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Malaysian teen sensation Luqman Hakim Shamsudin has finally put pen to paper with Belgian top side KV Kortrijk, in an event held in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, August 6.

But when talking to the press, the club's Malaysian owner Tan Sri Vincent Tan revealed that the Belgian side had initially been reluctant to bring the forward over.

"It was a big decision by the club, to give him a five-year contract. The management thought that he is too young, but as the owner I said 'we'll give him a chance.' When they are young they can run faster than the older players, and they have a higher value. 

"And it helps that Luqman has been listed as one of the best young footballers in the world and that he's recognised," says the tycoon, referring to The Guardian and Goal's top youth footballers lists that the 18-year old has been named on.

READ - NxGn 2020: The 50 best wonderkids in football

"I told the club that they must let him play instead of simply benching him. He needs to prove to the coaches that he's good enough to play, even only as a substitution, even just for 10, 15 minutes. Let's see if the manager agrees with me. Sometimes a club owner can't simply tell the manager what he doesn't want to do.

"As the owner, I decided to give an opportunity to another Malaysian. And the club need to train him and give him opportunities. Surely they can give him a chance when the owner is Malaysian himself? They'd better play him, or not we'll just be paying him 'gaji buta' (Bahasa Melayu for getting a salary despite not doing any work)!" explained Vincent. 

But he is adamant that Luqman can thrive in Europe, while hinting at the prospect of financially profiting from his success.

"However, at the end of the day, he has been signed because I believe that he can succeed. I'm not doing it just for show, it's a five-year contract after all. I am serious.

"God willing he'll succeed, and who knows maybe we'll get to make 20 million [from selling him to another club]. If it's 20 million, Selangor will profit too! They stand to get a percentage [of Luqman's future acquisition by another club], you know? If you want to know how big the percentage is, ask them yourselves," he hinted with a laugh, referring to the Kelantan-born player's former club.

The Malaysia junior international is expected to leave for Belgium next week.

Barcelona have announced the signing of Sao Paulo wonderkid Gustavo Maia, as well as the inclusion of a €300 million (£270m/$355m) release clause in his contract at Camp Nou.

Maia has completed a move to Barca for a fee of €4.5 million, while committing his future to the club through to 2025.

The Blaugrana have released an official statement confirming the news via their official website, which reads: "Barcelona have reached an agreement with Sao Paulo for the signing of Gustavo Maia, who will join Barca B.

"The Brazilian has signed a contract through to June 30, 2025, with a buyout clause of 300 million euros. The total cost of the operation is 4.5 million euros.

"Gustavo Maia is 19 years old and joined Sao Paulo at the age of 14. After three trials with the club, he was brought into their academy, and since then has scored goals and won seven trophies at all levels. His best season in front of goal was in 2018, when he scored 30 times in 36 games.

"An international for Brazil at Under-16 and Under-17 level, he is a fast forward who usually plays on the left side - even though he is right footed.

"He continued to make appearances for Sao Paulo's second team, even when called up to the senior squad. A strong dribbler, with a powerful shot, he was a standout in the Copa Junior tournament.

Barca reportedly reached an agreement to sign Maia in July, paying €1m to Sao Paulo up front to guarantee a purchase option on the forward.

He will go straight into the club's B team setup ahead of the 2020-21 campaign, with a view to forcing his way into Quique Setien's first-team plans as he develops his all-round game.

Maia began training with Fernando Diniz's squad at Arena Corinthians this year after impressing in the Sao Paulo Youth Cup, but he leaves the club without a single senior appearance to his name.

However, the teenager was able to work alongside Dani Alves, Alexandre Pato and Hernanes at Sao Paulo, which will hold him in good stead as he joins up with another star-studded group in Catalonia.

Maia is the second man from Sao Paulo to make his way to La Liga this year, after fellow Brazilian Reinier's €35 million (£29.8m/$38.8m) move to Real Madrid in January.

Johnstone Omurwa's proposed move to Petro Atletico of Angola has fallen through, Goal can exclusively reveal.

The Girabola giants were keen on completing the deal as soon as possible but an agreement has not been reached with Kenyan Premier League side Wazito FC.

"It seems [Wazito] were not ready to let the player leave or maybe they wanted to reap more from him," a close source from the Angolan side told Goal on Thursday.

"There were lots of misunderstandings and lack of goodwill, and we decided to walk away. But we wish the player all the best; it can change, this is football, you cannot predict what will happen in the future."

However, the 21-year-old might still play in Angola in the 2020/21 season if Interclube Luanda manage to meet the demands of the 2018/19 National Super League champions.

The Angolan top-tier side is still locked in negotiations with Wazito, hoping to conclude the deal before the month concludes. 

In an initial interview with Goal, the Kenya defender was open on playing in the Girabola with Petro Atletico.

"I am aware Petro Atletico are serious about having me in their team for next season," Omurwa told Goal.

"However, I am still contracted by Wazito, and I am remaining with about two years in my current deal. All I can do is let the two parties negotiate and reach an agreement before I leave.

"Yes, I would love to play abroad, but again I have to respect the fact that I am employed here in Kenya by Wazito. I cannot interfere with the negotiations, all I can do is wait for the outcome which I believe will be positive."

The lanky defender challenged upcoming footballers to go a step ahead and work harder to stand a chance of playing in the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) or even better leagues abroad.

"The game has changed and currently, we have youngsters dominating the industry," Omurwa added.

"Chances are everywhere but to get it, you have to work hard, without doing so and maintaining your discipline, it will be tough

"I cannot even explain how I have managed to find myself at the top. Things have swiftly moved and I have reached where a few people expected.

"Anybody who is out there wanting to be a footballer, no shortcuts, they have to push harder on and off the pitch in order to be successful. There is nothing tough, sacrifice and remain concentrated and you will realize your objectives."

Kenyan Premier League side KCB have parted ways with several top players in preparation for the new campaign.

The Bankers had a good 2019/20 season which ended prematurely owing to Covid-19. 

About two weeks ago, the technical bench under the leadership of head coach Zedekiah Otieno met to discuss who to drop and who to retain in their bid to challenge for the league trophy next season.

Among those released is the 2017 bronze winner in the race for the Golden Boot Stephen Waruru, former Gor Mahia defender Pascal Ogweno, left-back Bolton Omwenga, and striker Benson Amianda.

Goalkeeper Allan Owiny has also been let go alongside Kenneth Mukuria. Erick Otieno, Brian Olango, and Gabriel Mugabo complete the list.

The Bankers are reportedly hot on the heels of Western Stima prodigy Benson Omala.

In an earlier interview with Goal, head coach Otieno had hinted on revamping the squad ahead of the new campaign.

"Strengthening the team is normal across the world and KCB are not an exception. We will strengthen the team and ensure we have a better competitive edge," the former defender told Goal.

"We have set our targets and have identified certain players who we will be trying to bring on board."

The Bankers struggled in the 2018/19 season which contributed to the exit of coach Frank Ouna from the club.

Thereafter the 51-year-old was appointed to head the club and went on to help them perform better in the top-tier, and they were fifth on the table before it was suspended owing to the Covid-19 outbreak.

"I am impressed with our performances in the cancelled season," the former defender continued.

"When I took over at the club, we were participants, but we have managed to change it and are now competitors in the KPL.

"There were places where we could not get points, but before the league was stopped, we had managed to do so.

"Remember, we were among the teams that beat Kakamega Homeboyz as well, it shows remarkable improvement."

Snapping up Willian if the Chelsea forward hits free agency is a “no-brainer” for Arsenal, says Perry Groves, with the Brazilian considered a better option in a wide role than club-record signing Nicolas Pepe.

The Gunners splashed out £72 million ($90m) on an Ivory Coast international forward during the summer of 2019.

Pepe did offer glimpses of what he is capable of, but a debut campaign in English football proved testing for a man who ended up with just eight goals and 10 assists to his name.

Having invested so much faith and funds in the 25-year-old, Arsenal can be expected to persist with a big-money buy.

They are, however, exploring their options when it comes to bringing in even more firepower.

It could be that a proven Premier League performer can be lured across London from Stamford Bridge, with Willian approaching the end of his contract at Chelsea.

Groves believes Mikel Arteta should be in the market for the experienced South American, as he could be an upgrade on Pepe and still has plenty left in the tank despite being 31 years of age.

“It’s a no-brainer, an absolute no-brainer,” Groves told talkSPORT on Arsenal’s pursuit of Willian.

“You say he’s 31, in our day you were probably coming to the end of your career at 30, 31 as an outfield player.

“Now, because they look after themselves, he'll be playing until he’s 33 or 34.

“And if you look at his injury record, over the last seven years he’s averaged 33 or 34 games a season, so he’s not injury prone, he’s consistent, he's got a winning mentality, he will buy into the way that Arteta wants to play, his attitude is good, he plays in the Premier League, so the risk is low and reward is very, very high.

“Is he better than what Arsenal have got at the moment? I’d say yes. He’s experienced.

“Yeah [Willian is better than Pepe]. Yes [Pepe has got great potential] but he’s not on Willian’s level of consistently delivering, he's had his best goalscoring year.

“Willian would make Arsenal a stronger team, it’s a no-brainer.”

Groves also believes that the Gunners need to be paying club captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang whatever he wants in order to sign a new contract, with the Gabonese striker having entered the final 12 months of his current terms.

“I don’t care, as an Arsenal fan, and I know we’re in difficult financial times," Groves added.

“If they said, ‘Aubameyang’s on £400,000-a-week, £500,000-a-week,’ it wouldn’t bother me at all because some players warrant it.

“Some players warrant it and he does because he delivers.”

Tahith Chong's agent has spoken out on the winger's links with Werder Bremen, confirming that the Manchester United starlet "wants to go to the Bundesliga".

Chong made his way through United's youth ranks before taking the step up to the senior squad in 2018, but has since been unable to establish himself as a first-team regular.

The 20-year-old has scored two goals in 16 games over the past two seasons, with his latest outing coming from the bench during a 2-1 win over LASK in a round of 16 second-leg Europa League tie on Wednesday night.

The Netherlands Under-21 international was due to become a free agent at the end of the 2019-20 season, but United ultimately decided to hand the attacker a new two-year deal back in March, with the option to extend by a further year.

Chong told the club's official website after the announcement was made: "I am delighted to sign this new contract and really grateful for the chance to prove myself here for many years to come."

Despite Juventus and Inter being credited with an interest in Dutchman before he committed to fresh terms, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insisted that Chong has a "bright future" at Old Trafford, while praising his "dedication" to the Red Devils' cause.

However, Werder have emerged as a potential next destination for Chong over the past week, with reports in Germany stating that the youngster's agent Erkan Alkan has held talks with the German club in Bremen.

He is reportedly being lined up as a potential replacement for exit-bound Milot Rashica at Weser Stadion, and Alkan has fuelled speculation during an interview with Bild.

Chong's representative stated: "Tahith wants to go to the Bundesliga. We will talk about that with Manchester United on Thursday."

Werder sporting director Frank Baumann confirmed the club's intention to swoop for the midfielder earlier this week, telling Weser Kurier: "[Chong] is very fast, he comes in from the wing - he fits our profile.

"We can add two or three more players. Borrowing guys from top clubs like this can make sense to us. Because of our situation, he's a player who could be interesting."

East Malaysian side Sabah have been promoted to the Super League side this season, but when they were in the second tier, a big name had unexpectedly turned up for them at one point.

In November 2014, the Rhinos shocked many when they signed former Senegal and World Cup star El-Hadji Diouf. Although this stint would end on an acrimonious note not long after, one current Sabah player only remembers the African star fondly.

Midfielder Azzizan Nordin recalled Diouf as a kind and helpful senior player, in an interview with the Malaysian Football League (MFL).

Azzizan Nordin. Photo from Sabah

"The boys and I thought it was a joke at first; but we couldn't believe our eyes when we finally saw him in training.

"Diouf was amazing in every way; especially his ball receiving and delivery. The way he was able to keep possession was special and world class, because he had played in the World Cup and the UEFA Champions League.

"He once taught me that as a midfielder, I should scan for my teammates' positions to know my options before receiving the ball, and not after. It wasn't just me; the other younger Sabah players also received tips from him, and he was generous with his advice," said the 26-year old Malaysia international.

The Senegalese forward arrived in Kota Kinabalu ahead of the 2015 season, towards the end of his storied career which involved achieving instant fame in the 2002 World Cup.

Although there are no signs of the Coronavirus pandemic slowing down, the world is slowly moving towards a new normal where the possibility of infection is reduced to the largest extent possible. Football, one of the most essential ‘non-essentials’, has returned in most parts of the world, with numerous rules and regulations in place to ensure the probability of contraction is reduced.

However, we are yet to see many leagues allow fans to fill the stadium and create a matchday atmosphere.

The Bundesliga was the first prominent league to restart post the Covid-19 break, while other European leagues soon followed. The Asian leagues too picked up lately, with Bhutan and Malaysia being the latest country to restart proceedings.

The Chinese Super League was scheduled to begin in February. After a long wait, the ball finally hit the pitch last weekend with Guangzhou Evergrande taking on Shanghai Shenhua at the Dalian Sports Centre Stadium. However, all games are played in the tournament’s two hubs – Suzhou and Dalian.

The Qatar Stars League kicked off on the same weekend at matchday 18. All games are being played in either the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha or the Al Wakrah Sports Complex at Al Wakrah. Al-Duhail are currently on top of the table with 46 points in 19 games. Al Rayyan, who are just four points behind are the only other contenders for the title.

It has been about a month since the J1 League restarted at matchday two. The J1 League teams are not restricted to neutral venues and are allowed to host their home games as usual.

The Saudi Professional League resumed on Tuesday with Al-Fateh overcoming Al Feiha 2-0 in the opener. After 22 rounds of football, Al-Hilal are on top of the table with 51 points in 22 games and are enjoying a six-point lead over Al-Nassr.

South Korea was one of the first countries to see a mass outbreak of the virus and it was also one of the first to flatten the curve to an extent. Football returned to the Asian giants as early as the first week of May. With 35 points after 14 rounds, Ulsan are enjoying a slender three-point lead over Jeonbuk.

The A-League took off on July 17 with Sydney FC defeating Wellington Phoenix at the Nestrata Stadium. Sydney are at the top after garnering 51 points in 23 games. Melbourne City are second with 43 points from 24 games.

The Vietnamese League(V-League) was among the first to restart post the CoVID break. Hai Phong played Ho Chi Minh City on June 5 in what was the first game since March 15. Sai Gon are on top of the table with 23 points after 11 rounds of football.

The Persian Gulf Pro League (Iran) followed cue just three weeks later. Foolad edged Esteghlal 2-1 at the Shohadaye Foolad Khoozestan to kick start proceedings. After 27 matchdays, Persepolis sit pretty at the top of the table with 63 points in the bag and a massive 15-point lead over Esteghlal.

The Jordanian Pro League saw a restart on Monday with Al-Wehdat cruising to a 3-0 win over Al-Salt on matchday two at the Amman International Stadium. The matches are scheduled to be played at just four venues.

Malaysian football fans will see a spike in their adrenaline on August 26 with a full set of Malaysia Super League games scheduled on that day. The teams started individual training on June 15 and group training one month later. The sport is now set to return to the country for the first time since the second week of March.

Meanwhile, the UAE Pro League was voided and the teams that qualified for the 2020 AFC Champions League were provided with the slots for the following season too. The Iraqi Premier League followed the same procedure.

The return dates of the Thai League 1, the Philippines Football League and the Singapore Premier League are unclear, while the Indonesian professional league (Liga 1) is set to return in the first week of October.

Clearly, the Asian countries have found a way to bring football back while ensuring maximum security for the players and staff involved. India can take a leaf out of these books ahead of the start of the new I-League and Indian Super League (ISL) season when it comes to security protocols.

Thirty summers ago, Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein had decided to attack Kuwait with the sole intention of acquiring the land of Kuwait as Iraq’s 19th province.

The seven months-long war had a lasting impact on both countries, a devastation which was irreparable for a very long time.

The tension between the two states began in July 1990, when Iraq accused Kuwait of stealing Petrol from Rumaila oil field in Southern Iraq. Iraq’s then supreme commander Saddam Hussein had reportedly demanded $2.4 billion as compensation which Kuwait denied.

Finally, Baghdad decided to go ahead and attack Kuwait during the wee hours on August 2, 1990, and captured the country. The sudden movement by the Iraqis had left the Kuwaitis stunned and completely disrupted the harmony in the country.

But it was not just the Kuwaitis who suffered but also several other foreign nationals who were residing in the country at that time. One such foreigner was former India international footballer and I-League winning coach Khalid Jamil.

Jamil, who was born in Kuwait and had spent 13 years in the country, was stranded along with his family during the initial period of the war.

The NorthEast United FC interim coach shared some of his spine chilling experiences of witnessing the Gulf War in person.

“The attack happened in August. We were on our summer break and I used to be at my cousin’s place most of the time. My grandfather used to serve the Royal family of Kuwait and he came to know about the attack a month prior. He used to ask us to leave the country as he knew about a possible attack from Iraq over Kuwait. But my father did not listen to him at that time.

“Everything had come to a standstill across the country. We were not allowed to leave our house. There were military forces everywhere on every street. It was a very awkward experience for me as I had never seen such a situation before,” Jamil told Goal.

The Indian Government at that time had made arrangements to airlift their citizens from Kuwait. Air India, the flag carrier airline of India, had helped to airlift more than 1 lakh Indians. The process had started by August 13, 1990, and it went on till October 20, 1990.

Jamil’s family had initially planned to stay back as his father was against the idea of leaving the country where he had an established garage business. It was only after pressure from the embassy, that they had decided to catch the last flight back to India.

“We were there for two months before the Indian embassy asked us to leave the country as the United States of America was set to join the war and it would take a serious turn. We took the last flight back to India. Initially, my father was sceptical but finally decided to leave the country.

“We did not get any direct flight from Kuwait to India so we had travelled to Jordan via Iraq by car. A lot of our belongings were confiscated at the international border. We even had to leave my dad’s car behind in Jordan,” said the I-League winning coach.

The experience was horrific and traumatic at times for a young Khalid Jamil who had never before seen such dreadful occurrence.

The former East Bengal coach also mentioned that after Iraq had conquered Kuwait, the country’s currency (Kuwaiti Dinar) was deemed invalid. He also informed that his family had provided refuge to a lot of his local friends who were wanted by the Iraqi army.

“Those were really tough times. There was no electricity most of the times and there was a scarcity of food and water. We had provided shelter to many of my Kuwaiti friends as the Iraqis were searching for the local people at that time. There were safety issues,” exclaimed Jamil.

While his parents and relatives had returned to Kuwait in March 1991, after the war had ended, Jamil stayed back in Mumbai to pursue his higher education.

“My parents returned after seven months in 1991 after the war had ended. I stayed back in Mumbai to complete my education. The situation in Kuwait was still bad when my parents returned. There was still no electricity as Iraq had burned most of the crude oil and petrol in the country.”

The situation in Kuwait has definitely improved in the last 30 years and the Jamil’s parents as well relatives are well settled there. He visits them once a year during off-seasons.

“My parents reside in Kuwait now. I have many relatives there as well. I visit them every year,” said the Highlanders’ boss.

Manchester United defender Teden Mengi declared his debut was "just the start" after featuring in the club's 2-1 Europa League win over LASK.  

Mengi, 18, replaced Timothy Fosu-Mensah with six minutes remaining on Wednesday night and didn't look out of place under the bright lights of Old Trafford. 

The promising centre-back savoured his first chance to impress Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and seems intent to continue making progress at the club. 

"It's a great feeling. I'd like to thank everyone around me. My family, my teammates and everyone in the first-team made it very easy for me," Mengi told MUTV after making his debut.

"The academy staff as well as the manager who gave me the opportunity. It's just the start. It's down to myself to keep kicking on but I'm very happy with it.

"Of course, everyone dreams of this moment. It's everyone's dream - to represent the biggest club in the world. Luckily enough, I got the chance today and I'm really chuffed with it.

"Everyone was telling me before the game and during half-time to be ready and that's what I did. Everyone was saying: 'Come on Teden, this is your moment now'." 

Mengi's debut was somewhat bittersweet however with his mum unable to attend the match due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. 

"It's a big shame really because my mum pestered me all the time. She said: 'If you ever make your debut at Old Trafford, I'll be there watching you'. It's a shame she couldn't be here but it's the moment of my life. But it's time to kick on," he said.

"I'm hungry for more definitely. Then again, it's just the start for me as a player. I need to keep kicking on, keep developing, keep the same attitude in training and everything I can do. Then I'll hopefully get more opportunities.

"Of course, watching Brandon [Williams], we both play in defence. When I saw him kicking on, it made me even hungrier. I thought 'why can't I do it?'"

Asked about Mengi post-game, Solskjaer told BT Sport: "He is a leader, a centre-back, someone we believe in, he's strong, quick, good on the ball and I think we've got a decent player there." 

Romelu Lukaku "cost the same as all of Getafe", Jose Bordalas said after his side's Europa League loss to Inter.

Goals from Lukaku and Christian Eriksen saw Inter record a 2-0 win over the La Liga side in the last-16 clash in Gelsenkirchen on Wednesday.

Signed by Inter from Manchester United for a reported €80 million (£72m/$95m) last year, Lukaku has scored 30 goals this season.

Getafe boss Bordalas said the difference between his team and Inter was enormous, highlighting how much Lukaku cost.

"We are sad because I think the team played a great game," he said.

"We had Inter on the ropes during the second half. We had control of the game and, unfortunately, in our mistake in their first goal after practically nothing had been put forward, but the team did not fall and we had the penalty that would have put us fully into the possibility of passing this tie.

"It is a shame, but I am proud because the approach has been fantastic, the team has interpreted it great. I am very proud of the work of the players.

"The difference is very big, only Lukaku cost the same as all of Getafe."

Jorge Molina missed a 76th-minute penalty for Getafe that would have drawn them level. Inter will now face either Rangers or Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League quarter-finals.

Speaking after the win over Getafe, Lukaku stressed his focus was already on the next match as he urged Inter to improve. 

"We knew it would be a difficult game, against an aggressive team," Lukaku told Sky Sport. 

"The defence did a really good job and we did well at the front. I'm happy with my goal, and Christian's too.

"I want to win and continue to help the team. The work we're doing with the coach is really important. The team is growing and we need to move ahead with the same mentality and desire to improve."

Lukaku, who equalled a Europa League record after scoring in his eighth straight match in the competition, could face off against his former club Manchester United if both make it to the final. 

The Round of 16 of the 2019-20 UEFA Europa League is up and running after the Covid-19 enforced break. Manchester United coasted to a spot in the quarter-final while Inter Milan also had an easy outing.

Watch all the highlights from games involving the major teams right here:

Manchester United 2-1 LASK (7-1 agg):

Manchester United eased into the quarter-finals of the Europa League with a 7-1 aggregate defeat of LASK following a 2-1 win in the last-16 second leg. Jesse Lingard cancelled out a spectacular opening goal from Philipp Wiesinger at Old Trafford before substitute Anthony Martial sealed the win with two minutes of normal time left. 

Jorge Molina paid for an awful penalty miss as Romelu Lukaku and Christian Eriksen sent Inter into the Europa League quarter-finals with a 2-0 victory over Getafe.

It has taken awhile, but it has finally happened. After the long competitions suspension caused by the global Covid-19 pandemic, four teams from three Malaysian clubs took to the pitch on Wednesday evening to play in two friendly matches, in the city of Shah Alam, Selangor.

At the FAS Training Centre, Section 6, the Selangor first team hosted Premier League side Pulau Pinang, while 5 km away at the Mara University of Technology, their reserve team Selangor 2 took on the home team, Super League outfit UiTM FC.

The Red Giants' Premier League side lost 2-0 to the university side, with several of their squad members called up to the first team's match instead.

Two of them, teenage midfielder Mukhairi Ajmal and sole foreign player Bajram Nebihi combined to contribute one goal in their Super League team's 4-1 win over Pulau Pinang.

The match also saw the return to action of former Malaysia international Wan Zack Haikal, who scored the Red Giants' last goal of the match. The winger had been out of action for over a year due to an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury picked up during the 2019 pre-season. He has never played in a competitive match for Selangor, despite having joined them in late 2018.

The Panthers meanwhile are currently in the Klang Valley for a series of friendly matches, in preparation for the Malaysian league resumption on August 26.

Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro admits he still gets nervous talking to manager Zinedine Zidane. 

The 28-year-old joined Los Blancos in 2013 and has established himself as a crucial part of Zidane's starting side in recent seasons. 

Having grown up watching Zizou in action, Casemiro revealed he still gets taken back when chatting to the football legend. 

Despite those lingering nerves, the duo have struck up a strong relationship, with Zidane constantly pushing Casemiro to evolve as a midfielder. 

“Even today I get a little nervous talking to him,” Casemiro told The Guardian. “I tell him he doesn’t know what he meant for us, for me.

“Yeah, I tell him that: you took ‘98 [World Cup] away but it didn’t change anything. Also, knowing him now, I can say he deserves it. He’s incredible: the humility, how he expresses football. He treats us with so much affection and love.

"He’s very insistent; he always, always says: ‘Case, you can do more: arrive from the second line, feed midfielders, bring the ball out cleanly.’

"This year, maybe I’ve had more protagonism with the ball, but I still know my job: rob the ball, give it to my team-mates. But Zizou is pesado, heavy going: always talking to me, wanting more.

"He says: ‘I’m not asking you to do something you can’t do; I’m asking you to do something you can.’ He trusts me a lot.”

Casemiro, who has backed Real Madrid to upset Manchester City in the Champions League, appears to have the attributes of a future manager himself and takes the analysis of matches very seriously - much to his wife's annoyance. 

“I watch back, see the errors, evaluate. I love that. People say I think like a coach," he said.

"I always try to read the game, the other team’s mind, their coach, what they’re trying to do. Often the smallest details – a metre either way – change everything.

"I have [football analytics platform] Wyscout and watch everything, from China or anywhere. My wife gets annoyed. It’s my work. There’s a time for everything but it’s my job. And I love it. My life is football. I have to think permanently about football."

Demba Ba’s Istanbul Basaksehir have been knocked out of the Europa League following Wednesday’s 3-0 defeat to FC Copenhagen at the Telia Parken.

A brace from towering striker Jonas Wind and a third by winger Rasmus Falk sent the Danish outfit through to the quarter-final.

Okan Buruk’s side went into the Round of 16 second leg clash on the back of a slim 1-0 advantage but it was canceled out by Wind’s fourth minute strike. The Denmark youth international headed past goalkeeper Mert Gunok a cross from Guillermo Varela.

He completed his brace in the 53rd-minute from the penalty spot after Mehmet Topal had handled the ball in the goal area.

Needing just a goal to scale through, the Turks threw more men forward but the hosts kept their heads cool to thwarts Basaksehir’s attacking threats.

However, Falk killed the visitors’ ambition of launching a comeback with a brilliant individual effort in the 62nd minute, beating Gunok with a shot from the edge of the penalty area after a scooting run through the middle.

Former Senegal international Ba was in action from start to finish but was unable to rescue the Fatih Terim Stadium giants from crashing out.

For his contribution, the 35-year-old who represented Chelsea, West Ham United and Newcastle United recorded two shots, 26 passes with a passing accuracy of 80.8%.

"I am very happy on behalf of the players, it is a historic achievement to be in the quarterfinals of the European team for a Nordic team," manager Staale Solbakken told media after the game.

"A quarter-final weighs very, very high for me in FCK history, but it's just a shame that no one else has been allowed to take part in it live. It might just take the last euphoria.

"It hurts to think how 30,000 fans in the stands would have felt when we drove the ball around the rows in the final minutes. It's a shame for the fans, but also for the boys, that they didn't get the tribute and celebration they deserved.

"But I'm very happy that the match developed in such a way that we were not put under pressure in the end. It's an absolutely fantastic performance by the team today."

Copenhagen are now through to the championship’s last eight on a 3-1 aggregate scoreline and will now take on Premier League outfit Manchester United who eliminated Austrian outfit LASK 7-1 on aggregate - for a chance to reach the semi-final.

Jesse Lingard says that he is confident he has a future at Manchester United, saying that the club is "in his blood" after scoring in Wednesday's Europa League victory over LASK.

Lingard scored the first of Man Utd's two goals on the day, leading the way in a 2-1 win that sealed a 7-1 aggregate triumph.

The goal was Lingard's second in as many matches, having failed to score in the Premier League until the final moments of Manchester United's final match of the season.

In total, Lingard has four goals across all competitions, but the midfielder is the first to admit that this season wasn't one that was up to his expectations.

With only Man Utd's Europa League run left in what has been a tough season, Lingard says Wednesday's goal was vital for his confidence as he looks to return to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's regular XI.

"Of course, you take confidence from goals," he told BT Sport. "I wanted to add goals this season and I started and scored, so hopefully now I can carry on throughout the rest of this competition."

He added: "When you're not in the right mental state, football takes your mind away from everything. I love playing football, enjoy football and, of course, Man Utd is in my blood. I love playing for the club."

Lingard has been linked with a potential departure in recent weeks with there being a possibility he could end a stay with Man Utd that began at just eight years old.

But Lingard says he's confident that he can remain and play a role for the team in both the short and long term.

When asked if he believes he'll get chances at Man Utd, Lingard said: "100 per cent. Playing against LASK Today, there's a lot of space in behind and my goal was part of that. Seeing the run, I stayed onside and had to be composed."

While Lingard did score on the day, he was taken out after just 63 minutes as Solskjaer introduced Paul Pogba.

Man Utd are set to face Copenhagen on Monday in their next Europa League tie and, while Lingard was disappointed at the time, he says he isn't frustrated by Solskjaer's decision.

"I was enjoying the game and I enjoy football matches," he said. "I felt like I could have scored more today but obviously it's the manager's decision and I stand by that.

"We need the squad now," he added. "We're doing well in personnel with injuries and we've come together as a team this week. We fly out for the Copenhagen game and, of course, our mind is on that and getting through that."

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has confirmed that Alexis Sanchez will be joining Inter on a permanent transfer. 

Sanchez has enjoyed a solid season on loan with Antonio Conte's side with all parties agreeing his long-term future now lies in Milan. 

In comparison, the former Barcelona attacker had struggled to impress for the Red Devils, scoring just five goals across 45 appearances for United. 

Inter CEO Giuseppe Marotta recently revealed a deal for Sanchez would be announced on Thursday and Solskjaer conceded the Chile international won't be returning to Old Trafford. 

“We will announce tomorrow so I can confirm we have agreed. Alexis enjoyed his time there they have liked him so that’s a good move for him,” Solskjaer said post-match.

“We wish him all the best and he is a top player who we want to see play his best football. For whatever reason we didn’t see the best of him here, but he’s a top professional and we wish him all the best.”

Solskjaer was speaking after Manchester United sealed a 7-1 aggregate win over LASK in their Europa League last-16 tie. 

Goals from Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial wrapped up a 2-1 second-leg victory on Wednesday night with the Red Devils now set to face FC Copenhagen in the quarter-finals. 

United named a surprisingly strong starting side to tackle LASK having won the first-leg 5-0 and Solskjaer was quick to stress that he felt he needed his players to remain sharp with the Premier League season now over. 

"It is that sharpness you lack when you don't play regularly, some haven't played since lockdown, for me it was a good exercise, it's job done, minutes under the belt and on to Copenhagen," Solskjaer told BT Sport. 

"We learned the players need to play to keep that sharpness. Some of these lads haven't played for a while and it showed. We won, we gave a debut to a young lad, it's been a good night."

On debutant Teden Mengi, Solskjaer added: "He is a leader, a centre-back, someone we believe in, he's strong, quick, good on the ball and I think we've got a decent player there."

The Red Devils continue to be linked with a move for Borussia Dortmund star Jadon Sancho but Solskjaer refused to provide any concrete updates. 

"We are looking into all transfers," he said. "Not going to speak about individuals who are not our players." 

Romelu Lukaku joined an exclusive club on Wednesday as the Belgian striker scored Inter's first of two goals in a 2-0 Europa League triumph over Getafe.

Lukaku scored in the first half of the match, helping guide Inter to the quarterfinals of the competition.

The goal was the Belgian striker's 30th of the season, with the striker scoring 23 of those goals in Serie A.

It's the first time that the striker has eclipsed the 30-goal mark in his career, as Lukaku's previous career high of 27 goals came in 2017-18, his first season with Manchester United.

Having hit the 30-goal mark, Lukaku became the first Inter striker to score that many goals since Samuel Eto'o in 2010-11, when the striker famously netted 37 times just one season after Inter claimed an historic treble.

Lukaku also joined the likes of Diego Milito and Ronaldo as players to have scored 30 goals for Inter over the last 30 seasons.

Like Ronaldo, Lukaku reached the 30-goal landmark in his first season with the club, with the Brazilian firing 34 goals in his first season after joining from Barcelona.

In addition to equalling legendary figures like Eto'o, Ronaldo and Milito, Lukaku also equalled a mark last set by Newcastle and Blackburn icon Alan Shearer.

With Wednesday's goal, Lukaku has scored in his last eight Europa League matches, equalling the record for the longest streak in the competition set by Shearer in 2005 as the Newcastle star went on to score 11 times in just nine matches.

Lukaku's streak extends back to his time with Man Utd, but his three-goal haul this season makes him the first Inter player to score at least three goals in the competition since Rodrigo Palacio in 2014-15.

In total, the Belgian international has been involved in 35 of Inter's 104 goals scored this season across all competitions.

Christian Eriksen provided Inter's second goal in the 2-0 win, as the former Tottenham star has now been directly involved in five goals in his last four appearances in Europa League.

Having taken down Getafe, Inter will now look ahead towards the quarterfinal round, where they will face Rangers or Bayer Leverkusen, with the German side holding a 3-1 lead from the first leg.