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Weston McKennie may be an outlier as an American player in Serie A but the Juventus star is only the first of a future wave of potential USMNT talent set to make the move to Italy, according to incoming Catania owner Joe Tacopina.

The midfielder, on loan in Turin from Schalke, has caught the eye this season with a string of impressive performances for the Bianconeri, drawing plenty of plaudits.

Coupled with Chelsea's Christian Pulisic, the 22-year-old is regarded as something of a young trailblazer, given the previous difficulties USMNT players have faced at cracking Europe's top sides.

Italian-American lawyer Tacopina, who previously was vice-president of Roma and president of Bologna, is ideally placed to see both sides of a dwindling divide between European tactical superiority and the burgeoning pool of USA-eligible talent.

The 54-year-old, who is set to take over at Serie C outfit Catania imminently, does not believe that Serie A will remain an elusive benchmark for the latter group before too long, though he admits that there is still a gulf between the two.

"I believe that playing in Italy is a very romantic idea for American players," Tacopina told Goal.

"Serie A is one of the best leagues in the world and in America, they follow teams like Juve, Milan, Inter and Roma. This is something very exciting for American players, so, I know that for them it would be an honour to play in Italy.

"I believe that the problem is the talent. Not on a physical level, because I believe that American athletes have great quality on a physical level thanks to the advanced systems of training in the US, the nutritional programmes and all the rest.

"But, from a tactical point of view, we are still behind and we're still lacking something in terms of the level of coaches and training methods.

"However, this problem is becoming less evident. You only have to look at how Weston McKennie is doing at Juventus or Pulisic, first in Germany with Dortmund, and now at Chelsea.

"We're starting to see some true talents emerging in the US and I think that's only a question of time before we see many US players in Serie A.

"It will certainly be one of the things that I do at Catania, because I want to continue to grow the brand in North America, where there are so many Sicilians. For this reason, I consider Catania a club with so much appeal for the US, where there are so many Sicilian-American or Italian-American families.

"If we managed to find a Giuseppe Rossi, an Italian-American, for Catania, it would be something very interesting for us from both a technical and branding perspective. In any case, I think that we will start to see more American players in Italian football, in Serie A or Serie B.

"In my years at Roma, Bologna and Venezia, we did trials with many American players but they didn't work out, because there was still too big a gap in technical quality, but now, I'm sure that it will happen with great frequency."

Koke has spoken about how he would love to persuade Lionel Messi to join Atletico Madrid from Barcelona, but admitted it would be difficult “for him to get out of there.”

The Spain midfielder is currently preparing for the Madrid derby, with his side in the position of Liga title favourites on account of the six-point advantage they have over Real Madrid - with a further six back to Barca.

Real Sociedad and Villarreal make up an unusual top three in La Liga, in recent seasons at least, with Atletico leading the way following an unbeaten start to the campaign.

Real entertain Atleti on Saturday, and Koke spoke to As about how his side will travel across the city without any fear.

“It's an exciting game,” Koke said. “It's a day that you always mark on the calendar and you face it with enthusiasm and aim to do things well. It's really special and we hope that things go well for us to win it.”

Koke was asked about Messi’s situation at Barca, with the superstar in the final year of his contract and possibly heading for the exit door after coming close to leaving earlier this year.

There will be no shortage of teams in the hunt should Messi decide to leave Camp Nou, and Koke would be making sure his club make a suitable pitch to the Argentina international.

“It's difficult,” Koke said . “Leo has made his career in Barcelona, ​​it will be difficult for him to get out of there.

“But why not at Atleti? Sometimes talking with friends we laugh a lot and ask ourselves: How would you convince Messi to come to Atletico?”

Koke believes Atletico would struggle to finance a salary package for Messi, but feels their trump card is that the team are on the up and challenging for honours.

“Economically it is difficult because you cannot pay the salary that he earns in Barcelona,” he said. “You never know. Players often measure ourselves by the hunger to win things and things that clubs have not been able to win.”

Atletico have a potential ace in the pack in the shape of Luis Suarez, who is a close friend of Messi and made the move to the Spanish capital from Barca earlier this year.

"Maybe Suarez can convince him,” he said. “It's football, we have a great squad, the players we have are spectacular and hopefully it will be a great year in the Champions League for Atleti.”

Rafael Leao is revelling in life at AC Milan, saying he is learning so much from playing alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovic - after being the Swede on his PlayStation.

At 21 years of age, Leao is 18 years younger than the Swedish legend. Ibrahimovic may be 39, but he is not ready to walk away from the game just yet and is spearheading a Serie A title charge at San Siro.

With an unbeaten 10-game run to start the season in Serie A, Milan lead city rivals Inter by five points. Ibrahimovic’s efforts have been key to their rapid start, as he has 10 goals to his name from six appearances.

He is currently working his way back to full fitness from a thigh complaint he picked up in November, but is still an influence off the field.

Portuguese forward Leao is making his way in the game, and is taking the opportunity to learn from a player he idolised as a child.

"I was playing with him on the PS4," Leao told CBS Sports. "Then I moved to Milan and I'm playing with him, training with him in real life. 

“Every day with him is an opportunity to improve. I'm very proud and I'm trying to listen and getting better every day with him.”

Leao has been impressed with the different sides of Ibrahimovic, and feels the former Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United forward can inspire his team-mates to great heights.

"Outside the game he plays, he laughs,” Leao said. “Inside the pitch, he's different. He's rude, he doesn't play. When you have him on the pitch, you can beat any team, it doesn't matter who they are.

“He's an icon. When you have him in the team, you can achieve great things.”

Leao feels Milan have an excellent blend of experience in the shape of Ibrahimovic and Simon Kjaer, and youth that coach Stefano Pioli is encouraging to express themselves.

“You have Ibra, he gives you the experience of playing Champions League, winning the Europa League,” Leao said. “After him you have young players and a great coach. When [Pioli] comes to the match he says to us 'don't get pressured, play your game and enjoy.' When I hear that, that's what I do. I just enjoy the game.”

FC Goa head coach Juan Ferrando feels their upcoming match against Odisha FC will be crucial as they head into a busy Christmas period in the ongoing Indian Super League (ISL) season. 

Having won the ISL League Winners' Shield last season, they became the first Indian side to qualify for the group stage of the 2021 AFC Champions League (ACL) and have picked the first win of their current ISL campaign last time out (against Kerala Blasters) and have five points from four games.

"Now our focus is to prepare against Odisha because we know that the next three weeks are hard as we have three games. The most important [thing] for the team now is to worry about the next game because it's very important for the future," Ferrando said. 

"In the end, three points is good for the confidence of the players because it's very important for them to stay positive in training. In football when you lose or win, the next day is totally a new day. It's very important to forget the Kerala game because we want to win three points against Odisha."

The former Volos coach feels that his boys need to play more intensity in their game in order to be competitive enough before they take part in the ACL next year.

"For me, we are so far from the ideal (higher intensity) performance. Believe me, it's possible for this team to play higher intensity football. Day by day, we will get better and it's necessary to improve a lot.

"All the time, I am talking about how important it is to control a few details. We are working a lot because in the future we will play in the Asian Champions League. For example, if you watch some games in the Asian Champions League, in two mistakes two goals were scored. So for me, it's very important thinking about the future because the future depends on training," he explained.

FC Goa have not kept a clean sheet this season. Ferrando was quick to defend the performances from his rearguard. 

At the end, we are not talking about only the defense but the entire team. If you watch the goals, against Bengaluru we scored twice after getting the two goals, [against] Mumbai [it] was a penalty, [against] NorthEast [it] was a penalty. Only against Kerala, it was a big mistake because we didn't have control and that's a problem.

"I'm happy that the team is playing well but sometimes it's necessary to play with intensity. For example, when we decide to play a high pressing game, we have to be a bit more aggressive."

Saviour Gama has been a regular fixture in Goan set up this season at left-back. He has also contributed in attack, providing Igor Angulo with an assist against Kerala Blasters.

"The coach is working very hard on the (basic) concepts and we have been practicing very high-intensity transitions. I am happy with my performance but I think I need to improve a lot attacking wise.

"He (Angulo) makes those perfect runs and just needs those deliveries. I'm looking forward to giving him more assists and helping the team," the young Goan stated. 

Former Bloemfontein Celtic midfielder Lefa Tsutsulupa believes there are a combination of factors which could see the Free State side triumph in Saturday's MTN8 final against Orlando Pirates.

The match takes place at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban with kick-off scheduled for 18:00.

It will be Phunya Sele Sele's second cup final in just three months - in September they lost the Nedbank Cup final 1-0 to Mamelodi Sundowns.

It's nearly the same Celtic side who will do battle in their second cup final of the summer and Tsutsulupa believes that alone will provide inspiration as the players look to make up for the disappointment of defeat to Downs.

Also for a club which have had well documented financial issues over the past couple of seasons, and have on several times come close to selling their franchise, the R8 million prize money on offer is a massive incentive for everyone at Celtic.

"Celtic will win the cup final. They have to because they need the financial injection that comes with the R8-million winner's prize money," Tsutsulupa was quoted saying by the Sowetan.

"Finances are not being okay, and the money should help them stabilise the team. They were nervous and could not handle the big stage," he said of the Nedbank Cup in September.

"But they are wiser and ready to do battle this time. I watched their final against Sundowns and noticed that they did not play their usual football and were not free at all in that match.
 
"Things are starting to go well for Celtic. I don't see them losing this game. It is their time, and the players are maturing with each game."

Tsutsulupa made his Premier Soccer League debut for Celtic in the 1999/2000 season and later played for Jomo Cosmos and Moroka Swallows. At Swallows he won the top-eight competition in 2012.

"The feeling of winning that cup was great. We were hungry and worked hard to win it. I think that it will boost Celtic's confidence in the league if they go on to win it," Tsutsulupa concluded.

Suso has reflected on his Liverpool beginnings and the success he has enjoyed at Sevilla over the past year, describing his career journey as "beautiful".

Back in 2004, Suso's rise to stardom began at Cadiz, where he spent six years making his way through the club's youth ranks before being snapped up by Liverpool.

The midfielder joined the Reds academy on an initial loan deal, but marked his 17th birthday in November 2010 by signing his first professional contract.

He was handed his senior debut during a Europa League clash with Young Boys in September 2012, but was unable to hold down a regular first-team spot before being sent out on loan to Almeria for the 2013-14 season.

Then-Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers still couldn't find a place for Suso upon his return to Anfield, and he reached an agreement to join AC Milan in January 2015 ahead of his contract expiring that summer.

After a slow start to life at San Siro, which included a brief loan spell at Genoa, the versatile playmaker went on to score 24 goals in 153 appearances for the Rossoneri, while also laying on an impressive 36 assists.

The 27-year-old was, however, deemed surplus to requirements in the last winter transfer window, and he joined Sevilla on an initial 18-month loan deal, with an obligation to buy included in the final agreement.

Suso helped Julen Lopetegui's side finish fourth in La Liga before his move was made permanent for €24 million (£22m/$29m) in July, and he then played a key role in the team's Europa League triumph in Lisbon a month later.

The Spain international is playing a prominent role once again this campaign, but he hasn't forgotten where he came from and the sacrifices he had to make to fulfil his dream of being a top-level footballer.

“It is true that I left home very young, when I was 15 years old," Suso told Goal. "What I have, I have worked for, my family has helped me a lot. It was a very delicate and very strong thing to leave when I was 15 years old, for me and also for my family.

"It is clear that what I wanted was to play football and I have done it."

The former Cadiz starlet admits he was never able to settle fully at Liverpool or Milan, but he now feels right at home with a club that has managed to establish itself among the elite over the past decade.

“They are different stages [in my career]. At Liverpool, it was just when they changed ownership, at Milan I also had several managers," said Suso.

"I tell you about Sevilla, the club that always aspires for everything, always fights for everything, is strong in all competitions.

"Whether in La Liga, the Europa League or the Champions League, Sevilla is always an uncomfortable opponent.

"It's a beautiful thing because you know that Sevilla is always going to compete against any team."

The Sevilla star does, however, look back on his time at Milan fondly, and he claims Serie A has more in common with La Liga than the Premier League, having spent a total of five years at both Anfield and San Siro.

“I left Liverpool after an operation and the first two months were complicated because I had just come back from the injury, after being out for five months," Suso added.

"I think it was a beautiful period in Italy. Compared to Liverpool, it is more similar to Spain, and that part was very good. Football is slower, more organised and tactical than here.

"Here, we play with the ball more, but I got good things from everywhere and they were five very enjoyable years."

Senegalese star Sadio Mane was voted as the best player in the world in his position, beating out strong opponents becoming the next player to cement his position in the Goal's Top eleven powered by FIFA 21 as we attempt to identify who you think are the best footballers around the world.

Mane led the table with 33% of the votes (+8300), although Rashford was so close with 31% of the votes (+7800) followed by Neymar, Heung-min and Sterling with +5500, +3000 and 750 votes respectively. 

Stay tuned to this space as we ask for your help to identify the best players in their respective positions globally.

Uganda have been invited for a pre-Chan tournament in early January in preparation for the competition which will be played later in the month.

Cameroon will be hosting the biennial competition and the games are meant to shape them ahead of the tournament and the Cranes will be part of the four teams invited as confirmed by the Cameroonian Federation. 

The three invited teams have been asked to arrive in the West Africa nation by the end of December.

"The pre-Chan mini-tournament will be played in Yaoundé from January 1-7, 2021 with four teams that qualified for Chan; Cameroon, Niger, Zambia, and Uganda," the Federation confirmed.
 
"This mini-tournament is organized by Fecafoot to help put [Cameroon] in optimal conditions before the start of Chan which the country is hosting from January 16 to February 7."

"[Cameroon's] challengers arrive in Yaounde on December 29. Most of the matches will take place in the brand new Impots stadium and at the Annex stadium in Yaounde."

Cameroon are in Group A with Mali, Burkina Faso and Zimbabwe while Group B comprises of Libya, DR Congo, Congo and Niger.

Group C has Morocco, Rwanda, Uganda and Togo while Group D has Zambia, Guinea, Namibia and Tanzania. Two top teams will make it to the knockout phase.

The Cranes, who will be taking part in their fifth consecutive Chan tournament after featuring in the 2011, 2014, 2016, and 2018 editions, will face Rwanda on January 18 at the Stade de Unification in Douala, before tackling Togo on January 22 at the same venue. The final group game will be on January 26 against Morocco.

Tanzania will open their campaign against Zambia on January 18, then face Namibia on January 23 and finish their matches against Guinea on January 27, while Cameroon will face Zimbabwe in the tournament opener on January 16, take on Mali on January 20, and wind up their preliminary matches against Burkina Faso on January 24.

The Cranes have never progressed past the group stage of the competition and it is their ultimate goal this time round. 

The tournament, which exclusively features players from each nation's respective national championships, was supposed to be hosted by Ethiopia but was moved to Cameroon after the Ethiopian football authorities admitted the country was not ready to hold the event.

The event will be hosted by the cities of Yaounde, Douala, and Limbe and will also serve as a warm-up for Cameroon ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA FC) coach Mike Mutebi has stressed the team’s main target this season is to reclaim the Ugandan Premier League (UPL) title.

The Kasasiro boys are riding high so far this campaign as they have won two matches out of the two played – beating Bright Stars 2-1 before thrashing Onduparaka FC 8-0 in their first home match.

As they prepare to host Mbarara City in their third match on Friday, coach Mutebi has maintained their main focus this campaign is to win the title, they lost to Vipers SC last season after the league was ended prematurely owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We want to win the game,” Mutebi told the club’s official website. We want to get the three points, what comes with the game is another thing altogether.

“Unfortunately Gift Ali is out due to injury, but the teenagers from the U20 tournament Kafumbe Joseph and Bukenya Kizza have been cleared to play.

“Our ambition is to win the league and also play well, we are playing at 50% and we are only supposed to stay at that or better that but not go down.”

KCCA will be boosted by the return of midfielder Kafumbe Joseph and Bukenya Joseph Kizza, who is yet to play a senior club game and are returning from Afcon Zonal qualifiers where they led Uganda to glory.

On a sad note, Gift Ali will miss the clash after he picked up an injury against Onduparaka while despite upping his return from injury, John Revita will not be involved. The defender has started light individual running since he was operated on in June 2020 and is expected to return early next year.

The last league fixture between the two sides at Lugogo Stadium saw KCCA emerge 1-0 winners courtesy of a powerful header from Filbert Obenchan.

Meanwhile, Mutebi has come out to emphasise how new signing and Italian midfielder Mazengo Stefano Loro will help the club this campaign.

“When we recruited these new players, we were trying to solve a problem that we had,” Mutebi told the club website. “Bringing in Stefano Mazengo was key.

“The role he plays is very vital to my team, he is the conductor of the team. In the past we had Gift Ali play in that role and he executed well even when it is not his natural or favourable position.”

Mazengo joined KCCA in June 2020 and has previously featured for Kampala Kids League, Heras Verona Junior Team, and Sheffield United Futsal Team.

The pressure will only grow for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer following Manchester United's Champions League exit, according to Teddy Sheringham, who feels that talk of Mauricio Pochettino "waiting in the wings" is likely to increase that burden.

The Norwegian saw his side slip out of Europe's top competition after they failed to take a point from their last two group-stage games against Paris Saint-Germain and RB Leipzig.

Having previously beaten both sides in the reverse fixtures earlier in the season, and having held a lead at the top of Group H before then, the Red Devils' failure to secure knockout football has contributed to the perpetual discussion over Solskjaer's future in charge .

The former Molde boss was drafted in as an interim replacement two years ago and was handed the job on a full-time basis in early 2019, but is yet to win a single piece of silverware as manager at Old Trafford.

Sheringham - who memorably partnered with Solskjaer to score the two injury-time goals that handed United the Champions League crown in 1999 - admits that he feels his former team-mate is under the cosh, and that he will know that the gathering dust in the trophy cabinet can only be seen as a failure.

"It’s a result that does put more pressure on him," the former England international told CardsChat .  "There’s been rumours circulating about Pochettino supposedly waiting in the wings and he could have certainly done without failing to qualify for the knockout stages.

"The pressure will grow again if they falter in the league in the coming weeks. Ole is a lovely lad and I don’t want that to happen and very much hope he keeps the job.

"When you play for Man Utd, you understand what the situation is. You listen to Roy Keane and that’s what it’s all about – United to win things. 

"Not to come in the Champions League spots, not to get second, not a bold runner-up. You’re there to win things, you are in the biggest club in the country, in Europe, maybe even the world, so you’re expected to win things. 

"Ole knows that, he’s been around that feeling, that way of life and he knows that anything but success and winning trophies is a failure."

Former Spurs boss Pochettino has been out of a job since Jose Mourinho - the man Solskjaer succeeded at United - took the reins at Tottenham last year, but Sheringham does not feel that the Argentine's spell out of the game will have hurt his skills.

"I’m almost certain Pochettino has been offered jobs already," he added. "He’s probably waiting for the right one. 

"I think he’s got that reputation now where he can pick and choose which job he wants. I certainly thought he was a fantastic manager, so I don’t think it’ll be long before he gets back in."

Miguel Azeez is over the moon after making his debut appearance for Arsenal in their 4-2 Uefa Europa League victory over Dundalk.

The 18-year-old, who was born to a Nigerian father and a Spanish mother in England, played the final seven minutes of Thursday’s encounter after coming on for Joe Willock.

He is pleased to have contributed to their victory as goals from Eddie Nketiah, Mohamed Elneny, Willock and Folarin Balogun secured maximum points for the visitors.

Azeez joined Arsenal youth academy at the age of five and he was rewarded with his first professional contract at the club in September 2019.

 After the memorable outing in Dublin, the teenage midfielder vowed to continue working hard to earn his place in Mikel Arteta’s squad.

“I'm buzzing. I'm happy and overjoyed with the experience. I'm so grateful that I was able to get the experience and all the hard work has paid off today,” Azeez told the club website.

“I just wanted to play my game because that's why I'm here. I didn't want to do anything that I'm not used to doing. I just wanted to see the game out and make sure we won and put in a good performance.

“I will play with passion because I love the club. I've been here since the age of five so I'm an Arsenal fan through and through and obviously, I just want to give something back to the fans and play my best games every single day.

“Hopefully, whenever the manager wants to put me in I'm just going to take my opportunities. I'll keep training hard, keep making sure that I'm in the managers head and play my game whenever I get the opportunity.”

Apart from Azeez, Ben Cottrell was another youngster who made his first-team debut for the Gunners on Thursday.

Cottrell and Azeez are the 876th and 877th players to play for the first-team of the North London outfit.

Meanwhile, Arsenal secured their qualification for the last 32 stage of the tournament with an unblemished record of six wins in six games which put them at the top of Group B.  

Kevin-Prince Boateng feels Lionel Messi should pay the ultimate tribute to his fellow Argentina great Diego Maradona by signing for Napoli.

Maradona passed away last month, and Messi has already paid his respects by removing his Barcelona shirt when scoring against Osasuna to reveal a Newell’s Old Boys jersey.

Newell’s was the team Messi came through at, and Maradona had a season at the club towards the tail-end of his career.

It was at Napoli where Maradona cemented his legendary status, with the 1986 World Cup winner guiding the club to two Serie A titles in 1987 and 1990.

Napoli have retired Maradona’s No.10 shirt, meaning Barca’s current occupier of that jersey would need to take on a different number, but Boateng feels it is a move that Messi should make.

"Messi's going to finish his contract at Barcelona, [but] how amazing would it be if he would just call Napoli and say 'I will come'?" Boateng told ESPN .

"'They don't give out the No.10 shirt anymore, [but] I would love to honour Maradona's No.10 and I would love to come and play one year or two years at Naples, without thinking about money or nothing, just heart'."

Monza midfielder Boateng, who spent a spell on loan alongside Messi at Barcelona last year, has described the possibility of a move to Napoli as being like a movie script - but would love it to happen.

"It would be like a movie," Boateng said. "He'd have to go to practice by a f*cking helicopter because people would eat him alive. They'd be so happy.

"But just that story: 'In honour of Maradona, I will come and play for Naples', what kind of story would that be for the world, not only for football, for the world?

"It would be a message, it would be history everywhere. I just wish I would be in Messi's shoes. I want to be Messi. I would call the president of Naples and I would tell him."

For the moment, Messi’s focus is on lifting Barcelona up the Liga table - they currently sit 12 points behind leaders Atletico Madrid - starting with a home game against Levante on Sunday.

Swansea City deputy captain Andre Ayew believes form will not matter when they take on South Wales rivals Cardiff City in the Championship on Saturday.

The two sides are set for a matchday 18 showdown for pride and points.

While fourth-placed Swansea come into the game on the back of two wins, two draws and one defeat in their last five games this season, ninth-place Cardiff have one defeat and four victories in the corresponding matches.

“We all know what the game means to the fans, to our community. We know it is not a game like any other game, it is a big one,” Ayew said, as reported by his club's official website.

“But it is still three points to play for, so you have to make sure you don’t get carried away, focus on playing the way we want to play and as well as we can.

"If we do that we can make the fans proud."

Fans, a key fuelling factor of derby games, especially at the stadium, will be absent as the match is set to be played behind closed doors due to the Covid-19 situation.

“The passion is always there, these are the best games when you have a full stadium," Ayew added.

"It’s not the case this time, but we know the fans will be watching the game and we want to make them and the city proud.

“Let’s not hide from it, it’s a big game. Form does not count, who is playing well or not does not count, it’s just a game you need to win for pride, for the club and the people.

“When we won last year, it was special, you can sense that you have made people happy and they enjoyed it. It was one of the best atmospheres I have played in.

“Covid has changed a lot of things in our lives, but it will not change how our fans will feel if we can win for them.”

Last season, visiting Swansea rose up to hold Cardiff to a 0-0 draw after registering a 1-0 home win in the reverse fixture at Liberty Stadium.

Ayew, his club's top scorer so far this season (seven goals in 16 outings) will again be expected to lead the Jack Army's attack in their quest for Premier League promotion.

Trabzonspor striker Benik Afobe has called for patience from his critics as he aims to end his five-game goal drought in the Turkish Super Lig.

The 27-year-old found it difficult to cement a place at Stoke City which forced his second loan move away from bet365 Stadium after he spent last season at Bristol City.

Afobe has returned three goals in 10 Turkish top-flight games this season for the Black Sea Storm who are placed 13th in the league table with 13 points from 11 matches.

In his assessment of the club's struggle, the former Arsenal youngster claims Trabzonspor players are still working to adapt and he remains confident of their success this campaign.

"I could only contribute three goals right now. We will work more because we are trying to get used to one another. I am trying to get to know them, they are trying to get to know me,” Afobe said.

"I had trouble evaluating the positions we found, but at the end of the season, when we complete that adaptation process and continue, I think we will finish in a very good place.

“I think the best time to criticise is May. I think it is right to evaluate all of what I have done throughout the season at the end of the league in May. Everyone will see that we will be in a good place when the league ends.”

After Monday’s 1-1 draw against Sivasspor, Afobe will aim to fire Trabzonspor back to winning ways when they visit Kayserispor for their league fixture on Saturday.

On his reaction to the alleged racism incident which involved Cameroonian coach Pierre Webo during PSG and Istanbul Basaksehir game on Tuesday, the DR Congo forward said: "It is really bad that it is still going on. I am also disappointed. Because the incident is the fourth referee's ignorance, racism or misunderstanding, I do not know exactly. But everyone in football should know that everyone is against it.

"I think footballers should be professional. However, I think this reaction should be given in such racism and similar situations. Paris Saint-Germain players stand next to the rival players in this match they play with their rivals Basaksehir, they leave the field with them, they do not act with the idea of ​​just winning this game. I think it is important and valuable.

“This is the reaction you need to do in such situations. In unpleasant situations, the players react and leave the field, act together, I think the message they give is correct. Life is more important than football. This is not only for football, but also for life. I think that this reaction should also be given to events in life.”

Simba SC striker Meddie Kagere has come out to state he does not have any feud with club captain John Bocco.

Kagere and Bocco were part of the Simba squad that emerged with a 2-0 win over Polisi Tanzania on Wednesday, and reports emerged they had an altercation during the celebration of the team’s second goal.

However, on Thursday, Bocco was the first to dismiss reports there is bad blood between him and Kagere and hit out at unnamed individuals who he claimed are just coming up with stories that are entirely misleading about his relationship with the strike partner.

Kagere has also taken to his Instagram page to deny he has a feud with the Taifa Stars striker.

Kagere wrote: “I would like to be honest about this matter involving me and my captain John Bocco, with great respect I can say I have never had any problem with Bocco or any Simba player.

“I would prefer us fighting our enemies than each other. I really appreciate your concern and hope you understand, thank you.”

On his part, Bocco said: “I have no problem with [Meddie] Kagere at all. We are very okay,” Bocco said in an Instagram post. “What people have been saying is just about what they feel and that is how they go about trying to get news.

“That is how they end up making up news that does not have either the head or the legs. I have no problem with Kagere and he has no problem with me. We do not have any issue within our team at all.”

When the season began there was speculation Kagere and Simba coach Sven Vandenbroeck were not seeing eye to eye but the club’s spokesperson Haji Manara denied such rumours and insisted the Rwandan, alongside Clatous Chama, who had been linked with Yanga SC, were not going to leave the club.

“A lot has been discussed regarding the situation of Kagere and Chama at Simba,” Manara said in an earlier interview.

“The good thing is that the two players have shown a keen interest to continue playing for Simba, they want to stay and we are ready to keep them, we want them to stay beyond the coming two seasons.”

Manara continued: “We want to have a good squad, we want to keep our squad intact and we don’t want to lose our key players, so I want to assure our fans that no player will leave the club unless the club wants the player to leave.”

Chama, Kagere, and Bocco have been key players for Wekundu wa Msimbazi as they have dominated the local scene in the last three seasons and are expected to play huge roles in the ongoing campaign.

The Orlando Pirates squad will likely be acutely aware of the club’s poor form in cup finals as they step onto the park against Bloemfontein Celtic in the MTN8 final on Saturday evening at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.

Since 2013, the club has lost in two Caf finals (the Champions League and the Confederation Cup), two Nedbank Cup finals, two Telkom Knockout finals, and two top-eight finals.

The only exception was back in 2014, when they lifted the Nedbank Cup trophy.

“I think it has to be a motivation for us, having seen that after six years the team has not won a trophy, and that has to be a motivation,” Hlatshwayo said in the pre-match press conference.

“Looking at how we have performed throughout the tournament, [we have to] make sure that we break that cycle.

“And make sure that each and every player who has not won a cup with Orlando Pirates, writes their history in the club’s books,” the Bafana Bafana central defender added.

Of the current squad of Bucs players, only two men – Happy Jele and Ntsikelelo Nyauza - were around when Pirates beat Bidvest Wits in the 2014 Nedbank Cup final.

Hlatshwayo did win the MTN8 tournament during his time with Bidvest Wits, when they beat Mamelodi Sundowns 3-0 in the 2016 final.

Some of Hlatshwayo’s other former Wits team-mates, now with him at Pirates, such as Gabadinho Mhango and Vincent Pule, also tasted trophy success with the Clever Boys, and that experience may come in handy on Saturday.

“Personally I will draw inspiration from the very same tournament, when we played Sundowns,” the former Ajax Cape Town player said.

“And the leadership around the team, we have a lot of leaders. [I will] make sure that the experience I have acquired, is [fed] to the players. They are capable of doing it, we can see how they performed throughout the tournament.

“Having played difficult teams leading to the final, yes for sure without a doubt probably people will say we are favourites,” he continued.

“But I think we should not fear Celtic, but respect them, because they have been in a final already this year, they are not a small team and we must give them that respect.”

Pirates beat Cape Town City (1-0) and Kaizer Chiefs (5-0 over two legs) to book their spot in the final. Celtic surprised Sundowns in the opening round (1-0) and then saw off SuperSport United 2-1 on aggregate over the two-legged semi-final.

Vllaznia Shkoder have confirmed Kenya international Ismael Dunga will miss their Sunday Premier League game against Partizani Tirana.

The forward, who scored during their last game against Kastioti Kruje when they picked up a 3-2 win, is expected to travel to the country and sort issues with his passport at the immigration department.

“Dunga will be a very big miss for us when we shall face Partizani Tirana during the weekend especially given the good form he has had,” Vllaznia Shkoder announced.

“He is going to miss the game due to matters around his expired permit and passport in Albania and so he has to travel back to Kenya and start the procedure of getting a new passport before applying for the residence permit again.”

Dunga is among the Kenyan players playing in Europe and boasts of experience having played for a number of clubs in different countries.

The former Sony Sugar and Tusker forward joined Vllaznia Shkoder from KF Tirana in 2020. He had joined KF Tirana in 2019 from another Albanian club Luftetari, where, from 2018 to mid-2019, he played in 24 matches and scored seven goals.

The 27-year-old forward played for Greek side Acharnaikos between 2016 and 2017, featured in seven matches, and scored three goals before he moved to Morocco and signed for Raja Beni Mellal.

From Raja Beni Mellal, Dunga signed for the City of Lusaka in 2017, and in 2018 he left for Napsa Stars FC, another Zambian side.

On November 25, Dunga and Vllaznia Shkoder will be up against Teuta Durres away before hosting Kukesi four days later.

Vllaznia Shkoder is the association football branch of the Vllaznia Sports Club, which was founded over 100 years ago. It is also the oldest club in Albania, and have competed in every edition of Kategoria Superiore since 1930, which is the top tier of football in Albania, besides the 1956-57, 1961-62, and 2018-19 seasons.

Although he has been largely overlooked when it comes to the national team duties, different clubs have always come for his services and Vllaznia Shkoder is his 11th employer.

He has also played for Nakumatt and Congo United before he started his journey with foreign clubs four years ago.

Mohamed Elneny has urged his Arsenal teammates to "fight and give everything" as they aim to bounce back to winning ways in the Premier League.

The Egypt international scored a wondergoal in Thursday's Europa League outing as the Gunners completed their impressive group campaign with a 4-2 win over Dundalk.

Although they have advanced to the knockout stage, Arsenal are enduring contrasting fortunes in the English top-flight, where they are yet to win a match since November 1.

They suffered three losses and a draw since their 1-0 triumph over Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Elneny claims Arteta’s men are giving their best on the pitch and they will continue to do more to end their poor run of form in the Premier League.

“We focus on the Premier League now because we are losing a few games, we know it is hard but we have stuck together as a team always,” Elneny was quoted by FourFourTwo.

“We have stuck together, everyone at Arsenal, we know there is more to come from us and we need to fight and give everything to get into that winning way because we deserve it.

“We give everything on the pitch and we just had bad luck sometimes. Football is like that sometimes but we believe we are going to get back to winning ways.”

Elneny returned to Arsenal’s starting XI on Thursday after playing the role of an unused substitute in Sunday’s North London derby which ended 2-0 in favour of Tottenham Hotspur.

When asked if he is ready to make his sixth league appearance against Burnley on Sunday, the 28-year-old said: “Of course, I’m always prepared to be involved and give everything to my team to help them win the game.

“We did what we need to do and now we push on to do what we need to do and what we need to do is win on Sunday.

“Before the game I felt like I was going to score tonight, we started aggressively and pressed high.”

Meanwhile, former Arsenal defender Martin Keown believes the Egyptian midfielder has sent a statement to Arteta after he scored his third goal for the club in unusual fashion.

"I think that is a message, that goal – 'I am available for the first team. There are places up for grabs, and maybe that is going to get me one of them’,” Keown said, per Daily Mail.

Robin van Persie has revealed he called on Arsene Wenger to bring defender Giorgio Chiellini to Arsenal as he felt the club "lacked a winning mentality."

The Dutchman, who spent eight years at the Gunners but failed to secure Premier League glory with the club, was convinced Arsenal lacked the defensive resolve to compete at the top end of the table.

He felt Chiellini would have transformed the club and pleaded with urged Wenger to make the deal, but the Italian never arrived in north London and is now in his 15th year at Juventus.

"At a given moment I felt called upon to say what Arsenal could do better in order to win the league,” he said in an interview on Kaj Gorgels' YouTube channel.

"I felt we lacked a winning mentality, and asked Arsene Wenger to sign Giorgio Chiellini.”

Chiellini is an old-fashioned, rugged defender and Van Persie feels those characteristics were what Arsenal required.

"I have played against him a few times, and he is a genuine winner,” Van Persie said. "You could see that when he played against Holland a few weeks ago.

"He is 36 years old, but he'll dish out nine elbows every game with a smile on his face. He'll keep smiling and never get a yellow card.

"You need those types of winners and killers in your side. I felt we should get him.”

Van Persie claims he put forward other names to Wenger to improve Arsenal’s defensive resolve, but was left frustrated and admits his move to Manchester United in 2012 was to win titles - which he did in 2013.

"I came up with suggestions and names on the basis of my own experience,” he added. “We were very good up front, and scored lots of goals. But your goalkeeper and your defence are the basis of your team.

"To my mind ours were not at the level needed to truly compete for the title."

Commenting on his move to Old Trafford, Van Persie said: “My departure from Arsenal to Manchester United is still a sensitive topic in England.

“I wanted to win, I just wanted to win. And I had to take a risk for that.”