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Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane has weighed in on reports that Gavin Hunt could go to either Kaizer Chiefs or Orlando Pirates ahead of next season. 

Hunt is heavily linked with a possible move to Amakhosi, who are coachless after parting ways with Ernst Middendorp last week. 

According to Mosimane, Hunt's appointment at either side will be good for football because the veteran coach keeps him on the edge.  

"Gav keeps me on my edge. Our games are always very close, let's be honest. I can easily say that I've been following him. He has achieved things before I even get them, to be honest, and you can't be lucky for so many years," Mosimane told the media.

"He's a very good coach and he knows how to win. He has won a lot, and he has won trophies man. So, how can he be lucky? He's a very good coach.

"His ratio of winning games to losses is really not deteriorating. He's winning. I mean, the guy's just won... I think he won a cup last year, eh?

"It has always been SuperSport and Wits. They will win a Top 8 there, a Telkom or Nedbank somewhere, and SuperSport will pip one of those, and we also pip one there.

"Let's be honest, for the last five or six years, it's been like that."

Mosimane said he doesn't see the reason why both Chiefs and Pirates would overlook Hunt, adding he's always keen for local coaches to get top jobs in the PSL.  

"So, yeah, why not? If Gav goes [to Chiefs or Pirates], I'm happy because you must remember, I always promote 'local is lekker'," concluded Mosimane. 

Hunt is back in Johannesburg to further engage Amakhosi who made contact with him for the first time last week.  

Last weekend's media reports suggested that the only things standing between Hunt and Chiefs agreeing to a deal is the length of his contract as well as the salary package.  

The 56-year-old former SuperSport United mentor has already made it clear that he'd gladly answer any call and take up a coaching job at any club provided the project is good.  

Borussia Dortmund's season-opening Bundesliga fixture at home to Borussia Monchengladbach is set to be played in front of around 10,000 supporters.

Bundesliga clubs have reportedly been given the green light for fans to return to stadiums for the start of the 2020-21 season in Germany amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The 2019-20 campaign resumed behind closed doors in May due to Covid-19, which forced the league to be postponed in March.

But with the new Bundesliga season scheduled to kick off on Friday, a trial is set to take place – up to 20 per cent of stadium capacity can be used, while strict hygiene requirements will be imposed, and alcohol banned.

Away fans will not be allowed to attend, though a game would be forced back behind closed doors if the infection rate in the home city is too high over a seven-day period.

Dortmund on Tuesday announced that a small crowd will be in attendance for Saturday's showdown against Gladbach at Signal Iduna Park, where only Dortmund or North Rhine-Westphalia residents will be granted access.

"The Bundesliga teams, but also the clubs and associations of other sports, can be very happy today, and we definitely have this feeling at BVB," said Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke in a statement.

"I would like to thank everyone in politics who contributed to today's decision in the past few weeks. At the same time, I feel a great obligation that we as clubs, together with the fans involved, will handle this probationary period extremely responsibly in the coming weeks. The now approved partial re-admission of viewers is in any case a very important step for all football fans in Germany. "

Last season saw Dortmund finish second to rivals Bayern Munich, while Gladbach secured a top-four spot as they qualified for the Champions League.

Following their opening day fixture against Gladbach, Dortmund will have an away match against Augsburg on September 26 before meeting Bayern in the Supercup five days later.

If you have the need for speed in FIFA 21, then the following 20 players are the ones you want with the ball.

Pace has always been an important attribute in the video games series, with the ability to burn past defenders, burst down the wing into space, or sprint through on goal all extremely crucial parts of a FIFA player's attacking arsenal.

Goal has ranked the top 20 players in the game for pace, along with their club and overall rating.

Once again, PSG and France superstar Kylian Mbappe has been named as the game's equal fastest player, retaining his pace score of 96 from FIFA 20, but seeing his overall rating jump from 89 to 90.

Wolves powerhouse Adama Traore again joins Mbappe at the top of the pace ladder, maintaining his pace stat of 96, while enjoying on overall rating rise of five points to 79.

The new boy on the block is Bayern Munich speedster Alphonso Davies, who earns his place with FIFA 20's fastest duo after an extraordinary season in the Bundesliga and Champions League.

Two players from football's biggest clubs have made the jump to equal fourth, with Manchester United winger Daniel James and Real Madrid attacker Vinicius Jr. both being rated with a 95 pace statistc.

They are joined on that rating by two lesser-known players - FC Tokyo striker Kensuke Nagai and Dijon left-back Anibal Chala.

The top 20 is then rounded out by 13 players with a 94 pace rating, including Liverpool forward Sadio Mane, Inter wing-back Achraf Hakimi, Leverkusen dynamo Leon Bailey and Watford flyer Ismaila Sarr.

Athletic striker Inaki Williams also makes the list again, while Monaco's Gelson Martins and Benfica's Rafa are the other well-known players to be given a 94 pace statistic.

See the top 10 pace ratings for FIFA 20

Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman has insisted that there is no conflict between himself and Lionel Messi, following the club legend's decision to reverse course and stay with the Catalan side. 

Messi informed Barcelona of his desire to leave the club following the 2019-20 season, a frustrating campaign that saw Barca fail to win any trophies and finish with a humiliating 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

However, the 33-year old reversed course earlier this month, telling Goal that he would stay at the club rather than become embroiled in a messy legal battle.

Messi has now returned to Barcelona ahead of the new season with his future in doubt, having entered the final season of his contract. 

Koeman, who was brought in to replace Quique Setien after the defeat to Bayern, has said that any conflict that exists is between the player and club, and that he and Messi have spoken multiple times since the Argentine declared his intention to stay at Camp Nou.

"That has passed me reasonably well," the former Netherlands national team coach told Fox Sports. "That was mainly a conflict between Messi and the club. I have spoken to Messi since then and we will continue as usual." 

Part of Messi's gripes with Barcelona involved the club's poor recruiting in recent seasons, as club legends like Xavi and Andres Iniesta have departed and were not adequately replaced. 

Though Barcelona have been linked with a host of names this summer, Koeman has admitted that his side appear likely to begin the new season with the squad they currently have.

"We are now working towards the new season and I assume that we are going to do it with this group with which we are the preparation," Koeman said. 

Lyon star Memphis Depay, whom Koeman coached with the Netherlands, is one of the players who has been most consistently linked with a move to Camp Nou.

However, Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has said that Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu personally told him the Catalan giants did not have the funds to make an offer.

"The president of Barca indicated to me on Sunday that Barca were suffering a lot from the Covid crisis and didn't have the possibility to make an offer," Aulas said on Twitter.

Jose Mourinho revitalised Chelsea as a Premier League and European force when he took on the reins at Stamford Bridge in 2004, and his reputation as one of football's best - and charismatic - coaches has remained.

But why is the Portuguese manager called 'The Special One'? Goal takes a look.

Mourinho's famed moniker dates back to when he arrived at Chelsea for his first spell at Stamford Bridge in 2004, telling reporters in his inaugural press conference that he thought of himself as a "special one" - which has stuck with him in the years since.

"Please don't call me arrogant, but I'm a European champion and I think I'm a special one," Mourinho said.

The manager was not amongst the most famed names in football at the time, though his star had risen after he lead plucky underdogs Porto to a Champions League title in the 2003-04 season.

His self-proclamation caused a frenzied stir within the UK media, as it read as an audacious claim ahead of his first season coaching in the Premier League - but it was a tag that was evidently earned, due to his tactical prowess and excellent managerial skills.

The Special One moniker became even more valid as he enjoyed a successful spell as Chelsea manager, going on to become the club's most trophy-laden coach.

He won back-to-back Premier League titles in his first two seasons in west London, setting the record points total for a Premier League-winning team (95) in his first campaign.

In the years since his first spell at Chelsea, however, Mourinho has endured a mixed bag of success in the Premier League - with his second stint with the Blues never living up to the standards of his first, and a difficult reign with Manchester United one of the low points of his career.

In 2019, when asked about the label and how it has stuck with him in the ensuing years, Mourinho revealed that he had been annoyed with the fact that his coaching talent in English football had been questioned – which is why he proclaimed himself the Special One.

“When I gave my first press conference I was asked if I was ready for the Premier League,” Mourinho told Sky Sports. “I thought: ‘What? I just won the Champions League and you are thinking that I am nobody?’

“So, I went a little bit aggressive by saying I am not one from the bottle, I am a special one. But then, bang, it stayed. No problem.”

The moniker was brought back to attention when Jurgen Klopp joined Liverpool as manager in October 2015, and the German was quizzed about if he would echo Mourinho's self-proclaimed 'Special One' label.

Instead, the German referred to himself as the "normal one."

 “I don't want to describe myself," Klopp said in the press conference, laughing.

“The only thing I ask is 'does anybody in this room think that I can do wonders?' No? Let me work. I'm a totally normal guy. I came from the Black Forest.

"I am a totally normal guy, I am the normal one maybe."

French Football Federation President Noel Le Graet has suggested that racism doesn't exist in football, following Neymar's accusations towards Marseille defender Alvaro Gonzalez.

Neymar was sent off at the end of PSG's 1-0 defeat to Marseille on Sunday, which ended with a brawl between the two sides that saw the Brazil star strike Gonzalez in the back of the head.

Upon leaving the pitch, Neymar accused Gonzalez of making racist comments and, after the game, sent a message on social media indicating he had no remorse for his actions.

Neymar would later apologise for his reaction to Gonzalez, saying he "acted like a fool," but the incident has yet again brought the issue of racism in football into the limelight.

In an interview with BFM Business, Le Graet has given his reaction to Sunday's events, saying the problem of racism in the game is overblown while citing the fact that fans cheer black players who score a goal as evidence.

“When a black player scores a goal, the whole stadium is on its feet," Le Graet said. "This phenomenon of racism in sport, and in football in particular, does not exist at all or barely exists.”

Le Graet would go on to express his disappointment with the PSG-Marseille encounter, which saw five players in total given red cards following the fracas at the end of the match.

"It is a match that the entirety of France was anticipating," Le Graet continued. "It went badly. The behaviour of the players was not exemplary. We deplore that. It is a shame. They were not able to keep their cool, nor give the show that we were expecting."

Le Graet's words on Tuesday were not the first time he's made controversial remarks, as the France chief previously suggested that PSG would improve in the Champions League with a "more French" approach.

The 78-year-old also suggested in September 2019 that Ligue 1 matches should not be stopped for homophobic chanting, but only for incidents of racism.

In a statement released by Marseille on Monday, the club strongly denied that Gonzalez was guilty of racism.

"Alvaro Gonzalez is not racist, as he has shown through his daily behavior since joining the club, and as his team-mates have already confirmed," the statement read. 

"The club remains at the disposal of the disciplinary committee to fully cooperate in the investigation of all the events that occurred in the match, and the 24 hours which followed."

TS Galaxy owner Tim Sukazi believes he has successfully purchased the PSL status of Highlands Park. 

This is despite the deal reportedly hitting a snag on Monday. 

According to Sukazi, the deal is done and dusted and the only factor left is for the PSL executive committee to ratify it. 

"This is a big achievement for me and the millions of SA Football fans who want something different in our local football, those who want fresh and new ideas," Sukazi told SA FM. 

"The deal is done, it's signed and sealed. I know there was a tweet yesterday that the deal is off. But some people are sensational and like to create confusion and stories without checking the facts. The PSL letter is clear, they will approve the deal. We can start celebrating." 

Sukazi said the deal states TS Galaxy is responsible for the players that are still contracted to Highlands Park, discussing the future of Tapuwa Kapini too.   

He added other players such as Reneilwe Letsholonyane and Bevan Fransman could remain with the club. 

"The rules say we are responsible for the players of Highlands Park who still have contracts but we can make any decision on players whose contracts are ending like Kapini who's 36. I have young keepers at TS Galaxy who have contracts," he revealed. 

"For example, Yeye is out of contract but the technical team likes him. The same goes for Bevan Fransman. We might keep these two players. The technical team makes this decision.

Sukazi further revealed Dan Malesela will head the technical team in what will be his second stint with the club while Mabhuti Khenyeza will remain with the club and is expected to be the MDC team coach. 

"The coach is Dan Malesela, assisted by Essau Mtsweni. Ashley Makhanya is Head of the Youth. Mabhudi Khenyeza also stays and has a big role to play," he said. 

Moreover, the former football agent revealed he bought the club on his own without the assistance of anyone for around R60 million. 

"It's not true that there is a consortium behind this deal. The going rate of a PSL status is around R60m and to say I needed some assistance is disrespect. The Galaxy status has now been sold to Lunga Ncwana who previously sold me Cape Town All Stars. It's going back to Cape Town," concluded Sukazi.

Olivier Giroud admitted that he was desperate to leave Chelsea in the winter transfer window, with that sense of desperation nearly leading to a move to rivals Tottenham.

Giroud originally joined Chelsea from Arsenal in 2018, leaving the red side of London for the blue after scoring 105 goals in 253 total appearances for the Gunners.

Yet, after just about two seasons at Stamford Bridge, Giroud was heavily linked with a move away from Chelsea last winter with a number of clubs reportedly interested in his services.

Giroud ended up locking down a more regular role under Frank Lampard in the second half of the campaign, scoring 10 goals in 25 total appearances by the time the season ended, but the Frenchman admitted that his search of first-team action nearly convinced him to make the move to arch-rivals Tottenham. 

"During the last three days of the transfer window, I was in the coach's office to find a solution. I was hoping Chelsea would find a replacement for me," he told So Foot. 

"For my part, it was not the solutions that were lacking: I almost signed for Lazio, Inter… I was even so determined to leave that I even almost signed for Tottenham!"

In addition to revealing that he nearly moved to Spurs, Giroud also admitted that he nearly moved to the UK in 2010 after originally breaking through at Ligue 2 Tours.

Instead, he made the move to Montpellier, where he instantly became a key player for the Ligue 1 club.

"I had proposals from Middlesbrough and Celtic [in 2010]," he said, "but my agents advised me to leave an imprint in France first."

Eventually, Giroud earned an offer from Arsenal after scoring 39 goals in 85 matches for Montpellier.

Confirmation of the deal came while Giroud was at Euro 2012, marking a huge summer for the striker.

"I left [Montpellier] for only €12 million (£11m/$14m) to go to Arsenal, which is not a lot," he said. "I was at Euro 2012, my wife brought me the contract in her suitcases… A great moment."

Giroud was named on the bench for Chelsea's 3-1 Premier League-opening win over Brighton on Monday, with the striker being linked with a Serie A departure in recent weeks.

Just after discovering he was not in TS Galaxy coach Dan Malesela's plans, outgoing Highlands Park goalkeeper Tapuwa Kapini explains how Lionel Messi of Barcelona was used as an example for him.

As media reports circulate that the Lions of the North was sold to The Rockets, the heartbroken veteran keeper explains he was told by the new club’s management led by Malesela that he was not part of the coach’s plans.

The 36-year-old former AmaZulu net minder reveals he is waiting for offers, saying in football there is time to move on.

“All I can say is that I’ve been training with the team since yesterday [Monday] when chairman Brad Kaftel handed us over to Mr Tim Sukazi and his technical department,” Kapini told Goal.

“We did train and today [Tuesday], I trained in the morning. But in the morning training session, one of the officials, I think co-directors from Galaxy. I think his name is Hloni, he came to about nine or 10 players after the morning.

“He told us: ‘Guys you are not in coach Dan’s plans…that is football and we just need to move on'. It’s life you know. Nobody has died, it’s okay.”

Meanwhile, the former Platinum Stars keeper also makes an example with Argentina skipper Messi, saying there is time to move on and face new challenges.

“Everywhere you go, whether you are Messi, there’s time to say move on, go out there and look to meet new people. For their [Galaxy] side, I can say it’s fair but for us as players, it’s not,” he added.

"However, life goes on. I have been in football for a long time and I will move on. So, I’ll be okay but there are some young boys. I think they still have contracts and I think the management of TS Galaxy will talk to them, hopefully, they will do so.

“I just want to wish the team all the best. God has not created us to remain in one place. Life goes on.

“At the moment, as I’m speaking I’m at the workshop, my garage with the guys. You know as a footballer, you are going to get disappointed and life must go on. I’m just waiting for what comes in.”

Meanwhile, media reports surfaced over the weekend that Highlands’ co-director Sinky Mnisi is challenging the club's sale and his lawyer Mandla Tshabalala confirmed the deal was declined by the Premier Soccer League (PSL).

Pitso Mosimane wouldn't have let George Maluleka leave for Mamelodi Sundowns before the end of the season if he was the head coach at Kaizer Chiefs. 

According to the Brazilians manager, Amakhosi missed Maluleka in the final eight matches of the season because of his danger from set-pieces and the combination he had with the likes of Lebogang Manyama and Willard Katsande. 

However, Mosimane admitted some decisions are beyond the coach's control as the club bosses sometimes make decisions. 

"George was important on set-pieces and in that diamond shape with Lebo Manyama and Katsande. He passed the ball well and he really works hard. In my opinion, they [Chiefs] missed him," Mosimane told reporters. 

"If I was a coach at Chiefs, I'd have kept him. Why not? But sometimes it's beyond you as a coach - it's the club owners that decide."  

Mosimane doesn't think Maluleka would have deliberately cost Chiefs had the club decided to keep him for the 2019-20 season, saying the players are professionals and won't do anything to taint their integrity. 

"Do you you think a credible player like George Maluleka would score an own goal for us? No, these guys are professionals," said Mosimane. 

"Your integrity has been there for eight years. Would you want to spoil your integrity? You don't want that. If he does that, we'd also ask questions about his integrity."

Furthermore, the 56-year-old mentor revealed that Sundowns didn't take Maluleka from Chiefs. 

He said the Tembisa-born midfielder wanted to play fpr Sundowns and all he said was that he should come if he wants to win trophies after asking him if he was guaranteed silverware at Chiefs.  

"People say we took Maluleka but the guy wanted to play for us. I told him, 'if you want to win trophies come here. Are you guaranteed that side?'," added Mosimane.     

Maluleka is among the many players that Sundowns have signed ahead of next season, including Lesedi Kapinga and Ricardo Goss as confirmed by Goal on Monday. 

He is set to make his official debut for the Tshwane giants next season as he couldn't play for Mosimane's club due to the extension of the previous season.  

Harambee Stars striker Masoud Juma has reportedly left Algerian club Jeunesse Sportive de Kabylie.

Juma had signed for the top-flight side in July 2019 and reports have now emerged he has ended the association with the club, although he had signed a three-year contract with them.

According to unconfirmed reports, Kabylie’s head coach Yamen Zelfani is not impressed with Juma’s performance and has sanctioned his departure in order to create room for a new striker.

Juma signed for Kabylie months after he had ended his contract with Al-Nasr of Libya. The former Bandari striker had cited an unfavourable political environment as the main reason he had decided to leave Libya.

Juma had joined the Benghazi-based side in Northern Libya in February 2019 in a deal which was reportedly expected to last for 18 months. 

Juma, who won the Golden Boot with Kariobangi Sharks in the 2017 Kenyan Premier League (KPL) season with 17 goals, has played for a number of clubs, locally and abroad.

The towering striker launched his football career at Isiolo Barracks Secondary Scholl before joining Isiolo Youth FC. In 2014, he joined Shabana before being signed by Bandari in the same year.

In 10 appearances he scored eight goals for the Dockers before signing for Sony Sugar from 2016 to 2017. In 28 appearances, he scored 15 goals for the Millers.

He joined Kariobangi Sharks for the 2017-2018 season, where he managed 24 goals across all competitions.

In June 2017, Juma trained with Swedish clubs AIK and Jonkopings Sodra, followed by South African side Bidvest Wits in July, but he was signed by Cape Town City in January 2018.

On September 22, Juma signed for Dibba Al Fujairah before he left to join Libyan champions Al-Nasr Benghazi.

Juma made his senior international debut for Kenya in June 2017, when he was named in the starting XI of a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Sierra Leone.

He earned his second cap during a friendly against Mauritania two months later, where he scored with a 58th-minute header. The 23-year-old has nine Harambee Stars caps under his belt.

Juma’s inclusion, especially during the Stanley Okumbi’s Harambee Stars rein, always generated intense online debates as some fans felt he did not deserve the call-ups.

Since joining Kabylie, Juma has not been heavily linked with any club since.

Just like their first team the night before, the young Selangor reserve team played well enough in their Malaysia Premier League match against Negeri Sembilan on Saturday, to dominate possession and control the game.

When their sole foreign player, Bajram Nebihi was introduced at the start of the second half when the scoreline was tied at 1-1, he helped them control the middle of the park better and caused the hosts to be pinned in their own half for much of the game.

Unfortunately, just like their first team the night before in the Malaysia Super League, who could only come away with an unimpressive 1-1 draw at home against Melaka United, Selangor 2 were not able on the many chances they created, and the result they surely had wanted eluded them instead. 

With three minutes remaining on the clock, a rare Negeri incursion into the Selangor 2 penalty box resulted in the ball being knocked into a defender's arm. Referee Fitri Maskon, who had earlier been the target of the Selangor 2 bench remonstrations for his calls, duly blew his whistle for a penalty, and Almir Neto converted the spot kick for the late winner.

Speaking to the press after the match, Selangor 2 head coach and club technical director Michael Feichtenbeiner was nevertheless satisfied with his young charges' performance in the encounter at the Tuanku Abdul Rahman Stadium, Seremban.

Michael Feichtenbeiner. Photo by Andreas Schlichter/Getty Images/DFB

"I must say that my players did really well, the only thing we can blame ourselves for is that we didn't put away our chances. We had so many of them, we dominated the game. It's not easy for young players to keep pressing, combine, play high in the opponent's half and for very young local defenders to guard against long balls and good foreign strikers...But I'm totally happy with my team. They couldn't have played much better. From the start of the second half, Negeri couldn't play.

"I'm also not happy with the referee today; if we want to play transititonal football, more modern football, he must let the game play out instead of repeatedly blowing his whistle. I need to review the video, but I think we should have been awarded a penalty too, which maybe would have allowed us to win the match. But yes, my young boys were good, really good in their second half," he explained.

The German however acknowledged that scoring was their main weakness when asked by Goal, but explained that it was an expected situation when fielding young local forwards.

"This of course has to be improved upon, but this happens with every team in the world. Any coach would want his team to create chances first and my young players need more experience in this situation. Scoring a goal is the most difficult thing in football. If you don't have a Lewandowski, a Ronaldo or Messi, you will always run into this kind of problem. You can create chances, but you need a Messi to convert the chances.

"Even PSG and Pep Guardiola at Manchester City run into this trouble every now and then. But we must keep on working on it so that hopefully in the future, Danial [Asri], Ashraf [Nasir] or Aliff Haiqal will be able to take their chances. Aliff for example had two chances tonight, but it was only his third senior level match after joining us from the President's Cup squad. I don't want to blame him, but we will learn from it.

"To [have players who can] score goals, you need a lot of small-sided games in training and not just shooting practice without opponents. I prefer small-sided games that focus on finishing for our players. Hopefully they will be better in one year. We had scored in earlier matches, but not tonight, and this is our problem, not something that we can blame on others," noted the former MPPJ FC head coach.

The match was also Nebihi's first competitive action in almost half a year, due to the Covid-19 competitions suspension, as well as Feichtenbeiner's insistence on giving the club's local youngsters playing minutes.

"We (reserve teams in the Premier League) can't be relegated [this season], so we want to use the chance to improve our young players." said the 60-year old trainer. "I had signed Bajram early in the season because I was afraid that by playing with only local players, we would end up relegated, which would jeopardise this whole project. 

"The players however improved after the first few matches and I became confident that we can avoid relegation without foreign players. He then went to train with the first team for the past three months, but with the return of the first team foreigners, he too was returned to my team. I explained to him that I want to work on the local players. He's not really happy because he wants to start all the games, but he understands that the project is to develop players for our Super League team."

Former Cote d’Ivoire and Chelsea star Salomon Kalou reminisced on his late father’s life lessons after bagging a university degree.

The 35-year-old is preparing for life after the beautiful game as he was awarded a degree in Business Administration from Lyon’s Business School.

Nevertheless, the Champions League and Africa Cup of Nations winner took to social media to relive his late father’s teachings. Kalou’s dad Antoine passed away in 2016.

“Everything my dad taught me « embraced the knowledge. appreciate it. If you keep your fists closed, nothing can come in. You got what you got, but you can’t get any more. But You wanna see what happens if your hands are open » to that I say Amen. Wherever you at,” he tweeted.

The forward joined Brasileirao Serie A side Botafogo as a free agent after announcing his departure from Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin after a six-year spell.

Before leaving the Olympiastadion, Kalou was punished for posting a video showing him disobeying many of the German football league's (DFL) safety measures upon his return to training with Hertha. 

He began his professional career at Feyenoord before moving to Chelsea after three seasons in the Eredivisie.

In England, he enjoyed a trophy-laden spell – winning the Champions League, one Premier League title, four FA Cups, a League Cup and the FA Community Shield.

On the international scene, he marked his debut in a 1–0 friendly win over Guinea on 6 February 2007 and went a step further scoring 28 times in 97 appearances for the Elephants.

Oeygarden FK silenced KFUM 3-1 in Monday’s Division 1 game with Peter Michael scoring two goals.

The former Nigeria U17 and Nigeria U20 forward found the net twice in the second-half as relegation-threatened Bryant Lazaro’s team secured their third win of the season.

Following their 6-1 obliteration at Ullensaker/Kisa, Oeygarden came into the clash with the ambition of ending their awful streak as languish in relegation water.

After a tight 35 minutes, Juba Massinissa Moula put the visitors ahead in the 38th minute thanks to Stian Sortevik’s assist as they took a slim 1-0 lead into the half-time break.

However, the hosts fought like a wounded animal to secure all points at stake. First, Nigeria’s Charles Ezeh levelled matters in the 72nd minute after his shot beat goalkeeper Alexander Pedersen.

That strike was the midfielder’s maiden goal in professional football since he commenced at Lillestrom in 2017.

Two minutes later, Michael doubled the lead after converting Aune Heggeboe’s assist that was unstoppable by the opposing goalie.

He guaranteed victory for his team in the 77th minute. This time, Peter Nergaard was credited for giving the former Nigeria youth international the finish pass.

Ezeh was replaced by Mathias Abelsen with three minutes left to play, while two-goal hero Michael was in action from start to finish, while his compatriots Ikenna Ikedi and Christopher Udeh played no part in the encounter staged at the Agotnes Stadium.

For KFUM, one-cap Gambia international Dadi Gaye was not listed for the tie alongside Nigeria prospect Abdul-Basit Agouda.

Even at this result, Oeygarden remain in the relegation zone - sitting in the 14th position of the 16-team league after accruing 14 points from 15 outings. KFUM stay 11th with 17 points from the same number of matches.

Michael who has now scored six goals this term would be eyeing more goals when Oeygarden try Asane for size on September 21.

Sevilla lifted the Europa League a record sixth time when they defeated Inter in the 2019-20 final.

The Spanish side will not be able to defend their title unless they finish third in the Champions League group stage, therefore dropping down to the Europa League.

A host of big-name sides such as Arsenal, Roma and Napoli will all be vying to earn the crown of Europa League champion.

As the play-off phase approaches, Goal has everything you need to know about this season's Europa League group stage draw, including when and where it will take place, which teams will be participating, their seeding pots and more.

Contents

When is the Europa League 20-21 group stage draw?

The Europa League 2020-21 group stage draw will take place on Friday October 2, 2020.

It will be held at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland after being moved from the original venue of Athens, Greece due to safety measures taken regarding the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Draw proceedings will commence at 12pm BST (7am ET).

Which teams are involved in the Europa League 20-21 group stage?

KEY:
*Could end up in Pot 2 or Pot 3.
**Could end up in Pot 3 or Pot 4.
***Could end up in Pot 3 or 4.

The Europa League draw stage will be comprised of 48 teams in total.

Eighteen teams enter in the group stage stage, the 21 winners of the play-off round (eight from Champions Path, thirteen from League Path), the six losers of the 2020–21 Champions League play-off round (four from Champions Path, two from League Path), and the three League Path losers of the 2020–21 Champions League third qualifying round.

The likes of Arsenal, Roma and Napoli have been placed into Pot 1, with Leicester city ending up in either Pot 2 or 3, as with Feyenoord and Real Sociedad.

You can view the confirmed teams that will be part of the group draw in the table above.

When does the Europa League 20-21 group stage start?

The Europa League 2020-21 group stage will begin on Thursday, October 22.

There will be a total of six gameweeks in the group stage, with the final day of group stage matches taking place on Saturday, December 12.

How can I watch the Europa League group stage draw?

UEFA's official website will broadcast the draw ceremony live, as with the Champions League group stage draw the day before.

Gabriel Kyeremateng scored all four goals as Stoke City U23 humiliated rivals Leeds United U23 4-0 in an incredible display in Monday’s Premier League 2 opener.

Stoke showed no mercy at Clayton Wood, where Kevin Russell’s team led 2-0 at half-time thanks to Kyeremateng’s brace.

The Potters were ruthless from the onset, with the German born striker of Ghanaian descent breaking the deadlock after just 60 seconds.

A well-taken corner kick on the left fell into the path of the teenager who acrobatically fired home from little more than three yards out.

In the 26th minute, he made it 2-0 from the penalty mark after teammate Douglas Taylor was brought down inside Leeds’ goal area.

Stoke City were thankful to Cameroon goalkeeper Blondy Nna Noukeu to thank before the half-time break, as his well-calculated dive kept out Joe Gelhardt’s penalty – and that proved to be the visitors’ best chance at goal.

Despite their fine exchange of passes, they lacked the killer instinct in the final third.

The hosts continued from where they stopped in the first-half as their attacking forays kept the Whites in their own half.

Nevertheless, Kyeremateng completed his treble on the hour mark after beating the offside trap and firing past the opposing goalkeeper.

The Germany youth international was not done yet as he powered home his fourth of the night after coming one-on-ne with the opposing goalie.

In the closing stages of the game, Nna Noukeu pulled off an excellent save from point-blank range to keep his clean sheet intact as the West Yorkshire outfit returned home with heads bowed low.

This victory represents a strong start to the new campaign for the U23s who will be hoping to once again be challenging for a play-off place in Division 2.

The 21-year-old had featured for Germany at U16 and U19 levels, albeit, he is eligible to represent the Black Stars at senior level.

They face Middlesbrough U23 in their next game on September 13 at the Rockliffe Park. Boro played a 2-2 draw against Newcastle United in their opening game of the season.

Frank Lampard has given his backing to Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga after his side's 3-1 win against Brighton on Monday.

The 25-year-old was caught out when Leandro Trossard fired in the equaliser for Brighton from outside the box.

The Spain international has faced heavy criticism for his performances for the Blues and Trossard's goal was the 19th he has conceded from outside the box - more than any other Premier League goalkeeper in the last two years.

But Lampard says he is happy with the performances of the world's most expensive goalkeeper and has confidence in him.

"I am happy with Kepa, I saw confidence in him," he told Sky Sports. "He is here, he is our 'keeper and I am happy with him."

Shortly after Trossard made it 1-1, Reece James restored his side's lead when he blasted into the top corner from long range. 

"Reece James' goal, it had me off my seat and we needed it, we weren't at our best in that period," Lampard said. 

"Reece has got that in him, he is a player of such quality. You try and get him in areas where he can be a threat."

He continued: "I thought we were OK. I liked the work ethic. If you analyse the fact that we've been together as a team for four days, to expect everything to click on day one is difficult. We showed determination and that is a game we might have dropped points in last year."

Chelsea made five signings ahead of the new season, but Timo Werner and Kai Havertz were the only new arrivals to feature in their opening game of the season. 

The coach is aware that he will have to experiment with the shape of his team as he looks for a way to get the best out of the new boys.

"I don't want to pin us down to one system. We have three or four players who want to play as a number 10 for us but I want us to be adaptable," he said.

"We have a lot of attacking players, I want us to be fluid, I want that movement. We weren't as fluid as we can be today but we will work on that.

"I liked Kai Havertz. It's not a game where you come away with some vintage moments and there's a lot on his shoulders but you saw glimpses of what he can do. Everything I have seen from him is spot on and his quality will come through. He's hugely talented.

"I loved the way that Timo Werner pops up in different areas, he has a hunger to score goals and be ruthless.

"We definitely want to close that gap to Liverpool, we have to have intentions to be up there even though it is a big ask to win it. We are behind, it's step by step. Hopefully we can make big strides."

Lampard continued to BBC Sport: "To come to Brighton and win is a tough ask. We've only had a few days so I didn't expect to see the kind of football we want to play. We had to do some of the more difficult things - resilience, throwing yourself in front of the ball, so I'm pleased.

"We've had a lot of quarantines, a lot of players who aren't match fit. That's how this season has started. There's a lot of strain on these players and hopefully wer'll get better and better."

David Alaba has hit back Uli Hoeness after the former Bayern Munich president said that the Austrian has a "greedy piranha for an agent".

Alaba has been at the club since joining the academy in 2008, becoming a vital part of the club's backline since originally breaking through with the first team in 2010.

The Austrian has made a total of 437 appearances for the club, claiming nine Bundesliga titles during his time in Bavaria.

However, Alaba's contract is set to expire in 2021, with the two sides in negotiations over a new deal.

Reports have stated that Alaba's representatives are asking for €25 million (£23m/$30m) per year, which would make him Bayern's best-paid player, with Hoeness laying the blame on Pini Zahavi, Alaba's agent who has previously courted controversy while representing Ashley Cole and Rio Ferdinand.

Alaba's father George reacted angrily to accusations that they are being greedy, accusing Hoeness of “spreading dirty lies”. 

And now Alaba has spoken out himself on the nature of negotiations.

“I would like my contractual situation not to be clarified in public,” Alaba told Bild. “Therefore, a few statements and reports over the last few weeks have surprised and hurt me.

“Many of the things that are being written and said at the moment are just not right and not true. I would like to spare everyone involved a public discussion, even if not all details are known.

“I have never really spoken out on this topic because I have only focused on our important tasks with FC Bayern. And that was a good thing because, in the end, we won the triple. That was all that has counted for the past few weeks and months. That I was able to actively help shape this unique story makes me proud every day.

“This club is not just any club for me, it is home and family. I've been wearing the iconic red jersey for 12 years, and I've done it every single day with dedication, pride and passion, and I still do. The well-being of this fantastic club is above all things and is also very important to me.

“I have taken every responsible person, every team-mate, every employee of the club to my heart. In a family, you may have a different opinion, you might argue, but it always stays within the family. I will continue to heed that.

“I very much hope that we can find a solution as soon as possible so that the club, those responsible, my team-mates and the fans know what is going on.”

Alaba made 42 appearances for Bayern last season, scoring two goals while primarily playing centrally with Alphonso Davies starring on the left side of the defence.

Bayern are set to face Schalke on Friday before facing off with Sevilla in the UEFA Super Cup.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Confederation of African Football (Caf) and Fifa have celebrated with Sunday Oliseh on his 46th birthday.

The midfielder was born in Abavo, Delta State, Nigeria and started his professional football career with Julius Berger in 1989.

Oliseh could best be remembered for his eye-catching performances for the Super Eagles at the 1998 World Cup in France.

The midfielder scored the winning goal for Nigeria in a group stage game against Spain, firing home a rocket-like shot from 25 yards.

The governing bodies have sent a heartfelt message to the former Super Eagles captain and coach as he reaches a new age, with Fifa recollecting his heroic display against Spain.

Oliseh began his European career in 1990, joining RFC Liege and made 75 appearances for the club during his four-year stay.

The midfielder then teamed up with Reggiana and spent a season with the side before he moved to FC Koln in 1995.

Oliseh joined Ajax in 1997 and made 54 league appearances for the Dutch outfit, winning the Eredivisie title and KNVB Cup.

His scintillating performances soon caught the attention of Italian giants Juventus, who signed him in 1999 and won the Uefa Intertoto Cup with the side.

Oliseh moved to Borussia Dortmund in 2000 and enjoyed great success during his four-year stay with the club, winning the Bundesliga title.

He played for Belgian side Genk before his retirement from professional football in 2006 at the age of 31 years.

Oliseh was part of the Nigeria team that won a gold medal at the 1996 Olympic Games and featured prominently as they clinched the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations title. 

The midfielder also had an opportunity to coach the Super Eagles between 2015 and 2016 and enjoyed a string of impressive games during his time.

Oliseh has also previously managed Vervietois and Fortuna Sittard and served as sporting director of Eupen in 2007.

Former Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor has urged Arsenal to give Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang whatever he wants.

The 31-year-old has entered the final year of his contract at the Emirates Stadium but the club is yet to confirm whether the Gabon international has signed a new deal even though several reports claim he has agreed a three-year contract.

After Alexandre Lacazette's opener and Gabriel Magalhaes' debut goal, Aubameyang sealed Arsenal’s 3-0 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday with his curling strike in the 57th-minute.

The finish was similar to his opening goal in the Gunners’ FA Community Shield win against Liverpool a fortnight ago.

Agbonlahor who played in the Premier League for 10 years before Aston Villa suffered relegation in the 2015-16 season, thinks Aubameyang has taken over Thierry Henry’s trademark finish during his stint in North London.

“When I saw Aubameyang’s goal I thought, ‘he’s going to whip it here’,” Agbonlahor told Talk Sport.

“He did it in the Community Shield too… I mean, Henry did it in every game for 10 seasons for Arsenal, but it looks like that’s Aubameyang’s trademark now.

“It’s so important to get Aubameyang signed up; I don’t care if it’s £400,000-a-week, give him whatever he wants.

“Without him, Arsenal have got no chance of finishing in the top six, but with him I think they have a chance of finishing in the top four.

“I know Arsenal fans are going to get carried away but I feel like they should get carried away.

“Adding Willian – he was a star yesterday with three assists – with a couple more signings in the right positions and I think Arsenal can definitely break into the top-four.”

A top-four finish would see the Gunners return to the Champions League after a three-year absence from the tournament.

They will be eager to maintain their impressive start to the 2020-21 campaign when they host West Ham United for their next Premier League fixture at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.