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The stage is set for the 181st El Clasico in LaLiga, albeit with a different backdrop.

This will be the first meeting between Barcelona and Real Madrid since a global pandemic altered how matches have to be conducted.

But in this Season 90 of LaLiga, whatever the surrounding is, this fixture remains one that captures worldwide attention.

The usual protagonists such as Lionel Messi, Gerard Pique, Sergio Ramos and Karim Benzema are still there to play a major role in the fixture.

However there is a new generation that will be going into battle looking to get their El Clasico baptism.

On the Blaugrana side, expectations are high on the likes of Ansu Fati (17 years old), Sergino Dest (19) meanwhile the Los Blancos could parade Rodrigo Goes (19) and Vinicius Jr (20).

In fact Vinicius had already made his mark in the last El Clasico played back in March 1 2020 when Real ran away 2-0 winners at Santiago Bernabeu and eventually went on to lift the 2019/20 LaLiga title.

Yet both Ronaldo Koeman and Zinedine Zidane will go into Saturday’s clash under a slight bit of pressure despite it being early days of the new 2020/21 season.

Surprisingly both sides lost in last weekend’s action by similar scorelines to Getafe and Cadiz respectively. 

Barcelona did recover to achieve success in the midweek’s continental action against Ferencváros but Real suffered their second straight defeat at the hands of Shakhtar Donetsk.

Both sides have injury concerns with Barcelona likely to miss the services of keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen while Real could be without Eden Hazard.

What makes this encounter one of the greatest in world football is the fact that it could go either way. They are closely matched in the previous 180 matches with Barcelona picking up 72 wins and Real having won just one more than that.

This Saturday’s fixture might yet be another classic in the El Clasico series!

To celebrate the return of El Clasico, we are giving two lucky winners a chance to get their hands on a Barcelona or Real Madrid jersey. Find out how you can win it here. 

Harambee Stars midfielder Anthony Akumu has hinted he is ready to join Tanzania Mainland League giants Yanga SC if he gets a good offer.

The 28-year-old's club Kaizer Chiefs narrowly missed out on the PSL title last season. Now, reports in Yanga have already linked the towering midfielder with a move to the 27-time league champions. 

GSM and Yanga SC official Hersi Said wished the midfielder a happy birthday on his official Instagram page and many see this as a hint despite being just a goodwill wish.

"I know [Hersi Said] well and I have no problem if he gives me an offer to join Yanga SC," Akumu said as quoted by Championi.

"The main thing is reaching an understanding, especially on personal terms because I don't want to remain here [at Kaizer Chiefs] for a long time.

"The South Africa league is big, same as the team I am playing for; however, it is not an excuse for not leaving for another team if I get a better offer," the former Gor Mahia player concluded.

The Kenya international has in the past played for Zambian giants Zesco United and Sudanese outfit Al Khartoum.

Akumu was part of the Kenya team that defeated Zambia 2-1 in an international friendly match played on October 9 at Nyayo Stadium, Nairobi.

The Young Africans officially unveiled Burundian coach Cedric Kaze to take charge at the Jangwani giants a couple of days ago. The Burundian tactician arrived in Tanzania to replace Serbian Zlatko Krmpotic, and signed a two-year contract that will keep him at Wananchi until 2022. 

"I am very happy to be here," Kaze told reporters on arriving at the Julius Nyerere International Airport. "I am also very proud to be the coach of Yanga, one of the biggest teams in Tanzania, East Africa, and even across Africa.  

"I have received a lot of congratulatory messages from several quarters for accepting to take up the job and I promise them I will not disappoint, I now know that Yanga is a big brand, and urge all those associated with the club to pull together and support the team as we achieve more success in the coming years."  

The first assignment for the Burundian will be against Polisi Tanzania at Uhuru Stadium on Thursday.

Kaizer Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt says his senior players Willard Katsande and Bernard Parker are no longer guaranteed places following the emergence of impressive young players in the team.

Hunt had already promised to give more chances to budding players after they impressed him in last Sunday’s MTN8 quarter-final victory over Maritzburg United.

Players like Nkosingiphile Ngcobo, Njabulo Bloem and Happy Mashiane all saw little game time under previous coach Ernst Middendorp but Hunt appears to have more faith in them.

Now the championship-winning coach has specifically mentioned Katsande and Parker as having their places under real threat from these emerging players.

“These guys [Katsande and Parker] have given some unbelievable service to football. They have won a lot of trophies, they have been here for some time,” Hunt told Marawa Sport Worldwide on Metro FM.

“I understand that people are always looking for something special. But until somebody comes up, like right now with our situation, and puts his hand up and says ‘I am willing.’ Willard and Bernard both know that these young players are good like the young [Njabulo] Bloem in Katsande’s place.

"He had a fantastic game [against Maritzburg United], came on and changed the game. But he has to be on a consistency level of playing. I have to give him opportunities, which I will do.

“And he has to keep on challenging Willard, and Willard has to say, ‘These people are on my case.’ Like in all sports, like in boxing when you get older, somebody is going to be better than you.

“Same as Bernard, he has some young boys up there, the [Lebogang] Lesako, [Keletso] Sifama coming up. These boys are going to be challenging him. But right now I don’t see players being put out of position unless somebody really puts his hand up and says, ‘Right, I’m here.’ Look at Bloem on Sunday.”

Parker, however, lasted the entire match against Maritzburg, while Katsande was suspended.

Chiefs now gear up to face Mamelodi Sundowns in Saturday’s opening Premier Soccer League (PSL) match.

Young Africans (Yanga SC) head coach Cedric Kaze has explained the importance of individual talks with players.

Kaze has been in charge of Yanga for a week now since he was appointed to take Zlatko Krmpotic’s place and his main distinguishing character is the habit of holding talks with single players.

In one of the sessions he has overseen, Mwanaspoti reports that Kaze held a long conversation with Waziri Junior who has not featured in any Premier League match since he was signed from Mbao FC.

Haruna Niyonzima, Lamine Moro, Deus Kaseke and Mustapha Mauya are the other players who had been seen engaging with the coach for long.

“It is my principle that I pull aside a player or two and have talks with them either before or after training sessions,” the Burundian told Mwanaspoti.

“The main target is to make every player feel that they are part of the team so that no one feels he is of low value to the club. I believe the approach will help us do things in unity and see us succeed.

“I have analysed all the players in the sessions that we have had and in the talks we have had I believe will make everyone feel valued.”

Kaze will take charge of his first game for Yanga against Polisi Tanzania on Thursday at Uhuru National Stadium.

Polisi Tanzania head coach Ally Suleiman Mtuli is confident they will stun the record champions in Dar es Salaam.

“In football, there is always no big team but we respect Yanga as one of the oldest clubs in the country,” Mtuli told the same publication.

“What we have come for is a win and I believe we are going to get it.”

In the first meeting of the 2019/20 season, Yanga and Polisi Tanzania pulled off a 3-3 draw with Ditram Nchimbi, now playing for Yanga, scoring three goals against them. In the second round, they drew 1-1 when Tariq Seif, now playing for Polisi Tanzania scored for Yanga.

Mtuli's side has played six games and the last one at Uhuru Stadium ended in a 1-1 draw against Gwambina FC.

Yanga have played five and have 13 points from four wins and a draw.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin sparked talk of interest from Manchester United over the summer, with reports of £80 million ($105m) price tags doing the rounds , and David Unsworth has revealed that Everton snapped the in-form striker up for “a lot less” than £1.5m in August 2016.

That was the fee said to have taken a promising frontman from Sheffield United to Merseyside as those at Goodison Park sought to buy into obvious potential.

Patience with Calvert-Lewin has been rewarded at Goodison Park, with the 23-year-old now very much at the peak of his powers.

A 10-goal return in 2020-21 has helped Everton to position themselves among the early Premier League frontrunners, while said efforts have also earned senior international recognition with England.

Admiring glances are now being shot in Calvert-Lewin’s direction from across Europe , with speculation suggesting that the Red Devils from Old Trafford are one of his many suitors.

Everton have no intention of selling, but would generate considerable profit if they did cash in on a “bargain” buy who was acquired for practically nothing when being lured away from his native Sheffield.

Former Everton star Unsworth, who is now head of the club’s academy and helped to put a deal for Calvert-Lewin in place, told Sky Sports of the reported £1.5m deal that was done four years ago: “I can assure you it was nowhere near the amount of money that people bandied about! I won't say the exact fee but it was a lot less than what you just quoted.

“I still smile when I think about how we managed to prise him away. It was all about timing and Sheffield United were in League One and had just got a new manager. Dominic wasn't going to play a big part in trying to get them out of League One. Chris [Wilder] decided to go down the experience route and has proven to be very successful.

“We managed to get Dom into our Under 23s at the time, and he's a player I'd worked with previously during my time as a coach at Sheffield United as a 16-year-old. I'd always followed him and tried to plot his journey when he went on two loan periods [at Stalybridge Celtic and Northampton Town].

“I watched him and I was absolutely delighted to bring him to the club. It was a fantastic signing for us, and he is now producing the sorts of displays and playing as well as we could ever have imagined when he was a young player. He's outstanding and has been a brilliant signing for us.”

Unsworth added on spotting an 18-year-old Calvert-Lewin and what he felt he he could become: “We felt it was a bargain.

“We felt that we'd signed a quality player, but it's easy now to sit here and say, 'we knew he would play in our first team'. At the time, he had all the tools to potentially be a first-team player.

“But Dominic has gone on and done brilliantly to jump over every hurdle he's come across and taken every opportunity that's come his way.

“He's just gone from strength to strength. He's an outstanding player, an outstanding young man, and we're all incredibly proud of him at Everton.”

Everton, who have gone unbeaten through their opening five Premier League fixtures this season, will be back in action on Sunday when taking in a trip to Southampton.

Ghana have fallen by two places on the latest edition of the Fifa World Rankings announced for the month of October.

The development comes on the back of the Black Stars' recent 3-0 loss to African counterparts Mali and a 5-1 thrashing of Asian champions and 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar in friendly matches earlier this month.

The two games were part of 120 international ties played by nations across the globe over the last month.

Released via Fifa's official website on Thursday, September's rankings sees Ghana move down to 48th position, a place below Hungary and a spot above Jamaica.

There was also a drop in the Black Stars' total accumulated points by one from 1439 to 1438.

Last year by this time - with James Kwasi Appiah as head coach of the side - Ghana held 51st position in the world and seventh spot in Africa.

On the continental table this October 2020, Ghana, now under coach CK Akonnor, hold sixth position, above Egypt (52 in the world), Cameroon (53), Mali (56) and Burkina Faso (58) in Africa's top 10.

Senegal (21st in the world) still lead the African table despite dropping down by one place on the world order.

Tunisia (26), Africa Cup of Nations champions Algeria (who have moved up by five places to 30th in the world), Nigeria (fallen by three places to 32nd spot) and Morocco (up by four places to 39th) are Africa's top five teams.

Back on the world table, there were no changes among the top five as Belgium maintain first position, followed by France, Brazil, England and Portugal in that order.

Spain have moved one place up to take over sixth position, displacing Uruguay by a spot. Argentina (8th) and Uruguay (9th) similarly exchanged positions but Colombia have done well to keep hold of their 10th position from last month.

Ghana's recent friendlies against Mali and Qatar were preparatory games for the Black Stars ahead of the resumption of the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers in November when Akonnor's outfit take on Sudan in a double-header.

The next Fifa rankings will be released on November 26.

We’ve got an absolutely packed episode of African Football HQ for you this week, as Malek Shafei and Ed Dove dig through the big talking points in the African game this week.

You will surely have noticed reference to the #EndSARS protests and movement in Nigeria over recent weeks, as the youth of the country take a stand against the Special Anti-Robbery Squad and some of their recent actions.

It’s a movement which has resonance across the football spectrum, local players have been caught up—and killed—after altercations with SARS, while high-profile figures such as Marcus Rashford and Mesut Ozil have also weighed in to add their support to the protests.

The Super Eagles’ commendation for the government at the end of the international break, when they believed that SARS had been disbanded, has now been proven to be premature, and the likes of Victor Osimhen, Simy Nwankwo and Odion Ighalo have all added their voices to those of the protesters in recent days.

Also on the agenda, we examine a massive week in the Kenyan game, where the federation president Nick Mwendwa was re-elected, and then duly replaced national team coach Francis Kimanzi with Jacob Mulee.

Ghost is an established name within the Kenyan game, but is he the right man to take the Harambee Stars into the new era?

There have also been big headlines in South Africa this week, as Siphiwe Tshabalala, scorer of that emphatic opening goal at the 2010 World Cup, has returned to the Premier Soccer League with AmaZulu.

He may be 36, but Shabba still has a lot to offer the ambitious Durban outfit…or does he?

Dove and Shafei don’t exactly see eye to eye on the legendary wideman’s potential impact this term.

There’s less doubt about the success of Pitso Mosimane at Al Ahly; he oversaw their 2-0 victory away at Wydad Casablanca in the first leg of their Caf Champions League semi-final, as they take one step closer to the final.

As if all of that wasn’t enough, we also look at the history of African players in El Clasico—ahead of this weekend’s meeting between Real Madrid and Barcelona—and speak to Goal’s Chelsea correspondent Nizaar Kinsella about the impact of Edouard Mendy and Hakim Ziyech at Stamford Bridge.

Christian Pulisic has offered a positive update on his fitness at Chelsea, with the United States international claiming to “feel great” as he seeks to rediscover the form that made him an important part of the Blues’ plans last season.

The 22-year-old took a while to find his feet in 2019-20, with the former Borussia Dortmund star needing to adjust his game to meet the demands of life in English football.

Once fully up to speed, only untimely injury issues would hold Pulisic back.

His creativity and keen eye for goal earned him a regular role on the left of Chelsea’s attack, with obvious comparisons drawn with former Blues hero Eden Hazard.

Pulisic is edging his way back towards that level in the current campaign, with a starting berth secured in successive outings against Southampton and Sevilla.

Chelsea have been held in both of those fixtures, as they seek a spark in Premier League and Champions League competition, but their USMNT star feels he is ready to burst into life.

“Fitness-wise I feel great,” Pulisic, who saw a hamstring problem force him out of the 2020 FA Cup final and delay his return to competitive action this term, told Chelsea TV.

“I’m getting back to where I was, I feel strong, I feel like I can play 90 minutes, and I’m happy.”

Pulisic will benefit from the game time he has seen of late, with a testing continental clash with Sevilla giving Lampard and his side plenty of food for thought.

“It was definitely a tough game,” Pulisic added.

“It was one of those where there were not a lot of chances in the game, a really hard-fought match, we did a lot of good defending, and I think we can walk away proud with a point.

“They’re a strong team. They put us to the test, they moved the ball really well and we definitely defended a lot.

“It’s everyone’s job to be behind the ball at times.

“We have to help out defensively. Going away from the game with a clean sheet will give us some confidence. It’s not bad for the guys.

“We have got to find the balance [between defence and attack]. We want to create more chances; I want to help with that. We are going to continue to work to improve as a team.”

Chelsea will face another stern test of their credentials on Saturday when they take in a trip to Manchester United.

Gor Mahia defender Bernard Ondiek has promised the fans they have more in store for them in both the Caf Champions League and in the Football Kenya Federation Premier League.

Gor Mahia have been training for the past few weeks since they were allowed to by the government as they prepare for another shot at the Champions League trophy.

“We are geared for the season start and we have new players who we are really gelling well as expected. Gor Mahia always get good players and for the fans, I want you to expect much [more] from us than we gave last season,” Ondiek told the club’s Online TV.

“For now, I can say all the focus is on the Champions League and obviously we have been there and we know what to do. Since we have some experiences in the Champions League we are now well prepared to tackle it more than the other seasons.

“All we are going for is the Champions League as it is a nice experience for every player in this team. But again, if you do not prepare well, it will be hard to make it.

“All I can say is the fans should be geared for it and I am very happy and confident because we will do good in the Champions League.”

Apart from signing 14 players, Gor Mahia appointed a new coach, Oliveira ‘Robertinho’ Goncalves, and Ondiek is confident all of them will help the club in the new season.

“Apparently, I can say we have a good coach and everything he is going to do will be for the benefit of all the players,” the former Western Stima star added.

Ondiek praised the team's training saying it is far better than an individual session. Kenyan players were forced to train alone when the league was suspended in March due to the coronavirus issue.

“Individual training is always dependent on how you feel and how the body is but the good thing is that we are now training as a team,” he concluded.

“We are now back as a team and it feels great to have the friends and teammates in the K'Ogalo family. For you to gel and know one another better you only need to train as a team.

“When Covid-19 hit, it was hard because as a player you cannot just stay at home, you need your body to be fit because if you stay for long you will not feel nice.”

Gor Mahia will begin their Premier League title defence against former champions Tusker on November 20.

Nigeria are now 32nd in the latest Fifa rankings for the month of October released on Thursday.

Last month, Gernot Rohr’s men were rated the 29th best team in the world. However, they dropped three places as a consequence of their contrasting results in the October international fixtures.

The Super Eagles lost 1-0 to reigning African champions Algeria, before settling for a 1-1 draw against Tunisia’s Carthage Eagles.

After these results, the West Africans are now fourth in Africa behind 2019 Africa Cup of Nations runners-up, Senegal, who accrued 1549 points, Tunisia [1507] and reigning African champions, the Desert Foxes who garnered 1488 points.

Nigeria’s opponent in next month’s Africa Cup of Nations double-header qualification, Sierra Leone, dropped a place to be classified as the 120th best team in the world with 1151 points.

2022 Afcon hosts Cameroon are 53rd globally and eighth on the continent, while Mohamed Salah's Egypt occupy the 52nd spot.

Qualifying games for the 2022 Fifa World Cup, the play-offs for the Uefa Euro 2021 and Uefa Nations League ties were determinants in the rankings.

Belgium, 2018 Fifa World Cup winners France, Brazil, England and Portugal occupy the first to fifth positions respectively.

The next Fifa/Coca-Cola World Rankings will be published on 26 November 2020.

Borussia Monchengladbach duo Jonas Hofmann and Mathias Ginter spoke of their side's struggle to contain Inter striker Romelu Lukaku, with the Italian side's target man said to be a player who “cannot be taken out of the game completely”.

The Belgian scored twice in Wednesday night's 2-2 Champions League draw at San Siro, with his second coming right at the death to rescue a point for the hosts after their opponents had taken the lead through Ramy Bensebaini and Hofmann himself.

Lukaku's hold-up play allowed the Nerazzurri to move further up the pitch when in possession on Wednesday night, and Hofmann was far from surprised with how often the hosts looked to find their target man.

“Ninety nine per cent of Inter's game plan is to get the ball to Lukaku,” the Germany international said after the match. “He holds the ball up while the rest of the team pushes up and supports him. 

“It was tough at times to get a defender in front and behind him, but I think our defenders did a good job in the end.”

Ginter echoed those thoughts, adding: “I don’t think you can take players like Lukaku out of the game completely. He had three chances and scored twice, both from close range. We didn’t give much away in the game.”

With the visitors having been in the lead heading into the closing minutes, Hofmann conceded that he and his team-mates were saddened not to come away with more than a draw despite heading into the clash as underdogs.

“There was a rollercoaster of emotions in the final few minutes,” the midfielder said. “We had to wait a while to see if my goal was going to count or not. Not many people would have thought before the game that we would take something from Inter.

“After the game, I have to say that I’m a bit disappointed about only getting a point. We gave it our all to try and see it home from 2-1 but didn’t defend the corner well enough, which is extremely disappointing.”

Ginter again agreed with Hofmann and called for more resolute defending heading forwards. He said: “In a few hours time we’ll be pleased about the point, but right after the game we are a bit disappointed. 

“It’s annoying to concede an equaliser in the 90th minute after only making it 2-1 a few minutes before the end. The fact that the goal was avoidable makes it even more frustrating. Even though some of our bigger players weren’t on the pitch, we should have defended the corner better. 

“We didn’t let them have many chances over the course of game. We did things better after [Bensebaini's] penalty to make it 1-1 and deserved the point in the end.”

Mesut Ozil’s unfortunate situation at Arsenal is “sad”, says Alan Smith, with the World Cup winner becoming a “wasted talent” that could have achieved so much more.

A 32-year-old playmaker that has graced the very top of the game in his distinguished career is now little more than an expensive luxury at Emirates Stadium.

Ozil has been omitted from the Gunners’ Europa League and Premier League squads for 2020-21, making it highly unlikely that he will figure for the club again.

He has already been frozen out since March and will see a lucrative contract come to an end next summer.

Smith is among those left baffled as to how such a situation could play out, with a man who boasts obvious ability paying the price for not toeing the line under Mikel Arteta.

The former Arsenal striker told Sky Sports: “It's sad, there's no doubt about it because it's a wasted talent and has been for the last couple of years. He hasn't reached the levels that he did, four or five years back.

“I can't remember a time in football when someone on so much money has been ostracised like this and has no chance at all of playing for the first team.

“But Mikel Arteta has made his choice and obviously knows things that we don't. He's looked at the player day in, day out.

“It might be down to his attitude during lockdown when he refused to take a wage cut, and he didn't take part in team Zoom meetings so perhaps Arteta feels he's not a team player.

“The irony is that Arsenal do need a player of that ilk at the moment, someone of Ozil's creative force. Somebody who can unlock defences as they've faced a couple of those challenges recently against West Ham and Sheffield United and it was difficult for them.

“I'm sure Arteta would've liked to have had the Ozil of four or five years back available. I would say Arteta wields quite a lot of power there, and obviously his title changed, so I'm not sure this is a decision that has been taken out of his hands.

“With the narrowing down of the powers there with Raul Sanllehi going, Arteta - along with the director of football Edu - does call a lot of the shots.

“From Ozil's point of view, this period where he's sat tight on his contract and he's refused to countenance a move, at the end of his career he will reflect on it being three or four years wasted.

“You only really can appreciate that at the end of your career, so from a personal point of view, he really should've tried to find a career elsewhere. He's got to wait until January now, and with that then being so close to next summer, I would doubt he'll agree to a move.

“Arteta has made his decision very clear indeed, and nobody will be asking him in the forthcoming press conferences 'why isn't Ozil involved?'. He's drawn a line in the sand and he'll be hoping to move forward.”

Ozil, who became Arsenal’s record signing when joining from Real Madrid in 2013, has taken in 254 appearances for the Gunners, registering 44 goals and 77 assists.

Mumbai City FC have announced the signing of midfield maestro Ahmed Jahouh on a two-year deal, on Thursday.

The 32-year-old was with FC Goa for the last three seasons wherein he has set multiple records for all-time highest number of passes (4,374), tackles (413) and touches (5,293) that implies the impact he can have at the Islanders where he will reunite with Sergio Lobera and former Goa team-mates Hugo Boumous, Mourtada Fall and Mandar Rao Dessai.

Earlier when the Islanders declared that Lobera will lead the side as head coach, it was also confirmed that the support staff released by Goa in Jesus Tato and Manuel Sayabera would continue to work with the former Barcelona assistant at Mumbai.

Mumbai City, backed by the City Football Group (CFG), have also raked up the likes of Adam le Fondre from Sydney FC and Bartholomew Ogbeche from Kerala Blasters and Indian signings such as Ayush Chhikara, Vikram Partap Singh and Farukh Choudhary.

Jahouh had last extended his stay with the Gaurs for a season until 2019-20 and upon failing to reach an agreement for another year decided to jump the ship to Mumbai City after helping Goa qualify for the 2021 AFC Champions League and previously to a runners-up spot in the ISL besides a 2019 Super Cup title and the 2019-20 ISL League Shield.

Having began his senior playing career with Ittihad Khemisset, he switched to Moghreb Tetouan in 2010 where won two league titles in five years and spent a couple of seasons towards the end under Lobera and teammate Mourtada Fall before moving to Raja Casablanca and FUS Rabat, all in Morocco. The move to Goa was Jahouh's first overseas assignment and is now set to continue with India sojourn.

Commenting on his move to Mumbai, Jahouh said, "It is an honour to be here at Mumbai City among some of the best players in the country. I have spent three years in India and I believe that I have a lot left to achieve. When I spoke to the management here at Mumbai City about the targets and the vision they have, I was convinced that this Club is where I wanted to be. And of course, a chance to reunite once again with coach Sergio Lobera was too good to pass up."

Mumbai City head coach Sergio Lobera expressed his delight on the signing and stated, "Ahmed is, and I’ve said this before, someone who can control the game. He is an exceptional player and having worked with Ahmed before, I know he can make a difference. He is has the experience to help us in the games and he can help bring the best out of those around him as well. Ahmed will fit in perfectly with the extremely talented squad we are building here and I am happy to have him at Mumbai City."

Kenya winger Cliff Nyakeya has revealed how going without income despite playing football in the top-tier remains his toughest challenge so far.

The 25-year-old has been developing, getting the attention of Egyptian outfit FC Masr where he has been playing since 2019.

"It was not easy for me and sometimes frustration crept in slowly," Nyakeya told Goal on Thursday.

"Playing at the top level and not getting anything or something to pay your bills and support your family was not easy. It is the toughest challenge I had so far faced in my football career."

The talented forward is on record stating he almost quit the game back in 2014 while with the Gor Mahia youth team. At the time, the K'Ogalo junior team was not offering any financial assistance and he eventually signed for 2008 champions Mathare United.

"I learned a lot while at Mathare United both on and off the pitch," Harambee Stars forward Nyakeya revealed.

"Yes there were challenges but it was a step in the right direction. I developed so much as a player. 

"Eventually, I won the 2018 Midfielder of the Year Award which remains my best moment. Yes, I have several good ones, but getting recognized for my effort took me by storm. It still remains fresh in my mind.

"My target is to always grow and get better every season; I do not want to set specific targets but generally, I want to keep growing as a player."

Nyakeya, who is a fan of English Premier League (EPL) defending champions Liverpool has played with many top players. But who is the best?

"I enjoy lining up alongside many players on both club and international level," the 25-year-old said.

"I do not think it will be good for me to mention a few, it will not be fair to others. Let us just say I have played with really good and talented players."

FC Masr will not be part of Egyptian top-flight football in the next campaign after getting relegated. Will Nyakeya be part of the team next season?

"I do not want to talk about it, my focus is to help the team win the remaining few games. After completing the season, then others will follow."

Bayern Munich star Thomas Muller gave German-speaking audiences something to laugh about in Wednesday's 4-0 victory over Atletico Madrid as the forward was heard referring to the Spanish side as “the biggest bullies in world football” after receiving a yellow card.

The Champions League holders got their group-stage campaign off to a superb start at the Allianz Arena, with goals from Leon Goretzka and Corentin Tolisso bookended by a pair of strikes from Kingsley Coman as the hosts ran riot in Bavaria.

And while Muller failed to make it onto the scoresheet, the World Cup winner still managed to make headlines after the match due to his reaction to being cautioned by referee Michael Oliver after a perceived heavy challenge on Kieran Trippier in the first half.

With no fans present to drown out the shouts of the players on the pitch, Muller could be heard saying: “What's going on here? Hey! You can't be serious – we're playing against Atletico Madrid, the biggest bullies in world football! And I get a yellow for something like that?”

Despite not finding the net on the night, Bayern boss Hansi Flick was still quick to praise Muller after the game, insisting that the 31-year-old continues to be an integral part of what makes the German champions tick.

“He always knows where to be – and he coaches the team,” Flick told Sky following the victory. “He played on the right side today but he's still very, very important at the centre of our game. You could say that he's our coach on the pitch.

“Sometimes he could play a safer ball, sometimes there is a little too much risk involved. But that's what makes him who he is.”

Being such an influential character on the field, there have been calls for Joachim Low to recall Muller to the Germany set-up, with Die Mannschaft having claimed only one win in their previous five matches.

And Muller, ever the optimist, has left the door open for a return to international action when Germany take to the field in the European Championship in 2021.

“Hopefully the competition will take place next year,” Muller said to ZDF. “Everyone can see that I am in good shape – we don't need to say anything else about it. Let everybody just take it easy and then we'll see what happens.”