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The speculation that continues to suggest Lautaro Martinez is destined to leave Inter for Barcelona is “more in the media than real life”, claims the Argentine’s agent.

A move to Camp Nou for the South American forward has been mooted for some time.

Barca have made no secret of the fact that they would welcome the opportunity to add the talented 22-year-old to their ranks.

They have, however, been reluctant to meet Inter’s demands and continue to bide their time.

It is now being claimed that recruitment plans could be put on hold for another 12 months, with Lautaro only willing to consider a switch to Barca.

He is also looking for Luis Suarez to reach the end of his time at Camp Nou, freeing him to take a No.9 berth in Catalunya.

Lautaro’s agent is, however, eager to point out that there is little substance to the rumours that continue to rage.

Carlos Beto Yaque has told La Figura de la Cancha: “Lautaro’s transfer is more in the media than real life.

“Lautaro has three years on his contract with Inter and is very happy where he is.

“He’s had a very good season, still has the Europa League to play for and I hope Inter can go all the way in that competition.”

Many have urged Lautaro to push for a move to Barca, with the highly-rated frontman considered to be ready for another step up the footballing ladder.

Yaque, though, insists that he will not be nudging his client in that direction, with it his job to make sure that issues away from the field are addressed.

He added: “I’ve never needed to give him advice and I don’t need to now either.

“He’s always been a complete player and has matured over the years.”

Lautaro has taken in 46 appearances for Inter in the 2019-20 season, with 19 goals recorded.

He moved to Europe in the summer of 2018, with the Serie A giants winning the race to prise his undoubted potential away from Argentine giants Racing.

Lautaro had been catching the eye there since making a senior breakthrough in his teens, with those that worked with him from a young age never in any doubt that he was destined to reach the top.

Halimatu Ayinde provided an assist as Eskilstuna United beat Violah Nambi and Ini Umotong's Vaxjo 3-0 at Tunavallen in the Swedish Damallsvenskan contest on Saturday afternoon.

Eskilstuna's last outing saw them lose 3-1 to IK Uppsala at home and this was their second defeat on the bounce. While Vaxjo, were enjoying a three-match unbeaten run after a 1-0 score at Djurgardens.

To avoid a third defeat in a row, the hosts made an enterprising start to the encounter on Saturday with Loreta Kullashi opening proceedings in the 22nd minute. 

Eskilstuna kept up their hunger for victory over Vaxjo and were rewarded with the second through Felicia Rogic in the 33rd minute.

Six minutes from the half-time break, Ayinde advanced forward before offering a brilliant pass to Kullashi, who went on to bag her second goal of the match and guaranteed the victory for the hosts.

Despite Umotong replacing Elma Smajic after the restart, the Nigerian could not rescue her side from their first defeat in four successive matches, although she came close 11 minutes from time.

Ayinde, who featured for the duration, has now bagged two assists in nine games this season, while compatriot Ngozi Okobi was in action for 58 minutes before being replaced by Anna Oskarsson.

For Vaxjo, Nigeria's Umotong, who was making her second appearance, featured for the entire second half of the match, while Uganda's Nambi was an unused substitute.

With the result, Eskilstuna are 15th on the league table with 11 points from nine games while Vaxjo are 11th with eight points from the same number of matches.

Ayinde will hope to make more of an impact and help his side extend their winning run when they face ninth-placed Umea on August 12.

Chelsea can still turn the tables on Bayern Munich in Saturday’s Champions League clash, according to veteran Nigerian movie star Bigvai Jokotoye.

Having lost 3-0 in the first leg of their Round of 16 clash, Frank Lampard’s men face an arduous task against the Bavarians in their quest to earn a berth to the next round.

Making matters worse, the Blues are rocked by an injury crisis on the back of their 2-1 FA Cup final defeat to Arsenal.

In addition, the Stamford Bridge giants will be without Marcos Alonso who was sent off in the first leg, while Jorginho’s yellow card in the game was his third in the competition and sees him also banned – leaving the club to look up to the youngsters for inspiration.

Many fans and experts have already written off Chelsea's chances of a turnaround, nevertheless, the Nollywood star who is a staunch Blue is thinking differently.

“Chelsea can turn the table around but it's going to be a very difficult thing to do,” Jokotoye told Goal.

“In a situation like this, everyone is expected to stay positive but that seems to be difficult now that Chelsea are massive underdogs to progress.

“To make matters worse, Pedro, Christian Pulisic, Willian, N'Golo Kante, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Cesar Azpilicueta are suffering from a string of injuries.

“Despite these challenges, I strongly believe that Chelsea will cause an upset in Germany and qualify for the next phase of the championship.”

Lampard’s men took the lead against Arsenal in the final of the FA Cup final but still crumbled to Mikel Arteta’s men at Wembley through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s brace. Jokotoye is not expecting that to dampen their morale against Hans-Dieter Flick’s side, providing tips on what he would do if he was the Blues’ boss.

“Defeat is expected in football and as a team it's wrong to let that weigh you down,” he continued.

“I think Chelsea is a strong team that will not let the pain of losing the FA Cup to Arsenal affect them.

“If I were the manager in this situation of seeing my key players miss this game to injuries, I will encourage my players and let them know why we need to win this game at all cost."

Real Madrid could be open to sending Gareth Bale out on loan, claims former Blancos president Ramon Calderon, with the Welshman considered to be “wasting his time” at Santiago Bernabeu.

A move away from the Spanish capital has been mooted for some time.

Speculation has ramped up again in the current window, with Bale firmly frozen out of Real’s plans under Zinedine Zidane.

Various landing spots have been suggested, from China to America via a return to the Premier League, and Calderon believes a move will be made this summer.

He believes a short-term deal could be agreed somewhere, telling BBC Sport: "We have done that before. It wouldn't surprise me if they let him go on loan and paid part of the salary."

Bale clearly needs to do something in order to rediscover his spark, with a positive start to his time in Madrid having made way for a difficult present.

"It's very sad. It's a pity to see a player like him in the stands," Calderon added.

"I think his skill and talent has not gone, he is still a good player who could be playing at a high level in any team in the world.

"Therefore I think they will have to find a solution to end this agony for the sake of both sides.

"If he doesn't want to reduce his salary, which would be understandable, they will have to find another way to finish this situation."

Calderon believes the presence of Zidane will ultimately force Bale out of Madrid, with there little point in the 31-year-old sticking around despite claims from his agent that a contract through to 2022 will be honoured.

"The coach does not rely on him," said Calderon, who snapped up Cristiano Ronaldo during his time as Real president.

"If Zidane stays with Real, which I think is certain, then he [Bale] will have to find a new way.

"Apparently he [Zidane] got what he wanted at the end of the season. He said La Liga was the main objective. I am sure he will continue so there is no place unfortunately for Gareth Bale.

"The problem is he has two more years' contract. It's sad to see him wasting his time because he is still for sure fit and in good shape."

Former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Gert Schalkwyk says football manager Bobby Motaung should not be judged by the circulating video footage of him allegedly partying amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Schalkwyk feels Motaung's presence is needed as Amakhosi enter the decisive stage of the Premier Soccer League (PSL) title race.

The football manager was earlier this week suspended by the club for “up to and including 31 August 2020” after appearing in video footage showing him with a group of people inside a house.

The video which went viral suggests Motaung was breaking lockdown regulations and Chiefs moved in to remove him from the team’s activities as they resume their bid for a first Premier Soccer League (PSL) crown since 2015.

Given the timeline of his suspension, Chiefs will play six of their eight remaining games with their football manager “not allowed to accompany the team to any training session or scheduled matches.”

“His suspension can affect the team. Bobby is a very good guy. He knows how to talk to the players, he encourages the players,” Schalkwyk told Sowetan Live.

“I feel his absence can have a negative impact. If you [are] close to someone, when he's not there you feel hapless. To be honest, I think Bobby is needed for these remaining games.”

Revered as a hands-on manager who is always with the team, Motaung will not be available when Chiefs take on Mamelodi Sundowns in a crucial league match, as well as home and away fixtures against Bidvest Wits.

Log leaders Chiefs return to action next Wednesday against Wits and are four points ahead of second-placed Sundowns who have played a game less than the Soweto giants.

Schalkwyk feels Motaung’s presence is needed during Chiefs’ crucial stages of the campaign as he is always available to entertain players’ concerns and should not be judged by the circulating video.

“Despite those videos, they need him. That's outside life. You can't judge him by those videos. The job he's been doing is amazing," said Schalkwyk.

“If you need something, you can always go to Bobby. He's like a father or brother to Chiefs players. Any problem that you have, you are able to talk to him about it."

The knockout phase of the 2019-20 Champions League is now under way despite a three-month suspension following the Covid-19 outbreak, with the competition providing some mouthwatering ties.

Check out the below as Goal keeps you updated on the individual goal tallies for the highest-scoring Champions League players this season.

Champions League 2019-20 Top Scorers

Bayern superstar Robert Lewandowski leads the charts with 12 goals, continuing to defy expectations at 31 years of age.

Teenage wonderkid Erling Haaland was close behind on 10 strikes, scoring eight Champions League goals for RB Salzburg before his move to Borussia Dortmund in January.

The 19-year-old netted twice for Dortmund against Paris Saint-Germain in his first European outing for the Germans, making him the first player to score for two different clubs in the same Champions League season.

*Correct as of games played on Aug 8, 2020.

Who finished top in 2018-19?

Lionel Messi finished top last season for the first time since 2011-12 with 12 goals, beating Cristiano Ronaldo's three-year streak.

The Barcelona striker, despite his side being knocked out in the semi-finals at the hands of Liverpool, surpassed the likes of Lewandowski (eight goals), as well as Sergio Aguero, Ronaldo, Marega and Tadic (all on six goals each). 

Lionel Messi has been warned off a return to the “carnage” of Argentine football, with Fernando Signorini confident that the Barcelona icon will extend his contract at Camp Nou.

The six-time Ballon d’Or winner is said to have shelved talks regarding fresh terms amid concerns regarding the direction in which Barca are heading on and off the field.

A move elsewhere has been mooted for a one-club man, with Serie A giants Inter retaining long-standing interest in an all-time great.

It has also been suggested that Messi could head home at some stage in the future, with Newell’s Old Boys still holding a special place in his heart.

Signorini, though, believes that the 33-year-old will commit to new deal in Catalunya.

He also believes that Messi should be in no rush to return to his roots due to the issues which exist in South American football and the criticism he continues to attract from some compatriots.

The veteran fitness coach, who formed part of Diego Maradona’s backroom staff at the 2010 World Cup, told La Figura de la Cancha of his iconic countryman: “I believe that Leo will continue in Barcelona, I have no doubts. 

“Messi was the one who helped to put Barcelona at the top of the world, because before Leo it was a different Barcelona than it is now – and that is thanks to Leo. 

“Loving him the way I love Leo, I would not tell him to come and play in Argentina because here it is carnage and I do not forget that there are people here who continue to question him because he does not sing the anthem, accuse him of not feeling the shirt and say he is cold in the chest.”

Messi has previously stated on his desire to head back to Newell’s – the club that put him on a path to superstardom before Barcelona came calling: "I have the dream of being able to play for Newell's in Argentina, but I don't know if it's really going to happen because I have a family that is ahead of my desire.

"It's a dream I've had since I was little, but I have a family, I have three children, I live in a place that has given me everything and where I am calm and can give my children a spectacular future.

"We think much more about that than my desire of playing football in Argentina.

"I will try to convince the family, because today we have to convince the children too."

Hearts of Oak public relations officer (PRO) Kwame Opare Addo has given more insights into the club's decision to part ways with top striker Joseph Esso.

The 23-year-old, together with four others, ended his stint with the 19-time Ghana Premier League (GPL) champions on Friday.

According to a publication by the club, the quintet decided against renewing their expired contracts.

"Joseph Esso opted for only a one-year contract extension contrary to what Hearts were requesting for. His demands caused our decision to part ways with him," Addo told Sikka FM.

Esso, who starred for Ghana at last year's Wafu Cup of Nations in Senegal, joined Benjamin Agyare, Christopher Bonney, Bernard Arthur and Burkinabe striker Abubakar Troare.

"I'm grateful to Hearts of Oak for the opportunity given to me," Bonney, who joined Hearts as a free agent in 2018, has told Connect FM.

"As a player, if you spend even a single day at a club, you need to be grateful to them. I spent three years at Hearts and they paid me salaries and bonuses during that process. I can only thank and appreciate them.

"Hearts wanted to extend my contract after the 2019 NC tournament but I told them to hold on.

"I would have signed for Inter Allies if the league was in progress but now that it is halted and we don't know when play will resume, clubs are not signing."

The Phobians are putting their house in order in anticipation of the commencement of a new Ghana football season in October.

“I had a call from the management of Hearts of Oak and when I met them, they started thanking me for my service, so it was a clear indication that my service was not needed anymore," Agyare told Vision 1 FM on his situation.

“I wished to continue with Hearts but that's the end of the road for me. I feel a bit of pain because I had an accident and stayed away for a while but I still showed commitment and love when I returned.

“I want to thank all Phobians for the love and support they showed me during my time and I plead they continue, even as I'm not part of them anymore as a player. I thank the management for the opportunity they gave me at Accra Hearts of Oak.

“I have no problem with the management and all monies have been paid to me."

The centre-back joined the Phobians from Heart of Lions in 2018.

Juventus have named Andrea Pirlo as their new head coach on a two-year contract, just hours after sacking Maurizio Sarri.

Pirlo was only named the club's Under-23 head coach last month, but has secured a major promotion before even taking charge of one match with the Serie C outfit.

It will be a major challenge for the 41-year-old who has never managed before, either at youth or senior level.

"Today's choice is based on the belief that Pirlo has what it takes to lead from his debut on the bench, an expert and talented squad to pursue new successes," a statement from Juventus read.

Pirlo returns to Juve having starred for the club between 2011 and 2015. The midfielder helped lead the Bianconeri to four straight Serie A titles, as well as the final of the 2014–15 Champions League.

Internationally, Pirlo represented Italy on 116 occasions and was a member of his country's victorious 2006 World Cup team.

His playing career ended in 2017 after a three-year spell at MLS side New York City FC, after which he began preparing for a career in coaching.

Pirlo will take over a team that has won nine consecutive Serie A titles, but has continued to fall short in the Champions League.

Sarri was sacked after just one season despite winning the Scudetto at the first time of asking. Juventus were shockingly eliminated by Lyon in the Champions League last 16 on Friday, as a 2-1 victory over the Ligue 1 side was not enough to avoid an exit on away goals in a 2-2 aggregate final score. 

Following a meeting of Juve's hierarchy on Saturday, the decision was taken to swiftly replace the 61-year-old former Chelsea and Napoli manager.

Former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino, along with former Juventus managers Massimiliano Allegri and Antonio Conte were quickly linked with the job but the Bianconeri have instead opted to take a risk on Pirlo, a coaching novice.

Pirlo will have high expectations to meet, with it now established that success in Europe is the principal goal for Juventus. The club's last Champions League win came in 1995-96 and Pirlo will be expected to help end a drought that has now reached 24 years.

The signing of Cristiano Ronaldo in 2018 was expected to help end the club's wait for European glory, but the Portugal superstar has only managed to lead Juventus to a quarter-final exit at the hands of Ajax last term before this season's stunning round-of-16 elimination at the hands of Lyon.

Rangers are on a mission to stop Celtic from winning their 10th straight Premiership title as the Gers eye their 55th league crown this season, says Leon Balogun.

The 32-year-old who moved to Scotland from Wigan Athletic on a free transfer just before the start of the 2020-21 season, is upbeat about winning his first silverware in his professional career with Steven Gerrard’s side.

Celtic have dominated the Scottish top-flight since the 2011-12 campaign by securing nine league titles in a row while Rangers have finished as runners-up in the last two seasons.

Although he has not been able to witness the Ibrox Stadium atmosphere with fans due to the coronavirus restrictions, Balogun said he has been informed of the club’s expectations on social media.

“I still have to learn about (the size of Rangers) because with the fans being excluded and all the restrictions, I’ve not been able to get a full idea yet,” Balogun was quoted by BT Sport. “Over social media you get an idea but it’s not the reality.

“But I think Rangers’ ambition is pretty clear. I’ve read a hashtag – ‘Stop the 10’, something like that. And the number 55 is a big one, too.

“So that’s a pretty clear goal for this team. Obviously the club will do everything to accomplish that.”

The 32-year-old defender still feels Wigan’s relegation from the Championship was ‘an injustice’ after they were docked 12 points by the EFL for going into administration.

Balogun joined the Latics in January, on an initial loan after he struggled for first-team football in the Premier League with Brighton and Hove Albion.

“I thought about the pressure I’ll face here compared to at Wigan not too long ago,” he said.

“It’s similar I’d say, but with the size of this club and the expectation I think you will get to feel a bit more frustration than maybe you would getting relegated at a different club.

“Do I feel an injustice about what happened to Wigan? Definitely. I’m sad actually as I really enjoyed my stay at the club. The people there are nice and no one deserves what has happened. It’s such a shame.

“We had a positive goal difference, we actually achieved 59 points but then to be relegated is just tough. I just hope that the club can recover soon.”

The Nigeria international will be hoping to make his second appearance in Scotland when Rangers host St. Mirren at Ibrox Stadium on Sunday.

He was named in the Scottish Premiership Team of the Week after his dominating display in Rangers' 1-0 win over Aberdeen last Saturday.

Manchester City will be “very, very pleased” to have landed Lyon and not Cristiano Ronaldo’s Juventus in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, says Danny Mills.

The Blues booked their place in the last eight after seeing off Real Madrid.

Pep Guardiola’s side beat the Blancos 2-1 home and away to keep themselves in the hunt for European glory.

The expectation was that Juve would be next to cross their path, but Ronaldo and co suffered a shock exit on away goals at the hands of Lyon.

Maurizio Sarri has been relieved of his duties in Turin on the back of that disappointing setback for the Serie A champions.

City are now readying themselves for a meeting with Ligue 1 foes on August 15.

Mills believes Guardiola will be delighted to have avoided the Bianconeri, with his star-studded side now taking aim at a potential semi-final clash with either Bayern Munich or Barcelona.

The former Blues defender told Sky Sports: “I thought City were very, very good [against Madrid].

“The fact that they scored early on, I thought ‘that’s it, done and dusted’.

“Obviously Real Madrid came back into it. Raphael Varane certainly helped them out, but I think that was down to the sheer amount of pressure that Manchester City put on Real Madrid.

“They went for them. They went all out attack, they got the job done.

“I think they will be very, very pleased that they’ve now got Lyon in the next round.

“In a one-off game you would expect them to win that and we assume they will go on to face either Bayern Munich or Barcelona in the semi-final, which will be absolutely mouth-watering.”

Guardiola has seen City bow out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage in each of the last two seasons.

His first season at the helm saw them fall in the last 16, with European glory proving to be elusive.

Guardiola has conquered the continent on two occasions in his distinguished coaching career to date, but the most recent of those successes came way back in 2011 during his time at Barcelona.

City are determined to help their manager right those wrongs, with the Blues having also avoided a ban that threatened to prevent them from chasing down Champions League glory in the next two years.

Ruud van Nistelrooy would have “ended up breaking all the club records” at Manchester United had he not made a move to Real Madrid in 2006, says Quinton Fortune.

The prolific Dutch striker completed a switch to Old Trafford in 2001, having seen a serious injury prevent him from making a move sooner.

He was clearly fully fit when he arrived in England, with 36 goals recorded in his debut campaign.

In total, Van Nistelrooy would hit 150 in just 219 appearances for the Red Devils.

That return has him sat just outside the top 10 on the club’s all-time chart and 103 behind Wayne Rooney.

England’s top marksman set a new benchmark in 2017, but Fortune believes Van Nistelrooy would have achieved that feat much sooner had he not been allowed to leave Manchester.

The former United midfielder told the club’s Unscripted series: “Ruud was a machine. Had he stayed at United longer he’d have scored more goals and ended up breaking all the club records, I think.

“Every day in training he was relentless. He was like Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer]; every time he got an opportunity in training, he would hit the target. Boom, hits the target, makes the keeper work, always with a clean strike.

“His movement off the ball was a joke, and when you’ve got someone like that playing with [Juan Sebastian] Veron (another genius), Scholesy [Paul Scholes], Becks [David Beckham]… just make the run and you’ll get the ball. Run into the right space with the right movement and they’ll find you. Ruud knew how to do that perfectly.

“We’d win games and Ruud would be upset if he hadn’t scored. That’s how obsessed or passionate the guy was with scoring goals. It dominated his thinking.

“Whenever I got an assist for him, I was so happy because I knew how much it meant to him just to score any goal. It felt good because the guy was obsessed with scoring.

“When we won but he didn’t score, he’d be the one player who didn’t look happy in the dressing room afterwards. He wouldn’t hide it, his head would be down, but that’s how obsessed he was with scoring.”

Chelsea will have thought hard about allowing Willian to run down his contract, says Mario Melchiot, with the Blues’ philosophy when it comes to ageing stars seeing them ask: “Do we really need this player?”

The Brazil forward now appears destined to leave Stamford Bridge after seven years of loyal service.

The Blues had been hoping to agree fresh terms with the South American, but were reluctant to meet the three-year extension request of a 31-year-old performer.

Willian is now set to drop into the free agent pool, with there plenty of speculation to suggest that he will be crossing London to link up with Arsenal.

Questions have been asked of why Chelsea would allow a proven performer to slip through their net.

They have, however, already tied up a deal for Hakim Ziyech and have the likes of Christian Pulisic, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Mason Mount on their books.

With that in mind, and the club only putting two-year deals to those beyond the age of 30, Melchiot believes the Blues will not be overly concerned at losing Willian.

The former Chelsea defender told BBC Radio 5 Live: “Arsenal, in my time, were the Invincibles – they had a great side and I think they still are a good team.

“Don’t get me wrong, they always produce some talented players.

“But when you look at Chelsea, they tried to hold onto a certain key thing now where players, when they get to a certain age, they always consider ‘do we really need this player?’

“I think with Willian, they made it clear. They negotiated a deal and it didn’t come the way Willian wanted it to.

“Arsenal were listening to that and tried to pinch him right before anything could happen.”

Willian saw an untimely injury prevent him from figuring for Chelsea in their recent 2-1 defeat to Arsenal in the FA Cup final.

He appears to have taken in his last appearance for the Blues, with Frank Lampard’s side having travelled to Germany for a Champions League clash with Bayern Munich without a Brazil international forming part of their plans.

Bloemfontein Celtic coach John Maduka has credited his troops for their hard work in their 3-0 win over Baroka in the Nedbank Cup, saying the final will not be an easy affair.

Phunya Sele Sele booked a spot in the Ke Yona final on Saturday afternoon and the Malawi legend says he remembers their glory back in 2005 as a skipper when they clinched the SAA Supa8 title.

The victory over Bakgaga Ba Mphahlele means the Free State-based club will wait for the winner between Mamelodi Sundowns and Bidvest Wits who are set to meet in the second semi-final.

“In 2005 I was one of the players…in the Supa 8,” said Maduka in his post-match interview.

“Now we have another chance, to win the Nedbank Cup…it will not be easy but we are looking forward to that game.”

After facing coach Dylan Kerr’s side in an empty Orlando Stadium on Saturday afternoon, Maduka heaped praise on his players but laments their failure to convert their chances.

“I think we started well, we knew they were a team that would try and get us on the counter-attack," he added.

"So, we had to make sure we took the game to them and also make sure we were balanced at the back because we knew they would be quick on the break.

“In the first half we could have scored three or four, our decision making was not always good but we are happy to be in the final.”

Against a one-man down Baroka, Celtic found the back of the net through skipper Ndumiso Mabena and two late strikes courtesy of Sepana Letsoalo.

Meanwhile, Siwelele will now turn their focus to their Premier Soccer League (PSL) encounter against SuperSport United next weekend at Bidvest Stadium.

In addition, Maduka will also hope to lead the club to cup glory as well as finishing in the top eight as they sit ninth on the log table with 28 points from 23 league matches so far.

The clash against coach Kaitano Tembo’s troops, who share third spot with Orlando Pirates, will be followed by a thrilling encounter against log leaders, Kaizer Chiefs at Tuks Stadium in Tshwane.

Kenya international Michael Olunga continued with his scoring form in the Japanese J1 League after he found the back of the net against Yokohama F. Marinos in a 1-1 draw on Saturday.

The former Gor Mahia striker took advantage of a defensive blunder to make a solo run and fired home a powerful shot to give Resyol the lead in the 62nd minute.

However, Reysol could not hold onto the lead as Yokohama drew level in the 78th minute when Ado Oneiwu scored from close range to deny Reysol a fifth straight win in the top-flight.

Olunga’s goal was his 10th for the season and thus became the first player in the history of the league to reach the 10-goal mark in every division of the Meiji Yasuda J. League.

Olunga has now turned out to be a dependable and prolific striker for the 2019 J2 League champions in the top-flight as he has now scored in the last five matches.

The former Thika United, Tusker and Gor Mahia centre-forward failed to score in the first three matches since the J1 League restarted on July 4 but his recent fine form now sees him top the scorers’ chart with 10 goals.

Olunga’s closest Golden Boot challengers include Yu Kobayashi of Kawasaki Frontale, Musashi Suzuki of Consadole Sapporo, Marcos Junior of Yokohama Marinos, Leonardo Perreira of Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Kyogo Furuhashi of Vissel Kobe.

The towering Olunga, who scored his first J1 League hat-trick against Vegalta Sendai on July 26, has established himself as one of the clear favourites for the Golden Boot at this stage.

He was the runner-up in the second division when he managed 27 goals in a successful campaign which pushed Kashiwa Reysol back to the top tier.

In other matches played on Saturday, Shimizu Pulse beat Hokkaido Sapporo 3-1, Nagoya Campus recovered from losing to Resyol to hammer Urawa Reds 6-2, Kashima Antlers won 2-0 against Sagan Tobu, Kawabaki Frontale won 2-0 against Oita Trinita, Gamba Osaka picked up maximum points against Yokohama FC after a 2-1 win and Vissel Kobe lost 1-2 against Vegalta Sendai.

Olunga’s next match will be a J. League Cup against Oita Trinita on Wednesday before they resume league action with a clash against Cerezo Osaka on Saturday.

David Silva showed himself to be a “magician” within days of arriving at Manchester City, says Shaun Wright-Phillips, with the World Cup winner quickly silencing those who questioned whether he was cut out for life in the Premier League.

The diminutive playmaker was snapped up from Valencia in the summer of 2010.

His undoubted ability convinced City that he was worth investing in, but concerns were raised regarding his suitability to the physicality of English football.

Silva set about easing those fears from the moment he linked up with the Blues and has gone on to spend 10 memorable years at the Etihad Stadium.

He is about to take on a new challenge, with a drop into the free agent pool set to be made once his contract expires on the back of one final Champions League quest.

A move to Serie A giants Lazio appears to be in the offing, with Silva still having plenty of football left in him at 34 years of age.

Wright-Phillips expects the former Spain international to thrive wherever he ends up, with his remarkable exploits at City having shown that he is capable of clearing any obstacles put in his path.

The former Blues winger told BBC Radio 5 Live of his experience alongside Silva: “Me and Joleon [Lescott], we spoke about something when he first came.

“We saw his frame, he was quite slight and nimble, he didn’t carry too much weight. One of the conversations we had was: ‘Do you reckon he’ll be able to handle the physical side of the game?’ Because coming from Spain, he’s not going to get all of those fouls that he used to get at that time.

“After one or two training sessions, me and Joleon just looked at each other and just said: ‘He’s got no problem, he’s like a magician!’

“What’s amazed us more is that he’s stayed at that level for 10 years, playing the same thing, goals and assists all year round.

“I think he’s had a tremendous career and I hope he goes to the next club and does the exact same thing – just not against City!”

Silva has taken in 435 appearances for City, recording 77 goals and 140 assists.

He has collected four Premier League titles, two FA Cups and five League Cups and is hoping to sign off with a first Champions League crown – with Pep Guardiola’s side having seen off Real Madrid to make their way into the quarter-finals of that competition.

Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly is anticipating the Champions League Round of 16 second leg tie with Barcelona at the Camp Nou, exclaiming he dreamt of duels with Argentine superstar Lionel Messi.

The Senegalese centre-back was absent from the first leg at the San Paolo because of a hamstring injury. The match was played behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic and ended in a 1-1 draw.

Ahead of the return leg in the Catalan capital, Koulibaly is very well aware that collective responsibility will be key if they are to dispose of the former European champions.

"I also dreamed of the duel with Messi, however, we have to think as a team,” Koulibaly told Sky Sports Italia as reported by Corriere del Mezzogiorno.

“Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba have also recovered. I will give 400% to win this match and give joy to the fans.”

Napoli finished the Serie A season in seventh spot but do have a place in the Europa League guaranteed after beating league champions Juventus via penalties in the Coppa Italia final.

Prior to a league match against Sassuolo, which Napoli won 2-0, Koulibaly also emphasised the need for a strong mentality in dealing with Quique Setien’s side.

“Now we have three more games that must be played to the maximum strength in order to be ready for the Champions League challenge,” the 29-year-old told Radio Kiss Kiss.

“We must grow and above all improve our mentality. We are not afraid and we will try to face Barcelona on equal terms to play for qualification until the end.”

Koulibaly as always, remains one of the most talked-about players in the transfer market and the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool and also Barcelona have been rumoured to have the former Genk man on their wishlist.

However, no offer has been made for the player according to sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli.

“At this moment, we haven’t received any offers,” Giuntoli told DAZN.

“Koulibaly had important offers in the past and a great deal of interest, but we are in no rush to make decisions.

“We consider our players important and will discuss the situation with them.”

Sergio Ramos says Real Madrid have been left with a "bitter aftertaste" after elimination from the Champions League brought their "extremely strange" season to an end.

The Madrid captain watched from the stands due to suspension as his side lost 2-1 to Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Friday, with Pep Guardiola's men advancing to the quarter-finals 4-2 on aggregate.

Madrid won the revamped Supercopa de Espana in January and claimed the La Liga title after going 11 matches unbeaten when the competition restarted following the coronavirus-enforced break.

Ramos is proud of those triumphs but accepts being knocked out at the last-16 stage in Europe is not good enough for a club of their stature.

"An extremely strange season is over and the taste is bittersweet," he wrote on Twitter.

"This year has been very hard on everyone. But we are Real Madrid and we were set to win everything. Credit must be given to winning the Liga under such exceptional circumstances and the Spanish Supercup.

"However, being eleminated [sic] from the Champions League leaves us with a bitter aftertaste: we wanted more. Now it is time to rest to come back and fight for the next season. This badge and this history always deserve it all. In victory, in defeat, always: HALA MADRID.

"Thank you for your unconditional support, even in the distance."

With Ramos absent on Friday, Madrid defender Raphael Varane made two uncharacteristic mistakes that led directly to goals for Man City.

After the match, Varane took full responsibility for his side's loss, saying: "This defeat is mine, I have to accept it.

"I am responsible for this defeat. We had prepared well but you pay for your mistakes. I am sad for my team-mates." 

The France international was backed up by his manager Zinedine Zidane as well as several team-mates including Rodrygo, who picked up an assist in the match on Friday.

"It's something that happens sometimes," the Brazilian said after the game. "It's a pity, but he's a great player and I don't think this is going to stain the legacy he has at Real Madrid."

The next La Liga season is due to start on September 12.