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The Asian Football Confederation's (AFC) decision to postpone the remaining rounds of the 2022 World Cup and 2023 Asian Cup joint qualifiers has ensured that 2020 will go by without any international football on the continent.

The last round of the World Cup qualifier had taken place in November of 2019 before the Coronavirus pandemic put paid to the hopes of seeing international football in 2020. The AFC had initially postponed the matches set to be held in March and June to October and November owing to the Covid-19 situation in many countries.

However, with the pandemic showing no signs of easing in many countries including India, AFC have been forced to delay it further.

India were set to play Qatar in October, followed by crucial games against Bangladesh and Afghanistan in November 2020. But AFC's decision has thrown open a lot of question marks on the upcoming season of Indian football.

"With the aim of protecting the health and safety of all participants, FIFA and the AFC will continue to work together to closely monitor the situation in the region and to identify new dates for the respective qualifying matches,” the AFC said in a statement. “Further details on the new dates for the next round of qualifying matches for the FIFA World Cup 2022 and the AFC Asian Cup 2023 will be announced in due course.”

It is also likely that the remaining matches will be played as per the usual 'home and away' format after the pandemic eases across the continent and not at any centralised venue.

Goal understands that AFC had considered holding the games in October and November itself at a centralised venue for each group, much like how they plan to complete the 2020 AFC Champions League and AFC Cup tournaments.

It is known that most countries, including powerhouses like China, were not in favour of AFC's suggestion as none of them wanted to give away their home advantage for a crucial tournament like the World Cup qualifiers. Meanwhile, China had also announced that if it was to be a centralised venue, they will accept it only if China could host the same. This sentiment was echoed by many others which meant AFC had no choice but to postpone the fixtures.

“From talking to various federations and hearing their concerns, it was clear that it was best to take a decision as early as possible,” an AFC official told Arab News. “The situation was becoming more difficult and complex,“ the official said.

In effect, this means that AFC will need to draw out a schedule that allows for the home and away format in 2021. However, they will hope they can stage the matches as soon as possible because the 2022 World Cup is fast approaching and the third round of World Cup qualifiers is yet to start.

The second round, ongoing right now, was set to finish in June 2020 and the third round was to have started in September 2020. What this means is that 2021 is set to be an extremely packed calendar for many countries including India. Though the Blue Tigers will not be participating in the third round of World Cup qualifiers, they will have the 2023 Asian Cup qualifiers, which will run parallel, to worry about.

UEFA have already made it clear that they will add more international matchdays in 2021 to make up for the delays in 2020. AFC will also have no choice but to do the same.

The 2020-21 Indian football season also has a cloud of uncertainty hanging over it. As of now, both the Indian Super League (ISL) and the I-League are set to kick-off somewhere around November at centralised venues.

India would hope that the World Cup qualifiers are not rescheduled in the first two or three months of 2021 because the ISL and I-League are likely to be running during this time.

Not only does such a scenario disrupt the two competitions' scheduling but also is likely to break up the bio-secure environments that are being planned for the safety of the players of the staff.

We are not even considering the continental club competitions. The 2020 AFC Cup is set to resume in the last week of October but with large chunk of the competition yet to be played, there is every chance it also might stretch into early 2021. Then, of course, there is the 2021 AFC Champions League and AFC Cup, for which three Indian clubs have qualified - ATK Mohun Bagan, FC Goa and Bengaluru FC.

Those matches generally start around February and March. It remains to be seen when that will start. All in all, the postponement of the World Cup qualifiers due to the pandemic has thrown up a lot of disconcerting questions.

FC Red Bull Salzburg midfielder Samson Tijani has joined TSV Hartberg on loan for the rest of the season.

The Nigeria youth international was signed by Die Mozartstadter in a deal that runs through 2025 - nevertheless, he will be seeking for first-team Austrian top-flight football elsewhere.

“Samson Tijani joins TSV Prolactal Hartberg on loan for the upcoming season of the Austrian Bundesliga,” a statement from the club read.

“The 18-year-old midfielder arrived in Salzburg from his home club from SC Collins Edwin last month and is now expected to collect playing time in last season's fifth-placed side.”

Meanwhile, Tijani has expressed his excitement over his move to Markus Schopp's Profertil Arena.

"I am very happy to be here. I believe in the team and hope I can help the team get even better," the young midfielder told Hartberg website.

For Hartberg, they are pleased to have the Nigeria youth international in their squad as they hope for an impressive 2020-21 season.

 "We are delighted to welcome an exceptional talent like Samson Tijani's to Hartberg,” says Sports director Erich Korherr.

 “We are looking forward to this player. Thanks also to Christoph Freund from FC Red Bull Salzburg for the possibility of the loan."

The defensive midfielder helped the Golden Eaglets to a fourth-place finish at the 2019 U17 Afcon last April where they bowed to Angola in the third-place playoff.

During the Golden Eaglets’ World Cup campaign in Brazil, he played every minute of the country's games and produced a man-of-the-match performance in their first group outing by scoring a brace in their 4-2 victory against Hungary.

Nevertheless, Manu Garba's side were eliminated from the World Cup in the Round of 16 after a 3-1 defeat to the Netherlands.

Manchester United's pace is something Sevilla must be wary of heading into their Europa League semi-final, according to captain Jesus Navas. 

Navas spent four seasons playing for Manchester City in between spells at Sevilla and is no stranger to the Red Devils. 

While the Spaniard has stressed Julen Lopetegui's side must stay focused on themselves, he did note that United's quick attackers could cause Sevilla problems as the club targets a sixth Europa League crown. 

"I’ve played against them several times. I recall the passion surrounding the [Manchester derby from my time at Manchester City]. I was lucky enough to appear in some really special games and those were great times," Navas told UEFA.com.

"We know they’re tough opponents and it’ll be difficult. We’re clear about what we have to do and are focused on what we have to do at every stage of the game. Let’s hope we can go out and win the match.

"In terms of their individual players, they’ve got some quick players up top who are dangerous. We’re focusing on ourselves and knowing what we have to do in each game – and, particularly, keeping calm when necessary and then attacking at pace.

"The important thing is that we go into [Sunday's game] with all the hope in the world of reaching the final. We’ll be going all out.

"Given the difficult times we’re all experiencing, being able to win the Europa League for the fans and all of us would be really great. It would also be special, as captain and as somebody from Seville, to enjoy lifting the trophy. It would be really nice for me." 

Navas, who can now play as either a winger or full-back, also heaped praise upon Sevilla manager Lopetegui, noting his communication skills have been a real asset this season. 

"He’s a coach who makes sure the team’s really well-drilled right throughout the side and has a very clear idea of what he wants," Navas said.

"He gets his message across really well. We give our all on the pitch. He’s been really important to us. Let’s hope we’re in that final because he deserves it." 

RB Leipzig head coach Julian Nagelsmann dismissed talk about winning the Champions League title and revealed a 'spat' with Diego Simeone after his side upstaged Atletico Madrid to reach the semi-finals.

Tyler Adams' deflected strike with two minutes of regulation remaining saw Leipzig top Atletico 2-1 in Lisbon on Thursday.

Dani Olmo's 50th-minute opener was cancelled out by Atletico star Joao Felix's penalty with 19 minutes remaining, but Adams' 88th-minute effort proved the last word as Leipzig reached the last four of the competition for the first time.

Leipzig will face Ligue 1 powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain in Tuesday's semi after becoming the first German club outside of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund to make it to the semi-finals since Schalke in 2010-11.

Speaking post-match, Nagelsmann told reporters: "I'm not going to say anything about the title. But of course, we do want to reach the final now.

"That's just normal, I think. If we get there, we can speak about other things.

"The team as a whole beat Tottenham [in the last 16] before and now Atletico. It's not about duels between coaches – not against [Jose] Mourinho, not against [Diego] Simeone and now not against [PSG coach Thomas] Tuchel either. It is a team game and the guys did brilliantly today."

Nagelsmann also revealed he had a half-time spat with Diego Simeone, though the 33-year-old German played down the incident as he hailed the Atletico boss.

"Simeone congratulated me afterwards, it was very sincere. He said, it was a great game and a deserved win for us," added Nagelsmann.

"At half-time we had a little spat, but that wasn't very serious. He's just an incredible winner who even wants to win on the way to the dressing room.

"But that's not bad, I actually want to point out that I think he's personality as a coach is awesome. So, everything's fine."

Simeone himself praised Leipzig for their performance on Thursday, declaring Atletico had no excuses for losing. 

"We haven't been able to play the way we wanted. I liked Leipzig," he told Movistar. "They had great determination, enthusiasm and freshness. That cost us. There are no excuses.

"We gave our best and made it to the quarter-finals. We are going out fairly and we have to congratulate our opponents."

RB Leipzig’s Dayot Upamecano has got future ahead of him, according to Gary Lineker and Luis Figo.

The 21-year-old defender of Bissau-Guinean descent turned in an imposing display at centre-back during Thursday’s 2-1 defeat of Atletico Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final.

Upamecano kept the Spaniards’ attacking line-up led by Diego Costa under constant check as Tyler Adams’ late minute strike ended Los Rojiblancos’ title aspiration.

Seeing every minutes of action, the Bundesliga side’s No. 5 had a 100% dribble and tackle successes, made 99 touches, five clearances and a passing accuracy of 92% to walk home with the man-of-the-match prize.

Awestruck by the performances of the former Red Bull Salzburg man, the respected football icons believe the youngster has a lot to offer in the future.

“That RB Leipzig goal will liven things up. Highlight thus far has been watching the outstanding Dayot Upamecano. Massive future ahead for the young French defender. Superb with and without the ball,” Lineker tweeted.

The ex-Tottenham Hotspur, Leicester City and Barcelona striker also rated him as the most outstanding player at Lisbon’s Estadio Jose Alvalade.

“Head and shoulders above every other player on the pitch.”

Accentuating this fact is 47-year-old Figo who won the Uefa Champions League title with Real Madrid in 2002, albeit, he summarised his thoughts in three words. “Great Young Player,” he tweeted.

With Leipzig’s triumph, they become the first German side outside of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund to reach the tournament’s last four since Schalke in 2010/11.

They will now focus their attention to their semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain which will be played on Tuesday as they look to pull off another upset.

Upamecano signed a contract extension with the Red Bulls, with the agreeing of fresh terms through to 2023 bringing an end to the rumours linking him to Premier League giants Arsenal.

In the recently concluded 2019-20 German elite division campaign, he featured in 28 games as Julian Nagelsmann’s side finished in third spot - 16 points adrift of Bayern Munich.

Despite representing France at the U16, U17, U18, U19 and U21 levels, the defender is eligible to represent Guinea Bissau at the senior level.

Rio Ferdinand believes Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski should start up a petition to ensure the Ballon d'Or is awarded this season. 

France Football announced last month that they wouldn't be handing out the award this year due to the “lack of sufficient fair conditions” as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. 

The Ballon d'Or had previously been awarded every year since it was first founded in 1956 with Lionel Messi taking home the honour for a record sixth time in 2019.  

While Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo loomed as strong candidates for the trophy this year, 2020 looked like it was going to be Lewandowski's year with the Polish striker proving unstoppable in front of goal. 

The 31-year-old has scored 53 goals in all competitions so far this season for Bayern, with 13 of those coming in the Champions League, and Ferdinand is adamant Lewandowski deserves to be recognised for his efforts. 

"If I’m Lewandowski and they have cancelled the Ballon d’Or, I’m starting up a petition to get it back on," Ferdinand told TEAMtalk. 

"Aside from the year when Luka Modric won it, Messi and Ronaldo have dominated that award for the last 12 years and Lewandowski has taken himself to the next level this season.

"I can’t believe they have cancelled it. It’s cruel, that is a good word to describe it. Lewandowski deserves to win that award for what he has done this season and if he leads Bayern Munich to the Champions League and they still decide they won’t give it out to him, it’s not right.

"People say Ronaldo takes the award too seriously, but I’m not having that. What the award means to the history of the game, I think it’s a disgrace that they have taken it away for this year.

"Why can’t they give the award out, even if they don’t have a big ceremony to hand it over like they normally do? I think it’s really out of order.

"This is a big deal. You talk to Michael Owen and ask him what the best trophy was in his career and he might say it was the Ballon d’Or in 2001.

"To be on that list as the best player in the world is special. All these players want to be there. That’s the elite, the ultimate for a top player, and in this generation now there are two players who have dominated it for so long.

"That would have made it all the more special for Lewandowski to get his name on that list and I can’t believe they have taken it away from him."

Arturo Vidal has declared Barcelona are the best team in the world and that they are determined to show it against Bayern Munich in their Champions League quarter-final on Friday. 

The Catalan side finished second in La Liga this season behind fierce rivals Real Madrid after a stuttering end to their domestic campaign. 

Quique Setien's side did manage to beat Napoli in their Champions League last-16 tie however to set up a mouth-watering clash with Bayern. 

The Bundesliga champions head into the match as favourites after smashing Chelsea, but Vidal was quick to point out that he believes Barca are the best team in the world and can cause Hansi Flick's side problems. 

"I heard something but did not pay much attention, I know the Bayern players and what is being said outside is not what they think, tomorrow they are not playing against the Bundesliga teams but against Barcelona, ​​the best team in the world," Vidal said. 

"I understand the fans' doubt, in the league we did not reflect our level and that is why we lost, but we have Leo and other great players, that is why I say that we are the best team in the world and tomorrow we want to show it.

"I don't know if I deserve to be a starter, I think we all want to play and it is the coach who must choose who starts."

On Bayern, Vidal added: "They are champions in the Bundesliga and won the Cup but we are Barcelona and if we do what we know how to do, we will surely progress, we will try to leave everything on the field."

The Chilean is also a fan of the Champions quarter-final being decided in one match rather than across two legs - a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

"I like it, in Latin America it is played like this and it is very entertaining," he said.

"The teams go out to show more, when there are two games in the first they get far behind and the show is not so good, tomorrow it will be very nice."

Vidal also recently weighed in on the debate over Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski with the in-form duo set to face off on Friday. 

Diego Simeone had no complaints about the manner of Atletico Madrid's Champions League exit, insisting his team gave their all but RB Leipzig deserved victory.

Leipzig stunned Atletico with a 2-1 triumph in Lisbon on Thursday as Tyler Adams hit a late, deflected winner to push the German side into the next round.

Joao Felix had earlier cancelled out Dani Olmo's opener from the penalty spot, but Atletico struggled to break down the Bundesliga side and were carved open too often going the other way.

Eventually, the Spanish side broke down, with Adams firing home a deflected 88th-minute winner to seal the victory for RB Leipzig.

As a result, the club advanced to the club's first-ever Champions League semi-final, with the German side only being founded just 11 years ago.

Despite the defeat, Simeone simply offered his congratulations to Leipzig as they advanced to set up a semi-final meeting with Paris Saint-Germain.

"We gave it everything we had," he told Movistar. "It was difficult for us to win the duels and they were faster.

"It has been a long year, with those 60 days off. Then there was pressure coming back to the Champions League. We had one week off then back to training.

"We haven't been able to play the way we wanted. I liked Leipzig. They had great determination, enthusiasm and freshness. That cost us. There are no excuses.

"We gave our best and made it to the quarter-finals. We are going out fairly and we have to congratulate our opponents."

Atletico midfielder Saul also acknowledged the scale of the disappointment for the club's supporters in Lisbon on Thursday.

"The opponents were superior in many phases of the game," the Spain international said post-game.

"We were very excited. The fans deserved more. We had a point of hope and we are very sorry."

The Champions League will continue on Friday as Bayern Munich face off with Barcelona in the third quarter-final matchup.

After that, the winner of that match will take on the winner of Manchester City's match against Lyon for the right to play either Leipzig or PSG in the tournament finale. 

Zakaria Labyad scored a first-half hat-trick to lead Ajax to a 5-1 win over FC Utrecht in a pre-season game on Thursday.

After a below par outing in Saturday’s game where Erik ten Hag’s men mauled RKC Waalwijk 6-1, the 27-year-old was at his best against his former team in the six-goal thriller.

In the encounter played at Johan Cruyff Arena, Labyad handed Ajax a fourth minute lead – firing past goalkeeper Thijmen Nijhuis after Ryan Gravenberch’s initial effort had kissed the woodwork.

Utrecht had the chance to equalise in the 12th minute from the penalty mark after Noussair Mazraoui’s foul on Bart Ramselaar, however, Simon Gustafson’s careless attempt ended up on the post.

Ajax doubled their lead in the 21st minute through Noa Lang after he was played on the edge of the box by teammate Anthony.

It was the turn of Nicolas Tagliafico to find the net 13 minutes later with Anthony the architect. The Brazilian exchanged passes with Lang who assisted the Argentine defender to fire home from a very close range.

Labyad’s beautiful freekick in the 41st minute put the Sons of Gods four goals ahead, before the 27-year-old attacking midfielder completed his treble on the stroke of half-time.

After putting up an awe-inspiring shift, he was replaced by Burkina Faso Lassina Traore at the beginning of the last 45 minutes as well as his compatriot Mazraoui for Sergino Dest.

While it looked like no goals will be scored, Utrecht pulled one back in the 73rd minute through Othman Boussaid after curling the ball into Maarten Stekelenburg’s top corner from a short corner.

With this result, Ajax have now scored 11 goals in their last two games. They continue their preparation for the 2020-21 season with a tie against Austrian elite division outfit Wolfsberger AC on August 18, before locking horns with Red Bull Salzburg four days later.

Morocco international Labyad joined Hag’s team from the Stadion Galgenwaard in 2018. Before the Dutch league was abandoned due to the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic, he featured in just two games against Heracles and Utrecht.

With his current form, he is expected to play a major role in the 34-time Eredivisie chmapions’ quest to have an impressive campaign.

Tyler Adams underlined the sky-high excitement levels in RB Leipzig's dressing room after Thursday's victory over Atletico Madrid set up a Champions League semi-final with Paris Saint-Germain.

Atletico had ousted defending champions Liverpool in the last 16 prior to the coronavirus pandemic halting this season's Champions League, but their run was ended by Adams' late strike as Leipzig triumphed 2-1 in Lisbon.

Dani Olmo's 50th-minute opener was cancelled out by Atletico star Joao Felix's penalty with 19 minutes remaining, but Adams' deflected strike proved the last word as Leipzig reached the last four of the competition for the first time .

After becoming the first German club outside of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund to make it to the semi-finals since Schalke in 2010-11, Adams told UEFA.com : "We're really, really excited.

"We know Paris are a great team, we saw what they did against Atalanta and they've got really good players."

Adams was the unlikely hero after scoring his first goal for Leipzig in what was the United States international's 28th appearance in all competitions.

Julian Nagelsmann's Leipzig – who finished third in the league this season – were already without top scorer Timo Werner following his move to Premier League giants Chelsea.

Leipzig are now set to tackle Ligue 1 title-holders PSG at the Estadio da Luz on Tuesday, though Adams and his team-mates are not daunted.

"Now it's about recovering in the right way, getting ourselves right mentally and working on the game plan," the 21-year-old Adams added.

"We're confident in ourselves, you saw that today."

While Leipzig started the match as outsiders in the eyes of many, by the time the final whistle was blown, few would argue they hadn't deserved their win.

Nagelsmann was confident his side had done enough, noting their late goal was on the lucky side but saying it was luck they had earned with a good performance .

Atletico talisman Koke came to the same conclusion, admitting the German side had been "better, faster and more intense."

Leipzig and PSG will now switch their attentions to the remaining quarter-finals, as they wait to see which sides could await them in the final.

Barcelona play Bayern Munich on Friday, before Manchester City's clash with Lyon on Saturday.

Julian Nagelsmann says RB Leipzig deserved their late stroke of luck as Tyler Adams’ deflected shot took them past Atletico Madrid and into the Champions League semi-finals.

With the game tied at 1-1 following goals from Dani Olmo and Joao Felix, Adams’ shot looped past Jan Oblak in the 88th minute thanks to a huge deflection off Stefan Savic.

Leipzig were unsurprisingly the more enterprising of the teams, with Atletico sticking to their tried-and-tested approach under Diego Simeone – and Nagelsmann felt his players deserved their win.

"We became a little passive after it went 1-0 and it was very close,” Nagelsmann told Sky Sports.

“We definitely were a little lucky with how we scored the winner. Still, we were the better team overall and we showed maturity.

“I can't remember many dangerous situations Atletico had. The boys worked for this themselves, you can only have a small influence from the touchline.

“We stayed calm after we conceded the equaliser, that was very important. We mustn't let panic into our game."

Leipzig’s ascent in recent years has been a remarkable, if highly controversial one.

Founded in 2009 after Red Bull took over fifth-division side SSV Markranstadt, Leipzig flew through the German league system and are now just one win away from the biggest game in European club football.

"The club has developed very quickly, Nagelsmann noted.

“We reached the Bundesliga and now qualified for the Champions League three times. We're still in the Champions League. The progress is faster than usual.

"Great emotions for the club and our team. As a manager you have to look forward. We have to prepare for the next game.

“There's not a lot of time to celebrate but maybe we will have a beer in the hotel then we focus on PSG.

"We have to be very fast along our defensive line. There will be situations where you cannot defend against these guys on your own.

“Atalanta tried to defend one-on-one. There are a lot of stars in this team - it won't be easy."

Leipzig will play PSG in Benfica’s Estadio da Luz on Tuesday, August 18.

Koke believes Atletico Madrid were simply second-best against RB Leipzig following their 2-1 loss in the Champions League quarter-finals on Thursday. 

Leipzig took a deserved lead after 50 minutes with a brilliant team goal finished off by Dani Olmo, only for Atletico to equalise via a Joao Felix penalty 20 minutes later. 

Diego Simeone's side did appear to have the momentum approaching full-time, but Leipzig's Tyler Adams struck in the 88th minute to ensure the Bundesliga side progressed to the final four. 

While quite a tight game on the scoresheet, Koke conceded that Leipzig were better than Atletico in every aspect of the game and were worthy winners on the night. 

"They were better, they did not allow us to match their intensity," Koke told Movistar.

"At all times they were better, they had more possession. They were better, faster and more intense. When they are better, you try to give your all and if things do not work out, you have to congratulate your rival and reflect. 

"When we were better, at 1-1, their second goal came.

"On the field, there are times when you are better and others worse. Coldly, when we analyse the game, we will see where we have failed and what we have lacked. We have to get up to try again next season.

"When you lose you are hurt and sad. This is a different competition, with a single game, and in three games you could win a Champions League.

"We have had bad luck for the second goal, that's how football is. We were very excited about this Champions League and we have to get up as we always do." 

Leipzig ended the game with 57 per cent of possession and had one extra shot on target compared to their Spanish opponents. 

Julian Nagelsmann's side will now face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League semi-finals next week with the Ligue 1 champions beating Atalanta 2-1 in their quarter-final on Wednesday. 

The French giants looked to be heading for another quarter-final exit before late goals from Marquinhos and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting saw them produce a stunning comeback in the final minutes.

Jonathan David has explained why he rejected offers from the Premier League after completing his €30 million (£27m/$35m) move from Gent to Lille this week.

The Canada striker had been tracked by Arsenal, while there was also reported interest from Manchester United and Leeds.

But, after scoring 30 league goals in 60 games in two seasons in Belgium, the 20-year-old David was keen to move somewhere he could continue his development on the pitch, rather than on the bench.

“Everyone knows the Premier League is a high-quality league,” David told France Bleu Nord.

“But my choice was dictated by the fact that above all, I wanted to be sure of playing.”

At Lille, David will be a direct replacement for Victor Osimhen. The Nigeria forward has joined Napoli in a deal reported to be worth €50 million (£45m/$59m), after scoring 18 goals in 38 games for Lille.

David seems to be relishing the challenge, and says his mind was made up on the move some time ago.

“My choice was made quite early,” he said. “But I understand that it took a little while to finalise between the two clubs.

“Gent wanted to keep me one more season, but I had made my choice and they respected it.

“I always knew it was going to be done, even if it took a little while. I really liked the sports project that Luis Campos (Lille’s sporting director) and the club management sold to me.

“That's really what encouraged me to join Lille. In fact, I especially wanted to join a club where I know that I will keep playing and getting better. There is a very good team here with very good players.”

David also dismissed any suggestion he would be under extra pressure after becoming Lille’s all-time record signing.

“It is an honour that they have valued me so highly, but it does not put any pressure on me," David said.

“It's football, it's like that. For me, the only important thing will be to perform on the field. It's that simple!

“Everyone is under pressure. But I'm a calm person and that helps me a lot.”

Kyle Walker says Pep Guardiola can only do so much for Manchester City and that it is ultimately down to the players on the pitch to deliver.

The City boss has not won the Champions League since leaving Barcelona in 2011 and has not got beyond the quarter-finals since he joined the Premier League club.

However his side are strong favourites in Saturday’s last-eight clash with Lyon, although Walker warned that they can’t any afford any errors if they are to get past the Ligue 1 side that knocked out Juventus in the previous round.

“Obviously, Pep can deliver what he delivers in the team talks and we listen, but I think it is down to us as players and what happens in both boxes,” the England defender said.

“You make a mistake in a big game like this and you are going to get punished and vice versa. If they make a mistake in their box, like we showed against Real Madrid, we can punish any team. Hopefully, we can hit the ground running, get a good start in the game and get the momentum going and really take the game to them.”

Walker is hoping that City’s superior sharpness could be a telling factor after football in England restarted in mid-June with Guardiola’s side playing 13 times in the last eight weeks.

Conversely, Lyon’s 2-1 defeat to Juventus was just their second game since March, and City will aim to come out flying at the Estadio Jose Alvalade in Lisbon.

However, Walker knows how dangerous a side Lyon can be after they beat City at the Etihad Stadium and drew in France in last season’s Champions League group stages.

“[Beating Madrid] gives us a little bit [of confidence] because the teams such as Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon have not really played much football so hopefully we can use that to our advantage,” he added.

“They have got good players. We have watched a few clips of them and they look a really good team so it is going to be very difficult but we are just going to use the game plan, listen to the tactics from the boss and hopefully that will see us over the line.

“I think [knocking out Juventus] speaks volumes in itself. This year they don’t have the players that they had when we played against them but, again, they have just knocked Juventus out and you need to be a very good team, very disciplined to beat Juventus over two legs.

“It is going to be a difficult game but I feel it can swing in our way that it is over just the one leg and we can really attack the game and play every game like a final.”

Walker has won every domestic medal with City since moving from Tottenham in 2017 and admits that the Champions League is now the competition he wants to win more than any other.

“I think if you had asked me this when I signed here I would have probably said that the Premier League was the big one for me having not won it before I came here,” he said.

“Now I have collected two of them and a number of others and this is the one that I want, and I can probably speak on behalf of the whole squad and Manchester City as well for what they need as a club to put them onto that next pedestal.”

Bruno Fernandes believes winning the Europa League could help push Manchester United on to mount a serious title charge next season.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side face Sevilla in the last four of the Europa League on Sunday in the behind closed doors mini tournament being held in Cologne, Germany, with a place in the final on August 21 at stake.

This will be the club’s third semi-final of the campaign following the Carabao Cup and FA Cup, and Fernandes, who arrived from Sporting CP in the January transfer window, thinks going all the way and lifting the trophy - as the club did with Jose Mourinho back in 2017 - would stand them in good stead for mounting a title charge next season.

“I think we need to keep progressing and we need to start the league with the mentality to win. We know we play for a big club with big aspirations, also the players, we have big aspirations and we need to win some trophies,” Fernandes said.

“Of course, the Premier League is one of the trophies we want to win and I think to win the Europa League would be good for the mentality of winning trophies and fighting with the top clubs. For next season, if we can win this, it will be important.”

Solskjaer has crafted a young squad who are looking for their first trophy under the Norwegian, and Fernandes, who has shown himself to be one of the leaders in the group, reiterated how important it is for the team to lift the trophy next week.

“For the coach, it will be important and for the players because I think we've done very well until now and I think if we finish with a trophy, it will not be perfect, but it will be a good year for us because Manchester United needs to come back again to win some trophies and fight for the European competitions and also the league,” he explained.

One player who has had a remarkable first season in the senior team is Mason Greenwood. The teenager has made himself undroppable with his performances since football resumed in June and has scored 17 goals in all competitions.

“I think Mason has done a great season, of course,” Fernandes said. “He's young and he has great numbers this season. The age is just a number and you see Mason has done very well.

"He can do much more because of the qualities he has and he still has to grow up physically. He did fantastically this season and he will get better.

"He needs to play more and get more confidence from his team-mates and the staff and I think he will get much better because he has that quality.”

RB Leipzig snatched a late 2-1 victory against Atletico Madrid thanks to Tyler Adams' deflected strike, booking a Champions League semi-final date with Paris Saint-Germain.

Leipzig, shorn of top scorer Timo Werner following his move to Chelsea, stunned Atletico in another dramatic finish in Lisbon after Joao Felix had pulled the LaLiga giants back into the tie.

Julian Nagelsmann's side matched experienced European campaigners Atletico stride for stride but looked to have lost their momentum when substitute Joao Felix cancelled out Dani Olmo's opener.

However, Adams – with the aid of a stray Stefan Savic foot – hit his first Leipzig goal to remarkably reach the last four and a meeting with PSG.

Marseille midfielder Pape Gueye has asserted that joining the French club was a very important decision for him.

The 21-year-old Franco-Sengalese moved to the Stade Velodrome from Le Harve where his senior career began. He was supposed to join Watford on a free transfer, but he pulled the plug on the transfer even after an agreement was reached, citing contractual irregularities for the refusal.

Gueye has since been acclimatising with the Marseille squad, playing in four pre-season games so far, three of them ending in victories.  He has been pleased with how things have been going so far at the club.

“This situation, I managed it rather well. I am well surrounded. I am not focused on this. I had to join Marseille, it was the most important for me,” Gueye said as per FootMercato.

“I am very happy to be a Marseille player. I chose Marseille because it is a great club. We all know Marseille, the supporters, the stadium, the quality of the players in the workforce, whether the oldest or the youngest.

“It makes a good mix. Marseille is what I envisioned when I was younger. It's a childhood dream. Before all that, I spoke to the coach. The most important thing for me today is to be here, I'm happy for that.

“My arrival went very well. I was well received by the group and the staff. Frankly, everything went well. I was well integrated into the field. The players spoke to me a lot as I am one of the youngest in the group. I am very happy with my adaptation and I thank the players and all the staff.”

One player in Marseille that will be facing competition for a regular starting berth is Boubacar Kamara. The 20-year old Franco-Senegalese centre-back played 24 times in Ligue 1 last term as the Phoenicians finished in second place and qualified for the Champions League for the first time in seven years.

The arrival of Argentine defender Leonardo Balerdi on loan from Borussia Dortmund will put Kamara’s place under threat, but coach Andre Villas-Boas does not think it will be a problem.

“It is true that he [Balerdi] is well integrated. He's a very interested person in the development of the game, he asks a lot of questions,” the former Chelsea boss said.

“He is well integrated, he is a very good person. We had conversations before he signed here. In this position, he is in an important competition with Boubacar Kamara who will evolve. But we talked about it, competition is part of football. He can also play more forward, we also tested that. I am happy with his technical and physical progress.”

Portuguese Liga BPI club A-dos-Francos have secured the services of Ghana striker Olivia Anokye on a one-year deal.

A-dos-Francos completed the signing of the 20-year-old Black Queens star this week, with the forward joining from Spanish Iberdrola outfit Cordoba, having passed the usual medical.

The Ghana international starred for Cordoba during her brief stint before the world went into lockdown following her arrival from rivals Eibar in the Reto Iberdrola in January 2020. 

Before her first move abroad in 2019, she started her career with the Sea Lions and was part of the Ghana squad at the 2018 Fifa Women’s U20 World Cup, making three appearances in France.

Her signing boosts the ambition of the Portuguese side to avoid a disappointing season, having escaped relegation due to the coronavirus cancellation after finishing bottom of the log last term.

Having sealed her move, the Ghanaian will now be featuring in the top-flight league for the first time following her initial second-tier stints with Spanish clubs - Eibar and Cordoba in the last 12-months.

She also becomes the second African to move to Portugal this summer, after South Africa's Jermaine Seoposenwe joined SC Braga.

She also joins the list of departing Ghanaians from Spain in 2020, following the earlier exit of Ernestina Abambila and Priscilla Okyere, leaving behind Grace Asantewaa and Princella Adubea.

Anokye will be hoping to impress her new employers at Campo Municipal Quinta Boneca and inspire them to success this season.