Looking for Soccer News?

Jamshedpur FC managed to snatch a point from Hyderabad FC as the teams played out a 1-1 draw in their third match in the Indian Super League (ISL) on Wednesday at the Tilak Maidan, Goa.

Aridane Santana handed the lead to the home team in the 50th minute but Stephen Eze's equaliser in the 85th minute sealed a point for the Men of Steel.

Both teams underwent a few changes in their lineups from their previous encounters. Manuel Marquez made four changes in the Hyderabad starting XI as Laxmikant Kattimani, Hitesh Sharma, Mohammed Yasir and Liston Colaco were given the nod ahead of Subrata Paul, Lluis Sastre, Joel Chianese and Nikhil Poojari. Meanwhile, Owen Coyle replaced a suspended Rehenesh TP with Pawan Kumar and Isaac Vanmalawma with Amarjit Singh.

It was a cagey start to the match as both teams took a safety-first approach. As the game progressed Hyderabad grew into the game in spite of them playing with just three overseas players. They were dominating proceedings and were frequently venturing into the attacking third but lacked the final pass which would split open the backline. 

Interestingly, the first significant chance of the match fell for Coyle's men when Jackichand Singh came close to scoring but his attempted shot was palmed out by Kattimani.

But the best opportunity of the half was carved out by Hyderabad's Halicharan Narzary when the winger shrugged away Dinliana and fired in a curler from the left side of the penalty box. The keeper was beaten but the ball hit the wrong side of the far post before going out of play. 

Hyderabad took an early lead in the second half thanks to some sloppy goalkeeping by Pawan Kumar. Hitesh Sharma sent a long ball for Halicharan, who cut in from the left inside the box and attempted a shot on goal. Pawan unconvincingly slapped the ball away from going in but Aridane pushed the rebound ball into the net.

Jamshedpur were denied a genuine goal in the 76th minute when Kattiman's attempt to fist Aitor Monroy's free-kick hit Aridane and went in. But the linesman flagged Peter Hartley offside and ruled out the goal. The replays though suggested the Jamshedpur skipper was in no way in an offside position.

The Men of Steel finally restored parity in the game in the 85th minute thanks to a thunderous strike from Stephen Eze. Valskis initiated the move with a cross which Adil Khan cleared but the ball fell to Monroy who set up for Eze to shoot and the Nigerian found the back of the net.

In the dying moments of the match, Hyderabad manager Manuel Marquez was sent off for allegedly stepping on to the field of play.

The Nizams moved up to the fourth position on the league table with five points from three matches while Jamshedpur climbed up to the eighth position with two points from three games.

Mamelodi Sundowns have likened winger Gaston Sirino to Barcelona star Lionel Messi, saying there is no cap on the asking price for the Uruguayan’s suitors.

African champions Al Ahly are keen on Sirino and reportedly upped their offer for the player from R18 million to R46 million in the latest bid, but Downs are sticking to R92 million.

Earlier this week, Sundowns general manager Yogesh Singh was quoted as saying that they are abandoning Sirino negotiations with Al Ahly and will only listen to the Egyptians if they return with an offer that “shows respect.”

In his latest remarks on Sirino, Singh revealed that they want R92 million for the 29-year-old as he compared him to Messi.

"Whoever wants to contract with Messi has to pay a lot of money to contract with him and not say that there is a limit to his deals, and the same is true for Sirino,” Singh told Yallakora.

“Al Ahly requested to buy Sirino and made an official offer about a week ago and we rejected it, because it was in financial terms. What Al Ahly offered is much less than the expected offer. We want to charge €5 million in order to agree to the departure of Sirino from the team.”

If the Cairo giants agree to Sundowns’ asking fee, it would be a record transfer fee Sundowns would have ever received for a player.

Al Ahly offloaded Senegalese midfielder Aliou Badji on Tuesday in a move seen to create space for Sirino in their foreign slots.

They are now left with Tunisian left-back Ali Maaloul, Nigerian forward Junior Ajayi, Angolan striker Geraldo and Malian defender Aliou Dieng as their foreign players.

“Al Ahly does not have an influential foreign player in the team. Ali Maaloul was here [in South Africa] when we beat Al Ahly 5-0,” added Singh.

Sirino is yet to play a league match for Sundowns this season after getting injured in the MTN8 quarter-final match against Bloemfontein Celtic but there is speculation that he has since recovered and is refusing to train in order to push for the Al Ahly move.

Singh, however, insists that the Uruguayan is injured.

“Indeed, he has been absent from training recently, but because of his suffering from a muscle injury, he is expected to return in the coming days,” Singh said.

Liverpool star Diogo Jota has said Cristiano Ronaldo was his hero when he was growing up in Portugal. 

Jota has been one of the signings of the season so far, scoring nine goals in 15 appearances for Liverpool since his summer move from Wolves. 

Although many players take some time to adapt to a bigger club, the 23-year-old has quickly taken to life at Anfield. He credits head coach Jurgen Klopp as a major reason for his early success.

“When you reach a new club, having an open mind is key to be able to adapt as quickly as possible,” Jota told The Athletic. “With the season underway already, it was up to me to find a way to get into the team and not the opposite. That’s what I did with the help of Jurgen.

“He’s a fantastic manager who took care of me. When I first arrived, he had a meeting with me and he explained how the team works. Then it’s down to the player to try to learn as fast as you can and to prove to the manager that you can be an important player for him on the field."

Jota developed his love for football at an early age and especially remembers Portugal's run to the Euro 2004 final, when they were defeated by Greece. Leading the Portuguese at the time was a teenage Ronaldo, a player Jota says became his idol as a kid. 

“My earliest memories are from the 2004 Euros when Portugal reached the final and unfortunately we lost," Jota said. "I was seven and I remember it well. Football has always been my passion.

“Cristiano Ronaldo was my hero. At that time, he was 19 but he was already playing at the Euros with so much quality. During my childhood, he was at Manchester United and Real Madrid. As Portuguese guys, we always looked upon him as our main reference.”

Because of his exploits at club level, Jota has now earned the chance to play alongside Ronaldo with the Portugal national team.

Jota has become a regular for Portugal since his debut in November 2019, earning 10 caps and scoring three goals.

AFC Leopards chairman Dan Shikanda has claimed head coach Tomas Trucha is at the same level as European top managers like Jose Mourinho, Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp.

Appointed before the 2020/21 Football Kenya Federation Premier League, Trucha is a Uefa Pro Licence holder and qualifies to coach in the country as well as in the Caf matches.

The question of qualification remains a hot topic of discussions in the country since Gor Mahia’s Roberto Goncalves was barred by Caf from overseeing the continental matches for his new side as his coaching papers were dismissed.

“This is a top-notch coach with the same qualifications as [Jose] Mourinho, [Pep] Guardiola and [Jurgen] Klopp,” Shikanda said during a press conference.

“The coach is here to help us. The salary we are giving him is not commensurate with his qualifications or what he is giving.”

Shikanda’s claims come at a time he confirmed Trucha is facing uncertain times as few members have threatened his agent.

“But now what they have decided is to stabilise the team and make sure that he does not operate peacefully. I do not know what they want. The coach is definitely not happy with what is happening,” Shikanda told reporters on Wednesday. 

“The same people were saying he does not have papers and that he is just a tourist. But when they saw his credentials they went silent.

“If I invite you to a place and people start threatening will you be comfortable in that place? There are a lot of threats on our coach and his agent and the people who are bringing all these threats are also agents.

“There is a serious issue with the coach. We shall do a press conference on Thursday and from here we will go and organise to get the nitty-gritty.

The threats, according to Shikanda, are meant to destabilise the club and work against the gains made by the national office.

“It is unfortunate that some people who call themselves our members are trying to destabilise our team. They have seen us doing well and they are surely not happy," he suggested.

“They are trying to kill the club and are trying to kill the work that the National Executive Committee has done.

“We are taking the threats seriously and we shall write a statement with the police. We are handling that because the coach feels he is not safe. He is in Kenya to help us and add skills to the team.”

Shikanda also confirmed they will hold a presser on Thursday to reveal further steps taken in order to address the threats.

Premier Soccer League (PSL) giants Kaizer Chiefs have announced several changes to the club's coaching staff in the reserve team.

Tshidiso Letsholonyane and Dillon Sheppard have been appointed reserve team assistant coaches and they will report to head coach Arthur Zwane.

This comes after the PSL and MultiChoice announced the rebranding of the MultiChoice Diski Challenge on Monday and will henceforth be known as the DStv Diski Challenge

Chiefs released the following statement on Wednesday ahead of their opening Diski Challenge match against Mamelodi Sundowns which will be played on Sunday.

"On the bench for Chiefs in their DStv Diski Challenge opener will be first-team assistant coaches Arthur Zwane and Dillon Sheppard," a club statement read. 

"Zwane who has been in charge of Chiefs reserve team since 2016 will lead the line from the bench with support from Sheppard as well as another of Chiefs coaches from the youth ranks Tshidiso Letsholonyane.

"The Chiefs reserve team has provided a number of players to the Chiefs senior team with current first-team squad members Njabulo Blom, Nkosingiphile Ngcobo and Keletso Sifama all previously campaigning for the Chiefs reserve team."

Letsholonyane, who is the brother to former Chiefs midfielder Reneilwe Letsholonyane, has been serving as Amakhosi's under-17 team head coach.

Tshidiso is a retired midfielder having been nurtured in the Amakhosi academy before being promoted to the first team in 2011, but his career was cut short by injury in 2017 following a spell with Thanda Royal Zulu in National First Division (NFD). 

The former Dynamos FC and PJ Stars player has already stated that he hopes to ascend to be at the helm of coaching the Chiefs first team one day.

Meanwhile, Sheppard arrived at Amakhosi prior to the start of the current season after he was appointed first-team assistant coach under Gavin Hunt. 

Hunt and Sheppard worked together at Bidvest Wits, but they became free agents after the club sold its PSL status to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila at the end of last season.

Sheppard served as Wits' reserve team head coach after retiring from professional football in 2017 having turned out for Sundowns and Russian side Dynamo Moscow during his playing days. 

Ben Davies has backed his team-mate for club and country Gareth Bale to find his best form at Tottenham.

Bale has failed to hit the ground running on his return to Spurs after he joined his former club on a season-long loan from Real Madrid.

After an injury delayed his second Tottenham debut, the 31-year-old has scored only one goal in seven appearances, five of which have been starts. Bale has started just one Premier League match, and has been an unused substitute in Tottenham's last two league matches. 

Davies, who has played with Bale for years with Wales, has insisted that the winger will rediscover his best form in north London.

"I think Gareth's an amazing player," Davies said ahead of Thursday's Europa League match against LASK. "He doesn't need to prove anything to anyone – he's shown what he can do over the years. He's got the quality there and I'm sure it will shine through at Spurs this year."

Davies added that even though Bale has yet to find his best form on the pitch for Spurs, it is clear that he is enjoying being back with his former club. 

"I feel like I always saw him at his best when he was with Wales so I haven't seen too much difference in him personally," Davies said. "But if you listen to the way people speak and how happy he is here, it is evident to see every day.

"He is buzzing around the place and playing, not playing, he is supportive of the guys and having someone of his presence and the history of winning stuff like he has got, lifts everyone here."

Bale and Davies are both expected to start Thursday's match, with Spurs needing just a point to secure progression from Group J into the last 32 of the Europa League.

Spurs will face a quick turnaround after the Europa League match in Austria, as they are set to host rivals Arsenal on Sunday in the north London derby.

Jose Mourinho's side currently top the Premier League table on goal difference ahead of reigning champions Liverpool in second place.

Former Rizespor and Morocco defender Mohamed Abarhoun has passed away at the age of 31 after suffering from stomach cancer.

Abarhoun played for Rizespor in the Turkish Super Lig until February 2020 when he was diagnosed with the ailment which abruptly brought an end to his football career.

He died in an Istanbul hospital on Wednesday after a nine-month battle with the illness.

“We wish Allah's mercy to Mohamed Abarhoun, who passed away, and our condolences to his family, relatives and community," Rizespor announced on their website.

“While his active football life continued in the 2019-2020 season, he played his last match with Rizespor on 24.02.2020. Our football player, who started treatment for stomach ailment, died in Istanbul on December 2, 2020."

Abarhoun moved to Turkey after a short stint in Portugal and he played 36 matches for Rizespor with three Super Lig goals to his name.

On the international scene, the Tetouan-born defender played for Morocco U23 team at the 2012 Olympics in London and he also represented the Atlas Lions at the 2014 African Nations Championship in South Africa.

Meanwhile, tributes have started pouring in from around the world with Fifa, the Moroccan Football Federation and his former teammates including Nigeria’s Aminu Umar, former Juventus star Medhi Benatia and Schalke 04’s Amine Harit.

Andre Onana has accepted responsibility for Ajax’s 1-0 defeat to Liverpool in Tuesday’s Champions League game at Anfield. 

The 24-year-old was handed his fifth appearance in the European competition this season but did not do enough to help his side avoid a loss.

The Cameroon international made a terrible blunder in the encounter to allow the Premier League club clinch a place in the next round of the tournament.

Onana allowed a cross from Reds defender Neco Williams to reach Curtis Jones who scored the only goal of the game.

The goalkeeper has admitted his mistake but revealed it could happen to even the best goalkeeper in the world.

“I am not the best, mistakes can happen to anyone. It is difficult for me but I have to take it, it is part of life and it is part of football that is what we train for,” Onana told the club website.

“Sometimes you make mistakes, sometimes not. I am totally responsible for the loss of today. I have to accept the reality, because of me we didn’t draw and we didn’t win.

“I am here to make saves not to make mistakes and I have to be very critical of myself. I have done a lot of good things in the past so I have to push harder.

“I have to keep my head up and then we will see what is going to happen. We played good. We had so many chances. I like the way the players were fighting. We had more possession.

“We had so many chances but we were unlucky we didn’t score today and that is football.”

The defeat saw Ajax drop to third on the Champions League Group D table with seven points from five games.

Erik ten Hag’s men could, however, still secure a place in the knockout stages of the tournament if they beat Atalanta in their last group game at Johan Cruyff Arena on December 9.

“I don’t have to make the mistake again and if we score a lot of goals, I think we will have an opportunity to go through,” he continued.

Onana has made 15 appearances for Ajax across all competitions this season, helping them to keep six clean sheets.

Gareth Bale is "nowhere near" the player he once was, according to Darren Bent, who is sceptical over whether the Tottenham winger will ever be able to rediscover his best form.

Bale has struggled to make an impact at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium since returning to north London from Real Madrid in September.

The 31-year-old agreed to re-join on a season-long loan after falling out of favour at Santiago Bernabeu, but has so far only managed to contribute one goal in seven appearances across all competitions.

The Welshman was left on the bench as Jose Mourinho's side secured an impressive 2-0 home win over Manchester City on November 21, and was an unused substitute once again during a 0-0 draw with Chelsea on Saturday.

Most of Bale's minutes have come in the Europa League, with his next outing likely to come when Spurs take in a trip to LASK on Thursday, and Bent thinks a man who scored 56 goals in 203 games during his first spell at the club is running out of time to prove his worth.

“It’s a gradual process but at the same time it’s a year loan," the former Tottenham striker told talkSPORT. "For me, the question you’ve got to ask is how long is Mourinho prepared to give him before he goes 'this is not working'.

“All the talk has been about [Heung-min] Son and [Harry] Kane being superb, but when they get Bale back, when Bale gets back to himself, Bale this and Bale that. But right now he’s nowhere near the Bale we can remember.

“He’s not played consistently for about three years and he’s had big injuries as well, so that Bale may never come back.”

Bent went onto suggest that Spurs may have to consider cutting Bale's loan short if his performances do not improve, with it his belief that keeping hold of him could end up having a detrimental impact on the squad.

“Do you think there’s a point in the season where he could become a distraction? They have to make a decision," he added. "It’s a year loan and if it continues like this what do Spurs do? Send him back to Madrid or keep him?

“So for me how long are they going to give him and how long are the fans going to give him before they go ‘listen, we can’t keep waiting on him to come back'… [Steven] Bergwijn needs to be playing and Lucas Moura need to be playing.

“It’s kind of a strange one, but at the minute the signs don’t look great.”

Uganda Hippos captain Gavin Kizito is hopeful they are going to win the Cecafa U20 Championship against Tanzania on Wednesday.

Kizito captained the junior Cranes to the ultimate stage as they maintained an unbeaten run and will now face the hosts and the reigning champions in the final of the competition that is being held in Arusha.

Kenneth Ssemakula and Ivan Bogere, who scored a brace, were key for the Morley Byekwaso side when they battled and saw Kenya off in the first semi-final on Monday.

“I thank God for enabling us to win this semi-final tie against Kenya, the scores may have been 3-1 but it was not an easy game at all,” the centre-back told Sports Club Villa’s website.

“That win means that we have qualified for the U20 Afcon. We are going to work hard so that we bring the trophy [Cecafa U20 Championship] home to Uganda.”

Kizito’s sentiments echoed what his coach Byekwaso had said after they sailed past Kenya’s Rising Stars.

“I also want to thank the boys for the efforts that they have shown and I pray to God that he blesses us in the finals,” Byekwaso said then.

“We want to win the trophy because for whoever reaches the final, the focus is always on winning the trophy.”

The Hippos and the Ngorongoro Heroes will play at the Rhino Academy Stadium where the tournament has been held since.

Kizito made his debut for the record Ugandan Premier League champions SC Villa in the 2019/20 season where they drew against eventual champions Vipers SC.

The 18-year-old defender also made his U17 debut which he captained in the Cecafa competition in the same year.

SC Villa head coach for the junior side Phillip Ssozi has explained why the youngster has been successful in football so far, especially given his rise from the junior to the senior teams.

“As a club, we are very happy for Gavin,” Ssozi was quoted as saying by the club’s portal.

“We can see the fruits of our labour that one of us who graduated from the junior side to the senior team is performing so well and leading the U20 national team. Gavin was created to lead and play football, we are not surprised and we have high hopes in him.”

Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey will undergo another scan this week as he races against time to be fit for Sunday’s north London derby.

The Ghana international has missed Arsenal’s last two games due to a thigh injury he sustained during the first half of last month’s 3-0 home defeat by Aston Villa.

Partey has yet to be given the green light to return to full training by the medical staff, but Mikel Arteta has revealed the 27-year-old is desperate to return to action.

And the Arsenal manager has suggested there is still a chance he could feature against Tottenham on Sunday, should his upcoming scan results come back positive.

“He has been training separately in the last week or so,” said Arteta.

“We have to scan him again to see how he is feeling. He is a player that is so willing, that is pushing us every day because he wants to do it.

“At the same time, we have to protect and make sure that when he gets back in the team he is ready to do that and whatever extent of minutes we can use him.

“So this week is going to be crucial, the moment he starts to train in parts with the team. See how he is feeling and how he is evolving day to day.”

On Partey potentially facing Tottenham, Arteta added: “We don’t know.

“Again, he is really pushing. Every day he is trying to get around the doctor and the physios. He hasn’t trained with the team yet. So this week let’s see if he can get a session or two.

“We need to scan him again to see the extent of the injury and how it has healed. I know if it is, Thomas wants to play tomorrow! Then we have to see medically that he is safe to participate this week at all.”

Arteta also revealed that David Luiz could feature against Spurs, despite the head injury he sustained during last weekend’s defeat by Wolves.

Luiz suffered a nasty cut when he clashed heads with Raul Jimenez, a clash that left the Wolves striker with a fractured skull.

The Arsenal centre-back will not be involved in Thursday night’s Europa League tie with Rapid Vienna, but there is a chance he could return for Sunday’s meeting with Spurs.

“I think he will be fit to play if the scar is healing properly,” said the Gunners boss. “If he is comfortable heading the ball, then there shouldn't be any problems.”

Tanzania Mainland Premier League champions Simba SC have confirmed the signing of Uganda international Taddeo Lwanga.

The Ugandan has joined Wekundu wa Msimbazi in a deal where the details are not yet public. This is after he ended his association with Egyptian Premier League side Tanta SC.

“Welcome at Msimbazi Lwanga,” Simba announced on Wednesday.

“The defensive midfielder is a Ugandan international and has previously played for Express FC, SCV Kampala, Vipers SC, and Tanta.

“Welcome so much and be part of the champions and Tanzania’s representatives in international matches.”

The 26-year-old star has been signed as Simba face an injury crisis in the midfield department.

Gerson Fraga, who is in Brazil recuperating, suffered a long-term injury and that forced Sven Vandenbroeck to ask for reinforcements. Simba feel the Crane will help boost the team that is engaging in the Caf Champions League and hopes to advance further from the preliminary round.

Lwanga is expected to partner with Jonas Mkude as Said Ndemla and Yassin Mzamiru play second fiddle roles in both the domestic and in continental assignments.

Lwanga joined Uganda’s Express in 2014 and debuted against Police FC in February. He had to wait until November to score his first goal for the Eagles in a match against Lweza FC.

After 45 appearances and five goals, Lwanga left for SC Villa in 2015. He made his debut for the Jogoos in August against Bright Stars but his goal against Al Khartoum SC in the Caf Confederation Cup in 2016 marks a remarkable moment with the local giants.

The record champions, with Lwanga in their ranks, finished second in the 2016 campaign.

The impressive times at SC Villa attracted Vipers who later signed the midfielder in 2017 and, as was the case while turning out for the Jogoos for the first time, Lwanga made his Venoms debut against Bright Stars in September.

His first goal for the Venoms came against Proline FC in December at St Mary’s Stadium. The star played his last game for the Venoms against BUL FC in May 2019 as his two-year deal came to an end at the Kitende club.

As was the case with a number of his international teammates who featured in the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, Lwanga secured a new club as he signed for Tanta in August 2019.

Lwanga could make his debut against Plateau United in the second round of the Caf Champions League preliminary encounter on December 5 in Dar es Salaam.

He becomes the latest Crane and the only one currently at Wekundu wa Msimbazi since Emmanuel Okwi’s departure.

Lwanga adds to the list of Cranes players who have turned out for the 21-time Tanzania league winners. The other players were Joseph Owino, Murushid Juuko, Okwi, Dan Sserunkuma, Abel Dhaira, Robert Ssentogo, Hamisi Kiiza, Brian Majwega, Alex Ndugga and Hamisi Kiiza.

Paul Pogba always talks about leaving Manchester United, so he might as well just go, according to Andrei Kanchelskis.

Pogba became the most expensive signing in United's history when he returned to Old Trafford from Juventus for £89 million ($119m) in the summer of 2019.

The Frenchman has since scored 33 goals in 172 outings for the Red Devils, while also providing 35 assists, but niggling fitness issues have prevented him from fulfilling his full potential.

He has also been continually linked with a move away from Manchester, and has done little to silence any speculation whenever quizzed on his future by the media.

Real Madrid have been mooted as the most likely next destination for Pogba, who admitted that a switch to Santiago Bernabeu would be a "dream" while away on international duty with France during the last international break.

Kanchelskis sees no reason for the 27-year-old to stick around if he's unhappy at Old Trafford, and has also suggested that United would do well to distance themselves from the midfielder's agent Mino Raiola.

"Pogba is always talking about leaving Manchester United, so for me, it would be better if you just left," the former Red Devils midfielder told American Gambler.

"If you’re saying every time ‘I don’t like this, I don’t like, I want to leave’ then just leave. Go. Leave. No problem.

“Of course [Mino] Raiola is a huge problem, he’s always saying that Pogba is not happy at Manchester United.

“If you want to come and play for Manchester United, you need to open your heart, play 100 per cent. It’s a shame as Pogba is a great player.”

Kanchelskis also addressed Jesse Lingard's recent fall from grace, with the England international no longer a first-choice starter under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after falling behind the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Fred and Scott McTominay in the squad pecking order.

The former United star thinks his old club should retain the 27-year-old's services for the time being, but has urged him to start proving he can deliver the goods on a consistent basis after two seasons of mediocrity.

"For me, he’s a great player, and I think the problem for him is that he is not playing every game at the same level, like a Dennis Irwin. He needs to maintain the same level," Kanchelskis added.

"He plays excellent football one game and then has a terrible game the next.

“It’s a problem for the chairman because we need to keep hold of these players, and our players need to be comfortable and spend time playing with each other.

"We played four seasons from 1991 to 1994 together and we won two titles, because we played every game with the same team and played to a consistent level.”

Barcelona full-back Sergi Roberto has tested positive for coronavirus, the club have confirmed on Wednesday.

Roberto had been enjoying a prominent role in Ronald Koeman's squad before being forced off the pitch with a thigh injury during Barca's 1-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid on November 21.

The 28-year-old is not expected to return to action until the new year, but has been dealt a setback in his recovery after contracting Covid-19.

Barca revealed that Roberto posted a positive test following their latest round of medical checks, with the defender now set to remain in quarantine for the next 10 days.

"After the PCR tests carried out this Tuesday, the first-team player Sergi Roberto has tested positive for Covid-19," a statement on the club's official website reads.

"The footballer is in good health and is isolated at home as he continues his recovery from the injury that he suffered on November 21.

"The club has informed the relevant sports and health authorities. In addition, all the people who had contact with the player have been traced to carry out the corresponding PCR tests.

"It should be remembered that Roberto suffered a tear in the rectus femoris in his right thigh at the end of the Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona game, an injury for which he will be away from the pitch for approximately two months."

Roberto missed Barca's 4-0 victory away at Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League last Tuesday, before also sitting out their home win over Osasuna by the same scoreline five days later.

The Spain international will be unavailable when Koeman takes his side to Hungary to take on Ferencvaros in midweek, and looks set to miss the entire festive period as he bids to rid himself of coronavirus before getting back to his rehabilitation programme at Camp Nou.

Barca can secure top spot in Group G if they beat Ferencvaros, having already booked their place in the round of 16, before their focus shifts back to La Liga.

The Blaugrana are due to take in a trip to Cadiz this weekend, which they must win to stay in touch with early pacesetters Real Sociedad and Atletico.

Kariobangi Sharks have confirmed defender Samuel Olwande will miss FKF Premier League action for the next two weeks.

This is after the towering defender picked up a groin injury during the team’s opening league match against Wazito FC at Kasarani Stadium on Sunday.

The club has confirmed on their social media pages the absence of the player by stating: “Samuel [Olwande] couldn't finish our first league game due to a groin injury and it has now been confirmed he will be out for at least two weeks.”

In the Sunday game, Daniel Sakari, Erick Kapaito (2), and Julius Masaba scored the goals that took Kariobangi Sharks to the top of the table.

It is a win that elated coach William Muluya, who said he was happy to have started the season with a win and confirmed the result was achieved because everyone played his part effectively.

“It was a collective responsibility from the players to the technical bench but I am delighted with the way the fans gave their best to get a positive result,” Muluya told Goal after the match. We want to play good football this season and push for a win in every game we play.”

Kapaito, who is coming from a long term injury, was the man of the match as he created and scored a brace, and coach Muluya is also happy to have him back.

“This is the season Kapaito has started with no injuries,” Muluya said regarding his forward. “As a captain, he also played well and led by example. It is all a coach needs from his captain; he played like a leader. The team needs him.

“He created an assist and scored a brace which is really good for the team and the start of the season.”

On his part, Kapaito told Goal he was praying for an injury-free season so that he can entertain club fans with goals in the FKF Premier League.

“Last season was a nightmare for me because I picked up a long term injury but now I am working alongside our club physio and I am also trying to manage myself well and I want to pray to God that I have an injury-free season so I can entertain my fans with goals,” Kapaito told Goal.

“For me, it is a good start, I have managed to score two goals, I don’t want to say I will win the Golden Boot again, but what I am happy about is we have started strongly as a team, something everyone was looking for before the match.

“The team always comes first, my target to win the Golden Boot always comes second, so I have to help the team first to win matches and then the team can help me to achieve my target for the season [winning the Golden Boot], but I am sure I will do something good this time around.”

Kariobangi Sharks will next face Nzoia Sugar, who lost their opening match 2-0 against promoted side Nairobi City Stars, on December 5.

Mikel Arteta has backed calls for the introduction of concussion substitutes in the Premier League, though he reiterated that Arsenal followed the correct protocols in their treatment of David Luiz against Wolves last weekend.

Luiz suffered a badly-cut forehead in a horrific clash of heads with Raul Jimenez that left the Wolves striker with a fractured skull.

Jimenez was immediately rushed to hospital where he underwent surgery, while Luiz was initially able to continue playing despite blood seeping through his bandage.

The Brazilian was eventually substituted at half-time, but the incident raised fresh concerns over how football deals with head injuries and concussion.

The Gunners were criticised in some quarters for not taking Luiz off sooner and therefore potentially putting his health at risk.

Arteta, however, has strongly defended the actions of his medical team and insists all the correct concussion protocols were followed.

“Some people can have the perception whether he should have continued or not,” he told reporters.

“Thankfully we have one of the leading authorities in this country [on concussion], which is Gary O’Driscoll - who is our doctor and has massive experience, not only in football but rugby as well.

“And he knows exactly what to do. He did all the testing, he followed all the protocols and we were very comfortable for him [Luiz] to carry on playing.

“But obviously you have to make a decision in one minute, when somebody is bleeding, when you have someone with a massive concussion next to you - whose life is under threat.

“Maybe it is a moment that we can think to give these people a little bit more time and use a temporary substitution, for example, if we don’t want to find ourselves in those positions.

“But what I can tell you is everything [on Sunday] was done in the right manner.”

The introduction of concussion substitutes has been suggested as a potential solution to safeguard the safety of players who suffer a head injury.

It would allow a manager to temporarily replace an injured player and so give doctors more time to properly assess their condition, while not forcing the team to continue without their full complement of players.

It is certainly a rule Arteta believes should be considered by the Premier League.

“If you have any doubts at any moment and you need an extra two minutes or five minutes to check somebody - maybe we can think about that,” he said.

“Because, obviously, you are after five minutes to make a decision to find a sub, the player is really pushing you, he is talking about everything.

“David was constantly asking about Raul, he went to see Raul and he was totally conscious, all the time, about the situation.

“The player wants to carry on playing and the doctor has to tick all the necessary boxes to be certain another player is okay to continue.

"So, if we have any extra doubts, okay we give them a little bit more time than necessary but you cannot play 10-15 minutes with 10 men in football.”

Arteta also revealed Luiz could return against Tottenham in the north London derby on Sunday.

It has already been confirmed that the former Chelsea defender is to miss Thursday’s Europa League’s game against Rapid Vienna to give his cut more time to heal.

He added: “I think he will be fit to play if the scar is healing properly and he is comfortable heading the ball then there shouldn't be any problems."

ATK Mohun Bagan have got off to a flying start in the Indian Super League (ISL) after winning the first two matches against Kerala Blasters and East Bengal respectively. Although they are yet to get into their stride, the team did enough to seal the six points on offer so far and sit in pole position in the table. 

However, head coach Antonio Lopez Habas made it clear that there's no room for complacency or over-confidence. 

"We have to continue winning the matches after winning the first two. We are not overconfident. The players are fantastic professionals. I have the idea to win every day. It was important to win the first two matches. It is equally important to win all the matches till the final. We are happy with our performance but we have to keep winning," stated the coach before facing Odisha FC on Wednesday evening. 

He also revealed that Edu Garcia still remains injured but will recover soon and might be available against Jamshedpur whom they face on Monday after the Odisha game.  

Bagan have to play six matches in December but the coach is optimistic that his team is ready for the challenge. 

"We are preparing. Maybe the fixture schedule is not the best in the world. But it is necessary due to the Covid situation. No excuses. We are prepared to play against all rivals."

Habas has coached against Stuart Baxter previously in his managerial career during his stint in South Africa, first for Mamelodi Sundowns and then for Bidvest Wits. The Spaniard heaped praise on his opposite number and believes that Odisha will benefit from Baxter's experience. 

"I know Stuart Baxter from my time In South Africa. He is an experienced coach. He has a fantastic CV. I respect him and so does he. We have worked a long time ago. It would work well for Odisha."

The former Bolivia manager also spoke highly of Marcelinho, who will be one of Odisha's key players, and termed him as 'one of the best' in ISL. 

"Marcelinho is one of the best players in ISL. Maybe last season he was going through a rough patch.  He is good at setpieces and is a good playmaker. But we are prepared for him," said the tactician. 

Although the Mariners have picked up full points from their first two matches, they have not been at their best. Habas agrees that his team needs to improve physically and he hopes that by January the whole squad will be at 100 per cent. 

"Looking at the circumstances I must say that all teams are on the same page. We are seven months without competition. To be in perfect shape now is difficult. This is a strange situation. We have to come to Goa where there is so much humidity. We are at 75-80 per cent and hopefully, in January we will be 100 per cent," signed off the coach.