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Sofapaka defender Mike Kibwage has praised his journey with the national team Harambee Stars since he earned his debut under the former head coach Sebastien Migne.

The former KCB defender has described the journey as a steady one and hopes he would be part of the side on a regular basis.

"My journey to the national team has been a steady one," Kibwage told Sofapaka's website. 

"The growth has been immense getting to represent the country is such an honour and privilege. I played my first match against Swaziland under coach [Sebastian] Migne and afterwards have played a couple of matches for the Harambee Stars. 

"The national team is a different level and one has to remain at their best at all times. I have gained a lot and I feel ready to command a starting role in the ream.”

Kibwage became the captain of the KCB team when he arrived from AFC Leopards and went on to be appointed in the same capacity at Sofapaka when he moved before the 2020/21 season began. The 23-year-old said it has always been a privilege for him to serve in leadership positions.

"It has been such an honour, to be honest leading the rest of the teams at all levels of my career. I clearly can’t describe it all but I believe it is not ordinary as well," he concluded.

"I feel it’s a calling and affirmation that entirely I was born a natural leader. My latest capacity at the team was such a huge surprise because I never expected it given that this my first year at the club."

In an interview, Kibwage praised former AFC Leopards coach Robert Matano for giving him the top-flight debut. 

"I earned my debut game in 2017 playing against Tusker at the Nyayo National Stadium," he stated. "Though deployed in a not-so-familiar position I felt so elated to play my very first match at the top level and to crown it all, we won the encounter 1-0. 

"I must appreciate coach Matano for handing me my first game and subsequently playing an active role in my development.

"I had an outstanding display in the third edition of the KPL U20 championship and upon conclusion, I had several offers on the table, but the Leopards deal was more lucrative."

The centre-back has played 14 times for Harambee Stars since he made the debut in 2018.

Marcelo Bielsa has denied reports suggesting that he is close to signing a two-year contract extension at Leeds United.

Argentine publication La Nacion reported that Bielsa is on the verge of committing to a new deal that would see him remain at Elland Road until 2023.

However, the 65-year-old insisted that the "information is not real" at a press conference on Thursday, while also revealing that he will give an update on his future as soon as a final decision is made between him and the club.

What's been said?

"That information is not real," Bielsa told reporters ahead of Leeds' Premier League meeting with Liverpool on Monday night. "I ignore the origin.

"Those things, either the club can say or I can say it, we are the ones who possess the information.

"In all cases, if there was any information to give, then I would give it."

When does Bielsa's current contract end?

Bielsa is edging towards the final two months of his current deal at Elland Road, and has previously stated that he will sit down with Leeds' backroom staff to discuss his next move at the end of the season.

The Argentine tactician was in a similar situation last year, but signed a 12-month renewal one week before the start of the 2020-21 campaign.

What has Bielsa achieved at Leeds?

Bielsa inherited the managerial reins at Leeds in 2018, and guided the team to the Championship play-offs in his first full season, only to see them suffer a semi-final defeat to Derby County.

The Whites bounced back from that disappointment to gain automatic promotion to the Premier League as Championship winners last term, with Bielsa receiving much of the credit for ending the club's 16-year exile from the top-flight.

The entertaining style of play that has been a staple of his time in Yorkshire has also proved successful in the Premier League, with Leeds currently pushing for a top 10 finish with just seven matches left to play.

What else did Bielsa say?

Leeds will be aiming to pick up a fourth successive victory in the top-flight for the first time in 20 years when Liverpool arrive at Elland Road next week, having upset current league leaders Manchester City last time out.

Bielsa has played down the significance of that potential milestone, though, as he added: "I have always said that the dimension of the institution at Leeds is very big. The sporting past of Leeds is full of very high points.

"To win four games in a row in the Premier League compared to all the things that Leeds have achieved, of course it will give us great happiness, but if you compare it to all the things Leeds have achieved in their sporting history, it's not so big.

"To be able to be at the height of some of their past successes, some extraordinary things need to be done and we are quite far away from being there."

Further reading

Mtibwa Sugar coach Soud Salim believes his charges suffered a heavy defeat against Simba SC because many players were fasting.

The Sugar Millers fell by an embarrassing 5-0 scoreline to the reigning champions Wekundu wa Msimbazi on Wednesday.

The 21-time champions scored their goals through Clatous Chama, Larry Bwalya, Meddie Kagere, and Luis Miquissone to ensure the gap between them and leaders Yanga SC was reduced to just two points.

The visitors' tactician believes his players were not in the right shape to play the in-form champions.

"It was a bad day at the office; playing a team that has been playing while having eight players who are fasting made it tough for us," Salim told Goal.

"We failed to stop them from scoring, we just couldn't.  

"It was a tough game for us, but we will go back, analyse the match and rectify where possible. We played on a bad day against a performing and consistent team."

Mtibwa Sugar, with two draws and three losses in the last five games, remain perched in position 15 as the season gets tougher each and every day for them. The Sugar Millers are just above Mbeya City, Ihefu FC, and Mwadui FC, who are in the relegation zone.

Meanwhile, Simba coach Didier Gomes Da Rosa has lauded his players for maintaining their discipline in the huge win over their opponents.

The Frenchman conceded they knew how their opponents would play after spying on them against Azam. 

"I am very proud of my players because they played with discipline in our game against Mtibwa," Da Rosa told Goal. 

"It was not easy but we have been consistent and it helped us a lot. We had watched their game against Azam FC and we knew what to expect from them. But again, my players were disciplined and it helped in getting the huge win. I am happy to have great and disciplined players."

The win ensured Mnyama remained second - with 49 points - and reduced the gap separating them and archrivals Timu ya Wananchi. Wekundu wa Msimbazi have three games in hand, though, they were busy participating in the Champions League.

Simba SC coach Didier Gomes Da Rosa has lauded his players for maintaining their discipline in the 5-0 win over Mtibwa Sugar in the Tanzania Mainland League.

Clatous Chama, Larry Bwalya, Meddie Kagere, and Luis Miquissone scored the goals for the hosts at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on Wednesday. The Frenchman conceded they knew how their opponents would play after spying them against Azam but still it was not easy despite the huge win.

"I am very proud of my players because they played with discipline in our game against Mtibwa," Da Rosa told Goal.

"It was not easy but we have been consistent and it helped us a lot. We had watched their game against Azam FC and we knew what to expect from them. But again, my players were disciplined and it helped in getting the huge win. I am happy to have great and disciplined players."

Mnyama opened the score in the ninth minute when Chama struck to stun the Premier League strugglers. The goal enabled the Zambian international to make history by becoming the only player to hit double digits of goals and assists across all competitions this season.

Chama now has 11 goals and 11 assists from the 28 matches so far this season. Chama's international teammate Bwalya struck in the 19th minute to double Simba's lead.

Kagere added the third one when he struck with his weaker left foot to beat Abu Twalib Msherry in Mtibwa's goal as Simba went into the half-time break with a commanding 3-0 lead. The goal was his first since he found the back of the net in February in the league for the local giants. 

Kagere struck again in the 51st minute to take his tally to 11 goals this season. Although the former Gor Mahia striker has not been a regular starter for the Msimbazi club, he has now gone top of the scorers' chart, one goal ahead of Azam FC's Prince Dube. 

Miquissone scored the fifth for the Msimbazi side in the 69th minute. 

The champions remained second - with 49 points - and have reduced the gap separating them and arch-rivals Yanga SC to just two points. Wekundu wa Msimbazi have three games in hand, though, as they were busy participating in the Champions League.

Mtibwa Sugar remained perched at position 15 as the season gets tougher every day for them. 

Hugo Lloris has defended his "disgrace" assessment of Tottenham and claims to be fully committed to the club and their ongoing pursuit of major silverware.

The France international goalkeeper pulled no punches after seeing Spurs sent tumbling out of the Europa League by Dinamo Zagreb, with the World Cup winner telling BT Sport: "It's just a disgrace. I hope everyone in the changing room feels responsible."

Such scathing comments inevitably attracted plenty of interest, with not all of it positive, but Lloris stands by what he said and says everyone in Jose Mourinho's squad is pulling in the same direction.

What has been said?

Lloris has told Sky Sports on the reaction to his harsh criticism: "I heard, obviously, but I did not need to listen to the comments. As a captain, you have a responsibility to go in front of the camera after this big failure in the Europa League.

"It is a competition that we all said was a target for a trophy. To lose against Dinamo Zagreb is something, for me, that you cannot accept. 

"It is not a lack of respect. It is just that when you have standards as a club, this ambition to win, and especially to fail in that way, after winning the first leg 2-0, it was just an honest statement on that.

"It was a way to share the responsibility. I am the first one to be guilty. But it is not only me. It is the players. It is the manager. It is the coaching staff. It is the club, you know?"

Is Lloris happy at Spurs?

The 34-year-old has been with Tottenham since 2012, taking in 365 appearances to date, and claims to be happy in his current surroundings despite the frustration that certain results may cause.

He added: "It has been nine years.

"If I am still here it is because I really care about the club. Those things affect me as a professional and they affect me as a person."

Can Mourinho deliver silverware?

While the global game has been conquered with his country, Lloris is still waiting on a first medal with Spurs.

They are through to this season's Carabao Cup final, with Manchester City set to be faced on April 25, and there is a desire on the part of everyone at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to bring a 13-year barrn run on the trophy front to a close.

"Success, I don't know. It has been a hard season. If you talk to all the players in the changing room and you ask them what they want, they will say it is to win trophies," Lloris said on the club's immediate plans.

"The most difficult thing is to do it, obviously.

"It all depends on how we finish the season. There is a final to win and if we win that trophy it will be positive. It will not clean the season because a defeat like the one against Zagreb is one that is still hurting. The Europa League was an ambition, a target.

"But there are still a few things to save the season and we have to fight to save them. We will give everything, do as well as we can, and see where we are after the last game. We have a responsibility not to give up and go to the end with big games ahead.

"There is a season to finish and we want to finish it in the best way."

Further reading

Barcelona and Real Madrid remain keen on Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland, as do several major clubs around Europe, but Goal has learned that the Norwegian's €35 million-a-year (£30m/$42m) salary demands are in danger of pricing even football's giants out of a deal.

Interest from leading clubs across Europe in the prolific 20-year-old frontman is no secret, with his exploits in Germany keeping his stock high.

Mino Raiola, the players' agent, has also been keeping the rumour mill ticking over with his visits - accompanied by Haaland's father Alf Inge - to Barca and Madrid.

Transfer talks

Discussions have been held with Jose Angel Sanchez, Real's general director, and with Joan Laporta, the re-elected president at Camp Nou.

Sources close to Goal have revealed that those meetings had been arranged for some time, with Haaland senior eager to check out the training facilities in Madrid.

Raiola positioned himself within those talks and also arranged the stopover in Catalunya that allowed talks with two global superpowers to be held on the same day.

The Haaland camp were fully aware of the furore that their actions would cause, with local media on hand to capture photographs of the entourage taking in their transfer tour of Europe.

Goal has been told that conversations with Real and Barca were informal, with the finances required to put an agreement in place not discussed at this stage.

An imminent approach from either camp was not discussed either, with no plans for big-money packages to be pieced together in the next recruitment window.

Sticking point

A potential sticking point for Barca, Real or any other club could be the wage that Haaland is looking to earn from his next move.

Goal has learned that an English club made an approach for Haaland a few months ago and ended up walking away from talks after being made aware of the astronomical €35m demands.

Interest from that side has now cooled, while Barca and Real know that they cannot afford such a deal either.

Barca acknowledge that such terms are impossible for them to fund as they complete a thorough audit at Camp Nou, while Florentino Perez is unwilling to break the bank for Haaland despite seeing him fit the 'Galactico' mould at Santiago Bernabeu.

With all of that taken into account, the demands of Raiola and his high-profile client would need to be lowered considerably in order for a switch to Spain to be considered - especially as a sizeable transfer fee would also need to be added into the mix.

View from Germany

As speculation rages around them, those at Dortmund are staying calm.

They have no intention of parting with Haaland and are under no pressure to sell even if the club fails to secure qualification for next season's Champions League.

Leading officials such as Hans-Joachim Watzke and Michael Zorc have been in regular contact with Haaland and his father, and would make it virtually impossible for suitors to do a deal if an approach were to be made.

They have a contract in place with a prized asset through to 2024. That agreement includes a €75m (£65m/$90m) exit clause for the summer of 2022, meaning that Dortmund are well insured when it comes to any advances.

They know of the interest from Spain and in England, but would only consider selling if an offer close to the €150m (£130m/$180m) mark were tabled.

Dortmund showed during the Jadon Sancho saga of 2020, when Manchester United made several efforts to land the England international, that they will not bow to pressure and are shrewd negotiators.

The situation in Germany has been made very clear: either their demands are met by rivals with the deepest of pockets, or Haaland remains where he is.

Further reading

Uganda Revenue Authority head coach Sam Ssimbwa and Kampala Capital City Authority FC striker Steven Mukwala have been named as Premier League best performers for the month of March.

Ssimbwa oversaw five matches for the Tax Collectors, from which the team did not drop a single point. URA scored 10 goals in the five games as Steven Mukwala scored half that number and assisted once as he moved up the top scorers' chart.

URA started the month of March with a game against the Uganda Peoples' Defence Forces at the Bombo Military Barracks and Mukwala scored the only goal that separated the sides.

They then played against Kyetume FC as Cromwell Rwothomio and Shafiq Kagimu scored before a game against Police FC which they won by another 2-0 scoreline. Kagimu and Rwothomio were also the scorers against Abdallah Mubiru's boys.

In what was seen as their toughest outing of the season, the Tax Collectors fought and dumped the league champions Vipers SC by a 2-1 margin. Kagimu and Mukwala scored then to hand Ssimbwa's side a morale-boosting win against their direct title rivals.

A goal from Rwothomio and a brace from Mukwala were enough to hand URA the win over Onduparaka FC in the last engagement for March. The victory was less expected given how the Ndejje club has struggled at the Greenlight Stadium in Arua in the West Nile region.

Out of five games, Rwothomio scored on three occasions while Mukwala found the back of the net five times.

"That indeed concluded an impressive month for us," the club stated after their head coach was feted on Thursday.

After being named the best tactician, the former Sofapaka coach explained why it was possible for him to help the club write an impressive story.

"We have a group of lads at the club that are determined to do all within their power to succeed," he said. "That often makes my job as a coach easy. Such players need extra motivation to deliver and this award is for them as much as it is for me."

Meanwhile, KCCA's Anaku scored six goals for a club that recently made changes in the technical area where Mike Mutebi left and assistant coach Morley Byekwaso was promoted.

Anaku scored a hat-trick against Busoga United away from home before he found the back of the net twice against UPDF FC at the Omondi Stadium in Lugogo.

The star scored once against Police when KCCA had hosted the law enforcers.

Tottenham's partnership with Dulux has not got off to the best of starts, with the paint company mocking the Premier League club over their empty trophy cabinet within minutes of a deal being announced.

Spurs have gone 13 years without landing major silverware, and hope Jose Mourinho will bring that barren run to a close in 2021 with the Carabao Cup final with Manchester City on April 25.

For now, they remain a figure of fun to some, with Dulux opting to indulge in some ill-advised banter with fans on social media after agreeing to become an official supplier to the north London giants.

What has been said?

After Spurs revealed that they were entering into another partnership, it did not take long for a supporters to start making suggestions about where paint cans could be stored. Dulux responded by posting a fake advertisement for an "unused trophy cabinet".

When another pointed out that Tottenham can keep any paint supplies in said cabinet because they "don't seem to put anything else in there", Dulux responded again by saying: "Don't be silly, surfaces should be dust free before painting."

The jokes continued to flow. Another saw Dulux asked if the firm's iconic Old English Sheepdog mascot could play at centre-back, with the response offered: "He might do a better job."

The tweets in question have since been deleted.

What was the last trophy that Spurs won?

Having given themselves a shot at glory in this season's League Cup, Tottenham will be looking to recpature the last prize that they claimed.

With Juande Ramos calling the shots back in 2008, Spurs beat Chelsea as Jonathan Woodgate grabbed an extra-time winner to wrap up a 2-1 success, with Dimitar Berbatov's second-half penalty having cancelled out Didier Drogba's opener.

Further reading

Riyad Mahrez disclosed that self-assurance played a key role in Manchester City’s 2-1 defeat of Borussia Dortmund in Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final second-leg clash.

The English team took a 2-1 advantage to the Signal Iduna Park, albeit, their qualification hopes suffered a setback as the Black and Yellows took a 15th-minute lead through Jude Bellingham’s superb curling effort.

Nonetheless, the Algeria international levelled matters for the Citizens via the penalty spot before the hour mark after Emre Can’s handball in the penalty area which VAR confirmed.

15 minutes from full-time, Phil Foden wrapped up victory with a splendid long-range effort that sailed past goalkeeper Marwin Hitz. A result which sent the Etihad Stadium giants through 4-2 on aggregate.

When asked if the half-time instructions propelled his team to the comeback win against Edin Terzic’s men, the African who was later substituted for Raheem Sterling in the 88th minute said:

“No, just keep going like we played after the goal we conceded,” Mahrez told Manchester City TV.

“At half-time, we thought we were going to score, we were very confident about the second half and that’s what we did.

“The penalty and the second goal but we could have scored more in the first half. I had a one but the defender saved it and Kevin [De Bruyne] had one or two. We were very confident and that’s why we are through.

“It was a good open game. I don’t think we started very well but we came back after their goal and played good - created chances and at the end, we had the opportunity to score and we did.”

The 2016 Africa Player of the Year also talked about what informed his decision to take the penalty despite the presence of De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan in the squad.

“I wanted to take the next one. The next one was today so I took it,” Mahrez added.

“I don’t remember who took the last one but when the penalty arrived I knew it was me. Everyone knew I was going to take it. I took the responsibility and it’s good for the team.”

Pep Guardiola’s City will now square up against Paris Saint-Germain for a chance to reach the final. However, the 30-year-old’s immediate concern is Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea.

“PSG is a very good team with very good players but let’s focus on our next game and Chelsea, we will have time to think about the Champions League.”

Ajax’s 1994/95 history-making campaign will never be forgotten. The entertaining Dutch side not only triumphed domestically, they also repeated the trick on the continent by winning their only European title of the Champions League era.

It’s also been the only win in Europe for any side from the Netherlands since the tournament's change in format, which underlines the importance of that achievement by Louis van Gaal’s young team.

One of the mainstays in that side was Finidi George, the right winger who was a vital component of the team that went unbeaten at home and on the continent over a 45-game run.

That feat had hitherto never been attained and no other team has matched that achievement by de Godenzonen since. They netted a staggering 106 goals domestically while a further 18 strikes came in Europe.

The Nigerian wideman was one of the three non-EU players in van Gaal’s team, alongside countryman Nwankwo Kanu, and his wing role was one of the important features of that Ajax side.

While LVG tended to utilise the 3-4-3 with a midfield diamond, the tactic sometimes morphed into a 4-3-3 whenever Frank Rijkaard dropped into the defence. There were several fascinating aspects to that side but the wing play of Finidi on the right and Marc Overmars on the other side made for interesting viewing.

Both were instructed to maintain the width with little or no creative freedom…this was to prove significant in the Nigerian’s departure.

Perhaps the standout performance in their European run was the 5-2 semi-final second leg thrashing of Bayern Munich at the Olympic Stadium.

After a dour goalless game in Munich, the reverse fixture in Amsterdam was open and produced seven goals, with Finidi’s probably the best of the bunch. Having drifted infield from his wide right position, he received a pass from the two-footed Overmars on the edge of the box, before firing a thunderous effort into the top right corner of the goal. It was his first and only goal in Europe that season.

Ajax won the league and triumphed on the continent, but the Nigeria winger wasn’t happy with his manager’s seemingly mechanical style which focused on the collective than any one individual. Van Gaal didn’t want his wingers taking on multiple players, rather he mostly shunted them out wide in a somewhat rigid system.

The absence of expression in van Gaal’s system was frustrating to Finidi and he was robbed of any sort of individualism at the time.

While that probably contributed to his departure after Ajax’s Champions League final defeat by AC Milan in 1996, the decision to move to Real Betis was likely more damaging to the winger’s career.

Admittedly, he led Betis from eighth-place in the previous campaign to a fourth-place finish in 96/97, as well as a runners-up spot in the Copa Del Rey, yet moving to La Liga ultimately proved the pre-cursor to a downwards trend in his career.

After the brief Dutch revival in the mid-90s, power switched hands in the latter part of the decade, with Italy becoming the strongest nation in Europe.

Even though Italian sides only enjoyed Champions League success twice in the 90s, they were largely consistent throughout that time and were also rated as the top league in Uefa’s co-efficient ranking, whereas the Spanish league was third.  

While the wideman reportedly disagreed with van Gaal over the freedom he was afforded in that Ajax side, he did enjoy more carte blanche at Betis, but the side were to get relegated in 1999/00 having failed to match 1997’s fourth-place finish in subsequent years.

A 12-month spell at Mallorca followed, before a brief stint in the Premier League with Ipswich Town, who also suffered relegation, with Finidi still remembered as one of English football's most high profile flops.

The 1994 Africa Cup of Nations winner formed part of the Ajax side that won hearts in the mid-90s but he never really built on that following his departure from Amsterdam.

Birthday boy Finidi is fondly remembered in Seville following his spell at Betis, however that move hurt his career as he failed to truly hit the expected heights after success in 1995.

Al Duhail striker Michael Olunga has stated what he wants to achieve in the AFC Champions League ahead of a tie against Iraqi's Al Shorta at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah on Thursday.

Olunga and his teammates must start the Group C games on good ground as only the group leaders will qualify for the Round of 16. Olunga - who is featuring in the Asian premier clubs' competition for the first time - has thus said he wants to perform better in the championship and help Al Duhail progress.

"This is a new tournament in which I am with my Al Duhail and it is a new experience through which I seek to prove myself by providing performance that will help the team qualify for the next round," Olunga told the club's portal.

"We will work hard and ensure we perform better in order to help Al Duhail progress by getting the desired results. We will show the strength of the team and its ability.

"We have had the best of preparations and it is now time to focus on the field. The group is a tough one with distinguished clubs which I know will strive to get better results."

Olunga's head coach Sabri Lamouchi echoed the striker's hope of progressing further in the competition.

"Our first goal is to advance from the group stage,” Lamouchi said during a pre-match press conference as per The Peninsula.

"We have been preparing for the last three weeks and we had a lot of good matches."

Lamouchi recognised the expected competition from the rivals as the regional giants Esteghlal FC of Iran and Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli are the other rivals in the pool.

"The group is strong and there will be big competition. Al Ahli Saudi have good Asian experience but we want to advance from the group and to do so, we must make a good start tomorrow [on Thursday]," he added.

On his part, Al Shorta head coach Aleksandar Ilic stressed the need to win against the opponents.

"It is very important to have good performances in all the matches and if we do so, then the results will eventually come," Ilic said. "The group is difficult and our first match will be against a strong team."

Lamouchi was appointed as Al Duhail head coach last season before Olunga signed for them. The Harambee Star is expected to deal with huge expectations given how he performed with Kashiwa Reysol in 2020 in Japan's J1 League.

The former Tusker striker won the Golden Boot after scoring 28 goals in 32 games and went ahead to be named the Most Valuable Player of the J1 League; becoming the first African to be crowned Japan's MVP.

Zinedine Zidane has Real Madrid chasing down a Liga and Champions League double, but is wary of biting back at his critics as his side "haven't won anything yet".

The Frenchman has had his methods and future called into question during the 2020-21 campaign, but is looking to have the last laugh with more major silverware.

A semi-final berth was secured with a 0-0 draw against Liverpool at Anfield, as a 3-1 aggregate win was wrapped up, but Zidane is aware that the tide could turn again if current standards are not maintained.

What has been said?

Zidane told reporters when asked if he has a message for his detractors: "I’m not going to say anything. We’re alive in both competitions, but we haven’t won anything yet. 

"We’ve had tough moments during the season, of course, but we’re still alive. We just have to carry on in this vein."

Can Real get their hands on a trophy?

Stalemate on Merseyside came on the back of a 2-1 Clasico victory over arch-rivals Barcelona in La Liga, with that success keeping Real hot on the heels of leaders Atletico Madrid.

Zidane knows what is required to get over the line at home and abroad, having added 11 trophies as a coach to those he won as a player, and believes his class of 2020-21 will not settle for second best.

He added on the spirit in his squad: “The character they have. They are a team who always want more. The more the going gets tough, the more they stick together. 

"We’ve got bags of quality in this side, of course; but the character these players show is the most important thing."

The bigger picture

Real will be back in action on Sunday aqgainst Getafe, with a further two Liga fixtures to come after that before the first leg of their Champions League semi-final clash with Chelsea.

Zidane is looking to take things one game at a time at the business end of a tough season, with no plans for Thomas Tuchel's Blues drawn up yet.

"We’ve got a number of La Liga games to play before we face Chelsea, but it’s going to be a very tough tie," said Zidane.

Further reading

Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Njabulo Blom admits his team needs little reminding of how dangerous Baroka FC can be.

Chiefs take on Bakgaga at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Thursday afternoon (3 pm kick-off) knowing that a victory would boost them above TS Galaxy and into the top eight bracket.

But they are mindful of taking anything for granted against the Limpopo side - still fresh in the memory it seems is last season's 1-1 draw with Baroka on the final day of the season which so painfully cost Amakhosi the league title.
 
“They have been a difficult team for us, but we are ready for them,” Blom was quoted saying on the Chiefs website.

“We saw last season they took the league away from us because we did not beat them in the final game. We know what to expect on Thursday and we are not going to underestimate them.

"They are a very hard running team and a very hard-working team. That said, we are ready for the fight and we will give our best and hopefully get the required three points.”

While the Soweto side has endured a challenging season, spirits in the camp are currently high - not only are Chiefs on a seven-match unbeaten run in all competitions, but they have managed to reach the Caf Champions League quarter-finals.

"We know how tough it is to play on the continent, but we managed to come up with the results which helped us qualify for the quarter-finals. It’s a great feeling because the Champions League is not just any cup, we are representing South Africa in Africa," Blom underlined.

“I feel like as a team, we are ready for Baroka,” the young midfielder continued. “We have been preparing well and we have been doing things right on and off the field. I think the confidence is there – we have just grinded good results – the momentum is there, and the team spirit is good.”

Jurgen Klopp has challenged Liverpool to "earn" their Champions League return for 2021-22 after Real Madrid brought their latest European adventure to a close.

A 0-0 draw in the second leg of the heavyweight quarter-final clash saw the Reds bow out of this season's competition 3-1 on aggregate, with the Premier League holders unable to deliver another fightback on home soil.

Focus at Anfield has now been narrowed to domestic matters, with Klopp hoping to see his side end a testing campaign on a high with a top-four finish.

What has been said?

Klopp told reporters on the chances of Liverpool securing Champions League qualification: “We are not silly. We want what we earn. If we don’t earn it 100% then we respect the situation.

“We concentrate on what we do and what we have to. It is tough, we are still not in hotseat and we play at Leeds United on Monday. That is a tough one, they are the most physical team in the Premier League pretty much so you better run a lot yourself.”

Asked if he is confident about hitting targets, the German tactician added: “It has nothing to do confidence. I am naturally confident but that doesn’t mean we will end up there. We know the points we have, we know the table, we know the situation. We don’t have to talk too much about it.

“If we want [Champions League football] then we should play really good football which we did tonight but if we want to go through we should finish the situations off on top of it.

“We are not in a bad moment. We played really well and got a late winner against Aston Villa, we played really good against Arsenal and not good against Real Madrid in first leg, but we were not bad tonight.

"We really have to keep going and keep fighting, we want the Champions League next year, but we have to pick up more points than a lot of other teams.”

Where do Liverpool stand?

The Reds are, with nine Premier League defeats suffered this season, sixth in the table. They have a three-point gap to bridge in order to make the top four, with Chelsea and West Ham immediately above them.

There are still seven games before the 2020-21 campaign comes to a close, and the Champions League-chasing pack has started to bunch up.

That could work in Liverpool's favour as they are no longer chasing down just one position. Leicester, who occupy third place at present, are only four points better off.

Further reading

New Mexico United midfielder Micheal Azira is the latest player to announce his retirement from the Uganda Cranes.

The following letter was addressed to the Federation of Uganda Football Associations President Moses Magogo.

"Please accept this letter as a notification that I wish to retire from playing for the national team effective April 14, 2021," read a letter to Magogo and obtained by Goal.

"Playing for the national team has been an honour and I am grateful for the opportunity you gave to me to represent my country and my family. 

"I have enjoyed working with the federation and playing for the Uganda national team. Playing in two Africa Cup of Nations was one of the best moments with the Cranes. These memories will always stay with me and they will be cherished always."

The 33-year-old went on to thank the coaches for the opportunity to work together before further adding he will be available to help the team if need be.

"I take this moment to thank all the coaches that I have worked with over the years and I also thank the fans who always supported us at home and on the road," Azira added. 

"I wish you all the best and I will continue to support the Cranes in any way possible."  

The first player to announce his retirement from Cranes, on April 10, was Hassan Wasswa. 

Wasswa had served the Cranes at two Afcon finals – 2017 in Gabon and 2019 in Egypt –and his last assignment for the national team was in Egypt when the Cranes played against Senegal and he managed a total of 75 caps.

Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper and Cranes skipper Denis Onyango followed suit, ending a 13-year international career. 

Having amassed over 70 caps with the Cranes since 2005, Onyango announced his retirement on Monday just two hours after helping Masandawana beat Chippa United in a Premier Soccer League match.

The biggest highlight of the Sundowns goalkeeper's time with Uganda was captaining them at the 2019 Afcon where he guided them to the Round of 16.