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Jurgen Klopp's No 2 Pep Lijnders has been backed to eventually become Liverpool's permanent head coach.

Lijnders returned to Liverpool for a second coaching spell in June 2018, and has since helped the club win four major trophies, including the Premier League and Champions League.

The 37-year-old has proven to be the perfect foil for Klopp on the training pitch and in the dugout, with the Reds now a well-rounded team capable of competing for honours at the very highest level.

Lijnders had a frustrating six-month spell in charge of Dutch outfit NEC before making his way back to Anfield, during which he failed to guide the club back into the Eredivisie.

He attempted to implement a philosophy based around high-intensity pressing and quick passing interchanges at Stadion de Goffert, but the players struggled to adapt to the system.

Muslu Nalbantoglu, who worked alongside Lijnders at NEC, has not been surprised to see the Liverpool assistant successfully transfer his ideas to Merseyside, which he admits were far too advanced for the Eerste Divisie side.

"What he had in his mind with the NEC players was not realistic. Of course, if you work with Mohamed Salah and the names of Liverpool, it is easy to do it with those players," Nalbantoglu said of Lijnders on the Blood Red podcast.

"His energy and his trainings were very good. Everybody loved him and still loves him at the club and we have difficult fans - when you lose three times, it is very difficult to stay here at NEC.

"He loves football and you see the passion in the trainings. He can never sit down and he was always standing. There were trainings that we have never seen before. If the players were a better level, maybe he would still be here.

"What he had in his mind was for a higher level than NEC. With better players, you can do what he wants. When Jurgen Klopp leaves Liverpool, Pep can take over with those players for sure."

Klopp's current contract at Anfield is not due to expire until 2024, and Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has been touted as the most likely man to inherit the managerial reins when the German moves on.

Michael Beale, Gerrard's assistant at Rangers, has said that although coaching the Reds would be a "dream" role for the ex-England international, he still sees Klopp as the perfect man to lead the club.

"He is the biggest Liverpool fan and at this moment in time, if he had to choose a manager, it would be Jurgen Klopp," Beale told the Liverpool Echo last year.

Haji Manara has again claimed Simba SC are going to score more than 10 goals against Yanga SC despite the signings the former has completed.

Yanga have been the busiest side in the transfer window so far and have brought on board Peter Mauya, Bakari Mwamnyeto, Yassin Mustapha and Waziri Junior.

Mwamnyeto’s signing has been the highlight so far because Simba and Azam FC had also made their intentions of signing the defender known.

“Last season, they [Yanga] signed 24 players and we defeated them by scoring four goals,” Manara told reporters after Simbna won the FA Cup title.

“They have already signed players in the second day of the transfer window but you know what, we are going to give them 10 goals.

“We are going to break the record next season.

“Do you think Simba have not seen players to sign? Players are not signed for the sake of doing it, it is done with recommendations from the experts.

“Yes, they have signed [Bakari] Mwamnyeto but when Simba scored eight goals against Coastal Union, was he not their defender? How do you sign four players even when you do not have a coach? 

“Simba are fighting for the African title, not the Tanzanian league title anymore.”

The spokesperson also explained why he thinks Wekundu wa Msimbazi are above the competition in Tanzania.

“I am never concerned with what happens from other sides. I am a Simba spokesperson and I am always addressing the over 38 million supporters of Simba,” he added.

“From a population of 56 million Tanzanians, we are 38 million of them.

“We are the champions of the league, the FA Cup and the Community Shield. The team [Yanga] you want me to talk about, we defeated them by four goals, and the latest opponent has also been beaten.

“In Tanzania, Simba are only playing because it is what is required from them was it not a requirement, there is no team Simba should be playing against in this country.

“We should be elsewhere in Africa playing with teams equal to Simba. But because Tanzania is our country, we have to play here."

Manara added he is confident their players will scoop all the season-end awards.

“Take Simba to any pitch whether bad or good, we will remain Simba and we are champions. This not pride from our part we have invested a lot of money in football,” he concluded.

“Football requires serious investment, not gossip and empty talk. I can assure you, our players are going to win every season award this time around.

“How can you deny Simba players any award, unless you want to give it to [Gnamien] Yikpe [a Yanga striker].”

Simba completed their season by winning a treble - the Community Shield, FA Cup and league title.

Arsenal cannot allow Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s contract saga to mirror those of Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil, says Martin Keown, with the Gunners urged to make a definitive decision on the future of a striker he thinks is proving to be comparable with Thierry Henry.

The prolific Gabon international proved he belongs in illustrious company when netting the match-winning double in the FA Cup final against Chelsea.

His efforts at Wembley, which saw him convert from the penalty spot and net a stunning solo strike, mean that Arsenal will have continental competition in the Europa League next season.

That may be enough to convince Aubameyang that he should stay put, with the offer of a new deal on the table at Emirates Stadium. The 31-year-old frontman is yet to put pen to paper, with the uncertainty surrounding his future doing nobody any favours in north London.

It is not the first time that Arsenal have found themselves in such a situation with expiring contracts becoming an all too familiar theme, and Keown wants the Gunners to act swiftly and decisively on this occasion as they mull over what to do with such a talismanic presence.

“Arsene Wenger was always careful with how he spent money but midway through his final season in charge he agreed to splash out £56 million (€62m/$73m) for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang,” Keown told the Daily Mail. “The 31-year-old has not signed an extension and it is now important that Arsenal resolve his future one way or another this summer.

“They cannot allow another distracting contract saga to crop up, as we saw with Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil, but if Aubameyang does depart, then they will need to replace the goals they are losing.

“He guarantees you 20 a season at least — even when operating as an inside forward from the left wing.

“I've compared Aubameyang to Thierry Henry previously and as someone who shared a dressing room with Arsenal's greatest ever goalscorer, I don't do so lightly.

“Strikers can do special things in training but it's about doing it in the big moments, too. Henry used to do that, and Aubameyang did it against Chelsea.

“Unfortunately, it feels more likely that he is going to go than stay. The clock is ticking on his career so the next contract and club choice is an important one.

“Arsenal won the FA Cup on Saturday because they had the best player on the pitch in Aubameyang. For how much longer they have him, time will tell.”

Aubameyang’s brace against Chelsea means that he has now found the target on 70 occasions in 109 appearances for Arsenal.

Simba SC coach Sven Vandenbroeck has cast doubt over his future at the club despite the successes achieved in the recently concluded Tanzania domestic season.

The Belgian took over from countryman Patrick Aussems who was fired late in 2019 after falling out with the club's management. His successor managed to pick up from where Aussems left and guided the team to two more titles, having won the Community Shield already. 

Having added a league and FA Cup to the list of silverware the club has won recently, eyes are on the Caf Champions League where Wekundu wa Msimbazi are targeting going past the group stage.

However, after Sunday's 2-1 win over Namungo in the FA Cup final, Vandenbroeck cast doubt on his future.

"I don't know with me or without me," Vandenbroeck answered reporters when asked whether he will be with the team for the campaign or not.

"There is no meaning, everyone reads newspapers, everyone listens to rumours even me, so we will see what happens. I will go on holiday in two days with a big smile with whatever happens."

The 40-year-old has also explained the need to ensure the team is united ahead of the next campaign.

"But there is one big challenge, you cannot talk about the Champions League [first]," Vandenbroeck added.

"We first have tours to play. 

"I think the first big challenge is to unify everyone in the club. To unify for the one and the same challenge that is to make this team better.

"If you can do that, you will succeed, if you don't succeed as a club, to unify everyone, it is going to be difficult."

On Sunday, captain John Bocco and Man of the Match Luis Miquissone provided the vital goals that ensured the Dar es Salaam side headed back home as the champions.

After 35 minutes of failed attempts to break an otherwise tight Namungo backline, Simba finally got a hard-fought opener through Miquissone’s strike.

The Mozambican, who has proved to be an undroppable figure for Vandenbroeck, scored an important goal and further showed why his January signing was a masterstroke.

Shomari Kapombe delivered a swinging cross into the penalty box, but Bocco was denied the opportunity to strike as the opponents swarmed around him. However, as Namungo focused on Bocco, the ball fell into Miquissone’s path and the winger slotted home.

Bocco added the second goal four minutes after Miquissone had registered the opener, heading into the net and ensured Simba went into the break with a healthy 2-0 lead.  

The journey for success began at the beginning of the season with Aussems when they defeated Azam FC 4-2 in the Community Shield which launched the 2019/20 season.

The second title for the Msimbazi-based side came in the Tanzania Mainland League. Simba went on to finish the season with 88 points after taking 27 wins, seven draws and just four losses.  

Leon Balogun has expressed his delight after helping Rangers secure a 1-0 victory over Aberdeen on his debut appearance on Saturday.

The 32-year-old defender teamed up with the Ibrox Stadium outfit from Championship side Wigan Athletic last month after his contract with the Latics ended.

The centre-back was immediately handed a starting role in the Gers’ first game of the 2020-21 Scottish Premiership season and delivered solid defensive performances.

Balogun shone in his role to help the Gers keep a clean sheet at Pittodrie Stadium, making a number of clearances and accurate passes.  

The former Mainz defender has praised his teammates, especially Connor Goldson, for helping him settle quickly at the club.

"We are happy with the win. Obviously, it was my first game and my welcome to Scottish football and it could hardly have gone any better - and I think any harder as well,” Balogun told the club website.

"I have had similar games before in the Bundesliga, the Premier League and also the Championship - it was very direct but you just have to adapt.

"The second half was maybe not exactly what we wanted the game to be and to look like, but we are happy with the win and the clean sheet as well.

"The lads did a great job in helping me to adjust through the whole week I have trained and it has been fun.

"Obviously, my experience helps a little bit, but he [Goldson] is a great talker on the pitch. He told me before the match if he was too loud, it was just to help me, and I welcome that because I need some time to get used to the mechanisms.”

Balogun collided with the post during the encounter at Pittodrie Stadium but featured throughout the match and has assured he is not suffering from any injury.

"I took some tablets to keep the headache down but I carried on. I don't think I suffered any major concussion or anything which is the most important thing. I got a few headers in after that as well so there is no need to worry," he continued.

The defender also expressed his appreciation to the Rangers fans for the warm welcome he received from upon his arrival, 

"It has been big! When I signed on Friday, everything was a bit hectic so I had to go back to Manchester to get some stuff,” he added.

"But it has been amazing - I slowly start to get an idea of how big the fan culture is. As I said in my first interview, I heard a lot about it, but I think there is nothing like having them with you and behind you and everybody is looking forward to getting them back into the stadium."

Balogun will be expected to make his second appearance for Rangers when they take on St. Mirren in their next league game on August 9.

Antonio Conte wouldn't want Lionel Messi at Inter, according to Paolo Di Canio, who thinks the Barcelona superstar's profile would see him become bigger than the club.

Messi's future at Camp Nou has been the subject of much speculation throughout the turbulent 2019-20 campaign. The Argentine only has one year left to run on his current contract and has been strongly linked with a move away from Catalonia in recent months.

Inter has been mooted as a possible next destination for the six-time Ballon d'Or winner, but Conte dismissed the notion of a possible transfer after the 2-0 win over Atalanta on Sunday.

Quizzed on a potential move for Messi, the 51-year-old head coach told reporters: "Look, only I know what I had to do to get [Romelu] Lukaku. Trust me, at the end of the season we will make evaluations."

Former Italy international Di Canio says that even if it were possible for Inter to bring in the Barca talisman, Conte would oppose a deal due to the attention that would come with such a huge signing.

"If Inter really decided to go for Messi and had already told him that they will do everything to take him, are you sure that Conte would like Messi at Inter? I say no," the ex-Lazio and Juventus striker told Sky Sports.

"It would mean that we would talk more about Messi than about Inter, as happens with Cristiano Ronaldo at Juventus, or even more."

Conte was also asked to assess his first year at San Siro following his side's final outing of the season, and he took the opportunity to criticise the Inter board for failing to shield him or the players amid intense media scrutiny.

After Inter finished second in Serie A by a single point behind Juventus, the Nerazzurri head coach stated: "Neither my work nor the players' work was acknowledged, I found little protection from the club when making comparisons. If you want to reduce the gap with Juventus you have to be strong on the pitch but above all off it."

Di Canio believes Conte's comments could end up costing him his position, as he added: "Yesterday was something very serious. I don't know why Antonio said those words, but even if he were to stay at Inter, the scar will remain and the difficulties will come out again."

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson admits the 2019-20 campaign has been “one of the most exhausting seasons I’ve ever had”, with the Reds left physically and emotionally drained on the back of their Premier League title triumph.

Jurgen Klopp’s side started out almost 12 months ago with the intention of winning more major honours. They delivered on that front in record-breaking style, with a 30-year wait for English top-flight glory brought to a close.

Liverpool also savoured UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup successes, with the Anfield outfit having got a taste for major silverware.

Their efforts were, however, punctured by a three-month break during the coronavirus pandemic and Alisson admits that everyone on the red half of Merseyside is now looking forward to a well-deserved rest.

The highly-rated goalkeeper told ESPN Brasil: “This was one of the most exhausting seasons I've ever had. I don't know if it was due to the pandemic, the longer season, but it was also one of the seasons I played less games because of injuries.

“We got out of the Champions League early, but I think this exhaustion comes from just giving everything we have every time.

“Klopp has a great portion of that, just telling us what the main objective is.

“We also care about how we are going to get to that objective -- training, just how he manages our training sessions. He trusts us to do what he wants us to do, on not only training sessions, but also a day-to-day basis.

“Our group is certainly very strong. Each player has so much quality individually, and we have at least four players always at the top, the best in the world in their positions, and that makes it a special team, but what really makes a difference is the way we play together.

“We think as one, we all have the same objective, and that is doing everything we can to get those goals, laying it all out mentally and physically.”

Liverpool, along with domestic and global rivals, were unable to relax during the Covid-19 hiatus as they needed to remain in shape ready for the restart.

They will not have long to recharge their batteries as the 2020 Community Shield – which will see the Reds take on FA Cup winners Arsenal – has been pencilled in for August 29 and the new Premier League season is due to start on September 12.

Manchester City versus Real Madrid will be decided by "small details", according to Raphael Varane, who says "the best team on the day will win".

Madrid will travel to Manchester on Friday for the second leg of their Champions League last 16 tie, which is delicately poised after a thrilling reverse fixture at Santiago Bernabeu.

Zinedine Zidane's men took the lead through Isco, only for late Gabriel Jesus and Kevin De Bruyne goals to give City a famous 2-1 victory in the Spanish capital.

Real have since bounced back from that disappointment to win their first La Liga title since 2017, while Pep Guardiola's men were dethroned by Liverpool in comprehensive fashion in the Premier League.

Zidane has never lost a European knockout tie on aggregate as Madrid head coach, and Varane says the entire squad are motivated to keep that run going at Etihad Stadium.

"We want to win every day, we're Real Madrid," the France international said in a video message posted on the club's social media accounts. "We want to win everything possible and gain more confidence that way.

"We haven't had games to play beforehand, so we have time to prepare ourselves. The best team on the day will win. We'll go into [the game] with hunger to win and the necessary determination."

Varane added on the likelihood of another fiercely competitive contest between two elite teams: "[It will be] a difficult game against a very good team. The first leg was a top-quality game, with pressing from both teams. "It was decided by the small details.

"[Real Madrid and City are] two teams that like to have the ball, are very intense and that require lots of concentration.

"These are the best games in the Champions League - the ones that are decided by very little. They are why we love this competition."

Madrid won three European Cups in a row during Zidane's first spell in charge, and Varane says that experience holds them in good stead to avoid an early exit this time around.

"We know what we've achieved in recent years is something exceptional," he continued. "What we have to do is carry this experience with us and know that the small details make the difference in big games.

"Now, we're a bit more relaxed, but we have the same determination and we know the traps we have to avoid. We have years of experience, but it's hard to win every game, repeat victories and always be at the top."

Christian Pulisic has vowed to be “back in no time” after suffering a hamstring injury in Chelsea’s FA Cup final defeat to Arsenal.

The United States international opened the scoring at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, with another impressive finish added to his ever-growing collection.

He looked to be in again early in the second half, but pulled a muscle as he raced into the box and poked an effort wide of the post as he crumpled to the turf.

Pulisic was clearly in pain before he got his shot away, with it immediately apparent that he was going to be in no position to continue.

With Cesar Azpilicueta and Pedro also picking up knocks on a testing afternoon for the Blues, Frank Lampard ultimately saw his side downed by a double from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

The 2-1 reversal represented a disappointing end to the domestic 2019-20 campaign for Chelsea and Pulisic, but there are plenty of positives for them to take from a season that delivered a top-four finish.

They do not have to wait long either before returning to action, and Pulisic is hoping that he will soon be back in contention.

He posted on Instagram when reflecting on the cup final and looking to the future: “Gave it everything we had. Wasn’t our day. Thank you guys for your support I’ll be back in no time”

Lampard, whose side have the second leg of a Champions League last-16 clash with Bayern Munich to take in on August 8, told reporters of the ailments his players picked up against Arsenal.

He said: “I don't know the full extent of the injuries, but I know the hamstrings with Azpi and Christian - they have to be scanned and assessed over the next few days. They clearly won't be fit for next week [against Bayern].”

Chelsea trail that contest 3-0 on aggregate and appear to be in a position to start planning for 2020-21, with the new Premier League season due to get underway on September 12.

Lampard believes that may be too soon after what has been an elongated campaign this time around, with the Blues boss saying: “It’s not ideal if we carry on against Bayern and possibly go further.

“The players need a break; they need to be given a break to play at the level of the quality product that the Premier League is. Worst case scenario, if we don’t go through against Bayern, the 12th seems too early to start playing again.

“The players need a break. That is why we are pulling two hamstrings and having players pull out before this. I would like to think the Premier League will look seriously at that and look at the start for next season. I think we deserve it, as a Premier League club competing in the Champions League.”

New Azam FC signing Ayoub Lyanga has revealed how his brother played a key role to have him join the club from Coastal Union.

The attacking midfielder was unveiled on Sunday by the ‘Ice Cream Makers’ after penning a two-year contract to become the third signing for the club ahead of the new Mainland Premier League season.

Lyanga has now explained why he jumped at the chance to play for the 2014 league champions, and who was behind the transfer move.

“I have also talked to my brother who played for Azam before, Daniel [Lyanga] who was at the club last season, he has told me a lot about the club, he has told me what to expect at the club and how ambitious the club is, so I will strive to push the club from where he left it,” Lyanga told reporters.

“My brother also played a key role for me to sign for Azam, he told me a lot about the team, and my target now is to help the team, and make sure Azam remains as one of the best teams in the country and even beyond the borders.”

On how he feels after signing the deal, Lyanga said: “I thank God for the chance to play for Azam and I thank all those who were behind the deal and those who have supported me, and I am happy to sign for Azam.

“My main target is to help Azam and it is the reason I did not wait for even a second to come here when I knew they were looking for my services, I have always wanted to play for this great club and I thank God I now have the chance to show them what I can do.”

On having a good season in the last campaign while at Coastal Union, Lyanga explained: “I like pushing myself hard and that is why I did well, and now I have a new challenge ahead of me and will continue to strive even hard and make Azam shine, I want to assure the fans, we will move together and make this team great.”

Azam have also signed attacking midfielder Ally Niyonzima from Rayon Sports of Rwanda and Awesu Awesu from Kagera Sugar.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) had to cancel all leagues in the previous season, as the Coronavirus pandemic started to spread across the country. 

The second division I-League which saw 17 teams participate was cancelled even before the group stages could be completed. 

ARA FC, were topping the charts in group C with 14 points from seven games. But due to the pandemic, they have to start from a clean slate in a format that would be decided by the AIFF. 

"We had faced a lot of losses because of the cancellation of the tournament. Everything went in vain. We have been practicing since December and then midway through the tournament, it got stopped. We had to pay salaries, training costs, and incur other expenses as usual. So it was really difficult for us. Therefore, we were sceptical about participating in the tournament," stated Vikram Patel, owner of ARA FC, to Goal. 

It was just a couple of days ago that the team management confirmed to AIFF about their wish to participate after a lot of deliberation. They wanted to give another shot at qualification for I-League as they believe that they have the squad which can make it through. 

Syed Shoaib Ahmed and Dieye Hamidou were in fine form as they struck seven and six goals respectively and Patel confirmed that both the players will continue to feature for them. 

"We are in talks with all our players including Shoaib and Hamidou. We will try to make new signings as soon as possible and send them fresh contracts as we hope to start training by mid-August. We will field the strongest outfit possible. Because if we qualify (for I-League) we have to carry the same players in I-league at least for the first few matches as the league will start in December and the transfer window will start in January. It might be difficult for us to sign players in the summer transfer window.

"So we are planning accordingly. But while recruiting any more foreign players we will be hiring players who are stuck in India, otherwise, there will be visa and transport problems," commented the businessman. 

Patel hopes that AIFF will help them out with the steep cost of testing the players during the tournament. Additionally, he has urged the federation for extra funds since they have already lost a lot of money in the previous season. 

"We are in discussion with AIFF for a certain sum of money as a subsidy that should ideally cover our transportation and hotel costs. Moreover, the Covid-19 testing is also a costly affair. Ideally, they should bear the cost. Otherwise, we have to source it from the insurance that we include in the player's contract."

He also assured that there will be strict protocols when the players arrive in Ahmedabad for training. 

"We will take full precautions while training. There will be a seven-day isolation period when the players arrive. Then their movements will be restricted. We don't want one player to go out and get Covid. The whole team will suffer. We have our own residential space, they will be staying there. It will be sanitised regularly."

The team had good momentum before the pandemic played the spoilsport. The strikers were in a good rhythm and now coach Vivek Nagul will have to ensure that his men have shaken off the pandemic blues once they restart their quest for a spot in the I-League.  was in awas in awas in awas in a

Former Dempo SC midfielder Peter Carvalho may be one of the most underrated players of his time. He spent almost a decade years with the Goan giants, serving the club with exemplary commitment.

However, not many are aware could have well started his senior playing career with Goan rivals Sporting Clube de Goa.

Carvalho did eventually turn up for the Flaming Oranje in 2017, 16 years after attending trials at the club that was then recently taken over from Cidade de Goa in 1999 by Sporting Goa's current owner Peter Vaz.

"He (Carvalho) attended a trial with us in the year 2001 and Peter (Vaz) wanted to sign him," Sporting Goa official Angelo Albuquerque revealed to Goal. "He was around 20 years old at that time. This boy used to come all the way from Quepem. He used to wake up at 5 am and set out on a milk van to Margao and then caught a bus to reach in time for our practice sessions at Campal at 7:30 am.

"Just because of the traveling distance (approximately 50 kms one way) and since we did not have any accommodation system back then, we didn't sign him up and then he went to Raia [Sporting Club]. Otherwise, he would have started his career with us (Sporting Goa)."

At the age of 39, Carvalho was still among the fittest players in the Goan Pro League.

With regard to Carvalho's last stint with Sporting Goa before the Coronavirus pandemic struck, Albuquerque stated, "He is physically strong and never misses practice. In the two years he was with us, he missed only one practice session. He has played all these years only because of his discipline. As a player, youngsters should look up to him - his discipline, the way he takes care of himself."

After Raia Sporting Club, he joined Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) in 2004 before joining National Football League (NFL) side Fransa-Pax the following season but the outfit who would disband in 2006 after club owner Micky Pacheco decided to pull out his team mid-way through the 2005-06 NFL (now I-League) season.

That in turn opened the door for his move to Dempo with then coach of the Golden Eagles, Armando Colaco, luring him in with a three-year contract in the summer of 2006. Carvalho spent the next 10 years at the club winning the Durand Cup in his first year, a cherished semi-finals appearance in the 2008 AFC Cup, a couple of Indian Super Cup trophies (2008, 2010) and four of Dempo's five NFL/I-League titles among his major honours.

"He is a very simple and humble person and hardly spoke much even during team meetings. He was extremely punctual and disciplined during practices and he is a player that would play for the team anywhere as per requirements," Colaco told Goal.

"I made use of him in so many different positions and I'm glad (I did). If he remains physically fit, he can play for another two years because he has the experience on his side. His maturity will help him. I really appreciate and admire him for what he has done at Dempo."

It's no surprise that Carvalho also spoke highly of his former coach at Dempo, someone who helped him build his career.

"Armando was the most inspiring coach I have ever met in my life. The way he guided me is why I had such a fruitful career in football," he expressed to Goal.

Although he only got a look into the national team set-up during a few friendlies under the regime of Armando Colaco as the India coach, at the state level, Peter Carvalho won the 2005 Santosh Trophy with Goa and at the age of 36 captained the side that lost the 2017 Santosh Trophy final played in Goa 1-0 to West Bengal.

This was when, in 2017, he earned himself a move to Sporting Clube de Goa from FC Bardez to ply his trade in the Goa Pro League and almost won back-to-back titles. Their bid for a second consecutive title was halted by FC Goa's developmental side in 2018-19 season.

In between, after becoming the highest scoring midfielder for Dempo in the 2012-13 I-League, Carvalho was loaned out on successive seasons to Indian Super League (ISL) clubs FC Goa (2014) and Kerala Blasters (2015).

"The first time in my career I got the opportunity to share the room with someone like Zico and Robert Pires (at FC Goa). I got to learn a lot from them. At Kerala (Blasters), I suffered a MCL (Medial Collateral Ligament) injury to my knee," he recalled.

In fact, Carvalho still intends to play for as long as he can.

"There were a lot of good youngsters at Sporting. Keeping up with the pace was something I found a bit challenging but I still had it in me. I still want to play," he now insists.

Dipendu Biswas has had a glorious career as a footballer and is one of the few players who has represented all three giants of Kolkata football, i.e. Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting.

Biswas still holds the record of being only the second Indian player to have scored more than 250 goals in domestic football. Legendary footballer Chuni Goswami, who passed away earlier this year, was the first to achieve this feat.

After retiring as a footballer, Biswas has been associated with Mohammedan Sporting Club. He has been working as the club’s technical director for the past few years.

In 2020, Biswas though will be seen in a completely different role at the club as he was recently elected as the Football Secretary of Mohammedan.

Biswas spoke about the challenges of being an administrator and how different the role is from being a footballer or a technical director.

“As Football Secretary of the club, I now have full authority over the selection of players in the squad. We have created a subcommittee for football. Along with our Secretary Wasim Akram, who is a very close friend, we will try to make the best possible decisions for the club,” said Biswas.

Consistency has been a major issue for the Black Panthers in the past two decades. They have been relegated on multiple occasions from the I-League and has been extremely inconsistent.

The former India international footballer revealed that their first and foremost target will be to qualify for the I-League this year and thereafter, in a few years time, gain promotion to the Indian Super League (ISL) - the country's top tier.

Mohammedan are in the final stage of the second division I-League this season and have a shot at promotion before the upcoming season.

He said, “We have already signed Willis Plaza who according to me was the best foreign striker in I-League last season. We also signed Eze Kingsley and we are close to making few more Indian signings in the coming days. We also managed to hold on to most of our Indian players from last season.

“Our first target is to qualify for the I-League next season and after that our next aim is to achieve promotion to the ISL in the next five seasons. ISL is the top tier league of Indian football at the moment so that has to be our ultimate aim. But before entering the ISL we need to make sure that we consistently play in the I-League for the next few years.”

Biswas also suggested that they are hopeful of ending the financial troubles of the club as several investors have shown interest in getting associated with the club.

“Many people have already shown their interest to get associated with the club financially. Hopefully, something good will turn up very soon. We want to create a strong infrastructure in the club,” said the Mohammedan official.

The footballer turned politician also revealed that the club has extensive plans for improving their youth system. They have initiated a process to start a new academy for the club in Kolkata.

“Our Secretary Wasim (Akram) was in charge of the youth development of the club till now so he has a very good idea about it. Our target is to make a strong setup for youth programs. We have already bought land in Kolkata where we will set up an academy for 100 candidates. The academy will have every single facility. Also, it will have a clubhouse which the members of Mohammedan Sporting can avail at any time for leisure activities. But of course, the primary purpose of the project is to solidify our youth program,” said the former East Bengal striker.

Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has revealed he's open to coaching again one day but only under conditions he deems as "optimal".

Wenger departed the Gunners after 22 years in 2018 and is currently working as FIFA's new Chief of Global Football Development. 

While eager to make the most of his new position, the Frenchman admits he's missing being a manager and concedes he could make a return if the right position presents itself. 

"Every day, I want to train, I've been doing this all my life," Wenger told Europe 1. 

"I'm 70 years old, I gave a lot. Should I play Russian roulette a bit, even when it comes to my health? I can't do things by halves, so I ask myself this question."

Asked what it would take for him to manage again, Wenger replied: "It will be in conditions that I consider optimal. Otherwise, I will not do it."  

Wenger officially joined FIFA in November last year with the former Arsenal manager refuting reports at the time that Bayern Munich wanted him to replace Niko Kovac. 

Though still getting used to his new role and eager to make an impact, Wenger hinted he's not a massive fan of being stuck inside when he previously conducted much of his work out on the pitch. 

"I smelled the grass every morning, and today I am more in muffled, administrative environments, and in offices. So obviously, I feel a bit of an intruder in there," he said. 

"I want to create the most efficient analysis center in the world at FIFA. I know it is very ambitious, but you will see that at the World Cup in 2022 we will produce match analySes which will be extremely efficient.

"I'm in the process of hiring a lot of people at this level right now. And I think there is still a lot of progress to be made in the way we see football." 

The 70-year-old recently declared Paris-Saint Germain and Manchester City as his favourites to take out this season's Champions League when it resumes this week.

Both sides must still navigate the second legs of their last-16 ties with PSG trailing Lyon 1-0 and City holding a 2-1 lead over Real Madrid. 

Pierre-Francois Aubameyang has lauded his son, Pierre-Emerick for fulfilling his promise of guiding Arsenal to FA Cup glory against Chelsea.

Aubameyang scored two goals as Mikel Arteta’s men fought from behind to defeat their London rivals Chelsea 2-1 in Sunday’s final at Wembley Stadium.

After he was brought down in the 18-yard box by Cesar Azpilicueta, the 31-year-old converted from the penalty spot midway through the first-half to cancel out Christian Pulisic's opener.

Some minutes after the hour-mark, Aubameyang fired the Gunners ahead with a deft chip over goalkeeper Willy Caballero.

The goals were the Gabonese's third brace in his last four outings for Arteta's side, and he ended the 2019-20 campaign as Arsenal top scorer with 29 goals across all competitions.

Saturday's triumph secured Aubameyang's first title in England since his permanent signing from Borussia Dortmund in January 2018.

Pleased by his son’s heroics at Wembley, Aubameyang’s father who played 80 international games for Gabon during his career said the African country and his family are proud of him.

"You are amazing, you promised it to me and you did it," he wrote on Instagram.

"All the credit goes to you my son, your mother, the whole family and I are proud of you. What an honour for our Gabon."

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has also followed in his father's footsteps, by turning out for the Panthers at the senior level despite being born in France and playing for the French U21 team initially.

The 2015 African Footballer of the Year is currently Gabon's all-time top scorer with 25 goals after 61 appearances since his debut outing in 2009.

Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain should be considered the two favourites for this year's Champions League, according to Arsene Wenger.

European football’s premier knockout competition resumes this week five months after it was halted at the last 16 stage because of the coronavirus pandemic.

There are still four last-16 second leg ties to be completed, including Manchester City’s clash with Real Madrid at Etihad Stadium on Friday, before the action then moves to Lisbon for an eight-team knockout tournament, with the quarter-finals and semi-finals taking place over one leg ahead of the final on Sunday August 23.

City hold a 2-1 lead over Los Blancos after the first leg at Santiago Bernabeu back in February. PSG meanwhile have already secured their place in the last eight as they managed to beat Borussia Dortmund 3-2 on aggregate before the Covid-19 shutdown.

Thomas Tuchel’s side take on surprise package Atalanta at Benfica’s Estadio Da Luz on Wednesday August 12, with the winners facing RB Leipzig or Atletico Madrid in the last four.

The French champions, like Manchester City, have never won the Champions League, with the owners of both clubs desperate to secure the famous trophy as tangible reward for their significant investment.

Wenger, who is currently FIFA's head of football development, believes both sides should be considered frontrunners for this year’s prize, ahead of the likes of Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona.

“When you are playing a match against Atalanta or Atletico Madrid, anything can happen. But for me, Manchester City and PSG are the two favourites in terms of their potential,” Wenger told Europe 1.

Despite tipping them for European glory, Wenger feels the PSG squad is actually weaker than it was a few years ago, though he feels the standard of competition has also dipped in that time. 

“I feel they are a little bit less strong than three or four years ago,” he added. “In terms of their holistic set-up, they were maybe a bit more complete three to four years ago, in all positions. 

“The competition was stronger as well. But I think that there has been a general decline in the quality of European football at the very, very, very highest level and they are still amongst the two or three best in Europe.

“We shouldn’t be looking for false reasons why PSG have not yet won the Champions League. Even Real Madrid didn’t win it sometimes during 10 to 15 years, then they won it three times in a row.”