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Napoli manager Gennaro Gattuso has distanced himself from the speculation that Victor Osimhen is close to joining the club, simply saying he remains a Lille player.

The 21-year-old Nigerian has been linked with a move to the San Paolo after a breakout season in France where he scored 18 competitive goals in 38 appearances.

Osimhen swept home a couple of accolades for his impressive feats with Lille, which included being crowned the club’s player of the season and the Marc-Vivien Foe award as the best African player in Ligue 1.

Osimhen is the second Nigerian to win the Foe award after former goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama who played for Lille between 2011 and 2018.

"He [Osimhen] is currently a Lille player. I cannot comment,” Gattuso told the press after Napoli’s 2-0 defeat by high-flying Atalanta.

Gattuso insisted that the Partenopei will spend a little in the transfer market, but it must be a player with quantity.

“We will do little on the market, 70-80% [of players] will remain and whoever arrives will have to give us quality and quantity," the former Sion manager stated.

 “For this, we must raise the bar because many will remain and we must improve.”

Osimhen’s agent, Osita Okolo, has, however, confirmed that the former Wolfsburg man player has had contact with Gattuso and club president Aurelio De Laurentiis and admitted he likes the Naples environment.

"Napoli's interest is important. De Laurentiis and the manager [Gattuso] really like Victor. There have already been several contacts,” Okolo told TuttoMercato.

“Victor likes Naples, a fantastic city, and obviously he also likes Napoli as a team. The interest of a big Italian [club] personally does not surprise me considering how well he did with Lille."

Osimhen’s potential arrival could fill a void should Arkadiusz Milik, who is reportedly wanted by Juventus and Tottenham Hotspur, depart the club.

Napoli’s defeat at Atalanta ended their four-game winning streak in all competitions, which included lifting the Coppa Italia against Juventus via penalties.

The Campania capital outfit remains in sixth spot on the table which is the final Europa League qualification berth, but they are under pressure from the likes of AC Milan and Hellas Verona, just behind them on the table.

They will hope to get back to winning ways when they host Roma on Sunday at the San Paolo.

Former Leicester defender Cedric Kipre says N’Golo Kante let him and his brother stay with him for a month when he had an issue with his apartment.

Kipre joined the Foxes from Paris Saint-Germain in 2014 as a teenager, a year before fellow Frenchman Kante arrived from Caen.

He featured for the club’s youth sides without ever breaking into the first team but, when he had problems in his personal life, it was Kante who stepped in to help.

“I lived at N’Golo’s house for a month when I was at Leicester,” Kipre told Goal. “I had a problem with my apartment and he hosted my brother and me. Not everyone would have done it, and it was really nice of him.

“Today, I'm proud to have met someone like him. There is nobody more humble than N'Golo."

Kipre spent time out on loan in 2015 before moving on permanently to Motherwell in 2017, but he was part of the Leicester set-up when they won the Premier League in 2016, sometimes training with Claudio Ranieri’s first team.

"It was unbelievable,” he said. “Something crazy. The atmosphere was fantastic! Even the players hadn't seen it coming.

“It was really beautiful. The day of the title, I was in the stadium behind the substitutes' bench. I was filming everything with my phone, I wanted to keep memories."

Born in Paris, Kipre came through the youth academy at PSG and admits it was painful to have to leave the club as a youngster.

"I love this club and when I didn’t return to the academy and I saw everyone returning, it hurt me,” he said.

“I saw all my friends leave. Moussa (Dembele), Dylan Batubinsika, James (Lea Siliki), but now, when I have time, I watch PSG games. They are the club of my heart, the club of my whole family. I support them like crazy!”

After leaving Paris, Kipre went to Leicester’s youth team before moving on to Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership. He impressed in his single season north of the border, and returned to English football in August 2018 in a £1 million ($1.25m) move to Wigan Athletic of the Championship.

Steven Bergwijn has hit out at the decision to disallow Harry Kane’s equaliser for Tottenham against Sheffield United on Thursday.

Moments after Sander Berge had opened the scoring with his first Premier League goal for the Blades, Kane thought he had levelled the scores only to see the goal ruled out by VAR. In the build-up to the goal, Lucas Moura had inadvertently brushed the ball with his arm as he fell to the floor.

Under the current handball rules, a goal cannot be given if the ball touches an attacker’s hand or arm in the build-up – a rule which is being forensically applied with the close-ups and slow-motion replays afforded by VAR.

"In my opinion it is a goal, [Lucas] can't put his hands anywhere," Bergwijn said. "They also pushed him in the back, so there are two things wrong.

"I don't understand [why a free-kick wasn't given afterwards], maybe it is because we played through but I think he has to give the goal.

“Where is he supposed to put his hands? It is a goal in my opinion."

Spurs boss Jose Mourinho said in his press conference that he thought his side had been affected by the decision, but Bergwijn didn’t agree.

"I think it did affect them, clearly it did,” Mourinho said. “I think the team was playing well in the first half in spite of us not creating many chances, but we were very much in control.

"They scored the goal, the team reacted immediately. We scored and then I think the team felt it too much and when you compete you have to be ready for unlucky situations, ready for a big mistake that your keeper makes, ready for the penalty that some guy misses.”

Bergwijn – speaking at the same time, rather than reacting to Mourinho’s comments – had a different view.

"No, I don't think like this. It is mixed feelings, but I don't think it affected the players," he said. "When you concede a goal and equalise so quickly it is a good feeling, but it is disallowed, it's really mixed feelings."

Sheffield United jumped above Tottenham with their victory, with Spurs now sitting ninth in the Premier League with six games to play.

"We have to look game to game and we will see," Bergwijn added. "We have to win every game. We have to forget this game now and look forward. Yeah, it was a bad result today, but we have to go on."

SuperSport United have officially parted ways with attacking midfielder Thabo Qalinge.

The 28-year-old player failed to make an impact during his time with Matsatsantsa, having joined the club on a free transfer from Orlando Pirates at the beginning of the current season.

The Tshwane giants have since announced that Qalinge has left the club along with Thakasani Mbanjwa and Thato Lesoma.

SuperSport released the following statement on Friday evening confirming the moves.

"We would like to confirm the departure of Thabo Qalinge, Thakasani Mbanjwa and Thato Lesoma," a club statement read.

"We thank them for their contributions and wish them well with their future endeavours."

Qalinge made only five appearances across all competitions for Matsatsantsa before the current season was suspended indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic last March.

The former Mpumalanga Black Aces winger had signed a one-year deal with the Tshwane giants and the contract expired at the end of last month.

Lesoma and Mbanjwa, who are both promising goalkeepers, have left SuperSport without making a single appearance for the team this season.

Newly-appointed Matsatsantsa captain Ronwen Williams has been an ever-present for the team in both the PSL and cup competitions.

However, Mbanjwa has left the club having played one match for the team which was against Bloemfontein Celtic in the 2018 Nedbank Cup Round of 16 match.

The 24-year-old shot-stopper, who is a former South Africa under-23 international, joined coach Kaitano Tembo's side from Bidvest Wits ahead of the 2017/18 season.

Mbanjwa was hoping to establish himself at SuperSport having left the Clever Boys without making his competitive debut for the team.

While Lesoma played for Matsatsantsa's reserve side in the Multichoice Diski Challenge (MDC) before being promoted to the first team earlier this season.

The 21-year-old shot-stopper was nurtured in the University of Pretoria academy and he leaves the Tshwane giants without playing a single match for the first team.

Lesoma was part of the South Africa under-20 squad which took part in a Three-Nation tournament in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire where they faced hosts England and Brazil in 2017.

He started both matches as Amajita, under the guidance of coach Helman Mkhalele, suffered a 4-0 defeat to Brazil, before they secured a 2-1 victory over England.

Former Ghana defender Hans Sarpei says he can't forgive Uruguay forward Luis Suarez, 10 years after the Black Stars were likely denied a place at the 2010 World Cup semi-finals following his controversial handball.

The West African giants were making their first quarter-final appearance at the Mundial having reached the Round of 16 at their maiden event in 2006, where they lost to Brazil.

They had taken the lead at Soccer City on July 2, 2010, via Sulley Muntari, but Uruguay equalised thanks to Diego Forlan’s freekick.

In the dying minutes of extra-time, Ghana had an effort via Dominic Adiyiah from a John Paintsil freekick that was goal bound. However, Suarez used his hand to stop the ball from going in after goalkeeper Fernando Muslera was well beaten.

Suarez was rightly given his marching orders, but Asamoah Gyan missed the resultant penalty and Uruguay then triumphed 4-2 in the penalty shootout that followed.

It is a scar that still hunts Ghana today knowing they could have made history in becoming the first-ever African country to reach the World Cup semi-finals, after Cameroon and Senegal came close in 1990 and 2002, respectively.

"I can't forgive him [Suarez] because it was not an accident," Sarpei told BBC.

"He knows what he has done. We were crying and you see someone who has cheated us is celebrating. How can I forgive him? Never. Never ever."

Sarpei, who played at left-back that night, believes Ghana had it in them to see off Uruguay.

He also believed Gyan was going to convert his penalty, having scored twice already in the tournament from the spot, against Serbia and Australia in the group stage.

"On the way to the game against Uruguay, I think everybody knew we could beat them - I think the whole world was supporting us,” Sarpei continued.

"The way we play the game: we're playing on the front, we're attacking in front. We try to enjoy the game. When you see Ghana, it's like you're listening to music because the ball is flowing.

"I think everybody from our side was thinking 'yeah, we're going to the semi-final' because Asamoah Gyan had scored two penalty goals before and he made it look easy.

"I was standing there and for me, the ball was going into the net and we are going through to the next round.

"Then it hit the crossbar and my first thought was like, 'Is this real?' Really? The ball is not into the net? What is happening? What is the problem?'

"And then it was difficult. At this moment, when he didn't score and we had to go to the penalty shootout, the feeling was like, now it will be difficult to go to the next round."

Paintsil, who played at right-back that day, also spoke to the BBC, and said he is still hurt by Suarez’s action which he claims was not professional after the then-Ajax Amsterdam player was caught on camera jubilating after Gyan’s penalty miss.

"It still pains. I'm still feeling it anytime I think about it," the 39-year-old said.

"After the penalty was missed you came out and then celebrated like you're on top of the world by hurting people. At least be a professional, feel the pain. Just go to your dressing room and celebrate and then nobody will see it."

Suarez is seen as a hero for his action in his country Uruguay as they made it to the semis for the first time in 40 years. Paintsil, however, admits that no African player would gamble in the manner Suarez did.

"One has to do what one has to do to make his country proud and that's what he did to us," he continued.

"There's no African player that would have done that.

"Africans are more athletic. Even when the ball is on the other line, I would have tried to kick the ball, kung-fu style."

Tottenham and Arsenal will struggle to reach the top four next season, according to ex-Spurs manager Harry Redknapp, who says his former side have “gone backwards a million miles”.

Since reaching last season’s Champions League final, Spurs have suffered an extended downturn in form, sacked Mauricio Pochettino and now find themselves ninth in the Premier League with six games to play.

Performances have varied under Jose Mourinho, and Redknapp says the side are unrecognisable from the best days of Pochettino’s tenure.

“Tottenham have gone backwards a million miles,” Redknapp told TalkSPORT.

“You look at where they are now to where they were a couple of years ago, when Kyle Walker and Danny Rose were in form at full-back and Christian Eriksen was in great form, Mousa Dembele with him in midfield and Dele Alli was absolutely fantastic. They’re nowhere near that now.

“They finished above Liverpool two or three years ago when they finished second to Leicester, and suddenly Liverpool bought a couple of top players in, a great goalkeeper and a great centre-half and they’ve pushed on to become champions and Tottenham have gone exactly the opposite way.

“They got to the Champions League final last year, which was obviously a great achievement, but their league form was average for a long period. They averaged about a point a game for 25 games, which is relegation form. It hasn’t really improved.”

Tottenham are hoping that, with time to work with the squad and make the additions he sees fit, Mourinho can turn things around at the club, but Redknapp doesn’t think the decision to appoint him has paid off yet, and he also sees struggles ahead at neighbours Arsenal.

“They got rid of Poch, they brought in Jose and thought ‘He’s the man to get us into the top four’, and they need the Champions League, they’ve got an incredible stadium, the best training ground, everything’s in place,” he said. “But it hasn’t happened and it’s not going to happen.

“You look at them going forward, like Arsenal, are those two teams going to be in the top four next year?

“I see Man City and Liverpool as the top two, then you’ve got Man United and Chelsea, you’ve got teams emerging like Wolves.

“I don’t see it for them next year, it’s going to be tough again for the two clubs in north London.”

Confederation of African Football (Caf) president Ahmad Ahmad has assured the newly created Caf Women's Champions League will kick off in 2021, stressing that at least 10 clubs will participate.

The development follows the assurance of the Caf supremo to strengthen the growth of women's football after the launch of the four-year women's football strategic plan last November in Egypt.

The launch of the club competition for the women's game is generating huge excitement across the continent despite some reservations about the format to adopt, which is yet to be unveiled.

And the Malagasy football administrator insists the creation of the women's club event was hugely necessary amidst the concerns over the lack of professional women's football leagues in Africa.

"How we are going to start the Women's Champions League will be handled by our technical and competition officials," Ahmad recently told the media.

"With regards to the model, no matter what the problem could be, we must start in 2021. We know that all the competitions in Africa started with few participants and a lot of things are put in place.

"We know that there is nothing like professional league yet but that does not mean we don't have the professionalism and that we are not going to have the women's club competition.

"Even for men, we have a few countries that have professional leagues and we do not even have up to 10 with a professional league but Champions League for men has always taken place for ages. 

"We will have 10 to 15 clubs from several countries that are going to participate and we are going to start in 2021."

Caf also announced the cancellation of the 2020 Africa Women's Cup of Nations on Tuesday and the news will come as a rude shock to women's football fans, players and stakeholders in Africa.

When asked how the decision could be costly for the African teams at the 2023 Women's World Cup, Ahmad said: "On the contrary, this is going to strengthen the preparation of our players.

"This is because they are going to have a lot of competitions. Before they were only having the Nations Cup but now they are going to have more motivation because they will have a lot of club commitments, either regional or even on the continental stage.

"The 2020 edition of the Africa Women's Cup of Nations will surely take place with 12 teams and not eight as we had in past editions."

Reigning Africa Women's Player of the Year Asisat Oshoala is disappointed over the decision of the Confederation of Africa Football (Caf) to scrap the 2020 Africa Women's Cup of Nations.

This cancellation means the biennial tournament last held in 2018 will not be held until 2022, which is in contrast with the men 's event, which was slated for 2021 but was moved to 2022.

According to Caf, the move made on Tuesday during its Executive Committee meeting were "due to challenging conditions". The news was greeted with dismay by players, stakeholders and fans.

Earlier, Cameroon and Valerenga striker Ajara Nchout insisted the decision will be a serious setback for women's football, describing the Awcon tournament to be "more than a competition".

Adding her voice, the Nigeria captain and Barcelona striker feels the decision is a "big slap" on women's football in Africa, urging the Ahmad Ahmad-led administration to prioritise their interest in the sport.

"It is not looking good for women's football in Africa when you struggle to get a host nation for a continental tournament every two years," Oshoala told BBC Africa in an Instagram interview.

"We cannot be at this level in 2020. It is a shame. Caf needs to go back to their drawing board to make sure they fix women's football in one of their top priorities. 

"They have to prioritise marketing women's football. These things are happening in Europe, the Women's Champions League or the Euro tournaments are still going to go on and will not be cancelled.

"I think moving the men tournament to 2022 means they are not going to be ready for that year calendar. Same with Europe, you cannot scarp a continental tournament and it is a big slap on our face. 

"If you're moving forward to some time in 2021, it is okay but to completely cancel it, we need a proper explanation. This is more like taking five steps forward and tsking 10 steps backward. 

"Going to the World Cup with two teams going through to the Round of 16 was good for us and showed we are improving.

"Before the next edition, we should have two Awcon to prepare ourselves but cancelling one shows there are no plans for the national teams in 2021 calendar outside the Women's Champions League. 

"Caf needs to understand the women teams are not just representing their countries at the World Cup but the whole continent. 

"So, we also need more support from Caf and not just our national federations. The cancellation is not going to be helpful as teams will face two to three years of no competition before the 2023 Women's World Cup."

With the next Awcon set for 2022, the Super Falcons may face several months of inactivity, having last regrouped in October for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games qualifier against Cote d'Ivoire.

Nigeria will miss the chance to defend the African title they won two years ago in Ghana this year, having won nine of the previous 11 editions, including the last three tournaments.

Jurgen Klopp has backed a call from Liverpool City Council’s Director for Public Health for fans to take responsibility for their behaviour and help curb the spread of coronavirus.

Some fans were criticised after gathering in large groups to celebrate their side’s Premier League title win, despite repeated warnings about maintaining social distancing guidelines in the face of Covid-19, which has now officially claimed more than 44,000 lives in the UK.

Klopp condemned scenes which saw fans congregating on the city’s Pier Head, with one man charged by police after directing a firework at the Liver Building.

Liverpool’s public health director Matt Ashton spoke with Klopp on LFCTV, and had a clear message of restraint.

“Liverpool and Merseyside have been badly hit by coronavirus,” Ashton said. “We have had almost 600 deaths in Liverpool and over 1,600 deaths across Merseyside. I want to express the city’s condolences to all those affected.

“Thankfully, rates of the virus on Merseyside are currently relatively low, but we know that the virus is still circulating in our communities and there are signs of some small increases in some areas.

“Now is not the time for any of us to be complacent. This Sunday, and for the rest of the season, I am asking everybody to stay at home and watch the match with your loved ones.

“We can have a big party when this is all over, but this is not now. Be kind, be safe, be responsible.”

Ashton urged fans to stick to social distancing and personal hygiene measures, using face coverings where possible and getting tested if they had symptoms – a message which Klopp fully endorsed.

“I could not have said it better,” the German added. “Obviously, we have to show responsibility still, we have to show that we are different in the best understanding [of the word], that if we have to do something for the good of our loved ones, we will do it 100 per cent.

“We prove that so often, you prove it so often, and we have to prove it still now, and especially now. This is the biggest challenge for all of us in our lives.

“Even when it looks sometimes like things are easing up a little bit, it’s true but only because we have been so disciplined in the past, and that’s how we have to stay.”

Liverpool's first home fixture as champions sees them face Aston Villa at Anfield on Sunday, following Thursday's 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Manchester City.

Barcelona’s season is in danger of unravelling, as crisis continues to envelop the reigning Spanish champions ahead of Sunday’s match against Villarreal.

Quique Setien’s side was miserable against Celta Vigo, taking just a point in a 2-2 draw, while Real Madrid defeated Espanyol and then Getafe on Thursday night to go four points clear.

With only six games to play, Barca are losing momentum at the wrong time, and things are in danger of getting worse before they get better, with club president Josep Maria Bartomeu reportedly holding emergency talks with the head coach in a bid to salvage the campaign.

Reportedly, Bartomeu still supports embattled Setien, but rumours of a heated conversation between coach and players after the 2-2 draw at Balaidos has fuelled talk of a serious fissure in the team.

When questioned about Barca’s poor form after the match, Luis Suarez merely pointed the finger at Setien and his team, saying “you’ll have to ask the coaches.”

Even Lionel Messi’s brilliance hasn’t been able to inspire Barca to all three points as they’ve been held in both of their last two matches, and unless Setien and his team can come up with solutions, Real may pull away.

Barcelona only have one win in their last four matches, but it’s imperative they take all three points away at Villarreal.

By that point, Barca’s plight might be much trickier, with Real set to play again before Sunday evening.

SuperSport Fixtures

Friday 3 July – Atletico Madrid vs Mallorca (LaLiga)

Saturday 4 July – Juventus vs Torino (Serie A)

Saturday 4 July – Lazio vs AC Milan (Serie A)

Saturday 4 July – Manchester United vs Bournemouth (Premier League)

Saturday 4 July – Wolves vs Arsenal (Premier League)

Saturday 4 July – Chelsea vs Watford (Premier League)

Sunday 5 July – Liverpool vs Aston Villa (Premier League)

Sunday 5 July – Southampton vs Manchester City (Premier League)

Sunday 5 July – Athletic Bilbao vs Real Madrid (LaLiga)

Sunday 5 July – Villarreal vs Barcelona (LaLiga)

Sunday 5 July – Inter Milan vs Bologna

Sunday 5 July – Napoli vs Roma (Serie A)

Also in La Liga action this weekend, Atletico Madrid are set to host Real Mallorca on Friday evening.

Atleti have been in excellent form since the restart and demonstrated their resiliency by twice coming from behind to take a point against Barcelona. With only five points separating them from fifth-placed Villarreal, they can take nothing for granted in the race for Champions League qualification.

On Saturday, SuperSport are delighted to present the evening kickoff between Wolves and Arsenal at Molineux.

The Old Gold are firmly in the hunt for Champions League qualification, having won all of their last three, and they’ll be confident they can expose some of the enduring brittleness of Mikel Arteta’s side.

However, the Gunners—still harbouring faint UCL dreams of their own—may have turned the corner after winning their last two, and in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, they boast the firepower to test Wolves’ backline.

Finally to Italy, where the top two are both in action on SuperSport this weekend.

Juventus host rivals Torino in the Turin derby on Friday, before Lazio welcome AC Milan a day later.

After victories over Genoa and Torino respectively on Tuesday, Lazio and Juve remain four and eight points clear of third-placed Internazionale, but the Nerazzurri’s 6-0 demolition of Brescia on Wednesday will have both of the top two looking over their shoulders.

Lazio and Inter will both be desperate for the Old Lady’s outstanding recent league form to come to an end against their local rivals, although while derbies can introduce a greater element of unpredictability, Juve will be favourites to take maximum points from the Toro.

Napoli and Roma round off the weekend's action when they go toe to toe in a match between fifth and sixth, with AC Milan coming up behind them in the battle for continental qualification, neither side can afford to slip up.

Former Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke has urged Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to sign Jadon Sancho this summer to enable the club to challenge Liverpool and Manchester City for next season's Premier League title.

The Red Devils are long-term admirers of the Borussia Dortmund winger and Yorke believes that the 20-year-old would prove an excellent addition to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's squad.

“He’s a terrific talent and he’s linked with every top team around the world," the treble-winner told Goal.

"So, if Ole sees him as a player that can really bring something to the team and really make sure that core of players keep competition for places, then they should go for it.

“It would force other players to get their skates on and start performing. That's a healthy thing and that’s what you want to see at United. I wouldn’t be surprised if he's a player the club add going forward.”

The links with Sancho have led to discussion as to how Mason Greenwood would fit in the starting XI should the England international arrive.

The 18-year-old scored a brilliant goal against Brighton in United’s last Premier League fixture and has already netted 13 goals in all competitions in his first full campaign in the first-team squad.

Yorke, however, doesn’t think another attacker would check Greenwood’s progress, arguing that the competition could help the teenager to develop.

“It’s important to keep the young players hungry when they’re not in the team and keep pushing them,” Yorke said. “If there’s a top player out there who can bring something different to your team, it’s important United bring them in.

"If they bring in another big-name attacker now, it will only enhance the players who are already in the team and make sure they keep working.

"For United to compete with the likes of Liverpool and City next year, they need to buy another attacker and a central defender.”

United have been consistent since the resumption of play after the coronavirus-enforced break and took their unbeaten run to 15 matches in all competitions after a dominant display against Brighton on Tuesday.

Next up for Solskjaer’s side is a clash against Bournemouth at Old Trafford.

With Chelsea and Leicester dropping points in the week, Yorke is confident that fifth-placed United have what it takes to secure a lucrative Champions League spot for next season.

“The lads are playing some terrific football at the moment and it’s really exciting,” Yorke enthused. “If you look at Leicester, they are dropping off rapidly and Chelsea dropping points against West Ham that can only be encouraging for us.

"The team I worry about is Wolves in sixth because of the way they are going, so we have to keep one eye on them.

"But the fact the teams ahead of us are dropping points can only be encouraging and things are looking rosy. It’s a really exciting time.”

Watch Manchester United v Bournemouth exclusively live on BT Sport 1, btsport.com and the BT Sport app (Saturday, 2.30pm). Fans can watch this match plus more Premier League and FA Cup games in July contract free with a BT Sport Monthly pass for £25 per month.   

ATK’s defensive mainstay, Pritam Kotal, is fresh off helping his side win the Indian Super League (ISL) title - a campaign where his matured performances in a three-man defence was widely appreciated.

Kotal, who used to play right-back predominantly, was a revelation in central defence under Antonio Habas.

However, the India international started his career as a defensive midfielder. From Wari FC, his first professional club to U-19 national team, Kotal used to play in the heart of the midfield.

But it was only under Colm Toal, India’s former technical director who was also in charge of the U-19 team between 2009-2012, Kotal made his transition to the right-back role.

The Bengali defender was all praises for the British coach for his invaluable contribution in shaping his career.

During a live Instagram chat with the Indian football team’s official handle, Kotal said, “I have fond memories from our U-19 days. We spent 2 years together at the AIFF (All India Football Federation) training centre in Goa. Coach Colm Toal played a very important part in my career. When I was called in the U-19 national team, I was a defensive midfielder. I played two matches as a defensive midfielder. But after that coach changed my position. He helped me a lot to improve and also spent hours after training with me.

“During our first camp in the U-19 national team, in China, I had a knee issue and couldn’t play any game. I had lost hope of making a comeback into the team. But the coach recalled me into the team and gave me a lot of confidence. We learned discipline from the coach and he also helped us to improve our basics.”

When asked if switching from defensive midfield to right-back was a big challenge, Kotal said, “When we learn something new, we obviously struggle. When I was at Wari FC in Kolkata, my first football club, I used to play as a defensive midfielder. Then again under Gautam Ghosh’s coaching in the U-19 national team, I played as a defensive midfielder.

“But after Colm Toal came, he saw me play as a midfielder and then he changed my position. I struggled for two or three months. I took some time to adjust but the coach guided me perfectly.”

Kotal revealed that he is a big fan of former India international Deepak Mondal and used to idolise him while growing up.

“Deepak Mondal (is my idol). As a defender, I used to follow him and his playing style while growing up. He has always helped me grow as a player. We are still in touch and he texted me after the ISL final,” Kotal said during the Live chat.

The former Mohun Bagan defender stated that defenders need to be versatile in order to get a chance in the starting XI.

“A player must give two or three options to a coach. If you are not flexible, you will not get a chance. If you show versatility, the coach will give you more chances.

“Even at Pailan Arrows, then coach Arthur Papas played me as a central defender. I am an introvert so I had to work on my communication which is important for a central defender. Now I can play anywhere in defence.”

Liverpool won the Premier League title in 2019-20 with seven games to spare, with their status as champions being confirmed on June 25 when Manchester City lost to Chelsea.

However, Jurgen Klopp and Co. will have to wait a while before they can actually get their hands on the trophy the Merseyside club have been after for three long decades.

So when exactly will they hoist the silverware overhead and where will it happen? Goal brings you all the details.

When will Liverpool lift the Premier League trophy?

Liverpool are expected to be presented with the Premier League trophy in their final home game of the season against Chelsea.

That game had been scheduled for July 18, but will now be rescheduled due to the fact that Chelsea are scheduled to play in the FA Cup semi-final on July 19.  

A new date has not yet been confirmed, but it looks likely that it will be played on the week commencing July 20, given that there is a gap in the schedule then.

The game against Chelsea will happen on one of the following days: Tuesday July 21, Wednesday July 22 or Thursday July 23. It will be an evening fixture, meaning the trophy will be presented under the lights.

As well as receiving the coveted trophy, Liverpool's players are expected to be given their league winners medals too, but Premier League will have to carry that out in a responsible manner.

Will Liverpool be given a guard of honour in their remaining games?

As champions-elect, Liverpool should receive guards of honour from their remaining opponents, though there is no guarantee that every club will oblige.

Man City were the first team to face the Reds since the Premier League title was wrapped up and Pep Guardiola's players performed the traditional mark of respect at the Etihad, before dishing out a 4-0 beating.

Guardiola insisted that Liverpool were deserving of the guard of honour but, while Klopp acknowledged that it was "nice" to receive one, it is not something that he is overly concerned with. 

"I wouldn't need it," said the Reds boss when asked about the guard of honour tradition by reporters, noting that it did not appear to be a thing in Germany. "It's a nice gesture, but that's it, pretty much."

Liverpool play Aston Villa, Brighton, Burnley, Arsenal, Chelsea and Newcastle United in their remaining matches.

Of those games, three will be played at Anfield (Aston Villa, Burnley and Chelsea), with the others being played at the Amex Stadium, Emirates Stadium and St James' Park.

It is customary for the Premier League champions to have a trophy parade as a moment of civic celebration, but public health concerns related to the coronavirus pandemic mean it is a doubt for Liverpool.

Suggestions point to a small-scale trophy parade involving the Liverpool squad and staff, perhaps at Anfield. A trophy parade incorporating virtual elements such as live streaming and interactive supporter involvement is another option.

However, considering the fact that 750,000 people took to the streets to hail Liverpool's Champions League success, it may prove difficult to dissuade supporters from coming out in numbers, as, indeed, happened on the night the Reds were officially confirmed as champions, and the club will be keen to avoid a repeat.

People gathered en masse that evening, congregating outside Anfield and at various areas around Liverpool, eliciting stern condemnation.

The record Premier League points total is 100 points and it was set by Man City during the 2017-18 campaign.

Despite their heavy defeat to City, it remains possible for Liverpool to break that record and, if they win their remaining six matches, they would end the campaign with 104 points.

However, if Liverpool are to achieve that aim they will need to remain motivated for their final matches.

The Reds' performance in the 4-0 defeat against City drew sharp criticism from pundits, with Gary Neville suggesting that some players looked like they had been "on the lash" for a week.

Though there were undoubtedly celebrations after being confirmed champions, Klopp dismissed the idea that his players were not focused.

"If you want to lead this story in direction we were not focused, then do it," he told Sky Sports afterwards. 

"I liked my team's attitude, you ask again. Isn't it nice another team can be champions when Man City can play so well.

"Man City are incredible. I saw their season, they didn't play a bad game."

Mauro Icardi claims to have joined Paris Saint-Germain on a permanent basis as they represent a “giant stride” forward for him from Inter and offer the chance for more silverware to be secured.

The Argentine striker was once a talismanic figure at San Siro, with the Nerazzurri handing a prolific frontman their captain’s armband.

A professional relationship in Milan started to unravel, though, and it soon became clear that Icardi would need a new challenge.

PSG were happy to present one to him, with the Ligue 1 champions initially acquiring the South American on a season-long loan.

The 27-year-old is now tied to a contract through to 2024, on the back of a €50 million (£45m/$56m) transfer, and believes he has made the best decision for the sake of his career in the present and future.

“It was important for me to make a giant stride in my career,” Icardi told PSG’s official website.

“I'm 27 years old and I have spent a lot of time in Italy.

“I wanted to join a club like Paris Saint-Germain in order to win trophies and play at the highest level. All of that meant that I wanted to change and progress.

“I spent seven years at Inter and I played at a very high level. I chose to come to Paris Saint-Germain in order to improve.

“The next four years will undoubtedly be my peak years. I want to continue to show what I'm capable of doing.”

Icardi has already added the Ligue 1 crown to his personal roll of honour, with PSG handed that prize when the decision was taken not to resume the 2019-20 campaign in the middle of a coronavirus pandemic.

On that triumph, Icardi said: “It was my first with Paris. It was a bit bizarre to win it like that but during the season, before the confinement, we had proved our quality and shown that we were on course to win the title.

“We proved we were a top team and at the end of the day we are champions.”

PSG have another two finals to come at the end of July, in the Coupe de France and Coupe de la Ligue, with those outings against St Etienne and Lyon set to be followed by the resumption of Champions League competition in August – with Thomas Tuchel’s side already through to the quarter-finals.

“It's important for us to win the two cups,” said Icardi.

“We were stuck at home for a while and now we are back on the pitches. We want to prepare in order to take on the challenges in the best way possible.

“We want to win as these are two finals we have to play before the Champions League returns. They are objectives for us. We have time to prepare in order to win them.”

Uganda defender Savio Kabugo and Ethiopian top tier side Sebeta Kenema have reached a mutual agreement to part ways.

The 25-year-old joined the East Africa nation from DR Congo outfit AS Vita and went on to establish himself as one of the key players in the team. However, their relationship has come to an abrupt end as the defender reveals.

"Due to the [Coronavirus] pandemic, Sebeta Kenema FC and I had to make some tough decisions," Kabugo said in a statement obtained by Goal.

"We have come to a mutual agreement to terminate our contractual relationship. 

"I would like to thank the club president, coach and his technical team, my teammates and our beloved fans. 

"It has been a great experience winning and losing together and I wish you the very best Sebeta Kenema FC."

Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF) annulled the Ethiopian Premier League (EPL) owing to Covid-19 with no winners nor relegation. By the time, Kenema were in the 11th position.

They had won six matches, drawn four and lost seven, collecting 22 points in the process. He also played a vital role as the team finished as runners-up in the Addis Ababa Inter-City Cup behind St. George.

The defender started his career at SC Victoria University where he played from 2011-2014.

He joined KCCA FC where he played from 2014-2015. Kabugo was among the players who were involved in an accident in 2015 en route to Ntungamo where they were scheduled to play the Uganda Cup final against SC Villa.

The defender went on to play for URA FC and Proline FC before joining Congolese side AS Vita Club in December 2018 where he signed a three-year deal. However, he did not last at the club and in October 2019, he was on his way to Sebeta Kenema.

His Uganda Cranes debut came against Rwanda in a friendly match played at Amahoro Stadium in Kigali, Rwanda where the match ended 2-2.

Kabugo is remembered for his goal for Cranes against Ghana in 2015 African Cup of Nations (Afcon) Qualifier played at Namboole Stadium in Uganda. 

He was named the runner-up in the 2014 Uganda Footballer of the Year Award. 

Liverpool have had some inspirational captains over the years, players who spurred the team on to glory at national, continental and international level. 

However, while many noteworthy individuals have hoisted silverware over their heads in the name of the Anfield giants, only a select few have done so with the league title.

Goal takes a look at which legendary Reds captains led the club to league glory.

Liverpool's league title-winning captains

Full list of Liverpool's league title-winning captains is below.

Of all the iconic captains Liverpool have had in their storied history, only 10 managed to get their hands on the league title. Some, of course, did so on multiple occasions.

Alex Raisbeck was Liverpool's captain in their first ever league title-winning campaign in 1900-01 and he led the team to glory once again in the 1905-06 season. Raisbeck was the team's leader from 1899 until 1909 and he notably remained with the club when they were relegated to the Second Division, helping them to get promoted in 1904-05 before surging to First Division success in their first season back.

Liverpool did not win the First Divison again until the 1920s - after the First World War - and Donald McKinlay was the man who inspired them to success, serving as captain in the back-to-back league triumphs in 1921-22 and 1922-23.

The next league title for the Reds came in 1946-47 - the first post-World War Two championship - and they were led on the field on that occasion by Willie Fagan . Two decades passed before more league glory was achieved, with the Ron Yeats -led Liverpool winning the title in 1963-64 and again in 1965-66.

In the two decades that followed - the 1970s and 1980s - Liverpool emerged as the dominant force in English football, with five different captains lifting 11 league titles between them during those golden years.

Tommy Smith was team captain in 1972-73 when Liverpool won the league and he also wore the armband as they defeated Borussia Monchengladbach in the 1973 UEFA Cup final.

Bill Shankly made the controversial decision to replace Smith as captain the following season, appointing  Emlyn Hughes to the role. Hughes led Liverpool to three league titles in 1975-76, 1976-77 and finally in 1978-79 before departing for Wolves. He was club captain when Liverpool won the UEFA Cup in 1975-76, and the European Cup in 1976-77 and 1977-78.

Phil Thompson replaced Hughes as Liverpool captain, serving from 1979 until 1981. He was the captain of the team when they won the league in 1979-80 and when they won the European Cup in 1980-81.

Thompson reluctantly passed the armband to Graeme Souness  in the 1981-82 season, despite remaining a key member of the squad. The Scottish midfielder was Liverpool's captain when they won the league and League Cup double three years in a row in 1981-82, 1982-83 and 1983-84. He was also captain for their 1983-84 European Cup success against Roma.

Souness then passed the baton to his compatriot Alan Hansen , who served as Liverpool captain from 1985 until 1990 and is the last Reds skipper to lift the league trophy. Hansen led the team as they won the league in 1985-86, 1987-88 and their last success in 1989-90. He also captained the team in their FA Cup triumph of 1986, with Ronnie Whelan deputising for him when they won the FA Cup in 1989.

Jordan Henderson became the first Liverpool captain to win the Premier League, when the Reds ended their 30-year wait for league success in 2019-20. Henderson, who took the armband in 2015, had led Liverpool to Champions League and World Club Cup success before helping them to Premier League glory.

Interestingly, of Liverpool's 10 league title-winning captains six have been Scottish, with four hailing from England.

Notable Liverpool captains who did not win league title

The most notable example of a Liverpool captain who did not manage to win a league title is Steven Gerrard, who was and continues to be routinely mocked by rival supporters for that fact.

However, despite that fact, Gerrard is still recognised as one of the club's best ever leaders, steering them to their fifth Champions League title in 2004-05.

The combative midfielder is the longest-serving captain in the history of the club, and also led the Reds to FA Cup success in 2006 as skipper and wore the armband when they won the League Cup in 2012.

Gerrard replaced Finnish colossus Sami Hyppia as captain in 2003 and the gigantic defender, who wore the armband from 2001 until 2003, is another club hero who never won the league.

Nevertheless, Hyppia was Gerard Houllier's on-field general when the club won the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup treble in 2000-01.

Paul Ince is another iconic Liverpool captain who failed to win the league or, for that matter, any silverware at all. The former England midfielder's glory years were, rather, spent at Manchester United.

Ian Rush starred for Liverpool during the 1980s and 1990s, and took the armband towards the end of his time at the club, but the only thing he won as captain was the League Cup - then the Coca-Cola Cup - in 1995.

Matt Busby is a legendary figure at Manchester United, but it is interesting to note that he spent his playing days at United's rivals Manchester City and Liverpool, donning the armband for the Reds on occasion.

Pitso Mosimane said one of the reasons he accepted to coach Mamelodi Sundowns was to end the dominance by Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates. 

The two Soweto giants won three league titles between them in 2011 and 2013, just months before Mosimane's appointment as head coach of the Brazilians. 

The 55-year-old mentor brought back the good old days at Sundowns in his first full season in charge; winning the league title at the end of the 2013/14 season.  

"It has been tough for me but I just think that somebody has got to do that; somebody had to step in and deal with the monotony of the Soweto giants," said Mosimane quoted SowetanLIVE.

And Mosimane feels both Chiefs and Pirates like the competition given to them by his Sundowns team. 

"I think that it is only fair, it is good for competition. I think that they [Chiefs and Pirates] also like the competition to realise that it is all about life," he said. 

The former Bafana Bafana mentor made reference to the Premier League, saying the teams such as Manchester United and Arsenal have fallen behind the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool in recent years. 

"You go to the English Premier League right now, where are the Manchester United stories and them? They are no longer there, Man United and Arsenal ... where are they?" he asked.  

"Now it’s Manchester City and Liverpool. It’s generations you know, it’s the way it is." 

Mosimane has previously been embroiled in a war of words with coaches in the PSL, and in recent months, he has had a lot to say about Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp. 

He revealed that those small battles are what makes him who he is as they test his character as a human being.  

"There are new rivalries all the time. There is Ernst Middendorp now," he continued.  

“The thing is you must have endurance. If you don’t have endurance, you will be in trouble but it is good for me because it is a good test and it is good for me to know who I am. It is good for me to stand the test of time."

"Now there are the two Germans around [Middendorp and Pirates coach Josef Zinnbauer]," concluded Mosimane. 

Vipers SC new signing Disan Galiwango has revealed why he easily signed for the club from Express FC despite receiving several offers.

The left-back was unveiled on Wednesday after agreeing to pen a four-year contract to ditch the Red Eagles and join the new Uganda Premier League (UPL) champions ahead of the new season.

Despite his transfer to St Marys Kitende still shrouded in controversy after former club Express said they had not sanctioned the move and will follow all the legal rules to have it reversed, Galiwango has explained it was easy for him to pick Vipers ahead of others teams which were fighting for his services.

Former champions Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA FC) were among the team’s keen to sign the player but Galiwango says he could not have turned down a transfer offer to the champions and also revealed his excitement of working under coach Fred Kajoba again.

“It’ feels good to be back home, l was here at St Mary’s Kitende for my advanced level certificate and have always loved to play for Vipers. Sincerely, this is a move at the right time in my career as l slowly but steadily work towards joining the professional ranks,” Galiwango told the club's official website.

“First and foremost, l have roots here and further to that, it’s quite an enticing environment which every player would love to play in, all the necessary facilities for the development of talent, are available.

“When a club like Vipers shows interest in a player, it’s such a good feeling because it’s a big club and with Dr. Lawrence Mulindwa who has nurtured many players at the helm, it becomes even more appealing to any footballer.”

Asked on what Vipers fans should expect from him, Galiwango said: “Of course they should expect a more developed player from the one at Express since the stiff competition for starting slots at Vipers spurs on anyone willing to succeed.

“Secondly, I’m a hard worker who always strives not to be the same as l was yesterday. So, l will do my best to make them happy.”

On what he wants to achieve with the Venoms, Galiwango explained: “Vipers is a winning team, therefore I want to continue with the same spirit in a bid to achieve more silverware with the club. Secondly, l want to help the club perform better in the Caf Champions League as l also use the same platform to achieve my professional football dreams.”

On working again under Kajoba, he said: “A lot of it depends on me but I highly respect coach Kajoba, he trusted me with my first top-flight league licence while at Simba just at the age of 16. So, can’t wait to rekindle the Bombo memories.

“I am going to do my best to carry on helping the team progress further from where I have found it, even more so next season and I hope to make them smile.”

Galiwango started his football career in Richo Soccer Academy based in Kampala before he was signed by Simba SC at the start of the 2015/16 season, who after their relegation bought The Saints FC.

The attacking player stayed with the army side in the entire 2016-17 season before he signed for Water FC and later in August 2019, he moved to Express where he distinctively plied his trade until the end of the just-concluded season before Vipers moved for his services.