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Zinedine Zidane's myriad of achievements has more than earned him the chance to turn things around at Real Madrid, says Iker Casillas, who hailed the the manager as a "magnificent coach."

The Frenchman, who is in his second spell at the helm of Los Blancos, has seen his future called into question after just one win in his last five games across all competitions.

Madrid have won just half of their 10 matches in La Liga to date this term, while their hopes for knockout Champions League football - traditionally a foregone conclusion at Santiago Bernabeu - hang in the balance.

A shock 2-0 defeat to Shakhtar Donetsk has left Madrid third in Group B with one game to go, meaning they must beat Borussia Monchengladbach to progress to the last-16.

Zidane guided Madrid to three successive Champions League titles in his first stint in charge and won a second league title last term.

Amid growing rumours the 48-year-old is close to being sacked by president Florentino Perez, Casillas believes his former team-mate has done enough to warrant more trust.

"Zizou is a magnificent coach, a good friend and will do everything possible to have Madrid as high up as possible," he told AS .

"You cannot live in the past, but he has earned the right for trust."

Sergio Ramos is another who faces an uncertain period in the Spanish capital, with the long-serving defender's contract due to expire at the end of the season.

Paris Saint-Germain are reported to have offered Ramos a big-money contract, but Casillas is hopeful Madrid's captain will stay put.

"Sergio is an emblem of Real Madrid and it is best if he is in Madrid," he said.

Goalkeeping great Casillas announced his retirement in August, having not played a game since suffering a heart attack in training with Porto on May 1 last year.

He has previously talked up the prospect of returning to Madrid, the club he made 725 appearances for after emerging through their youth ranks, in an advisory role.

Speaking upon picking up an award for his sporting achievements, Casillas reiterated he considers Madrid to be his "home".

"This is an award for my whole career, for many years," he said. "Along that path I have to thank many people that I had with me, not forgetting my coaches, all my team-mates, the sacrifice of my parents and the clubs I have had.

"Real Madrid, which is my home and the club that gave me another opportunity to discover another way of life, and also Porto and the national team."

The Premier League and English Football League (EFL) have agreed a £250 million ($337 million) rescue package to help clubs overcome the financial challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.

Championship clubs will have access to a £200m ($269m) pool of interest-free loan funds, while a £50m ($67m) grant will be made available for those in League One and Two.

Loans to second-tier clubs will be capped at £8.33m ($11.2m) and would have to be repaid by June 2024.

Richard Masters, Premier League Chief Executive, said: "The Premier League is a huge supporter of the football pyramid and is well aware of the important role clubs play in their communities. Our commitment is that no EFL club need go out of business due to COVID-19.

"All football clubs continue to suffer significant financial losses as a result of the pandemic, but Premier League Shareholders today unanimously agreed to provide additional funding and support for EFL clubs in real financial distress.

"We are very pleased to have reached this agreement and we stand together with the EFL in our commitment to protect all clubs in these unprecedented times."

EFL chairman Rick Parry also welcomed the resolution after lengthy discussions.

"Our over-arching aim throughout this process has been to ensure that all EFL clubs survive the financial impact of the pandemic," he said. 

"I am pleased that we have now reached a resolution on behalf of our clubs and as we have maintained throughout this will provide much needed support and clarity following months of uncertainty.

"I would like to thank Richard Masters and Gary Hoffman for their efforts on behalf of the Premier League, and of course their shareholders, for making this welcome, tangible commitment to the professional game at a time when it has needed it most."

Fans returned to some Football League grounds this week after England's national lockdown was replaced by a tier system.

However, with attendances limited by social-distancing measures, clubs are unlikely to profit from staging matches under such circumstances.

It is hoped that the deal agreed on Thursday will prevent the worst-case scenario of clubs going out of business.

Wilfred Ndidi finally made his much-awaited return for Leicester City in their 1-0 defeat against Zorya in Thursday’s Europa League game.

The 23-year-old midfielder has been out of action since September when he suffered a groin injury against Burnley.

The Nigeria international was handed a starting role in the encounter and took his position in front of the back-four along with Hamza Choudhury.

The midfielder gave a good account of himself on his return but his effort was not enough to save the King Power Stadium outfit from defeat.

The game started with both sides aiming to nick an early goal but that was not to be seen with the solid defensive formation they put in place.

The first-half, thus, ended with both sides failing to find the back of the net but recorded three yellow cards.

Ndidi’s compatriot Kelechi Iheanacho picked one of the cautions along with his teammate Ricardo Pereira and Zorya‘s Andrejs Ciganiks.

The second half, however, saw more goal-mouth action and the Ukrainian Premier League club got the opener in the 84th minute.

Allahyar Sayyadmanesh scored the goal, which made the difference in the encounter, hitting his effort beyond the reach of Danny Ward after he was set up by Denis Favorov.

Ndidi featured for 56 minutes before he was replaced by Nampalys Mendy while Iheanacho lasted for the entire duration of the game.

Despite the loss, Leicester City still lead Group G with 10 points from five games and will hope to seal their place in the knockout stages of the competition when they face AEK Athens on December 10.

Ndidi will be expected to get more game time under his belt when Leicester take on Sheffield United in their next Premier League game on Sunday as he gradually returns to full action.

The midfielder has now made three appearances in the 2020-21 season for the Foxes across all competitions.

Luis Suarez will be able to rejoin his Atletico Madrid team-mates for training after the striker posted a negative Covid-19 test following his battle with the coronavirus.

The Uruguay international last played on November 13 during the international break for his country and has not featured for the Rojiblancos in La Liga in just under a month after contracting the illness upon his return.

Suarez, who joined Diego Simeone's side from Barcelona earlier this year following a failed move to Juventus, has been a prolific presence since his arrival at Wanda Metropolitano, netting five times in six top-flight games so far this term.

The 33-year-old had hoped to have passed a previous test ahead of his side's midweek draw with Champions League holders Bayern Munich, but delivered a positive result once more.

However, having finally registered negative for Covid-19 in this latest test, he will be welcomed back into the fold ahead of Saturday's game against Valladolid, as Atletico look to move top of La Liga at the expense of Real Sociedad

"Luis Suárez will join the group training sessions of the first team tomorrow at the Wanda de Majadahonda Sports City, after having tested negative in the official La Liga PCR test," the club confirmed in an official statement.

"The Uruguayan, after overcoming Covid-19 and complying with all health protocols, rejoins the discipline of the group and will be under Simeone's orders again."

With seven wins and two draws, Atletico remain the only undefeated team in La Liga this season, and have two games in hand over leaders Sociedad, who they trail by a point as the Spanish top-flight hurtles towards the new year and a steady festive schedule.

They have also a pair of fixtures to spare compared to third-place Villarreal, who sit three points behind them, raising the idea that Simeone is on track to deliver a first league title since his famous triumph of 2013-14.

They will travel to Wals-Siezenheim next week to face Red Bull Salzburg in the Champions League, knowing that a draw will secure them a last-16 berth in Europe's top competition too, at the expense of their hosts.

Milan sealed their place in the Europa League last 32 after coming from behind to beat Celtic 4-2 in an entertaining Group H game at San Siro on Thursday. 

Stefano Pioli – back in the dugout after missing three games with COVID-19 – saw his side get off to a torrid start, with Tomas Rogic and Odsonne Edouard putting Neil Lennon's struggling Scottish Premiership outfit into an early two-goal lead. 

Milan powered back, though, and restored parity with quickfire goals from Hakan Calhanoglu and Samu Castillejo before the break.

Jens Petter Hauge scored a wonderful goal at the start of the second half and set up substitute Brahim Diaz with eight minutes remaining, with Milan advancing to the knockouts courtesy of Lille's dramatic late comeback for a 2-1 win over Sparta Prague in the group's other game.

Milan started in slapstick fashion and found themselves deservedly two goals down after just 14 minutes.

Rogic took full advantage of Rade Krunic's dismal control from Gianluigi Donnarumma's pass to whip into the bottom-left corner from 18 yards, before Edouard made the most of more woeful defending to clip over the Milan goalkeeper.

The hosts belatedly woke from their slumber and drew level thanks to two goals in the space of two minutes.

Calhanoglu scored his 18th direct free-kick in all competitions since the start of the 2013-14 season – second only to Lionel Messi (36) in Europe's top five leagues in that time – to reduce the deficit, before Castillejo wiped out Celtic's lead with a deflected close-range finish after Ante Rebic superbly teed him up with a backheel.

Hauge put Milan ahead five minutes after the interval, the Norway international skipping past a number of Celtic players before rolling a fine finish beyond Vasilios Barkas from 15 yards.

Donnarumma did well to paw away Ryan Christie's free-kick and Diaz wrapped up the win late on, lifting over Barkas after more impressive work from Hauge as Milan sealed a fifth consecutive triumph against Celtic, who have been victorious in just two of their past 11 games in all competitions.

What does it mean? Milan recover from shocking start

After just one point from their double header against Lille, Milan looked destined for another Europa League setback after some calamitous defending early on. They responded well, though, and were ultimately good value for all three points. 

They remain one point behind leaders Lille and will need to beat Sparta Prague next week and hope the Ligue 1 side drop points against Celtic if they are to qualify as group winners.

Hauge on fire for hosts

Hauge was outstanding in the second period. He put Milan ahead with a dazzling run and composed finish and made a game-high three key passes, one of which led to Diaz's late goal.

Krunic put out of his misery early

It was little surprise to see Krunic hauled off at the interval for Sandro Tonali. The Bosnian was badly off the pace, giving the ball away for Celtic's first and registering a pass completion rate of just 72.7 per cent – his midfield partner Franck Kessie's mark in an hour on the pitch was 96.2 per cent.

Key Opta Facts

- Celtic have won just two of their 25 away matches in the Europa League (D11 L12).
- Edouard has been directly involved in seven goals in his past eight Europa League starts (five goals, two assists).
- There were just 121 seconds between Milan's first two goals of the game.

What's next?

Leaders Milan will hope to maintain their unbeaten start to the Serie A season when they visit Sampdoria on Sunday, while Celtic entertain St Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership on the same day.

Samuel Chukwueze scored the only goal of the game as Villarreal defeated Sivasspor 1-0 away in the Europa League on Thursday.

The Nigeria wideman finished calmly with his left foot from close range in the 75th minute after a superb pass by Juame Costa, who had been played in through a fine ball over the top by Manu Trigueros.

The winger was replaced by Gerard Moreno two minutes after opening the scoring, as Unai Emery looked to rest some of his stars ahead of the visit of Elche on Sunday.

The win guarantees Villarreal’s place in the Europa League knockout stages, as they extend their advantage at the top of Group I.

Max Gradel, Isaac Coffie, Faycal Fajr, Samba Camara, Mamadou Samassa, Arouna Kone, Aaron Appindangoye, Casimir Ninga and Mustapha Yatabare all featured for a Sivasspor team heavily dominated by African talent.

The Spaniards have 13 points after five games, and remain unbeaten in their group stage campaign, having won four of their five matches to date.

In the group’s other fixture, Maccabi Tel Aviv remain in second place in the group after drawing 1-1 at already-eliminated Qarabag FK of Azerbaijan.

The win extends the Yellow Submarine’s superb run of form both domestically and in Europe, as they have now gone 14 matches without defeat in all competitions, winning nine matches since their last defeat—a 4-0 humbling by Barcelona in late September.

For Chukwueze, the goal will prompt some optimism that he finally answer the accusations of inconsistency that have been levelled at him in recent years.

The Nigeria international had a hand in three goals in three games at the end of October and early November, scoring against Real Valladolid and Sierra Leone after contributing an assist against Qarabag.

However, he didn’t weigh in with goals in his next four matches after the 4-4 draw with Sierra Leone for the Super Eagles, having not contributed a goal in the previous six fixtures before the 3-1 victory at Qarabag.

Chukwueze has scored one and contributed another assist in 10 La Liga appearances so far this season, but will need to improve dramatically if he’s to increase his return of last season—three goals and two assists in 37 league outings.

Last term his numbers were down on the season before, when he scored five and weighed in with two assists in 26 outings for the Yellow Submarine.

Leicester City still have work to do if they are to finish top of Europa League Group G after Brendan Rodgers' side went down 1-0 to Zorya Luhansk. 

With progress already secured, Rodgers rested Jamie Vardy, Kasper Schmeichel, Jonny Evans and Youri Tielemans on Thursday, using the trip to Ukraine to hand minutes to returning trio Wilfred Ndidi, Ricardo Pereira and Caglar Soyuncu. 

The latter went off injured after just 17 minutes and, after a largely sluggish display, Leicester fell behind to Allahyar Sayyadmanesh's 84th-minute strike. 

Vladlen Yurchenko had gone the closest for the hosts prior to the late goal, the home captain hitting the crossbar, while Nikola Vasilj made a fine double save before Sayyadmanesh's winner, meaning Leicester will now need to beat AEK Athens next week to guarantee first place. 

An injury to Soyuncu compounded Leicester's slow start, though Cengiz Under should have put the Foxes ahead just after the half-hour, only to drill wide when one-on-one with Vasilj. 

Leicester would have been made to pay if not for Danny Ward, who made a strong save from Andrejs Ciganiks' blistering strike. 

The crossbar came to Leicester's rescue early in the second half, Yurchenko's header clipping the top of the woodwork. 

Under turned provider with a superb free-kick in the 75th minute, yet Wesley Fofana – who was unmarked in the centre of the penalty area – directed his header well wide. 

Kelechi Iheanacho was involved in all of Leicester's goals in their 3-0 win in the reverse fixture, and his low shot caused trouble for Vasilj, who recovered to keep out James Maddison's follow up. 

Zorya made it count, substitute Sayyadmanesh sliding in at the back post just three minutes after coming on, with Vasilj making an excellent stop to deny Under and claim the points, though the hosts nevertheless cannot progress in the competition.

What does it mean? No luck for Zorya, Leicester must match Braga 

With Braga winning in Athens, Zorya's triumph is not enough to keep them in contention for a place in the knockout stages. 

Leicester – who have now lost three of their last four games – are at the summit courtesy of their better head-to-head record against Braga, and the Foxes now need to match or better the Portuguese side's result next week in order to finish top, which would help them avoid one of the teams dropping out of the Champions League. 

Super sub Sayyadmanesh strikes 

Iran youngster Sayyadmanesh had only just entered proceedings when he got the chance to snatch a famous, if ultimately fruitless, win for Zorya. 

After laying the ball wide, the 19-year-old got the better of Fofana and lunged in to prod a finish high into the net. During his 13 minutes on the pitch, Sayyadmanesh had two attempts from seven touches. 

More injury woe for Soyuncu 

Having been out since early October with a groin injury, Soyuncu's return was cut short quickly, as he pulled up with an apparent hip problem before signalling straight away to be taken off. 

Fofana, his replacement, made four clearances – behind only James Justin and Dmitriy Ivanisenya – though was at fault for Zorya's winner, allowing Sayyadmanesh to get free at the back post. 

Key Opta facts

- Zorya enjoyed their first victory against English opposition (W1 D0 L3), courtesy of their maiden goal against an English side.
- Leicester have registered just two clean sheets in their last 14 away games in all competitions.
- Zorya celebrated consecutive victories in Europe for the first time since August 2019.
- Leicester are without a win in four games in all competitions (D1 L3) after winning each of their six before that.
- It took the visitors until the 78th minute to manage a shot on target, via an effort from Kelechi Iheanacho.

What's next? 

Leicester are at Bramall Lane on Sunday to play struggling Sheffield United in the Premier League, before rounding out their Europa League group campaign on the same day Zorya face Braga. 

Tottenham qualified for the last 32 of the Europa League despite Mamoudou Karamoko's superb late leveller earning LASK a 3-3 draw.

It looked as though Dele Alli's penalty would seal an undeserved three points for Spurs to send them into Sunday's north London derby on the back of a win.

But fellow substitute Karamoko had other ideas and sent a fine strike beyond Joe Hart from 20 yards to make sure the spoils were shared in a strange but memorable Group J clash.

Jose Mourinho made eight changes from the 0-0 draw against Chelsea with an eye on the visit of Arsenal, with Harry Kane a notable absentee as the Premier League leaders toiled to a draw in Linz.

Spurs beat LASK 3-0 in the reverse fixture in October but were more laboured on Thursday, struggling to find their rhythm and falling behind to Peter Michorl's excellent 42nd-minute opener.

However, Gareth Bale levelled from the spot with the last kick of the first half and Son Heung-min put Spurs ahead soon after the restart.

Johannes Eggestein levelled with six minutes remaining but there was still time for Alli - on the field for just four minutes - to make his mark from 12 yards after Steven Bergwijn was brought down by Philipp Wiesinger.

Remarkably, that was not the end of it and Karamoko fired home in the dying moments to make it 3-3.

Hart had already denied Eggestein and Rene Renner before Michorl arrowed a shot beyond the former England goalkeeper to give Dominik Thalhammer's men the lead, though that soon disappeared.

Andres Andrade handled in the box in first-half stoppage time and Bale coolly converted from the spot to level matters against the run of play, bringing up his 200th career goal.

Tottenham were scarcely any more polished at the start of the second half, but one moment of quality told as Tanguy Ndombele's excellent throughball picked out Son to provide an assured finish past Alexander Schlager.

It was hard on LASK but they fought back to level when Eggestein's shot somehow eluded Hart, whose blushes looked to be spared when Alli promptly netted his spot-kick at the other end.

But Hart was beaten again by Karamoko to give LASK a point that was the least their efforts merited.

What does it mean? Top honours up for grabs

Top spot in the group is still to be settled, with Royal Antwerp in the driving seat after they beat Ludogorets 3-1.

This is not exactly the preparation Mourinho might have wanted for the forthcoming showdown with Arsenal, but at least he was able to rest a number of players.

For LASK, it represents a valiant way for their Europa League hopes to come to an end.

Fringe players fail to stake a claim

Given the magnitude of the game that lies ahead for Spurs in a few days, you might have thought that players on the periphery would have been keen to make an impact and force their way into Mourinho's plans.

But this was a poor showing practically across the board, with Spurs managing just three shots on target and finishing with a passing accuracy of 66 per cent.

LASK also had 54 per cent of possession, further highlighting how they were simply the better side.

Eggestein a constant threat

Even before his goal, Eggestein caught the eye. He had three shots, created one chance and had an 82 per cent pass completion percentage from his 38 passes.

Key Opta facts

- Spurs conceded three goals in a game for the first time since October's 3-3 draw with West Ham in the Premier League - they had only conceded three times in their previous nine games before today.

- This was only the second time an Austrian side has scored three-or-more goals in a major UEFA European match against English opponents, with Salzburg losing 4-3 v Liverpool in last season's Champions League.

- Son has scored 12 goals in all competitions for Spurs this season - among Premier League players, only Harry Kane and Dominic Calvert-Lewin (13 each) have more in 2020-21.

- Only Leicester City (eight) have scored more penalties in all competitions among Premier League teams than Spurs this season (seven).

- Bale scored his first European goal for Spurs since March 2013 v Inter, while this was his first away European goal for the club (excl. qualifiers) since his hat-trick at the San Siro against Inter in the Champions League in October 2010.

What's next?

Arsenal visit Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday before Spurs conclude their Europa League group campaign at home to Royal Antwerp, on the same day LASK head to Ludogorets.

Think you know all about Manchester United? Well, think again, because we've got a challenge that might just bamboozle you.

Put your knowledge of the Premier League giants to the test with Goal's tough quiz questions and trivia about the Red Devils!

(If you're not a Man United fan and you'd prefer a more all-encompassing quiz challenge, check out the best 100 football quiz questions here!)

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Baroka FC chairman Khurishi Mphahlele is not impressed with Mamelodi Sundowns legend Joel ‘fire’ Masilela, who recently made claims about his son, Thamsanqa Masiya.

Masilela recently stated there is a clause on the speedy winger's contract with Baroka that gives Sundowns first preference to sign him back. 

Masiya was nurtured in the Sundowns academy along with the likes of Sphelele Mkhulise, Percy Tau and Keletso Makgalwa and he was promoted to the first team in 2015.

Mphahlele has now slammed Masilela's 'reckless' statements and made it clear that they could never agree to include a first refusal clause in a player's contract. 

“There were reports that we have signed Thami Masiya with a clause that says Sundowns is getting first preference to sign him first,” Mphahlele said on Far Post.

“Apparently we cannot sell him to any team except for Sundowns because of that clause. We want to clarify that is false and we will never do such a deal that restricts us from doing our business elsewhere.

“Thami’s father made a reckless statement because the statement is read by everybody from the supporters, sponsors and partners. People read that statement that said Thami must go play for Sundowns one day."

Masiya spent two seasons with Mbombela United in the National First Division (NFD) on loan from Sundowns, before moving to Swallows FC after being released by Masandawana in July 2019.

The 24-year-old moved to Baroka in January 2020 and he has impressed with his blistering speed and mesmerising skills at the Limpopo-based side.

“We are competing with that team that they say he must go play for. I don’t like a situation whereby Thami makes a mistake and everybody starts saying, 'Yeah it is because he wants to go to Sundowns'", Mphahlele added. 

“It is a dangerous statement which we want to refute. We don’t need that statement. The boy is currently on form. He is playing all the matches and we don’t want that distraction,” added Mphahlele.

Thamsanqa, who uses his mother's surname, Masiya, has made five appearances in the league for Baroka this season. 

Jose Mourinho expects Harry Kane to be available for Tottenham's match against Arsenal on Sunday.

The Spurs striker, who has scored 13 goals in 16 appearances in all competitions this season, was absent from the squad as his side drew 3-3 with LASK in the Europa League on Thursday.

But Mourinho has high hopes that the 27-year-old will be fit enough to feature in the north London derby on Sunday as Tottenham look to maintain their place at the top of the Premier League. 

He told reporters in a press conference after Thursday's match: "I believe he is going to be fit. I'm not sure. He's having treatment, but I could be doing some bluff and pretend he's in trouble, but he's not and I think he'll play [against Arsenal]."

Tottenham had a tumultuous performance against their Austrian opponents on Thursday, as they came from behind to take the lead through a Gareth Bale penalty and a Son Heung-min goal in the second half.

Johannes Eggestein pulled the hosts level with six minutes left on the clock shortly before Dele Alli seemed to have sealed the victory when he converted from the spot.

But Mamoudou Karamoko struck in stoppage time to ensure the sides shared the points and Mourinho was not happy with the way his side played.

"Not good," he said of their performance. "The result better than the performance. The second half better than the first half.

"Some players individually had very good performances but some players individually had very poor performances. The only good thing I take from the game is that we are qualified.

"Without Son and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg I don't think we qualify from that game.

"We have qualified and we don't have the pressure on that in our last match but we have to win our last match and I believe we will do that."

Bale has now scored two goals since his return to Spurs from Real Madrid and the manager is pleased with the progress he has made.

"I took him out 10-15 minutes before the end to save the last couple of runs," he added.

"He has lots of positive things in his game and of course you can see that there are little bits that he has to improve."

Rangers booked their place in the knockout stages of the Europa League for a second consecutive season with a 3-2 win against Standard Liege at Ibrox on Thursday.

A draw would have been enough to send Steven Gerrard's men through to the last 32, but they picked up all three points thanks to Scott Arfield's strike to keep hold of top spot in Group D heading into the final round of fixtures.

Standard twice took the lead in a breathless first half, yet goals from Maxime Lestienne and Duje Cop were cancelled out by Connor Goldson and James Tavernier.

Arfield scored the only goal of a quieter second half to earn all three points for Rangers, who are in the draw for the next round with one group game – away to Lech Poznan – to spare.

Lestienne profited from some slack Rangers defending to convert Cop's cross after six minutes as Rangers fell behind in a home game for the first time in 12 outings this term.

The hosts initially struggled to offer any sort of response but they soon found some rhythm and Goldson powered in a header when left completely unmarked in the 39th minute. 

Liege were back ahead 100 seconds later through Cop's finish at the back stick after Tavernier and Leon Balogun switched off, the winger clattering into the post in the process.

But Rangers were given another lifeline moments before half-time as Kemar Roofe's shot hit the arm of Lestienne and Tavernier tucked away the penalty.

Allan McGregor produced a fine stop to deny Abdoul Tapsoba and, less than seven minutes later, Arfield swept home Ryan Kent's cutback to put the Gers ahead for the first time.

The Belgians needed a win to stay in the competition but they struggled to truly test McGregor again.

Only some impressive late saves from Arnaud Bodart prevented Rangers from adding more goals to their tally, the visiting goalkeeper pushing Borna Barisic's free-kick onto the crossbar before denying Roofe from a one-on-one.

What does it mean? Top spot in Gers' sights

With Benfica beating Lech Poznan 4-0 in the other Group D game, it is now a straight shootout between the Portuguese club and Rangers for top spot for what, on paper, should be an easier last-32 draw.

Gerrard can be proud of his players' efforts in achieving their first aim of reaching the knockout stages, having done so in back-to-back campaigns for just a second time in major European competition.

Bodart heroics not enough

Standard bow out of the competition with this defeat but they did at least go down fighting, twice taking the lead at a ground that Rangers have made a fortress during Gerrard's time in charge.

Cop was lively throughout, scoring one and setting up another, but goalkeeper Bodart was the star of the show with his flurry of saves to thwart Barisic, Roofe, Goldson and Tavernier.

Room for improvement

If there was one downside to this victory for Rangers it was their first-half defending. Both Standard goals were preventable, with the home side's back four – and goalkeeper – completely switching off.

In Goldson's defence, he made amends by scoring and finished the game having attempted more passes (73) than any player on the field, while only Konstantinos Laifis (89) had more touches than the defender's 84.

Key Opta facts

- Rangers have lost just one of their last 22 home matches in European competition, including qualifiers (W15 D6).

- Standard have lost four of their five Europa League group stage matches this season - they had only lost four of their previous 16 in the group stage in the competition (W6 D6 L4).

- Twelve of the last 15 goals Rangers have conceded in all competitions have been in European matches. Eight of the 11 the Gers have conceded this season have been in European encounters.

- Lestienne has scored four goals in his last seven Europa League appearances, which is double the amount he scored in his first 20 appearances in the competition.

- Tavernier has scored 15 goals in his last 19 matches in all competitions for Rangers - he has scored eight more than any other Gers player this season.

What's next?

Rangers need to match Benfica's result on the final matchday when they travel to Poznan if they are to finish top.

Before that, they head to Ross County on their return to Scottish Premiership action on Sunday, the same day that Standard host Mechelen in the Belgian First Division A.

Alexandre Lacazette ended his goalscoring drought as Arsenal eased to a 4-1 victory over Rapid Vienna to secure top spot in Europa League Group B.

Lacazette had gone eight matches without a goal before he put the Gunners ahead in the 10th minute on Thursday with a stunning long-range strike.

Pablo Mari headed in the second from a corner before Eddie Nketiah finished off a stylish team goal a minute before half-time.

Arsenal, who had already qualified for the competition's last 32, conceded when Koya Kitagawa fired home early in the second half but Emile Smith Rowe added a fourth to stifle any hopes of a comeback.

Mikel Arteta made 11 changes from the side that lost 2-1 at home to Wolves in the Premier League last weekend and those involved made a high-tempo start.

Rapid carelessly lost possession from a throw-in and the ball bounced kindly for Lacazette, who struck a spectacular swerving effort beyond goalkeeper Richard Strebinger.

The Gunners gave the 2,000 fans permitted inside Emirates Stadium another goal to cheer after Reiss Nelson's corner was glanced into the net by the head of Mari.

Nelson cut the ball back for Lacazette, who was operating in a slightly deeper role, just before the half hour but this time he sent his effort against the post.

Arsenal left the Austrian side with a mountain to climb just before the interval when a slick passing move saw Nketiah nod the ball home after Strebinger parried his initial shot.

Rapid pulled a goal back two minutes after the break when the ball pinged around the area before it dropped to Kitagawa and he found home through a crowded box.

But Arsenal regained their composure and Maitland-Niles capitalised on another Rapid mistake to tee up substitute Smith Rowe to seal the win.

What does it mean? Gunners flawless in Europe

Arsenal made it five wins from as many Group B matches as Arteta got some respite from their inconsistent displays in the Premier League.

It was only the second time the Gunners have achieved the feat in Europe, having done so during the 2005-06 Champions League in which they reached the final.

That bodes well for the Arsenal manager in continental competition, but Arteta will desperately hope they can transfer it to the Premier League.

Nice guy Eddie cool in the box

All 16 of Nketiah's goals in his senior club career have been scored from inside the box (11 for Arsenal and five for Leeds United) as he underlined his penalty area prowess by being in the right place at the right time against Rapid.

With Arsenal having scored just one goal from their past 64 shots from open play in the Premier League, this was a timely reminder to Arteta of his predatory instincts.

Rusty Elneny unable to make an impact

It was a subdued display by midfielder Mohamed Elneny on his first start since the beginning of November for the Gunners and he was substituted in the 63rd minute.

The Egyptian drifted through the game as his lack of sharpness following a recent period out with coronavirus showed.

Key Opta Facts

- Lacazette scored his first goal for Arsenal in 488 minutes in all competitions.
- Rapid have lost four of their five away games against English sides in Europe (W1), shipping a total of 13 goals in those fixtures.
- Arsenal have scored at least three goals in four consecutive European games for the first time since March 2000, on their way to the UEFA Cup final that season.
- Lacazette is just the eighth player to hit 20 goals in the Europa League, with his opener only his third in the competition to come from outside the box.

What's next?

Arsenal are back in Premier League action on Sunday when they head to rivals Tottenham for the north London derby, while Rapid host Hartberg in the Austrian Bundesliga on the same day.

Perth Glory have ended their Asian Champions League campaign with a narrow 1-0 loss to FC Toyko. 

An eighth-minute goal from Brazilian striker Adailton proved decisive as Tokyo secured their spot in the knockout stages with a vital three points. 

On the back of a 3-3 draw with Shanghai Shenhua, Glory struggled to make the most of their superior possession on Thursday night and mustered just one shot on target across the 90 minutes. 

Perth attacker Carlo Armiento was unlucky not to be awarded a penalty late in the game after drawing contact in the box with the 21-year-old one of many youngsters that can leave Qatar with their heads held high. 

While Glory's younger prospects showed promise, manager Richard Garcia might be concerned by the sluggish performances of star duo Bruno Fornaroli and Diego Castro. Both lacked some sharpness over the past fortnight and will need to provide more spark when the new A-League season kicks off later this month. 

Perth have ended their Asian Champions League campaign with one point from six games and though a disappointing return, the experience will have been priceless for a relatively young squad looking to take the next step in their careers. 

Glory do have work to do at both ends before the domestic season begins with the club scoring just five goals across their five games in Qatar, while conceding double that number.

Senegal wonderkid Abdallah Dipo Sima netted twice on Thursday night as Slavia Prague thumped Hapoel Be’er Sheva 3-0 in the Europa League.

The forward was outstanding during a superb display by the Czech giants, opening the scoring in the 31st minute and then adding a third for the hosts five minutes from time after Nicolae Stanciu had doubled their lead late in the first half.

The first, in particular, demonstrated the towering attacker’s athletic prowess, as he leapt between two defenders to meet a looping cross from Jan Kuchta and headed home from close range.

His second came via an assist from Nigeria’s Peter Olayinka, and the Senegalese attacker could have had another four minutes later, only for his left-footed effort to be saved.

The interplay between left-sider Olayinka and Sima was excellent throughout, and the former carved out opportunities for the latter in both halves during a vibrant display.

The win takes Slavia, whose place in the knockout stages is already secure, up to 12 points after five matches following an excellent group campaign.

After being defeated away in Israel in their opening Group C fixture, they’ve embarked on a four-game winning streak, including home and away triumphs against OGC Nice and a home victory over Bayer Leverkusen.

Sima has impressed during the campaign, finding the net in both matches against Nice, before bagging the double at home against Hapoel on Thursday.

It’s a remarkable start to life in European competition for the 19-year-old, who originally moved to Slavia’s B Team earlier this year after time spent with the youth team of MAS Taborsko, also based in the Czech Republic.

So far, he has scored twice in four Czech league games, and is currently on a sensational scoring run, having netted five in his last six matches both domestically and in Europe.

Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta believes Alexandre Lacazette has found his new position after his standout role in the 4-1 win against Rapid Vienna on Thursday.

Lacazette was utilised as a number 10 for the Europa League clash and opened the scoring 10 minutes. He also struck the woodwork later in the game. 

Pablo Mari doubled his side's lead shortly afterwards and Eddie Nketiah made it 3-0 just before half-time. Emile Smith-Rowe rounded off the scoring in the second half after Koya Kitagawa pulled one back for the visitors.

Arteta was impressed by the way the France international played behind main striker Nketiah, telling reporters: "He's played a good game in that position. It suits him. He's really good at linking play, he worked hard and scored a beautiful goal."

Lacazette, meanwhile, says the Gunners were boosted by the return of supporters for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic forced matches to be played behind closed doors.

A total of 2,000 spectators were allowed into the Emirates Stadium to see the Gunners maintain their perfect record in the Europa League.

The 29-year-old says having team's fans back in the stands had a positive effect on their performance.

"It was amazing - we were so happy to see the fans today it really helped us during the game," he told BT Sport. 

"Even in bad moments they pushed us to play good obviously we played well it was good football.

"We had two players [Pablo Mari and Calum Chambers] come back from injury, so we're really happy for them so it was a good night."

Lacazette had not scored for the north London side since the 3-1 loss to Liverpool in September, but he was delighted to end his drought in front of the supporters.

"It was really good, really nice when fans are behind us. Was not easy for me this last couple of weeks but to see the fans behind me and the team - I really enjoyed tonight so thanks to them," he said.

"Tonight we wanted to enjoy it and to get our fifth win in a row which we did and now we have time to focus again for the derby on the weekend. we just need to rest and see what happens at the weekend [against Tottenham]."

Jean-Pierre Nsame maintained his excellent goalscoring form but couldn’t prevent Young Boys Bern from falling to a 3-1 Europa League defeat by AS Roma on Thursday.

The Cameroon striker opened the scoring in the 34th minute as the Swiss side took a shock lead, but their advantage only lasted 10 minutes before Borja Mayoral levelled the contest.

Riccardo Calafiori then netted for Roma just before the hour mark as they moved ahead of the visitors, before Edin Dzeko scored in the 81st minute to round off a victory for the home side.

Guinea’s Mohamed Ali Camara was dismissed a minute later as the contest went from bad to worse for the visiting Young Boys.

Despite their defeat, Gerardo Seoane’s side still remain in the hunt for qualification to the knockout stages, and will advance to the next round if they avoid defeat by CFR Cluj at home in matchday six.

Before Thursday’s defeat, Young Boys had gone three games without defeat in the Europa League, and while they were previously held by Cluj in Romania, they are favourites to advance to the next round alongside Roma.

Nsame, who was linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur earlier in the year, has been in superb form so far this season.

His opener against Roma was his third in five Europa League group-stage appearances so far this term, having previously found the net against CSKA Sofia and against Roma in the first match between the pair.

He also scored in the Champions League playoffs, and has four in eight Swiss Super League appearances so far this term, including against FC Lausanne-Sport at the weekend.

Last season, he netted 32 goals in 32 top flight games to become the all-time top scorer in a single Swiss top flight season, surpassing the record previously held by Ivory Coast international Seydou Doumbia.

The Elephants international, who’s currently back in Switzerland with FC Sion, had scored 30 goals in 32 league outings for Young Boys during the 2009-10 campaign.