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AC Milan are preparing to submit an offer for exit-bound Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud, Goal can confirm.

Giroud is a month away from his contract expiry date at Stamford Bridge, with little sign of a renewal on the horizon as Thomas Tuchel looks ahead to his first full season in charge of the Blues.

The 34-year-old, who helped Chelsea secure a top-four finish and win their second Champions League crown in 2020-21, is now attracting interest from Milan, who are hoping to lure him to San Siro on a free transfer.

Could Giroud be off to Italy?

Goal has learned that Milan officials are due to meet with Giroud's representatives later this week to thrash out a deal.

Rossoneri head coach Stefano Pioli wants to add greater experience to his forward ranks as he prepares to take the club back into the Champions League following a seven-year absence.

Giroud has been identified as a priority target, with Milan confident that he still has plenty to offer at the highest level despite seeing him reduced to a bit-part role at Chelsea over the past two seasons.

What has Tuchel said about Giroud?

Tuchel spoke out on Giroud's situation back in February, insisting a final decision on his future had yet to be made while also talking up his impact on the squad.

"He is one of the top strikers in the box, he’s physically strong, he has an incredible first touch when he takes balls directly," said the Blues boss.

"He is a key figure, he has a huge impact in a most positive way that we can wish, and this is what I can say. So I am very happy that he is here, and from there, we will arrive at decisions, but it is too soon.”

Giroud's record for Chelsea

Giroud has scored 39 goals in 119 games for the Blues in all competitions since moving to the Bridge from Arsenal in January 2018.

11 of those efforts were recorded in Chelsea's latest campaign, but he only started 12 games and was an unused substitute during their 1-0 Champions League final victory over Manchester City on Saturday.

Further reading

Al Ahly head coach Pitso Mosimane has revealed his long-standing desire to solve the contractual issue with Mamelodi Sundowns amicably.
 
Mosimane, through his agency, Moira Tlhagale Sports Marketing and Management, has stated they have been trying to get in touch with the club's hierarchy to solve the dispute around his contract with his former club, but "have been met with silence".

"It is with a deep measure of shock and disappointment that MT Sports Marketing and Management has received a summons from Mamelodi Sundowns F.C demanding to be paid back commission fees in lieu of coach Pilso Mosimane," a statement by Mosimane's agency read on Monday.

"We have received communication from Mamelodi Sundowns and have attempted to reach an amicable solution to this matter. However, they have not responded to our request to meet with us.

"We attempted to speak to then club president Dr Patrice Motsepe in January this year, and we were refused and also last week with chairman Tlhopane Motsepe, we were met with silence."
 
The agency further revealed their displeasure at how the summons found its way to the media and added Mosimane's move to Egypt had the blessing of Sundowns owner Patrice Motsepe.

"The summons and the media leaks put into disrepute Dr Motsepe’s blessings on the termination of the contracts, and well-wishes on coach Pitso joining Al Ahly S.C last year," added the statement.

"In his own words, Dr Motsepe said: "I have on several occasions, over the past few years, expressed my support for Pitso Mosimane leaving Sundowns to coach in North Africa or Europe or Bafana Bafana.

"I have received a warm and emotional note from Pitso and am very proud of his achievements at MamelodiSundowns. Pitso has been the most successful coach in the history of Sundowns and will always be a member of the Mamelodi Sundowns family."

In the court papers, the Brazilians have demanded the coach to pay them a severance package amounting to R7,912,905, claiming the coach served only four months of the 48 signed.

"The second defendant was therefore employed by the plaintiff for four of the 48 months contemplated by the head coach agreement. As a result of the termination of the second defendant’s employment on 30 September 2020, the plaintiff is owed R7,912,905 of the commission for the 44 months that the second defendant will not be in the employ of the plaintiff," the club's demands read.

Mosimane served Sundowns for eight years and won a total of 11 trophies with the Brazilians.

Premier Soccer League champions Mamelodi Sundowns have moved to a Johannesburg court to seek orders to force Pitso Mosimane to pay them nearly R8-million after he left the club four months into a four-year contract.
 
Sundowns - through their lawyer Bowman Gilfillan - have listed Moira Tlhagale Sports Marketing and Management - an agency owned by the coach's wife Moira - and Mosimane as the respondents in the case.

The PSL giants feel they are owed the amount since Mosimane signed a 48-month contract and the coach only served four months before he left and joined African champions Al Ahly late last year.

"The second defendant was therefore employed by the plaintiff for four of the 48 months contemplated by the head coach agreement. As a result of the termination of the second defendant’s employment on 30 September 2020, the plaintiff is owed R7,912,905 of the commission for the 44 months that the second defendant will not be in the employ of the plaintiff," court papers, as reported by Sunday World, read.

"Notwithstanding the passage of six months since 30 September 2020, and notwithstanding demand, the first and second defendants have failed and/or refused to pay the plaintiff the amount of R7,912,905.

"The defendants are accordingly jointly and severally indebted to the plaintiff in the amount of R7,912,905, which amount is due and payable."

The publication continues to report that the relationship between Sundowns and the celebrated coach deteriorated further after the tactician failed to apologise to the club and the fans over remarks made earlier.

The said remarks were uttered after Mosimane received a hostile reception around the Lucas Moripe Stadium when he led Al Ahly against Sundowns in a Champions League quarter-final match.

"I had a lot of pressure inside and outside, people doubting me but these boys made it possible for me to look back at those people to say what are you saying now? Look at me now. But it’s not about being vindictive. It’s a message, it’s a football message," Mosimane said at the time.

"I was a little bit emotional only when I saw the placards outside. They stopped the bus and all these people [were] swearing at me, swearing at my mother. I said to myself, what else I should have done for this team to get the respect?"

"Just bitter because I left. I had to move on with my life. I don’t want to talk about the things that I’ve received before my match, if I show you my phone – correspondence, e-mails – they just won’t let me go."

Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus have "paralysed themselves" with their "strange" approach to the Super League, according to UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin.

A controversial proposal for a new competition to rival the Champions League was met with universal condemnation in April, leading to the withdrawal of nine of the original 12 founding clubs.

The Super League plans were subsequently put on hold, but Barca, Real and Juve have vowed to continue pushing for change despite being threatened with serious sanctions by UEFA, who are in the process of investigating their involvement in the breakaway.

What's been said?

The three remaining clubs released a statement criticising European football's main governing body last week, which read: "FC Barcelona, Juventus FC and Real Madrid CF wish to express their absolute rejection of the insistent coercion that UEFA has been maintaining towards three of the most relevant institutions in the history of football.

"The opening of disciplinary proceedings by UEFA is incomprehensible and is a direct attack against the rule of law that we, the citizens of the European Union, have democratically built up, while constituting a lack of respect toward the authority of the courts of justice themselves.

"Barcelona, Juventus and Real Madrid, all of them more than a century old, will not accept any form of coercion or intolerable pressure, while they remain strong in their willingness to debate, respectfully and through dialogue, the urgent solutions that football currently needs.

"Either we reform football or we will have to watch its inevitable downfall."

Ceferin's response

Ceferin has been outspoken in his opposition towards the Super League right from the very beginning, and he cannot understand why Barca, Juve and Real continue to ignore the public outcry while risking their current status in the European game.

"They paralysed themselves with the approach they took," the UEFA chief told Sky Italia.

"It's strange to read press releases that the three clubs out of thousands of clubs think their idea will save football and nobody else likes it."

What punishment could three clubs face?

Ceferin has previously stated that players from the three remaining clubs could be banned from international competition if they do not pull out of the Super League, while Juve have been threatened with expulsion from Serie A by the head of the Italian Football Association, Gabriele Gravina.

It has also been suggested that they will not be able to participate in the Champions League, but Ceferin insists UEFA's investigation must run its course before any formal punishment can be given out.

"Our disciplinary committee is independent so the moment they start to work on a case, I don't have a reach or information there," the Slovenian added.

"I don't know when, if or how the sanctions would be. For me what is strange is that you publish you are still part of the Super League and then you send a letter applying to play in the Champions League.

"So you are in Super League but play Champions League. It's quite hard to understand what they mean. They should call us, send us a letter, ask for a meeting.

"They just sent some press releases saying they want to have a dialogue. It's quite a strange approach."

Further reading

Former Kaizer Chiefs head coach Gavin Hunt believes nothing much is going to change with the team in the short term, despite his sacking.

The 56-year-old was fired on Friday after the Glamour Boys succumbed to a 2-1 defeat to a struggling Black Leopards side in a PSL encounter at Thohoyandou Stadium on Wednesday.  

The defeat left Amakhosi in 11th place on the league standings - five points above the relegation zone with two matches left in the current campaign.

When reached for comment, the former Bidvest Wits coach did not wish to say much on his sacking.

"I can’t say anything; It is right at the end of the season, so not much is going to happen now," Hunt said on Monday.

Meanwhile, Former Orlando Pirates striker Phumudzo Manenzhe believes Chiefs were right in firing Hunt since he had failed with a performing squad.

"A lot of people might be surprised, but I, for one, am not surprised," Manenzhe said in a recent interview.

"Hunt inherited a squad that came second in the league in the previous season, barring the exclusion of George Maluleka who had left, [for Mamelodi Sundowns], the rest of the team was basically the same.

"So for me, in a football sense, how can a team that finished second struggle to finish outside the top eight the following season? I find that hard to understand."

Since Chiefs are serving a Fifa transfer ban, Hunt could not strengthen the team. He further had to deal with the absence of top scorer Samir Nurkovic, who missed the first half of the season owing to injuries.

But Manenzhe believes that is not enough of an excuse for the 56-year-old to finish in the bottom half of the table.

"Play the players to their strengths so that they can get to second place again," the former attacker continued.

"Are you telling me Hunt was not playing these players to their best to finish outside the top 10? Hunt has been in [South African] football for a long time so you cannot tell me what he needs to understand." 

The tactician has, however, taken Amakhosi to the Caf Champions League semi-finals, where they will play Wydad Casablanca.

Brentford have no intention of parting with Ivan Toney in the summer transfer window after seeing their 33-goal frontman attract interest from Arsenal, Tottenham, West Ham, Chelsea and Leeds United.

A talented 25-year-old took the Championship by storm in 2020-21, finishing as the division's top scorer as he finally got the Bees over a promotion line through another nail-biting play-off campaign.

Failure to book a place among the Premier League elite would have made it difficult for the Bees - who have parted with the likes of Ollie Watkins, Said Benrahma and Neal Maupay in the recent past - to retain Toney's services, but they are back in the big time and looking to fend off interest in prized assets.

What has been said?

Brentford's co-director of football Rasmus Ankerson has told Sky Sports on the Toney transfer talk: "Ivan has done amazingly this season and if we hadn't have gone up then there would have been lots of Premier League interest in him. 

"Obviously now it's a different situation. 

"We would have had to look at that, but that's not a new thing for Brentford. 

"Season after season, player trading has been a big part of our business model. 

"We have to buy cheap, sell expensive and then reinvest the money into improving the team. It's not going to be a very different Brentford that we see in the future. 

"Ivan, like he said after the game, can't wait to start scoring goals in the Premier League. I'm sure that will be for us."

The bigger picture

Brentford are back in the top tier of English football for the first time in 74 years.

Toney has played a key role in bringing that long wait to a close, with his cooly converted penalty breaking the deadlock for the Bees in their play-off final clash with Swansea at Wembley.

It is easy to see why he would be of interest to others, with Tottenham facing the threat of losing Harry Kane while Chelsea are in the market for another No.9 as Tammy Abraham and Olivier Giroud are edged towards the exits.

Questions have also been asked of Alexandre Lacazette's ongoing presence at Arsenal, how long Rodrigo will be sticking around at Leeds and whether David Moyes can get an out-and-out goalscorer into his West Ham squad ahead of a Europa League adventure in 2021-22.

Brentford, though, are ready to resist any approaches for their star forward, forcing those in the market for a physical presence to lead their line to explore alternative options.

Further reading

Gor Mahia have a chance to reduce the gap between them and table-toppers Tusker FC to seven points when they take on Wazito FC in a rescheduled FKF Premier League match on Monday.

K’Ogalo, who started the season on a rather bad note, are currently on a good run of results since the top-flight returned from the 56-day break occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic lockdown, and a win against Wazito will see them jump to fourth on the table with 31 points, seven shy of leaders Tusker.

The Carlos Manuel Vaz Pinto-led side will also have two matches in hand after their game against Wazito, meaning they are on the right track to retain the league title once again this season.

On the other hand, Wazito will be keen to end a bad run of three matches without a win which started with a 2-2 draw against Bandari, then they lost 2-0 to Sofapaka and picked up another 1-1 draw against Tusker.

The results are worrying Wazito coach Francis Kimanzi and he must work out ways of getting the team back on track against a K’Ogalo side that have won their last three matches – 1-0 against Nairobi City Stars, 2-1 against Sofapaka, and 1-0 against Vihiga United.

TV Channel, Live Stream & How To Watch

In Kenya, the game will be LIVE on StarTimes.

Outside Kenya, the game will NOT be LIVE.

Squads & Team News

Wazito coach Kimanzi believes he has seen some good improvement in his squad in terms of fitness as they prepare to face Gor Mahia at Utalii grounds.

“We have had a good week, a more positive week with a very well-motivated group so you can’t compare it with the previous weeks because we have also seen development in terms of fitness,” Kimanzi said ahead of the game.

“Players are also coming back to competition again so if you compare the last two weeks and this week, we have made a huge development in our team in terms of how positive they handle every training.”

On the game, Kimanzi said: “We are well prepared because like I said earlier we have a different week and every week looks a little bit different because apart from some issues with injuries but it is a different week because when you are coming back from a long break you expect that slow start but I think we have picked well.

“This has been a very positive week and we expect a different match tomorrow [Monday].”

Probable XI for Wazito FC: Opiyo, Onyango, Ojwang', Omurwa, Odhiambo, Origa, Asembeka, Isuza, Kimani, Masika, Owino.

After beating Vihiga United 1-0 in their last outing, K’Ogalo coach Vaz Pinto was left a satisfied man despite the slim victory but he has now called on his players to make sure they use their chances to win matches emphatically.

“Against Vihiga we had to toil to get the win and such happens in football, but now we have to make sure we always make use of the chances we create because we must win matches with huge margins to build our goal difference,” Vaz Pinto told Goal ahead of the match.

“We know how tough Wazito are, we don’t want to underrate them, we want to go out there and play our game and we stick to our focus of getting maximum points, we want to win our matches and see where we will be at the end of the season.”

The Portuguese tactician is most likely set to stick with the starting XI that did duty against Vihiga at Mumias Complex with forward Clifton Miheso, who scored the all-important goal, set to lead the way once again.

Probable XI for Gor Mahia: Oluoch, Wesonga, Ochieng, Shakava, Momanyi, Wendo, Onyango, Muguna, Okello, Macharia, Miheso.

Match Preview

In the history of the league, the two teams have met three times and Wazito are yet to beat Gor Mahia.

In their first meeting when Wazito was promoted to the top-flight in the 2018-19 season, Gor Mahia won the first duel 1-0 and sealed a double over them after a 4-0 win in the reverse fixture.

Last season, Gor Mahia continued their dominance over them as they won the first round meeting 1-0 but the second round meeting could not take place as it was cancelled owing to the outbreak of Covid-19 in the country.

The two teams will be meeting for the first time this season but according to Gor Mahia captain Harun Shakava, they will not underrate their opponents despite the previous record favouring the reigning champions.

“Wazito side is another strong team and we can’t underrate them…It will be a tough battle but we hope to emerge victorious,” Shakava explained.  

While Gor Mahia are currently placed fifthth on the 18-team table with 28 points from 16 matches, Wazito are 10th on 23 points from 16 outings.

Zinedine Zidane has accused Real Madrid president Florentino Perez of a lack of respect in his final season in charge, while claiming "I’m leaving because I feel the club no longer has the faith in me I need".

Zidane has delivered three Champions League crowns and two La Liga titles across two separate spells at Santiago Bernabeu, but decided to resign for the second time following the club's first trophyless campaign since 2009-10.

The Frenchman has now come out to explain the main reasons behind his departure while opening up on his fractious relationship with Perez, who he has criticised for failing to support him during Real's worst run of form last season.

What's been said?

Spanish publication AS have published Zidane's open letter to supporters, which reads: "Dear Real Madrid fans, for more than 20 years, from the first day I arrived in Madrid and wore the white shirt, you’ve shown me your love. I wanted to write this letter, to say goodbye to you and explain my decision to leave the coaching job.

"I’m going, but I’m not jumping overboard, nor am I tired of coaching. In May 2018 I left because after two and a half years, with so many victories and so many trophies, I felt the team needed a new approach to stay at the very highest level. Right now, things are different. I’m leaving because I feel the club no longer has the faith in me I need, nor the support to build something in the medium or long term. 

"I understand football and I know the demands of a club like Real Madrid. I know when you don’t win, you have to leave. But with this a very important thing has been forgotten, everything I built day-to-day has been forgotten, what I brought to my relationships with the players, with the 150 people who work with and around the team. 

"I’m a natural-born winner and I was here to win trophies, but even more important than this are the people, their feelings, life itself and I have the sensation these things have not been taken into account, that there has been a failure to understand that these things also keep the dynamics of a great club going. To some extent I have even been rebuked for it.

"I want there to be respect for what we have achieved together. I would have liked my relationship with the club and the president over the past few months to have been a little different to that of other coaches. I wasn’t asking for privileges, of course not, just a little more recollection. 

"These days the life of a coach in the dugout at a big club is two seasons, little more. For it to last longer the human relationships are essential, they are more important than money, more important than fame, more important than everything. They need to be nurtured.

"That’s why it hurt me so much when I read in the press, after a defeat, that I would be sacked if I didn’t win the next game. It hurt me and the whole team because these deliberately leaked messages to the media negatively influenced the squad, they created doubts and misunderstandings. 

"Luckily I had these amazing lads who were with me to the death. When things turned ugly they saved me with magnificent victories. Because they believed in me and knew I believed in them."

Zidane's parting shot to the media

Zidane went on to directly address the reporters that had attempted to stir up controversy at the club throughout the 2020-21 campaign, calling for the media to do more to preserve the sanctity of the game and protect the players.

"I’d like to take this opportunity to send a message to the journalists," he added. "I’ve given hundreds of press conferences and unfortunately we have spoken very little of football, though I know that you love football, this sport that brings us together. 

"However, and without any desire to criticise or lecture, I would have liked the questions not to have always been about controversy, that we might have talked more often about the game and above all the players, who are and always will be the most important thing in this sport. Let’s not forget about football, let’s care for it."

Who has been touted to succeed Zidane at Real?

Goal has learned that Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino is at the top of Real's list of candidates in their search for a new manager.

The Argentine has informed PSG of his desire to leave, but it is unclear whether he has his eye on the top job at the Bernabeu, with a potential return to Tottenham also being mooted.

Real are also thought to be interested in outgoing Inter boss Antonio Conte, while academy head coach Raul is also in the frame to replace Zidane.

Further reading

Mainland Premier League champions Simba SC have led Africa in condoling with their midfielder Clatous Chama, who lost his wife in Zambia.

The Msimbazi giants have come out to stand with the 29-year-old player after his wife, Mercy Chama, died at Kitwe Teaching Hospital following an illness on Sunday.

“The leadership of Simba is saddened to learn of the untimely passing of our midfielder Clatous Chama’s wife Mercy Mukuka Chama,” Simba wrote on their social media pages.

“We would like to pass our sincere, heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathies to our player, and our hearts go out to his family in this time of sorrow and immense grief.”

Simba chairman Mohammed Dewji has also joined to condole with the Chama family, alongside teammates Larry Bwalya, Chris Mugalu and Uganda's new captain Emmanuel Okwi.

“We made a win against Namungo FC but our hearts are so heavy knowing that our brother Clatous Chama lost his beloved wife,” Dewji wrote. The Simba family mourns with you.

“May God Almighty grant you and your family strength to face the days ahead.”

Chama has enjoyed a good run with Simba this campaign, helping them to reach the quarter-finals of the Caf Champions League where they were bundled out after losing 4-3 on aggregate to Kaizer Chiefs of South Africa.

During the return leg when the Wekundu wa Msimbazi needed four goals to overturn the quarter-final first leg result having lost 4-0 at FNB Stadium, Chama was the main destroyer, setting up one goal scored by striker John Bocco and also added the third but Chiefs held on to advance.

His performance saw him named in the Champions League team of the week alongside four other Msimbazi players namely Bocco, assistant captain Hussein Mohamed, Shomari Kapombe, and winger Luis Miquissone.

Below is how Twitter condoled with the Zambian player after his loss.

The upcoming Copa America will not be played in Argentina because of a surge in Covid cases, CONMEBOL announced late Sunday night, putting the entire tournament in danger of not moving forward.

Previously, Colombia was ruled incapable of hosting the competition amid political unrest.

With the tournament just a couple of weeks away, reported last-ditch options include Chile or even the U.S, as CONMEBOL confirmed there were several nations that have offered themselves as potential hosts.

What has been said?

"CONMEBOL is analyzing offers from other countries that have shown interest in hosting the continental tournament,” the organization said in a statement. “Updates will be announced soon."

What is the Covid situation in Argentina?

As of the CONMEBOL announcement, Argentina had the fifth-worst Covid outbreak per capita in the world with 76 daily cases per 100,000 people - or more than 34,000 daily cases in total.

Cases in the nation have risen at a 54 percent rate over the past 14 days.

The country is currently in strict lockdown with most non-essential travel and activities, including football, banned, although its participants in the Libertadores and Sudamericana were allowed (or obliged) to play out their home games this week due to CONMEBOL's insistence.

Why couldn't Colombia host?

Originally, Colombia was supposed to co-host with Argentina, but that plan was scrapped amid civil upheaval that brought protests and violence to the streets.

This story will be updated.

Asisat Oshoala’s Barcelona have completed their treble having defeated Levante 4-2 in Sunday’s Copa de la Reina final.

The Blaugranes had won the Uefa Women’s Champions and Primera Division diadem for a record sixth time.

Against the Granores, Lluis Cortes’ women put up a sublime display to tear apart their opponent at the Estadio Municipal de Butarque.

Patricia Guijarro gave Barcelona a fifth-minute lead after heading past goalkeeper Maria Lopez a well-taken corner kick from Netherlands midfielder Lieke Martens.

Cortes’ doubled their lead in the 20th minute as Alexia Putellas flicked the ball past onrushing Lopez. Again, it was Martens who supplied the assist.

In the goal-laden first half, the reigning European champions increased their lead nine minutes later through another header. Martens completed her treble of assists when she set up Marta Torrejon.

In the second half, Levante stepped up their game to pull one goal back a minute to the hour mark as Alba Redondo rolled the ball inside the net after capitalising on a mix-up between goalkeeper Catalina Lluch and one of her defenders.

Fuelled by that strike, the Granores continued their push for more goals and that paid off in the 67th minute when Argentine midfielder Estefania Banini drilled home a sumptuous strike following a poor clearance in Barca’s goal area.

Six minutes later, Putellas completed her brace to put the game beyond Levante’s reach. After dispossessing Claudia Sanchez, the midfielder wasted no chance in putting the ball beyond the opposing goalkeeper.

Even at the introduction of Nigeria international Francisca Ordega, Redondo in the 85th minute, that could not help Maria Pry’s team to launch a late comeback.

For reigning African Women’s Player of the Year Oshoala, she was an unused substitute in the encounter that produced six goals.

Following her side’s 4-0 defeat of Chelsea at the Gamla Ullevi, Gothenburg, the 26-year-old became the first Nigerian as well as the first African to win the Uefa Women’s Champions League.

In a recent interview, she hoped her European triumph would inspire other young girls in Africa to chase their dreams.

"It was very important not to make the mistakes of the past [the 4-1 loss to Lyon] but to learn from it," Oshoala told BBC Sport Africa.

"I can only thank God who has made everything possible through sheer hard work, by playing alongside this incredibly talented group that creates a lovely family atmosphere.  

"It is a great feeling and I can't really put my emotions into words because it has been a tough journey to get here.  

"I hope this will continue to inspire other young girls in Africa and motivate everyone around the world that you can achieve whatever you put your mind to and work hard for it."

Paris Saint-Germain sporting director Leonardo has attempted to play down speculation surrounding the future of boss Mauricio Pochettino.

Goal understands the Argentine has informed Paris Saint-Germain of his desire to leave the club amid interest in his services from Real Madrid and former club Tottenham.

However, Leonardo has suggested Pochettino, who only succeeded Thomas Tuchel in January, will not be leaving the French capital any time soon.

What did Leonardo say?

When asked by Europe 1 about the speculation surrounding the PSG coach, Leonardo said: “Mauricio Pochettino has two years on his contract with PSG, and we are very happy.”

That suggests PSG are ready to fight to keep Pochettino in Paris, despite interest from elsewhere.

Real Madrid have identified him as their number one target to replace Zinedine Zidane, who stepped down as Los Blancos coach for a second time last week.

Former club Spurs are also interested in bringing their former manager back to north London, with the Premier League club prepared to offer him the stability of a long-term contract to succeed Jose Mourinho, who replaced Pochettino in the Spurs hotseat back in November 2019.

The bigger picture

Goal understands that Pochettino retains a special affection towards PSG despite his desire to leave so will respect whatever decision the board makes about his future.

Leonardo’s latest comments suggests the Ligue 1 side have no intention in letting their manager go, meaning Pochettino will have little choice but to accept their decision.

Attention will therefore switch back to Real and Tottenham, who will likely have to make an extremely lucrative offer to PSG in order to persuade them to alter their stance and allow the 49-year-old to move on this summer.

Further reading

FC Arouca have ended a five-year break from the Primeira Liga after they triumphed 5-0 on aggregate against Rio Ave in the Liga Portugal 2 play-off game played on Sunday evening.

Having won the first-leg 3-0, the Arouquenses completed a double over Miguel Cardoso’s men with a 2-0 result at Estadio dos Arcos.

First-half goal from Arsenio plus a second-half effort by Jose Velazquez were all the visitors needed to secure the victory that earned them a return to the Portuguese elite division.

The impressive result away from home also extended Arouca’s winning streak to 11 in all competitions. For Rio Ave, they will begin life in the second tier when the 2021-22 season commences.

Needing to overturn their three-goal deficit, Cardoso’s men began the encounter on an impressive note, but, their attacking forays could not translate to goals as goalkeeper Victor Braga put up an outstanding performance in office.

Despite dominating ball possession, it was Arouca who took the lead in the 32nd minute courtesy of Arsenio.

After a one-two exchange with Pedro Moreira, the Portuguese midfielder drilled an unstoppable shot past goalkeeper Pawel Kieszek.

Rio Ave almost levelled matters immediately but goalkeeper Braga punched Carlos Mane’s shot over the crossbar for a corner kick.

Three minutes into the second half, the visiting side were on the verge of extending their lead, albeit, Andre Silva’s header from a freekick sailed over the crossbar.

On the opposing side, Ronan low shot was stopped Braga following a poor clearance from Arouca defenders.

Rio Ave’s place in the second division was confirmed in the 59th minute as they conceded their second goal of the evening after Velazquez fired Quaresma’s cross past a stranded Kieszek.

Congo international Andre Bukia was handed a starter's role by Arouca, however, he was substituted for Brazilian forward Adilio in the 67th minute.

For Ghana's Lawrence Ofori, he was taken off for Mauro Caballero with eight minutes left to play. His compatriot Yaw Moses was not listed for action as well as Cameroon's Norbert Haymamba and Cape Verde duo of Junior Sena and Marco Soares.

For Rio Ave, Angola's Gelson Dala and Guinea Bissau's Pele were in action but could do little in rescuing the Vila do Conde based outfit.

Karim Benzema has backed France international team-mate Kylian Mbappe to one day play for Real Madrid.

Mbappe has long been linked with a move to Los Blancos, having previously stated that it is one of his ambitions after revering Cristiano Ronaldo as a youngster.

Benzema, who has been at the club since 2009, is hopeful that his compatriot will soon join him in Spain.

What did he say?

“Mbappe at Real? We'll see what happens, but in any case he is welcome in Madrid. He has all the qualities to be a Real Madrid player, one day I hope,” Benzema told M6.

The French players have never teamed up together due to Benzema's international exile, which has ended just before Euro 2020. Mbappe has indicated on social media that he is excited to team up with the former Lyon striker.

Mbappe is out of contract with Paris Saint-Germain in 2022 and has dithered over his decision whether to sign a new deal. This potentially puts him on the transfer market this summer as PSG will not want to lose one of the game’s star players for nothing next summer.

Real Madrid would doubtless love to move for the attacker in a bid to strengthen a team that was beaten to the Primera Division title by Atletico Madrid, but with money tight, they will struggle to raise the funds both to buy the player and to pay his sizeable wages.

Furthermore, losing head coach Zinedine Zidane, who quit last week, represents a blow to their hopes of capturing Mbappe imminently as ‘Zizou’ is an idol of the 22-year-old, who has previously spoken of his respect for the 1998 World Cup winner.

Further reading

Juventus have elected to extend the loan deal of Atletico Madrid striker Alvaro Morata for a second season, Goal can confirm.

Morata arrived for a second spell at the Turin giants last summer on a temporary basis, with Juventus having the option to extend the deal by a year, buy the Spain international or terminate the agreement this summer.

And Juve have elected to keep hold of the 28-year-old forward, with the deal set to cost them a further €10 million (£8.5m/$12m).

Why are Juventus keeping Morata?

Morata was impressive in front of goal with Juventus last season as he scored 20 goals in 44 outings.

Furthermore, the appointment of Massimiliano Allegri has been important in this deal. Allegri has previously worked with Morata and got very good results with the former Real Madrid and Chelsea hitman, while the player also has a strong desire to stay with the Turin side.

Nevertheless, Juventus, whose financial difficulties are well known, tried to secure a discount on the loan fee for the striker, but Atletico Madrid rejected that attempt.

Due to these parameters, Allegri is returning to the squad at a difficult moment, although qualification for next season’s Champions League, which was secured on the final day of the season, should mean that there is greater financial flexibility.

In any case, Morata grants Juve a sense of continuity in their squad, despite the new cycle that they are working towards.

Further reading

Cruz Azul hosts Santos Laguna on Sunday in the second leg of the Liga MX final holding a 1-0 aggregate advantage that takes the club achingly close to ending a 24-year drought for the trophy.

Luis Romo provided the go-ahead goal in electric fashion on Thursday, nutmegging a defender amid a twisting run into the box before capitalizing on a fortunate bounce of the ball to find the back of the net. His effort provides favored Cruz Azul some added comfort at the Azteca Stadium in the return match.

However, Santos Laguna have been difficult to keep down during a magical run to the final.

Ahead of the game, Goal has the details of how to watch on TV, stream live online, team news and more.

TV channel, live stream & how to watch

In the United States (U.S.), the game can be watched live on TUDN USA or Univision. An online stream for the match will be available on TUDN App or Univision NOW.

Team news & rosters

Cruz Azul brings a healthy roster into the second leg, and while manager Juan Reynoso somewhat surprisingly did not start Gimenez in the attack after his semi-final heroics for the first leg, it's possible he changes tune for the second leg in a home environment where Gimenez could be more comfortable.

There will also be the decision of whether to play Ignacio Rivero as a full-back or pushed further forward into more of a wing role.

Predicted Cruz Azul starting XI:  Corona, Escobar, Aguilar, Dominguez, Aldrete, Baca, Fernandez, Romo, Rivero, Rodriguez, Gimenez.

Winger Brian Lozano is out for the season due to injury.

Predicted Santos Laguna starting XI : Acevedo, Orrantia, Doria, Caicedo, Monjaraz, Cervantes, Gorriaran, Valdes, Otero, Preciado, Aguirre.

Recent results & head-to-head

Cruz Azul & Santos Laguna last five results

Cruz Azul vs Santos Laguna head-to-head

Robert Lewandowski says he is “open-minded” about his future amid speculation he could seek to move on from Bayern Munich this summer, though he remains relaxed about any potential transfer.

The prolific Poland striker has been linked with a move away from Allianz Arena, with clubs in Italy, Spain and England rumoured to be interested.

However, the 32-year-old insists he is happy in Germany and therefore unlikely to actively push for a move.

What did Lewandowski say about his future?

When asked about his future, Lewandowski told Canal+: “I remain open-minded. I feel very good at Bayern, the city is superb, it's a great club.

“I am always curious to learn a new language, a new culture. But whether it will be in football or after my career, even I don't know.”

Lewandowski on the ‘pain’ of CL defeat

Though Bayern enjoyed another successful domestic season, winning a ninth successive Bundesliga title, they relinquished their grip on the Champions League after a quarter-final defeat at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain in April.

Lewandowski missed both legs against the French champions with a knee injury and admits he found it a tough watch from the sidelines.

“Against PSG, the pain was great,” he said. “You feel such helplessness, such weakness, the inability to help your teammates win the game. This helplessness bothers me.

“I think if I had been on the pitch maybe things would have turned out differently. But there is nothing I can do about it.

“Personally, it was difficult to accept this loss. We could have beaten them easily and moved on to the next round.”

Lewandowski calm about Muller record

As well as firing Bayern to another title, Lewandowski made Bundesliga history by scoring 41 league goals to break the record set by the legendary Gerd Muller in 1971-72.

The former Borussia Dortmund forward says such achievements are not what drives him, though he does take great pride at breaking a record he thought no-one would ever come close to achieving.

“I am not obsessed with records. When I take on new challenges, I try to do what no one has ever done. Because it pushes me to move forward,” he said.

“For me if you do something you love, you can achieve goals you thought were impossible.

“To be honest, I thought no player could come close to that record. Especially since I didn't play for several matches, I was injured for part of the season. And in reality, I don't realize the magnitude of it. I don't really feel it and maybe that's a good thing.”

Further reading

Moses Simon’s Nantes will remain in Ligue 1 for another season despite losing 1-0 to Toulouse on Sunday evening.

Vakoun Bayo scored the only goal of the return leg of the relegation play-off, although that could not help Les Violets’ cause.

Having recorded a 2-1 first-leg victory at the Stadium de Toulouse and with the tie ending 2-2 on aggregate, they progressed on the away goal rule.

With this result, Nantes will play in the French elite division for a ninth consecutive season.

Both teams put up a fine showing, but the first half produced no goals. However, Nantes’ Dennis Appiah and Randal Kolo Muani were cautioned by referee Benoit Bastien for contrasting reasons.

Having in mind that anything short of a resounding victory would spell doom for them, the visiting team stepped up their game in the second half.

Their persistence paid off in the 62nd minute when Bayo put Patrice Garande’s men ahead

Left unmarked in the hosts’ penalty area, the Cote d’Ivoire international headed Amine Adli’s cross past a stranded goalkeeper Alban Lafont.

They pressed further for the all-important second goal but their attacking forays were halted by organised defending from Nantes.

Their ambition of increasing their lead suffered a massive blow in the 87th minute when they were reduced to ten men after Nathan N'Goumou was given his marching orders two minutes after his introduction.

The France youth international of Cameroonian and Gabonese descent was shown a straight red card for dangerous play against Cameroonian defender Jean-Charles Castelletto.

Benefitting from their opponents’ numerical disadvantage, Antoine Kombouare’s men held their nerves to retain their place in the French top flight.

While Ghana prospect Dennis Appiah, Castelletto and Mali’s Charles Traore were in action from start to finish, Nigeria international Simon was subbed off for Andrei Girotto with seven minutes left to play.

Also, Kalifa Coulibaly was handed a starter’s role but he was replaced by Marcus Regis Coco in the 65th minute.

Bayo, Cote d'Ivoire prospect Kelvin Adou, Kouadio Kone and French defender of Guinean background Bafode Diakite were on parade for Toulouse.