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Black Leopards have revealed some of their key players have agreed to sign contract extensions.

This comes after the government gave the Premier Soccer League (PSL) the go-ahead to resume the suspended season which halted last March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Lesedi Kapinga, Robert Ng’ambi, Mogakolodi Ngele and Tshwarelo Bereng have all agreed to stay at the Limpopo-based club for a further two months.

This was confirmed by Leopards' club director, Tshifhiwa ‘Chief’ Thidiela, who also disclosed Joseph Mhlongo officially left the team on Tuesday, June 30 when his contract expired.

“Most of them have agreed as it is allowed to have an extension for the remaining six matches, it is only Joseph Mhlongo whose contract is not going to be extended,” Thidiela told Far Post.

“The rest of them was obviously based on the coach’s plans we have negotiated with them and some we are still finalizing the negotiations to make sure they remain at the team for the last six games."

Thidiela also confirmed the club has offered some players contracts which will go beyond the current season and they are still waiting for them to indicate whether they will be signing them or not.

“The coach [Alan Clark] wants to still be able to use them, some we have offered new contracts going beyond the six matches so it’s just up to them to say yes or no," he added.

"The offers were tabled long ago, I think at Black Leopards we do this [negotiations] in the last 12 months of their contracts obviously to make sure that by the time the season ends we have all our people secured."

However, Thidiela refused to comment on reports about Kapinga signing a pre-contract with reigning PSL champions Mamelodi Sundowns.

“If he was to have signed with Sundowns I think that question would be appropriate to ask Sundowns or whoever that he may have signed with. I would not be privy to that information,” he concluded.

Relegation-threatened Leopards are placed 16th on the league standings - three points behind 13th-placed Baroka FC.

Bandari team Organising Secretary Dickson Kibagendi has revealed the club is planning to release 19 players from their squad.

Kibagendi says the current number making up the entire squad is too big but went ahead to say they have not zeroed in on who is going to be released.

Earlier rumours had indicated assistant coach Ibrahim Shikanda had already been relieved of his duties but Kibagendi has dismissed those reports.

"As we speak, we have a total of 49 members of the team meaning we will have to let go of at least 19 people but only at the right time. The rumours doing the rounds that we have sacked some members of the technical bench are not true," Kibagendi told Nation Sports.

"We have five coaches among them head coach Kennedy Odhiambo, assistant coaches Mohamed Nassoro, Ibrahim Shikanda, Razak Siwa, and team manager Wilson Obungu. This is a number we think is too big by local standards."

Bandari and former coach Bernard Mwalala parted ways early in the year for poor results and Twahir Muhiddin was appointed on an interim basis. Odhiambo was later on re-appointed as the clubs head coach and he is expected to steer the club in the 2020/21 season.

Meanwhile, Mbaraki Sports ground is expected to undergo renovation ahead of the upcoming season.

"Kenya Ports Authority Acting Managing Director Rashid Salim was at the Mbaraki Sports Club to inspect the ongoing renovation of the facilities," Badari announced.

The Managing Director was accompanied by General Manager of Operations and Harbour Master Captain William Ruto who is also the Chairman of the KPA-sponsored Premier League team, KPA Senior Managers, Bandari FC Organising Secretary Kibagendi among other team officials.

"The Managing Director was pleased with the ongoing construction which aims at elevating the sports grounds to international standards," added the Facebook statement.

"KPA Mbaraki Sports Club has been expanded with a provision for extending the sitting capacity as well as upgrading the playing surface.

"Currently, it has two grounds under construction; the main field as well as the youth field which will double up as a training ground.

"The Managing Director together with the Chairman promised to meet the playing unit once the lads resume training."

Bandari are among the KPL teams with a designated home pitch.

The dust has barely settled on Liverpool’s long-awaited title success, but Jurgen Klopp is probably already looking to tackle challenges that could spring forth next season.

Having waited 30 years, the passionate German finally delivered on his promise to end the club’s domestic drought when he was appointed in 2015, although it had been a long time coming. The nature of the current Premier League campaign meant the Reds were champions-elect as far back as January, while the initial uncertainty created by the coronavirus threatened to shatter dreams of success.

However, they weren’t to be denied, with Chelsea’s win over Manchester City confirming what was a forgone conclusion for months. It is then ironic that their first fixture since a maiden Prem title was sewn up comes against Pep Guardiola’s side on Thursday night.

The result of the game at the Etihad Stadium may be inconsequential, however, the likelihood of Klopp’s mentality warriors giving a sub-par performance is slim. With the world champions eliminated from the FA Cup and Champions League, the former Borussia Dortmund boss will have his sights on eclipsing City’s 100-point haul from 2017/18 (they have 86 points with seven games to play).

Contrarily, others have suggested that, with the league now sealed, the Reds can sit back, relax and treat the remainder of the campaign as a mini preseason to try out some of the more fringe players appraising how they could fit in or otherwise next term.

Two names that will be mentioned are Naby Keita and Joel Matip, both first-team players whose influence in the title success was curtailed by long-term injuries this season. The Guinea star has been sidelined for a staggering 22 games in all competitions this year, while Matip missed 20 between late October and the middle of January.

Given their status in the side, and Liverpool’s need to wheel and deal smartly in the transfer market owing to the impact of the coronavirus, are the injury-prone pair lost causes and, consequently, expendable?

In fairness, it’s hard to see Keita leaving this summer, due to Klopp’s fondness of him and majorly because the Reds invested a lot in the all-action midfield man’s arrival in 2018. The Merseyside club waited a year for the West African having struck a deal with German side RB Leipzig in summer 2017.

However, a series of injuries have limited him to just 36 league appearances (21 starts) in nearly two full campaigns. He’d started only two games in the calendar year pre-pandemic, which became three after being named in the XI for the Merseyside derby vs Everton in their first game since the pandemic.

While the former RBL midfielder’s constant absences have been jarring, it is unlikely the Reds cut their losses this season and will probably give the fragile 25-year-old another season in the side to prove himself. That run doesn’t begin in 2020/21, however, with the remainder of this campaign laying a groundwork for what critics might tag a last chance saloon for the 2018 big-money signing.

Matip, unfortunately, isn’t going to get such an opportunity, with a foot injury sustained against Everton on June 21 ruling him out for the rest of the season.

He had featured in eight matches before that fixture at Goodison Park, and will now end the campaign with a measly nine appearances in an injury-plagued year.

Interestingly, the Cameroon centre-back arrived on a free transfer from Schalke in 2016, so any fee received for the 28-year-old counts as profit, no matter how small.

He still has four years on his current deal, too, so the Anfield giants will probably receive a sizeable sum for the central defender if they choose to sell.

The caveat if a sale is on the table, however, is whether potential buyers would gamble on a player who’s been absent for a staggering 60 matches since swapping Gelsenkirchen for Merseyside four years ago. Given he’ll now miss the rest of this campaign, that number will rise to 67 by season’s end, a fact that could discourage potential buyers.

While Keita and Matip are saleable assets for a Liverpool side that, has been revealed, have little wiggle room in the transfer market due to the impact of the coronavirus, they may be better off keeping the pair for one more campaign.

In fairness, there are unlikely to be any takers willing to match the asking price for the African pair anyway, while the Anfield giants may be unable to afford too many players who will improve the side significantly given their current situation.

With the pressure now off, Keita has the rest of the campaign to lay his claim for another chance at Anfield next season.

Matip, on the other hand, won’t have that chance as his latest injury setback now threatens to put his position at the newly-crowned champions in jeopardy.

Once deemed potential star in the making, Lester Fernandez saw his stock go down drastically after 2014 partly due to injuries. The former Pune FC star has admitted that he is not "completely satisfied" with the way his playing career has paved out.

"I'm not completely satisfied. Maybe I have played only 60-70 per cent of my football," he had told Goal as the 33-year-old narrated his story.

Almost eight years back, United Sports Club paid a transfer fee of INR 20 lakhs for Lester, which shows how highly rated he was. But an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in 2015 all but crippled his career. Fellow Goan Adil Khan was another player who suffered such an injury along with Lester. But the current India international rebuilt his career from scratch, dropping down to the I-League Second Division in order to get more playing time.

Lester feels that he erred by not following Adil's approach which has now seen him establish himself as a starter in the national team and at Indian Super League (ISL) outfit Hyderabad FC.

"To give you an example, Adil and I had the same surgery together. He thought to start from scratch and look at him now. I'm so happy for him and that's one thing that I probably should have done. I didn't want to go and play in the second division back then," he admitted.

Khan represented I-League second division side Lonestar Kashmir for a period of three months before joining Dempo SC and returned to the national stage with a good season at Churchill Brothers that opened the doors for his re-entry into the Indian Super League (ISL) with FC Pune City and later Hyderabad FC.

And while Fernandez failed in his attempts to relaunch himself on the national stage, he eventually took to playing for Mumbai-based club Kenkre FC last season besides taking up a coaching job at SP Academy and St. Xaviers' school at Nerul, Navi Mumbai.

"Having played for 10 years, I thought that I don't want to go out of Mumbai and that's when I started to play for Kenkre and completed my (AFC) D-License in coaching," he reasoned.

Having spent his time with clubs in Goa, Pune and Kolkata, Fernandez has pointed out the contrast in the football culture. "In Kolkata there is a lot of crowd pressure. They want you to play well in every match. If you play well in one match, you're the hero but it continues for every match. In Goa also, there is pressure from the supporters but not as much as Kolkata."

The 33-year-old is now planning to get his coaching badges and shares his experience of guiding youngsters.

"What I have learned so far about coaching is, you have to be a little bit patient especially with younger kids. If you get pros (professional players), it's different to coach them because they understand [the game] much better. But when you coach the younger age groups, you have to be patient. 

"The careers that we have had in football, you cannot expect the same thing from everyone. Sometimes you tend to think that they play the same football but then it takes time and you have to start from scratch."

The Coronavirus pandemic situation has put normal life out of gear for many as Fernandez is undecided about his future. "It won't be the same again for sure. People will be extra cautious. Football is a contact sport and so parents will be thinking twice before sending their kids. We have to wait for the situation to go back to normal.

"Kenkre has also offered me to coach them as a player-manager but let's see."

Raul Jimenez insisted he was "very happy" at Wolves amid links to Manchester United.

Jimenez, 29, is enjoying another prolific season, scoring 24 goals in 47 games for Wolves to lead to apparent interest from United.

But the Mexico international said he was happy at the Molineux, where he arrived from Benfica in 2018, initially on loan.

"It feels very good. Two years here have been unbelievable, I think we made that connection since the beginning, since my transfer here," Jimenez said, via the club's website.

"I'm very happy to be here."

Jimenez has been keeping the exit door propped open in recent months , admitting  any interest from Barcelona or Real Madrid would be difficult to ignore . He has also spoken of his pride at earning links to domestic rivals of Wolves, with his price tag said to have soared to around the £90 million ($111m) mark.

The Mexican is enjoying being swept along for the ride at present, with no definitive call on his future offered once again when discussing the speculation he is generating with Telemundo.

“First of all I am very happy here with the Wolves,” Jimenez said last month. “I am in a place where from the first moment we made an incredible connection.

“I am no stranger to all that [the rumours], every day a new team comes out, every day a new offer comes out, I do not know how many millions.

“It is good to know that they are talking about you, but what I have to do to make that happen is to continue doing my job here with the Wolves.”

Jimenez has helped Wolves sit sixth in the Premier League, with his team-mate Adama Traore also attracting interest from elsewhere.

The forward praised Traore, who has scored four goals and provided nine assists in the league this season.

"Every striker wants a team-mate with his conditions. He can cross from anywhere, you know he's going to be at the final line and he's going to cross, so you have to be there at the right time to score," Jimenez said.

"We train on it in the week. We talk to each other before the games, or in the training sessions, so we know where we’re going to be, his crossing and where I have to move.

"It's not a coincidence, it's something we train and work for."

Wolves are next in action on Saturday when they host Arsenal.

QUICK FACTS

Name: Uzbekistan

Nickname: White Wolves

Manager: Olim Shakirov

Last match: India 1-1 Uzbekistan (22 September 2019)

TEAM PROFILE

Uzbekistan’s performance in the AFC U16 Championship is rather interesting. They have featured in the final round in just nine of the 18 editions so far but have performed well whenever they have reached the finals. They first participated in the group stage in the 1994 Qatar edition. They lost all four of their games, conceding a whopping 31 goals in the process.

Their campaign in 1996 in Thailand was only marginally better, with just one win in four games as they failed to make the knockouts yet again. Uzbekistan’s best performance at that point arrived in 2002 when they finished fourth in the tournament held in the UAE.

The White Wolves could manage a quarterfinal finish when they hosted the tournament in 2008 but quickly outdid themselves with a silver medal in the 2010 edition, which was once again played in Uzbekistan.

This enabled them to qualify for the 2011 FIFA U17 World Cup that was held in Mexico. They did well to top a group that also contained USA, New Zealand and Czech Republic. A thumping 4-0 win over Australia in the last-16 ensured Uzbekistan marched on to the quarterfinals in great momentum. But a 2-0 defeat against eventual silver medallists Uruguay ended their campaign.

Uzbekistan witnessed a peak of sorts during the turn of last decade. After bagging a silver medal in 2010, they went on to become champions in the 2012 edition that was hosted by Iran.

They defeated big names such as South Korea, Iran and Japan in the knockout stages to claim their first AFC U16 Championship title.

Uzbekistan were eliminated in the quarterfinals in the two subsequent editions and failed to qualify for the 2018 AFC U16 Championship. India can expect a tough challenge against a side that has experience of winning silverware in this competition.

LESSONS FROM THE PAST

The Indian colts and the young White Wolves have locked horns on three occasions so far – twice in the qualifiers to the AFC U16 Championship and once in the final round. Uzbekistan have won twice but the most recent result was a 1-1 draw in the 2020 AFC U16 Championship qualifiers.

Sridarth Nongmeikapam scored for India whereas Rian Islamov scored for the hosts in the 1-1 draw.

RECENT RESULTS

Uzbekistan finished runners-up in the 2019 CAFA (Central Asian Football Association) U16 Championship that was held last year in Tajikistan. The White Wolves failed to win either of their first two games but came back strong to defeat Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan in the following games. Eventually they finished second with 10 points, with Tajikistan winning the league-format tournament with 13 points.

In September 2019, Uzbekistan hosted the qualifiers for the upcoming U16 Championship. They started their campaign with a 3-1 win over Bahrain and followed it with a 3-2 win over Turkmenistan. The final game saw them split points with India after a 1-1 draw.

WHAT TO EXPECT

They have scored 19 goals in their last eight games, averaging an impressive 2.38 goals per game. They scored at least one goal in each of their games and at least three in five of the eight games.

One can expect an attack-minded approach from Uzbekistan when they take the field in Bahrain later this year. The defence has kept just two clean sheets during this period but have not conceded more than two goals in any of the games.

India will have to be on top of their game to overcome the White Wolves.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Midfielder Islamov has scored in each of their three qualifier games last season, including a late equaliser to deny India the win in the final game.

Forward Rustam Turdimurodov is another player who could grab the headlines. He scored two goals in the qualifiers.

Frank Lampard insisted Chelsea have a lot of hard work ahead to reach the level of Premier League champions Liverpool and Manchester City following their shock loss at lowly West Ham.

Chelsea suffered a surprise 3-2 defeat to West Ham, who moved three points clear of the relegation zone thanks to Andriy Yarmolenko's 89th-minute winner at the London Stadium.

Willian's brace was not enough for Chelsea to secure at least a point away from home – the result ending the club's six-game unbeaten streak in all competitions.

Chelsea remain fourth in the table, just two points clear of in-form Manchester United and Wolves with six matches remaining in the race for Champions League qualification.

Asked if he was concerned that Chelsea had a mental issue following their inconsistent form in 2019-20, head coach Lampard told reporters: "It's something that has happened a few times this season.

"We've had opportunities to close gaps and jump over teams because of other results or whatever situation.

"But we haven't done it and that's a sign of where we are. We know we have a lot of hard work to do to get where we want to be and the reason the rest of us are chasing Liverpool and Man City is because of the consistency that develops over time. That's what we have to work towards.

"It's obviously frustrating but if we're in that position it's how you bounce back, how you move forward. We have Watford now at the weekend and games after that to try and carry on.

"We have to realise the position we are in in terms of fighting for the Champions League places and move forward."

While Chelsea – who will welcome relegation-threatened Watford to Stamford Bridge on Saturday – lost their 10th game of the campaign, Christian Pulisic was a shining light against West Ham midweek.

Pulisic earned the 42nd-minute penalty which Willian converted before winning the free-kick that was also put away by his Brazilian team-mate with 18 minutes remaining.

"A big positive," Lampard said. "He's playing really well, as we can all see. Him and Willian as well. Willian gets his two goals. But with Christian I think it's more like earlier in the season when he had a patch in the run up to Christmas where he was playing towards his level.

"Then he got injured and has been out for a long time. It's nice to see him back, fresh and hungry, and playing with the quality he has. He's a young player with great talent."

Emmanuel Adebayor has penned a profound goodbye to Olimpia after agreeing with the club to terminate his contract.

The 36-year-old made a surprise move to the Paraguayan top flight to reunite with former Manchester City teammate Roque Santa Cruz.

However, he parted ways with the club just five months into his contract amid health fears inspired by the coronavirus pandemic.

Adebayor who had after previously played in England, Spain, France and Turkey throughout his career featured in four games across all competitions for the Asuncion based outfit with a goal.

His last game for Daniel Garnero’s men saw him sent off for a dangerous play against Defensa y Justicia in a Conmebol Libertadores fixture.

Following this recent development, the Togolese football great took to Instagram to say goodbye to Olimpia.

“Due to the pandemic; the club and I had to make some tough decisions,” Adebayor wrote on Instagram.

“We have come to a mutual agreement to terminate our contractual relationship. I would like to thank president Marco Trovato, the board of directors, coach Garnero, the coaching staff, the players, the fans, and the general public for the incredible welcome and the good times spent together.

“I will certainly hold on to my Yerba Mate and think of you people. I wish you all the best and pray the club and the city continues to prosper. Love you all.

Olimpia is Adebayor's 10th professional club since leaving his native Togo in 2001 to head to France, where he had spells at Metz and Monaco before joining Premier League outfit Arsenal.

His time with Manchester City involved loans to Real Madrid and Tottenham before heading to Tottenham Hotspurs permanently. 

He later featured for Crystal Palace, Istanbul BB and Kayserispor, with the forward scoring two goals in eight appearances during his brief stay with the latter.

On the international scene, he boasts of the most caps and goals for Togo, having featured 87 times while scoring 32 goals for his country. He featured in the Hawks’ World Cup appearance in 2006 as well as four Africa Cup of Nations outings.

Paraguay has more than 2,000 cases of Covid-19 with 17 deaths and more than 1,000 recoveries.

Barcelona star Asisat Oshoala has teamed up with Plug Sports management – an entertainment outfit that boasts of Nigeria’s musical sensation, David Adeleke (Davido).

Having reached an agreement with the renowned outfit which was announced on July 1, Plug Sports will help the four-time African Women’s Player of the Year handle her off-field interests.

With this pact, she becomes the second Nigerian footballer to be associated with the brand after Galatasaray’s Henry Onyekuru who is on-loan from AS Monaco.

“We are delighted to welcome four-time Female African player of the year, Forbes Africa 30 under 30 class of 2020, our First Lady, Asisat Lamina Oshoala to Plug Sports,” stated head of sports, Lanre Vigo in a statement made available to Goal.

“We look forward to taking Asisat’s career to the next level. We will be handling Asisat’s off the field interests. We are excited to have her on board and look forward to helping her reach her goals.

“The partnership was signed earlier in June last month. Thank you to our friends at Prokicks for sorting this out.

“She fits our model at Plug Sports, she is on her way to being one of the greatest athletes out of Africa, I see her conquering the world very soon.

“She’s done a lot of amazing things off the pitch through her Foundation. We look forward to working with her and helping her achieve her dreams.”

Aside from sports and entertainment, Plug Sports which houses Mayorkun and Peruzzi are also into publishing and licensing.

The FC Robo Queens product contributed 20 goals and one assist in 19 outings to help Lluis Cortes' side finish at the top before the league was called off owing to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

As a reward for her awe-inspiring performances, Oshoala was named in the Fans' Spanish Primera Iberdrola Team of the Season for the 2019-20 campaign alongside Sandra Panos, Mapi Leon, Marian Torrejon, Maria Mendez, Ona Batlle, Patri Guijarro, Alexia Putellas, Jenni Hermoso, Graham Hansen and Atletico Madrid's Lucy Santos.

The 25-year-old played a huge role in helping the Catalans clinch their first league title in five years without losing a match in 21 games last term.

Jose Mourinho believes Tanguy Ndombele can turn around his situation at Tottenham, highlighting Luka Modric's difficult start to life with Real Madrid.

Ndombele is a club-record signing following his £55million arrival from Lyon last year but the French midfielder has struggled in London, and he has reportedly told Mourinho he no longer wants to work with him.

The likes of Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain have been linked with Ndombele, who was an unused substitute in last week's 2-0 Premier League win over West Ham.

But Tottenham boss Mourinho has backed Ndombele, pointing to Modric's impact at Madrid. Following a tumultuous start in the Spanish capital after leaving Spurs in 2012, the Croatian has gone on to win the Ballon d'Or, four Champions League titles and La Liga.

"Nothing happens when the players have no talent. So when a player has no talent, nothing happens. When you are born with no potential, you die with no potential. When you have talent lots of things can change and lots of things can happen," Mourinho said ahead of Thursday's clash against Sheffield United.

"As you say I didn't know it, one year since he arrived, but maybe six months since I arrived. So for the first six months I'm not the guy to go through what happened in the first six months, which I think is very important when a player arrives from a different club, different country, football culture – I don't know what happened in this first six months, I know when I arrived that there were problems.

"Injuries, small injuries, physical condition and that broke that initial impact that when a player starts working with a manager, immediately broke that impact you can have with other players.

"Now it’s the situation where everyone has to adapt to it, I want everyone to adapt to it, the club wants everyone to adapt to it, which is the fact that we are a big club and we want to be a bigger club. 

"When you are a big club that wants to be bigger, you have lots of good players, you don't have fix or six, or 10 or 11, you have lots, and when you have that you have lots of options.

"You can face all the competitions, but then the players, fans, you the press, everyone must understand you can only start with 11, and in many other clubs it looks like it's normal to have great players on the bench. 

"You go to Manchester United, you go to Manchester City, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and lots of top players on the bench, and that is normal.

"In Tottenham, what I feel is every time a top player is on the bench, that's a drama, and players have to understand that is not a drama, you have to understand it's not a drama and everyone has to understand I hope next season we have even more top players on the bench because it means we want to be bigger than we are now. 

"When a top player is on the bench, that doesn't mean there is a story behind it, it means we have lots of options. So the other day when I played [Moussa] Sissoko and [Giovani] Lo Celso in midfield, there is no drama that [Harry] Winks is not playing or Ndombele is not playing. There is no drama [Erik] Lamela isn't playing, that's life in a big club.

"So, no problem with Tanguy, he is in a big club, period. He's in a big club and he has to compete with the other guys. He's an option for me, he's a very good player, he probably will be playing tomorrow, the next match, there is no problems."

Asked if Ndombele can turn his situation around, Mourinho added: "Of course I believe – I started my answer, if there is no talent, there is nothing to do, with talent there is a lot to do. You don't have talent, you have no chance. You don't have talent, you have no chance. 

"Football is full of players with difficult starts. Luka Modric in Real Madrid, after six months he was elected the worst signing of Real Madrid history by the fans and press, a few months later he was champion, then European champion and then voted the best player in the world. When the talent is there, many things can happen with adaptation, but if the talent is there anything good can happen."

Quizzed on whether Ndombele has a problem with his mentality, Mourinho replied: "That's a question for him, not a question for me.

"I've known him six months and it's not for me to define the psychological profile of a player. One thing is feelings, another is the reality. I'm no genius to in six months get into someone's brain to describe 100 per cent how the person is feeling, you have to ask."

Lautaro Martinez was not one of Inter's six goalscorers on Wednesday, but Antonio Conte is remaining relaxed about the striker's struggles.

The Nerazzurri enjoyed a comfortable evening as they thrashed bottom side Brescia 6-0 to move back to within eight points of Serie A leaders Juventus.

Ashley Young, Alexis Sanchez and Danilo D'Ambrosio all scored in the first half, with Roberto Gagliardini, Christian Eriksen and Antonio Candreva also on target after the break.

Conte left top scorer Romelu Lukaku on the bench for the first 68 minutes, and though Martinez was given a chance from the off, his failure to get on the scoresheet means he has just one goal across his past 10 appearances in all competitions.

Martinez, who has scored 12 times in Serie A this season and has been linked with a summer move to Barcelona, missed the target with two good chances and kicked the post in a clear sign of frustration when thwarted by goalkeeper Jesse Joronen on another occasion.

"We can't hold anything against him, especially in terms of his commitment," Conte told DAZN of a player rumoured to be of interest to Barcelona.

"He deserved a goal and the personal satisfaction that comes with it. I'm very calm, I've got a great group of guys, professionals who want the best for Inter.

"Because of that, we can have flaws or get things wrong during games, but I'm still able to remain calm because of the professionalism and generosity of this group.

"My only regret this year is that we paid a big price for our naivety."

With Martinez having another off-night, and Lukaku only appearing for the closing stages, it was Young and Sanchez who shone at San Siro.

The two combined for the opening goal, one of two assists for Sanchez, who also scored his first Inter goal since September from the penalty spot.

The 31-year-old Chilean still looks a long way from the player who impressed at Arsenal prior to joining Manchester United in 2018, but Conte is pleased with the path the Inter loanee is now on.

"We brought him here for his qualities," Conte added.

"Unfortunately, we lost him as an option for a long time. He's now starting to find his feet, even if he's still not the Sanchez I was such a big fan of in England.

"What I can say, however, is that he's on the right track, he put in a great performance today. Having all my forwards available makes me feel more relaxed."

Lyon should be aiming to be a major force in the Champions League, ex-NBA star Tony Parker believes.

The four-time NBA champions has moved into sports management since retiring from his athletic career and is presently with the city’s basketball club ASVEL.

He has been earmarked to one day take the reins of Ligue 1 giants Lyon from current president Jean-Michel Aulas, and it is his goal to construct a side that is a force on a continental stage.

“The club won a lot of titles in the first decade of the century but it’s been a long time since they were champions of France,” he told RMC of the side that last won Le Championnat in 2008.

“The Champions League always remains an important objective. We must try to regain the title of French champions and continue to grow the club.

“With the news stadium, once the loan has been paid off, we will have more means to put into the team. We have to continue to be patient, many things have to be put in place.

“In three or four years, we will try to build a team that’s even more competitive.”

Parker, meanwhile, admits he has a steep learning curve to follow if he is to one day take charge of OL.

“We’ve already started with the takeover of the women’s club in Seattle,” he pointed out of the OL Reign. 

“There are 50,000 things to manage in a club. I’m lucky to have someone like Aulas who is ready to show me all these things at a club that is listed on the stock exchange.

“I don’t want to control everything. I want to have a global vision. In football, if I was put into the job 100% tomorrow, the first thing I’d do was surround myself with football minds.”

Lyon endured a difficult season in Ligue 1 and face a fight to be involved in European football at all next season.

In order to reach the Champions League, they will have to win the current edition, in which they lead Juventus 1-0 after the first leg of their last-16 tie, while the Europa League remains a possibility if they overcome Paris Saint-Germain in the Coupe de la Ligue final on July 31.

Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang returned to scoring ways against Norwich City, with the Gabon international accentuating his scoring prowess against teams in the relegation zone.

Having fired blanks against Manchester City, Brighton & Hove Albion and Southampton, the 31-year-old found the net twice as Mikel Arteta’s men chalked up a 4-0 triumph over the Canaries.

The ex-Borussia Dortmund man robbed Tim Krul as he attempted to clear his lines and then scoring into an empty net to reach his half-century.

Four minutes later, he turned provider for Granit Xhaka who fired in from close range to give Daniel Farke’s a mountain to climb, before completing his double in the 67th minute.

With this, Aubameyang boasts of 14 goals in 14 games against sides starting the day in the Premier League relegation zone since joining the Emirates Stadium outfit in 2018, netting a brace both home and away versus the Carrow Road Stadium giants.

His impressive outing on Tuesday evening propelled him in Arsenal’s history books as he scored 50 goals in a quicker time than Thierry Henry and Ian Wright, who took 87 and 101 games respectively to reach that mark.

Also, he is now the joint-leader in the race for the 2019-20 Golden Boot, moving level with Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy on 19 goals as he aims to win the accolade for the second season in a row.

Auba has a year left on his contract and manager Arteta disclosed that the forward is willing to remain with the North London team.

"He is willing to stay with us," Arteta said during the post-match conference.

"He is really happy where he is. He can see what we are trying to do and hopefully, he can evolve as well some parts of his game he might feel he can improve. We are pushing him every day.

"I leave that to the football club and the senior people that finalise the contracts."

For Arsenal, they have never lost in 21 home Premier League games against sides starting the day at the base of the table winning 15 times and playing draw on six occasions.

They visit Europe-chasing Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, while Norwich host Brighton and Hove Albion in a must-win encounter.

Newell's Old Boys vice-president Cristian D'Amico has reiterated that the doors are open for Lionel Messi, while conceding that the player will have the last word on whether he wishes to return. 

Messi, who played as a boy in the Newell's youth set-up before moving to Catalunya at the age of 13, once more struggled to inspire his under-performing Barcelona side as the Blaugrana were held 2-2 by Atletico Madrid on Tuesday to record their third draw in their last four outings in La Liga. 

That run has seen them surrender the title initiative to rivals Real Madrid, who can move four points clear at the top with victory over Getafe on Thursday. 

The Argentine's future at Camp Nou has rarely come under such serious doubt as in recent months, and while he has stated in the past that a move back to Argentina would be extremely difficult for family reasons, D'Amico insists that Newell's will not give up their hope of seeing him take the pitch in his hometown Rosario. 

"I don't know if it is impossible. It is all up to him and his family," the director signalled to  TNT Sports . 

"As directors we have to provide the best context possible to help him make a decision. When Maradona came to Newell's nobody thought he could come.

"I hope that something similar can happen with Leo.

"Obviously we shouldn't be making things up, this is a delicate subject. What Newell's doesn't dream of seeing the world's best player in their team's colours? Time will tell maybe, we have to stay calm."

Newell's were able to welcome one former favourite home this week, with veteran striker Ignacio Scocco joining on a free transfer for a fourth spell at the club following three goal and trophy-laden years at River Plate. 

Ex-Liverpool and Atletico Madrid star Maxi Rodriguez also returned to the Estadio Marcelo Bielsa in 2019 for a third stint, and the 39-year-old called on his 2010 World Cup team-mate to pick up the pace in coming home. 

"I hope he comes at some point. It would be a dream for fans. There's a family behind him and that can be tricky. But if he is coming, he'd better make it soon or else I won't be able to play with him at Newell's!" the forward joked. 

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has been left to rue his side’s defensive frailties after a 3-2 defeat against West Ham on Wednesday at the London Stadium.

After Leicester’s defeat to Everton earlier in the day, the Blues had the opportunity to move to third in the Premier League with a victory.

Although they took the lead through a Willian penalty, they were pegged back by a header from Tomas Soucek and trailed early in the second half when Michail Antonio tapped in. The Brazilian responded with a free kick but as the Blues chased victory, they were caught on the counterattack as Andriy Yarmolenko fired home a late winner.

It left the former England midfielder frustrated with the standard of his side’s defensive work. 

“I wouldn’t say it’s the story of our season, but there have been so many of these moments,” he said. “We had a good restart, three good results, and tonight we had the opportunity to go third. 

“In a match like this, you have to do every part of the game well. You can dominate possession, which we did for most of the game, but if there are moments where you switch off, if you make one or two errors that lead to them scoring a goal that lets them go in 1-1 at half-time, you’re going to encourage teams on. I’ve been there and I’m aware of it. 

“The players have to show a bit of extra mentality and do the extra things that let you see a game through.”

Looking at his side’s situation in the league, he commented to Sky Sports: "We are two points ahead of Manchester United, who have been playing fantastic and are on a great run, Wolves are having a great season and they're behind us, Leicester have had a great season and we're just behind them.

“It's about perspective. We are upset because we wanted to win the game, we're footballers and we're in a good position. So there's no point in being down but I can't help but say the truth today which is that it's a game we should have won tonight.”

Chelsea will attempt to bounce back against Watford on Saturday.

An injury-time own goal from Francesco Vicari spared Milan's blushes as an action-packed Serie A encounter ended in a 2-2 draw at 10-man SPAL on Zlatan Ibrahimovic's return.

A close-range finish from Mattia Valoti and a stunning strike from Sergio Floccari gave SPAL a 2-0 lead before the break at the Paolo Mazza.

SPAL were down a man shortly before half-time, though, as Marco D'Alessandro was sent off late in the first half, but a sluggish Milan lacked a cutting edge in attack until Ibrahimovic came on as a substitute.

A composed finish from Rafael Leao pulled one back for Milan with 11 minutes to go before Vicari turned an Alexis Saelemaekers cross into his own net in added time.

SPAL moved ahead when Valoti turned the ball home via a deflection after a scramble in the six-yard box.

Milan lost Samu Castillejo to injury and were two down when Floccari struck a sweet 30-yard half-volley that left Gianluigi Donnarumma grasping at thin air.

Hakan Calhanoglu bundled home as Milan sought a way back into the game, only for VAR to deem Ante Rebic to be in an offside position.

The VAR was in action again before the break, upgrading D'Alessandro's yellow card to a red for a dangerous two-footed lunge on Theo Hernandez.

The introduction of Ibrahimovic in the 65th minute brought Milan renewed purpose and he headed over from a good position.

Leao pulled one back for Milan with a cool finish after a poor clearance by goalkeeper Karlo Letica.

Milan's push for an equaliser appeared as though it would be fruitless but SPAL's players then had their heads in their hands in the fourth minute of injury time when Saelemaekers' seemingly harmless delivery was miscued by Vicari.

What does it mean? Milan Europe hopes dented

Milan are two points behind sixth-placed Napoli, who travel to Atalanta on Thursday, as their hopes of qualifying for next season's Europa League suffered a blow.

SPAL remain seven points adrift of safety, and with nine matches of the season remaining the two points they dropped from a winning position here may prove costly.

Fabulous Floccari

At 38, the best days of SPAL's Floccari are well behind him but he provided a moment of breath-taking quality.

The journeyman forward showed brilliant technique as he caught Donnarumma off his line with a superb long-range goal. His side will need more moments like this if they are stay up.

Rebic rues misses

Rebic carried Milan's attacking threat for the majority of the game but the Croatia international was wasteful whenever he found himself in a good position.

He will have breathed a sigh of relief that his profligacy did not see the game end in defeat for the Rossoneri after the late drama.

Key Opta Facts: 

- Milan have drawn a Serie A match having trailed by two goals for the first time since April 2017 (versus Inter).
- It was the first time the Rossoneri have conceded two goals in the opening 30 minutes of a Serie A match since May 2017.
- Milan have found the net in 11 successive Serie A matches for the first time since October 2018.
- Sergio Floccari has found the net for the 15th successive calendar year, with his first strike in the current Serie A.
- Alessio Romagnoli played his 150th Serie A match for Milan.

What's next?

Milan head to the Italian capital to face second-placed Lazio on Saturday while SPAL are away to fellow strugglers Sampdoria on Sunday.

Nigeria international Kelechi Iheanacho is closing in on a Premier League record currently held by Chelsea’s Olivier Giroud.

With question marks over his future at King Power Stadium, the ex-Manchester City man scored a goal for the Foxes in their 2-1 defeat to Everton in Wednesday’s English topflight encounter.

Richarlison and Gylfi Sigurdsson handed Carlo Ancelotti’s men a two-goal lead at the Goodison Park to head into the half-time break with an immense advantage.

Nevertheless, Iheanacho pulled one back for Brendan Rodgers’ side in the 51st minute – five minutes after replacing Englishman Harvey Barnes. Everton’s Mason Holgate tried clearing the ball but it hits the Nigerian in the face and springs into the net.

The goal was his first league goal in 2020, and that brought him only next to France international Giroud who is the competition’s most productive substitute with 16 goals since the 23-year-old's EPL debut against Watford on August 30, 2015.

For Iheanacho, it was his eighth goal as a replacement and he needs eight more strikes to equal the World Cup winner’s mark.

Despite the loss, Leicester sit in third position in the log as they continue their chase for a place in next season’s Champions League, albeit they face a stiff competition from Manchester United and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Following his inability to tie down a regular place in Pep Guardiola’s Citizens, Iheanacho was sold to the King Power Stadium outfit for a reported fee of £25 million fee on a five-year deal in 2017.

Five months after joining Rodgers’ team, he became the first player in English football to be awarded a goal by VAR after the referee had been incorrectly ruled offside for his second goal against Fleetwood Town.

Reports have it that the forward who boasts of four goals in 15 league games so far could be shipped out of the club at the end of the season owing to low productivity.

Even at this, he would be hoping to keep up with his newly found form when Leicester City welcome Wilfred Zaha and Jordan Ayew’s Crystal Palace before travelling to the Emirates Stadium for a date with Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal on Tuesday.

Mikel Arteta has warned Matteo Guendouzi his actions need to change if he is to work his way back into the Arsenal side.

The France Under-21 international midfielder clashed with compatriot Neal Maupay after a defeat to Brighton, with the manager making it clear he was not happy with the youngster’s attitude.

Guendouzi, who arrived at Arsenal last summer from Ligue 2 side Lorient, was subsequently dropped from the squad that won at Southampton and was once again a conspicuous absentee as the Gunners kept their European push going against Norwich on Wednesday with a comprehensive 4-0 home win. 

Speaking in the post-match interview, Arteta gave a concise reading of the present situation as he warned his charge over his conduct once more.

“It's the same reasons as last week,” he said when quizzed over the player’s absence. “Things have to change and nothing has changed.”

In contrast, Granit Xhaka is winning his place back in the squad after his career at the Emirates Stadium appeared doomed when he threw his jersey to the ground and was seen complaining about the support when he was replaced under previous coach Unai Emery.

He agreed terms to join Hertha Berlin but at the 11th hour remained at the club.

Under Arteta, he has discovered a new lease of life and netted the second against the Canaries after being set up by Aubameyang.

And the Spaniard recognised that the Switzerland international has gone full circle.

“He's a player whose commitment goes beyond anything normal. He leaves every drop of blood on that football pitch every day and he does the same in training,” he said. 

“For me, he's a great example to any other team-mate, the way he looks after himself and lives his profession. I'm really happy that we could convince him to stay, give him another opportunity, learn from the mistake that he made and as well appreciate the player and the person that we have at the club, and support them. 

“When someone has a difficult moment, we are right behind them. We can give them another chance.”

Arteta, therefore, seems willing to leave the door open for 21-year-old Guendouzi, who has played 34 matches in his debut top-flight campaign, including 24 in the Premier League.