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Real Madrid will attempt to overturn a narrow deficit when they face Manchester City in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie, but they must do so without some of their best players.

Gareth Bale will play no part in the match after being left out of the 24-man squad and Zinedine Zidane explained that the Wales international did not wish to play at the Etihad Stadium.

"I will explain because many things are said," the frustrated Real Madrid boss told reporters in a news conference ahead of the second leg.

"We have a relationship of respect between player and coach, that is clear. The only thing I can say is that he has decided not to play, and the rest is between him and me."

Bale's future has been a consistent source of speculation in recent months, but, though the signs suggest an imminent exit, his agent insists that the winger is content to stay in the Spanish capital.

Sergio Ramos  is also set to miss the crucial game against Pep Guardiola's side on Friday because he was shown a red card in the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu back in February, when Madrid lost 2-1.

Referee Daniele Orsato brandished a straight red card in the closing stages of the game when he deemed that Ramos committed a foul on Gabriel Jesus as the Brazilian striker raced through on goal.

Having capitalised on Casemiro's weak pass to Raphael Varane, Jesus found himself bearing down on Thibaut Courtois, but hit the deck after Ramos touched his shoulder just outside the 18-yard box.

The centre-back was subsequently sent off,  equalling a Champions League record in the process as he joined Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edgar Davids on ill-discipline row with four red cards in the competition.

It was a controversial decision given the nature of the foul, with former Man City goalkeeper Joe Hart expressing reservations about Jesus' conduct.

“I honestly don’t think that’s a foul or red card,” Hart told  BT Sport after the game. “Jesus waits for him to touch his shoulder. Worst case scenario for Jesus is a yellow card [for diving].

“Best case is he's got Real Madrid’s captain, leader, legend out of the second leg.”

Ramos' foul did prevent City from scoring a third away goal, meaning that the second leg remains delicately poised ahead of the meeting in England.

However, the trade-off - with the Spain international missing the game - is not necessarily worth it according to former Real Madrid boss Fabio Capello, who believes Ramos' absence will be pivotal.

“The problem when you play City is how well can you defend against them?" Capello told Laureus in the lead-up to the second leg.

“So I think, for me, I prefer Man City, because without Sergio Ramos, when you have to defend against City going forward, it will be difficult for Real.”

While Ramos will not feature in the game, he was named in the 24-man squad and travelled to Manchester in order to lend moral support to his team-mates. 

Another notable absentee for Real Madrid is James Rodriguez, while striker Mariano Diaz has been left out of the Madrid squad as a health precaution after testing positive for Covid-19 at the end of July.

There are some concerns over the fitness of Marcelo and Eden Hazard, but both players could feature after being named in Madrid's travelling party.

The main Man City absentee is Sergio Aguero, who suffered a knee injury in a game against Burnley in June. Pep Guardiola revealed that the Argentine is "getting better", but he will not play a part against Madrid.

Benjamin Mendy will also miss the game against Real through suspension after picking up three yellow cards.

Al-Nassr winger and Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa has announced the birth of a baby boy to his family.

The forward remarried in May 2017, to Juliet Ejue, after divorcing his ex-wife Jamila over "irreconcilable differences"

This is the second child between Musa and Juliet after welcoming their first in February 2018, although the 27-year-old winger has two children with his former wife.

The ex-Leicester City forward took to social media to herald the good news while also thanking God for the safe delivery of his child.

“Life is indeed a gift and Allah has decided to give us a gift that can't be bought with money,” Musa posted on Instagram.

“He decided to bless my family this morning with a bouncing baby boy. Mother and baby are doing well. Thank you for all your prayers and support always.”

Musa has been with Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr since the summer of 2018 when he left Premier League club Leicester City.

The Nigeria international started his career at GBS Football Academy and played for JUTH and Kano Pillars in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) before leaving for Europe in 2010.

The winger teamed up with Dutch side VVV-Venlo and made 37 appearances for the club before he signed for Russian Premier League side CSKA Moscow in 2012.

Musa’s incredible pace and goalscoring prowess marked him out at CSKA, where he bagged 42 goals in 125 league appearances, amid other dazzling displays.

His performances earned him a move to Leicester for a club-record fee of £16.6 million in 2016 but struggled to impress at the club.

Musa featured only in 21 Premier League games before his permanent departure from the King Power Stadium outfit in 2018.

The forward has 15 goals in 91 appearances for the Nigeria national team and his exploits at the 2014 and 2018 World Cup tournaments have continued to endure him to the Super Eagles fans.

Musa captained the West Africans to a third-place finish at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

Bidvest Wits head coach Gavin Hunt has provided an update regarding his goalkeeping department.

The Clever Boys are set to take on Mamelodi Sundowns in a highly-anticipated Nedbank Cup semi-final match on Saturday when the 2019/20 domestic season resumes.

The current campaign was halted in March due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the season will now be completed in a Biologically Safe Environment (BSE) in Gauteng.

Hunt explained that his two first-choice goalkeepers, Ricardo Goss and Brandon Peterson, are both unavailable for selection ahead of the match at Orlando Stadium.

“Goss is out because he’s still got the five-game suspension. Brandon is out as well‚” Hunt told the media.

Former South Africa under-23 international Goss will serve a five-match suspension for assaulting a match referee Masixole Bambiso in a 2-0 away league defeat to Cape Town City in January.

While Peterson is set to miss the cup match against the reigning PSL champions due to an injury which means Brighton Mhlongo will start in goal for the Clever Boys. 

“Brighton has to play. We have also brought our Multichoice Diski Challenge [reserve team] goalkeeper up‚ who I haven’t seen much of," Hunt added. 

Wits' third-choice keeper Mhlongo will get an opportunity to impress having made only one appearance in the league this season.

The former Orlando Pirates shot-stopper will compete with South Africa under-20 keeper Prince Cuwen, who was recently promoted from the Wits reserve team.

Lastly, Hunt also disclosed that they have registered a member of his technical team, Tryon Damons, the Wits goalkeeper coach. 

“Yes, he is registered and may have to do a job for us,” the four-time PSL title-winning coach said.

Damons, 42, is a former Moroka Swallows, Bloemfontein Celtic and Dynamos FC shot-stopper and he retired from professional football in 2013 following a spell with the Clever Boys.

This is not the first time that a member of the Wits technical team has been forced to come out of retirement and be registered.

In 2013, legendary Bafana Bafana shot-stopper Andre Arendse came out of retirement with four Wits goalkeepers all injured.

Arendse, who was 45 at the time, made two league appearances, against AmaZulu FC and University of Pretoria before retiring again. 

Frank Lampard has “lost trust” in Kepa Arrizabalaga, says Frank Sinclair, with Chelsea being urged to address that issue by launching a raid on Atletico Madrid for Jan Oblak.

The Blues are expected to explore the option of bringing in a new goalkeeper this summer.

They already have the most expensive shot-stopper in world football on their books, but £71 million ($93m) man Kepa has struggled to convince across his two seasons in English football.

That has led to him falling out of favour and Lampard casting an eye over potential alternatives.

Chelsea have been linked with a number of keepers in the current window, from Andre Onana to Dean Henderson via Nick Pope and Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Sinclair feels Oblak should be made the top target at Stamford Bridge, with a man widely regarded as the finest keeper on the planet considered to be capable of sparking a title challenge at Stamford Bridge.

“It's not a secret that Frank lost this trust in Kepa,” former Blues defender Sinclair told Gentingbet. “In previous games he's made some vital mistakes.

“However, you have to remember that he’s a really young goalkeeper, the £71m price tag shadows the fact that he's a young goalkeeper, fairly inexperienced in playing senior football and the standards are set very high for him.

“At the same time, if you get the opportunity to bring in Jan Oblak then I think if you want to compete with Liverpool and Manchester City, Chelsea need a goalkeeper of the same standard and certainly Jan Oblak would produce that.”

While looking to address issues between the sticks, Chelsea are also in the market for reinforcements across their back four.

Leicester left-back Ben Chilwell figures prominently on Lampard’s wish list, but Sinclair says the Blues should avoid paying “over the odds” for a player who is far from being the only option available to them.

He added: “Ben Chilwell is still a tough nut to crack.

“When you hear the way that Brendan Rodgers talks about Ben Chilwell, so strongly and how much [he is] a part of Leicester City going forward, I guess it would be a difficult one and he's always going to be a very, very overpriced signing.

“For me, there's a lot of world-class full-backs out there and Frank has to get the right one for Chelsea Football Club.

“Obviously Ben Chilwell is a top player and England international, but I don't think Chelsea should pay over the odds for him.”

Wilfred Ndidi has rated Kelechi Iheanacho as Leicester City's best penalty taker ahead of Jamie Vardy, James Maddison, Ayoze Perez and Demarai Gray.

England international Vardy, who won the 2019-20 Premier League Golden Boot award, is the Foxes’ designated penalty taker.

Iheanacho last got an opportunity to convert from the spot during Leicester’s League Cup tie against Wolverhampton Wanders in September 2018.  

After both sides failed to find the back of the net in regulation time, the game proceeded into penalties and the 23-year-old swiftly converted his effort to help his side advance to the next stage of the competition.

Ndidi, who has been at King Power Stadium since January 2017 when he arrived from Belgian club Genk, feels his Nigeria international teammate cannot be rivalled from the spot.

"Kelechi’s never missed a penalty. I’ve never seen him miss a penalty,” Ndidi told Leicester Mercury.

Leicester full-back Christian Fuchs also backed the midfielder, saying: "He’s unbelievable. The best penalty taker I’ve seen.”

Perez, who joined the Foxes last summer from Newcastle United, however, doubted the claims, given Iheanacho is not a regular penalty taker for the club.

 “When is he even taking penalties?" Perez said and Ndidi replied, saying "You’ve not seen him? He never misses.”

Iheanacho has scored nine goals in 71 Premier League appearances since he joined the Foxes from Manchester City in the summer of 2017.

In the 2019-20 season, the Super Eagles striker scored 10 goals and provided four assists in 26 appearances across all competitions 

His effort helped Brendan Rodgers’ side secure a place in next season’s Europa League after finishing fifth on the Premier League table.

While Ndidi has 36 caps for Nigeria national team, Iheanacho has eight goals in 25 appearances and both are key components of Gernot Rohr’s team.

Manchester United should be looking to “go and get Mario Mandzukic on a free”, says Owen Hargreaves, with the Red Devils still in the market for another goalscorer.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer saw his attacking unit click towards the end of the 2019-20 Premier League season, with Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood all posting personal bests.

That exciting trio have earned plenty of plaudits, with obvious comparisons being made to Liverpool’s title-winning trident of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino.

Odion Ighalo also comes into the mix at Old Trafford, with the Nigerian frontman having seen his loan deal extended through to January 2021.

The general consensus, however, is that United will look to further bolster their options during the summer transfer window.

Solskjaer has been urged by many to launch a big-money raid for Tottenham striker Harry Kane, but Hargreaves feels experienced Croatian Mandzukic could be a shrewd cut-price addition.

He told BT Sport of a player who severed ties with Qatari outfit Al-Duhail in July: "Maybe you go and get Mario Mandzukic on a free, a different type of centre-forward.

"Defensively they're one of the better teams in the Premier League but in terms of goalscoring they were well behind Liverpool and Man City.

"So you could do with a 20-goal goalscorer but I think I'd take Jadon [Sancho] first and then maybe get Mandzukic on a free."

United have spent several months exploring the option of luring England international winger Sancho away from Borussia Dortmund.

No deal has been done as yet, as the Red Devils see their patience tested, but Hargreaves hopes an agreement can be reached that benefits all parties.

The former United midfielder added on a 20-year-old forward: "He's an attacker, he can play off the right, he normally plays off the right and United desperately need someone to play off the right-hand side.

"Mason Greenwood's done magnificent. But look at [Sancho's] numbers, 17 goals, 16 assists. Those numbers are outrageous at this level for his young age.

"He can play off the right-hand side, he can play in the hole, he can play off the left, and at times he even plays through the middle.

"He gives them goals and assists, I think the other guys do but I think Jadon just gives you something really, really special.

"He's one of the best dribblers of the ball, he's creative, he plays off the cuff, he's almost unplayable one v one.

"I'm all for it, I think he's just what they need really.

"This is money well invested, I think he's going to make a huge difference, fans will love him, gets them off their seats. I'm looking forward to seeing him in a red shirt."

David Mapigano has penned an emotional message to Gor Mahia after the goalkeeper left the Kenyan champions for Azam FC.

The Tanzanian custodian announced he had left K’Ogalo on Thursday and was later on the same day unveiled by the ambitious Azam, ahead of the new Mainland Premier League season, which will kick off on September 6.

Mapigano became the fifth signing by the ‘Ice Cream Makers’, who narrowly missed out on a second-place finish in the 2019/20 season.

On signing for the club, Mapigano took his time to remember the good and bad days he encountered while playing for Gor Mahia, and moved to wish the team the best of luck in the coming season.

“I honestly want to take this opportunity to thank players, fans, and officials of Gor Mahia for the great time we spent together during my playing time for the great club,” Mapigano told Goal.

“The kind of love the team showed to me when I signed for them was second to none and my stay in the country – Kenya – was good, I will miss all of them, I wish I could be able to stay for another season but now I have got another challenge to take up.

“I will miss the great family but I have to move on now.”

The goalkeeper, who also played for Njombe FC and Singida United before moving to Kenya, had a good season with Gor Mahia, where he played in 15 games and managed to keep nine clean sheets.

Mapigano also recorded a goal against Bandari when his long-range strike found the back of the net as Gor Mahia won 3-0.

The former Singida United goalkeeper will battle for first-team chances with Mwadini Ally, who was a second choice goalkeeper, and Benedict Haule, who was coach Aristica Cioaba’s preferred number choice between the sticks.

Mapigano was signed by Gor Mahia at the beginning of the 2019/20 season which the club underwent financial challenges. He had been acquired alongside his compatriot Dickson Ambundo, who has also left the club.

The Tanzanian goalkeeper had made it clear he would not return to K’Ogalo if his monthly wages were not paid in full.

Mapigano becomes the fifth signing for Azam after Awesu Awesu, Ally Niyonzima, Ayoub Lyanga, and Ismail Aziz Kada.

Indian football is very much aware of coach Khalid Jamil who took the entire fraternity by storm in 2017 when he guided underdogs Aizawl FC to a miraculous I-League win.

But not many speak about player Khalid Jamil as his playing career was short-lived due to multiple injuries. Jamil had represented the Indian national team, making his international debut in 1997.

He was a part of the victorious Indian squad in the SAFF Championship 1997 under coach Syed Nayemuddin. However, his all-time favourite coach is Sukhwinder Singh.

He said, “I made my senior national team debut in 1997 at the SAFF Cup which was held in Nepal. Our coach was Syed Nayemuddin. After that, I played under coach Sukhwinder Singh.

“The last time I played for India was during the 2002 World Cup qualifiers. Sukhwinder Singh was the best coach I have ever played under. I enjoyed the most playing under him. I played seven matches during the World Cup qualifiers against teams like UAE. There were several star players like IM Vijayan, Bhaichung Bhutia. I am thankful to Sukhwinder Singh that he had picked me in that team.”

Jamil also shared a very interesting anecdote about meeting legendary French footballer Michel Platini. The meeting happened while he was still living in Kuwait, his birthplace.

“There was a club in the area where I used to live. The Kuwait national team used to train in the club’s facility. In 1989 the French national team had come to play a friendly match against Kuwait. Michel Platini was the head of the French team at that time. I used to train with the U-14 team of the club and had attended some coaching camps. I had watched both France and Kuwaiti national sides train and was also the ball boy in the friendly match between the two countries. It was a memorable experience for me,” Jamil told Goal.

Other than former JCT and Indian national team coach Sukhwinder Singh, whom he adores, Jamil also looks up to two other managers who have had an impact in his coaching career according to the man himself.

“During my second stint at Mahindra United, we had won the Indian Super Cup, Mumbai league and stood third in the National Football League (NFL) in 2003-04 season under British coach David Booth. Club wise that period was the best time of my career. I learned discipline from Booth. Later at Mumbai FC during the 2008-09 season when Booth was in charge of the club, he had asked me to be his assistant manager at the club. That is how I was introduced to coaching.”

The interim NorthEast United coach also showed gratitude to former India coach Wim Koevermans under whom Jamil had also completed his AFC Pro License.

“From Wim Koevermans, I learned how to handle and work with players professionally. I did my AFC Pro License under Wim and it was a great learning experience for me as a coach,” said the I-League winning coach.

Bidvest Wits coach Gavin Hunt has revealed he hasn't focused more on motivating his squad in the remaining matches of the season. 

In an online press conference ahead of Saturday's Nedbank Cup semi-final clash with Mamelodi Sundowns, Hunt said he told players who already have their futures secured for the upcoming campaign to help put those who haven't received offers in the map. 

Hunt admitted this includes him after Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivandila (TTM) confirmed that they will not be keeping him due to his high salary package at Wits.   

"There are players... six or seven of them who've got contracts already going forward. The other 20 of us or 25 of us who've got nothing," said Hunt. 

"So, we've got a lot to prove and I said to the players, 'these ones who've got contracts maybe they can help the ones that they haven't got' - get clubs and put the other players in the shopping window a little more. That's important."

The 56-year-old mentor further stated he doesn't plan to take a break from coaching while in search of a new club, adding that he still enjoys going to training every day. 

Nonetheless, he's confident something will come up in the near future. 

"Everybody tells me to wait and sit around... I need to get working again. So, really on my mind now, is Saturday's game and the games going forward but hopefully, something will come up and we can go from there," he concluded.

Hunt has been heavily linked with a possible move to Kaizer Chiefs but he previously distanced himself to those media reports, more so because the Soweto giants still have a coach in Ernst Middendorp. 

Amakhosi, through Bobby Motaung, also dismissed the rumours, saying Middendorp had a year left on his contract and that his future had not been discussed at any level by the club.   

In recent weeks, Cape Town City were also reported to be keeping a close eye on Hunt but like Chiefs, they also have a coach in Jan Olde Riekerink who came in early in the season following the departure of Benni McCarthy.    

There have been many 'firsts' in the illustrated history of Mohammedan Sporting, the club which used to share the same pedestal with East Bengal and Mohun Bagan in the Kolkata Maidan until the last decade. 

Mohammedan created history when they became the first Indian club to win the Calcutta Football League (CFL) in 1934. After winning the maiden title, they went on to lift the trophy for the next four successive seasons, a record which stood for more than 40 years until broken by East Bengal in 1975. They also became the first Indian club to win the Durand Cup in 1940. After independence, they continued to be the pioneers as they became the first Indian club to win on foreign soil by lifting the Aga Khan Gold Cup in 1960 in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

But their fortunes went downhill since the 1990s and after a hiatus of almost 30 years, they once again won a silverware of significance in 2013-14 when they lifted the Durand Cup and the IFA Shield. But in the very next season, they finished last in I-League and were relegated to the 2nd Division. 

They had a glimmer of hope in the previous season, before the Coronavirus pandemic played spoil sport, as the Black Panthers were in a good vein of form. They were on top of Group B of the I-League 2nd division with 12 points from six matches and looked primed to qualify for the final round. 

Meanwhile, there has also been a change of guard at the club with veteran administrator Mohammed Qamaruddin making way for 33-year-old Wasim Akram as the new General Secretary. Along with him, former striker Dipendu Biswas was elected as the new football secretary. The new office-bearers had only one goal in mind from day one which was to qualify for I-League. 

In spite of losing almost 70 lakh rupees in the previous season for a failed cause, the officials are once again pumping in money to lure quality footballers who can help them take the leap into I-League. They have released Musa Mudda and John Chidi and have roped in Willis Plaza and Eze Kingsley for the upcoming final round of the Second Division.

"It is a huge thing to have layers like Willis Plaza and Eze Kingsley in a 2nd Division I-League team. Moreover, we have good domestic players as well in Shouvik Ghosh, Tirthankar Sarkar and a couple of more names will be announced in the coming days. We are building this team so that we can qualify for the I-League and do well in I-League," stated the newly coronated secretary Wasim Akram to Goal. 

Mohammedan had appealed to IFA {Indian Football Association) to convince AIFF (All India Football Federation) so that the tournament can be held in West Bengal. Now with the state government's green signal, Kalyani seems to be the likely venue for the competition. 

"We just want the I-League 2nd Division to be held in Bengal. We have no problems with Kalyani. In fact, after the Salt Lake Stadium, that is the best ground we have in the state. We had played in that ground in the previous season. Even East Bengal & Mohun Bagan also played I-League there. It is a very good ground."

Akram informed that although the club had held talks with Sk Faiaz and Arijit Bagui, the deal has fallen through and new players will be unveiled as replacements. An Asian player will also be signed in the next couple of weeks who will complete the overseas contingent. He is confident that Mohammedan will have the firepower that will propel them to I-League this time around.

"Mohammedan Sporting have the strongest team on paper. We should qualify. This is not over-confidence or being arrogant, but I really think that we are the strongest team. We have put in a lot of effort behind building this team and we are positive. The two foreigners that we have recruited are still in India. We are still searching for the Asian player. If it was not for the pandemic, we would have sealed the deal with a prominent player long back."

The Black-and-Whites are keeping no stone unturned as their bid to reach the I-League. They have roped in former Minerva Punjab coach Yan Law as their tactician and now it remains to be seen whether they can return to the I-League after seven years. 

The Champions League returns this weekend, with some of Europe’s biggest sides in action in the second leg of the outstanding Round of 16 qualifiers.

While Atletico Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Atalanta and RasenBallsport Leipzig have all booked their places in the quarter-finals, the other half of the draw is wide open, with some of the continent’s giants battling for spots in the final eight.

Five former winners are in action this weekend, with Juventus and Real Madrid in action against Olympique Lyonnais and Manchester City respectively on Friday evening.

Domestic champions Juve and Real may have conquered the Italian and Spanish top-flights this season, but they’re up against it in Europe after falling to first-leg defeats.

Real were beaten 2-1 at home by City back in February, with goals from Gabriel Jesus and Kevin De Bruyne cancelling out Isco’s opener.

Real now need victory at the Etihad Stadium on Friday, a testing prospect considering City’s strong return to action following the restart.

They’ll be well-rested after missing out on the FA Cup final and therefore getting two weeks ‘off’, although Zinedine Zidane may well take encouragement from the way Arsenal neutralised City in their FA Cup semi-final.

Pep Guardiola would have been expecting great things from his side against the Gunners, but Mikel Arteta’s young side neutralised their opponents effectively, hit City on the break, and denied them another piece of silverware this term.

Can Real follow a similar template in Manchester on Friday?

Unless they can take the game to their opponents—and particularly keep De Bruyne quiet. City could be in for a famous continental night as they seek a first European crown.

Also on Friday, Juventus host Lyon also looking to turn around a first-leg deficit, having been defeated 1-0 in France in February.

Unlike Real, Juve’s prospects aren’t too bleak.

They’ll enjoy home advantage, and having just ended the Italian top-flight this weekend—by contrast to OL who have played just one competitive match since the restart—they ought to be better prepared for the physical and mental demands of the contest.

Nonetheless, Lyon gave a good account of themselves in their French League Cup final defeat by Paris Saint-Germain at the weekend—only losing on penalties—and if they can summon some of that same resilience and discipline at the weekend, they could sneak into the next round.

SuperSport Fixtures

Friday 7 August – Juventus vs Lyon (UEFA Champions League)

Friday 7 August – Manchester City vs Real Madrid (UEFA Champions League)

Saturday 8 August – Baroka vs Bloem Celtic (Nedbank Cup)

Saturday 8 August – Sundowns vs Wits (Nedbank Cup)

Saturday 8 August – Barcelona vs Napoli (UEFA Champions League)

Saturday 8 August – Bayern Munich vs Chelsea (UEFA Champions League)

On Saturday, SuperSport viewers will be treated to two more heavyweight bouts, as Barcelona take on Napoli and Bayern Munich meet Chelsea in two Round of 16 clashes.

Chelsea are rank outsiders, having been defeated 3-0 at home against Bayern in Feb.

Frank Lampard’s side may have been narrowly defeated by Arsenal in the FA Cup final, but the Bavarians—themselves German champions—will be a different prospect altogether, and will expect to inflict more woe on the Blues at the Allianz Arena.

If Chelsea are to progress, they have to start strongly, be bold in their attacking play, and, critically, tighten up dramatically at the back.

Defensively, they struggled to keep Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at bay on Saturday and could struggle against the likes of Robert Lewandowski and Serge Gnabry.

Finally, Napoli’s meeting with Barcelona is well poised after a 1-1 draw in the first match.

Neither of these two have had particularly encouraging campaigns; for the Partenopei, it’s been a season of transition, and they’ve struggled to compete with Serie A’s top sides, while Barcelona struggled to convince in La Liga and ultimately ceded the initiative in the title race.

Under-pressure coach Quique Setien has a point to prove after missing out on the Spanish title, and the local papers have been debating whether the coach will plump for a back three or a back four as he looks to progress.

While it remains to be seen if Antoine Greizmann will start, Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi will be the key men as Barca look to take down the Partenopei.

After a long and frustrating wait, full of intriguing subplots, South African football finally returns this weekend with the Nedbank Cup semi-finals.

On Saturday, Mamelodi Sundowns take on Bidvest Wits, while Baroka are in action against Bloemfontein Celtic.

Lockdown has meant more turmoil for Wits than the rest of South Africa’s football establishment, with the Clever Boys’ top-flight league status having been acquired by GladAfrica Championship side Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila.

Gavin Hunt and his charges have vowed to bow out on a high as they chase cup glory, and Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane has acknowledged that he is wary about the weekend’s showdown.

“We have a big game against Wits of course and if you listen to their statements‚ they’re saying that they want to go out in style‚” Mosimane told local journalists.

“Obviously there are a lot of incentives for the [Wits] players and the coaches [to win the cup]‚ so that’s why they’ve prioritised the Nedbank Cup.

“[In the media] they have only spoken about the Cup‚ so that gives me an indication that the league is not the priority to them,” he added. “I’m not talking on their behalf‚ but I’m talking about what they’ve said.

“They want to win it and I know the character of the coach [Hunt] and the character of the team. So I know how difficult it will be and this is how I’m preparing my team.”

Mosimane proceeded to describe Wits as a ‘wounded lion’, but will the lion roar in Saturday’s meeting, or will this be another nail in the coffin of one of South Africa's biggest clubs?

In the other semi-final, Baroka and Celtic meet at the Orlando Stadium, with both sides eyeing the prospect of competing in the Caf Confederation Cup—assuming Downs reach the final and finish in the top two in the league—if they win this one.

Dylan Kerr, in particular, is excited about the prospect of taking Baroka into continental football.

“This is the best cup competition in African football,” the ex-Gor Mahia coach began. “If we make the final, I think we will be guaranteed a place in the Caf Confederation Cup, if Sundowns make the final too.

“It will set the tempo of the next six [league] games. Baroka have been to two semi-finals before and lost, but hopefully, we can make it third time lucky. This could be a once in a lifetime opportunity for some players.

“The chairman might give a financial incentive to them, but that shouldn’t be what they are looking for,” Kerr concluded. “Something like 80 percent of my players might never make a cup final again. So this is a huge opportunity.”

There may be some rustiness, as South Africa’s teams return to action following the five-month delay, but with so much on the line, expect these contests to be ferociously contested.

Usain Bolt believes he didn't get a fair chance when he attempted to become a footballer in Australia. 

The Jamaican superstar trialed with A-League club Central Coast Mariners in mid-2018 as he chased a career kicking the round ball after retiring from athletics. 

Despite scoring twice in a friendly match, Bolt failed to earn a professional contract with the club and would later fail to agree terms with Maltese side Valletta. 

While now enjoying life away from sport after recently becoming a dad, the world's fastest man has claimed his attempt to become a footballer wasn't as smooth as it should have been. 

"I think I didn't get a fair chance," Bolt told Wide World of Sports. "I didn't do it how I wanted to do it, but it's something I think I would've been good at.

"But it's just one of those things you miss out on and just have to move on.

"I do think about it sometimes that it didn't work out the way that I wanted it to, because football is something that I love.

"The fact that it didn't work out I do think about it, but as I said, it's one of those things you've got to move past.

"I've had calls of people asking me if I really want to [go back to football], but after the time period has passed, I'm like you know what, I'm getting old, let's just retire and I now have my daughter so she keeps me busy." 

Bolt, a big Manchester United fan, also previously hinted that his trial wasn't handled perfectly in early 2019 when he accepted a football career wasn't going to happen. 

“I don't want to say it wasn't dealt with properly, but I think we went about it, not the way we should and you learn your lesson, you live and you learn," Bolt said at the time.

"It was a good experience. I really enjoyed just being in a team and it was different from track and field and it was fun while it lasted.

“I'm just doing many different things - the sports life is over, so I'm now moving into different businesses. I have a lot of things in the pipeline, so as I say, I'm just dabbling in everything and trying to be a business man now."

Raphael Varane said Real Madrid require many leaders on the pitch to overhaul Manchester City for a Champions League quarter-final berth in the absence of star captain Sergio Ramos.

Madrid travel to the Etihad Stadium for the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against City on Friday, having lost the opener 2-1 prior to the coronavirus-enforced break.

Gabriel Jesus and Kevin De Bruyne condemned Madrid – who had Ramos sent off in the Spanish capital – to defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu in February.

With Ramos sidelined, regular centre-back partner Varane said: "I think Sergio is a very important player for us, but we know that we are a group where we all have our role.

"For example, I always help my team-mates, it is my way of playing and I like to cover others. In the locker room I talk a lot with my team-mates about the tactic, that will never change.

"To win the Champions League we have to be a strong group, with many leaders, we know the importance of Sergio, but we all have to play a great game to qualify."

Madrid head into the second leg having dethroned bitter rivals Barcelona as La Liga champions after the 2019-20 season was halted in March due to Covid-19.

Zinedine Zidane's Madrid are riding an 11-game unbeaten streak since losing to Real Betis in March.

"I think we are doing well, we have made a very good streak to win La Liga, we are all doing very well physically," France international Varane added.

"It has been a different preparation and a little strange, comparing it with what we are used to. We have had many days to prepare this final, we have done it as always with a lot of concentration, working on all aspects of our game trying to improve all the time.

"We arrived with confidence for the latest results and with more rest compared to if it had been played in March. I hope we are well prepared to win tomorrow."

Elsewhere on Friday, Juventus will host Lyon needing to overturn a first-leg 1-0 defeat to book their place in the quarter-finals. 

Former Liverpool striker Emile Heskey believes Mohamed Salah should have left the club this summer had they failed to wrap up the Premier League title. 

After a long and nervous wait amidst the coronavirus pandemic, the Reds finally claimed England's top-flight competition in June this year, ultimately finishing 18 points clear of second-place Manchester City. 

While Salah failed to secure a third straight Golden Boot, his 19 league goals proved crucial as he continued to star for Jurgen Klopp's side. 

Heskey stressed Salah's importance to Liverpool going forward but admits if the club failed to end their Premier League drought this season, he would have advised the Egyptian attacker to find a new club. 

“Mohamed Salah is a very important player for the team. If he’s not in it, you find Liverpool losing a lot of their strength going forward," Heskey told ONTime Sport. 

“Everyone on the pitch needs him, he scores and creates goals. [Roberto] Firmino and [Sadio] Mane play well in Salah’s presence. H's a big part of the team’s strength and the trophies they've won.

"From my point of view, he should stay at Liverpool. If they didn’t win the league, I would have said that he should move to another place where he could win the title.

“But now that he's won the league, he must continue and try to win it again and again. Salah has won all the titles with Liverpool but the challenge is to continue and try to win them again." 

Salah, who is currently contracted at Anfield until 2023, has previously been linked with interest from Real Madrid and did cast some doubt over his immediate future last month. 

"No-one knows the future and what will happen. Let's see what will happen," Salah told LA FM Colombia in July. 

"But at the moment we win the Champions League, we win the Premier League, I'm happy. Let's see what will happen in the future, but I'm very happy to win and achieve those trophies."

Despite another successful season at Anfield, not everyone has been impressed by Salah's performances with Graeme Souness labelling the attacker "super selfish" after a match against Brighton. 

"I think Mane has fallen out with him [Salah] in the past over occasions where he feels he should have passed to him to score a goal and he shot himself," Souness told Sky Sports. 

"So I think there is an element in all goalscorers that they’re greedy at times, but I think he takes it to another level."

Former Chelsea star Ricardo Carvalho is still supporting the Blues as they resume their Champions League run against Bayern Munich.

Chelsea face an uphill battle when it comes to securing their spot in the next round of the competition, having lost 3-0 in the first leg of their round of 16 clash.

Making matters worse, Chelsea are suffering from a string of injuries with Pedro, Christian Pulisic, Willian, N'golo Kante, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Cesar Azpilicueta all dealing with some sort of ailment at the moment.

Of that group, only Kante and Loftus-Cheek will be optimistic for this weekend's meeting with Bayern, with Frank Lampard set to bring youngsters Lewis Bate, Dynel Simeu and Ian Maatsen into the squad.

Carvalho, who played for Chelsea from 2004 to 2010, says that he is still pulling for his former side, although he admitted that the Blues are not among the favourites.

"Everyone's always talking about the same favourites: Barcelona, Real Madrid...They're teams that are used to being in the finals or semi-finals, and that's very important, as is the case with Bayern," he said at the presentation of the Champions League Trophy in Lisbon.

"But, now, it's only one match, and that makes everything even more unpredictable. One small mistake can be crucial.

"As for my favourites...Madrid and Chelsea are still in the competition, but they have a difficult task to get to the quarter-finals, but I'd like them to be in the quarter-finals, but the favourites are always the same: Barcelona, Real Madrid, Juventus, (if they beat Lyon), and Bayern.”

Carvalho, who also played for Real Madrid, Porto and Monaco throughout his career,  is currently an assistant to fellow Portuguese Andre Villas-Boas at Marseille.

The former defender also earned 89 caps for Portugal and was a member of the club's triumph at Euro 2016.

With the Champions League's final rounds set to be held in Portugal, Carvalho says that, despite the circumstances that forced the changes to the tournament, the event will be a big one for his home country.

"It's a great event for the Portuguese people," he said. "In a year in which there is no Euro or Olympic Games, the Champions League becomes even more important, because everyone will talk about this tournament.

"We already had a final in Lisbon in 2014, which was a great final. We have all the conditions here to make it a success."

The much-anticipated launch of FIFA 21 is right around the corner, with the latest iteration of the popular video game set for release on October 9, 2020.

FIFA 21 will be released as three separate editions: Standard, Ultimate and Champions Edition. Here's what you need to know about what makes each version unique.

How much does each edition of FIFA cost?

FIFA 21 Standard Edition

It costs £59.99 in the UK and $59.99 in the US.

FIFA 21 Ultimate Edition

The Ultimate Edition of FIFA 21 is a special version of the game that is jam-packed with new features and perks, such as more FUT packs.

It is a bit pricier than Champions Edition, but will appeal to those who enjoy playing Ultimate Team

Those who pre-order Ultimate Edition by August 14, 2020 will receive:

It costs £89.99 in the UK and $99.99 in the US.

Read more about FIFA 21 Ultimate Edition here.

FIFA 21 Champions Edition

The Champions Edition takes its name from the Champions League, with EA Sports acquiring the rights to UEFA competitions in 2018, beginning from FIFA 19 onwards.

Champions Edition allows you to play the game a bit earlier - on October 6 instead of October 9.

It costs £79.99 in the UK and $79.99 in the US.

Read more about FIFA 21 Champions Edition here.

How do the FIFA 21 editions compare?

You can see a detailed breakdown of what each edition offers in the table above.

Youssef En-Nesyri was on target as Sevilla defeated AS Roma 2-0 in Thursday’s Europa League encounter.

The Round of 16 clash was staged at the MSV Arena in Duisburg after the tie was cut down to one leg by Uefa.

Julen Lopetegui’s men dominated the game from start to finish and deservedly got the much-needed triumph to scale through to the quarter-final ahead of the Italians who were reduced to ten men in the 90th minute.

Three minutes into the game, Sevilla had the first chance but En-Nesyri’s low strike towards goal from the edge of the box was comfortable saved by goalkeeper Pau Lopez.

Los Nervionenses took the lead after 22 minutes through Sergio Reguilon who profited from an assist from Ever Banega. The Argentine picked out Reguilon who darted through the Italians’ defence before firing past Lopez after beating two of his markers.

A minute before the halftime break, En-Nesyri increased the advantage of Lopetegui’s side. Fernando released Lucas Ocampos down the right flank, and he skipped past the challenge of Roger Ibanez before sending a low ball across the face of goal for the run of En-Nesyri.

With Lopez stranded out of his net, the Morocco international made no mistake directing his effort first time over the line.

No goals were scored in the second-half with the major incident Gianluca Mancini’s dismissal in the closing stages after VAR confirmed he used his arm with violent intent on De Jong.

Thanks to this result, the Spanish elite division outfit have reached the Europa League last eight and will face Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers who silenced Greek outfit Olympiacos.

After an impressive showing, En-Nesyri was replaced in the 90th minute by Luuk de Jong, while his compatriot Yassine Bounou held sway in goal for the Spanish elite division side.

Guinea international Amadou Diawara was handed a starter's role by manager Paulo Fonseca, however, he was replaced in the 57th minute by Carles Perez.