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Timo Werner's agent admits "you can't rule out anything" as a future reunion with new Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann is speculated on for the Chelsea striker.

One testing campaign has been spent at Stamford Bridge by the Germany international, with only 12 goals scored by a man whose prolific record when arriving in England had hinted at much more.

Champions League glory was savoured with the Blues, but questions have been asked of Werner's contribution and how long he could stick around in west London - especially as Bayern have been linked with him in the past and now have the former RB Leipzig coach in their dugout.

What has been said?

"Some top clubs from Europe wanted him. FC Bayern was there too. But in the end Timo decided on Chelsea," Werner's representative, Karlheinz Forster, told the Sport1 podcast Meine Bayern-Woche.

Quizzed on whether the 25-year-old could take in a second spell working under Nagelsmann, Forster added: "You can’t rule out anything, but if I had to assess it at the moment, then I would say very clearly that Timo will stay at Chelsea. 

"He feels comfortable there. A move will not be an issue in the foreseeable future.

"Julian let Timo play in a different position at Leipzig. A bit like Thomas Muller at Bayern.

"Julian and Timo appreciate each other. Of course, I don’t yet know what will happen in three or four years. Football is fast moving."

The bigger picture

Werner is tied to a long-term contract at Chelsea through to the summer of 2025.

He was expected to become a go-to option for the Blues in a central striking berth, but that role has not been nailed down.

Fellow countryman Kai Havertz has operated down the middle under Thomas Tuchel, despite building his reputation as a deep-lying playmaker, and various transfer targets are being mooted for the Premier League heavyweights.

Many of those are proven number nines, with Chelsea said to be in the mix for the likes of Tottenham star Harry Kane and Borussia Dortmund starlet Erling Haaland.

Fierce competition for places would also be found if a move to Bayern were to be made, with the Bundesliga champions continuing to lean heavily on Polish superstar Robert Lewandowski when it comes to finding inspiration in the final third of the field.

Further reading

The beautiful game of football can be a very unifying experience with the rapturous roar and jubilation when the ball hits the back of the net or when the goalkeeper makes an incredible save that makes you wonder just how he or she manages to pull it off.

Whether you’re watching the game from the stands inside a packed stadium or these days among the lucky few who get a seat in a reduced capacity or from your own living room, the cheering never stops.

Every special moment in football is still cherished, cheered and celebrated as your favourite teams and players etched those fantastic untouchable moments in your mind.

The incredible support and cheer from fans will forever be one of the best memories of any footballer to have ever played the game.

To celebrate the fans unwavering passion for the sport, Carlsberg has launched limited edition football packaging across Carlsberg Danish Pilsner and Carlsberg Smooth Draught, coined with "By Appointment To The Football Fans In Malaysia," as they believe the fans make football better. 

Carlsberg is also running exciting promotions from June onwards where you can purchase 24-cans of Carlsberg Danish Pilsner, Carlsberg Smooth Draught or Carlsberg Special Brew at participating super/hypermarket, 99 Speedmart and online (Lazada and Shopee), and instantly redeem a FREE Football Tee that comes in 4 collectible designs, inspired by 4 different country colours.

You also stand a chance to win weekly prizes of RM200 Touch ‘n Go eWallet credit and a grand prize of RM10,000 cash!

Alternatively, drop by your nearest convenience store to purchase RM20 of Carlsberg beers for the match, and you may also be the lucky winner of RM10,000 cash prize or win weekly prizes of Carlsberg Football Tee.

For those that would like to collect Carlsberg limited-edition Football bottles, stay tuned on @CarlsbergMY’s Facebook page for the announcement and more upcoming exciting promotions!

Restaurants/Bar/Pubs promo: 

Coffeeshops/Food Courts promo:

For 21+ Non-Muslims only. Carlsberg advocates to adhere to strict SOP, and stay safe!

If you drink, don’t drive. #CelebrateResponsibly
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Dream island is a money rewarding online game platform with a professional football analysis team in place to predict and produce running commentary about the upcoming games. Predict the next round and win rewards immediately! In the lucky league, there was one lucky winner! Ismael from India won AED 2500 by playing with only AED 1! Ismael got intrigued to play on the lucky league after seeing Euro banners on ToTok, Ismael wanted to test his luck even with as little as AED1, and it worked! As a football fan who loves to watch big tournaments, he was able to predict all the games with a simple strategy: big teams to win and a draw for teams he wasn't sure about such as Germany and Hungary.  

Qualified teams:

Group stage witnessed no surprises with all the big teams securing their spots in the knockout stages.

Italy, Netherlands, France, England, Spain, Belgium, Germany, and Portugal are all the big teams that have been successfully qualified, and that’s what we love to watch!

At this stage, we all have the feeling that the opening rounds saved the best until last with those rousing games in Group F, there is an argument that they were only the warm-up for the real thing.

However, the group stage had a bit of everything. There’s been the energy of Italy, the human emotion around Christian Eriksen’s Denmark, the Spanish psychodrama, the heartbreak of Scotland and the suspense of Group F.

Winner prediction based on the pandemic factor

After it was postponed for a whole new year, Euro cup came back with huge changes in football rules, one of them was the substitution rule which helped traditionally powerful teams to enlarge their capacities and techniques.

That is why, we at Dream Island football experts, expect that this tournament’s will be one of the teams that have the best quality on the bench.

The Substitutes are expected to play a key role in the upcoming rounds, and while having a look at the remaining teams, we can fairly say that Italy, Netherlands, France, England, Spain, Belgium, Germany and Portugal will be serious title contenders.

Road to quarter final:

Never forget: Getting through is half the battle

Top Half:

Italy v Austria (London),

Belgium v Portugal (Bilbao);

Croatia VS Spain (Copenhagen)

France VS Switzerland (Bucharest);

The winners of these four games will be facing each other in the quarterfinals and Semi-Finals respectively and one of them will make it to the final.

Bottom half:

Wales v Denmark (Amsterdam)

Netherlands v Czech Republic (Budapest)

Sweden v Ukraine (Bucharest)

England v Germany (Glasgow),

The winners of these four games will be facing each other in the quarterfinals and Semi-Finals respectively and one of them will make it to the final.

Top teams’ weak points and how to fix it

During the games, most football fans focus on the attacking players and whether they would score goals, while the managers prefer to observe and analyze things differently.

In fact, they pay more attention to the “lower body” of the team and that quick and smooth transition from defense to attack. A team is like a person’s body if there’s a lower back pain then the whole body won’t function properly.

For the knockout stage, Dream Island team will look deeper into the midfield of the eight title contenders and see which one is having a more solid structure into the field.

This analysis will allow to clarify many doubts, as there are several teams who reached the Round of 16 despite some huge question marks looming over their performances: How can England fix their goal lacking problem? How can Germany prevent their defensive errors?

Can Denmark overcome the absence and corresponding emotional toll stemming from Christian Eriksen’s terrifying cardiac incident in the opener? Which identity is Spain adapting during this tournament: the team that struggles to score or the one who scored five past Slovakia?

Let’s start by Italy:

Jorginho's defense relies on the reading of the game and excellent foresight to force the opponent to lose the ball. He is relatively strong in controlling the rhythm and orchestrating his attacks; however, he struggles with controlling the ball, which makes him unable to push forward, and after the return of Marco Verratti, Italy's team body is even stronger.

Portugal

Portugal, the reigning champion after surprisingly winning the competition back in 2016 in France, survived the group of death and will have a matchup set with 2018 FIFA World Cup third-place finisher Belgium, led by Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne.

Although the team is filled with the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Renato Sanchez and Danilo Pereira, the team suffered a lot to win the ball back after losing it.

Both Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva were slightly weak in carrying the ball and overcoming the opponent pressure and that did not help the team to find the right space to attack.

It’s fair to say that the performance of Bruno, Bernardo and Jota will need to improve greatly if Portugal want to keep the European title.

Spain is far from its peak, but Luis Enirque’s team has shown some positive points that might help them to progress in the competition.

“Laroja” have a lot of unexperienced players across the squad, but they are also very talented and with more confidence, they can create a surprise.

With the comeback of Sergio Busquets, Spain delivered a solid performance in the midfield and that impacted the whole team.  

France:

The smart bet is putting money on France winning the Euros.

“Les Bleus” have stars-power up and down the pitch, they are defensively solid and can benefit from the high speed of their players such as Kylian Mbappe on the counter attacks,

Just as significant, particularly in its final game, France managed to give the impression that it has more to offer as and when necessary. Whenever Kante, Tolisso, Paul Pogba and the rest needed to lift the rhythm, they did so seamlessly. It is probably worth noting, too, that Kylian Mbappé has not scored yet, a ceasefire that will not hold forever

Bottom half:

On a rollercoaster last group stage matchday Germany needed a late equalizer to make sure they progressed from the group stage for a seventh time in eight major international tournaments. Joachim Low's reign appeared set for an unexpectedly early end when they trailed both 1-0 and 2-1 in Munich, with Adam Szalai's opener seeing Germany become one of only four sides to concede first in all three of their group outings, after Turkey, North Macedonia and Poland.

There was a first opportunity at Euro 2020 for the teenager Jamal Musiala, who became the youngest player to make an appearance for the German national team at a major tournament, aged 18 years and 117 days.

Netherlands:

Although Netherlands won all their three games, we should take into consideration that their opponents in the group stage were considerably. Depay’s team led the group C easily and will face Czech Republic.

Ukraine

As for Ukraine, they had to nervously await results in the final three groups to secure their qualification. The team coached by Andriy Shevchenko reached the 1/8 finals from third place, after Spain beat Slovakia (5: 0) and Poland lost to Sweden (2: 3) in Group E.

England

England finished top of their group with two wins and a draw and did not concede a single goal. The biggest discovery in the group stage came from Leeds United's Kalvin Phillips, who, along with Declan Rice created an unbeatable duo.

Creativity has rarely been England’s greatest strength, but they still have some very talented resources, who can make the difference whenever its needed. The likes of Harry Kane and Phil Foden are called to play a bigger role in the next rounds.

Dream Island expects England to go further and may even reach the final.

Dream island  is a money rewarding online game platform with a professional football analysis team in place to predict and produce running commentary about the upcoming games. Predict the next round and win rewards immediately!

Soccer, what a riot!

Cristiano Ronaldo has been told that while he remains a "great champion" he can also be "annoying", with Hungary boss Marco Rossi accusing the Portuguese superstar of taking goal celebrations too far.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has had plenty of practice when it comes to finding the back of the net, with efforts at Euro 2020 seeing him become the joint-leading international goalscorer of all-time in the men's game.

Two of those strikes came in a 3-0 win over Hungary, with Rossi disappointed to see the 36-year-old toast a successful penalty as if he had just secured back-to-back European Championship crowns for his country.

What has been said?

Rossi told Gazzetta dello Sport of a man that has plundered 109 international goals and a further 674 at club level: "Ronaldo is a great champion but at times he can be annoying.

"After the penalty with us he celebrated as if he had scored in the final. People notice these things."

The bigger picture

Juventus star Ronaldo now sits level with Iran icon Ali Daei at the top of the international scoring charts and could add another record to his ever-growing collection when Portugal face Belgium in the last 16 of Euro 2020 on Sunday.

Hungary will not be figuring in the knockout stages of the competition, with the plucky underdogs narrowly missing out on qualification from the so-called 'Group of Death'.

They lost to Portugal in their opening fixture, but then held France and Germany to notable draws and were heading through until the last six minutes of a meeting with Joachim Low's side.

Rossi added on the efforts of his team to contain the likes of Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe and Kai Havertz: "I slept a maximum of 15 minutes last night and it's weird. I would never have thought that a draw with Germany would leave me with this feeling.

"I know we were good but I'm sorry."

The Italian, who has been in charge of Hungary since 2018, added on future plans after seeing his profile soar: "I don't give a damn about revenge and I'm not interested in returning to Italy. 

"I'm happy if I left a footprint in Hungarian football."

Further reading

Modiba made 30 appearances across all competitions for the Brazilians, despite not getting a dream start after joining from SuperSport United at the start of the season, and has credited a strong mentality and the coaches' encouragement for settling down thereafter.

The 25-year-old defender worked under coaches Manqoba Mngqithi, Rulani Mokwena and Steve Komphela at the Pretoria club.

"I had ups and downs. Everyone knows that I didn’t start well. But I had a strong mentality for me to bounce back because from where I was [at SuperSport], I was playing regularly and to go to another team where you don’t play [it was frustrating]," Modiba said as was quoted by Sowetan Live.

"I think my confidence was low at the beginning because I was in a new environment. I was more in my shell, and the coaches used to motivate me to come out of my shell because they knew the potential that I have.

"They kept on pushing me and one of the things was hard work. I needed to work harder so that I could be able to compete. I did that.

"I think the coaches played a role in me coming out of my shell and [being] able to perform. They said to me [that] they know what I can do and I must just play without fear and I will get my confidence back."

Modiba also mentioned stiff competition as one of the reasons that delayed his progress with the Brazilians: "But the reason was that the players were doing well and I waited for my chance to be able to grab it. I think towards the end of the season, I was myself. 

"I was able to help the team as much as I could so they could win the league and I’m happy to win my first medal in the premiership."
 
Modiba remains the latest player to switch loyalty from SuperSport United to Mamelodi Sundowns and his transfer is understood to have cost around R12 million.

Simba SC have confirmed Zambian player Moses Phiri will come in if the club’s winger Luis Miquissone decides to leave at the end of the season.

The Mainland Premier League champions are sweating to keep their best players ahead of the new campaign but Goal understands they have already received two offers for Miquissone, who has been one of their key players this campaign.

Last Wednesday, the club’s Board of Directors met in Dar es Salaam to discuss various issues including next season’s transfer window as well as strategies to end this season with a bang, and then give the names of the players needed in the squad.

Members of the Board also discussed offers on their tables from European and North African teams, including Al Ahly of Egypt and CR Belouzidad of Algeria for the Mozambican winger.

A source, who attended the meeting and did not want to be named, has told Goal, Simba are now keen to listen to offers for Miquissone and their prime target is to sign Zambian Phiri, who turns out for Zanaco FC.

“Initially Simba bosses were adamant, wanting to prevent Miquissone from leaving Msimbazi, but after seeing the offers on the table, they have decided to change their minds,” the source told Goal.

“Simba have made a minimum fee of $ 600,000 and while they are listening to the clubs, they have also started a search for a replacement, whose name is Moses [Phiri], who the Reds have already agreed to give Zanaco cash and one player on loan.

“We want to do business to get Phiri by giving them Zanaco, money together with Perfect [Chikwende] on loan but this if Luis leaves, as we will already have the money to pay for Phiri.

“Apart from Luis deal with Phiri, we have also started a search for another player from Guinea. The player has impressed us but we cannot give his name because we have not started anything with him but we have seen him and we want to hear from coach Didier Gomes Da Rosa."

Earlier, Simba’s leadership through the vice-chairman of the Board, Salim Abdallah, said they are ready to let Miquissone go if the clubs that want him will meet the figure they set.

“That is our position if there is any team out there that needs [Miquissone], and they will agree to give us the amount we are asking for, then we will release him,” Abdallah told Goal.

Simba are currently closing in on retaining the league title and the domestic cup.

Benfica have asked about Liverpool winger Harry Wilson, Goal has learned, with West Brom and Brentford also keen on the Wales international.

On the back of loan spells at Hull City, Derby, Bournemouth and Cardiff, the talented 24-year-old is eager to secure a move away from Anfield and put down roots.

The Reds are open to talks, with a permanent transfer being sought for a player valued for a fee of at least £12 million ($17m).

Who wants Wilson?

Portuguese giants Benfica have enquired as to Wilson's availability; however, they are unlikely to meet Liverpool's asking price for a player who has made just two competitive appearances for the Reds.

No formal offer is on the table as it is clear that the two sides are a long way apart in their respective valuations, and that is leaving the door open for others to make a move.

Premier League new boys Brentford are mulling over their options ahead of a return to the big time, while West Brom are eager to bounce back as quickly as possible after suffering relegation in 2020-21.

Fulham could also come into contention, as they also prepare for life back in the Championship.

Swansea boss Steve Cooper is seeing a move to Craven Cottage mooted and he may be tempted to launch a raid for Wilson - having previously worked with the Welshman in Liverpool's academy ranks.

Benfica are expected to hold further talks, though, despite hitting an early stumbling block and could present an ambitious performer with an entirely new challenge.

Any other business?

As Liverpool open themselves up to discussions regarding Wilson, the same approach is being taken with Marko Grujic.

The Serbia international midfielder is another of those to have taken in a succession of loan spells.

The most recent of those saw the 25-year-old spend a season at Porto, and the Portuguese outfit are keen on doing another deal.

Teams in Germany, where Grujic has previously spent time with Hertha Berlin, are also understood to be keen, with Liverpool looking to put a permanent transfer in place.

Further reading

Legon Cities coach Bashir Hayford has encouraged Hearts of Oak to polish their finishing ahead of Sunday's big clash with arch-rivals Asante Kotoko.

Hearts and Kotoko, Ghana's two biggest clubs, are set for a showdown on matchday 31 of the Ghana Premier League.

On Thursday, the Phobians showed their readiness for the big game with a 2-1 away victory over Legon in a GPL matchday 30 fixture.

"Hearts of Oak have done very well. We took the game to them and they were able to stand very firm,” Hayford said after the game.

"Unfortunately we had already conceded two goals and we had to make sure we redeem one. In the second half we wanted to sell our game.

"They did well and they stood for the game and the whole of the 45 minutes of the second half was for us but they did well.

"And I think we have sold a very beautiful game for Ghanaians to see that Legon Cities is not a team to joke with."

Hearts took a two-goal lead against Legon, courtesy of strikes by Kwadwo Obeng Junior and Frederick Ansah Botchway..

Four minutes prior to half-time, the Royals pulled a goal back through Niger international Victorien Adebayor.

"I will advise them [Hearts] to take care of their finishing. When they are ending the game they should double up," Hayford added.

"The way we were giving it to them in the second half if we had some few minutes in addition they could have gotten problem.

"It's a good team and they are doing very well but, they should work on their finishing."

Sunday's showdown is not just a clash of familiar foes but also a meeting between the best two sides in the top-flight this season.

By Thursday's victory, Hearts went level on points with Kotoko at the top of the league table, sitting higher in position owing to a better goal difference.

The Phobians and the Porcupine Warrior are not just the two biggest clubs in Ghana but also the two most successful sides in GPL history.

Having each endured disappointments in their quest for the championship title in recent times, they will have everything to play for on Sunday as the winner could at least take at three-point lead atop the table with three rounds of matches to end the season.

Malawi coach Meck Mwase has given maiden call-ups to 10 players ahead of next month's 2021 Cosafa Cup tournament in South Africa.

The Flames tactician has named a 39-man provisional squad that will go in camp at the Mpira Village in Blantyre on Monday, June 28 in preparation for the competition.

Mwase has recalled strikers Zicco Mkanda and Muhamad Sulumba, and Mozambique-based midfielder Ndaziona Chatsalira, who last played for the Flames in 2017, 2019, and 2014, respectively.

Apart from Chatsalira, other players who play outside the country and have made the squad include Taonga Chimodzi, Schumacker Kuwali, Khuda Muyaba, and Dennis Chembezi.

Nyasa Big Bullets striker Hassan Kajoke, who was recently dropped on disciplinary grounds, has also found his way back into the squad.

Mwase has also given maiden call-ups to 10 players who are enjoying good form in the local Super League.

They are goalkeepers Christopher Mikuwa of Mighty Tigers and Nyasa Big Bullets’ Richard Chimbamba; Red Lions defender Pilirani Thulu; Midfielders Anthony Mfune, Chikondi Kamanga, Lackson Mwale, Blessings Mpokera and Micheck Seleman and strikers Thoko Harrison and Gadik Chirwa.

The Flames are in Group B alongside defending champions Zambia, Madagascar, and Comoros.

The team will leave for South Africa on Monday, July and will start their campaign against Madagascar on July 7.

Defending champions Zambia will take their bow at the historic edition when they play Comoros Islands at the Isaac Wolfson Stadium.

Eswatini and Lesotho will kick-off the tournament at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on July 6, before hosts South Africa meet Botswana at the same venue later in the day.

Six-time winners Zimbabwe are in action on July 8 against Mozambique at the same venue, while West African guest nation Senegal will enter the fray as well when they debut against Namibia.

The group stages will be completed on July 14, with the semi-finals, for the three group winners and best-placed runner-up to be played two days later at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

The winner of Group A, which includes, South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana and Eswatini, will take on the best runners-up in the semis, with the victors in Groups B (Zambia, Malawi, Comoros, Madagascar) up against the winners of Group C (Senegal, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Mozambique).

Malawi squad: GOALKEEPERS

Brighton Munthali              – Silver Strikers
Enerst Kakhobwe               – Nyasa Big Bullets
William Thole                      - Wanderers
Christopher Mikuwa            – Tigers
Richard Chimbamba            – Nyasa Big Bullets

DEFENDERS

Stanley Sanudi                    – Wanderers
Nickson Nyasulu                 – Nyasa Big Bullets
Paul Ndhlovu                      – MAFCO
Peter Cholopi                      – Wanderers
Erick Kawonga                    – Nyasa Big Bullets
Gomezgani Chirwa              – Nyasa Big Bullets
Nickson Mwale                    – Silver Strikers
Pilirani Thulu                      – Red Lions
Dennis Chembezi                – Polokwane City

 MIDFIELDERS

Chimwemwe Idana              – Nyasa Big Bullets
Mike Mkwate                       – Nyasa Big Bullets
Rafick Namwera                  – Wanderers
Duncan Nyoni                     – Silver Strikers
Yamikani Chester               – Wanderers
Chikoti Chirwa                   – Red Lions
Vitumbiko Kumwenda        – Wanderers
Chikondi Kamanga             – Silver Strikers
Micium Mhone                   – Blue Eagles
Patrick Banda                – Ekwendeni Hammers
Lackson Mwale               – CIVO
Anthony Mfune               – Karonga United
Misheke Selemani           – Nyasa Big Bullets
Blessings Mpokera          – Nyasa Big Bullets
Taonga Chimodzi           -Omon Aradippou
Ndaziona Chatsalira       -Ferreviario de Nacala

STRIKERS & WINGERS

Hassan Kajoke                    – Nyasa Big Bullets
Maxwell Phodo                    – Silver Strikers
Stain Davie                         – Silver Strikers
Sulumba Muhamed            – CIVO
Gadik Chirwa                      – Blue Eagles
Ziko Mkanda                       – Nyasa Big Bullets
Thoko Harrison                   – Karonga United
Khuda Muyaba                   – Polokwane City
Schumacker Kuwali            – UD Songo

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez claims he is yet to receive a single offer for Raphael Varane despite intense speculation suggesting that the World Cup winner is a target for Manchester United.

The France international centre-half is yet to commit to a new contract at Santiago Bernabeu and is approaching the final 12 months of his current deal.

That situation has helped to keep the rumour mill ticking over, with Premier League heavyweights at Old Trafford in the market for defensive reinforcements, but no official bids have been sent to the Spanish capital.

What has been said?

Perez told El Transistor: "I read news in the newspapers [about Varane leaving] and I don’t know anything.

"We have not spoken with him yet, he is at the European Championship. He still has one year left on his contract. And we have not received any offers for Varane.

"He is a gentleman, if he wants to stay, he will stay and, if not, he will leave."

One departure

While Real remain hopeful on retaining the services of Varane, they have bid farewell to one long-serving defender.

Club captain Sergio Ramos is departing as a free agent but Perez expects the 35-year-old to return one day, saying: "I love Ramos like a son, I brought him here in 2005 and I've never before been to a press conference with a player.

"I have such admiration for him, he has been a legend and we wanted him to stay, we offered him a contract, he had a deadline but didn't make it clear.

"This is his home and he will return for sure in another role."

Striking reinforcements

The Blancos may look to bring in a replacement for Ramos, with various targets being mooted for the Liga giants in another transfer window.

Most of those operate at the other end of the field, with the likes of Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe said to be the next 'Galacticos' in Perez's sights.

He is, however, reluctant to be drawn on interest in Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain superstars, saying of the rumours: "Mbappe? He’s not a Real Madrid player so I cannot talk about him. 

"I know what the fans want. We are working on a rebuild. You all know who I am.

"You know what I can do. The people trust me because they know what I can do. They know I bring the best players in the world.

"Mbappe is a PSG player and that must be respected, you know I cannot talk about him. I won’t talk about Mbappe and Haaland."

Further reading

Kenya international Michael Olunga has come to the aid of his national teammate Patrick Matasi who was asking for help to settle the bills after being involved in an accident.

The goalkeeper was involved in a road accident at Kapsabet on his way to Nairobi from Kakamega on June 1.

Goal understands the former Posta Rangers and AFC Leopards custodian was traveling alongside his wife and family members in a Toyota Vitz but it rolled several times after hitting a pothole and burst the rear tire.

The 33-year-old was treated and discharged but his wife had to undergo an operation after breaking her leg. The child was also admitted with serious injuries.

It is for this reason the St. George player asked for help to settle the accumulating bills.

The 27-year old Al-Duhail striker has now come out to help the goalkeeper.

"The Michael Olunga Foundation in collaboration... [on Thursday] joined hands at the Kakamega Referral Hospital to assist in clearing the medical bills for the Harambee Stars goalkeeper Patrick Matasi," Olunga posted on his social media platforms.

"Both Patrick's wife and son had to undergo various surgeries that had the family accrue medical bills here and there. Matasi however was discharged a day after the accident.

"The family is now in recovery and hopefully by your prayers and ours, their lives will regain normalcy."

It was not only Matasi who benefitted from the kind gesture from the towering Kenya striker.

"Alongside this, we were also glad to assist in paying the bills for the other 30 patients at the Kakamega Referral Hospital," the statement added.

"In conclusion, I would like to express many thanks to the hospital admin... the County government of Kakamega... and our various teams for the effort." 

Matasi is one of the most established Kenyan goalkeepers having played in the Kenyan Premier League and for the Harambee Stars.

He also played for AFC Leopards, Posta Rangers, and Tusker in the top-flight before he was signed by the Ethiopian side in 2018.

He was the number one goalkeeper when Kenya fought for a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations slot and was used prominently during the finals in Egypt.

Matasi made his debut for the national team in 2017 and has so far featured in 27 games for the Harambee Stars, including the Cecafa finals when Kenya lifted the trophy under Paul Put.

AmaZulu president Sandile Zungu has explained why they handed Bongi Ntuli a contract extension to continue serving the Premier Soccer League side.

Without specifying the length of Ntuli's new contract, Zungu stated that they are committed to building a strong team and that keeping the striker, who had been linked with a move to Orlando Pirates, is proof that they are committed to keeping their outstanding players.

"We’ve always said that Ntuli is not for sale, he is an integral part of the team, people have been speculating about him but we are not involved in rumours," Zungu stated as he was quoted by the FarPost.

"When you are building a team, you don’t buy and sell players all the time. You can’t just sell a player because he is in form.

"We are not a kind of a club that has a boss driving an expensive car while the team is struggling. We need to make sure that we keep our key players unless they get contracts or greener pastures overseas."

Ntuli has been able to score 22 goals in 62 appearances for the league side that will participate in the Caf Champions League under Benni McCarthy, despite being relegation contenders in the previous season.

Siyabonga Mbatha, Sibusiso Mabiliso and Siphelele Magubane are among the players who have left Usuthu, whereas Samuel Darpo and Andre De Jong could leave before the next season begins.

Zungu also gave details of their pre-season programme and further stated new players have already been signed, but said he could not divulge more on the completed transfers.

"We’ll start our pre-season on the first week of July, we are still working hard to prepare for the next season. We are not done yet, we’ve signed some players but I can’t reveal their names yet," he concluded.

Ntuli, who has been a key player in their goal-hunting mission, is expected to lead the attack once again when Usuthu take on African rivals in the continental competition in the upcoming campaign.

AmaZulu have rejected numerous offers for the striker, who first joined the club on loan from PSL champions Mamelodi Sundowns over six seasons ago.

Sergio Busquets has added his voice to those calling on Lionel Messi to end the uncertainty surrounding his future at Barcelona and commit to a new contract.

The six-time Ballon d'Or winner is heading towards becoming a free agent, with no extension agreed to a deal due to expire at the end of June.

Talks regarding fresh terms are ongoing, with there still a chance the one-club man will put pen to paper, and Busquets is eager to see a long-time colleague stay put.

What has been said?

Quizzed on the Messi saga by Cadena Ser, Busquets said: "Hopefully we will continue to play together next year. Let’s see if he renews."

Busquets' future

For now, the focus of the World Cup-winning midfielder is on looking to captain Spain to European Championship glory, with a last-16 spot earned by Luis Enrique's side despite struggles in the group stage.

The 32-year-old helped Spain win Euro 2012 and is desperate to get his hands on the trophy again as he is unlikely to grace many more international tournaments.

Busquets, who has 124 caps to his name, added: "Yes, the European Championship is the last one for me, but the World Cup I don’t know. If Luis Enrique asks me to go to the World Cup, will I say no? I don’t know, we’ll see."

Coaching career

While his playing days with Spain may be coming to a close, there is no suggestion that Busquets is preparing to hang up his boots, however plans are being drawn up for when that day arrives, with a move into coaching appealing.

He said: "Yes, I think I’m going to try. It’s not easy, you have to be worth it, you have to know how to reach the players, but I’d like to try."

Further reading

Kaizer Chiefs defender Erick Mathoho has promised the fans they will fight to secure their place in the Caf Champions League final when they host Wydad Casablanca on Saturday.

The Soweto heavyweights come into the match as favourites having won the semi-final first leg away by a solitary goal. This is the first time Amakhosi have reached this stage of Africa's elite club competition.

The South Africans have not lost at home in continental assignments this season which gives them an added advantage heading into the second leg at the FNB Stadium, having beaten Saturday's opponents at home in the group stage.

"It is going to be tough, but we have to be switched on from the first minute to the last minute," the centre-back told the club's official portal.

"It is a must, and we know that if we keep another clean sheet, we will win the game. It’s not going to be easy, but we are ready to fight. They will come all out to win, but we won’t allow them, we will fight all the way playing at home.

"We have been following the coaches’ instructions and we did well as a team in managing to keep a clean sheet in Casablanca.

"As defenders, we have to be switched on all the time and remind each other to focus. I know it’s not easy, but we have to stay aware and keep things simple at the back.

"Obviously we do have an advantage playing at home. We will be fresh, and playing at a stadium we know well will be an advantage for us. 

"If we reach the Caf Champions League final, I will be proud of myself and I will be proud of the team. It’s good for players to write their names in the history books of the club. To be in the final... will be interesting for everyone."

Interestingly, Mathoho is the leading goal scorer for the club in the annual competition having found the back of the net six times.

He has explained how he has managed to achieve the feat, at the same time elaborating about what they have done to ensure they stand a good chance of winning. 

"I am very happy to be the club’s top goal scorer in the Caf Champions League. As a defender, that’s not an easy feat. But I have to credit my teammates, they are the ones who deliver the balls. But I’m happy to hold that record," he added.

"I think the way we are helping each other and communicating has meant everything is going a bit better defensively now. We have to trust each other. Sometimes this season we’ve conceded goals through our own mistakes, but as players, it is important that we learn from our mistakes. 

"That is what we have been doing, which is why we are again keeping clean sheets now. We have to keep on improving and eliminating our mistakes."

Raheem Sterling claims European Championship glory with England would mean more to him than the three Premier League titles he has secured with Manchester City.

Across a six-year spell at the Etihad Stadium, the 26-year-old forward has collected nine winners' medals - including four Carabao Cup triumphs and an FA Cup win.

The domestic game has been conquered, but Sterling says international honours - ending a long barren run for a success-starved nation - would be a career highlight.

What has been said?

Sterling told England's official YouTube channel: "I think winning something with the national team, England, would definitely be the greatest achievement that I can possibly do. I mean, not me, but the team can possibly achieve.

"I feel like you win stuff with your clubs and you know it's a great achievement, but this is on a bigger scale.

"You're representing a nation, a country, so to achieve something with England, it would be the biggest thing to happen in my footballing career."

The bigger picture

Sterling has been playing a prominent role in England's quest to claim a continental crown at Euro 2020.

Two match-winning efforts, against Croatia and Czech Republic, have been registered by the City star - who remains the only man to find the target for Gareth Southgate's side.

A place in the last 16 has been secured, with rivalries set to be rekindled with old adversaries Germany.

That contest is due to take place at Wembley on Tuesday, with the Three Lions looking to find a spark as they enter the knockout stages in the business end of another major competition.

Further reading

The Wilfred Ndidi paradox has flown beneath the radar and is getting little or no mention: the Leicester City man is praised to high heaven yearly but receives minimal interest from the top sides.

Perhaps the supposed belief is driven by the average supporter’s thirst for transfer rumours during the window to give the impression that the club they’re invested in is making moves for the right players.

As right players go, Ndidi by and large fits that bill, given the West African’s development into one of Europe’s leading defensive midfielders.

He arrived in January 2017 believed to be N’Golo Kante’s replacement, but he’s shed those comparisons to create a niche for himself having improved considerably at the King Power Stadium.

However, despite the Nigerian’s growth, he remains at the Foxes with little or no links to bigger clubs in the rumour mill.

Given that the Foxes have sold several assets in the last few years — Kante and Ben Chilwell left for Chelsea, Riyad Mahrez was signed by Manchester City and Harry Maguire departed for Manchester United — Ndidi’s situation is surprising.

While Jamie Vardy remained, he came pretty close to leaving for Arsenal in 2016 before committing to the side. The Englishman’s Leicester stay wasn’t due to a lack of interest in his services, but a personal decision on the prolific frontman’s part.

Even James Maddison is seemingly sought after, with the Gunners said to be considering the attacking midfielder after losing out on Emiliano Buendia and, possibly, Martin Odegaard.

With Ndidi, though…nothing and the lack of genuine interest is perplexing.

Chelsea are reportedly monitoring West Ham United’s Declan Rice or Monaco’s French-Cameroonian Aurelien Tchouameni, while Liverpool and Arsenal are said to be interested in Brighton & Hove Albion’s Yves Bissouma. In addition, Manchester United’s need for a genuine defensive midfielder has been noticeable for a while.

Regardless, the Blues’ interest in Rice hasn’t waned despite Frank Lampard’s dismissal, Mikel Arteta and Jurgen Klopp may turn attentions elsewhere if the Brighton man stays with the Seagulls and United’s Jadon Sancho obsession suggest their defensive midfield hole may remain for another season.

Some observers have cited the Nigerian’s average ball progression and underwhelming ball carrying as possible factors deterring potential suitors.

The Leicester man plays fewer progressive passes per 90 (2.36) than Rice and Bissouma (2.96 and 3.26 respectively) and completes significantly fewer passes into the box than the pair— 0.17 to Rice’s 0.66 and Bissouma’s 0.61.

While the West Ham midfielder has been criticised, particularly at the ongoing European Championship, for being ineffectual in his team’s build-up, he somewhat makes up for this supposed deficiency in his ball carrying.

The England international made more progressive ball carries per 90 (5.16) than the Brighton man (4.54) with Ndidi’s 1.78 average ball carries strikingly inferior. Furthermore, the Leicester star seldom moved with the ball into the opposition’s final third — averaging 0.79 carries into that area of the pitch — unlike the Hammer (1.84) and Mali star (1.79).

Indeed, the fact Youri Tielemans played deeper in 2020/21 to aid the Foxes’ ball progression further emphasises the aforementioned point.

The Belgium midfielder’s altered role may have allowed the Nigerian to focus on largely winning the ball, but could this have unwittingly deterred the bigger clubs?

Perhaps an even bigger concern has been the injuries sustained by the former Genk player in the last two seasons. Having started 17 of 18 games in his first few months at the club, Ndidi went on to start 33 and 37 Premier League games in 2017/18 and 18/19 respectively.

However, there’s been a considerable drop in the last two seasons in which the anchorman has played from the off 29 times in 19/20 before four fewer starts in the just-concluded campaign.

By contrast, Bissouma started 35 of Brighton’s games last term while Rice has been dependable and injury-free at West Ham in the last three years, starting a combined 104 PL matches since 18/19.

Of course, Ndidi’s depleted numbers and starts in 20/21 comes with a respective caveat that he moonlighted at centre-back at times, while the Foxes' involvement in Europe and successful FA Cup run put the necessary context to things...perhaps the jampacked schedule was always going to take its toll.

Having said that, he missed only three league games through injury after his December return, pointing to him overcoming those injury concerns, although next season will reveal more.

Unsurprisingly, the Super Eagle led the way for tackles plus interceptions per 90, with the Brighton and West Ham stars coming in at 14th and 30th when the metric is adjusted for players who made significant appearances.

Be that as it may, the feeling that the pair’s overall game is more rounded might continue to affect the interest in the Nigeria star going forward, despite the effusive praise of his qualities as a holding midfielder.

At 24, it’s obviously too soon to take an alarmist view of the Ndidi situation, but the relative lack of interest in a player who’s arguably one of the best performers in his position is beginning to worry.

Former Gor Mahia official Omondi Aduda has challenged Caf to first sort out the many problems they are currently facing before thinking of starting a Super League.

Five days ago, Caf president Patrice Motsepe gave the green light for an African Super League, a move which came after a similar competition which had been planned for Europe was scrapped after a backlash of opposition to the idea.

Motsepe explained the concept of an African Super League is already in discussion and also mentioned that Caf was planning to learn from their European counterparts on how to go about it.

Aduda, the former CEO at FKF Premier League champions K'Ogalo, has dismissed the idea of starting the Super League and further challenged the African body to sort out some of the administrative problems they are currently facing.

“I have heard about it but first if the same idea flopped in Uefa how can it be allowed to happen in Africa?” Aduda posed a question to Goal when asked about the intentions by Caf.

“My reason is football is not supposed to be an exclusive club, football just like any other sport is governed by principles of sporting merit, what do I mean by sporting merit? Sporting merit means that a team must compete to get promoted or to win and to be relegated, that is the reason we follow sporting merit.

“But we find that the idea of Super League as previously mentioned means we will have a special list of clubs, whose prime advantage will be financial muscles because in Africa, if I got the argument right that the [participating clubs] are supposed to pay some amount of money.

“Now why should clubs in Africa pay money to play in the Super League while even the one in Uefa, which was scrapped off, the clubs were supposed to gain money from taking part in it?

“I also think that it is not right at the moment to come up with the idea of the Super League because that will definitely kill the lustre for Caf Champions League if it kills the taste of the Champions League then morally what will clubs participating in the previous national leagues in Africa be playing for?

Pushed to explain if the whole idea by Caf is wrong, Aduda, who also served as FKF CEO under the regime of Sam Nyamweya said: “No, it is not well thought, and I believe Caf under Motsepe has more serious administrative and management problems that he needs to urgently address.

"For instance now all the Caf matches are all blacked out, they are not being televised, the clubs are supposed to earn from broadcast rights.

“Caf as we speak now, they are unable to financially meet their obligations, teams which took part in Chan tournament have not been paid, even clubs which took part in club competitions have not been paid, so they have a lot in their hands to start thinking about the Super League.”

The European Super League idea was met with huge opposition, particularly by fans, other clubs, ex-players, and even current players.