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Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta believes he did all he could to give Mesut Ozil a fair shot before he axed the German from his squad. 

Ozil's name was not among Arsenal's 25-man Premier League squad that was released earlier this month, which followed the playmaker's exclusion from Arsenal's Europa League squad.

As the 32-year-old enters the final months of his contract with the Gunners, it now appears likely that he has played his final game for the team.

Ozil did play a part for Arsenal last season, at one point starting 10 consecutive Premier League games for the Gunners before the coronavirus lockdown in March.

The playmaker did not make a single appearance for Arsenal after lockdown, however, but Arteta has still insisted he gave Ozil every chance to impress before he was omitted from his team.

"What I can tell you that I tried my best, I tried to give him as many opportunities as I could," Arteta told Sky Sports.

"And that from my own side, I’ve been patient, given him opportunities and been fair.

"He’s a player that belongs to a football club, he’s been a really important player in the last few seasons. I have to respect that, I’m here to make decisions, the best decisions for the team and for the club.

"This is what I try to do and then I have to explain them because people need the reasons and the right answers. I just give mine, whether they believe me or agree with me or not, there’s nothing I can do.

"But I have to put my decisions, with my heart and with my brain to make the right decisions that I believe are good."

Ozil hit out at Arteta and the Gunners after he was left out of the team, saying "loyalty is hard to come by" in a post on social media.

"This is a difficult message to write to the Arsenal fans that I've played for over the past few years. I'm really deeply disappointed by the fact that I have not been registered for the Premier League season for the time being," Ozil said on Twitter and Instagram.

"Upon signing my new contract in 2018, I pledged my loyalty and allegiance to the club that I love, Arsenal, and it saddens me that this has not been reciprocated. As I have just found out, loyalty is hard to come by nowadays."

Record Mainland Premier League champions Young Africans (Yanga SC) paid a courtesy call to the family of the former Tanzania President Julius Nyerere.

Yanga were on their way to Musoma where they will be hosted by Biashara United for the eighth game of the league season, and had to make a stop-over and visit the late President’s family in their rural home.

The visit also saw the club’s chairman and GSM’s Hersi Said gave Nyerere’s wife, Mama Maria, a club jersey.

“On our way to Musoma, our players got a rare chance to visit the home of the first President of the Republic of Tanzania, the late Julius Nyerere at Butiama,” the club announced on their Facebook page.

Biashara United are third and three points below Yanga and Saturday's match is expected to be an explosive one given the stakes it carries.

When they registered a 2-1 win over KMC FC in the previous encounter, coach Cedric Kaze partnered Waziri Junior – who had not enjoyed a start under Zlatko Krmpotic – with Michael Sarpong. He thereafter insisted every player will get his time.

“Every player is going to get a chance, play and show his worth for the team so that in the end, we can get collective and good results,” Kaze told Mwanaspoti.

As Yanga remain unbeaten, former star Zamoyoni Mogela has said Kaze is yet to find his regular starters but in due course, he would have fully understood his side.

“For now, I cannot really point out who is better than the other because I also know the coach is working hard and is yet to find a perfect striking partnership,” Mogela, who also played for Simba SC, said.

“After five matches, I am sure the coach would have known a winning squad but what is important is he should be granted the freedom to pick his starting teams without undue influence.

“The fans also need to understand the dynamics of football not to start pressurising everyone around the club when a loss is registered.”

After facing Francis Baraza’s Biashara United, Timu ya Wananchi will host their Kariakoo rivals Simba on November 7.

Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo has been cleared to return to the team after testing negative for Covid-19.

The Serie A side confirmed the news on Friday in a statement on their official website. 

"Cristiano Ronaldo carried out a check with a diagnostic test (swab) for Covid-19," the statement read.

"The exam provided a negative result. The player has, therefore, recovered after 19 days and is no longer subjected to home isolation."

Ronaldo will now be eligible to return for Juve's Serie A clash against Spezia on Sunday after he missed out on the club's previous four matches.

More to follow...

New Tusker signing Wellington Ochieng’ has penned an emotional message to the Gor Mahia fraternity after leaving the giants.
 
On Friday, Goal exclusively reported that the right-back had signed for the Brewers on a two-year deal after Gor Mahia refused to renew his stay after four years at the club.

Tusker chairman David Aduda confirmed to Goal they had signed the player by stating: “Ochieng' is now our player, he signed with us yesterday [Thursday].

“He is an experienced player who will give us much-needed experience at the back. Ochieng' is also versatile and I believe he will be a valuable asset to the team.”

Ochieng’ has now taken to his social media pages to remember his four-year stay with the Kenyan champions and also thanked the fans for the support they accorded during his time at the club.

“Nothing but love and appreciation for the last four years,” Ochieng wrote on his social media pages. “Thanks to the amazing people who made this place feel like home.

“To the supporters of the magnificent Green Army for accepting me and making me feel like one of their own. To the staff, thanks for the hospitality without them I couldn't achieve as a player.

“To Marcelo Ferreira [Ze Maria], I will forever be grateful he gave me the privilege to represent this great club. To my teammates and former teammates, they are my brothers to share this journey with these boys has made me feel the luckiest fella in the game.”

Ochieng’ continued: “To my former skippers, Jerry Onyango and Musa Mohammed...My best friends and mentors’ no one deserve success more than these guys. To my own family, Mum and Dad my friends...my own “team”, they made the good times better and tough times bearable.

“I’m so grateful to have been part of this special team. And now on to the next adventure.”

The former Muhoroni Youth player was released alongside Edwin Lavatsa a couple of weeks ago.

The defender becomes the third player the Ruaraka-based side have signed in the transfer window.

East Bengal are set to make their debut in the Indian Super League (ISL) with the blockbuster Kolkata derby fixture against rivals ATK Mohun Bagan on November 27.

The Red and Golds’ new manager Robbie Fowler is excited to face their bitter rivals in their season opener and suggested that the team will do their best to get off to a flying start in the league.

“We know how tough any game would be,” said the East Bengal boss. “But for us to get the reigning champions and to get a massive derby out of the way is something for us to train for. It's a massive game for our players and we can't wait. We will be looking forward to it.”

East Bengal will have less than a month’s time to prepare for the upcoming season but Fowler is not willing to succumb to pressure ahead of their season opener.

“We are weeks behind in terms of preparation. But all we can do is get the team as ready as we can. We really will be ready. No pressure on our boys. We are new boys in the league. Let’s put all the pressure on ATK Mohun Bagan,” said the Liverpool great.

The domestic players of the Red and Golds had started training on October 26 under assistant coach Renedy Singh. On Friday, Robbie Fowler and foreign players took the field for the first time and started full-fledged pre-season training.

“It was a good day. We were in quarantine for 14 days. First time we saw the lads. They enjoyed the training session. We know it is difficult for us as we are behind. But we will work hard and try and get up to speed as soon as possible.”

Turkey-based midfielder Afriyie Acquah has not given up hopes of making a return to Ghana's national team under coach CK Akonnor.

The Yeni Malatyaspor man has not been called up since representing the Black Stars at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, where the team disappointingly failed to make the quarter-final, their first time of being unable to reach the last eight since the 2006 tournament, coincidentally also held in Egypt.

In January, Akonnor replaced James Kwasi Appiah, who guided Ghana at the last Afcon. The new man is expected to soon unveil his squad for November's Afcon 2022 qualifying double-header against Sudan.

"I always say the national team is not for one person, there are many Ghanaian players but this is not like club football, so a coach needs a group of people who will play together for a long time so they get to each other," Acquah, formerly on the books of Serie A side Empoli, said on Max FM.

"I have no issues not been called but anytime I am called I will give my all like I do always.

"Since we returned from 2019 Afcon and changed coaches, the new coach has not called me on phone yet to discuss my return but I am still working hard so that anytime I am called I will honour the invitation.

"Of course, everyone watches football, I am doing well, anyone who knows me knows what I can do, ever since the season started, I play week in week out."

So far this season, Acquah has featured in all six games played by Malatyaspor in the Turkish Super Lig.

The 28-year-old has over 30 appearances for Ghana since making his international debut in a friendly against Chile in 2012.

He was among the players who missed their penalty kicks as the Black Stars lost to Cote d'Ivoire in a shoot-out in the final of the 2015 Afcon tournament.

He has not only represented Ghana at continental level but also at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where the Black Stars suffered a disappointing first-round elimination. 

Rising Barcelona star Ansu Fati has been told to improve his concentration by head coach Ronald Koeman.

The attacker has been hailed as a potential heir to six-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi and will turn 18 on Saturday. The Spain international has hit the ground running in the professional game, scoring five goals and creating three more in just seven appearances this season.

Koeman, though, says the teenager is far from the finished product and has told him to tidy up some aspects of his play.

“Yesterday we were talking about the issue of concentration for a while. In that sense he has to improve because sometimes his turnovers are due to concentration and not quality,” the coach said when asked in a press conference how the young star can improve his already impressive game.

“In that sense, he has to improve and he has our help every day. He is a great talent and we have to help him improve things in his progress. You have to be prepared every day to improve.”

Ansu will hope to be involved in Saturday’s encounter in Alaves as Barcelona attempt to improve a slow start to the Primera Division season, which sees them lie 12th in the standings, albeit with a couple of matches in hand against many of their rivals.

Barcelona have confirmed that they will be without regular goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegan and defender Samuel Umiti for the clash, with the pair having only completed a couple of sessions with the squad after overcoming injury problems.

Koeman said: “Marc is fine, but he needs a couple more training sessions.

“Today Samuel has completed part of the training with the group, but he still needs some more to be able to return.”

Meanwhile, he explained his reasoning behind leaving Riqui Puig behind, despite the fact he could name up to 23 players.

“It is a technical decision, normally we have taken 23 players, but for me it is too much, the best are 20 or 21 players,” the former Netherlands defender said.

“He will stay in Barcelona and have some intense training in case I need him another day.”

Barcelona are coming off a 2-0 win over Juventus in the Champions League.

FC Minaj have announced the signing of former Orlando Pirates defender Tercious Malepe.

The South Africa under-23 international has been a free agent after being released by the Buccaneers at the end of the 2019/20 season.

Minaj, who are campaigning in the Ukrainian Premier League, have snapped up Malepe according to a statement which was released on the club's official website on Friday. 

"Tercious Repo Malepe became the new player of Mina," a club statement read. 

"This is a football player from South Africa. He signed a contract with our club and has already started training with the team.

"Repo Malepe is a 23-year-old footballer who belonged to the Orlando Pirates, the current bronze medalist of the South African Championship.

"We are waiting for his debut in the UPL and wish him success in our club! Good luck, Malepe."

Malepe, who can also play in midfield, spent the last two seasons with Chippa United on loan from Pirates and he was one of the regulars at the Eastern Cape-based side. 

The tough-tackling player played 45 matches in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) and netted once during his time with the Chilli Boys.

Prior to his move to Chippa, Malepe was on the books of the now-defunct Ajax Cape Town where he was also on loan from Pirates during the 2017/18 season.

The former South Africa under-20 captain made 18 appearances in the PSL and scored once, but he could not help the team avoid relegation to the National First Division (NFD).

Malepe, who was nurtured in the Pirates academy, was loaned out to Moroka Swallows during the 2015/16 campaign which saw him play 22 matches in the league. 

The promising player was part of the South Africa squad at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Malepe was included in the Bafana Bafana squads which took part in the 2017 and 2019 Cosafa Cup tournaments.

Furthermore, Malepe captained South Africa at the Caf Under-20 Africa Cup of the Nations finals and Fifa Under-20 World Cup finals in 2017.

He led his country at last year's Caf Under-23 Afcon finals where South Africa finished third and qualified for the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo Japan.
 

Swiss Super League club Lugano have announced that newly-invited Nigeria goalkeeper Sebastian Osigwe has tested positive for coronavirus.

Osigwe was handed his maiden Super Eagles call-up on Thursday, ahead of their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier double-header against Sierra Leone in November, and his health status was confirmed shortly after.

The Luzern-born goalkeeper and Mattia Bottani contracted the virus in Maurizio Jacobacci's team while six other players have been quarantined.

With eight players out of their next Super League fixture against Young Boys on November 1, Lugano reached out to the league authorities and their request for postponement of the encounter to a later date has been approved.

Meanwhile, it remains to be seen if Osigwe will be passed fit and available for the Super Eagles' upcoming matches against Sierra Leone at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium on November 13, while the second-leg will take place in Freetown four days later.

He joins Maduka Okoye and returning Daniel Akpeyi as the three goalkeepers in Gernot Rohr's latest selection but Katsina United's Ikechukwu Ezenwa is on the standby list.

Osigwe joined Lugano this summer after leaving Swiss second-tier club Kriens. He has played in four league matches so far with three ending in draws and one win.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has criticised the idea of a European Super League, saying it would be "one of the most boring projects in the world".

Outgoing Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu says the club have already agreed to proposals for a league that would consist of Europe’s top sides and replace the Champions League.

The idea has faced heavy criticism since Bartomeu’s announcement, with UEFA voicing its strong opposition to any such project while FIFA president Gianni Infantino said he is “not interested”.

La Liga chief Javier Tebas criticised the people behind the proposals, saying they have shown "total ignorance of the organisation and customs of European and world football”.

Ceferin has added his voice to the growing list of critics of the super league plans and says there are no serious discussions taking place.

“There’s a strong cooperation between us and the Leagues. The positive thing in this situation is the dialogue and solidarity,” he told SportLab, created by Corriere dello Sport and Tuttosport.

“The so-called Super League is an invention of some clubs and some Italian media, not our proposal.

“It would be one of the most boring projects in the world. Two or three clubs talk about it, who believe they deserve more than others but who actually win little and believe that they could be winners in a Super League.

“It’s not a serious discussion, these kinds of ideas would kill football. I’m strongly against a Super League and the Superchampions is mainly invented by Italian press.”

Current and former managers have also lambasted the idea of a European league being introduced at the expense of the Champions League.

Ex-Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has denounced it as a plot to tackle the "superiority" of the Premier League, while Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp also hopes that it will "never happen" as he feels it would not be as exciting as the Champions League.

"For me, the Champions League is the Super League, in which you do not always end up playing against the same teams," he said. "Of course, it is economically important, but why should we create a system where Liverpool faces Real Madrid for 10 straight years? Who wants to see that every year?"

Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar has been ruled out of action until after the November international break after sustaining a groin injury.

The 28-year-old received treatment on the issue during his side’s 2-0 Champions League victory over Istanbul Basaksehir on Wednesday but was eventually forced to succumb to the problem with the game still scoreless.

A couple of Moise Kean strikes ultimately saw the Parisians over the line in Turkey, and head coach Thomas Tuchel is now set to have to lean on the on-loan Everton man further after confirmation that Neymar is set for a couple of weeks on the sidelines due to the issue.

"We're sad," the coach said. "He's got a small injury to his adductor. He'll be back after the break. I don't think he can play for Brazil. The information that we have is that he'll be back after the break."

PSG have three games to play before the international recess, beginning with a Ligue 1 encounter against Nantes on Saturday then continuing with a critical Champions League match away to RB Leipzig and then a home encounter against in-form Rennes next Saturday.

It is hoped, however, that the Brazil star, who became the world’s most expensive player when he joined the Parc des Princes side from Barcelona in 2017, will be back in action by the time Tuchel takes his side to Monaco in another Ligue 1 match on November 20.

The news is broadly along the lines of what was anticipated when Tuchel spoke of the problem in the aftermath of the midweek game.

"It was necessary to take him off," he told RMC Sport. "We now have to wait for a diagnosis. It was not serious pain, but he felt uncomfortable. Because of the tight schedule, it might cost him a few games, though I cannot be sure at this point."

Neymar has endured a stop-start beginning to the season, having missed the opening defeat to Lens due to coronavirus, then fixtures against Metz and Nice after he was sent off in a 1-0 loss to Marseille.

Additionally, he was not present when PSG won 4-0 in Nantes immediately after the previous international break as he had not returned from South America in sufficient time to play to his capacity.

When he has been on the field, however, he has excelled, scoring two goals and creating four more in six appearances.

Tolu Arokodare is developing well at Koln but he needs to refine his skills at Bundesliga level, according to the club general manager Horst Heldt.

The 19-year-old striker joined Markus Gisdol's side on a season-long loan from Latvian club Valmiera in the summer and he has been involved in two league matches.

Arokodare made his Bundesliga debut as a 76th-minute substitute after replacing Sebastian Andersson in Koln's 1-0 defeat to Arminia Bielefeld on September 26.

A week later, he was thrown into the fray in the 77th minute as Borussia Monchengladbach beat the Billy Goats 3-1.

In his assessment, Heldt is confident the Lagos-born attacker will add quality to the team as they currently occupy the 16th spot on the league table with two points after five matches.

“Tolu [Arokodare] is learning a lot at the moment, it has to be said,” Heldt told Goal.

“He caused a furore in Latvia, rising from the ashes like a Phoenix and causing us to take notice. He is still a young player at 19 and he has the qualities to develop.

“At 19 he still needs time though. We tend to play with one man up front, so his challenge is to put himself in a position to be given more playing time. I just spoke about Sebastian [Andersson], who is developing well. Tolu has to do the same.

“He has played already and I am sure that if he keeps working as hard as he has been then he will add something to our side.”

Heldt also reserved praise for some rare qualities Arokodare has shown in training.

He continued: "He has qualities that aren’t easy to find; he is strong in the air and hard to dispossess.

“He has to refine those skills at Bundesliga level, but that is the kind of normal process that players adjust to through working hard in training and getting time on the pitch. He is doing that, he is eager to learn and I am sure he will develop well.”

Arokodare and his compatriot Kingsley Ehizibue are in contention to play a part when Koln welcome Bayern Munich to the RheinEnergieStadion for their next Bundesliga fixture on Saturday.

Jose Mourinho believes Tottenham must accept Gareth Bale is "a different player" to the wing wizard that Real Madrid prised away from north London seven years ago.

Bale is back at Spurs for a second spell and Mourinho says it cannot be assumed the loanee will make the same impact second time around.

He related the Welshman's situation to those of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who have made subtle changes to their styles of play over the years to remain formidable forces.

Mourinho hopes Bale can add plenty to Tottenham too, but at the age of 31 it may not be as the explosive wide man of years gone by.

Changes could be plentiful for Tottenham in Sunday's clash with Brighton and Hove Albion, given how unimpressed Mourinho was by the performance in Thursday's Europa League defeat at Antwerp.

Asked after that game how his team for Brighton would look, Mourinho said: "Do you want me to start with the same team as tonight? You are an intelligent guy, you know my answer."

When addressing the matter of Bale, who had two shots – neither of which were on target – before being substituted after 58 minutes in Antwerp, Mourinho said: "I repeat, seven years is a long gap. Which player in the world is the same as he was seven years ago? Sometimes they are just different players.

"You look for example at Ronaldo and Messi and compare them to seven years ago. I think it happens with the majority of players. For sure, he is a different player."

Whether Bale faces Brighton remains to be seen. "He is working very hard. He is improving," Mourinho said. "He didn't miss one single minute of any training session. To play 90 minutes it's still hard, but he is improving. Hopefully he'll be back to a better level soon."

Tottenham have home advantage for the Brighton game and sit fifth in the Premier League heading into the weekend.

Mourinho is a tough taskmaster and will want an improvement on recent home form, Spurs having achieved all three of their Premier League wins away from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this season.

At home they have drawn twice and lost once, against Everton in their season opener. The last time they failed to win in four consecutive top-flight home games was in the 2013-14 season.

Their record against Brighton bodes well for that sequence to end, having won all three of their previous Premier League home clashes with the Seagulls - and there was good news from Mourinho as he forecast Eric Dier and Tanguy Ndombele should be fit for the game after physical ailments.

Having Ndombele back provides cheer for Mourinho, who said: "We missed him because he gives speed to the team, thinking quick, moving the ball fast. We miss him."

Pep Guardiola says he is happy in Manchester after Barcelona presidential candidate Victor Font said he wanted to bring him back to Camp Nou.

The Manchester City manager is in his final year of his contract at Etihad Stadium and has not yet confirmed a decision on his long-term future.

After Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu resigned and the entire board stepped down from their posts, Font has become the favourite to take over the role and said he wants to reunite Guardiola and Lionel Messi at the club.

Guardiola is in his fifth season at City, more than his previous periods in charge at Barca and Bayern Munich, but insists he is happy at the club.

"I'm incredibly happy here, delighted to be in Manchester and hopefully I can do a good job this season to stay longer,” he said when asked about the link with his former club.

Guardiola has said he will sign an extension if his players continue to respond his coaching techniques, but he has made his worst ever start to a season as a coach after injuries and illness disrupted his squad.

Sergio Aguero and Benjamin Mendy are definitely out of Saturday’s trip to Sheffield United, but the City boss hopes to have some players back soon with Gabriel Jesus and Nathan Ake returning to training.

“Gabriel and Ake are getting better, Mendy is not,” the City boss confirmed. “We’ll see how they feel at training. They need to be with the team and it’s coming so it’s good to have as many as possible. This season everyone will be important.”

With at least two games a week until the New Year, Guardiola is having to carefully monitor the fitness of his players, and he said the Premier League made a mistake when they didn't continue to allow five substitutes as they did during Project Restart and is being used across Europe and the Champions League.

"Definitely they should [have], they should 100%," he added. "It’s not about one club.

"There are statistics that they don’t deny - that in the Premier League players have 47 per cent more muscular injuries than the previous season. Due to no preparation for most of the teams and the amount of games.

"All the leagues - Germany, Spain, everywhere - is five substitutions to protect the players, not to protect one team.

"They should [reconsider], hopefully they can reconsider and do what the rest of the world does because we have to adjust to the pandemic situation and other things. The reality is completely different now to before. Intelligent people adjust to the situation in the world – football is about the players."

Andile Dlamini has reacted to growing concerns about the fitness of Banyana Banyana players for the upcoming Cosafa Women's Cup next month, assuring that "they are working on that".

Banyana had resumed camp about a week ago in preparation for a title defence on home soil and have been drawn against Angola, Eswatini and Comoros in Group A.

Fears that players could be struggling with fitness emerged following an uninspiring 1-0 victory over Bantwana in a friendly at the Safa National Technical Centre in Johannesburg earlier this week.

While hailing her side's display, Ellis, who is relying solely upon domestic players, opened up on her major worries, saying: "It looked better but we can still do more fitness-wise". 

However, Dlamini, who led Mamelodi Sundowns to a maiden Safa National Women's League triumph, is confident they will be ready for the event, while appealing for fans' support in Port Elizabeth.

"Camp has been amazing and everyone is adjusting quite well," Dlamini, who doubles as the team's acting captain, told Safa's media team.

"Since we are all players from the local leagues playing in the [Safa National Women's League and Sasol League], everything has just adjusted itself really well.

"When it comes to fitness, we have been working on that since we've got to camp and the coaches and the technical crew knows what to do regarding that.

"We are looking forward to her first game on November 3 and we urge all to support us and show their love."

Banyana Banyana are in contention for a fourth title in a row and seventh overall at this year's Cosafa Women's Cup in Nelson Mandela Bay, beginning from November 3 to 15.

They will open their campaign against Angola on November 3 at the Wolfson Stadium before a date with Eswatini on November 6 and clash with Comoros three days later.

Ronald Koeman has vowed he will not let Barcelona's club elections distract him from the challenge of winning trophies at Camp Nou.

The Dutchman walked into a club in crisis in August when he left the Netherlands job to return to Barcelona, with whom he had already enjoyed a highly successful six-year playing spell.

It means the head coach can hardly raise any protest amid the turmoil that continues to encircle the Catalan giants, whose president Josep Maria Bartomeu resigned this week.

Bartomeu's leadership was facing heavy criticism, with star man Lionel Messi so disenchanted that he attempted to leave the club during the close season.

Now several months of electioneering are firmly under way, and Koeman will be doing well if he can keep his mind away from talk of what each candidate has in mind for the future.

One of those who looks set to stand, Toni Freixa, has backed Koeman to continue in his post, but rival Victor Font has made no secret of his intention to appoint Xavi in a senior capacity, and also floated the idea of Pep Guardiola returning.

Asked about Freixa's comments and his own future, Koeman said in a news conference on Friday: "I don't like to speak individually about the candidates, we'll see what can happen. My job is not to be happy or unhappy if someone wants to change things or not. I am here for the club and to win things and the most important thing is to win tomorrow."

Koeman's Barcelona travel to face Alaves on Saturday, having won 5-0 at Mendizorrotza in their final La Liga game of last season, by which time Real Madrid had eclipsed them to land the title.

They were under the charge of Quique Setien for that game, which saw Lionel Messi score twice and provide an assist.

Messi has struck 10 times in his nine La Liga games against Alaves, as if his value to Barcelona needed any fresh emphasising.

Barcelona have won their past seven La Liga meetings with Alaves, keeping a clean sheet in five of those and scoring an average of 3.4 goals per game.

They were last beaten by the Vitoria-Gasteiz side in September 2016, slipping to a 2-1 defeat that day as coach Luis Enrique began the game with Messi and Luis Suarez on the bench.

This time Barcelona are looking to bounce back from two successive La Liga defeats, to Getafe and Madrid, having not lost three in a row in the league since April 2016 – another low point in the Luis Enrique era.

At least a midweek Champions League win over Juventus showed Barcelona are capable of finding focus amid the circus that surrounds them.

The players do not appear nearly as vulnerable as Koeman to regime change, yet there will be a sense of relief when the focus can all be directed towards matters on the pitch.

Questions about the presidency will keep coming for Koeman, who stressed on Friday: "It is not in my hands. I am a coach of this club and I work hard to move the team forward, achieve good results and win titles.

"It is what the coach and the players have to do. I am not nervous and I am involved in my work. That's how it is. From today until the elections there are candidates who will speak, who say things about their projects, and we will see who will be the president in the future."

The Qatar Football Association (QFA) has successfully completed the bidding process to host the AFC Asian Cup 2027, covering all legal formalities required by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

The move is in line with Qatar's aspirations to host the 2027 AFC Asian Cup as per the highest international standards, in addition to providing a football experience that not only meets the ambitions of the Asian audience but also fosters social change and rapprochement between societies. The decision also has come as part of the QFA's commitment to fulfilling all hosting requirements according to the approved schedule.

The Qatar Football Association, represented by His Excellency Mr Fahad bin Mohammed Kafood, the Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Malaysia, had previously handed over the first part of the bidding file on the 26th August earlier this year. The submitted file fulfilled the necessities of hosting requirements in addition to highlighting Qatar’s rich history and legacy in organizing continental and international tournaments and sporting events.

The dossier presented by His Excellency also included the local federation’s vision for the country’s sports facilities and associated infrastructure that will be ready to host events of any scale such as the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar, the first mega-sporting event of its kind in the Middle East.

The 2022 World Cup hosts had excelled in the first sustainability report for the global tournament which was published last week. Now this submission made by the QFA is also a symbol of the state’s ambition to bring next-level sporting experiences to the Asian audience.