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Steven Gerrard has admitted that he left out Alfredo Morelos from Rangers’ 2-0 win over Kilmarnock on Saturday because the striker was not “focused”.

The Colombia international has been a major source of transfer speculation this summer, with reports that he could move to Ligue 1 side Lille.

Although these appear to have stalled, Gerrard, who previously admitted that the 24-year-old had his head turned by such speculation, dropped the forward for Saturday’s Ibrox match, in which goals from Kemar Roofe and Ryan Kent cemented the Gers’ spot at the top of the Scottish standings.

"I've picked the players that looked focused," Gerrard told Sky Sports News. "I said last week he'd had his head turned. I'm going to pick the players that are hungry and want to be here.

"If there are players that are hungry, that want to give everything for the shirt, they play. If people lose focus and take their eye off the ball - unfortunately they won't be with us."

Morelos reacted in a frustrated manner as he was replaced in a scoreless draw against Livingston and was criticised by Sky Sports pundit Kris Boyd for his reaction.

"You're looking for more,” the former Scotland forward said. “If you are looking to get that move, push on your career as we're led to believe, you have to be doing a lot more. 

“The biggest thing that annoyed me, last week I wasn't too bothered about him going off the pitch because it shows he cares, but the way he came off on Sunday was a disgrace, ripping the black armband off and going straight into the stand.

“When we heard Lille were interested and the money they wanted to spend, then you look at his performances, two goals against St Mirren and you thought with the new guys coming in we might see him getting back to where he was. But he just looks as if his head is elsewhere.”

Meanwhile, Rangers are doing their best to fend off interest in winger Kent, with Leeds reported to have a first offer for the former Liverpool youth turned down.

New RC Lens recruit Ignatius Ganago has praised Mario Balotelli for giving him inspiration during his time at OGC Nice.

The 21-year-old moved to the Stade Bollaert-Delelis after falling to nail a regular berth in the starting XI at the Allianz Riviera.

Despite struggling to impose himself, he was able to gain experience in the French Riviera, with Balotelli one of the key figures to inspire him. The eccentric Italian forward of Ghanaian descent was with Nice between 2016 and 2019 and netted 43 goals in 76 outings.

Ganago also recounted his journey to Nice, which began in his native country with Douala-based Ecole de Football Brasseries du Cameroun (EFCB) between 2011 and 2017, before he moved to France.

“I was very happy, I liked [Mario] Balotelli a lot," Ganago told FootMercato. "I liked his character. He inspired me. There was also Dante. During my first training with the pros, I took pictures with them. They were players I watched on TV in the Champions League!

“I was very happy to be there, but it was not going the way I wanted on the pitch," the forward added. "It was completely different from Cameroon; the climate, the way of playing, the training, the way of training…

"It was complicated, especially in terms of intensity. The thing is that in Cameroon I was the player we counted on the most, while [in Nice,] there were other players like me. We had to work more.

“At first I was a little lost, but I was lucky that there was a Cameroonian present at the club for a long time [Alvaro Ngamba]. He helped me a lot, he gave me advice after training, he reassured me too. After three weeks I started to adapt, then I was called a pro."

Ganago believes that Nice boss Patrick Vieira did not want him to leave the club, but that it was clear he had to more on in search of regular playing time.

“It was a great relationship," he continued. "[Vieira] never told me he wanted me to go, he always encouraged me to work, it was going very well, he gave me a lot of advice, but I saw how it was and that I was not going to be number one. So, I preferred to leave."

Lens are back in Ligue 1 after five years and they start their campaign against Nice on Sunday. Ganago has nothing but respect for his former employers and is happy to take on the pressure that will come with his club.

“Obviously, it's always something [to go back]. It's my first club in France, that's where I became a professional. It is a club that I cannot forget and that will always remain in my heart," he added. "Even though today I have moved on, I am in a new project in which I really want to get involved.

“It's a good pressure for me. I like having that weight on my back. It forces me to give more. When all eyes are on me, when everyone is looking at me, when everyone wants to see what Ganago is capable of, the player who cost six million [Euros], for me that's extra motivation.

“I want to take a step forward in my career and I think it's time. I will work every day for that and I think that when you work there is always a result at the finish.”

Nerijus Valskis created quite a stir last season in the Indian Super League (ISL) at Chennaiyin FC. The Lithuanian forward scored 25 goals and picked up the Golden Boot Award as Chennaiyin powered their way into the final.

Valskis has decided to follow coach Owen Coyle to Jamshedpur FC for the 2020-21 season but he remembers his time at Chennaiyin fondly. The striker heaped praise on Chennaiyin’s star Indian duo Anirudh Thapa and Lallianzuala Chhangte and suggested that they need more games to keep improving. 

“They (Anirudh Thapa and Lallianzuala Chhangte) are very good guys, they are quiet, very good professionals and they work hard,” opined the former Chennaiyin FC star during an Instagram live chat on Sunday.

“They (Indian players) need more games. They should go abroad because when you go abroad you grow more. Maybe to Europe or another country where there are more games per year. For Indian players, when you are young you need to play 35 or 40 games per season. Last year we played 20 matches. Thapa is a quality player, he is very fast and he has time to improve,” said Valskis.

The star footballer reminisced his time at the Southern outfit and picked playoffs against FC Goa in Chennai and the league stage game against Hyderabad as his most memorable fixtures.

“The game against FC Goa at home was the best. It was an incredible game with an amazing atmosphere in the stadium and amazing support. If fans come in every game in the stadiums like that Indian football will grow much faster. Also, I remember the match against Hyderabad because personally for me and the team it was an important win.”

Valskis also gave his opinion on playing at a centralised venue without fans this season. He said, “It will be very difficult to play without supporters but this year the decision has been taken due to safety. What can we do? We must play, we must go ahead and enjoy it. The fans also want to see football matches.”

Tabitha Chawinga was on target in Jiangsu Suning's 3-2 win over Hebei China Fortune in a Chinese Women's Super League opener at the Kunming Haigeng Sports Training Base on Sunday.

The Malawi international was instrumental in Jiangsu's title success last season, scoring 12 goals in 14 league outings to claim the golden boot, and also retained the CWSL Player of the Year gong.

The Nanjing-based outfit continued from where they left off the last campaign as defender Wang Xiaoxue opened the scoring for the champions with a fine header. 

The holders doubled the lead moment later when Ni Mengjie's struck a delightful solo goal for the second of the match.

Before the half-time break, Chawinga made superb turn before making a brilliant finish to open her 2020 goal account and net the third of the match for Jiangsu.

Having gained a significant three-goal lead, Jiangsu withdrew Chawinga and almost paid dearly for it when midfielder Huang Rui pulled one back for the newcomers moments after the restart.

Hebei went on to further reduce the deficit when Geng Yiming scored from the penalty spot, but Jiangsu eventually held on to claim maximum points in their opening match of the season.

Chawinga, who was in action for the first 45 minutes of the match for Jiangsu, has now scored one goal from her first game in 2020.

The result saw Jiangsu opened the season in the third position after their opener and they will aim to continue their winning start against Henan Jianye in their next league fixture on Wednesday.

Kenya international Michael Olunga failed to write history in the J1-League after Kashiwa Reysol battled to a 0-0 draw against Oita Trinita on Sunday.

The former Gor Mahia striker went into the contest with a record of scoring in seven consecutive matches and was seeking to reach the mark of scoring in eight straight matches set by Julio Salinas, who was turning out for Yokohama Marinos in the 1997-1998 season.

Olunga had notched in seven straight matches, which he started off with a hat-trick when Reysol beat Vegalta Sendai 5-1 and was also on target last weekend as they beat Vissel Kobe 3-2.

Against Trinita, Olunga tried his best but could not find the back of the net, with the home team giving him a hard time. The lanky striker, however, had three clear-cut chances which he failed to utilise.

The best scoring chance for Olunga came in the 67th minute when he ran onto a through ball from speedy winger Sachiro Toshima but his plan to lob the ball past the advancing Trinita goalkeeper did not work as it rolled out for a goal-kick.

Despite failing to hit the back of the net, Olunga is still topping the scorers' chart with 12 goals from 12 matches, while the draw saw Reysol remain fifth on the log with 20 points.

The former Thika United and Tusker striker has one assist to his name so far as he continues to enjoy a remarkable season since he helped Kashiwa Reysol earn promotion after winning the J2 League title in 2019.

In other matches played on Saturday, Yokohama FC recovered from two goals down to beat Shimizu S-Pulse 3-2, Nagoya Campus won 1-0 against Kawasaki Frontale, and Kashima Antlers managed a 1-1 draw against Gamba Osaka.

Elsewhere, Vissel recovered from losing to Resyol last weekend to beat Urawa Reds 2-1, FC Tokyo won 3-0 against Shonan Bellmare, Yokohama F. Marinos won 3-1 against Sanfrecce Hiroshima while Cerezo Osaka beat Vegalta Sendai 2-1.

Olunga will now be hoping to bounce back with a goal when Reysol face Kashima Antlers in their next league match on Saturday.

Nerijus Valskis,  the Indian Super League (ISL) Golden Boot Award last season, is excited to reunited with former Chennaiyin coach Owen Coyle at his new club Jamshedpur.

The Lithuanian was an instant hit in his debut ISL season and had created quite a buzz in Chennai. The 33-year-old forward will now hope to deliver in front of goal again, this time in different colours. 

The striker is thrilled to work with Coyle again and explained how he admires Coyle’s attacking and hard-pressing style of football during a conversation on Instagram on Sunday. 

“Owen Coyle was the most important factor behind my move to Jamshedpur. I would like to work with him and Sandy Stewart (assistant coach) again. Both the coaches bring high intensity in the training and focuses on finishing. After Coyle joined Chennaiyin, the team had much more intensity, we pressed harder and there was much more power," Valskis said. 

"I am very happy to work with him again and coming back to India. I spoke to the coach over phone and he told me to come back to India and work with him again."

Valskis is excited to start a new journey with the Men of Steel and is hopeful of ending the club’s play-off voodoo. Jamshedpur are one of the few clubs yet to achieve a top-four finish in the ISL. 

“I am really excited to continue my journey and I am very happy to join Jamshedpur. Everybody has been asking me that (because) Jamshedpur have never been to top four if that is pressure on me but I want that pressure. I hope together, with the team, we can qualify for the top four. It is possible. We need to believe and work hard and play as a team,” said the new recruit.

The Lithuanian international was also all praise for young defender Narender Gahlot who made his debut at Jamshedpur last season.

“I think Narender (Gahlot) is a very young and talented player. I liked playing against him and even though he is very young, he plays very maturely. I can’t wait to play with my new teammates like Jackichand Singh. I believe it will be a great season,” said the experienced striker.

Coach Hansi Flick “deserves great respect” ahead of Bayern Munich's Champions League final with Paris Saint-Germain in Lisbon on Sunday, according to Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr.

The Bavarians have been the talk of the town thanks to their top class performances in Europe’s premier competition, notably, an 8-2 mauling of Barcelona in the quarter-final.

They are the only side to remain unbeaten in the competition, winning all their matches since the group phase, and are also the side with most goals in the tournament this term (42), 24 of those coming from Robert Lewandowski (15) and Serge Gnabry (nine).

All these make the German giants the favourites ahead of Sunday’s final, and Rohr believes credit must go to Flick, who was previously assistant to current AS Monaco boss Niko Kovac before the latter was sacked in November 2019.

“What Hansi Flick has achieved in the past few months is huge," Rohr, who played for Bayern between 1972 and 1974, told Abendzeitung. "He transformed the team, almost from one day to the next,

“That deserves great respect. Some players like Thomas Muller are in great shape again. A credit to Flick.

"The offensive is strong with Robert Lewandowski and Serge Gnabry, both are fantastic in front of goal, and there are also some French [players] at Bayern, which I find very likeable.”

Bayern have been the leading German team in Europe, with five titles to their name, the last coming in 2013 when they defeated local rivals Borussia Dortmund at Wembley. They also won a record 30th Bundesliga and eighth in a row and the German Cup as well.

Rohr is of the opinion other German clubs like RB Leipzig - who reached the semi-final for the first time before losing to PSG - are catching up with Bayern’s prowess, and the manager has also highlighted the improvements made by French teams in Europe's premier club competition.

“Bavaria has always been at the forefront of Europe, and RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund can keep up there too," he continued. "With [Bayer] Leverkusen and [Borussia] Gladbach, other teams are not far away.

“France have now made positive headlines with PSG and Lyon. That was important because after the season ended in March there was a great disappointment. Since then, both clubs have focused fully on the Champions League.”

Rohr also offered some advice on how Bayern can stop the offensive threat of PSG which is contained in Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Angel Di Maria.

“These are big names on the offensive," Rohr concluded. "Neymar and Mbappe have to be disturbed while controlling the ball so that they cannot turn.

“You always have to be close to them, ideally with several players. Overall, it would be good for Bayern not to be as high in defence as they were last time, but Flick must have recognised that too.”

Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski is a “great player”, according to two-time Champions League winner Deco, but believes that PSG star Neymar is a notch above the striker, stating that the Brazilian is on the same level as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Lewandowski will go head to head with Neymar in Sunday's showpiece final in Lisbon, with Bayern looking to secure another European title while the Ligue 1 outfit are chasing their first ever ultimate victory in the competition.

With both sides boasting incredibly strong attacks, the match is touted as a battle of the attackers, with goals expected from both of the continental heavyweights.

Indeed, such is the form of the Polish dangerman that he had been tipped to lift the Ballon d'Or before France Football decided to cancel the award due to the interruption of play caused by the coronavirus pandemic, but could still be on course to clinch FIFA's The Best title.

For Deco, however, who was born in Brazil but chose to represent Portugal at international level, believes that Neymar should be named the greatest player of the season as his style of football ranks him amongst the game's greats.

“If we consider that the Champions League final is decisive [in choosing who is the best], there's no lying,” the 42-year-old exclusively told Goal. “Lewandowski is a great player, a star, perhaps the best striker in the world nowadays.

“But Neymar is different – he's on Messi and Ronaldo's level. Maybe the final will influence who is picked, but I, as part of the audience and a lover of football, would choose Neymar. He's different, he plays beautiful football.”

But while there can be no denying Neymar's obvious talent, there are many who feel that his theatrics and showboating – both on and off the pitch – mean he will never truly win the heart of purists. Deco, though, feels that is all just part of the charm.

“Time gives you experience and maturity to face things in different ways,” he said. “A player like Neymar already flipped that switch a long time ago. He's been doing it for so long, he started at a very young age.

“Of course, there's a time in your career when you're 27, 28 years old that you peak in your maturity; you know when to use your energy, you understand the game better, you know your own body.

“But I don't think he'll ever lose his boyish ways – that's part of his game. We can't just ask Neymar to be something he's not. He plays with joy on the pitch, he'll dribble and take on opponents. That's how he won over the world: he has fun and we have fun too.

“There's no changing that, and that's what makes him one of the greatest.”

Kaizer Chiefs will be at Orlando Stadium for their 26th league game of the season against Stellenbosch FC.

Amakhosi could move eight points clear of second-placed Mamelodi Sundowns with a win over the Western Cape-based side. 

With Ernst Middendorp's men under pressure to stretch the gap between them and Sundowns, and Stellenbosch eager to finish inside the Top 8 bracket, this promises to be an exciting encounter. 

TV Channel, Live Score & How To Watch

The game will be shown live on SuperSport 4. 

Squads & Team News

Amakhosi have not reported any injuries ahead of this encounter but a few of their players must avoid getting booked against Stellenbosch in order not to incur a suspension.

All eyes will be on Samir Nurkovic to see if he can equal the tally set by PSL top scorers Gabadinho Mhango and Peter Shalulile - the two strikers are on 14 goals each. 

Nurkovic has scored 13 goals this season, including the two goals he has netted since the return of football earlier this month. 

Leonardo Castro is another dangerman for Amakhosi although he hasn't really found his groove thus far.

It will be interesting to see if Middendorp will start with Khama Billiat after his unimpressive performances this season. 

A section of Amakhosi fans has called for Billiat to be benched, but with Chiefs fighting for the league title, chances are that the German mentor will continue to use either in his starting line-up or from the bench. 

Middendorp has already warned his charges to not underestimate Stellenbosch because he's expecting an element of surprise from Steve Barker's side. 

Barker has a few players to pin his hopes on, including Waseem Isaacs and Robyn Johannes, who is celebrating his birthday on Sunday.

The duo didn't cope with Amakhosi's attack and defence in the first round and they will want to rectify the mistakes of the past with this encounter. 

The departure of Nkanyisa Zungu to Orlando Pirates has left a void in midfield, but the availability of Marc van Heerden means the coach has enough experience to handle Chiefs. 

Match Preview

The two teams first met in 2019, with Amakhosi hammering Stellenbosch 4-1. 

Amakhosi are top of the log with 52 points from 25 matches, while Stellenbosch are ninth on the standings with 33 points from 26 games. 

They have conceded 30 goals this season while finding the back of the net 23 times. 

Middendorp's men have scored 45 goals and conceded 23 times in 25 league games. 

It is difficult to imagine Lionel Messi playing for a club other than Barcelona, but rumours that the Argentine's time in Catalunya is approaching an end have intensified over the summer.

The speculation has been fuelled by the fact that Barca have endured a truly dismal season, one which saw the club miss out on La Liga glory before being dumped ignominiously out of the Champions League.

Off-field issues related to club politics haven't helped matters either, with Messi being uncharacteristically vocal about pronouncements that have been made by some sporting directors.

With his contract set to expire in 2021 and no guarantee that fresh terms will be signed, it is possible that Barcelona could look to cash in on a player universally deemed one of the best to have played the game.

So how much would it cost to buy Messi? Goal takes a look at the forward's contract clause. 

What is Lionel Messi's release clause?

Lionel Messi's contract buyout clause (or release clause) is €700 million (£630m/$825m). The hefty clause was put in place when Messi signed a new four-year contract with Barcelona in 2017. That deal expires in 2021.

Prior to that, Messi's buyout clause was €300 million (£270m/$355m), and the increased figure was arrived at after Paris Saint-Germain forked out €222 million (£198m/$262m) to trigger Neymar's release.

"Lionel was always very happy at Barca and we want him to retire here, as he wishes," Barcelona director Guillermo Amor explained when Messi penned a new deal in 2017. "We are talking about the clause and with Neymar's experience we must protect ourselves."

If a club wished to buy the six-time Ballon d'Or winner and they could afford it, they could make a bid of €700m, which Barcelona would have no choice but to accept.

Such a transfer fee would shatter the world record set when PSG bought Neymar, though it is highly unlikely to ever transpire, particularly with Messi being subject to the same effects of time as everyone else.

Considering the state of play with Messi's contract expiring within a year, if the Argentine really wanted to leave, it is more likely that Barca would be left with little choice but to accept a bid lower than the clause.

Indeed, the tremors of the coronavirus pandemic have yet to be truly felt in the football transfer market, but the expectation is that fees are likely to drop on average.

While most clubs in the world would like to sign Lionel Messi, only a select few would realistically be able to afford him. Even if Messi left Barca on a free, his wages at any new club would require deep pockets.

Manchester City, Inter and PSG are the main clubs touted as potential destinations for Messi.

The fact that Pep Guardiola, who worked with Messi during his time at Camp Nou, is managing City is seen as a major plus for the Premier League side, with one pundit suggesting Messi was like Guardiola's son.

Inter, meanwhile, have consistently indicated their intention to bring the Argentine to San Siro and former Nerazzurri director Massimo Mirabelli has suggested that it is very much a possibility.

“I can assure you that Messi is more than a dream for Inter," Mirabelli told Radio Sportiva. "He now has only a year left on his contract and Barca don’t want to risk losing him for free next summer."

Despite the speculation linking Messi away from the club, however, new Barca boss Ronald Koeman is hopeful of convincing the talisman to remain at Camp Nou.

"It’s up to me to find a way we get the best out of Messi, that he’s happy here and that he feels important," Koeman told NOS. "He’s the captain and he should end his career at Barcelona. Messi is Barcelona and Barcelona is Messi.”  

What is a buyout or release clause?

In football, a buyout clause - sometimes referred to as a release clause - is a clause in a footballer's contract which indicates a transfer asking price that, if met in a bid, must be accepted by a club.

The fee is usually set considerably higher than a player's perceived market value in order to act as a deterrent to potential bidders, but can sometimes be relatively low in order to encourage bidders.

Buyout clauses have been mandatory aspects of footballers' contracts in Spain since 1985.

Orlando Pirates' struggles continued as they lost 1-0 to 10-men Cape Town City in the Premier Soccer League on Sunday afternoon at Loftus Versfeld Stadium, with Kermit Erasmus scoring the only goal of the game.

The former Pirates hitman broke the deadlock in the 47th minute to hand the Mother City outfit a 1-0 lead at half -time, and the Soweto giants failed to equalise despite having a man advantage following the sending off of Mpho Makola during the first half.

After a bright start in the capital, City grabbed the winner in first-half stoppage time through Erasmus, and the former MTN8 champions now occupy seventh with 36 points, whilst the former African champions are fifth on 43.

Pirates started the encounter without out-of-sorts Gabadinho Mhango and midfielder Fortune Makaringe, who gave way for the likes of Nkanyiso Zungu, Thembinkosi Lorch and James Monyane.

The 2018/19 PSL runners-up were looking to bag their first victory since the current season was restarted due to the coronavirus pandemic, having drawn their previous games against Mamelodi Sundowns, Bidvest Wits and to Baroka.

Citizens came into this one fresh from a 1-0 loss against Stellenbosch but had secured two wins over Mamelodi Sundowns and Chippa United prior to the defeat by Stellies.

Coming to the tightly contested encounter, the Buccaneers had an upper hand in the opening stages of the clash when Vincent Pule took matters into his own hands to provide for striker Tshegofatso Mabasa, but the target man failed to hit the back of the net as his effort went wide in the 10th minute.

Five minutes later, goalkeeper Wayne Sandilands had to come off his line to punch away an outswinger, and Zungu blocked Erasmus's resulting effort before Happy Jele cleared the ball.

In the 32nd minute, former Pirates midfielder Makola was shown his marching orders after a number of dangerous tackles on Monyane and Lorch, reducing the Citizens to 10 men.

Three minutes before the interval, skipper Jele saw his header go agonizingly wide following a brilliant corner from Pule’s left foot.

The referee added four minutes and that gave coach Jan Olde Riekerink’s men the opportunity to break the deadlock, as Erasmus got onto the end of the cross to beat Sandilands from close range at the far post.

Coach Josef Zinnbauer made changes in his line-up as he introduced Luvuyo Memela for Mabasa, while injured Pule was sacrificed for Mhango.

Towards the final 10 minutes of the match, Riekerink rested Erasmus and brought on Fagrie Lakay to speed up their attack as they looked to consolidate their lead.

On the opposite side of the field, substitute Kabelo Dlamini played in Memela who took a shot on the run, although his effort was blocked by Peter Leeuwenburgh in the 84th minute.

In the end, City managed to protect their lead and walked away with the full three points, leaving Pirates winless out of four PSL matches.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has stated his belief that the current one-legged knock-out format of the Champions League's quarterfinals and semi-finals should be considered as a full-time fixture in the competition as it is, in his opinion, “more interesting”.

The one-off format, put together in order to finish up the season in a timely manner following the coronavirus-enforced suspension of sport around the world, has produced several upsets already, most notably Manchester City and Atletico Madrid being dumped out by Lyon and RB Leipzig respectively.

Eight teams headed for Lisbon in August to play out the remaining fixtures on neutral ground in order to avoid squabbles over home and away advantages, and Ceferin believes having only one game to make it through makes for more exciting matches.

“We were forced to do it but in the end we see that we found out something new. So we will think about it in the future for sure,” Ceferin told Reuters in an interview. “[There has been] not so much tactics. If it is one match, if one team scores then the other has to score as soon as possible. If it is two-legged system then there is still time to win the next match.

“I have to say that this system of one match seems more interesting to me than the other system with two-legged matches, but again it's much too early to say anything about it, let's see. 

“Because the Champions League was interesting before – it's interesting now [too], it's quite a nice experience if you have to think about changing something that works well anyway. So, it's not the pressure that something doesn't work and we have to change it, we don't have to change anything, but we've got some new ideas now.”

Ceferin did, however, warn that teams could lose out of broadcast revenue if there would be fewer games to televise.

“More exciting matches for sure but of course we also have to think about the fact that we have less matches and broadcasters (can) say ‘you don’t have as many matches as before, this is different’ so we will have to discuss when this crazy situation ends,” he added.

Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech can be leaders for Chelsea, according to Ashley Cole, who believes the two new signings will bring more than just star quality to the squad.

Chelsea reached an agreement to sign Ziyech from Ajax for £36 million (€40m/$47m) in February, and he joined up with his new team-mates earlier this summer after seeing out the 2019-20 campaign at Johan Cruyff ArenA.

The Blues splashed the cash to land another of Europe's most in-demand talents in June, as Timo Werner completed a £47.5 million (€53m/$62m) move to Stamford Bridge from RB Leipzig.

Both men are expected to slot straight into Frank Lampard's line up when their new season kicks off away at Brighton on September 14, with Chelsea aiming to improve on a fourth-place Premier League finish last term.

Ziyech inspired Ajax to multiple domestic trophies while also making his mark in the Champions League, while Werner's goals helped Leipzig compete for the Bundesliga title and a place at Europe's top table.

Cole expects two new arrivals to have a similar impact in the Premier League, but has also backed them to show off their leadership qualities as Chelsea look to fight for major honours once again in 2020-21.

"Although the new players that have come in are young, they've got experience of playing Champions League, they were stars of their team," the former Blues defender told ESPN of Werner and Ziyech. "They can give that leadership off the pitch and on it as well because we had a lot of leaders when I was a player here.

"They led by example not just by talking, but with their feet, which I feel is more important. People can talk. It is easy to talk, but when you are backing it up with quality performances, that's what makes the difference."

Cole went on to discuss how a FIFA-imposed transfer ban ended up having a positive effect on the Chelsea squad when Lampard was drafted in to replace Maurizio Sarri in the managerial hot seat last summer.

The likes of Mason Mount, Tammy Abraham, Fikayo Tomori and Reece James were all promoted into senior roles, and a club legend was delighted to see the club's younger players given an early leg up in terms of their overall career development.

"Since Frank has been here, and with the transfer ban, it has given the kids a little bit of a push and ignited a few of them. Now, they start to see the light at the end of the tunnel," Cole added.

"Who knows what would have happened if Chelsea hadn't had a ban? But there's a lot of pressure being a manager of Chelsea. The owner [Roman Abramovich] wants to win. He felt that winning feeling and he wants to do it again, so any manager who goes in is under pressure.

"So the transfer ban helped the young kids. For that six months, a lot of them progressed. It was difficult for young kids when I was a player."

The fiancee of utility man Oleksandr Zinchenko has branded Manchester City's unceremonious exit from the Champions League at the hands of underdogs Lyon as “completely Pep Guardiola's fault”.

The Catalan coach saw his side ousted from Europe in shock circumstances, the favourites losing 3-1 to the lesser-fancied French outfit, who were themselves eventually dumped out of the competition by finalists Bayern Munich.

Guardiola generally deploys his teams in either a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 system, but opted to switch to three at the back for their crunch clash with OL.

Zinchenko's other half, presenter Vlada Sedan, believes that deviating from the norm is what ultimately cost City in their quest for elusive European silverware.

“You saw what happened,” Sedan said on her official YouTube channel. “I'm not a football player, not a coach, not a critic or an analyst. I understand that my opinion is not authoritative.

“Perhaps I have no right to say this, and perhaps Zinchenko will forbid me. But to put it mildly, in order not to swear, this is completely Guardiola's fault.

“At such a crucial moment, using such an experimental tactic for City was a bummer. I have no right to criticise, but why play three central defenders? I simply have no words because to have such a line-up... look at the players City have, what a bench. Literally on a few clubs in the world can boast having such players at substitutes.”

She added: “I understand why the team that everyone is betting on is Bayern. It's one thing to be knocked out by Bayern, but it's another to get knocked out by Lyon. I don't want to cause offence to the team, but I want to remind you that this is the side that finished in seventh place in the French championship.”

Whether Sedan's comments will result in her fiancee being reprimanded remains to be seen, but with Benjamin Mendy struggling to stay fit, Zinchenko operating as a makeshift left-back and Barcelona registering their interest in Angelino, Guardiola may have a fresh headache on his hands.

City have, however, already made two signings ahead of the 2020-21 season, with centre-back Nathan Ake joining from relegated Bournemouth and Ferran Torres swapping Valencia for the Etihad Stadium.

Barcelona need a coach like Jurgen Klopp, according to Blaugrana presidential candidate Jordi Farre, who says he has held talks with Liverpool's manager's representatives over the role.

Major changes are afoot at Camp Nou in the wake of a humiliating 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League on August 14.

It has been suggested that Barca need a restructuring from top to bottom, with head coach Quique Setien and technical director Eric Abidal the first to move on amid a major overhaul in both the dressing room and board room.

Setien was sacked three days after the loss against Bayern, before Abidal resigned from his post a day later, with club legend Ronald Koman passed the managerial reins after stepping down from his position in charge of the Netherlands national team.

Barca's current president Josep Bartomeu has received much of the blame for the current crisis at Camp Nou, but his tenure will come to an end in the spring of 2021.

A new president will be elected towards the end of next season, and Farre is currently on the list of candidates to replace Bartomeu alongside Victor Font and Lluis Fernandez Ala.

The 44-year-old, who also ran for the presidency in 2015, has already prepared a plan of action for if he is elected next year, with a certain German head coach in charge at Anfield his first choice when it comes to who should be leading the team from the dugout.

Farre says is happy to retain Koeman's services if he proves himself over the next few months, but has also revealed that he has been in contact with Klopp's entourage in recent weeks.

The Spaniard told Diario Sport: "If Koeman works and does well, he would be, of course. Obviously, we have our roadmap and we had already started several conversations with Jurgen Klopp, because it seems to us that Barca need such a coach."

Pressed on whether Koeman is the right appointment for Barca at present, Farre responded: "It is an exceptional moment and Koeman is a good solution considering that he is a legend of Barcelona, ​​a benchmark. Because of his character, I think that was what the club needed now. I wish him the best because the challenge is huge."

He went on to express his belief that the club has been mismanaged at an executive level, while insisting that certain players have been kept on at Camp Nou despite being well past their sell-by dates.

"A lot, because things have been done very badly," Farre added. "Nobody has been able to see that a generational change in the squad was needed. 

"On the contrary, players have been renewed without a logical sporting criteria. What should have been done little by little must now be done suddenly and in a more traumatic way."

Paris Saint-Germain will struggle to cope with Bayern Munich's intensity across the entirety of the Champions League final, says Martin Demichelis.

Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal champions Bayern will attempt to complete the treble at the Estadio da Luz on Sunday, while PSG have the chance to seal an unprecedented quadruple.

The Bavarian giants have won their past 20 games in all competitions and have scored 42 goals in their 10 Champions League matches this season, three shy of the record set in 1999-2000 by Barcelona, who played 16 games.

Demichelis, who won four Bundesliga titles with Bayern as a player and now coaches their Under-19 team, acknowledged Hansi Flick's attacking tactics could lead to chances for PSG's pacey forwards Angel Di Maria, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar.

However, the former defender believes Bayern's high press will prove too much to handle for the Ligue 1 champions, as it has for most teams they have faced this season.

"Bayern are not going to modify their structure and way of playing because they have gone through difficult parts in different games," Demichelis told Ole. "The risk they take, even defending with a high line, it is clear it gives returns because they are nearly the highest-scoring team in Champions League history.

"It was well demonstrated these risks can be detrimental to them at some stage of the match, as was the case in the first few minutes against Lyon, but Bayern don't change the way they play.

"This time they play against PSG knowing that Neymar, Mbappe, Di Maria are quality players and very fast, but Bayern will go out to play the same way. To cope with the intensity Bayern exerts across every line over 90 minutes is practically impossible for opponents. In general, I see Bayern as stronger than Paris."

Demichelis highlighted that Alphonso Davies and David Alaba are by no means slow in Bayern's backline, while goalkeeper Manuel Neuer provides a formidable last line of defence.

"Bayern can allow themselves to press high because of the speed they have at full-back. Alaba has reinvented himself as a centre-back and is very fast," said Demichelis. "[Jerome] Boateng may not have the speed of previous years, but he does have a mental speed due to experience and the great career he's had."

He added: "Surely they [PSG] will have some chances but there is also Manuel in the box and he's proved to be very good physically and in strong form. I hope Paris don't get those chances, but because of the way both teams play and the quality of the players in Paris' attack, they will have some.

"It's impossible for defenders to always do everything right."

Ghana coach Yusif Basigi is not bothered by the postponement of their upcoming 2021 Fifa U20 World Cup qualifiers against Guinea-Bissau due the coronavirus challenges.

The two-legged home-and-away tie has been moved from September to a yet-to-be-announced date owing to safety concerns. It is the second time the games have been rescheduled.

A team of 31 players began camping in Cape Coast before continental football's governing body, Caf announced the latest postponement.

"We started training on Monday with individual training, just as we are doing right now and response to training is not too bad," Basigi said, as reported by the Ghana Football Association's official website.

"We started on a lower pace so we will be climbing slowly. I think the postponement has been a blessing in disguise for us and because of that, we will not rush the team into physical conditioning.

"We will be doing that until the end of this week before we go into individual ball games. The players will be doing strength and power as well so that they can rest the next day because we are going to work on the lower and upper extremities and as a result of that, they need about 24 hours rest before we do recovery.

"The long stay in the house has affected the players and that’s why we are taking our time to reduce their weight but it should be at a slower pace."

The postponement is not the only recent setback ahead of the upcoming games.

The U20 team are jointly in camp with the U17 women's team, who are also preparing for World Cup qualifiers against Nigeria. Last week, a combined total of seven players were confirmed positive for coronavirus when the two teams went through testing upon camp resumption as part of health and safety protocols.

The precise identity of the positive players and their division between the two teams have not been revealed by the Football Association.

The Ghana-Guinea-Bissau exchange was initially set for March but the coronavirus pandemic forced a rescheduling to September. Last week, and for the second time, Caf announced the postponement of the matches, this time indefinitely.

With the final tournament scheduled for January-February next year, the qualifiers are nonetheless expected to be concluded before the end of 2020.

Ghana U17 women's coach Baba Nuhu believes the team's health and safety are under control despite their coronavirus challenges upon the camp's resumption for the 2021 World Cup qualifiers.

On special permission of Ghana president Nana Akufo-Addo, the Black Maidens regrouped for camp last week despite a standing ban on all contact sports, including football, ahead of games against archrivals Nigeria.

The U17 side, jointly in camp with the U20 women's team, was hit by a setback as a total of seven players were confirmed positive for Covid-19 when the two outfits underwent testing as part of safety protocols for camp resumption.

The seven players, shared across both teams, are currently in isolation.

"The training has been good so far and you know under this [coronavirus case] situation, we have to revise our training schedule," Baba said, as reported by the Ghana Football Association's official website.

"We know we have to observe all the protocols which we have not forgotten, so what we are doing now is more of individual work, trying to see how we can work individually, not as one person.

"We will still be in groups but more of individual work, so to be able to observe all the protocols. The players have been wearing the nose masks but once we come to training, it is taken off and after training, they put it on again, even at dining.

"We are fully aware of whatever that is happening and we are very careful. I am sure in the coming weeks; everything will be normal, then, we can revise our training accordingly."

A total of 30 U17 players were called up for the camping exercise.

Seeking a seventh straight appearance at the World Cup, Ghana will welcome Nigeria to Cape Coast for October's first leg.

The aggregate winners after November's second fixture in Nigeria will secure a ticket for India 2021. The tournament was initially scheduled to be held in November this year but had to be postponed to February-March due to the coronavirus disruptions.

On Ghana’s last appearance at the tournament, the Black Maidens reached the quarter-final of the 2018 gathering in Uruguay.

Manchester United hero Wayne Rooney has admitted to hoping that Thiago doesn't join Liverpool, believing the Bayern Munich star is "one of the best midfielders around".

Bayern are reportedly ready to sell Thiago if their €30 million (£27m/$36m) asking price is met during the summer transfer window. CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has confirmed that the Spaniard has turned down the chance to sign a contract extension and is eager to undertake a new challenge away from Germany.

Manchester City, Man United and Arsenal have all been linked with the 29-year-old, but Liverpool has been touted as his most likely next destination.

Reds boss Jurgen Klopp described Thiago as a "great player" when asked about a possible swoop for Thiago last month, and City manager Pep Guardiola, who coached the playmaker at Barcelona between 2008 and 2012, has insisted that he would thrive in the Premier League.

United legend Rooney would love to see the Bayern talisman plying his trade in the English top-flight but would rather he didn't join up with the newly crowned champions at Anfield.

The former England international and current Derby County captain told The Sunday Times of Thiago's quality: "He almost came to United in 2013 and now Liverpool are linked with him. He’s one of the best midfielders around – I just hope he doesn’t go there!

"He can take the ball, be composed on it, keep things ticking over – and he’ll put his foot in. He’s an all-round midfielder, really, with a bit of everything. He backs up that Bayern press and he drops in between the centre-halves to take the ball yet can also join in when they’re playing around the other box too.

"He’s a great player. It would be great to see him in the Premier League, actually."

Thiago is currently preparing with the rest of the Bayern squad for a Champions League final showdown against Paris Saint-Germain in Lisbon.

The Spain international will likely retain his spot in Hansi Flick's line up on Sunday, having started against his former club Barca in an 8-2 quarter-final victory before also starring in a 3-0 win over Lyon in the last four.