the stadium against Scotland, with the players and the profession. You weren't there before to point out the problems you see.

"What would have happened if the penalty roulette had sided with us and we had gone to the European Championship? Would he write statements even then?

"Take this opportunity to once again invite you to come to the Serbian Football Association, as a man of clean and unpolluted biography and to start improving football.

"State your plan for solving the problems you mentioned, because these are all general places or general problems of European football, and let us try to change everything together. 

"Otherwise, you will drown in a group of critics who know everything after failure and do nothing. And finally, it does not belong to the former captain of the national team to communicate in this way or to stab him in the back at such a difficult time. We did not expect that from you."

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson has spoken about Wilfried Zaha's role ahead of their encounter against Burnley on Monday.

The Ivory Coast international has been delivering consistent performances for the Eagles to help the club maintain their Premier League status.  

In the current campaign, the forward has been in fine form in front of goal, firing home five strikes and providing two assists in eight league games.

His scintillating showings helped the Selhurst Park outfit to their current eighth spot on the Premier League table.

Hodgson has praised the form of the 28-year-old and disclosed the forward’s desire to score more goals for the club.

“Zaha is in very good form at the moment, I'm pretty sure they'll be well aware of that and trying to stop him,” Hodgson said in a pre-match press conference.

“He's definitely more focused on scoring goals. He's always been dangerous, but now he's attracting attention because of his goals and assists whereas in the past he helped us win games but may not have got on the scoresheet.”

Zaha has impressed in the forward role since teaming up with Palace and Hodgson has revealed the club has always believed in his ability.

“I'm not certain about how his role has changed. He's never really played as an out-and-out winger since I've been here,” he continued.

“He spent virtually the first season upfront with Townsend, now it's with [Michy] Batshuayi or [Jordan] Ayew.

“I don't read as much into the second striker role. Our aim is to get him on the ball high up the pitch to use all the skills he has.

“He's never been a winger during my three years at the club. He's played as a wide forward, getting in the box when the ball's on the opposite flank.

“We know he can not only create goal chances, but we've always believed in his ability to score goals.”

Zaha will hope to help Crystal Palace clinch their fifth Premier League win of the season against Burnley at Turf Moor.

Levante midfielder Cheick Doukoure is aiming to recover from a ruptured Achilles tendon and play for the Ivory Coast again.

He suffered the injury in July and he is expected to be on the sidelines for over six months. The setback came barely two months after he recovered from a cruciate ligament injury which kept him out of action from February 2019 to May 2020.

Doukoure is yet to play for Levante this season with his last competitive appearance dating back to July when he was on loan at Huesca.

On the international scene, the 28-year-old’s last outing with the Ivory Coast was over two years ago during the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.

When asked about his long absence from the Elephants squad, the 2015 Africa Cup Nations winner told Goal; “The selection was part of my daily life. I got used to it. Today, I want to find my daily life and therefore the selection. Defending the colours of your country is the pinnacle.

“We had created a family and this is something that I miss a lot. I was injured before Afcon 2019. It was hard to accept because I had done everything to qualify.

“But I continued to follow them and today I'm lucky that the coach (Patrice Beaumelle) hears from me. He bothered to call me as soon as he took the team. We know each other because he was with us when we won the Afcon in Equatorial Guinea. He shows me that he is counting on me, that I am not left out. The staff calls me too.”

Doukoure has started mild training sessions ahead of a potential return in January and he disclosed how he’s coped with the injuries.

“It is true that it makes two big injuries in a short time. I had my cruciate ligaments in February 2019. I also had a small tear at the beginning of the year, and now the Achilles tendon,” he continued.

“These are hard knocks to take every time. It is not always easy to accept, especially since I had already made the crossroads in Metz. But I am lucky to have a big mind, I am equipped to face these tests.

“My family is around me, I work a lot and I take that as a challenge. So far, I have been able to respond to every hard blow, but it is sure that a lot of work had to be done because recurring injuries are never trivial. I don't have a bad lifestyle. I am a calm person.

“I'm fine. I resumed work with the ball on the field, I resumed the work of running and support too. I am entering the last phase now. The objective is to be present for January in order to attack the second part of the season at the top.”

Kaizer Chiefs legend Stanton 'Stiga' Fredericks has discussed factors which have contributed to the Soweto giants' slow start to the 2020/21 season.  

Banned from registering players for two consecutive transfer windows, Amakhosi have won two‚ drawn one and lost three matches across all competitions under their head coach Gavin Hunt.

The accomplished tactician replaced German coach Ernst Middendorp, who was dismissed by Chiefs after the team lost the PSL title to Mamelodi Sundowns on the last day of last season.

“I have to touch on what Ernst Middendorp and [assistant] Shaun Bartlett did with the players at their disposal last season,” Fredericks told Times Live. 

“Middendorp brought the best out of the players. They worked‚ they never played attractive football‚ but they had a winning mentality. Chiefs fought.

“So here comes a different era‚ and this is the same case for every team out there. I think the Covid pandemic was such a struggle – because we can just imagine; we were not in that bubble."

The retired winger explained Amakhosi's embarrassing defeat in the MTN8 to their archrivals Orlando Pirates exposed their weaknesses, but he feels the Glamour Boys were unlucky.

“The psychological part players are dealing with now we can’t understand. And maybe in two years we’ll look back and say‚ ‘Oh, players reacted like this because it was post-Covid-19'," he continued.

“So‚ trying to answer your question on Gavin and having a difficult start‚ I think that defeat they got handed from Orlando Pirates [5-0 on aggregate in the MTN8 semi-finals] is really causing a lot of in-depth analysis‚ putting the spotlight on to say‚ ‘Wow‚ how bad are we?’

“We could have been talking a different story now if Leonardo Castro and Khama Billiat scored from those early chances in the first leg. But because of the scoreline it now seems like it’s going to be a very difficult situation."

The former Bafana Bafana international, who played under Hunt at SuperSport United, believes the 56-year-old tactician needs new signings to improve the team. 

“Huntie coming in‚ not being able to sign is a massive blow. Because wherever Gavin has gone he’ll sign in pivotal positions. He’ll get the centre-back – Thulani Hlatshwayo‚ Bongani Khumalo‚ Ricardo Katza – he wants," he explained. 

"He’ll get the guy in the middle‚ and get his two strikers – one who can hold the ball up and is good in the air‚ one who can connect. The second challenge is the injury to Samir Nurkovic‚ because he showed his impact last season.

"I think their squad isn’t where it should be in terms of the pedigree of Chiefs‚ and a few signings can change that. You can see Gavin is trying to find his combinations in the middle‚ and in defence‚ and a signing or two could solve that.”

Fredericks also stated that Hunt is used to coaching smaller-clubs and he is now facing his biggest challenge as a coach with senior players such as Lebogang Manyama and Willard Katsande having struggled for form thus far this season. 

“The challenge for coach Huntie is that you’re going to need to manage your star players. There is no doubt‚ we know his pedigree‚ it’s just a matter of time that he’s going to win," he said. 

"But that struggle is: how do you manage personalities‚ how do you manage players who are earning big bucks‚ who are playing at a big team‚ are very famous? That is a challenge he never needed to face. And this is an opportunity for him to do that. Because he’s going to have to do things a bit differently.

“I’m part of the old school where if I have a coach like Eddie Lewis or Gavin Hunt‚ and it comes to training or I have a bad match‚ or half-time he lashes you – he expects a reaction."

“That’s Huntie’s players he uses. Now it’s a different ball game. You need to tell Billiat‚ ‘Listen’‚ you need to explain to Willard Katsande why you’re dropping him," he added. 

“And I’m sure he knew that going into the job. And that is something we will have to see‚ and I would love to see – how he manages that aspect.”

Chiefs will be looking to return to winning ways when they face Lamontville Golden Arrows in a league clash on Saturday having succumbed to a 2-0 defeat to Pirates in their last game which was the MTN8 semi-final second-game on November 8.

Youssoufa Moukoko will "break many Bundesliga records", according to his former coach Michael Feichtenbeiner, who has hailed the Borussia Dortmund teenager as an "outstanding talent".

Moukoko has enjoyed a rapid rise through Dortmund's youth ranks since joining the club from Hamburg-based club St. Pauli in 2016.

The 15-year-old has hit a staggering hitting 127 goals in 84 appearances for BVB's academy sides and has also managed to lay on 26 assists, proving himself as both a prolific marksman and an inventive playmaker in the final third of the pitch.

Moukoko has been training with Dortmund's senior squad since August, with the club handing him the No.18 shirt to mark his step up to the professional level.

The forward is even being touted to make his full debut when Lucien Favre's side takes in a trip to Hertha Berlin this weekend, as Bundesliga rules will permit him to be available for selection when he turns 16 on Friday.

Moukoko will become the youngest player to ever feature in the German top-flight if he is handed some minutes at The Olympiastadion, and Feichtenbeiner says this is only the beginning for the player with limitless ability.

Asked if the BVB starlet is the most talented player he has ever worked with, the ex-Germany U16s coach told Goal and SPOX: "Definitely. Such a talent does not come along in Germany every five years. 

"His football skills are simply outstanding and he is a player who can make all the difference. He scored his goals everywhere - and there will be no end. 

"Youssoufa will break many records in the Bundesliga."

Pressed on whether a player who has already represented Germany at U20 level will be an immediate success at Dortmund, Feichtenbeiner responded: "Yes. He has this great determination and a very neat finish with his left foot. Youssoufa simply has quality. 

"In an environment like Dortmund with so many young players, it's a little easier for him. You can see that in Jude Bellingham, who as a 17-year-old from England seems to have few problems keeping up with the level."

Feichtenbeiner also offered an insight into how advanced Moukoko's skills were when he joined Germany's international set up at the age of 12, describing him as "extraordinary".

"He was physically extremely far, had good muscles and overall compact athletic, physical conditions - even at twelve. It was just a great fit for this class where the other players were two years older," he said.

"The fact that he still scored as he wanted and did not show any star behaviour, that was extraordinary."

The 60-year-old added on Moukoko's temperament: "Youssoufa is a very kind and completely normal boy. He just wants to play football. For me as a coach, with all the hype around him, it was reassuring to see that he remained a child on the pitch. 

"He had fun with his teammates and in training everything around him was forgotten because he was simply a footballer. You have to take a bow for how he puts all these things away. 

"He really can't be bothered easily."

Jadon Sancho will bounce back from his current dip in form, says Borussia Dortmund player director Sebastian Kehl, with the England international experiencing a mere "temporary phenomenon" in regards to his game that is unrelated to Manchester United's transfer pursuit.

Following a high-flying 2019-20 campaign that saw him round out the top three scorers in the Bundesliga with 17 goals to his name, the winger has failed to find the net in six league appearances so far this term.

The winger was on the scoresheet against the Republic of Ireland for the Three Lions last week, but his third international goal has still been unable to hide a subpar start in line with expectations for the 20-year-old in certain quarters.

Former Germany star Kehl, who has helped oversee Sancho's development at the club, believes that the player is simply enduring a brief blip, while playing down suggestions that his performances have been affected by a protracted saga involving a failed move to United over the off-season.

"Jadon is perhaps lacking a little fluency right now," Kehl expanded upon to Kicker. "His natural game is only partially recognizable at the moment.

"But this is only a temporary phenomenon, one that will soon vanish into thin air. It is not a distraction brought on by United's interest.

"We will have to go through this together. Jadon doesn't care [about speculation]. We know that he is working on it."

Sancho spent the final part of his youth career at United's rivals Manchester City following a switch from Watford, but made the move to Dortmund in 2017 after he was unable to receive assurances of regular playing time under Pep Guardiola.

He has since flourished in Germany, fast emerging as one of the most exciting young talents at a club that prides itself on their youthful starlets, striking up an impressive partnership with fellow attacker Erling Haaland following the latter's arrival in January.

Having previously started both of England's UEFA Nations League ties in September, Sancho's subsequent form has seen him kept out of the first-choice XI across the rest of the Three Lions' Group A3 fixtures, notching merely 52 minutes off the bench in four games.

Swansea City manager Steve Cooper has calmed worries over the fitness of Ghana attacker Andre Ayew ahead of Saturday’s Championship meeting with Rotherham United.

The 30-year-old sustained an injury while on international duty with Ghana last week, cutting short his stay with the Black Stars and forcing him out of the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifying matchday four away clash with Sudan.  The captain’s absence was sorely missed as CK Akonnor’s outfit slumped to a 1-0 loss in Omdurman, their first defeat of the qualifying group.

He was reported to be facing four weeks on the sidelines after his impromptu departure from the Ghana camp, just a few days after scoring a double to ensure a 2-0 home triumph in the first encounter with the Sudanese.

Swansea are set to face Rotterdam United in gameweek 12 at Liberty Stadium on Saturday.

“Andre and Marc came back early from international duty, that was precautionary more than anything else,” Cooper told pressmen ahead of Sunday's league fixture, his club's official website has reported.

“Obviously we have had a busy schedule and they have played every minute of every league game up until now.

“They then went into a full-on international camp, so they are naturally going to be tired and, like everybody, going to be at risk of fatigue.

“From fatigue you can start feeling some strain and muscle soreness, so they came back early as a precaution.

“They are doubts for the weekend, but we haven’t made a final call on it as yet.”

Ayew has been key for Swansea's quest for Premier League promotion.

This season, the former Olympique Marseille man has made 11 Championship appearances so far, scoring on five occasions. His goal haul puts him up as the club's top scorer so far this term.

The situation is not any different from last season when he hit 16 goals in 46 league outings for the Jack Army, propelling the side to the promotion play-off semi-final.

His exploits earned him the top scorer and most valuable player prizes at the club's end of season awards gala. 

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson has revealed Eberechi Eze has adapted to the Premier League effortlessly.

The midfielder teamed up with the Eagles in the summer from Queens Park Rangers, where he shone during his four-year stay with the Championship club.

The 22-year-old has quickly established himself in Palace’s squad, featuring in seven of their eight Premier League games this season so far.

The Anglo-Nigerian opened his goal account against Leeds United before the international break and also has one assist to his credit.

Hodgson has praised the young midfielder for his quick adaptation at the Selhurst Park outfit since his arrival.

“He's been very good, right from the start. The adaptation was seamless,” Hodgson said in a pre-match press conference.

“The moment he stepped onto the field with these players he looked at home and won their respect. That's always been a success.

“In the games, he's started or come on, he's shown the talent that he has. That was particularly evident against Leeds, he had a top-class game.”

Eze suffered an injury during England’s U21 game against Andorra U21 but Hodgson is confident the injury will not rule him out of contention when they face Burnley in Monday’s Premier League match.

“He was delighted with that. He went away with the Under-21s and picked up a slight injury. We'll assess that but hopefully, it's not going to keep him out,” he added.

Eze is eligible to represent Nigeria and England and has previously revealed he is yet to make a decision on his international future.

The midfielder has been a long target for the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and should he decide to pitch his tent with the Super Eagles, he would join the likes of Ola Aina, Alex Iwobi and Victor Moses who previously featured for the Three Lions before committing to the West Africans.

Nairobi City Stars striker Ezekiel Odera has reminisced on his goal against Sony Sugar on November 19, 2016.

The Simba wa Nairobi had been already relegated when they tackled the Sugar Millers at Ruaraka ground and Odera was among the scorers in the match although his effort didn't help his side.

The 2-1 loss to Sony Sugar was Nairobi City Stars' last Premier League game and Odera scored the last goal for them in the top-tier.

“As a player scoring a goal is always special but also scoring a meaningless goal doesn’t add any flavour,” the former AFC Leopards striker told the club’s website.

“We were already relegated to the second-tier and we were just playing for pride.

“It was a formality game. We had already been sent packing from the league and there was nothing much in it other than just completing our fixture for the season.” 

The former KCB striker also explained how the relegation affected him and what it took him to consider playing for long thereafter.

“After already being relegated the morale in the team was already low,” he added. “I had already started entertaining the idea of hanging my boots and concentrating on my job.

“I couldn’t take it playing in the lower league. So, losing the last game against Sony was not the best way to do it. But I took everything positively.

“It took the persuasion of my former coach Robert Matano to bring me back to playing again.”

Arthur Museve and John Amboko, who have retired and are now part of the technical bench, also recalled the last events of the Premier League which they were involved in.

“Museve and I certainly played our last Premier League game against Sony Sugar four years back but I am keenly looking forward to a return to that same platform from a different capacity as a coach,” said Amboko.

“We are glad to be back and will want to avoid how it ended in 2016 with a good start,” Museve said on his part.

Nairobi City Stars are expected to play Nzoia Sugar, Zoo FC, Vihiga United, Kakamega Homeboyz and Western Stima in their first five 2020/21 Premier League matches.

Juventus are in no rush to trigger their €35 million (£31m/$41m) purchase option on Alvaro Morata, Goal can confirm.

Morata, who took in a successful two-year spell at Juve between 2014 and 2016, returned to Turin on a season-long loan from Atletico Madrid in September.

The Bianconeri forked out an initial €10m  (£9m/$11.9m) fee for the striker, and they have the option to extend his loan by an extra year at the end of the season for the same lump sum.

Juve can also sign Morata outright for €45m (£40m/$53m) next summer if they wish, but Goal has learned that the Italian giants are planning to wait until the following year before making his move to the Allianz Stadium permanent, meaning they won't have to pay as much upfront.

The reigning Serie A champions are more than happy with the Atletico loanee's contribution at the start of the 2020-21 season, but are reluctant to meet his asking price at the moment due to the financial uncertainty caused by the coronavirus crisis.

Morata has hit six goals in his first eight appearances since making his way back to Juve, and has been able to carry his prolific form over to the international stage over the past week.

The 28-year-old scored the opener in Spain's 6-0 Nations' League victory over Germany on Tuesday, which ensured that Luis Enrique's side made it through to next year's finals.

Juve supporters will hope Morata's hot streak in the final third continues when Cagliari arrive at the Allianz Stadium on Saturday.

Andrea Pirlo's men haven't kicked off their title defence in the most impressive fashion, with three wins and four draws recorded from their opening seven fixtures.

However, the Old Lady will be expected to get back to winning ways against Cagliari after being held to a 1-1 draw by Lazio before the international break, with Morata likely to retain his place in the team up front alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.

Juve are currently sitting fifth in the Serie A standings, four points behind leaders Milan, who are due to take in a tough trip to Napoli on Sunday.

After their latest domestic outing, the Bianconeri will turn their attention to a Champions League meeting with Ferencvaros on November 24, which they must win to stay within touch of Group G leaders Barcelona.

Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) is set to summon Super League sides Nkana FC and Green Buffaloes FC over fan trouble that occurred on Wednesday.

A fan, who is yet to be identified, stormed onto the pitch and attacked Nkana’s head coach Manfred Chabinga when the team was trailing 3-0 against the Green Buffaloes at the Nkoloma Stadium.

“The Football Association of Zambia has noted with concern the events surrounding the FAZ/MTN week five fixture between Green Buffaloes and Nkana at Nkoloma Stadium,” the federation statement said.

“An unidentified soccer fan breached all security protocols to attack Nkana coach Manfred Chabinga triggering a fightback from the Nkana bench.”

The violent conduct happened on the first day when fans were allowed to attend games since a ban imposed on their attendance was lifted by the government.

“We are very disappointed with the scenes we witnessed at Nkoloma Stadium. We are going to deal sternly with the parties involved,” FAZ General-Secretary Adrian Kashala said on Thursday.

“We fought so hard to get fans back into the stadia and will not allow hooliganism to ruin our desire to have spectators at stadia.”

Kashala further stated the fan who was involved in the violent conduct will be handed to the police once he is identified.

The official stated it is early to find fault on either Nkana or Green Buffaloes until when the investigations are complete.

“Buffaloes and Nkana will be summoned for possible sanctions over inadequate security and violent conduct, respectively,” he added.

“It may be too early to pre-empt disciplinary steps that will be taken but we expect both parties to furnish us with answers on the situation at Nkoloma Stadium.

“We urge clubs to adhere to the Covid-19 guidelines so that the authorities do not suspend the waiver again. Fans should also be mindful that any indiscretions could attract a ban.”

Green Buffaloes ended up defeating Nkana 5-0 in the matchday five fixture.

It is not yet clear whether the Red Devils top hierarchy will take any action on their technical bench especially after the unrest of fans became palpable.

Nkana fans are known to have a lot of influence on the decisions of management, especially on matters regarding poor results.

Yakubu Aiyegbeni believes coach Gernot Rohr and a significant proportion of Nigeria's national team players are not fit to wear the famous green and white shirt in the wake of their outing against Sierra Leone.

In the recent Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against the Leone Stars, the Super Eagles surrendered a four-goal lead in the first leg to settle for a 4-4 draw, while the return leg in Freetown ended 0-0, with Rohr’s team looking off the pace in both games.

Even with the draws, the three-time African champions lead Group L with eight points from four games – although their qualification hopes for Cameroon 2020 is on ice.

Questions have been asked of those calling the shots in the Super Eagles squad and important decisions made on and off the field.

And Aiyegbeni, who is Nigeria’s third highest scoring player of all time believes the German tactician must take the brunt of the blame for the poor form.

“The coach is not good enough, let him go,” the former Maccabi Haifa, Everton and Portsmouth striker said on Lagos Talks.

“Some of the boys are not good enough, I don’t know where they are bringing them from. Who is inviting these players?

“Our football is getting worse every day. When I was there, people criticise us, but we’re way better than these ones.

“The coach is not good enough, no clue. Gernot Rohr is one of the worst coaches in our history. He is not good enough.”

Former Gabon and Etoile du Sahel manager Rohr replaced Sunday Oliseh as the country’s permanent handler in 2016. He led the Super Eagles to the 2018 Fifa World Cup in Russia, where they crashed out of a group that had Argentina, Iceland and Croatia.

He was also in charge when Nigeria placed third at the Egypt 2019 Afcon  - where they pipped Tunisia 1-0 for the bronze medal.

Nigeria travel to Porto-Novo’s Stade Charles de Gaulle for their next fixture against Benin Republic in March 2021.

Harry Kane has credited Jose Mourinho as integral to Tottenham Hotspur's resurgence, with the England captain stating his belief that the Portuguese has brought out the best in him and his teammates.

The north London outfit have enjoyed one of their best starts to a season in recent memory this term, cementing themselves as early frontrunners in the Premier League.

Despite contention with a major fixture crush thanks to their Europa League commitments, Mourinho's team have defied their hectic schedule with a string of eye-catching performances.

The influence of the former Chelsea and Manchester United manager, who has racked up near-two-dozen major honours during his two-decade-long career in the coaching hotseat, has been pronounced since he succeded Mauricio Pochettino last year.

Tottenham have not tasted success since a League Cup triumph in 2008, though they have come close with a Champions League final in 2019 - but Kane believes that with the 57-year-old at the helm, the future is looking rosy.

“We’ve got a long, long way to go,” the Three Lions skipper addressed the Press Association. “A long old season. I think, as proven in my career so far, it takes a lot to get over the line. We haven’t quite done that yet.

“We’ve been close a few times so we know there’s going to be a lot of hard work from now until then to do that. It’s been a good start. Obviously, we lost the first game against Everton which was disappointing, but since then we've been unbeaten in the league.

“Even the dropped points we had against West Ham and Newcastle with last-minute goals should have been wins from our point of view. We’re playing well.

"I still think that we can improve and get better but obviously we’re second in the league. We’re in November, there’s still a lot of games to play, but we’re in a good spot.”

On Mourinho's personal influence, which has helped Kane further blossom with a fine individual haul, the 27-year-old remained effusive, adding: “It’s been great to have him just at the training ground, on the training field.

"Just learning and seeing how he goes about his business, seeing how he deals with different situations and problems, so that’s all been great to learn.

I think he saw in my game that I like to drop deep so he made it clear [the rest of the squad] that if I do drop deep then they need to be the ones running in behind.

"I think that’s been the real difference. It’s allowed me to create space and get the ball but have an option going forward as well. He’s been great and I look forward to obviously the months ahead and getting on really well.”

Ghana midfielder Afriyie Acquah opines Tuesday's defeat to Sudan in the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers was not a result of complacency on the part of the Black Stars.

The West Africans suffered their first loss of the group in the matchweek four fixture at Al Hilal Stadium, Omdurman, as Mohamed Abdelrahman netted in second-half injury-time goal to win it all for the hosts.

Five days earlier, the two teams met on matchday four in Cape Coast where an Andre Ayew double ensured a 2-0 triumph for Ghana.

"As we all know, in the first leg we managed a 2-0 victory. So we were determined to go into the reverse fixture and win but unfortunately, it couldn’t materialise," Yeni Malatyaspor midfielder Acquah said, as reported by Citisportsonline.

"We lost in the last minute but we still have a chance to qualify, we have two other games to play which I think we can win.

“Anyone who watched the first game can testify that the Sudanese have a good team, now football has changed, everyone knows how to play so you cannot underrate any team.

“We never underrated them, it was a game and in every game, anything can happen. The defeat does not mean we underestimated them, it just happened. We will correct our mistakes and move on."

Despite the defeat, Ghana still stand in pole position to qualify for the final tournament in Cameroon as they top the table in Group C, with two more rounds of matches to go.

A win or draw in Sudan would have secured the Black Stars a qualification ticket with two games to spare.

“Overall, I think we did well. We lost to a team that showed more hunger than us," Ghana coach CK Akonnor said after the game.

“If I look at the way we played in Ghana and the way we played here, I feel there is a bit of improvement in terms of containing pressure and all that.

“The players fought under uncomfortable conditions like the weather and the Sudanese tried to frustrate us before the game and I appreciate the players’ effort.

"The Sudanese players were hungrier than us. We will learn from the mistakes we made today and we’ll do well against South Africa and Sao Tome and qualify.

"I strongly believe and I can assure Ghanaians that we’ll do our best to qualify."

Ghana are chasing their 23rd appearance at Afcon and the qualifiers commence in March. 

Diogo Jota was billed as “the successor to Cristiano Ronaldo” long before he burst onto the scene in English football, with the Liverpool forward’s former coach revelling that he tipped the 23-year-old for the top back in 2016.

At that stage, the hard-working forward was still making a name for himself in his native Portugal.

He had caught the eye at Pacos de Ferreira, tempting La Liga giants Atletico Madrid to make a move for his services.

They were prepared to let Jota remain in his homeland after doing that deal, with a loan agreement put in place with Porto.

At that stage, Jorge Simao made it clear to anyone prepared to listen that he saw a player of considerable promise following in the footsteps of a legendary countryman.

Simao, who worked with Jota at Pacos de Ferriera, told The Athletic: “Nobody does what Jota is doing now without having real ambition.

“When he signed for Porto [in 2016], I told a Portuguese website that, for me, Jota would be the successor to Cristiano Ronaldo.

“Obviously, that was quite a big claim to make at that time, because Jota had only played for Pacos and had not had a good time at Atletico Madrid.

“When Jota signed for Liverpool, I sent him a message to congratulate him. He replied, five seconds later, with a link to that old article about him and Ronaldo.

“It was the very first thing he sent! He must have had it bookmarked. Incredible! He hadn’t forgotten.”

Liverpool snapped Jota up from Wolves in the summer transfer window.

He had recorded 44 goals through 131 appearances at Molineux and quickly set about making his mark on Merseyside.

Jurgen Klopp invested £45 million ($58m) worth of his faith in his ability, with the reigning Premier League champions eager to add greater depth to their attacking options.

Jota has delivered an immediate return for the Reds, with the target found on seven occasions through 11 outings.

He is pushing hard for a regular role at Anfield and has also taken his tally of international caps to 10, as he looks to prove worthy of his billing as Ronaldo’s heir while competing alongside the Juventus superstar.