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Ugandan Premier League (UPL) champions Vipers SC have appointed Steven Mulindwa as the club’s general manager.

Mulindwa, 24, is a holder of an International Business degree and Economics and Business Management Masters Degree from the University of Surrey, United Kingdom.

He pursued his first degree at the Makerere University and has been given the general manager role, a position that did not exist previously at Vipers.

Mulindwa’s appointment comes a day after the Venoms appointed Charles Masembe as their Sporting Director. Masembe is a Fifa grade referee.

He has been promoted to the new position after serving as the logistics manager before.

“This was after his satisfactory work as Logistics Manager for the last two years – a post he has done faithfully and whose duties he has carried out with distinction to-date,” Vipers said in their statement confirming Mulindwa’s appointment.

“Mulindwa will now take on the new role with his primary role to oversee the general duties of the club.

“He will also lead the core research team that will be charged with holding the club's vision of becoming the best on the continent as well as managing the institution’s estates.”

The club’s president Lawrence Mulindwa said the creation of the new office and the subsequent appointment of the holder are meant to help Vipers achieve their core goals.

“Our dream is to become a first-class footballing club on the continent and we can achieve our goal with the kind of management we are putting in place. Steven is young but visionary and energetic,” said the Fufa honorary president.

“He can take us miles with his experience.”

“The general manager is expected to report directly to the club president and Board of Directors carrying on other duties as assigned by the above offices within the club structures,” Vipers’ statement added.

Mulindwa has promised to work with everyone as he undertakes the new top job at the four-time UPL winners.

“I am grateful for the new appointment and with the versatile team we have I know we can support each other to always work and achieve the vision of the club,” the 24-year-old administrator said.

“My office door will always be open to new ideas that we can implement.”

Apart from the managerial changes Vipers have implemented, they have signed a number of players to strengthen the squad that will participate in the Caf Champions League.

Olympique Lyon forward Karl Toko Ekambi has admitted success was not on the side of the French club after they fell 3-0 to Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-finals on Wednesday.

Les Gones were hoping to make it into their first-ever European final and also making it an all-French final after Paris Saint-Germain dispatched RB Leipzig in the other semi.

It was however not to be with a brace from former Arsenal winger Serge Gnabry and Robert Lewandowski’s 15th European goal of the season destroying those ambitions.

Toko Ekambi had a chance to give Lyon the lead in the 17th minute but his shot hit the post after showing beautiful skill and ghosting past Liberian-born Canadian Alphonso Davies. It was not long after that moment Gnabry opened the floodgates.

“We said to ourselves that we could have done better, to score goals, me first,” the Cameroon international said.

“Success was not on our side. We missed opportunities, there was a great goalkeeper [Manuel Neuer] in front, ours [Anthony Lopes] also made saves. It was an open game, there were chances, but congratulations to Bayern.”

The defeat brings an end to what was a strong campaign for Lyon. They finished second in Group F behind Leipzig and ahead of Benfica and Zenit Saint Petersburg before going on to end Juventus’ hopes of Champions League glory in the round of 16 followed by a 3-1 win over Pep Guardiola’s Manchester city with Ivory Coast international Maxwel Cornet netting in the game, his fourth against the Citizens under Pep’s watch, the same tally as Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi.

Franco-Algerian midfielder Houssem Aouar has been at the heart of Lyon’s progress, providing six assists, four of which came against Juventus and City. The 22-year-old - who has been linked with some of Europe’s biggest sides including Man City, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Arsenal, took to social media to express his thoughts, feeling honoured and proud to have been part of the journey.

“It is with immense sadness that our adventure comes to an end. What an honour and pride to have been able to experience these moments with my training club.  A big thank you to the supporters for the support they have given us. Congratulations to all. Thank you,” Aouar posted on Twitter.

Toko Ekambi and Aouar will now focus their attention on the 2020-21 Ligue 1 season which they will kick off with a home tie against Dijon on August 28.

Ugandan Premier League (UPL) official broadcaster StarTimes has secured rights to air La Liga matches for the next four seasons.

In a development that was confirmed on Thursday, StarTimes also unveiled the second edition of Uefa’s latest international tournament; the Uefa Nations League.

The pay-TV has secured the La Liga broadcasting rights and will have their subscribers across 47 Sub-Saharan African countries enjoy the action.

“We are delighted to announce our acquisition of La Liga Santander broadcast rights this being one of the most prestigious football competitions in the world,” said the StarTimes regional marketing director Aldrine Nsubuga in a document seen by Goal.

“Soccer has been core to StarTimes’ sports content strategy and this latest acquisition highlights our commitment to provide the best football experience to our subscribers.”

La Liga will be aired on StarTimes channels and through the broadcaster’s streaming platforms from September 12.

“This agreement provides an exciting new way for French-speaking fans across sub-Saharan Africa to get closer to our competition,” Melcior Soler La Liga’s director of the audio-visual department said.

“StarTimes has a strong presence in the region and proven expertise in sports in general and football in particular, which will help us all to reach as wide an audience as possible.”

The broadcaster is also set to air the second edition of the Uefa Nations League from September 3, 2020. 55 European nations will face off in four groups with the highlight of those fixtures being Germany vs Spain and France vs Sweden ties.

Portugal will play against Croatia in the opener of those qualifications.

“StarTimes subscribers can equally look forward to the new Europa League season where Arsenal will carry the flag for the Premier League. [There are] European cups including Coppa Italia and the Spanish Copa del Rey,” added Nsubuga.

The La Liga-StarTimes development comes as numerous reports indicate the television company has secured rights to broadcast the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) matches for the season 2020/21.

KPL has been running without an official broadcasting partner since SuperSport TV quit in 2017 citing a breach of contract.

While Football Kenya Federation (FKF) insisted 18 teams were to play in the top-tier, SuperSport TV said they would only continue to partner with KPL if the total teams remained at 16.

FKF had their way on the matter and the South African company left.

Philippe Coutinho says he is "fully focused" on winning the Champions League with Bayern, and insists that he hasn't yet thought about his future amid links with Arsenal.

Coutinho looks set to take in his final appearance for Bayern in Sunday's European Cup final, which will see the Bundesliga champions take on Paris Saint-Germain in Lisbon.

The 28-year-old scored twice against his parent club Barcelona in a stunning 8-2 quarter-final victory last week, and also featured from the bench as Hansi Flick's side beat Lyon 3-0 in a last-four clash on Wednesday.

Bayern have already passed up the chance to sign Coutinho permanently at the end of his season-long loan, which means he is due to return to Camp Nou ahead of the 2020-21 campaign.

The Brazilian is still tied to the Blaugrana until 2023, however, it has been suggested that the club will cash in on the playmaker rather than re-integrate him into the squad.

Coutinho struggled to live up to his £142 ($187m) price tag after joining Barca from Liverpool in January 2018, and is now being tipped to return to the Premier League after a mixed year at Bayern.

Arsenal are reportedly keen on bringing in the former Reds talisman, while Manchester United are Chelsea have also been credited with an interest in his services.

Coutinho isn't looking past this weekend's showpiece event though, as he told Esporte Interativo when quizzed on rumours of a possible transfer after Bayern's win against Lyon: "My mind is fully focused on the competition. It’s a unique opportunity for us. I’m very happy to be in the Champions League final.

"On my future, I haven’t thought about it because I’m only thinking about the final."

The Barca loanee will come face to face with fellow countryman Neymar in the Champions League final, and is well aware of the threat the world's most expensive player will pose Flick's Bayern.

"We haven’t spoken yet because of the match. I’m sure he is focused on his team and me on mine," said Coutinho.

"PSG is a very strong side with really quick forwards. I don’t even need to say how great of a player Neymar is because the whole world knows it.

"They also have a solid defence. It’ll be a great match, a great final."

Marco Verratti cannot wait for the challenge of Paris Saint-Germain's first-ever Champions League final, describing the upcoming clash as the "most important 90 minutes" of his life as a footballer. 

Despite dominating French football since the arrival of the Qatar Investment Authority in 2011, PSG have yet to see that success pass over to Europe's biggest club competition. 

But after disposing of German duo Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig as well as Atalanta in the knockout stages to date, Thomas Tuchel's charges now face Bayern Munich in Sunday's decider with the chance to make history. 

Verratti has been at Parc des Princes since moving from Pescara at just 19, and he admits that the final is the biggest game of his career to date. 

"The Champions League is always difficult. So far, we've had an incredible journey," the Italy midfielder explained to reporters in Thursday's press conference.

"We have 90 minutes left, these are the most important 90 minutes of our lives as a footballer and of the history of the club. You have to be prepared.

Verratti missed out on PSG's quarter-final clash against Atalanta due to a calf injury, but made an appearance off the bench for the final eight minutes of their last-four win and insists that he is nearing a full recovery and hopes to feature on Sunday. 

"I'm better, I started again slowly with the team. This injury was a bit hard to digest," he added.

"I have resumed with the group for 2-3 days and I will do everything to play the match. I was available in the semi-final. It is the coach who will make his decision."

In his absence former Manchester United star Ander Herrera has come to the fore in the engine room, and Verratti could not be more delighted for his team-mate. 

"For us, this is no surprise. We already knew Ander. He's a very important player," he explained. 

"This season he has had injuries that have kept him from being available on several occasions, but he still gives 100%. He made two incredible matches. We are very happy with what he does, but we do not just finding out about him here.

"He's 31, he's already won the Europa League with Man Utd, he's won the Premier League too. He has shown his many qualities here."

Fresh from a big win over Mamelodi Sundowns on Monday evening, Cape Town City were downed by neighbours Stellenbosch who handed them a 1-0 defeat in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) on Thursday evening at Tuks Stadium.

Although the Citizens were favourites to bag the maximum points, coach Steve Barker’s men were also in high spirits after their 1-0 over Golden Arrows last weekend.

Coming to the match, the hosts started on a good note as they pushed for an early goal and Asavela Mbelike came close in the 17th minute on the far post, but he failed to connect with the cross from the right-hand side.

Coach Jan Olde Riekerink’s troops were not the same team that defeated the reigning PSL champions on Monday evening at Loftus Versfeld Stadium as they seemed to struggle to penetrate their neighbours.

Midfielder Granwald Scott attempted to beat goalkeeper Peter Leeuwenburgh in the 42nd minute from a rebound, but his well-driven half-volley was blocked to deflect for a corner kick.

However, striker Kermit Erasmus broke the deadlock a minute later with a brilliant chip on goalkeeper Lee Langeveldt, but the goal was not allowed and adjudged for an off-side.

Defender Abbubaker Mobara was called to produce a fine clearance on the goal line after Ashley Du Preez managed to break free and beat Leeuwenburgh, but his effort was cleared by the former Orlando Pirates defender on the stroke of half-time.

The opening half ended in a goalless draw.

Upon their emergence from the tunnel, Barker’s troops came back stronger and pushed the former MTN8 champions to commit errors at the back.

Leletu Skelem managed to eventually make it 1-0 for the Cape Winelands outfit with a long-range effort to beat the experienced keeper, Leeuwenburgh, on his left corner in the 50th minute.

The 64th minute gave the Citizens an opportunity to equalize but substitute Tashreeq Morris could not bury a cross from the left-flank through Ebrahim Seedat as the target man saw his free header sailing inches wide off the left corner.

City was awarded a set-piece in a dangerous area when Morris was fouled on the edge of the box, veteran Mpho Makola took the free-kick and it was initially blocked before the rebound hit the woodwork and eventually cleared in the 81st minute.

The dying stages of the encounter saw Riekerink's men controlling the proceedings in the heart of the park, and Langeveldt denied Morris from close range as the keeper was well-positioned to hold on the shot.

Resulting from the victory, the former National First Division (NFD) champions now occupy the 11th spot with 33 points from 25 games whilst their visitors sit seventh with as many points so far.

Meanwhile, the win hands Stellies a massive boost as they will face log leaders, Kaizer Chiefs on Sunday evening at Orlando Stadium.

There could be hope for the return of the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) as the Cabinet Secretary for Sports Amina Mohamed is set to unveil the guidelines of the resumption of sports on Friday.

In a communique sent to the media houses, the unveiling ceremony will be held virtually as the committee that was tasked to engage various sports stakeholders is set to make public their report.

The committee was tasked to engage all the stakeholders but not limited to sports organisations and collect their views in regard to resuming sports which has remained suspended for over five months since the ban on public gatherings were effected.

The ban was declared by the state in an attempt to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus in March. 

The committee is also expected to explain the modalities of sports resumption after reviewing the existing global trends.

Hassan Noor Hassan was appointed to lead the panel that included Pius Meto, Rose Wachuka, Walter Ongeti, Gerald Gitonga, Agnes Oluoch, Naim Bilal, Elias Makori, Wycliffe Makanga, Doreen Odhiambo, Japhpter Rugut, Rose Wasike, Barnabas Korir, Francis Mutuku, Christine Mangwana, Kweya Obed, James Ochola and Sylvia Kamau.

The public gathering ban saw KPL and other leagues cancelled in May by the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) a decision that generated friction between them and KPL.

FKF prematurely ended the leagues, declared Gor Mahia champions and expected new guidelines might give them room to draw a roadmap for the start of the 2020/21 season.

Meanwhile, Bandari head coach Ken Odhiambo hopes to lead the club to their first-ever KPL title.

“When we regroup, I hope all our players will be okay to enable us to settle quickly in training,” Odhiambo told The Star.

“Any coach in the league wants to win and so I really hope things will get better soon so that we are back in action as we seek to win our first league title.”

The club's technical director Twahir Muhiddin stated the upcoming season will be competitive especially with the arrival of new sponsors.

“The league will be very competitive with new sponsorship from BetKing,” the former Harambee Stars coach told The Star.

“It will be real when we restart. Exploits of Kakamega Homeboyz pushed the league to desirable heights in the [previous] season; Leopards did really well towards the end and Tusker also upped their game considerably.

“So, thrills and spills are guaranteed if events of the season are anything to go by.”

As FKF remains uncertain when the next season is to start, Fufa has given October 17 as the tentative date for the Uganda Premier League resumption.

Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) has produced fixtures for the Mainland Premier League which is to start on September 6.

A representative of Ghanaian striker Joseph Esso, Mohammed Ali Wasiu has rubbished rumours the attacker has agreed a deal with Asante Kotoko following his recent departure from Hearts of Oak.

The 23-year-old surprisingly parted ways with the Phobians earlier this month over a lack of understanding on a proposed contract extension.

After moves for a sensational U-turn fell through, speculations became rife the striker has promptly switched allegiance to Kotoko, Hearts' archrivals.

"He [Esso] has not agreed anything with any Ghanaian club even though all the top clubs are getting in contact with me, which is not surprising. [When] a player of Esso's calibre becomes available, every club will be interested," Wasiu said as reported by Allsportsghana.

Reports have been that Esso left Hearts following the club's unwillingness to meet a GHC 50,000 [€7,360] annual wage demand.

“Money was never an issue in our negotiations with Esso, he wanted to sign for just a season whilst we negotiated for a two-year deal," Hearts public relations officer Kwame Opare Addo told Fox FM.

“It wasn’t going to make a business sense for us to have signed him on a year deal. Since we couldn’t reach a compromise we had to let go of him."

Esso joined Hearts in 2018. Last season, he netted three times in 14 matches in the Ghana Premier League which was prematurely terminated at Matchweek 15 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“I don’t want to talk about individual players but people are writing things that are not true. I hope and pray they didn’t get the facts from Joseph Esso, if so then it means they lied," Hearts chief executive officer (CEO) Frederick Moore told Happy FM.

“It will be unprofessional of me to reveal the facts. The negotiations started not long after the Normalisation Special Competition.

"After my conversation with the player and his guardian, the coach and the Board members also spoke to him. The player knows the truth and the people around him should speak to him.

“Hearts of Oak had to announce his exit because contract extension talks had broken down."

Esso was just one of five first team players who left the Phobians earlier this month on a free transfer, a situation which had brought the club's management under huge criticism.

Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny has taken to social media to announce his departure from Besiktas having spent the entire 2019-20 season on loan.

The 28-year-old Egyptian was a mainstay in the Black Eagles squad, making 36 appearances in all competitions, 27 of them coming in the Turkish Super Lig where he scored one goal and provided four assists.

Elneny only missed four top-flight games which were due to a three-game suspension for a straight red card he collected on the opening day of the season in a 3-2 defeat by Gaziantep. He also missed a 2-1 loss by Goztepe because of an accumulation of four yellow cards.

He averaged 88 minutes per game in the Super Lig, 1.0 interceptions, 1.3 tackles and 1.1 clearances. Elneny did not commit any error leading to a shot, goal or concede a penalty.

“Yesterday was my last day in Istanbul & fans made it very emotional by the amount of love I witnessed,” Elneny said in a Twitter post.

“Besiktas fans: I was really touched and will always be grateful. Management & teammates: A memorable season with a superb ending by qualifying for the Champions League. Thank you for everything.”

Elneny is expected to return to Arsenal and will reportedly be part of the team’s pre-season preparations with the Premier League set to kick off on September 12 and the Gunners tackling newly-promoted Fulham at Craven Cottage.

It does not look certain that Elneny will be in Mikel Arteta’s plans despite his impressive loan stint at Besiktas. The Egyptian is not lacking suitors however with Besiktas looking to bring him back on a permanent basis while other Turkish giants in Fenerbahce, Galatasaray and Trabzonspor, are all rumoured to want to acquire him.

Elneny arrived from Basel in 2016 and has played 89 times in all competitions for Arsenal, 46 of them coming in the Premier League where he is yet to score but has provided three assists. He won the FA Cup and Community Shield in 2017 before finishing runner-up in the League Cup in 2018 and Europa League in 2019.

Elneny is a 78-time capped Egypt international and has featured at the 2017 and 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, finishing runner-up in the former. He also participated at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the Pharaohs finishing bottom of Group A with no points after losses to the hosts, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia.

New York Red Bulls manager Chris Armas has explained why it will take a while before new recruit Samuel Tetteh will get to play with the first team.

The 24-year-old Ghana international joined the Harrison-based outfit on loan from affiliated Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg and will spend the entire 2020 regular season with Armas’ team.

With the regular season now underway after the completion of the MLS is Back tournament which was won by the Portland Timbers in Orlando, Florida, Tetteh will not be able to get into the action immediately as he has to quarantine as per Covid-19 control measures before getting him in a training schedule for fitness and acclimatisation with his new environment.

Dru Yearwood (from Brentford) is the other latest addition to the Red Bulls squad after Tetteh. The Red Bulls tackle rivals New York City FC at home on Thursday night.

“It's looking like Samuel Tetteh is arriving any day now,” said Armas on the club website.

“There's a natural quarantine period when players arrive now, and then we will see the players out at the training field, and we will be able to work with those players on some level and get them ready, physically ready, style of play ready with conversation through a Zoom call meeting just to transfer information.

“We've been in touch with the players, but yeah it's right there in the next few weeks we will have them ready to go, that’s the plan, which is really exciting to inject some new faces. It's just a natural process of how teams evolve, so yeah, we want to add freshness, some quality, and some different qualities into the team.

“We have to see how he [Tetteh] fits into our group and how the speed of play of Major League Soccer, the speed of play of our team and our style of play are not common all the time, and we see players that come into our team that as talented as they are, sometimes it takes a little bit of time, but we see that his qualities will fit nicely with our group. We will push him in the right way, get him ready as soon as possible and kind of fast track that process, so we can use him right away.”

Tetteh spent the last three seasons on loan at LASK, playing 42 times in all competitions last season, scoring seven goals and providing another seven assists. He has been at Salzburg since 2017 but has only made two appearances for the Austrian giants.

Ghanaian football stakeholders have been advised to boycott the upcoming Football Association (GFA) Meeting of Ordinary Congress scheduled for September 1 on grounds of bad timing.

Having initially scheduled the meeting to be held via online video conferencing technology Zoom on August 27, the GFA has had to re-adjust the conference to an in-person programme while settling for a new date after Ghana president Nana Akufo-Addo lifted unfavourable restrictions on public conferences in relation to the Covid-19 health challenges.

The new date has not gone down well in certain quarters as on the same day, Ghana is expecting a big Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) verdict which could result in a complete overhaul of the current GFA administration.

“Can’t we get any other date apart from 1 September for the congress?” renowned football administrator and former Ghana Division One League Board chairman Ntow Fianko told Happy FM.

“If we are at Congress everybody will be in a panic mood. We should all wait for the CAS ruling so we know our stand before we go to Congress.

“People will be too anxious to know the outcome of the verdict. We cannot be waiting for the CAS verdict on the day of Congress. That date is a serious day because that is the day will know the fate of Ghana football.

"The clubs should say no to the date set by the GFA for Congress. The Congress can be postponed to a later date and I urge the clubs to say no to the new date."

The GFA has been hauled before CAS by Tema Youth president Wilfred Kwaku Osei 'Palmer' who is seeking redress over "unfair" disqualification from the FA's presidential election last year.

“CAS did not consult us [GFA] before setting September 1 [for announcement of its judgement], so I don’t know why you ask me what went into taking that decision. Nothing went into it," GFA communications director Henry Asante Twum told Happy FM.

"The [GFA] Executive Council took the right decision. Dates do not belong to any organisation, institution or whatever. Dates are free.

"We have five working days in a week and you can choose whichever you want for whatever you want. There’s no rationale behind choosing a date for Congress."

Among the top agenda, the Ordinary Congress will see a review of the activity report for the prematurely terminated 2019-20 Ghana football season ahead of anticipated commencement of a new campaign in the second week of October.

Newly crowned Premier League champions Liverpool are unlikely to dominate English football like Manchester United did under Sir Alex Ferguson, according to John Barnes.

Liverpool's 30-year wait for domestic glory came to an end in 2019-20, as Jurgen Klopp's men dethroned Manchester City in spectacular fashion.

The Reds won the title with a record-breaking seven matches to spare, and ended up finishing 18 points clear at the summit.

Liverpool have also triumphed in the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup over the past 15 months, with the general consensus being that a power shift has taken place at the top of the Premier League.

Klopp's side are already being tipped to defend their crown next season, but Barnes is not certain that they will be able to sustain their recent success.

The Reds legend says the financial power of the top six will prevent another era of superiority similar to Ferguson's at Old Trafford - which saw United win 13 league titles between 1992 and 2013 - from being ushered in, with competition in the transfer market now fiercer than ever.

Barnes told Sky Sports of the current state of play in the top flight: "It’s very difficult to defend a title but Liverpool aren’t defending the title.

"Liverpool are going to defend the games that they play, so Jurgen Klopp doesn’t put pressure on them to win titles, he puts pressure on them to win football matches.  

"It’s an old cliche, take every game as it comes. It’s difficult for any one team, Liverpool included, to dominate English football like Liverpool did in the 1980s or Manchester United did under Sir Alex Ferguson. 

"In any given year, any of the top six teams can go and spend £200-300 million to get better players to challenge or to win. 

"It’s going to be difficult now because of the financial implications of all the top Premier League teams in terms of them being able to go and spend so much money for next season to be much more competitive. 

"I don’t think you’re going to see any one team dominating as we saw Manchester United did under Sir Alex Ferguson."

South Africa international Kamohelo Mokotjo has completed his move to Major League Soccer (MLS) side FC Cincinnati.

The experienced defensive midfielder was recently released by English Championship outfit Brentford after the club missed out on promotion to the Premier League.

The Orange and Blue made the announcement on their official website on Thursday:

A club statement read: "FC Cincinnati have signed South Africa international midfielder Kamohelo Mokotjo using Targeted Allocation Money."

"Mokotjo, 29, will occupy an international roster slot and be added to FC Cincinnati’s 2020 roster upon the receipt of his International Transfer Certificate and P1 Visa."

Mokotjo made 26 appearances, including 25 starts, for Brentford scoring one goal and adding two assists across all competitions during the recent 2019/20 season.

Cincinnati general manager Gerard Nijkamp welcomed the hard-tackling player to the American side and he lauded him as an intelligent player.

"We are pleased to add a player in Kamo who will be a strong fit for what we are looking to do at FC Cincinnati,” Nijkamp said. 

“He is an intelligent player that will be an asset for our club on both sides of the pitch. We look forward to welcoming Kamo to Cincinnati and having him integrate within our locker room.”

Mokotjo, who was nurtured in the SuperSport United academy, is looking forward to playing for his new club.

“I felt like now is the right moment for a new challenge at a club that has big potential and is willing to challenge itself,” Mokotjo said.

“I think in a way this is a perfect match. I’m honoured and ready to relish this opportunity and challenge.”

Mokotjo is a well-travelled player having played for Feyenoord, FC Twente, Excelsior and PEC Zwolle in Holland, before moving to Brentford in 2017.

The Odendaalsrus-born midfield maestro was coached by newly appointed FC Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman at Feyenoord.

He helped Bafana Bafana reach the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) quarter-finals in Egypt.

Antonio Conte has backed Inter to "leave their mark on history" by sinking Sevilla in the Europa League final.

In a warning to his players, head coach Conte said the thrill of their run to the showpiece will be soon forgotten if they fail to come away with the trophy.

Although the former Juventus boss knows his team will be facing Europa League specialists, who won the competition in three consecutive years from 2014 to 2016, he is confident Inter can triumph in Cologne.

Speaking in a news conference ahead of Friday's game, Conte said Inter would have no fear of the opposition, declaring his team have grown "braver" over the first season of his reign.

"I was involved in a number of finals in my playing career," said the former Juventus and Italy star. "I won some of those matches but I also lost a number of finals.

"What I've realised is that people only remember when you win finals.

"I won the Champions League but I also lost a further three in the final. The people who leave their mark on history are those that win those matches and trophies."

Inter crushed Shakhtar Donetsk 5-0 in Monday's semi-final, teeing up a shot at a Sevilla side who battled past Manchester United.

"We should be proud we've reached a European final for the first time in 10 years," Conte said.

"But history is written by the conquerors, the winners. History will only record ultimately the team that wins this season's Europa League.

"It's a shame but equally that's added motivation for us."

Conte, a three-time Serie A champion as coach of Juve and Premier League winner at Chelsea, said he took the Inter job only because he sensed there was a chance of silverware.

He stressed he always needs to be sure there is a sniff of success before taking a job, even if it amounts to just a one per cent possibility. Now the chance of a first trophy at Inter is far greater.

"All the players, the staff, the kitman, the groundsmen, all of them have that feeling and that percentage has only grown day in, day out because the players are very willing to work hard," said Conte.

"They've got a lot of desire to improve. They want to lead from the front this season and achieve something. Credit goes to the players and my perception has grown day in, day out working with these players.

"All of them bought into the work we did and became braver as the season has gone on. The braver we became, the greater scope we had to go on and win a big trophy like the Europa League.

"We need to make the most of the opportunity."

Asked about the potential fear factor involved in facing a team such as Sevilla, Conte said: "I don't use the word 'fear'. I don't want my players to have it in their locker either.

"We really rate the opposition and we rate their history in this competition.

"That said, if we've managed to reach the final it's because we also have our strengths and we will try to play to our strengths."

Express FC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Isaac Mwesigwa has promised the club's fans the good old days will be back.

The Ugandan Premier League side is restructuring for the new season, hoping to push for top honours. The last time the team won major silverware was way back in the 2011/12 season when they bagged the league title.

"The fans from feedback on the social media platforms are really enjoying the ride and we are not done yet," Mwesigwa told the Express FC website.

"Fans should be patient as we are rebuilding skillfully with the purpose of reviving the glorious days at Wankulukuku and with their support, the good times will be revived."

The six-time league champions have already signed four players to bolster their squad. Goalkeeper Cryspus Kusiima was the first to be brought on board to strengthen the department, signing a two-year contract in the process. His compatriot Denis Otim also joined on a four-year deal.

Another signing was defender Richard Bbosa who was acquired on a four-year deal as well, with creative midfielder Abel Eturude getting a two-year deal.

After signing, the 21-year-old Bbosa, explained he has come to help the team solve the problem at the back.

"I know about last season’s leakage at the back which is rather unfortunate and no defender would want to be a part of that," the defender said.

"However, for us to have a solid backline everyone has to come to the party, it takes two to tangle."

Express depended on Issa Lumu and Arthur Kiggundu. Bbosa’s signing is expected to make the partnership even better.

Head coach Wasswa Bbosa will be keen to have strong defenders after the club conceded 37 goals in the abandoned season.

"I have joined Express to ensure we don’t concede and also work together as a team so that we can win the league next season,” Bbosa continued.

Express have also been linked with Faisal Ssekyanzi, Steven Luswata and Godfrey Lwesibawa.

Murushid Juuko, Abel Eturude and Enock Walusimbi are some of the defenders that coach Bbosa is also targeting to strengthen the team even more.

Lionel Messi and Barcelona could be heading for a sensational split, and the man who hopes to become president at Camp Nou next year says: "It gives me nightmares."

There are continuing doubts over Messi's interest in staying on at Camp Nou after a painful end to the season in La Liga and the Champions League.

Victor Font, who is rivalling Joan Laporta in the race to succeed current Barca chief Josep Maria Bartomeu, says he fears the prospect of the club's record scorer departing.

The Argentinian forward has been notably quiet since Barcelona were trounced 8-2 by Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Messi allowed Gerard Pique to explain away the torrid night in Lisbon, and there has been silence since.

Bartomeu said he had spoken to Messi's father, but not to the player himself, while new boss Ronald Koeman declared he needed to speak to the 33-year-old to determine his intentions.

Font said in an interview with Catalan newspaper Sport that he did not discount the possibility of Messi leaving.

"I believe there's a risk and it gives me nightmares. Messi is vital to this club, the most important player in its entire history and it'll only grow after he retires," Font said. "The relationship between Messi and Barca must continue after he's hung up his boots. He should be the image of this club and its growth throughout the world."

Such comments are to be expected from a man seeking to bolster support for his campaign, and going after Bartomeu during Barcelona's time of crisis is also unlikely to damage Font's standing.

He stuck the boot in on the incumbent president by saying the sacking of Quique Setien and appointment of Koeman was "an escape route" for the board, and made it clear Koeman would not remain boss under his tenure.

Font had previously stressed Xavi would helm first-team operations under his regime, and he appeared to indicate the best he could promise Koeman was a role elsewhere on the staff.

"I wish, and I mean this from my heart, Koeman and Barca win the treble," Font said. "I'm sure that Xavi, at the head of this project, would find a place for Koeman's talent too."

He said it was "nonsense" that "the same people who caused this crisis are still making the decisions", including newly-promoted technical director Ramon Planes, calling for a clearout from the top down and saying it was "irresponsible" that Bartomeu had not already resigned.

Font's concern is that players he would want to keep at the club could be swept out by the current regime, with Bartomeu having spoken of "drastic measures" being planned and the anticipated departure of "legendary" figures.

From Font's perspective, the sporting side of the club is discredited, after the Champions League humiliation and the slump since lockdown that saw Barcelona overtaken by Real Madrid in La Liga's title race.

"What if the new technical secretary and coach in 2021 believe Luis Suarez or Pique, for example, are still important members of the squad as the team evolves but Planes and Koeman have already sold them?" Font mused. "It doesn't add up. There needs to be more perspective. Look beyond today, think about tomorrow and what's best for FC Barcelona."

Mohamed Salah does “want to score more than Sadio Mane” at Liverpool, admits Dejan Lovren, but their rivalry is friendly and “different” to the picture painted by some outside of Anfield.

Questions have been asked of whether the two superstar forwards are on the same page. Both are eager to contribute as much as possible to the Reds cause, with their respective goalscoring records playing key roles in the success that has been enjoyed by Jurgen Klopp’s side.

Salah has faced accusations of being self-centred on the field throughout his spell on Merseyside. Mane took to airing his frustration during an infamous outing at Burnley in August 2019, although those at Liverpool were quick to sweep reports of an internal rift under the carpet.

Lovren insists the emotions seen that day are merely part of professional football, with in-house battles to be found at just about every team on the planet.

Lovren, who struck up a close bond with Egyptian forward Salah during his time at Anfield, told KingFut of the supposed rivalry: “I see it in a different way.

“It is good to have competition between players. It is normal, Salah wants to score more than Mane, and this is football. If both players are in good form, then it serves the team well and that’s the most important thing.

“When Salah doesn’t score in a game, he doesn’t blame Mane for not scoring. Instead, he focuses on his mistakes to improve for the next game.”

Lovren will now be keeping an eye on Salah and Mane from afar, with the experienced Croatian defender having sealed a summer switch to Russian giants Zenit.

Those he has left behind in England are determined to build on the solid foundations that they have constructed, with the reigning Premier League champions now aware of their schedule for the 2020-21 campaign.

Salah and Mane will be expected to be prominent figures for Klopp’s side once again, with the former having netted 94 times through 152 appearances for Liverpool while the latter has 81 goals from 170 outings.

Lovren was a fringe player in Liverpool's title triumph, making just 10 league appearances in 2019-20 before departing for Russia.

Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund (BVB) and Indian Super League Club Hyderabad FC (HFC) have entered into a two-year partnership with an option to extend for an additional three years until 2025.

BVB, renowned for its success and specialization in nurturing and developing young players, will focus on building and supporting Hyderabad with its academy structure and coaching education. The partnership will also include BVB’s expertise in technology to drive innovation; enhance connectivity between the clubs, and positively grow and expand its fan base. 

HFC will look to make the most of Dortmund's know-how in setting up their youth infrastructure and in turn help the German outfit in extending their footprint across India. 

"It is important for a club like us to do the right thing from the beginning. This partnership with BVB is a step towards that. It will help us learn and understand how they have built a strong brand across the world and the key ingredients required to set up a robust youth programme. It is important to revive the history of football of Hyderabad. Hopefully, benefitting from this partnership we will have a few representations in the Indian national team as well. The vision of the two clubs are similar and it goes beyond just the black and yellow colours. This will hopefully benefit both the clubs," stated Varun Tripuraneni, co-owner of Hyderabad , during a webinar.

It is understood that there will be coaching and fan engagement webinars conducted by BVB to help the ISL side. One goalkeeping coach is also likely to fly down to India and there will be players who shall travel to Germany utilising the partnership to get a first-hand experience to learn the best practices. 

Carsten Cramer, managing director of BVB, made it amply clear that this is not a short-term partnership with instant gains in mind. But, the club will look to involve the community at large to make it a more effective venture for both parties in the medium and long-term. 

"We always look at long-term objectives. We will assess the coaches at Hyderabad FC and guide them through the whole programme. Hyderabad is not looking for success in the short term and they have a long term vision to build their own identity. The identity is built by young players who go on to play for the club. BVB will help them in doing that.

"People will love a club when the young players perform at the highest stage. We should look to involve as many people as possible from the community. The current situation does not allow us to be on the ground but we will be doing that as soon as it permits. Without the partnership, no one would believe that we have a serious interest in the region," he stated 

While BVB is keen on helping the Indian club to spot and nurture future talents, they are not looking for their next superstar from this enterprise. 

"The two primary pillars of this partnership are fan engagement and youth programmes. We are not looking for the next superstar of Bundesliga from this project. We want to give the youngsters a chance to train in Dortmund. Our coaches will look at how capable they are in playing with their European counterparts. With this partnership, we want to plant a flag in India and bridge the two cultures. This gives us the perfect opportunity. 

"We want to have a bigger presence in India. We will be pushing our own merchandise. We will be pushing more through the media. We want to build more with Indian brands those who want to collaborate with us. So, we want to be visible and seen in India and at the same time be loved as well," said Suresh Letchmanan, BVB APAC (Asia Pacific) managing director. 

Tripuraneni also informed that Hyderabad will be looking to inaugurate a fully residential academy by the end of next season and this agreement with BVB will be a major help in realising that project. Moreover, BVB's fan-engagement expert is also expected to come down to India and work with Hyderabad so that both the clubs can build their brands across the length and breadth of the country. 

Declan Rice is worth as much as Harry Maguire and West Ham will sell the versatile 21-year-old if an offer of around £80 million ($105m) is tabled, claims Frank McAvennie.

Manchester United made one England international the most expensive defender on the planet when parting with a fee of that size in the summer of 2019.

It could be that another Three Lions star finds himself on the move in the current transfer window. Rice, who can operate as a centre-half or holding midfielder, has proved himself with club and country over the last two seasons and is now seeing a big-money switch mooted.

Chelsea are said to be keen on reuniting with a player that they previously allowed to leave their academy. United have also been credited with interest in the past, with the Red Devils investing heavily in young, home-grown talent.

West Ham have made it clear that they have no intention of parting with Rice, but McAvennie believes their hand would be forced if a tempting approach were made.

The Hammers legend told Football Insider: “You’re talking about £80m for Harry Maguire.

“I think that if he’s worth that then West Ham will be thinking that Declan’s worth somewhere between £60 to 80m, but listen, the owners will have a figure in mind, and I think it’s the same with every club, if someone matches that, they will sell him. Every club is a selling club now, especially with the pandemic and no money coming in from supporters.

“They’ll have a price, and if it’s met, he’ll be on his way – if he wants to, that is. It’s down to the player as well.”

Rice has offered no indication that he is looking for a way out of the London Stadium, with his current contract due to take him through to 2024. Interest in his services is building, though, and West Ham should brace themselves for offers.

Chelsea and United would have few problems finding the funds required to get a deal done, even at £80m, and a scramble could be sparked if one Premier League heavyweight decides to open the bidding.