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The Premier League have promised to implement an "Owner's Charter" after the Super League revelations and protests from Manchester United fans at Old Trafford.

European football was rocked by the announcement of a new elite competition to rival the Champions League last month, which included 12 of the world's biggest clubs.

The plans for that breakaway have since been scrapped amid fierce opposition from supporters and experts alike, but calls for the wealthy owners of the original founding clubs to be reigned in or removed are increasing.

What happened at Old Trafford?

United supporters gathered outside of the club's home ground in large numbers in the hours before their team's scheduled Premier League clash against Liverpool on Sunday, to protest against the club's American owners, the Glazer family, and push for the implementation of a 50+1 model at boardroom level.

Some even managed to find a way into the stadium and occupied the pitch, while others attempted to gain entry to the changing rooms, with the decision eventually taken by authorities to postpone the fixture due to "safety and security considerations".

What have the Premier League said?

The English top-flight have responded to the weekend's events by outlining new steps to prevent a repeat occurrence of the Super League fiasco, promising to work with the government to protect the game.

An official statement from the Premier League read: "The events of the last two weeks have challenged the foundations and resolve of English football.

"The Premier League has prepared a series of measures to enshrine the core principles of the professional game: an open pyramid, progression through sporting merit and the highest standards of sporting integrity. These measures are designed to stop the threat of breakaway leagues in the future.
 
"Opposition to the proposed Super League united the whole of football, with the fans' voice clearly heard. The Premier League recognises the strength of feeling and the right of fans to know what is happening.

"We are committed to maintaining close dialogue with supporters and their representatives, as we work with the FA and Government to identify solutions, but ask that all protests are peaceful.

"The actions of a minority of those present at Old Trafford on Sunday have no justification and will be investigated by the Premier League and the FA as well as by the Greater Manchester Police. 
 
"The actions of a few clubs cannot be allowed to create such division and disruption. We are determined to establish the truth of what happened and hold those clubs accountable for their decisions and actions. We and the FA are pursuing these objectives quickly and appropriately, consulting with fans and government.

What are the Premier League's plans?

In their statement, the Premier League announced their intention to implement "additional rules and regulation to ensure the principles of the Premier League and open competition are protected."

Among these is "a new Owners’ Charter that all club owners will be required to sign up to, committing them to the core principles of the Premier League. Breaches of these rules and the Charter will be subject to significant sanctions."

They also promised to work with fan groups, UEFA and the Football League to protect English football's interests and any future threat of a Super League or another breakaway.

Further reading

Manchester United Supporters’ Trust (MUST) have written an open letter to the club’s co-chairman, Joel Glazer, demanding the family change the way the club is run.

Thousands of supporters took to Old Trafford on Sunday to protest against the Glazer ownership, in scenes which saw the game postponed as fans gained access to the inside of the stadium and made their way onto the pitch.

The protest was marred by a group of supporters who clashed with police officers, with Greater Manchester Police confirming one was taken to hospital with a slash to his face.

What was said?

In an open letter to Joel Glazer, MUST declared they do not want protests to become a regular event and do not condone any violence which occurred - but they do want change.

The letter read: “None of us want this to continue. We all have better things to do. So we need to find a way forward, and we have a four point plan for you to do that.

"Willingly and openly engage and promote the government initiated fan-led review of football and use this as an opportunity to rebalance the current ownership structure in the favour of supporters.

"Immediately appoint independent directors to the board whose sole purpose is to protect the interest of the club as a football club, not its shareholders.

"Work with the Manchester United Supporters Trust and supporters more broadly to put in place a share scheme that is accessible to all and that has shares with the same voting rights as those held by the Glazer family.

"Should the appetite be there amongst fans then you should welcome, and offer no opposition to, the Glazer Family shareholding being reduced to a minority or indeed being bought out altogether.  

"Commit to full consultation with season ticket holders on any significant changes to the future of our club, including the competitions we play in.”

What happened during the protest?

It was largely peaceful, with a few thousand United fans turning up with banners, placards and flares, voicing anti-Glazer chants.

A couple of hundred managed to get into the stadium and onto the pitch before being escorted out of the stadium by stewards.

Both the Manchester United and Liverpool teams were stationed in their respective city centre hotels and did not make their way to the ground at any stage.

Shortly after 5.30pm, when the game should have been heading into the second half, the game was called off on safety grounds.

What happens next?

The supporters, as outlined in their letter, want a response from Joel Glazer and ultimately are looking for his family to sell the club. In the 16 years they have owned the club, there has been little to no communication between the fans and the owners.

Before their apology released after the botched European Super League plans, which they were firmly behind, the only previous time the Glazers have communicated with supporters is through the club’s in-house television station MUTV in 2005 when they took over the club.

Further reading

Roy Hodgson has backed Raheem Sterling to be a key player for England at the Euros despite his lukewarm form at Manchester City.

Sterling extended his recent goal drought in a City shirt to 11 games after drawing another blank in their 2-0 win at Crystal Palace over the weekend.

The 26-year-old is no longer guaranteed a place in Pep Guardiola's starting XI, but Hodgson - the man who handed the winger his England debut in 2012 - thinks he still has plenty to offer at international level.

What's been said?

The ex-England boss, who is currently in charge at Palace, told reporters after Saturday's Premier League clash: “I am a great admirer of Raheem, I think he is a fine player.

“It is a wonderful position to be in if you’re Pep Guardiola that you believe you have other players you prefer to use to Raheem, but I am pretty certain in terms of England, he will still be an important player and an important cog in the wheel because he has so much ability.

“The skill set he has and ability he has to beat people, get into goalscoring positions and score and set up chances, they are hard skillsets to find, and a great quality Raheem has got, and one I have always admired in him, is he is not a player who stays up there and waits for the ball to come to him.

“He makes certain he goes in search of it and when he loses it, he gets it back and plays an important role in the team’s defensive work. These are things we as coaches expect of our players these days, but it’s not always easy to get it.”

Who is Sterling's competition?

Gareth Southgate is blessed with a plethora of high quality attacking options heading into the European Championships, which are due to kick off on June 11.

Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford, Phil Foden and Jesse Lingard will all be under consideration alongside Sterling, while Harry Kane, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Mason Greenwood and Ollie Watkins will also be in contention for forward berths.

Sterling's record for City this term

Despite the fact Sterling has been in and out of Guardiola's line up this term, he has still made an important contribution to City's cause amid their quest for glory on both domestic and European fronts.

The England international has already added another Carabao Cup winners' medal to his collection, with a third Premier League title set to follow and the Champions League also still up for grabs heading into the final weeks of the campaign.

However, Sterling has only hit 13 goals for City in 44 outings across all competitions to date - 18 less than he managed after eight more games in 2019-20.

Further reading

Manchester United and Liverpool were set to lock horns in a Premier League clash at Old Trafford on May 2, but the game had to be called off.

Extraordinary circumstances led to the abandonment of what is arguably the biggest game in English football, one which usually grips fans of both sides as well as neutrals.

So what exactly happened? Why was the game called off and when will it be played instead? Goal brings you everything you need to know.

Why was Man Utd vs Liverpool called off?

Protests involving thousands of Manchester United fans led to the cancellation of the game between the Red Devils and rivals Liverpool.

Officials declared that "safety and security considerations" were the reason for the game being postponed.

The fixture was originally scheduled to kick off at 4:30pm BST (11:30am ET) on Sunday May 2, but doubts about the viability of the game grew as protests at Old Trafford, which began around 2pm BST (10am ET), showed little sign of ending.

The protests intensified to the point where some fans managed to gain entry to the ground and subsequently occupied the pitch, with some even attempting to get into the dressing rooms.

As well as Old Trafford, groups of fans also gathered outside the Lowry Hotel in Manchester, preventing the teams and officials from departing for the stadium.

Remarkably, with protests still ongoing and the kick-off time fast approaching, the team sheets were issued. Eventually, however, a decision was made to call the game off.

"Following discussion between the police, the Premier League, Trafford council and the clubs, our match against Liverpool has been postponed due to safety and security considerations around the protest today," a statement from Manchester United read. "Discussions will now take place with the Premier League on a revised date for the fixture."

What were Man Utd fans protesting about?

Manchester United fans were chiefly protesting against the club owners, the Glazer family, and calling for a change in how the team is run.

The catalyst for the protests was the controversial Super League plans that were announced at the end of April, which the Red Devils were a part of before declaring their intent to withdraw.

In open letter to fans, United chief Joel Glazer said: "You made very clear your opposition to the European Super League, and we have listened. We got it wrong, and we want to show that we can put things right."

The letter added: "In seeking to create a more stable foundation for the game, we failed to show enough respect for its deep-rooted traditions –promotion, relegation, the pyramid – and for that we are sorry."

However, banners displayed at the protests unequivocally declared: 'APOLOGY NOT ACCEPTED'. Calls for a 50+1 model to be adopted were also made, while some fans vowed not to stop until there was change.

Reflecting on the disruption, former Manchester United stalwart Gary Neville explained to Sky Sports: "This is a consequence of the Manchester United owners' actions two weeks ago. There is a general distrust and dislike of the owners, but they weren't protesting two or three weeks ago.”

A statement from the Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) called on the UK government to act and "reclaim the people's game" from private investors.

"Supporters turned up on the day of a game they could not even attend, to peacefully protest and speak with one clear voice about the change that needs to happen at our club," the statement said. 

"On the back of the indefensible [Super League] proposals, and an 'apology' from the Glazers which we do not accept, we need to give fans a meaningful share in the ownership of United and a meaningful voice in how it is run."

Fans from some of the Premier League clubs involved in the Super League venture, such as Chelsea and Liverpool, staged large-scale protests directed at their respective club ownership prior to the one held by Manchester United supporters.

When could Man Utd vs Liverpool be played?

It remains unclear when the Manchester United versus Liverpool game could be rescheduled for, but a space will have to be found in the schedule that suits both teams.

There are not many gaps in their respective fixture schedules, but Manchester United's next scheduled game is against Roma on May 6, while Liverpool's is against Southampton on May 8.

The weekend of the FA Cup final (May 15/16) could potentially work should they fail to do it sooner - but only if Liverpool's game against West Brom on May 16 can be moved.

If a space cannot be found in the schedule, the Premier League authorities will have a decision to make regarding a potential forfeit.

Real Madrid have revealed that Raphael Varane will play no part in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final clash with Chelsea after picking up an untimely groin injury.

The World Cup-winning defender was replaced at half-time during the Blancos' 2-0 victory over Osasuna on Saturday.

La Liga giants had been hoping that the 28-year-old would shake off a knock in time to figure in a must-win contest at Stamford Bridge, but he will now be restricted to a spectator role.

What has been said?

A statement released on Real's official website reads: "After the tests carried out today on our player Raphael Varane by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he was diagnosed with an injury to the right abductor muscles."

How long will Varane be out for?

Early indications suggest that the France international will be sidelined for around 10 days.

If that proves to be the case, then he will also miss a domestic clash with Sevilla on Sunday.

Real could have done without losing a key part of their plans at a crucial stage of the season, but fitness setbacks have become a common theme in 2020-21.

Zinedine Zidane's side are looking to defend their La Liga title alongside a bid for European glory, but must continue those quests without Varane.

The bigger picture

Zidane had stated after seeing his side edge out Osasuna that he hoped to see Varane form part of his travelling party to west London.

He has now been rocked by another blow, but does have club captain Sergio Ramos ready to step back in for the first time since facing Atalanta in the Champions League last-16 back on March 16.

The Blancos boss told Movistar on Saturday: "I hope Varane has a small thing, he thinks it is a small thing and I hope so.

"I hope Ramos is back. If he's good, he'll be with us."

Talismanic skipper Ramos has taken in just two appearances for Real since mid-January, with a calf complaint aggravated after returning to action with Spain during the March international break.

His presence should aid the Blancos' cause against Chelsea, with a heavyweight encounter locked at 1-1 as Zidane's men go in search of a priceless away goal.

Further reading

Edwin van der Sar is leaving the door open for a return to Manchester United to be made, but the legendary former Red Devils goalkeeper says he has not been approached about succeeding Ed Woodward at Old Trafford.

A divisive executive vice-chairman is preparing to step down from the most prominent of positions in English football.

Various candidates are being mooted to follow in his footsteps, with Van der Sar - who is currently chief executive of Dutch champions Ajax - among those to have seen a move to Manchester mooted.

What has been said?

Van der Sar has told ESPN of the speculation linking him with United: "It's nothing new for me, my name circulates there for a long time."

He added on his future, with nothing being ruled out at this stage: "[With] the work and pressure, you should have a feeling with the club. 

"I could do the things Ronald de Boer is doing - he works for us at Ajax and also here for you guys. He has more freedom than me, he has a good life.

"The pressure is different and I won't work at a club where I don't have a feeling. I could only do this for Ajax or United. I would not work for any other clubs. 

"I am really happy with how we have [developed] Ajax in the last couple of years. We had ambitions 10 years ago to reach the top of Europe. We have reached that. We had to work really hard, we don't have a rich owner and the government didn't help us."

Has Van der Sar been asked?

While aware of the rumours suggesting that he will be targeted by the Red Devils, Van der Sar maintains that no discussions have been held as yet.

For now, he is fully focused on his role in Amsterdam and a desire to finish "in a perfect way" when the day does come to take on a new challenge.

He added: "A European prize is something that triggers me."

Any other business?

Van der Sar's current post has seen him play a leading role in keeping much sought-after coach Erik ten Hag in the Netherlands.

He had been linked with a vacant managerial post at Tottenham, but has now committed to a new contract through to 2023.

Van der Sar said of Ten Hag: "If he performs well, he could go to a bigger club.

"Everyone in the Netherlands would like to make a step to the top teams in the country. And when you are there, you want to make a step to another country. 

"We're happy that he can work with this squad for another season."

Further reading

Sofapaka FC vice-captain Michael Kibwage has welcomed Football Kenya Federation Premier League's resumption, stating the feeling is just like getting back the job you had lost.

Last weekend, while addressing the nation from the State House during celebrations to mark Labour Day, President Uhuru Kenyatta confirmed the suspension on sporting activities, that was effected on March 26 as a measure to curb Covid-19, had been lifted but maintained action can only return under strict guidelines from both the Ministries of Health and Sports.

The FKF went on to communicate that the league will resume in two weeks' time and clubs should be prepared.

Just like other players, the Kenya international is happy that the league is back but insists the break negatively impacted their momentum.

"We have been waiting for the resumption of football in the country and I literally jumped in celebration when the president lifted the suspension," Kibwage told Goal on Monday.

"It is like losing your job and then you are re-hired after some time; do you get the feeling? I admit the momentum we had was halted as well as match fitness, but the good thing is that football is back and we are happy."

Prior to the break, the 2009 league champions had managed to collect 19 points from 15 games played, and are 17 points behind leaders Tusker FC, who have played a game more.

Despite the odds being against Batoto ba Mungu, the youngster insists nothing will change and they are going to give their best to the end of the campaign.

"Our aim as a team is still the same; to win the league and nothing can change that until the last whistle of our final game in the season," Kibwage continued.

"This season, the league has been so competitive compared to the previous ones. I expect nothing less than the same competition when we resume and I am very prepared to fight for my club and take it to where it belongs; at the top."

Batoto ba Mungu hope the technical bench, led by Ken Odhiambo and David Ouma, can help the one-time champions to bounce back from their struggles in the first half of the season.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang admits he was "dying a little bit" after making his first Arsenal start in a month, but the Gunners captain is relieved to have ended a six-game goal drought.

The 31-year-old frontman was back in Mikel Arteta's starting XI for a Premier League clash with Newcastle, with the Gabon international now fully recovered from a bout of malaria.

Illness had restricted him to a bit-part role at Emirates Stadium over recent weeks, but 78 useful minutes were taken in at St James' Park ahead of a crucial Europa League semi-final clash with Villarreal on Thursday.

What has been said?

Aubameyang told reporters of making a first start since April 3: "At the end for the last five minutes I was dying a little bit. But to tell the truth, I felt good the whole game so I was really happy with that. 

"I have to say that the doctors did incredible work with me, bringing me to the hospital and stuff like that. I'm really thankful for them."

Back among the goals

A productive outing on Tyneside for Aubameyang also saw him find the back of the net.

He doubled Arsenal's advantage on the day, in a comfortable 2-0 win, with the target found for the first time since securing a 1-1 draw with Burnley on March 6.

On that effort, the Gunners skipper said: "I have to say, when you are out for a few weeks you realise how good it is to be back on the pitch. 

"I was really happy to be back first and scoring a goal."

The bigger picture

With Aubameyang rediscovering form and fitness, Arsenal will be eager to see him kick on from here.

Games are running out for the Gunners, with only four more left to take in domestically this season, but there is plenty riding on a sprint to the finish.

European qualification remains up for grabs, while continental glory is still there to be shot at.

Arteta's men are now fully focused on a meeting with Villarreal that will require them to overturn a 2-1 deficit on home soil in order to book a place in a major final and a shot at silverware.

Further reading

Both Matthew Booth and Jabu Mahlangu had reservations about the way the Orlando Pirates side was set up in their 3-0 defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns at the Orlando Stadium on Sunday.

Pirates had managed to hold Sundowns in the first half and the score was locked at 0-0 at the interval.

But once the Brazilians netted in the 57th minute, through a Ricardo Nascimento penalty, it always looked like there was going to be only one winner and that was the case as Peter Shalulile and Lyle Lakay added to the tally.

"I'm pretty sure that AmaZulu and Arrows are going to be pretty disappointed in the way that Pirates almost threw in the towel as soon as they conceded that penalty,” Booth said after the game while commenting in the SuperSport TV studio.

"It was disappointing that there wasn't more character shown from the team to try and fight back.

"When you look at video analysis, you look at your last three or four games, the opponents who played against Sundowns.

"And you would have picked up an obvious trend of the press. The way that Sundowns go and press with so much energy, at the right moments,” the former Sundowns, Ajax Cape Town and Cape Town Spurs defender explained.

"There wasn't one period of the game where I saw Pirates press high up, or try put any sort of pressure on Sundowns.

"First half, sure, they set a deep defensive block, no problem with that. But then there's got to be periods of the game, especially when you are 1-0 down, when you put a certain amount of pressure eon your opposition.

"You can't just allow them to play out from the back and into the pockets in and around  you and often behind you. That's not going to be good enough and they paid the price."

Adding to the discussion, former Kaizer Chiefs and Bafana Bafana midfielder Mahlangu (formerly Pule) also noted Pirates' reluctance to use an out-and-out striker - both Tshegofatso Mabasa and Gabadinho Mhango started on the bench and it was left to attacking midfielders Vincent Pule and Deon Hotto to provide the presence up front.

"With [Sundowns central defenders] Nascimento and [Mosa] Lebusa there, you can't have midfielders [pressing them]. These guys start the moves from the back. If you had Mabasa, at least it would unsettle them from the back," Mahlangu said.

Romelu Lukaku says he hopes to continue at Inter after becoming a Serie A winner, and has described the 2020-21 campaign as the best season of his career so far.

Inter were crowned champions of Italy on Sunday after Atalanta were held to a 1-1 draw at Sassuolo, with Antonio Conte delivering the club's first title since 2009-10.

Lukaku has had a huge role to play in the Nerazzurri's success with his prolific form in the final third, and has expressed his desire to keep fighting for trophies at San Siro for the foreseeable future ahead of the summer transfer window.

What's been said?

The Inter striker, who has been linked with a return to the Premier League, told Sky Italia: “Last year was good too, but this was the best of my career.

"It’s wonderful and I hope to continue like this. I want to thank everyone, I am truly so happy.”

Lukaku added: “I am so happy for all the Inter fans in the world, for the team, the staff, the President and everyone.

“It was a wonderful year for us, I am truly proud to play for Inter. I wanted to come out here and celebrate along with the people. I told my friend this was the best way to experience it, to be there with the fans.

“For me and many of my teammates, this is our first league title, so it’s a moment we wanted to share with them.”

Lukaku's record at Inter this season

Lukaku has already racked up 41 appearances across all competitions for Inter this term, scoring 27 goals.

21 of those efforts have come in Serie A, a number which is only bettered by Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, while he has also provided nine assists for his team-mates.

The bigger picture 

Chelsea and Manchester City are both reportedly weighing up summer moves for Lukaku, who is now entering the prime years of his career at 27.

However, the Belgium international still has three years left to run on his contract at San Siro, and has put his ill-fated spell at Manchester United between 2017 and 2019 behind him to rediscover his best form in Italy.

Lukaku has insisted that he is happy in his current surroundings and unless Inter receive an astronomical bid when the market reopens, the experienced frontman will likely stay put for at least one more season.

Further reading

David Moyes has ruled West Ham out of the running for Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham, with the Hammers boss claiming that a £40 million ($55m) asking price is too much for his side.

An England international striker that is struggling for regular game time under Thomas Tuchel has seen various landing spots mooted heading towards the summer transfer window.

A move across London has been speculated on, with the likes of Leicester and Aston Villa also said to be in the running, but Moyes says there is no chance of the 23-year-old ending up in the East End given the figures involved.

What has been said?

Quizzed on whether West Ham could make a £40m approach for Abraham, Moyes told reporters: "It would rule us out completely. We will be ruled out.

"So if that's the figure and that's what's being said, we are ruled out.

"We don't have that money, we don't have that to buy a striker at that price, no.

"Is that sort of figure our total spend? It may well be. But you never know here.

"I don't think we will be making a purchase of that for any one player. I'd be surprised if we were."

The bigger picture

Tuchel has admitted that Abraham is growing frustrated with his lack of opportunities at Stamford Bridge.

He did figure in Chelsea's most recent Premier League outing, a 2-0 derby win over Fulham, but saw only 14 minutes off the bench and has made just two appearances since February 20.

A fresh start may be required, but a contract through to 2023 means that Abraham will not come cheap for any of his suitors.

West Ham may be about to land a cash windfall, as they remain in the hunt for a top-four finish and European qualification, but must favour a considered approach to recruitment.

Additions at the London Stadium are expected, especially if continental action is added to the agenda, but Moyes appears ready to spread his funds a little finer rather than splashing out on big-money marquee additions.

Further reading

Gerard Pique has said Barcelona must beat Atletico Madrid next weekend in order to win La Liga after managing a 3-2 win over Valencia on Sunday to keep their title hopes afloat.

With Real Madrid and Sevilla also in contention, Pique claimed "there's no other option" to silverware besides toppling Diego Simeone's outfit - a challenging task for a Barcelona group that hasn't kept a clean sheet in the league for a month.

Barcelona are in third place through 34 matches and are two points behind Atletico Madrid and level on points with Real Madrid. Sevilla sits four points back of the Blaugranes but have played one fewer game.

What has been said?

"We have won a game after the unexpected defeat [vs Granada] to continue fighting until the end," Pique told Movistar . "We are still there in the fight. We are there, that was the goal.

"We would like to be able to close the games earlier, they are dynamics and things that could happen. You have to analyze goal by goal, they shoot us less, but the problem is that all those shoots go inside. Thursday's defeat did a lot of damage, but winning against Villarreal and Valencia gives us confidence.

"We prepare us for the Atlético Madrid game with the only idea of winning. It's in our hands. We have to win, there's no other option."

Self-inflicted wound

Barcelona's mid-week 2-1 defeat to Granada marked the first time they had lost at home to the Nazaries in their history, and it put control of the title race back into the hands of Atletico Madrid.

They kept up the pace by beating Valencia on Sunday, but they remain under the pressure of needing perfection the rest of the way to move past their top rivals.

Further reading

Andrea Pirlo vowed Juventus would roar back to life next season after Inter Milan officially broke his side's nine-year Scudetto streak by clinching the title when Atalanta stumbled to a draw with Sassuolo on Sunday.

The first-year manager admitted the need for change and said hopefully that "one cycle has closed but another one will open". For now, however, his men must fight to earn Champions League qualification as they sit just two points clear of fifth-place Napoli.

Pirlo has been subjected to harsh criticism not only for his Serie A struggles, but also for a last-16 European exit at the hands of Porto.

What has been said?

“We give our regards to Inter and to the coach, they deserve this success," Pirlo told Sky Sport Italia. "We need to change, one cycle has closed but another one will open to complete for the Scudetto.

"We labored for this win and we're proud, it was important after this afternoon's results. Things were tricky when we allowed the goal, but we desparately wanted to bring home the result at the end."

"There was a mental fatigue. Something changes when you are used to always playing for the Scudetto. For the last several weeks the objective has changed: it's a struggle but we must achieve the Champions League.

"The team was strong and together, it had a will to fight for its objectives. Often the mentality and attitude were missing, but the team was united to make the Champions League. The hug at the end is the most important thing, this needs to be a starting point. We need to continue with this spirit, wins like this give you adrenaline to continue to fight."

Ronaldo lifts Juve amid top-four fight

Cristiano Ronaldo saved Juventus from further frustration Sunday when he reversed a 1-0 deficit vs Udinese with two goals in the final 10 minutes.

Without the late comeback, the Turin squad would have finished the weekend in fifth place behind Napoli.

Further reading

Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has joked that he should be put on the bench in future after seeing a statistic about the club’s performance.

When United have Pogba in their starting XI, they win only 1.9 points per game, whereas when he is on the bench, they take 2.2 points per game on average.

He has joked that he should be considered a replacement for the Red Devils in that case, although he says it is also a challenge for him to embrace.

What was said?

When this statistic was put to him by Canal+, he joked: “So you have to put me on the bench then! I had not seen this statistic. If the team does better without me, I would totally understand that the coach would put me on the bench.

“It's a good challenge for me anyway. I hope it turns to the other side. I hope people will win more with me than without me.”

Pogba on his new role

Pogba is being asked to play in a deeper role this season due to the influence of Bruno Fernandes in the starting XI, and he says that he is not as concerned about providing game-winning contributions like goals and assists.

“I try to be as decisive as possible, despite being further from the goal,” he said. “I have other qualities than those of being a match winner. I'm deeper on the pitch and more defensive. It's a N’Golo Kante role, let's say.

“I feel good. Physically I feel better.”

Further reading

Argentine football begins its program for 2021 with the playing of the Copa Liga Profesional.

All games are live streamed on Fanatiz and you can sign up to watch free here.

Boca was crowned 2019-20 league champions in March after coming out on top during the 23-game season, and also triumphed in the following Copa Diego Armando Maradona, which ended in January. 

In lieu of beginning a new league season, the Argentine footballing authorities have instead sanctioned another cup competition, which will run from February to May.

The 26 Primera Division clubs have been split into two groups, with each side playing each other once. 

In addition there will be one inter-zonal game every week, where Boca and River, Racing Club and Independiente and the rest of Argentina's Clasico rivals will face off in a series of clashes. 

The top four teams from each group then advance to a play-off stage, which will take place in a straight knock-out format in order to yield a single winner.

Fanatiz has the rights to the Copa de la Liga Profesional worldwide, excluding Argentina, Germany, Austria, Portugal, Israel, Russia, Sweden and the Balkans.

How to watch Rosario Central vs Newell's

With former Valencia and Argentina winger Cristian 'Kily' Gonzalez at the helm, Central still hold out hope of a play-off spot in the Copa.

To do so, though, the Canalla are obliged to win Sunday's Clasico Rosarino against their arch-rivals, who have improved as of late.

Newell's endured a wretched start to the season, picking up just one point from their opening five games. 

The appointment of Diego Simeone's former Atletico Madrid assistant German Burgos steadied the ship, lifting the Lepra off the bottom with four draws and two wins in his seven games in charge.

But it came too late to save their Copa fortunes, with Newell's already mathematically eliminated with two games to go.

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Rosario Central vs Newell's Old Boys team news

Gonzalez opted to rest several starters for Wednesday's Copa Sudamericana win over San Lorenzo, meaning the likes of Marco Ruben and Emiliano Vecchio should return to the first XI for the derby. 

Newell's took a similar approach for their defeat to Libertad, and 40-year-old Maxi Rodriguez, who came off the bench on Thursday, is one of the players who will be back in Burgos' starting line-up.

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Anderson Esiti found the back of the net as Goztepe secured a 3-2 victory over Antalyaspor in Sunday’s Turkish Super Lig game.

The midfielder teamed up with Unal Karaman’s side in January, on loan from Greek Super League club PAOK, and has been delivering fine performances.

The 26-year-old was handed his fifth league start of the season and utilized the opportunity to open his account in the encounter.

Goztepe started the game unimpressively, allowing Antalyaspor to open the scoring through Fredy, from the penalty spot, as early as the fifth minute of the match. 

Esiti then levelled proceedings for the Gursel Aksel Stadium outfit after receiving a fine assist from Halil Akbunar.

Adis Jahovic handed Goztepe the lead for the first time in the encounter, benefitting from another Akbunar’s assist.

Antalyaspor then made an effort to try and avoid defeat, scoring in the 67th minute when former Bayern Munich and Arsenal star Lukas Podolski hit the back of the net.

Six minutes before the end of the encounter, Atinc Nukan scored the match-winning goal after receiving a timely assist from Berkan Emir.

Esiti featured for the duration of the game while his teammate and Mali international Fousseni Diabate played for 46 minutes before he was replaced by Nigeria’s Brown Ideye.

Senegal international Lamine Gassama made a cameo appearance after replacing Halil Akbunar in the 89th minute.

With the victory, Goztepe moved to the ninth spot on the league table after accruing 51 points from 37 games.

Esiti has now made 15 appearances for the Gursel Aksel Stadium outfit and will hope to help them continue in winning ways when they face Genclerbirligi in their next league game on May 11.

The midfielder has 10 caps for the Super Eagles and will be expected to make a more meaningful impact for the Goz Goz to boost his chances of getting a recall to the national team.

South African Football Association has released a statement amidst speculation that AmaZulu FC mentor Benni McCarthy is about to be appointed the new Bafana Bafana head coach.

The legendary South African striker has been heavily linked with the coaching job which became vacant after Molefi Ntseki was dismissed following Bafana Bafana's failure to qualify for the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations finals two months ago.

Former Bafana coaches Carlos Queiroz and Pitso Mosimane were thought to be on the running for the Bafana job, but recent reports have indicated that the duo is not interested in taking charge of the national team for the second time.

On Thursday, Safa announced that the new Bafana coach would be unveiled next week and they have now released the following statement addressing media speculation. 

"We have noted that various publications over the last week have reported the appointment of new Bafana Bafana coach as having been concluded," a statement read on Sunday. 

"Firstly, it was Carlos Queiroz then Pitso Mosimane and most recently AmaZulu coach Benni McCarthy.

"Safa has always stated that the Technical Committee will submit their final recommendations to the Safa NEC, the highest decision-making body, which will finally make the announcement once the process is concluded."

McCarthy, who is widely considered to be of the greatest South African footballers of all time, has impressed at AmaZulu having turned the team into PSL title contenders after joining the KwaZulu-Natal giants in December 2020. 

The local football governing body explained that they have no intentions of derailing AmaZulu's good run with Usuthu undefeated in their last 16 matches in the league.

"We note that the Benni McCarthy’s name comes at a time when AmaZulu are top of the log standings and it might appear that Safa wants to derail the club’s good run," another statement read. 

"We are happy with AmaZulu’s current good run but Safa will announce the new incoming coach once the issue is dealt with by the NEC."

McCarthy, 43, also coached Cape Town City between 2017 and 2019 and he guided the Mother City side to the 2018 MTN8 triumph.