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Liverpool have condemned an attack on Real Madrid's team bus prior to the teams' Champions League tie at Anfield on Wednesday night.

Several eyewitnesses stated the Madrid coach was attacked with rocks and other projectiles, with video showing the bus had sustained a broken window.

Ahead of the quarter-final second leg, the Reds vowed to identify those responsible for the damage. 

What was said?

"We condemn unequivocally the actions that led to Real Madrid’s team bus being damaged during its arrival to Anfield this evening," a Liverpool spokesperson said.

"It is totally unacceptable and shameful behaviour of a few individuals.

"We sincerely apologise to our visitors for any distress caused. We will work together with Merseyside Police to establish the facts and identify those responsible.”

Has this happened before?

Unfortunately for Liverpool, Wednesday was not the first time that an opposing team's bus was targeted outside of Anfield. 

Manchester City saw their bus attacked ahead of a Champions League quarter-final in April 2018, with the Reds again forced to apologise after the incident.

"We apologise unreservedly to Pep Guardiola, his players, staff and officials caught up in the incident," Liverpool said after that attack.

"The behaviour of a number of individuals was completely unacceptable and the club will cooperate fully with the authorities to identify those responsible."

Further reading

No striker on earth has played more games alongside Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo than Inter Miami's Gonzalo Higuain, a distinction he chalks up to understanding how the record-breaking duo play the game and no little self-sacrifice. 

The Argentine starred alongside Ronaldo at both Real Madrid and Juventus before moving to MLS in 2020, while he was a team-mate of Messi's for almost a decade in international colours, a spell which spanned three World Cup campaigns in 2010, 2014 and 2018. 

And while Higuain has not always received due credit for his sparkling career, he believes he was the perfect foil for both superstars. 

What was said? 

Higuain is one of only 13 players to line up alongside both megastars, and nobody has played more games with the pair than the former Real Madrid, Napoli, Juventus and Milan sharpshooter. 

"If I am the footballer who has played most with the two, then I was the guy who best understood both of them," he explained to La Nacion. 

"To understand Cristiano and Messi... it's not their problem, it's up to you. If I played the most with them, it's because I understand them both perfectly. I knew what they liked, what they didn't like, how they felt most comfortable and most uncomfortable. 

"I think that what they liked about me was that I... how can I say it without sounding boastful... that I didn't try to fight for 100 per cent of the play with them. So they felt they could also depend on me. 

"When they have a player on their side who depends on them 100%, they don't feel they are free of all responsibility. But with me, I think they felt they could count on me. They are two totally different players and I had the privilege of enjoying and learning from both."

Post-Brazil woes

Despite his impeccable scoring record at both club and international level, Higuain is also remembered for the chances he didn't convert with Argentina - notably, a golden opportunity in the 2014 World Cup final that he shanked wide and a costly shoot-out miss the following year as the Albiceleste lost out to Chile in the Copa America. 

"Until 2014 I was the best No.9 in the world, and after Germany it was all over," he admitted. 

"Before that I had hit nine goals in the qualifiers, something nobody talks about, because let's not forget you have to score in the qualifiers to get to the World Cup. 

"Now I've moved past it, I'm past the criticisms, the harrassment, they can say what they want. Before it hurt me, I won't deny it, that wouldn't be honest, I have suffered and had bad times. 

"But let's say that since the arrival of my daughter, who is turning three years old, she started changing my outlook. With her I started to understand that there are more important things in my life than wondering 'what will they say?' 

"I am in a stage of my life where I don't care anymore, I'm past what they might say. Now, that doesn't affect me."

Further reading 

Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates resume their bid for Nedbank Cup glory when they clash in a quarter-final match at Loftus Versfeld on Thursday.

Given the calibre of the other teams remaining in this tournament, it is a match dubbed the Nedbank Cup "final before the final" by Masandawana co-coach Rhulani Mokwena.

Sundowns are the defending champions of South Africa's premier knockout competition while Pirates are campaigning for a trophy they last clinched in 2014.

The Buccaneers would also be looking to add this piece of silverware to the MTN8 they won earlier this season.

Both teams have hopes of finishing the season with a treble when factoring in their participation in Caf inter-club competitions.

TV Channel, Live Score & How To Watch

Squads & Team News

Sundowns will do duty without injured forward Kermit Erasmus who, ironically, was injured in the Round of 16 of this competition against Polokwane City on March 10, and has not featured in their last seven games.

The Brazilians will also miss the services of midfielder Andile Jali, who was injured while on international duty with Bafana Bafana at the end of March.

It is not yet clear if Gaston Sirino, who missed Monday's 2-1 Premier Soccer League win over Chippa United, would be back from injury and neither has the status of Ivorian defender Bangaly Soumahoro been updated.

Injured Pirates defender Innocent Maela is still out, together with forward Thembinkosi Lorch.

Terrence Dzvukamanja is expected back after he was hopeful to play in their Caf Confederation Cup Group A match against Al Ahli last weekend but failed a late fitness test.

The club has not updated the fitness status of Thabang Monare, who has missed their last two games. 

The availability of goalkeeper Richard Ofori has also not been updated by Pirates, as Wayne Sandilands took over the guarding of goal from Siyabonga Mpontshane in their past two assignments.

It is also not yet known if strikers Zakhele Lepasa and Jean-Marc Makusu are back. 

After benching Thulani Hlatshwayo, who came on as a late substitute against Al Ahli Benghazi, it is to be seen if Pirates coach Josef Zinnbauer will start the Bafana captain on Thursday.

Match Preview

This is Pirates first domestic assignment since losing 1-0 to old foes Kaizer Chiefs in the Soweto derby on March 21.

They, however, arrive at Loftus Versfeld riding on some good form in the Confederation Cup where their last result was a 3-0 win over Al Ahli Benghazi last Sunday.

The defeat by Chiefs was the only one in their last five games where they have also posted two wins and as many draws.

On the other hand, Sundowns have also been doing well except last Friday's 2-0 Caf Champions League home defeat by CR Belouizdad', which ended a 28-match unbeaten run across all competitions.

They go into Thursday's encounter fresh from a PSL win over Chippa United.

Just like Pirates, Sundowns have one defeat, two victories and as many draws in their last five outings.

The last match between these giants saw Masandawana winning 1-0 in a league match on January 2 at Loftus Versfeld.

In their passage to the quarter-final, the Brazilians first beat Stellenbosch 3-2 in the first round, followed by a convincing 4-0 victory over Polokwane City in the Round of 16.

Pirates also secured their way to the quarter-finals by first edging National First Division side Uthongathi 1-0, before knocking out Maritzburg United 3-1.

Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila are already waiting to meet Thursday's winner in the semi-final.

Everton have confirmed Jean-Philippe Gbamin will not need to have surgery on his knee injury after undergoing a scan.

The 25-year-old picked up the latest injury before the Toffees' encounter against Brighton and Hove Albion in Monday’s Premier League game.

The Ivory Coast international only recently returned from two career-threatening injuries which saw him sidelined for about two years.

“Everton midfielder Jean-Philippe Gbamin will not require surgery on the medial collateral ligament knee contact injury he sustained during training at the weekend,” read a statement from the club website.

“The 25-year-old Ivorian underwent a scan in London yesterday which confirmed an operation was not needed.”

Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti had previously stated the midfielder will not feature for the Goodison Park outfit for the remainder of the season to allow him to recover fully from his injury problems.

“Listen, we are really, really sad [about JP Gbamin's knee injury] because he was training well, showing good quality and was happy,” Ancelotti said.

“I don't know how long but for sure the season for him is finished but he's a really strong guy and I hope he can recover soon and play.”

Gbamin’s Everton career has been hampered by injury problems since he teamed up with the club from German side Mainz 05 in the summer of 2019.

He suffered a thigh injury after only two games with the Toffees and was expected to be ruled of action for eight weeks.

The midfielder, however, damaged his Achilles tendon in training just as he was recovering from the thigh problems.

During his time with Mainz 05, he was a consistent performer for the Bundesliga side, featuring in more than 86 games across all competitions.

Gbamin previously represented France at 18, U19, U20 and U21 level before switching his allegiance to Ivory Coast and now has 11 caps for the West Africans.

He will hope to put his injury woes behind him soon to enable him to make more meaningful contributions for both club and country.

French elite division side Bordeaux have provided an update on Samuel Kalu ahead of their league showdown against AS Monaco on Sunday.

The Nigeria international suffered a recurrence of a thigh injury in their 3-1 defeat of Dijon on March 14.

Playing in his 18th league game of the 2020-21 campaign, he was replaced in the 16th minute by Nicolas de Preville.

That injury prevented him from featuring for Gernot Rohr’s Super Eagles in their Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixtures against Benin Republic and Lesotho, on March 27 and 30, respectively.

For the Girondins, the winger has since missed their last three games against Montpellier, Strasbourg and Saint-Etienne - which all ended in defeats.

Kalu has, nevertheless, been undergoing physiotherapy since bouncing back from that knock. He trained alone as his team prepares for their match against Niko Kovac’s men – where they are hoping to end a three-game losing streak.

The former AS Trencin and Gent man began his struggles with a thigh injury in October during Nigeria’s international friendly outing against Algeria, which kept him on the treatment table for over a month.

He returned to action on November 20 in the Bordeaux 1-0 win at Rennes, but the injury reoccurred seven days later and put him on the sidelines for another long period, and he made his return in a goalless draw against Metz on January 6.

The 23-year-old suffered a setback again in February during Jean-Louis Gasset's men's 3-0 loss to Lille but he shook it off and made an immediate recovery to his team a week later.

So far this season, Kalu has contributed four goals and an assist in 18 Ligue 1 games for the French elite division side.

He has been in the team since he joined from Belgian First Division A club Gent in 2018 on a five-year contract, featuring in more than 45 games across all competitions for the Matmut Atlantique outfit.

As it stands, Bordeaux occupy 15th position in the Ligue 1 log after amassing 36 points from 32 fixtures. Seven days after taking on Monaco, they travel to Stade du Moustoir for a date with Lorient.

Julian Nagelsmann has denied being in line to replace Hansi Flick at Allianz Arena, insisting there "are no talks between me and Bayern Munich".

Flick's future at Bayern has been the subject of much debate in recent weeks, with the 56-year-old currently being touted as the most likely man to succeed Joachim Low with the Germany national team.

Nagelsmann has been tipped to step into Flick's shoes at Allianz Arena if he does indeed end up leaving this summer, but has now come out to insist that no one from the club has been in contact with him over the position.

What's been said?

“There were no talks and there are no talks between me and Bayern Munich. Same for my agents," the Leipzig head coach told a press conference.

Nagelsmann's credentials 

Linking up with Bayern would be a natural step up for Nagelsmann after his exploits at Leipzig, who have established themselves as a formidable force in both the Bundesliga and Champions League under his stewardship.

The 33-year-old was appointed at Red Bull Arena in July 2019, and guided the club to a second-place league finish and the semi-finals of the Champions League during his first season at the helm.

Leipzig were eliminated from the Champions League by Liverpool at the last-16 stage this time around, but are still in the race for the Bundesliga title as they sit just five points behind holders Bayern with six games to go.

What has Flick said about his future?

Flick refused to rule out calling time on his career at Bayern following the conclusion of the 2020-21 campaign after seeing his team dumped out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-finals on Tuesday.

"I always think about what's going to happen or how things will continue, whether everything is going well here and so on," he said.

"My family is behind me, no matter what my decision is, whether it is at the DFB."

Further reading

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has suggested the red wrap on the seats at Old Trafford could have contributed to Manchester United's inconsistent home form with the players unable to pick each other out.

United have won 27 points at Old Trafford this season, losing four times and drawing three, compared to collecting 36 points on the road where they are on an unbeaten run stretching back 23 Premier League games.

The Red Devils face Granada in their Europa League quarter-final second leg on Thursday, looking for a first knockout round home win in this season’s competition, and Solskjaer feels the team are now at an advantage because the banners around the seats have changed.

What has been said?

Solskjaer was asked about the discrepancy between his side’s home and away form, and suggested it may have had something to do with the red seats in the stadium.

“You’ll see a change now, if you see the banners around the club, it’s not red anymore,” Solskjaer replied.

“We’ve looked into this, there shouldn’t be a reason, really. But some of the payers have mentioned that split-second decision you have to make where you look over your shoulder to see if your team-mate is there or not and the red shirt is on a red background with red seats. So, we’ve tried to change that along with the anti-racism campaign, that was important that it wasn’t red anymore.

"There shouldn’t be any reason but, then again, if you have a 4-0 advantage [against Real Sociedad] you don’t really have to win that game, 0-0 was a good result, then the first game against Milan, we conceded in the last minute.

"I still think we’ve played some good football at home. We started off badly with three defeats with Palace, Tottenham and Arsenal very early on, but we’ve improved.”

What has been changed at Old Trafford?

When games restarted last year after lockdown the club covered all of the seats at Old Trafford with impressive wraps which either had pictures of fans who had submitted their personal photographs for the mosaic, advertising, or messages of support.

The banners around the lower tiers of the stadium were changed a couple of weeks ago to launch their SEE RED anti-discrimination campaign which is aiming to combat racism within the game. The seats are now covered in a black wrap with white lettering on.

What else did Solskjaer say?

In terms of team news for the game against Granada, United will be without the suspended Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire and Scott McTominay, while Eric Bailly is still unavailable.

“It’s never a positive thing to not have every player available,” Solskjaer said. “But we’ve got players ready to deputise and come into the team.”

Further reading

Simba SC defender Joash Onyango has stated their main dream is to make sure they bring home the Caf Champions League trophy.

The Msimbazi giants have enjoyed a good run so far in this campaign as they booked their place in the quarter-finals from a very tough Group A which had Al Ahly of Egypt, AS Vita Club of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Al Merrikh of Sudan.

Simba defied all the odds to top the group with 13 points while Al Ahly came second to also qualify for the last eight of the competition.

As Simba awaits the draw set for April 30, the Kenya defender, who joined the Wekundu wa Msimbazi from FKF Premier League champions Gor Mahia, has expressed the target of winning his maiden Champions League trophy.

“It is a dream of every player to be successful and that is why as Simba players, we have to fight since our focus is on bringing the Caf trophy home. We have the belief that it's possible,” Onyango said as quoted by Nation Sport.

The burly defender, who was recently voted the club’s best player for the month of March, also stated by winning the trophy, they will market themselves to teams across Africa and Europe.

“Every player has a dream of playing professional football more in Europe and other continents. Shining in Caf will automatically draw interest from the top clubs and this will be a great motivation to us,” Onyango continued.

“However for us to get there we have to fulfil this dream.”

Simba under coach Didier Gomes Da Rosa only lost one match in the group stage campaign – a 1-0 defeat – against Al Ahly and they only conceded two goals.

The team also set a record by beating Al Ahly 1-0 in Dar es Salaam while they also won all their matches at home – beating Al Merrikh 3-0 before hammering AS Vita 4-1.

Apart from Onyango, another Kenyan player in the Simba squad is midfielder Francis Kahata, who has also been featuring but mostly as a second-half substitute.

Simba will now await the quarter-finals draw where they will play either Chabab Belouizdad (Algeria), Mouloudia Algiers (Algeria), or Kaizer Chiefs (South Africa).

One of the biggest events in the FIFA calendar returns in Ultimate Team for FIFA 21.

At the end of the domestic season, the best players in the world are celebrated with special upgraded items which sees thousands of packs being opened and often results in a market crash as so many high-rated players are added to the game.

Team of the Season will be back to normal for FIFA 21 after the coronavirus pandemic saw it renamed to Team of the Season So Far in FIFA 20.

What is the FIFA 21 Team of the Season event?

After the annual Team of the Year promotion in January, the Team of the Season is the most popular event for FIFA players.

It celebrates the best-performing players in all the major leagues as well as consistently impressive performers from the rest of the world.

These players receive upgraded cards in FIFA Ultimate Team, including huge attribute boosts which even increase some players' overall rating to the maximum 99 score.

Every Friday during the Team of the Season event, a new league is released, with some minor leagues also getting their own squads on Mondays.

When will the first FIFA 21 Team of the Season be launched?

The Team of the Season event began on Friday, April 24 for FIFA 20 and Friday, May 10 for FIFA 19.

That means that FIFA 21 Team of the Season will likely begin some time between Friday, April 23 and Friday, May 14.

The first squad released is usually the Most Consistent Team of the Season which is also known as the Community Team of the Season and is usually followed by the Premier League Team of the Season.

What is the Most Consistent Team of the Season?

The Most Consistent Team of the Season is made up of the best-performing players from the 2020-21 campaign who have not yet received an in-form item.

Every Wednesday throughout the season EA Sports releases the Team of the Week squad, which usually focuses on players who scored multiple goals or provided multiple assists.

As a result, defensive-minded players and forwards who regularly score just one goal per game often miss out. These players are then rewarded in the community squad, which is usually chosen from a shortlist of eligible players.

Which leagues & players will get Team of the Season cards?

Each of the Europe's top five leagues - Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A and Ligue 1 - will receive their own Team of the Season squad.

Additionally, there will also be additional squads for the Eredivisie, Super Lig, Liga NOS, CSL, Saudi Pro League, MLS, as well as a combined squad for the EFL containing players from the Championship, League One and League Two.

At the end of the Team of the Season event, an Ultimate TOTS squad is released which re-releases all the highest-rated players from the promotion. This is usually only available for a limited period.

Many members of the FIFA community have begun predicting which players will receive Team of the Season upgrades, with some players almost guaranteed to receive TOTS items.

The top scorers in the top-five leagues, such as Harry Kane, Mohamed Salah, Luis Suarez, Karim Benzema, Robert Lewandowski, Andre Silva, Cristiano Ronaldo, Romelu Lukaku, Kylian Mbappe and Memphis Depay should all receive TOTS upgrades.

Orlando Pirates captain Happy Jele says Thursday's Nedbank Cup against Mamelodi Sundowns will not be easy for their opponents as he plays down their intentions of hitting back at the Brazilians who won the last meeting between the two sides.

Sundowns are bidding to defend the trophy they lifted last season while Pirates want a second Cup this season after claiming the MTN8 earlier this term.

With the two sides last meeting in the Premier Soccer League on January 2 when Sundowns prevailed as 1-0 victors at Loftus Versfeld, Jele says they will not be driven by revenge on Thursday, but the desire to reach the semi-finals. 

"It's a game, we're going to fight as Orlando Pirates, and we want to get the result to go to the next round, and it's not going to be easy for them," said Jele as per IOL.

"It's not revenge; it's just a game. The most important thing is that it is a competition. It's either you're in, or you're out. So, for us, it's not about revenge. We're focusing on ourselves as a team, we want to go through to the next round, and to do that, we have to push harder.

"I would say it's a motivation, to play two games and we can be in the final. It's a motivation on its own. But first, we need to focus on the game that is coming, which is the quarter-final, that's the most important thing. If we fight from there, then we go to the semi-final. I believe if we put more effort then we will go to the next round."

It will be a clash of teams that are also chasing glory in Caf inter-club competitions with Sundowns having qualified for the Caf Champions League quarter-finals while Pirates reclaiming the lead in Group A of the Caf Confederation Cup.

This leaves Jele admitting that they are facing opponents who have a lot of quality in their squad.

"Both teams have good qualities, you know, and we're playing against a good team in Africa," Jele said.

"They have been doing well in the Champions League and in the league,” Jele told reporters yesterday. "We respect them, but on the day it's a game, a game of football for us as a team, as Pirates, we are big also, we are going to go there because we want to win.

The winner between Sundowns and Pirates will meet Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila in the semi-finals on Sunday.

Ahmed Musa’s decision to join Kano Pillars will boost the image of the Nigeria Professional Football League, according to Victor Ezeji.

Four-time Nigerian champions Sai Masu Gida announced the signing of the former Leicester City and CSKA Moscow star for the rest of the season on Tuesday evening.

The 28-year-old has been a free agent since parting ways with Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr on October 25, 2020.

As football enthusiasts continue to react to the decision of the Super Eagles skipper to return to his boyhood club, Ezeji – who is one of the most successful and longest-playing players in the Nigeria top-flight – claims that choice would rub off positively on the NPFL.

“It's good. We are not different from the South Americans who always return to their childhood club when they are done playing. Well, for Musa, he is not done playing but he needs to train,” the former Enyimba and Sunshine Stars forward told Goal.

“When you train with your peers, you work a little bit and when you are tired, you walk away. But when you are being supervised, there is every tendency you would work harder.

“He is the captain of the Super Eagles and we need him to be at the Africa Cup of Nations. When you are not having much playing time, that is when people are making an issue out of it. Now, nobody can say he doesn’t have a club.”

“Playing in the NPFL would boost his stamina and energy because the Nigerian league is very competitive. For me, it’s a nice decision that he is back in Nigeria,” he continued.

“This is what we have always been clamouring for, once you are playing and you don’t have a club, it is better to return home instead of just staying abroad and whiling away time.

“If not for Covid-19, you would have seen the mammoth crowd that would have greeted Musa wherever he plays – especially in northern Nigeria where he is loved and is one of their idols.

“In which way you want to look at it, his coming to Kano Pillars is a good image for the NPFL.”

After completing all necessary documentation, the speedy forward would be unveiled by the governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje before the start of the league’s second stanza.

Mikel Arteta says Arsenal are now "very close’"to agreeing a new contract with Folarin Balogun, and has explained the process behind convincing the 19-year-old to stay.

Talks over extending the young striker’s career in north London have been ongoing for months, with his current deal due to expire at the end of the season.

It had looked like the forward would move on for free in the summer, with clubs from across Europe interested in luring him away from Arsenal, but talks have progressed well in recent weeks, with an announcement believed to be imminent.

What has been said?

When asked if the deal had now been done with Balogun, Arteta said: “We are going to make it official when it is official and everything is done, but as I said before, I have always been very positive that he wants to stay at the club. We want him to stay at the club. We are very close.”

How long will the contract be?

It is understood that Balugun will sign a new four-year contract at Arsenal. That will see the teenage forward commit his future to the Gunners until 2025.

Sheffield United and Brentford have both had bids rejected for the striker in the past, while there has also been significant interest from clubs in Germany.

How has he been convinced to stay?

Arteta and technical director Edu have been crucial in convincing the teenager that his future is best served at Arsenal, the club he has been at since he was a boy.

When asked how he has approached the talks with Balogun, Arteta said: “First of all, I have just been trying to understand why he got to the point that he was really thinking about leaving the football club after being raised here and the feelings that he has got towards the club.

“Once you understand the position of him, then [you] try to explain what you want to do, how involved he is going to be in the project and how. Then get the full commitment and support from the club, and Edu - who I think has done an incredible job as well.”

What’s next for Balogun?

So will Balogun be a key member of Arsenal’s first-team squad next season, or could he be sent out on loan to get some regular game time next season?

“First of all we have to sign him,” said Arteta. “Once we sign him, we go step by step and we will communicate with you guys what we are doing.”

Further reading 

'Lingard disrespected the Emirates in a way that's never been seen' - Ferdinand sees no truth in Arsenal links

Martinelli calms fresh injury fears at Arsenal

‘Tierney probably out for the season’ – Arteta offers injury update on left-back

Mtibwa Sugar interim head coach Soud Salim has explained their strategy against Simba SC on Wednesday's Mainland Premier League tie despite a previous loss.

Salim admitted they were undone by their own mistakes in the first round game but they have come up with ways to stop Simba this time around and pick good results.
 
"It is great that our preparations were good and we arrived in Dar es Salaam in good form before the game on Wednesday. We lost the previous game and we did so because of the few mistakes that we committed," Salim told Azam TV.

"All in all, at the end of every game, one has to analyse deep and see what could have led to the loss and what must be done thereafter. We have all done that and the boys are ready for a game that I hope is going to be a good one.

"We have analysed Simba and we know they have a good attacking line and a good run both in the local and international games but we have done our part and we have advised our players how to deal with them accordingly."

Salim also gave an update on injured players ahead of the game that will be played at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium at 19:00 EAT.

"We had several injury cases but the majority of the players who were injured have come back," said the Tanzanian tactician. "Salum Ramadhani Kihimbwa who has been out for the last 15 games is the only player certain to miss out. Jaffary Kibaya who has been out for the last 11 games returned during the Azam game and that means we will have him available.

"Boban Zirintusa has also been out for quite sometime and we will wait to see what the doctor's advise before drafting him in the team or not."

The Sugar Millers are without a win in the last five games and are now 15th with 24 points. They have won six games, drawn in the same number and lost 11 matches in a season that they have struggled to catch up with mid-table rivals.

A win for Simba in Dar es Salaam will help reduce the gap between them and archrivals Yanga SC to just two points. Timu ya Wanachi have played four more games than Wekundu wa Msimbazi so far.

After reaching the Caf Champions League quarter-finals, Simba are expected to have condensed home fixtures as they try to reduce the games in hand as the second round gathers speed.

Thiago Silva has left the door open to a contract extension at Stamford Bridge, after Chelsea's progression to the Champions League semi-finals under Thomas Tuchel.

Chelsea qualified for the last four of Europe's elite club competition despite losing the second leg of their quarter-final 1-0 to Porto on Tuesday night, having won the first leg 2-0 last week.

Silva produced another solid performance at the back against the Primeira Liga outfit, and expressed his desire to continue playing at the highest possible level after the game.

What's been said?

The Blues have the option to trigger a one-year renewal in Silva's contract at the end of the season, with the Brazilian hinting he is eager to stay in west London as he seeks to secure a place in the Selecao's 2022 World Cup squad.

"I hope to continue like this," the 36-year-old defender told Sky Italia. "I want to continue to play at this level and get to the World Cup in 2022. Thomas Tuchel is doing an amazing job here at Chelsea."

Silva's record for Chelsea

Silva left Paris Saint-Germain following their Champions League final defeat to Bayern Munich last season, and signed for Chelsea on a free transfer.

The veteran centre-back has since established himself in the first-team squad at Stamford Bridge, featuring in 24 games across all competitions.

Silva has also contributed two goals to Chelsea's cause, and has served as their captain in nine of his 18 Premier League appearances.

The bigger picture 

Tuchel has transformed Chelsea into a formidable defensive outfit since replacing Frank Lampard in the dugout at the end of January.

Silva has been central to his plans, and with the Blues reportedly set to focus on bolstering their attacking ranks this summer it appears highly likely that he will continue to lead by example at the back in 2021-22.

Further reading

Simba SC assistant coach Selamani Matola has revealed their readiness to face Mtibwa Sugar in a Mainland Premier League match on Wednesday.

The Msimbazi are making a return to domestic action after their success in the Caf Champions League where they secured a place in the quarter-finals of the competition after topping Group A.

Their participation in the Caf competition has seen the Wekundu wa Msimbazi have five matches in hand since second-placed Azam FC have already played 25 matches, and to reduce the number, they will host bogey side Mtibwa at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.

“We are now done with Champions League assignment after we achieved our target of reaching the quarter-finals and now we shift our focus to the league because you cannot be a good ambassador in the Caf competition if you are not performing well in the league,” Matola told Goal on Wednesday.

“We have a tough game, against Mtibwa, they are not an easy team, if you look at past records, Mtibwa have always troubled us whenever we meet, they always give us a strong challenge, but what I can say is we are ready for the battle, we are ready to get maximum points.

“We don’t want to underrate them, we don’t want to give them space to play the ball, we will make it tight for them at the back, we all know all teams in the league are aiming their guns to beat Simba and that is why we must be ready even against Mtibwa.

“We know some of our players are tired, we have been travelling a lot for Caf matches but we know they are psychologically ready, they are prepared, we need the points because we want to move top of the table and the good thing is all our players are fit to play and as I speak to you, all of them are already in camp.”

Matola further admitted the technical bench led by coach Didier Gomes Da Rosa is facing a headache on team selection as all the players are fit and looking motivated ahead of the clash against the Sugar Millers.

“We don’t know how to plan the team because every player is available and fit to play,” Matola continued. “All the players are fit and they have trained together and they are in camp, so to be honest, we are having a tough time picking who starts from the squad.”

Simba are third on the 18-team table with 46 points, five fewer than leaders Yanga SC, but who have played four matches more.

FKF Premier League side Sofapaka have appointed David Ouma as the team’s Sporting Director and assistant coach respectively.

The appointment of Ouma comes just three days after he parted ways with Football Kenya Federation as the head coach of the women’s national team Harambee Starlets.

In a statement obtained by Goal, Batoto ba Mungu have confirmed the return of Ouma, who previously spent five years at the club in different capacities.

“Sofapaka is today [Wednesday] pleased to announce the return of coach David Ouma,” read part of the statement from the club.

“Ouma, who previously spent five years at the club in different capacities before being appointed the national women's football team Harambee Starlets head coach, will double up as the club’s Sports Director and Assistant coach of the senior team.

“As a Sports Director, his work would entail being in charge of Youth Development structures and recruitment of talented players.”

Speaking to Goal on the appointment of Ouma, Kalekwa said he was delighted to have him back saying his great passion for his work had pushed him to hire his services again.

“David [Ouma] is back home and I knew he would one day come back where his heart really is,” Kalekwa told Goal. “He spent five good years with us in different capacities and during those years, he showed great passion in his work and that is why when he had the chance to work with him again, we didn't think twice.”

On his appointment, Ouma told Goal: “First of all I want to thank God that I'm finally back at Sofapaka. It has been a journey, I worked here for about six years, then I went to be an assistant coach of the national men's team Harambee Stars under coach Bobby Williamson, then I was appointed the head coach of the national women team Harambee Starlets.

“I can say Sofapaka was my stepping stone to national duties. It helped in my coaching transition and that is why I'm back since I want to give back after earning a lot of experience and knowledge in the last few years.

“My plan with the team is to ensure that we remain as competitive as possible, going into the future assignments.”

Ouma will find Sofapaka lying in position 11 of the 18-team league table with 19 points from 15 matches.

Portuguese club Sporting CP want to exercise the purchase clause in the deal as part of Pedro Porro’s loan from Manchester City, Goal can confirm.

The Spain international moved to Sporting at the start of the season on a two-year loan deal with the possibility of making the move permanent.

After helping the club to the top of the Primeira Liga and to the verge of a first Portuguese title in 19 years, Sporting want to exercise his buyout clause worth €8.5 million (£7.5m).

Why is the defender wanted?

Porro has been outstanding for Sporting this season, earning the league’s best defender of the month awards for November, December and January.

Only missing one league game, he has helped the leaders to remain unbeaten all season and also scored the only goal in the Allianz Cup final victory over Braga.

The 21-year-old has flourished in the attacking system playing as a wing-back under Sporting boss Ruben Amorim.

Is there any competition for his signature?

Porro is contracted to City until 2024 but the move to Sporting will go through if the player agrees to make the switch permanent too.

But his impressive form has seen him attract interest from Spain after he won his first international cap for Luis Enrique's side against Georgia in March.

City are currently well-stocked for right-backs with Kyle Walker and Joao Cancelo in Pep Guardiola’s squad but the Premier League side would be likely to put a buyback clause in any future deal.

How has his career gone so far?

As a youngster, he played for the small Extremadura club Don Benito before moving to Rayo Vallecano in 2015.

He then switched to Girona where he was highly rated in the club's academy before he moved again to their sister club City.

Porro join Real Valladolid on loan, just four days after signing for City, but struggled for form in his 12 months there and made just 15 appearances for the La Liga club.

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