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Phil Jones and Sergio Romero have both been omitted from Manchester United's 25-man Premier League squad.

The Red Devils released their list on Tuesday and there was no room for the English defender or the Argentine goalkeeper, who appears to have dropped to fourth choice at Old Trafford after Lee Grant was included in the squad.

There was room in the squad for Marcos Rojo, who has returned to Old Trafford following his loan move in his native Argentina with Estudiantes.

Rojo was dropped from United's Champions League squad, which was announced earlier this month, along with Jones and Romero. 

Romero's relationship with the club has soured following Dean Henderson's return to Old Trafford after his loan spell at Sheffield United last season.

Henderson's return has pushed Romero down the pecking order at goalkeeper and the Argentina international desperately wanted a switch away from United on deadline day earlier this month. 

A proposed move to Everton fell through, however, and Romero's wife took to social media to hit out at Man Utd after that transfer collapsed.

"Sergio Romero worked hard for his club," Eliana Guercio wrote. "Last trophy they won, they lifted it with him. He helped the team [reach] 4 finals/semifinals, and then he was left on the bench only to lose them all. It is time to return the opportunity and let him go. RESPECT FOR ONCE."

Jones, meanwhile, has yet to make a matchday squad for United this season after falling out of favour under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The 28-year-old has been linked with a move away after he made only two Premier League matchday squads last season.

United's 25-man squad does not include players under the age of 21, while each Premier League club can register a maximum of 17 non-homegrown players.

MAIN LIST: Eric Bailly, Edinson Cavani, David De Gea (GK), Bruno Fernandes, Fred, Odion Ighalo, Victor Lindelof, Anthony Martial, Juan Mata, Nemanja Matic, Marcos Rojo, Alex Telles, Donny van de Beek

HOMEGROWN LIST: Tim Fosu-Mensah, Lee Grant (GK), Dean Henderson (GK), Daniel James, Jesse Lingard, Harry Maguire, Scott McTominay, Paul Pogba, Marcus Rashford, Luke Shaw, Axel Tuanzebe, Aaron Wan-Bissaka

UNDER-21 LIST (includes): Mason Greenwood, Teden Mengi, Facundo Pellistri, Brandon Williams

Juventus sporting director Fabio Paratici insists that Paulo Dybala's continued absence from the Italians' first team owes to a lack of fitness. 

Dybala has been restricted to just a single Supercoppa appearance so far in 2020-21, and was sent home early from Argentina's World Cup qualifying matches without participating in either game due to a stomach problem. 

Upon returning to Juve the forward found himself on the bench for their Serie A clash against Crotone, where he failed to enter the action despite his side being held 1-1. 

Reports in Italy subsequently claimed that Dybala confronted Paratici after the match, incensed that coach Andrea Pirlo had declined to bring him on as a substitute. 

The Argentine apparently demanded answers to why he is being left out in the cold, although Pirlo affirmed after the match that he was not ready to play against Crotone. 

"I talked to him [Dybala] yesterday as I do to everyone else. He was a bit angry for not having played in Crotone but we have to remember that he hasn't played for three months," Pirlo told reporters. "He spent 10 days in his room in Argentina taking medicines because he couldn't train. 

"I took him to Crotone to let him do a few minutes but unfortunately there were 10 of us left and I couldn't add him. He is available and we will see what to do.

"This was not the ideal game for him to pick up minutes." 

Dybala was once more left on the bench as Juve kick off their Champions League campaign away to Dynamo Kyiv on Tuesday, a decision that Paratici argues is purely down to his physical condition. 

"Dybala is feeling better," the director explained to reporters ahead of the Group G opener. "He had an injury that kept him out for some weeks, then on International break spent 10 days in bed with antibiotics because he got an intestinal virus. So, he hasn't been able to train really at all." 

The Argentina international has been part of the Juventus set-up since moving from Palermo at the start of the 2015-16 season. He has played a total of 228 matches for the Old Lady, scoring on 95 occasions. 

The Football Supporters' Association has hit out at reports of a renewed push for a European Premier League, saying that fans "detest" the idea.

Sky News reported on Tuesday that a £4.6 billion ($6bn) package is being assembled by Wall Street bank JP Morgan to fund the creation of a competition which will see teams from England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain form a new league.

Liverpool and Manchester United are said to be two of the teams backing the competition, which could start as early as 2022.

In a statement on Twitter, the FSA said of the plan: "Seriously, if you’re a club owner or football financier who thinks a global health crisis is the perfect opportunity to rip up and reshape football to suit billionaires... you have no idea how much fans detest your concept. It will not go how you think."

The FSA also released a statement on their website from chief executive Kevin Miles.

“The latest reports of plots, allegedly involving Manchester United and Liverpool, to create a European Super League, expose the myth that billionaire owners care about the English football pyramid, or indeed anything other than their own greed," Miles said.

“This has to be the last nail in the coffin of the idea that football can be relied upon to regulate itself: these billionaire owners are out of control. Football in all its forms in the UK, from grassroots to the top tier, occupies far too important a place in our society, our culture and our communities to be jeopardised by an even greater concentration of wealth in the hands of half a dozen big clubs.

“Decisive action is now needed to protect the game we love. We have already been promised by government a fan-led review of the governance and regulation of football: that process needs to start as a matter of urgency before the super-rich custodians of the biggest clubs can do any more damage.”

The news of the European Premier League plan follows the collapse of Project Big Picture, a plan to reshape the English game that was rejected by the Premier League and FA last week.

The FSA opposed Project Big Picture on similar grounds, saying the plan demonstrated the "insatiable greed" of the Premier League's billionaire owners.

Two years on from Der Spiegel leaking documents that included plans for major European clubs forming a breakaway league starting from 2021, fresh rumours of a new iteration - titled the European Premier League - have surfaced.

Goal has what you need to know about the competition, which is still in the works, as well as which clubs could potentially be involved, how it would affect the Champions League and Premier League, and more.

Contents

What is the European Premier League?

The European Premier League is a proposed top-level competition that will involve a host of the biggest clubs from England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain.

A Sky News report stated that a £4.6 billion ($6bn) package is being put together from Wall Street bank JP Morgan to see the creation of this new league, which would effectively replace the Champions League.

While no official statements have been made regarding this new competition, plans to form a European Super League had been in the works for years, and the European Premier League would be a rebrand of that concept.

A version of the European Super League's rules are likely to be the basis of the proposed European Premier League.

It would not replace the Premier League, but it could be the end of the current iteration of the Champions League as we know it - and would undoubtedly reshape the football landscape.

European Premier League fixtures would take place during the regular club season should the tournament be given the green light.

The Sky News report states that it will be played in a round-robin style with home and away fixtures, similar to how the Champions League is currently being played.

The teams who finish highest in the European Premier League rankings would then qualify for a knockout mini-tournament finale that will decide the new European champions, with the promise of extremely lucrative prize money packages.

What is the European Super League? Format, teams and all you need to know

Which teams could be involved in the European Premier League?

The European Premier League is likely to feature either 16 or 18 teams, with clubs then playing a minimum of 30 matches over the course of a season.

At least five clubs from the Premier League could be named as European Premier League participants, with Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham said to have been approached.

North-west giants Liverpool and Man Utd were already involved in the 'Project Big Picture' proposal, though it was voted against by the other 18 Premier League clubs.

Barcelona and Atletico Madrid have reportedly been approached with an invitation to play in the European Premier League, although no official contracts have been penned.

Real Madrid - as well as club president Florentino Perez - are understood to have been heavily involved in plans to create the European Premier League, alongside the big guns of Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus and Bayern Munich.

However, despite being cited in documents regarding the new league, Bayern denied involvement in the 2018 plans.

When could the European Premier League start?

A date of 2022 has been tentatively planned for the start of the European Premier League.

How could the European Premier League affect the Champions League and English Premier League?

The European Premier League would not replace the Premier League, but its fixtures would replace the Champions League fixture dates, meaning that the Champions League would be without a host of their star names - with this new competition becoming the showpiece European knockout competition.

European Premier League matches would be played in addition to English Premier League and other European domestic top-flight games.

The European Premier League would not end clubs' involvement in domestic leagues, but even so, the financial ramifications would be extremely severe - especially in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Additionally, the European Premier League could be treated as a priority over each clubs' respective domestic leagues which would affect broadcasting rights and sponsorship deals.

The Sky News report states that should the European Premier League receive UEFA support, it would be branded as an enhanced, improved version of the Champions League, but if UEFA were not to give it their backing, it would be a move by FIFA that would "undermine" the European governing body.

Legal challenges by UEFA will act as an obstacle should they not cooperate, particularly with the Champions League set for a revamp by 2024.

A number of football figures have already voiced their disapproval of the new proposed plans.

Former Liverpool vice-captain Jamie Carragher said on Twitter: "Oh f*** off."

Stan Collymore added on his own Twitter: "If any English club joins a European Super League, then they should never be allowed back, ostracised completely and fam (sic) groups, real fan groups of those clubs stand up to condemn their club. F*ck them off and remind them where their bread was buttered for 100+ years."

Gary Neville also joined in with his dissatisfaction, quoting the original story with the caption: "Independent Regulator Anyone?"

Ugandan Premier League (UPL) champions Vipers SC have confirmed the contract extension of custodian Fabien Mutombora ahead of the new season.

The Venoms have opted to strengthen their defence in preparations for the busy 2020/21 campaign and it is the reason why they have chosen to retain most of their key players.

"Vipers Sports Club is delighted to announce goalkeeper Fabien Mutombora has signed a new three-year contract, keeping him at St. Mary’s stadium until 2023," the club confirmed on their official portal.

"The 22-year-old has become a key figure in the team since arriving from Burundi’s outfit Lydia Ludic Académic FC in August 2018."

The youngster has revealed his delight after extending his stay at the Kitende-based charges. 

"I am really pleased to commit my future to Vipers SC and it's great the club has put their faith in me," Mutombora said after sealing a new deal with the UPL champions.

"I have achieved what I have achieved here, and I hope I can keep on learning, helping the team, and lifting trophies over the next three years."

Apart from the league, the custodian helped his team to lift the Super 8 cup as well.  

Vipers SC midfielder Karim Watambala has declared his readiness to fight complacency and ensure he remains a key figure for the Ugandan Premier League champions.

The midfielder is still a student at St Mary’s Secondary School and made his senior debut last season when the club fetched their fourth league title.

"Last season was a tough one as I was treading in new waters," Watambala said earlier on.

"At a new stage with so many people of different characters, I endured several challenges. But at the end of the day, my experience was enriched and I learned many lessons.

"I had a strong starting point to my senior career and I intend to keep going stronger step by step. I enjoyed playing each game.

"The coaches trusted me while I freely showcased my abilities. This made me fit well into the team and now, I want to do more and more.

"Ambition is lost without competition. I think you cannot play without being challenged. It is one of the reasons that I am a better player and I always look to work harder and avoid complacency."

Gini Wijnaldum has slammed Jordan Pickford for the “completely stupid” tackle which left Virgil van Dijk sidelined for months with a knee injury.

The Liverpool midfielder believes the Everton goalkeeper’s challenge was “unacceptable” and suggested it was part of an ongoing theme in which Everton “take it way too far” with their tackles in Merseyside derbies.

Van Dijk could miss the rest of the season after suffering damage to his anterior cruciate ligament following Pickford’s wild lunge in the early stages of Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Goodison Park. 

His absence will hit Liverpool hard, and on Tuesday afternoon Wijnaldum was in no mood to mince his words at a press conference to preview his side’s Champions League clash with Ajax. 

He said: “First of all, we are all still devastated. I think it’s different than normal. The way it happened was really hard for us and I think everyone still has a really bad feeling about it.

“When we were speaking with the lads after Saturday, I think none of the players slept after what happened with Virgil, because of the way it happened. It’s a really hard one to take for me, and also for the team.

“Of course we were upset. The way Pickford went in on the challenge, in my opinion, was completely stupid. I believe that he didn’t want to injure Virgil the way he did, but the way he took the tackle was that he didn’t care about what happened after the tackle.

“I think we had it a lot in games against Everton. In my opinion, they take it way too far in the games we play against them. We know it’s a derby and everyone wants to win but sometimes you go over the top. It was too much.

“It was not only his tackle. If you talk about the tackle of Richarlison on Thiago, it was also a nasty one. That’s what bothers me the most and I think most of the other players. 

“Accidents can always happen in football. You can be unlucky with a tackle and injure someone but the way they were doing it was completely unacceptable.

“It makes it harder that they don’t get punished. In this case Pickford after seeing the videos.”

On how Liverpool will deal with Van Dijk’s absence going forward, Wijnaldum added: "Virgil is a really important player in our team - he has showed that since he came in. He had big performances. He is important on and off the pitch.

"He is a leader in the team. Since he came in we had really good results. It's up to us to show that we can still put in good performances without Virgil. We have to."

Ghana coach Ben Fokuo has stated his outfit are not surprised to have drawn arch-rivals Nigeria for the upcoming Wafu B Cup of Nations.

The Black Starlets have been paired against their familiar foes who eliminated them from the 2017 championship in Togo.

That loss also denied the Black Starlets qualification for the 2017 Africa U17 Cup of Nations.

Cote d'Ivoire are also in Ghana's group for this year's event.

"We have been preparing for every situation because we already know our neighbouring countries and the teams in the zone," Fokuo told the Ghana Football Association's official website.

"We knew we will get to face Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and the rest.

“We are always prepared for every match because we know the strength of Nigeria and Ivory Coast. We are preparing and looking forward to our first match."

Fokuo and his team have been in camp since last month, resuming training after the coronavirus outbreak scuppered their activities in March.

“The players are coping, we all know with the youth side they get to learn a lot of new things when they are in the national team's camp," said the coach.

"Since we resumed camp, we’ve ensured that we take them through various sessions to improve their fitness and technical skills."

“We are working on conditioning and tactical play and after some few weeks, I can say they are coping well.

“We have also played some friendly matches and they are picking up gradually.

"Now that we are fully aware who we will play at the group stage, we will continue to get to the players to the required standard before the tournament."

The upcoming Wafu B Cup will serve as qualifiers for the 2021 U17 Afcon in Morocco, where the four quarter-finalists will earn tickets for the 2021 U17 World Cup.

Only the Wafu B winners will get the nod to play at the African championship in Morocco.

Ghana's last Afcon appearance came in 2017 when they finished second behind Mali. 

Their performance in Gabon was rewarded with a World Cup ticket, the Black Starlets reaching the quarter-final.

Edouard Mendy has been handed his Champions League debut as Chelsea face Sevilla on Tuesday night.

The 28-year-old joined the Stamford Bridge giants from Rennes for £22 million ($29m), as Kepa Arrizabalaga has been struggling to live up to expectations being the most expensive goalkeeper in world football.

In a 4-2-3-1 formation, Mendy will now be in goal against Julen Lopetegui’s men with Ben Chilwell, Kurt Zouma, Thiago Silva and Reece James forming the backline.

He recorded a clean slate in his maiden game for the Blues as they ran out 4-0 winners over Crystal Palace in a Premier League outing.

With another inspiring display against Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham Hotspur in the English League Cup, there have been calls for Mendy to take Kepa's spot as Chelsea’s No.1 on a permanent basis.

After a lethargic 3-3 display against Southampton over the weekend, Frank Lampard’s men would be hoping to commence their 2020-21 campaign in Europe’s elite club tournament on a winning note.

Elsewhere, Morocco international Hakim Ziyech is listed among the substitutes in the Group E showdown.

For Los Nervionenses, Morocco’s Bono will be in goal for the Spanish elite division side, while his compatriot Youssef En-Nesyri is among the named substitutes.

Andrea Pirlo claimed his first Champions League win as Juventus coach as Alvaro Morata's second-half double secured a 2-0 victory at Dynamo Kiev.

Juve have made an unconvincing start to life under the legendary former midfielder and are four points behind Serie A leaders Milan after four games. 

They were held to a 1-1 draw Crotone last time out but there was rarely any sign of a slip-up in their Group G opener, in which the Bianconeri, still without Cristiano Ronaldo, found little resistance from their hosts. 

Morata, on target at the weekend, earned the three points with a simple finish in the first minute of the second half and a header six minutes from time, with the only blot on Juve's performance an injury to captain Giorgio Chiellini.

Federico Chiesa was Juve's most dangerous player throughout the first half and his arrowing strike drew Georgi Bushchan into an impressive diving save in the 12th minute.

Bushchan misjudged a corner soon after but Chiellini was unable to take advantage, drifting his header wide of the unguarded net.

Chiellini's evening was brought to a premature end when he limped off to be replaced by Merih Demiral, though Juve's rhythm was unaffected by that setback.

Indeed, Dynamo were grateful to Bushchan for maintaining parity 11 minutes before the interval as he kept out Dejan Kulusevski's flicked close-range finish after good work from Aaron Ramsey.

Ramsey and Kulusevski combined as Morata gave Juve the lead they deserved 49 seconds into the second half.

The former Real Madrid forward tapped in from point-blank range after Bushchan failed to handle Kulusevski's effort following neat build-up play from Ramsey.

Dynamo did attack with more energy in the closing stages but a scarcely deserved equaliser was not forthcoming and Morata made the game safe with a fine header from Juan Cuadrado's right-wing cross.

What does it mean? Pirlo defeats former boss Lucescu

In facing Dynamo, Pirlo was going up against the coach who gave him his professional debut as a player at Brescia, Mircea Lucescu.

Lucescu became the oldest coach to take charge of a match in this competition, aged 75 years and 83 days, but despite all that experience his side never looked like causing an upset, with Barcelona sure to provide sterner European opposition next week.

Ramsey helps ensure Ronaldo is not missed

Ronaldo is still self-isolating after returning a positive test for COVID-19 but his influence was not required as Ramsey played a significant role in helping Juve dictate matters.

The former Arsenal midfielder provided three key passes, including a critical one for Kulusevski in the lead-up to the opening goal.

Dynamo anything but dynamic

A long trip east to face a team enjoying what is nowadays a rare benefit of having home fans in the stands promised to make it a tough evening for Juve.

That never materialised as Dynamo offered precious little as an attacking force and, after producing two shots on target in the first half, did not have another until the 75th minute.

The fact forward Vladyslav Supriaha managed just 19 touches, having played the whole match, underlines the struggles the hosts had up top.

What's next?

Juve return to Serie A action with a home game against Hellas Verona. Dynamo host Oleksandriya in the Ukrainian Premier League.

Bayern Munich star Serge Gnabry will be forced to miss the first match of his side's Champions League defence after returning a positive test for coronavirus. 

Gnabry started for Bayern at the weekend, playing just over an hour of their 4-1 Bundesliga thrashing of Arminia Bielefeld on Saturday. 

But the 25-year-old subsequently tested positive for the pandemic disease and will not be available for the Bavarians' Champions League Group A clash at home to Atletico Madrid on Wednesday. 

"Serge Gnabry, 25, has tested positive for Covid-19," Bayern confirmed in a statement published on the club's official website. 

"The FC Bayern attacker is otherwise in good health and is self-isolating at home."

As well as the reigning German and European champions and Atletico, Group A is completed by Red Bull Salzburg and Lokomotiv Moscow, who also face off on Wednesday. 

Bayern next travel to Moscow on October 27 for their second clash away to Lokomotiv. 

Gnabry is likely to also miss that match as he waits for the virus to leave his system, as well as his club's weekend Bundesliga match at home to Eintracht Frankfurt. 

The former Arsenal youngster enjoyed a sparkling 2019-20 season at the Allianz Arena, his second since leaving the Gunners in the summer of 2018 after failing to break into the English side's first-team ranks. 

Gnabry hit 23 goals in 46 games in all competitions to record the best campaign of his career. 

The Germany international saved some of his best performances for the Champions League, particularly in the latter stages of the competition when it restarted in August due to the pandemic. 

He scored Bayern's third in their infamous 8-2 quarter-final humiliation of Barcelona and followed that up with a double to down Lyon in the next round, taking his total European tally for the season to an impressive nine. 

Only team-mate Robert Lewandowski and Borussia Dortmund's Erling Haaland outscored Gnabry in last year's tournament, with 15 and 10 goals respectively.

Edinson Cavani’s contract demands kept the door open for him to join Manchester United, with Benfica president Luis Filipe Vieira revealing that he was looking to put a deal in place at one stage.

Experienced frontman Cavani dropped into the free agent pool when severing ties with Paris Saint-Germain.

He departed Parc des Princes in July and was not snapped up by United until the final day of the summer transfer window in October.

Various landing spots had been mooted for him by then, with La Liga giants Atletico Madrid seemingly leading the chase at one stage as interest intensified.

Benfica had also been in the running, with Vieira keen on adding the proven 33-year-old to his books in Portugal.

No agreement was reached there, though, as the personal terms being sought by Cavani scuppered some best-laid plans.

Vieira believes he could have been able to put a deal in place had face-to-face talks been held, but he was unable to arrange such a meeting and United eventually agreed to pay the Uruguayan what he was after.

“Benfica made a proposal, sensible and the one we could make to sign Cavani,” Vieira told Portuguese news outlet RTP.

“Everything led us to believe we’d close the deal, but when things started to take a while I asked them to send a proposal in writing.

"And when I got to see it, it was practically twice what we had said.

“Then I said we were not interested. I confirm that we were interested, but I can guarantee that if I had met with him, he’d have signed.”

Cavani is currently being eased into the fold at Old Trafford, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer opting against handing his new recruit an immediate reunion with PSG in the Champions League on Tuesday.

The Red Devils boss has said of that decision: “He’s naturally fit. He is fit enough but he needs to play football with the rest of the players and be in those kinds of situations.

“Of course, you can’t live on memory, really, because it’s been a while.

“He’s very thorough, professional and he knows what he needs and what he wants. He still hasn’t ticked all the boxes before he’s available to play.”

Thibaut Courtois has insisted Real Madrid are "always the favourites" for the Champions League while expressing his confidence that the Blancos can conquer Europe again in 2020-21.

Madrid have won the competition a record 13 times, six more than any other club, but an underwhelming start to the La Liga season has hardly served to inspire confidence they can claim a 14th title come May.

Madrid are third in the early La Liga standings, one point behind early leaders Real Sociedad having slumped to a 1-0 home loss to newly-promoted Cadiz last time out.

Zinedine Zidane's side failed to reach the quarter-finals last season, losing in a two-legged last-16 tie to Manchester City with a five-month interval between the games due to the suspension of football amid the Covid-19 crisis.

Drawn in Group B with Inter, Borussia Monchengladbach and Shakhtar Donetsk, history is firmly on the side of Madrid progressing to the knockout stages.

Madrid have made it through all 28 of their Champions League group stages and Courtois has every confidence in their ability to go all the way once more.

"I'm sure we can win this Champions League," Courtois said ahead of Wednesday's meeting with Shakhtar. 

"Real Madrid are always favourites in this competition. I'm pretty sure, I'm confident we have enough quality in the team to win this title.

"I mean we're not the number one favourites, there are many teams in the hat but we're definitely a candidate for the title.

"Juve, Bayern, Barca, there are a lot of good clubs, it's the most attractive competition in the world and we're going to do all we can to win the title."

Madrid will be heavy favourites to beat Shakhtar having won each of their meetings with the Ukrainian side in the 2015-16 group stage.

However, Shakhtar are unbeaten in their last three Champions League away games under coach Luis Castro.

Courtois has been in sensational form for Madrid once again, with his shaky start to life at Santiago Bernabeu after joining the club from Chelsea in 2018 now nothing more than a distant memory.

Of the previous 43 shots on target he has faced in La Liga, Courtois has saved 38 and his stats for his season show he has kept out 16 of the 19 efforts on target.

Asked what inspired his return to form, the 28-year-old responded: "I feel very good personally. Nothing has changed, I work like the first day but a change is never easy.

"When you join a new team you need time to adapt."

Gonzalo Higuain says he linked up with David Beckham’s MLS franchise Inter Miami because he was no longer enjoying his football in Europe.

The Argentine striker left his homeland to go chasing the dream at Real Madrid back in 2007 and considerable success has been enjoyed across spells in Spain, Italy and England.

The prolific frontman has over 300 club goals to his name and has been a go-to option for the likes of Napoli, Juventus, AC Milan and Chelsea.

Higuain's powers started to wane towards the end of his time in Turin and, while Maurizio Sarri has always been a big admirer of the South American, others started to question his value to the collective cause.

Higuain hit the target just 11 times in the 2019-20 campaign, leading him to weigh up his options as Juve did likewise.

The Serie A champions eventually agreed to free him from his contract, allowing a move to America to be made.

The 32-year-old, who has since been joined by his brother Federico in Florida, believes he has taken the right career call as he was no longer playing with a smile on his face in Europe.

Higuain told the Que Golazo podcast on CBS: “I always followed MLS closely because my brother and other great players were there.

“But I wanted to come here with the intention of once again being happy while playing and I believe Inter Miami have given me everything I need.

“Coming here to this league gives me the sensation like when I was child and I had fun playing, that wasn't the case anymore in Europe for many reasons.

“I believe from a media standpoint, Europe was too much. I had to prove something match after match, which is something I did my entire career. They don't give you the time to enjoy the fact you play football.”

Higuain, who missed a penalty on his debut for Inter Miami, is already up and running for his new club and believes he can deliver the goods in MLS after becoming the first of what Manchester United and Real Madrid legend Beckham hopes will be many marquee additions in Fort Lauderdale.

Emmanuel  Dennis hopes to inspire Belgian side Club Brugge to victory over Zenit Saint Petersburg when they meet in Tuesday’s Champions League.  

The Super Eagles forward has shone in the top European competition in the past, scoring spectacular goals in the competition.

His memorable performance in the tournament was against La Liga giants Real Madrid last season when he bagged a brace away at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The forward’s showings generated interests from a number of European clubs but with no concrete offer he continued his stay at Jan Breydel Stadium.  

Dennis has featured in six Begian First Division A game in the current campaign and provided an assist in his side’s last outing against Standard Liege to help them avoid defeat.

The 22-year-old is hoping to deliver another eye-catching displays agaist the Russian club at Gazprom Arena on Tuesday night.

“I always score against the big teams,” Dennis told Belgian magazine Het Nieuwsblad.

Club Bugge will be without their top striker Michael Krmencik against in the encounter and Dennis , who has played prominently as a winger for his side, is willing to feature for the club as a centre-forward in his quest to ensure they secure victory.

 “I can play there if I have to. But I am not a striker. Put that in large letters above your interview. I am a flank player,” he added.

Dennis has been at Jan Breydel Stadium since the summer of 2017 when he joined the club from Ukrainian side Zorya Luhansk.

The forward has scored more than 21 goals across all competitions for the Blue and Black, including his nine strikes last season to help them emerge as the league’s champions.

Dennis will hope to continue his impressive showings for his club to boost hs regular call-up to the Super Eagles.

The forward has two caps for the three-time African champons since he made his international debut against Ukraine in September 2019.

Son Heung-min believes Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho has been misunderstood over the course of his career, and admitted he was 'amazed' when he got the chance to work with one of the game's ultimate winners for the first time last year.

Speaking to Goal at an Amazon Prime event to promote the All Or Nothing: Tottenham Hotspur documentary, South Korea international Son insisted Mourinho's reputation for falling out with players has not been in evidence in his first year as Spurs boss.

The documentary showed the former Porto, Chelsea, Inter, Real Madrid and Manchester United manager being brutally honest with his players at times, yet Son suggests that approach is welcome for a team and a club trying to win their first major trophy since 2008. 

"Some people misunderstand the manager," states Son. "Maybe they have a different opinion compared to what he really is, but we see him every day and it is a great atmosphere at the training ground. 

"We laugh and smile at training every day and you can see that in the Amazon video. He has a winning mentality and we all believe he can bring us success and take us to the next level. 

"He has been amazing with us and I will always remember how I felt when he first came to the club and became my manager. 

"It was on an international break when we got the news that [Mauricio] Pochettino was leaving. I was really sad because everyone had a really good relationship with him. 

"Then we have the arrival of a manager who is one of the most successful in football. It was just incredible. The first time I met him, I didn't believe it because I was watching him when I was a kid winning so many trophies. Now I'm working together with him. 

"Now we are together for one year and it has been fantastic. Last season was difficult at times with all the injuries, but we have started this season so well and I just want to keep this feeling and achieve success with him."

Son's sentiments are echoed by Tottenham's Argentine forward Erik Lamela, who has insisted he is ready for the challenge of forcing his way into Mourinho's side despite a host of high-profile summer signings led by the return of Gareth Bale on loan from Real Madrid.

"Whatever people might say about him, I find Mourinho to be a really nice person and we smile with him every day," says Lamela of his manager. "He is very honest with the players and we have a good relationship with him. Also, he is a winner and we want to win with him.

"The moment when the manager comes in was very strange for us and you will see the reaction of the players when we see him for the first time on the Amazon documentary. We didn't know Pochettino was leaving and suddenly Mourinho was there.  

"We had so long with Pochettino, so it was sad when he was not here anymore, but there is always the next game and that's all you can think about. Now we know Mourinho and everyone is very happy working with him."

All or Nothing: Tottenham Hotspur is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video now.

Sergio Ramos will miss Real Madrid's clash with Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League while Eden Hazard's fitness is improving as he nears a comeback from injury.

Los Blancos captain Ramos took a knock to his knee in Saturday's shock 1-0 La Liga loss to Cadiz and was absent from Tuesday's training session ahead of the club's opening European fixture of the 2020-21 campaign at Santiago Bernabeu.

With the first Clasico of the season against Barcelona taking place on Saturday, head coach Zinedine Zidane said he was unlikely to risk exacerbating the issue.

"There's an issue with Sergio Ramos, he hasn't trained with the team," Zidane told a pre-match news conference on Tuesday.

"We won't take any risks with the players; the players have to be fit. He's got a knock, we have to wait and see how he feels, it's true today he didn't train at the same tempo as his team-mates."

While Ramos is a fresh injury concern, forward Eden Hazard – whose time at Madrid has been blighted by fitness woes – remains a longer-term absentee.

The Belgium international, who is yet to feature this campaign, was set to return to action last month but sustained a muscle complaint during his recovery from an ankle injury.

Offering an update on Hazard, Zidane said: "Eden has been back out on the training pitch but that injury was a bit more than we hoped.

"He's in good hands and hopefully shortly he'll be back and he'll stay fit and hopefully he'll be able to play for the full season without further setbacks."

Madrid were well below their best against Cadiz, mustering just two shots on target despite having almost 75 per cent of the possession.

Zidane's side have scored just six goals in five La Liga games, but the coach, while accepting his team deserved the criticism that came their way, said there will be plenty of peaks and troughs in a busy campaign.

"I think we deserved the criticism as published following that defeat, but now it's our opportunity to turn the tide, turn that corner and hopefully you'll see a different Real Madrid," he said.

"I think whenever things have been tough, this team have stepped up and produced the goods. There are moments during the season when there are dips in form.

"The other day we could have done things better and I'm convinced we can do things better.

"I think you have to look at the bigger picture. If you look at not just us, others too, no clubs have started in brilliant fashion, teams have struggled. There will be days when we do things very, very well."

Liverpool may be tempted to make a “stellar” signing such as Kalidou Koulibaly in January, says Don Hutchison, with the potential there for the Reds to counter the loss of Virgil van Dijk to injury and piece together a “sensational pairing” for the future.

The Reds have seen a talismanic presence at the heart of their back four ruled out for several months.

A reckless challenge from Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford during an eventful Merseyside derby has left Van Dijk nursing knee ligament damage and requiring surgery.

His absence promises to hit Jurgen Klopp’s side hard, as he has become an integral part of Champions League and Premier League title-winning plans, with there currently no cover of a similar standard on the books at Anfield.

That could change when the next transfer window opens, with Hutchison among those tipping Liverpool to dip back into the market for another proven centre-half.

The former Reds midfielder has told ESPN FC: “You get a general feeling when you are watching a side, whether it be Tottenham and it’s Harry Kane or Man United and Bruno Fernandes or Man City and Sergio Aguero, you have a feeling as a fan and wonder who’s the one person that you wouldn’t want to lose out of this Liverpool side to a long-term injury?

“If it happened to [Sadio] Mane or [Mohamed] Salah or [Roberto] Firmino, there are people like [Takumi] Minamino and [Diogo] Jota who can fill in, likewise in midfield.

“But you take Virgil van Dijk out of this Liverpool side - arguably one of the best centre-halves in Europe, the best by a country mile in the Premier League – it’s going to dent the optimism of Liverpool fans believing they can hold onto the title.

“If they can try and get through to January, with the window not too far away, it might push Jurgen Klopp, the staff and the guys above him to maybe go for a Koulibaly or one of those stellar signings to try and sure up that problem.

“Then when Virgil van Dijk does come back, you could have a sensational pairing.

“I just think if you take him out of the side, and Alisson is missing for the next couple of weeks or months, that’s a difficult ask to go unbeaten and rack up the wins.”

Liverpool have seen a move for Koulibaly mooted in the past, with the Napoli defender widely considered to sit alongside Van Dijk in the pool of finest centre-halves in European football.