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Ralph Hasenhuttl has described the signing of Mohammed Salisu as ‘important’ as Saints strengthened their squad ahead of next season.

The 21-year-old centre back who was linked with a move to Real Madrid and Manchester United joined the Premier League outfit from Real Valladolid in a deal reported to be worth up to £10.9 million.

Salisu joined Valladolid from Ghanaian outfit African Talent Football Academy in 2017, and ever since, he has continued to grow.

In the 2019-20 La Liga season, he played in 32 matches as the White and Violets finished 13th in the log having garnered 42 points from 38 games.

The youngster will stay at St Mary’s Stadium until 2024 and his new manager is delighted to be welcoming the African, who he felts fits properly into his squad.

“This is an important signing for us, Mohammed is a player who fits our profile well,” said Hasenhuttl as reported by the Guardian.

 “He is young and has a great amount of potential, but he is also someone who has the qualities to come in and help the team as soon as he is up to speed with our way of playing.

“I like what I have seen of him so far in his games with Valladolid. He is strong defensively, he is calm with the ball – something that is important in our team – and he has good speed too.”

“I think he will fit in well with us and this will be a good place for him to develop his game further. We have some good centre-backs here and this will be another strong option for us.”

Salisu becomes Southampton’s second signing of the season following the arrival of Kyle Walker-Peter from Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday.

To him, agreeing to join the English team was not a difficult one because they have a track record of developing young players.

“It is a very good feeling to be a Southampton player. I am very happy to be part of the club and I am looking forward to starting here,” said Salisu.

“Southampton is a club with a very rich history in developing young players, so it is a very good club for me to develop my skills and to learn a lot as a young player.

“I know that the team expects a lot from me and I’m going to try to give all I can to help the team.”

While hurt and disappointed after a Champions League semi-final berth was snatched away at the death, Atalanta head coach Gian Piero Gasperini was in an upbeat mood, highlighting the fact that club president Antonio Percassi always targets 40 points to secure Serie A safety each season.

Atalanta have been the Cinderella story of Italian and European football this term, breaking records during their third-place finish in Serie A and memorable run to the Champions League quarter-finals.

Gasperini's Atalanta – competing in their first Champions League last-eight fixture – were moments away from an historic semi-final on Wednesday, however, Ligue 1 powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain completed a stunning turnaround to prevail 2-1 in Lisbon.

Mario Pasalic's first-half strike looked to have settled the midweek contest, until Atalanta were left heartbroken – Marquinhos equalised in the 90th minute before substitute Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting netted the winner in the third minute of stoppage time.

"We are very disappointed, as we felt that we were almost in the semi-final," Gasperini told Sky Sport Italia. "That would've been extraordinary, but it's extraordinary anyway. We want to improve next season – probably not in results, which will be difficult, but as a team.

"We finished third in Serie A for the second year running, but there are teams who were 10-12 points behind us who won't be in that position again. We will never start a season targeting the Scudetto, we aim to build and improve, then see how things go.

"Our objectives are always set as time goes on. In fact, the president always starts out by saying we need 40 points to secure safety in Serie A! We raised the bar, and we're very happy to be back in the Champions League, as that is already a success."

Gasperini, whose Atalanta scored a Serie A-high 98 goals in 2019-20, added: "The biggest regret is that we got so close and thought we really might achieve this extraordinary coup.

"The satisfaction remains that we had a great Champions League campaign, constantly improving against the best teams in Europe. I can only thank the lads for all they've done this season.

"It’s disappointing because we came so close. There are some of the best players in the world, [Kylian] Mbappe and Neymar, who at a certain point really sparked them into life.

"We could've conceded earlier, in a way that might've been better, as conceding in stoppages hurts more. We did all we possibly could, at the end of a very difficult and exhausting run of fixtures, so I can only thank the lads.

"The Champions League is a very special competition and I read a while back Jose Mourinho said it was the competition of details. Details make the difference when games are so balanced and can go one way or the other.

"Despite everything, we reached the 90th minute in the lead. We were certainly well-prepared on set plays, there was that Berat Djimsiti chance, and could've done better on a couple of counter-attacks, but again, these are all details."

Paris Saint-Germain head coach Thomas Tuchel has said he was confident his side would find a winner against Atalanta on Wednesday as soon as they grabbed their late equaliser. 

PSG trailed 1-0 late in their Champions League quarter-final, with Mario Pasalic's first-half goal looking set to give the Italians a shock trip to the semi-final. 

However, Tuchel's men were able to turn the tide in a dramatic three-minute spell, with Marquinhos scoring a 90th-minute equaliser before substitute Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting netted the winner three minutes later.

Speaking to RMC Sport after the game, Tuchel confessed that he was contemplating an early elimination but as soon as Marquinhos netted, the German knew his side would prevail. 

"I'm not going to say that we didn't think about elimination," Tuchel said. "After 85 minutes of play, we were realistic. But, that was not the general feeling. 

"I always had the impression that if we scored the first, we would add the second in stride.

"We had a very strong match and it is absolutely deserved. There is also luck, it is true, but on the whole it is deserved.

"In the second half, we had total control. I was afraid for the physical side towards the end, but we played with more confidence at that time.

"The players who came in from the bench, they were exceptional."

Like his manager, Marquinhos said that he also had faith that his team would be able to turn the tide and saluted Neymar's performance.

"We lost other years and this year, we saw the game, we dominated, we had the opportunities but we had to believe in it," Marquinhos told RMC Sport.

"Football is about motivation, faith. If you saw the match, you saw that they were aggressive. We had to cover the whole field and as soon as we had the ball, we had to attack quickly. [We had to make] sure that Neymar was free to do whatever he wanted."

After a rocky start, Neymar came up with a telling contribution late. The 28-year-old grabbed the assist on Marquinhos' goal before his pass sent Kylian Mbappe in, with the Frenchman crossing for Choupo-Moting to score the winner. 

Kylian Mbappe and Neymar will stay at Paris Saint-Germain for the rest of their careers, club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has claimed.

The attacking pair played crucial roles in PSG’s dramatic 2-1 Champions League win over Atalanta on Wednesday, despite Mbappe only being fit to play the last 30 minutes.

Neymar made up for some glaring missed opportunities with the last touch before Marquinhos’ equaliser, while Mbappe raced clear in the dying moments to create the winner for unlikely hero Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting.

Al-Khelaifi was clearly relieved to see his side get their Champions League monkey off their back, after successive quarter-final exits in recent seasons.

"Everyone said that Paris was not ready for the Champions League but we showed a great mentality, with great players," Al-Khelaifi told RMC Sport after the final whistle.

"Our goal is very big but we are not thinking today of the final, only the semi-final. It's very important to change mentality.

"You too, the media, everyone doubts PSG. The Champions League, we needed this victory to go further.

“Neymar and Kylian are some of the best players in the world but it was the team that had a great game, even though Ney was really good.

“In recent months he has changed in the team. They're both going to stay, they're never going to leave!"

The game fell on the 50th anniversary of PSG’s formation, an occasion they eventually managed to mark in style.

That they were able to conjure a comeback in the dying moments was commendable, given they had played only two competitive games since their last-16 victory over Borussia Dortmund in March.

Their record since lockdown now reads: three games played, three games won, two trophies lifted. A third could be just two more wins away.

“It's a very special evening with the anniversary of the club,” Al-Khelaifi said. 

“It was not easy with the end of the league season but we gave everything we had on the field.

“I am really very proud. This is the first time that we have reached the semi-finals since the takeover in 2011.

“We now have to think about the semi-final and not think about the final.”

PSG will play either Atletico Madrid or RB Leipzig in their semi-final at Benfica’s Estadio da Luz on Tuesday.

Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar has revealed the team never considered the possibility of being eliminated from the Champions League as they completed a stunning comeback to keep their dream of winning the competition alive.

The Ligue 1 champions overcame Serie A underdogs Atalanta 2-1 in Lisbon to qualify for the semi-finals, despite trailing by a single goal in the match until the 90th minute.

Mario Pasalic had put the Italians ahead in the first half, but Marquinhos prodded home a fortuitous equaliser as the hame hit stoppage time before Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting became the hero three minutes later.

Neymar saluted his team-mates for their resilience in the contest and says there were no thoughts about going home from the competition.

"It's a great night but it was very difficult," Neymar told RMC Sport. "We knew that Atalanta were a great team, who played well all season and were the surprise team in this competition

"We never thought about elimination and we never thought of going home. No one is going to take my mind off the fact that I want to go to the final. 

"They were aggressive and we knew they would rush us if we had chances. We are happy for what we achieved. We had a great game. We will have to rest because it was mentally exhausting. 

"It was a great match, difficult, another awaits us. We will have to sort out some things to make another great match."

Ander Herrera, who was with Manchester United when they knocked PSG out of the Champions League last season, praised the role of Choupo-Moting in getting the Parisians through.

"Incredible. It's the whole team, everyone is there to help," he said to RMC Sport. "Choupo only played ten minutes and we can see what he brought as his contract is about to end.

"I played today but if I don't play the next game I will give it my all.

"We won four titles and if you are not a team you cannot make [this comeback].

"Atalanta didn't lose against the big guys in Italy but I think we played well, we did what we said. We created chances, we did everything to overthrow the game."

PSG now move into the semi-finals of the competition and will come up against either RB Leipzig or Atletico Madrid, who square off against each other on Thursday.

Neymar has etched his name into the history books after playing a lively part in Paris Saint-Germain's dramatic 2-1 win over Atalanta in the Champions League quarter-finals. 

With his side 1-0 down heading into injury time, the former Barcelona star claimed the assist for Marquinhos' equaliser before Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting scored a late winner for Thomas Tuchel's side. 

While it wasn't a perfect performance from Neymar, who missed a golden chance to open the scoring in the first five minutes, he was clearly determined to ensure PSG finally progressed to the final four of the competition. 

Against Atalanta, the 28-year-old completed 16 dribbles, a joint-record in a single Champions League match with only Lionel Messi and Javier Zanetti also achieving such a feat. 

It initially appeared that it wasn't going to be a memorable night for PSG nor Neymar, with Atalanta opening the scoring after 27 minutes via Mario Pasalic. 

Despite Neymar's impressive work with the ball at his feet, the attacker struggled to find an end product, missing two big chances in the first 45 minutes - as many wasted chances as in his past 11 Champions League games. 

The Brazilian would remain persistent, however, creating a game-high four chances before eventually teeing up Marquinhos in the 90th minute. Neymar would then find Kylian Mbappe just minutes later inside the Atalanta box with the Frenchman doing well to pick out Choupo-Moting for a tap-in. 

PSG's 2-1 win means the Ligue 1 champions now progress to the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since the 1994-95 season when they did so under manager Luis Fernandez. 

Though Neymar certainly played his part in Wednesday night's victory, Mbappe proved a crucial addition off the bench for Tuchel's side with 56 per cent of PSG's shots coming in the 30 minutes he was on the pitch, with no player having more shots on target than the 21-year-old. 

Mbappe was under an injury cloud leading up to the quarter-final but managed to recover in time to make PSG's squad and ultimately play a decisive part in the game. 

PSG will now face either RB Leipzig or Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals on August 18 with those two sides to meet in their quarter-final on Thursday. 

Paris Saint-Germain produced a stunning late turnaround to beat Atalanta 2-1 and reach the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 1995.

Mario Pasalic's first-half strike had looked set to settle a contest in Lisbon that will be remembered for a series of first-half misses from Neymar, the worst of which came when through on goal in the third minute.

Thomas Tuchel's side dominated large spells but looked short of sharpness after playing few games in the past five months, even following Kylian Mbappe's introduction from the bench after he shook off an ankle injury.

However, Marquinhos prodded home a fortuitous equaliser in the 90th minute before Neymar and Mbappe combined to set up Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting to become the unlikely hero and break Atalanta hearts.

Keylor Navas saved from Alejandro Gomez but it was Neymar who missed the best of the early chances, combining brilliantly with Mauro Icardi only to skew a finish well wide with the goal at his mercy. 

Navas then produced two outstanding stops to keep out headers from Hans Hateboer and Mattia Caldara, although the latter had been in an offside position. 

Neymar created another opening only to fail to take advantage, but Pasalic made no mistake 27 minutes in, curling a first-time finish past Navas after the ball deflected into his path off Duvan Zapata. 

Neymar had become the only PSG player looking likely to score and yet was the reason they went into half-time behind, the Brazil star dancing his way through and rifling wide and then blazing over after an errant backpass from Hateboer. 

Berat Djmisiti flashed a shot wide following a set-piece before Tuchel turned to Mbappe with just over half an hour remaining and then threw on Julian Draxler as desperation grew. 

Mbappe drilled a shot straight at Marco Sportiello and Neymar did likewise after another mazy run, and a brilliant challenge from Jose Luis Palomino denied Mbappe from close range. 

Just as Atalanta seemed to have done enough for another famous victory, Neymar turned a deep cross into Marquinhos' path and he finished via the knee of Caldara. 

And 149 seconds later, Neymar released Mbappe into the area, the France striker drilled the ball across the box and Choupo-Moting slid in to send PSG into the last four to face RB Leipzig or Atletico Madrid.

What does it mean? Tuchel saved by magic touch of an ex-Potter  

League success was not enough to spare Maurizio Sarri the sack after Juventus were knocked out by Lyon, and Tuchel was likely facing a similar fate as the clock struck the 90th minute. 

Credit must be given to his players, who battled on until those crucial late chances came – and few would have thought it would be former Stoke City man Choupo-Moting to provide the killer touch. 

Atalanta will feel deflated, having played so well throughout the season during their first visit to Europe’s top table. 

Neymar illuminates... 

In the first half in particular, Neymar was dazzling at times. Atalanta had a set-up designed to limit his room to operate and yet he waltzed through challenges as though in a video game. 

He had 112 touches in the match, created four chances, contested 33 duels and attempted 50 passes in the Atalanta half – and played a key role in both goals. 

...and infuriates 

Those misses! 

Neymar’s wayward first-half finishing looked set to go down in infamy – the first one had Mbappe watching on in disbelief – and PSG almost paid the price. 

What's next? 

PSG go through to face either RB Leipzig or Atletico Madrid next Tuesday.

Paris Saint-Germain hero Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting has said he told himself, "We can't go home like this," before entering the game with his side trailing late against Atalanta on Wednesday.

Choupo-Moting was at the heart of a dramatic comeback in the Champions League quarter-final, with Atalanta clinging onto a 1-0 lead as the game neared its conclusion.

But after entering in the 79th minute, Choupo-Moting had a game-changing effect. First the Cameroon striker played a lofted ball behind the defence in the 90th minute which Neymar brought down and squared to Marquinhos for the equaliser. 

But three minutes later Choupo-Moting would go one better, tapping home a late winner from fellow substitute Kylian Mbappe's cross to give his side a 2-1 win at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon.

Speaking to BT Sport , Choupo-Moting said he was confident in his team despite the deficit after he entered the match for the ineffective Mauro Icardi. 

"It was a crazy game. A tough game against a tough opponent. It wasn't easy. Neymar had a great game," Choupo-Moting said.

"I thought when I was coming on, 'We can't lose, we can't go home like this'. I was confident in myself and the team.

"We had a good feeling in the team. We are enjoying good moments on and off the pitch. We won four trophies but this one is the most important.

"We believe in ourselves. Everyone knows we have top-quality individuals but we wanted to show team [work]. I'm very happy we did it today.

"It's a long time and we [have] never won the Champions League. With such a great team you have to have this ambition. We will give everything in the next game and continue to believe."

With the win, PSG reached the last four of the Champions League for the first time since 1994-95. The Ligue 1 champions had been eliminated from the competition at the quarter-final stage in three consecutive seasons.

PSG will now face the winner of Thursday's match between Atletico Madrid and RB Leipzig in the semi-final at the Estadio da Luz on Tuesday.

Paul Pogba has put fans out of their misery following his cryptic social media post on Tuesday – announcing he has signed for Verdansk FC in the war-torn fictional country of Kastovia, as part of a promotion for Call of Duty: Warzone Season 5.

Pogba made waves on Twitter on Tuesday with a teasing tweet which some thought signalled he was set to sign a new contract at Manchester United.

The midfielder later clarified that the post had nothing to do with football – though it turns out that wasn’t completely true.

Pogba has confirmed the next step in his career will see him sign for a non-existent club in a non-existent country – whose brand-new National Acropolis Arena serves as one of the game’s new locations in Season 5.

While plenty saw the funny side of Pogba’s tease, some weren’t so amused – while others pointed out the similarity to a recent stunt from Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez, whose promise of a “new club” turned out to be the creation of a youth team in his home town of Alicante.

With Verdansk apparently able to splash the cash on World Cup-winning midfielders, it remains to be seen whether any more real-world players will put pen to paper and head to Kastovia – and what sort of presence such figures will have within the game.

For now, Pogba remains their only player, though presumably a deal has been struck to allow him to complete United’s ongoing Europa League campaign.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side are recuperating after being taken to extra-time in their recent quarter-final clash with Copenhagen, with Bruno Fernandes’ penalty eventually enough to see them through.

They will face perennial Europa League winners Sevilla in their semi-final on Sunday, after the Spanish side edged past Wolves.

Should United make the final, they will have an extra day's rest ahead of the showpiece event against either Inter or Shakhtar Donetsk on August 21.

Despite the somewhat anticlimactic conclusion to Pogba’s recent posts, fans will still be holding out hopes of seeing the Frenchman commit to fresh terms.

Recent reports have suggested United are ready to reopen negotiations over a new contract once their Europa League campaign is complete.

Manchester City should forget about the teams that have been knocked out of the Champions League because every team left is capable of lifting the trophy, according to Bernardo Silva.

Holders Liverpool exited in the last-16 back in March while City beat record 13-time winners Real Madrid last week, meaning there will be a new name on the trophy for the first time since 2015.

City are aiming to lift the trophy for the first time in the club’s history and are among many people's favourites but Silva insists they cannot take any team left lightly.

“Anything can happen. Juventus were knocked out by Lyon. We have seen a lot of surprises in the competition over the last years,” he said.

“We lost against Tottenham last year in the quarter-finals. It’s very difficult to predict the games and the results in the competition.

“The fact that Liverpool are out, Real Madrid are out, it’s not going to make our path any easier. That would be a wrong thought.

“We need to go game-by-game, be very focused, knowing that every game is going to be very tough.

“All the teams in Lisbon are here because they deserve it. We need to be at our best level to win games and try to reach the final.”

Many expected Juventus to be City’s opponents in Saturday’s quarter-final clash but Lyon snatched a victory on away’s goal rule to stun the Italian champions.

City faced the French side, who finished seventh in Ligue 1, in the group stages last season and lost at the Etihad Stadium and then could only draw away.

“I know Lyon very well having played for three years in Ligue 1 where I played many times against them,” Silva added. “Also here at Manchester City we faced them last season and it wasn’t easy. We didn’t manage to beat them in either of the two games.

“That shows how difficult a team they are. Not only Lyon, but all the French teams are very physical, very strong and in just one game, it’s unpredictable.

“They knocked Juventus out of the competition and it’s not going to be an easy task for us. It’s going to be a completely different game than Real Madrid, because they both play different ways and with a different style of players.”

The end-of-season mini-tournament has given Silva the chance for a surprise return to his home city after the Covid-19 outbreak forced an extension of the season and a switch from Istanbul for the final.

Silva was back in Lisbon for his birthday on Monday, celebrating with his team-mates and telling them that the Champions League would be the perfect gift.

“For me, it's amazing to be in my city, returning back for such an important competition. I'm very happy and looking forward to the game to arrive,” he added.

“The Champions League is the only competition we still haven't won at this club. Manchester City has never won this competition, most of our players haven't won it yet, including me.

“Of course, winning this competition has always been a target for the players and the club. It will be very special to win it.

“For me, even more so because it's my city and it's an extra motivation to fight for the trophy here. It would definitely be special to win the Champions League in Lisbon.

“We play every competition to win, we try to give our best in every competition. This one is the only one we haven't won at City, there is an extra motivation to give our best and try to go as far as possible.

“It's a goal for the club, the fans, the staff, everyone. If we could do it this year, it would be a proud moment and we would include our names in the history of the club.”

Antoine Griezmann is expecting Barcelona to make it all the way to the Champions League final on August 23 and quipped he has even packed his PlayStation for his stay in Lisbon.

Barca saw off Napoli 3-1 in Saturday's last-16 second leg to advance 4-2 on aggregate and set up a meeting with much-fancied Bayern Munich at the Estadio da Luz on Friday.

Bayern have won 26 and drawn one of their last 27 competitive matches and are the favourites of many to win Europe's premier club competition but Griezmann says Barca are ready to knock the Bavarian giants out.

"I have the suitcase ready to be in Lisbon until August 23 - I have even brought the PlayStation," he told the club's official website.

"We have three games left to win the Champions League but we have the tools to achieve it.  Every team has the potential to win a single match.

"We are looking forward to it, we have worked well tactically and we are ready to play the game. 

"We know it will be difficult, but we know what we have to do to qualify for the semi-finals. It will be a very good match.

"We hope to take advantage of the quality we have. We are in a good moment and we can play a good game.

"We have to be together, up front and at the back, and try to have the ball as much as possible."

Prolific Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski either scored or assisted all seven of his side's goals in their 7-1 aggregate victory over Chelsea in the first knockout round.

Griezmann acknowledged it will be tough to stop the Poland international and is well aware of the other attacking talents in the German champions' ranks.

"Bayern are playing very well, they have a great striker, but we also have the tools to play a great game. We have to look at our strengths and try to qualify," he said.

"They're a very physical team that's used to having the ball. We have to make life difficult for them and play our game.

"Bayern are not just Lewandowski. The wingers get forward a lot, [Thomas] Muller, [Serge] Gnabry are also very good. 

"Lewandowski scores a lot of goals but the danger comes from anywhere."

Barca have disappointed domestically this season, finishing second to bitter rivals Real Madrid in LaLiga after being knocked out of the Copa del Rey at the quarter-final stage.

However, the fit-again Griezmann - who lasted 84 minutes against Napoli - is adamant his side have showed signs of progress ahead of their showdown with Bayern.

"On a personal level it was good for me to have a few days to be able to recover and play against Napoli," he said.

"In the first minutes of the Napoli game I had no rhythm but little by little I felt better. The team really wanted to play a great game, and we are on the right track."

Ritah Kivumbi and Sarah Micheal scored a goal each as Mallbackens defeated Hanna Boubezari's Lidkopings 3-0 in a Swedish Elitettan game on Wednesday.

Uganda's Kivumbi continued from where she left off in the first leg against Lidkopings, where she bagged a brace in their 5-3 win two weeks ago and was on her eighth appearance this term.

While Nigeria's Micheal was on her fifth appearance and played her part in the encounter, finding the target to ensure an away win.

Returning from a two-week break, Mallbackens aimed to extend their winning run to three games and they made a bright start to the contest when Kivumbi netted the opener after just 12 minutes.

Four minutes later, Micheal came close to extend the lead for the visitors but could not find the back of the net before she eventually managed to double the advantage four minutes after the restart.

The hosts almost pulled one back through Boubezari but the Algeria international's attempt was denied by Conny Johansson's team in the 52nd minute.

Mallbackens did not rest on their oars as they pushed for more and they secured the third through Emmie Johansson in the 65th minute.

Kivumbi, who featured for 62 minutes for the visitors, has now scored five goals in eight outings, while Micheal, who lasted for 72 minutes has now two goals in five games.

Algeria's Boubezari, played from the start to finish on her 10th appearance this season but her presence could not save Kidkopings from defeat in front of their home fans.

The result saw Mallbackens move to seventh on the log with 17 points after 10 matches, while Lidkopings remain in 12th with five points from the same number of games after the fourth defeat in a row.

Mallbackens will pay a visit to fourth-placed Jibex on August 15, while Lidkopings will face off with ninth-placed Alingsas a day later.

Neymar was tipped to shine against Atalanta in Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final but for much of the game, he had a nightmare. 

However, the Brazilian played his part in a dramatic late comeback and it was an unlikely hero, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, who sealed a 2-1 win and a place in the semi-final for PSG.

Neymar's tough evening started in the third minute when the Brazilian found himself clean through on goal, only to badly scuff his shot well wide of the target.

Neymar would squander two more golden opportunities in a first half to forget, as Mario Pasalic gave Atalanta a 1-0 lead at half-time.

There was some sympathy for Neymar's performance, with many pointing out his dribbling and running were causing problems for Atalanta — though his end product did not deliver.

PSG looked set to be crashing out but it was two second-half subs, Kylian Mbappe and Choupo-Moting, who combined with Neymar to help turn the tide.

Choupo-Moting's ball in the 90th minute found Neymar behind the Atalanta defence, and the Brazilian's cross found Marquinhos who tapped home the equaliser.

Just three minutes later, Neymar's through ball found Mbappe, who squared to Choupo-Moting to finish for the winner.

It was a dramatic turn of events and there were plenty of reactions on social media to Neymar's up-and-down night and the former Stoke forward's unlikely winner.

Chile women's national team began training this week for their Women's Olympic Games qualifying play-off game against Cameroon.

La Roja regrouped for the first time since they won the 2020 Turkish Women's Cup in March before the world went into lockdown after the global health crisis arising from the coronavirus outbreak.

The pandemic forced the indefinite postponement of the doubleheader play-off between the South Americans and Africans, which was initially fixed to be played on 9 and 15 April 2020.

After the rescheduling of the Olympic Games for next June, Fifa has confirmed new play-off dates of the matches between Chile and Cameroon to be played on February 18 and 24 respectively. 

With the set new dates, the players and officials are excited to return to the pitch for the first time in five months.

Karen Araya, one of the returning players, told the La Roja; "We are happy to return. To step on the grass again. We missed being on the field, outdoors. It is what we athletes missed the most. 

"This team is convinced of what it wants to achieve; the important thing is to run again, to feel the field and, as time goes by, we will take the level again."

Jose Letelier, the team's head coach also said: "This is a double responsibility because on the one hand there is everything that has to do with the preparation for the play-offs, which is something that of course motivates, but on the other, it is related to the circumstances that we are experiencing worldwide. 

"Therefore, we must handle both situations in a good way, respect the protocols as much as possible and hope that both the preparation and the health of the players and the coaching staff are on the right track. We hope to prepare ourselves in the best way and achieve a historic achievement for our football."

The winner will join hosts Japan, Brazil, New Zealand, Great Britain, Netherlands, Sweden, Canada, United States, Zambia and Australia for the 2020 Women's Olympic football tournament in Tokyo.

Caf Medical Committee member Dr Prince Pambo has called on the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to fast-track coronavirus testing for its three national teams who are set to regroup for upcoming international assignments.

On special permission from Ghana president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the national U17 male and women teams, as well as the women's U20 outfit, are expected to resume camp.

The three outfits ought to have begun their training programme on August 1, per their original plans.

“I will plead with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Ghana Football Association on the Covid-19 testing for the national team players," Pambo told Happy FM.

"If they go for the normal one which is for free, the handicap with that one is that the results take long to come out.

"So the Ministry and the Covid-19 team should cooperate so they do a test which will see the results come out early.

“The test should be out by 43 hours, which will help the players to begin camping. If the test results are not out the players cannot be in camp."

All contact sports, including football, are currently suspended in Ghana since the nation recorded its first cases of coronavirus in March.

The ban led to the premature termination of the 2019-20 domestic football season in June, after three months of waiting for a possible return.

Meanwhile, the GFA has organised a training workshop for technical team members of the national sides ahead of their imminent training resumption.

“As all and sundry are clamouring for the return of football, there will be the need to be in a good position to protect ourselves and that of our brothers and sisters," FA boss Kurt Edwin Simeon Okraku said at Wednesday's programme.

“Hopefully it will start with the girls and the boys will join and hopefully we will have the fully domestic league coming back to us."

Ghana are set to face off with archrivals Nigeria in a 2021 Fifa U17 Women's World Cup qualifier in October and November. The U20 women's team have a World Cup qualifying date with Guinea-Bissau in September while the male U17 fold is looking forward to the upcoming Wafu Cup.

Mohammed Salisu has joined Premier League outfit Southampton from Real Valladolid for a fee worth £10.9million (€12m).

Despite being linked with a move to Real Madrid, Manchester United and Atletico Madrid, the 21-year-old centre back joined Ralph Hasenguttl’s men on a four-year deal at St Mary’s Stadium.

In the just concluded La Liga season, Salisu featured in 32 games as the White and Violets finished 13th in the log having accrued 42 points from 38 games.

With this move, he becomes Southampton’s second signing of the season following the arrival of Kyle Walker-Peter from Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday.

He is also the fourth African in Hasenguttl’s squad after Mali's Moussa Djenepo, Gabon's Mario Lemina and Morocco's Sofiane Boufal.

“For me, it has been a dream since I was a child to play in the Premier League and I am very, very happy to be here,” an elated Salisu told club website.

“We all know it is a very tough league, but I am ready for everything to put all I can into helping the team.

“It is a very good feeling to be a Southampton player. I am very happy to be part of the club and I am looking forward to starting here.

“It’s a very good club for me to develop my skills and to learn a lot as a young player and I’m very happy to join. Southampton has a fantastic history in developing young players and I hope I do my best to add to that group.”

The Ghanaian felt moved by the response of the Premier League club’s fans to rumours of his potential move to the Saints.

“I saw it and I am very happy they are welcoming me so warmly and that they are happy with me. I am going to try my best to put happiness on their faces," he continued.

“I must thank my family for supporting me and believing in me, as well as my team from Ghana where I started, I want to thank them because they really helped me.

“The African Talent Football Academy too, because without them I would not have reached where I am today. They helped me and they brought me to Europe.”

M’baye Niang found the back of the net as Rennes registered a 3-0 win over Saint-Etienne in a pre-season friendly on Wednesday.

The Red and Blacks have been having a good run in the warm-up games, the previous ending in a 2-1 win over Brest.

This time it was Niang that got things off by opening proceedings in the 29th minute for a 1-0 first-half lead.

The scoreline remained that way until French forwards Martin Terrier and Romain del Castillo came off the bench to complete the scoring in the 83rd and 85th minutes.

The result was Rennes' fourth win in five pre-season games, the only blemish being a 1-1 draw with Lorient. Wednesday’s result was also the third time they have kept clean sheets having done so in victories over Angers and Chateauroux.

Niang was Rennes top scorer during the 2019-20 season, scoring 15 goals in all competitions which were crucial in giving the Brittany side a place in the Champions League for the first time ever.

In all games he found the back of the net in Ligue 1 ended in victory bar one that finished in a 1-1 draw with Olympique Marseille. His best scoring form came in 2-1 wins against Amiens and Nimes Olympique.

The Senegalese forward has been reportedly linked with a transfer to Marseille, however, Rennes have debunked such claims even though Niang has admitted a move to the Stade Velodrome was something he won’t turn down.

Marseille boss Andre Villas-Boas has also come out to debunk the claims that the 25-year-old is not on their radar at all.

Niang was born in the French city of Meulan-en-Yvelines and began his career at Caen before moving to AC Milan. He played 79 times for the Rossoneri between 2012 and 2018, scoring 12 goals.

He was not a regular during his time at the San Siro and spent time on loan at four clubs (Montpellier, Genoa, Watford and Torino). Niang joined Torino permanently ahead of the 2018-19 season but was shipped to Rennes on loan who made his deal permanent after he scored 11 goals in 29 Ligue 1 appearances.

Diego Simeone says Atletico Madrid's famous victory over Liverpool will count for nothing when they face RB Leipzig for a place in the Champions League semi-finals.

The Spanish side knocked out the holders with a 4-2 aggregate victory after extra-time in the last round and have been handed a favourable tie against last-eight debutants Leipzig.

However, five months have passed since the second-leg triumph at Anfield and Simeone insists that match will have little relevance on what happens in Lisbon on Thursday.

"That win is not a reference. Many months have gone and the enthusiasm died down during our time in quarantine," he said at a news conference on Wednesday.

"The Liverpool game will remain a part of our history and was very important for Atletico de Madrid, but it was very long ago and another path begins tomorrow."

Leipzig, led by impressive young coach Julian Nagelsmann, finished third in the Bundesliga this term and saw off Tottenham 4-0 in the last 16 of the Champions League.

Nagelsmann said on Tuesday he is eager to avoid a touchline confrontation with fiery Simeone but the Atleti boss chose not to directly reply to those comments.

"I do not respond to opinions of colleagues. I have nothing to comment," he said. "Tomorrow we play a very important game, against a young coach who is doing a fantastic job.

"They play very well and try to get the ball forward. They're a great team and the numbers show it. They finished third in Germany and have won the same number of games as us.

"I have a lot of respect for them and know that it winning is not just important but the only thing that there is."

Influential attacker Angel Correa and Sime Vrsaljko are not part of Atleti's squad for the one-legged tie with Leipzig after returning positive coronavirus tests.

But while Simeone is ruing the loss of those players, he has his eyes firmly set on a third final appearance in six years with Atletico.

"Angel is important to us and being without Sime, who has fought hard to be back, also hurts," he said.

"We have lost two very important men from the heart of the squad, but we hope to have them later and we have to move on. We have to adapt to the circumstances."