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Dinamo-BSUPC head coach Yuri Ivanovich has revealed he is ready to unleash Rhoda Mulaudzi and Lebohang Ramalepe on Bobruichanka in the semi-final of the Belarusian Women's Cup on Wednesday.

The Belarusian top-flight newcomers completed the signing of the South African duo from Sasol Women's League sides Polokwane FC and Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies, respectively, on Friday.

Ramalepe, who sealed her first move abroad, has earned 50 caps for Banyana, featuring at three Africa Women's Cup of Nations and the 2016 Olympic Games, and was part of three Cosafa Cup-winning squads. 

Before now, Mulaudzi starred for Cyprus' Apollon Ladies and Australia's Canberra United before helping Sundowns Ladies claim the Safa National Women's League title, with 36 goals in 15 games.

Following their signing announcement for the rest of the season, they could not earn their first appearances in Sunday's 4-0 at Bobruichanka.

With a 5-1 semi-final first-leg lead against Bobruichanka, the manager is set to hand the South Africa internationals their debuts as he vowed to change the side that thrashed the same foes on Sunday.

"If we manage to announce the girls before the second match of the Belarusian Women's Cup semi-final, then on Wednesday they will be on the football field," Ivanovich told the club website.

In last week's triumph, the manager rested the club's joint-topscorer Salimata Simpore and has offered a response to questions about the Burkina Faso striker's absence against Bobruichanka.

"We have girls  'on the cards' and she is one of them, and therefore I was a little afraid," she explained. 

"Simpore is a rather aggressive, mobile player who does a good power struggle, for this reason, he decided to keep it until the 14th round."

Dinamo will hope to maintain their impressive run of form, having recorded victories in all competitions this season, at home against Bobruichanka to seal a final spot against Minsk or Neman.

Stellenbosch FC have announced the promotion of Jayden Adams from the club's reserve team. 

The 18-year-old midfielder caught the eye while playing for the Stellies reserve team in the Multichoice Diski Challenge (MDC).

This was before the 2019/20 season was halted due to the coronavirus pandemic in March with Stellenbosch placed seventh on the MDC standings. 

Adams' exploits in the reserve league have not gone unnoticed as he has been promoted to Stellies' first team after signing a long-term contract.

"Jayden Adams (18) puts pen to paper on a long term deal with Stellebbosch FC," a club statement read on Wednesday afternoon.

With Stellenbosch having been established in 2016, Adams has become the first academy player to sign a professional contract with the club's first team.

"Adams becomes the first Academy graduate to sign a professional contract with the club," another statement read.

The Western Cape-based side has decided to beef up its squad after losing influential midfielder-come-striker Iqraam Rayners to SuperSport United.

The 24-year-old player has signed a pre-contract with SuperSport earlier this year and Stellies decided to release him last month.

Stellies also parted ways former Kaizer Chiefs central defender Morgan Gould last month, with the 37-year-old player having made only 11 appearances in the league for the team this season.

The 2018/19 National First Division (NFD) champions are busy with their preparations with the current season set to resume this weekend with the Nedbank Cup semi-finals matches taking place.

The suspended campaign will be completed in a Biologically Safe Environment (BSE) in Gauteng between August and September 2020.

Stellenbonsch were eliminated from this season's Nedbank Cup by Maritzburg United in February and they will focus solely on their Premier Soccer League (PSL) campaign.

Steve Barker's side has been drawn to play their remaining home league matches at Tuks Stadium which is also known as Absa Stadium. 

Coach Barker is familiar with the venue which is owned by the University of Pretoria, who were coached by the experienced tactician between 2008 and 2014.

Stellenbosch will lock horns with Lamontville Golden Arrows at Tuks Stadium next week Saturday.

Charlie Nicholas expects Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to stay put as he doesn't believe Barcelona can afford him, or that Manchester United are a bigger club than Arsenal.

Aubameyang's future at Arsenal has been up in the air in recent months, with the Gunners now looking at accelerating talks over a new deal for the 31-year-old.

Mikel Arteta is optimistic he will commit to fresh terms, but there are plenty of potential suitors keeping a close eye on his situation.

Barcelona, United, Juventus and Real Madrid have all been linked with Aubameyang, and it has been suggested that he could be tempted by a high-profile switch.

However, Arsenal's chances of convincing the Gabon international he can still achieve his lofty goals at the Emirates improved following their 2-1 FA Cup final win over Chelsea last weekend, during which he grabbed both goals to take his tally for the season to 29 in all competitions.

Nicolas doesn't think a potential switch to United will hold appeal to Aubameyang, and he is not certain that a move abroad is realistic either given the uncertainty of the financial climate amid the coronavirus crisis.

Former Gunners striker Nicolas said during an interview with Off The Ball: "I do genuinely believe if I said to Aubameyang right now that there’s two in England that are bigger than Arsenal: there’s Liverpool and Manchester City.

"Does he really want to go and join Manchester United? Are they getting closer? My answer is 'no'. I think Manchester City and Liverpool are still way out there.

"I don’t think Juventus are miles ahead, Barcelona are struggling for cash and I don’t think Real Madrid are so rich as what they were and what they want.

"So I’m finding that for one of the best strikers and certainly one of the best finishers in world football, I am very optimistic about him being in the red and white of Arsenal."

Asked where Aubameyang ranks in terms of the best strikers in world football, Nicholas responded: "He’s right up there and that’s why I can see Real Madrid and Juventus looking at buying him because they’re all trying to do deals to sell off as they need some money – everybody needs it, Barcelona included. 

"Then they’re trying to work out who is cheaper and who is the best buy and because of Aubameyang’s age, people try to look at that number. 

"At one stage if was suggested around £30 million for Aubameyang and I thought: 'who put that number on him?! That’s ridiculous!'"

Nicolas added on the ex-Borussia Dortmund man being happy in north London: "The lifestyle that Aubameyang has got at Arsenal in London is stardust and I think he likes that.

"I think he plays on that. He’s got his supercars and he can do whatever he wants because he’s the king.

"He helped make Dortmund become a big club again after being in the doldrums and maybe this is how he sees Arsenal – being in the doldrums and gradually getting right back to the top again and him being a major fabric of that.

"We have to be careful that we don’t get carried away because he might just say one day, 'I’m not re-signing' but the small choices that he has, I think we fit him perfectly."

Champions League and Europa League action will resume this month after both tournaments were suspended in March following the outbreak of the coronavirus.

After nearly four months of suspension, the knockout stages of both 2019-20 competitions will begin again imminently - though not without some substantial changes.

Goal has everything you need to know about how to watch this year's UCL and UEL matches on television, when the games will take place and more.

Explained: Champions League 2020 tournament

Contents

Champions League round of 16

Manchester City head into their round of 16 fixture against Real Madrid with a narrow 2-1 lead, while Juventus trail Lyon 1-0.

Chelsea will attempt to overturn a 3-0 deficit when they face off against Bayern Munich, and Barcelona and Napoli will battle it out following a 1-1 stalemate in the first leg.

Champions League quarter-finals

UEFA announced on June 17 that due to the spread of Covid-19, the remaining stages of the Champions League would change significantly, format-wise.

The quarter-finals, semi-finals and final stages will played in a single-leg format instead of the traditional two-legged format, beginning on August 12, 2020 to August 23, 2020.

Additionally, the games will no longer be played at each stadium's respective home venues. They will be played at neutral venues in Portugal: the Estadio da Luz and Estadio Jose Alvalade. All matches are set to be played behind closed doors.

Champions League semi-finals

Both semi-finals featuring the winners of the quarter-finals will take place at the Estadio da Luz and Estadio Jose Alvalade in Lisbon.

Champions League final

The Champions League final will take place on August 23, 2020 at the Estadio da Luz.

The 2019-20 final was set to be played at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey, but the venue will now host the 2020-21 final instead.

Europa League round of 16

Only six of the eight first-leg matches of the Europa League round of 16 were played in March before the rest of the games were postponed due to the spread of Covid-19.

UEFA announced on June 17 that the remaining second-leg matches will be played from August 5-6, at the home team's stadium.

The two ties that had yet to play their first legs, however, will now be played in a single-leg format instead at neutral grounds in Germany.

Inter vs Getafe will be played at Arena AufSchalke, Gelsenkirchen, while Sevilla vs Roma will be played at MSV-Arena in Duisburg.

Europa League quarter-finals

The Europa League quarter-finals will take place from August 10-11 2020 at neutral stadiums in Germany.

Europa League semi-finals

The Europa League semi-finals will take place on August 16 & 17 2020, at RheinEnergieStadion in Cologne and Merkur Spiel-Arena in Dusseldorf.

Europa League final

The Europa League final will be played on August 23, 2020 at the RheinEnergieStadion in Cologne.

Jose Marcelo Ferreira (Ze Maria) has claimed to coach Kenya’s giants Gor Mahia was like managing Brazilian top sides Flamengo or Corinthians.

Ze Maria led the Green Army to the 2015 Kenyan Premier League (KPL) title with an unbeaten run before he abruptly resigned in 2017.

“I arrived in Nairobi and, when I got off the plane, I almost caught fire. The sun burns on your skin. I walked down the road and there were zebras on the other side,” Ze Maria told The Guardian.

“I was having lunch next to Lake Victoria and a guy came over and said: ‘Careful if you see any waves here because it might be a hippopotamus.’

“People wondered what I was doing there. ‘Ze Maria who played for Brazil and Inter?’ They wanted to touch me. People wanted to hear my stories.

“It was the biggest club in Kenya, so every game was like managing Flamengo or Corinthians in Brazil. The stadium was packed.”

The Brazilin spoke about the challenges he encountered but declared Africa has talent but the big problem is the lack of opportunities to push them to bigger leagues.

“There were difficulties. Sometimes you go to a stadium where the players don’t all fit in the changing room, so you have to change on the bus,” the former KF Tirana coach said.

“But the passion is absurd. African players are technically similar to Brazilians, but they lack opportunities to move to bigger leagues. Because of the pitches, when you dribble, the ball would bounce a metre up in the air, but the quality with which they controlled and conducted it, not even a Brazilian would do that.”

Ze Maria also added his voice to matters of racism, an issue that has continued to generate debate especially in the world of sports.

“I was going to move to Verona but I didn’t go because the fans thought there should not be a black player in their team,” he concluded.

“I’ve been to cities where I was booed, along with other players of colour, like [Lilian] Thuram. When it happened, I responded by dedicating myself even more. That was my way of showing up their stupidity. They harmed their own clubs.

“They lost on the pitch and were fined off it. But in the following game, the same thing happened again. That’s why I say it’s unlikely that it’ll change. It’s sad that people don’t learn.

“We need a 180-degree turn and that requires courage. It requires courage from club presidents and the people in charge. When a coach of colour takes over at a big club, he has to be the best, otherwise, he will be fired quickly.

“We’re not asking for much. I just want the same amount of time a white manager would have. If the opportunity comes for me to coach a big club in Brazil or Europe, I am qualified to do it well.”

When Ze Maria resigned as Gor Mahia coach, he later signed Kenneth Muguna and Musa Mohamed for the Albanian side but the two returned after a short stint in Europe.

Manchester City winger Ferran Torres has explained how he spoke to Pep Guardiola prior to signing for the Premier League club, insisting that his words helped convince him that he was making the right decision.

Guardiola's side completed the signing of the Spaniard on Tuesday for a £21 million ($27m) fee, with Torres being brought in following Leroy Sane's exit to Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.

The 21-year-old has explained how everything happened late regarding City's interest, and that he had enquiries from other "very big clubs" before ultimately deciding to head to England.

He told Marca: "Everything was done late with City. The first contact was with Valencia and they said that they wanted to speak with us. Then we reached an agreement before they negotiated with Valencia.

"I was very nervous that day. My agent was in Manchester with the club and he called me to tell me they had an agreement and I'd play for City. It's a club who want to win everything so I think I'll improve a lot here. Very big teams called but I have to keep that to myself."

On his talks with Guardiola, he added "He congratulated me and gave me peace of mind. It calmed me down and made me want to sign even more.

"[I want] to work, adapt quickly and learn. The more competition you have, the better you become. You always have to be at your best because otherwise you'll be on the bench.

"On the one hand, I'm excited and happy, but at the same time I'm sad because I'm leaving my club. Valencia game me everything and trained me since I was seven. I've had hard times there and that's why I ended up leaving, but I want to emphasise that I'm very grateful to Valencia and will always support them."

Indeed, Torres, who came through Valencia's academy system and made his first-team debut back in 2017, was left frustrated at his acrimonious exit from the Liga club, revealing that he had wanted to stay put.

In a message to the Los Che supporters, he said: "Thank you for everything. I always felt your support and encouragement. I'm sorry if I've offended anyone with my departure, that was never my intention, but what has happened has forced me to take a different path from the one I always dreamed of."

Discussing City's chances against Real Madrid in the Champions League last-16 second leg, with Guardiola's men 2-1 ahead from the first meeting, he continued: "City did well at [Santiago] Bernabeu. Madrid are a great team but I don't think they'll get through."

Tema Youth president Wilfred Kwaku Osei 'Palmer' has rubbished reports of receiving the verdict of his legal battle with the Ghana Football Association (GFA) at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Tuesday.

The tribunal was expected to announce the outcome of what has been a prolonged challenge, having rescheduled the date of their ultimate decision from July 17 to August 4.

Palmer dragged the national football's governing body to court over the displeasure of being "unfairly" disqualified from the GFA's presidential election in October last year.

“Contrary to reports suggesting our lawyers have received the much-anticipated ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), we wish to establish the fact that our lawyers are yet to receive the ruling from CAS," Palmer said in a statement released on Wednesday morning.

“CAS has not given any reason for the delay, but we are hopeful that in due course the ruling will be sent to both parties involved.”

Ghanaian media were left disappointed on Tuesday as CAS failed to announce the outcome of their hearing on Tuesday as planned.

However, Techiman Eleven Wonders chief executive officer Albert Commey, believed to be in the camp of the GFA, claimed both parties have received the verdict.

"Both Palmer and GFA have received the summary of the verdict but it is up to Palmer who is the complainant to release it to the public," Commey claimed on Angel FM.

"I will not blame the GFA if they decide to hold on to the verdict because they are not the complainant."

Palmer was disqualified from contesting for the presidential seat, which became vacant following the exit of Kwesi Nyantakyi, by a Fifa/Caf Normalisation Committee which briefly administered football in Ghana during the search for a new GFA boss. The decision was taken on the recommendation of the Vetting Committee.

His exclusion left behind six candidates for the October election which was ultimately won by Kurt Edwin Simeon Okraku.

Palmer initially appealed the Normalisation Committee's decision but moved on to seek redress at CAS after failing at national level.

Should the former Black Stars Management Committee member's appeal be upheld, there could be an order for an all-new election to be organised.

Alternatively, the GFA could be handed a fine while the status quo stays but Palmer was cleared to compete in future elections. 

Bidvest Wits midfielder Haashim Domingo has vowed to fight for his current team and upset his soon-to-be employers Mamelodi Sundowns during Saturday’s Nedbank Cup semi-final showdown at Orlando Stadium.

After GladAfrica Championship side Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila bought Wits’ Premier Soccer League (PSL) status, Downs have moved in to secure Domingo together with his Wits midfield partner Gift Motupa and goalkeeper Ricardo Goss.

Although Domingo is not comfortable focusing on his future with the Brazilians, for now, facing a team he would soon be calling home does not appear as a drawback to his ambition of helping Wits bow out on a high.

“I can't comment about that for now [playing against his new employers]. I'm honouring my Wits contract and concerning joining them next season, I can't comment on that," Domingo told Sowetan Live.

“Right now, I am a Wits player and that's what it's going to be. I am going to fight for them. We want to go to the final and Sundowns also have that mentality of wanting to go to the final.

“So it is just a matter of giving our all and leave everything on the field and we will see what the outcome is. We have to write our own history with the club that's almost 100 years old. For us as players we need to get some silverware irrespective of whatever happens, you know.

“We need to show that we are better than everything that went on and write our own stories. Hopefully, we will be in the final and we can say that irrespective of what happened with the club, us as professional footballers we still fought and that will mean a lot.”

Having been inactive for almost five months owing to the suspension of football in South Africa due to the coronavirus, Domingo says that is no excuse of them returning to action while not at their best.

"We have not played too, it is not like Sundowns have been playing matches and we were not. So I think the game will be interesting and it will be up to who wants it at the end of the day. We are looking forward to it, we know it is not going to be easy but we are excited about it,” said Domingo.

Bloemfontein Celtic and Baroka FC will square off in another semi-final at the same venue earlier on Saturday.

It was an honour to play alongside David Silva, according to former Manchester City defender Kolo Toure – who marvelled at how the Spain playmaker combined with his brother Yaya.

Silva will bring down the curtain on a 10-year City career when they conclude their 2019-20 campaign this month.

Friday's Champions League last-16 encounter with Real Madrid, for which Pep Guardiola's side hold a 2-1 advantage, could prove his final game in sky blue.

Silva won the first of his four Premier League titles in 2011-12, Toure's penultimate season at the Etihad Stadium before joining Liverpool, while the pair featured in the 2011 FA Cup run that concluded with City ending a 35-year trophy drought.

"We called him El Maestro," the former Arsenal centre-back told Stats Perform News. "He's a fantastic player, technically unbelievable. I loved to play with him, especially with Yaya.

"All you had to do was pass them the ball. Yaya would come next to you, to get the ball, then Yaya would see David ahead and send the ball up quickly and the attack was on."

Toure remarked upon how the diminutive Silva's capacity to sharply read the game helped him to negotiate the physical demands of the Premier League.

"David doesn't go to fight, he looks for gaps, for space to play between lines to help players," he explained. "He doesn't look for fights, he doesn't need that. He just looks to help players. It was an honour to play with him."

Silva's exit comes a year after long-serving captain Vincent Kompany called time on a decade with City, while Yaya Toure left in 2018 having proved similarly influential.

Toure has no doubt his younger sibling should be rightly recognised among the finest performers the Premier League has seen; a midfielder ranking alongside celebrated England duo Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard.

"Yaya at one point was the most influential player in the league," he added. "Scoring goals, making assists - scoring crucial goals.

"On the other side there are lots of things that have distracted his life, but Yaya is a legend in the Premier League, not just because he's my brother, but because he's a top player.

"Like Gerrard, Lampard. They were the best. He could score goals, pass, and run the game – a top player."

Lionel Messi has paid tribute to Real Madrid hero Iker Casillas following his retirement, insisting the shot stopper's "status as a legend of the game was secured long ago."

Casillas called time on an illustrious 22-year career on Tuesday, as he delivered a heartfelt message to his followers on social media announcing his decision.

He wrote on social media: “The most important thing is the path you travel and the people who accompany you, not the destination that it takes you. I think I can say, without hesitation, that this has been the right path and the dream destination. Thanks.”

Casillas served as Madrid's No 1 goalkeeper between 1999 and 2015, winning five La Liga titles and four European Cups, while also racking up 725 appearances for the club.

The 39-year-old also enjoyed unprecedented success on the international stage, helping Spain secure back-to-back European Championships with a 2010 World Cup triumph wedged in between.

Barcelona superstar Messi came up against Casillas on numerous occasions while he was at Santiago Bernabeu, with their battles in El Clasico destined to live long in the memory of supporters from both clubs.

The six-time Ballon d'Or winner acknowledged the Spaniard's achievements after seeing him hang up his gloves, telling AS: "Iker is retiring today, but his status as a legend of the game was secured long ago - not just because he was one of La Liga's best players, but also because he won everything at international level."

Messi also addressed Casillas directly to thank the shot-stopper for bringing the best out of him, adding: "You’re a fantastic goalkeeper and were a really tough opponent, I have to say. Looking back, I think it was a really special rivalry that pushed us to reach new levels every time we came up against each other."

Casillas took on a new challenge in the Primeira Liga after leaving Madrid, signing a two-year contract with Porto.

The veteran keeper added another two league titles to his collection while featuring in 156 games in all competitions, before being struck down with a heart attack in May 2019.

The Madrid great moved into a coaching role at Porto after making a full recovery, and publicly expressed his desire to run for the presidency of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) in March.

Casillas ended up withdrawing his candidacy amid the coronavirus outbreak, with his next role in the game set to begin back at the Bernabeu as an advisor to Madrid president Florentino Perez.

New Manchester City signing Ferran Torres has expressed his frustration at the Valencia hierarchy for how they handled his exit, insisting that he was told back in 2019 that he would be the fifth-choice winger at the club.

It was confirmed on Tuesday that Pep Guardiola's side had secured a £21 million ($27m) deal to sign the Spaniard, who is rated as one of Europe's top emerging talents.

Torres has, however, painted a bleak picture of his situation with the Liga side, insisting that he made the decision to leave after the club told him they weren't counting on him as an important first-team player heading into the 2019-20 season.

He told Marca when asked when he first thought about leaving: "I started thinking about it last summer after the European Under-19 Championship. The club told me personally that they weren't counting on me. They literally said that I was the fifth winger in the squad, that reinforcements were coming and other players from other positions were ahead of me.

"It was a very hard blow for me, but what was worse was that they even put me on the market and offered me to teams in Spain. There were calls from 12 La Liga clubs, including Levante and one Segunda Division club. That's when I started thinking about leaving.

"The problem is that there are people within the club and a few journalists who are determined to damage my image. I don't want to leave on bad terms because I'm a Valencia fan.

"When the club decided to put me in the first team I began to come under pressure and criticism. It wasn't just me, but they wanted to harm my representatives and my family.

"The same people who now campaign against me said then that I would fail, which hurt a lot at 17. I have to say that there were other journalists who treated me with love and respect. There are, though, club employees working to smear my image.

"I'm sure I can [return to Valencia one day]. I refuse to think otherwise. Even if there are crooked people. A lot of them won't be there in a few years and I'll have shown that I deserve to return."

Torres, who made 44 appearances in all competitions for Los Che during the 2019-20 season, also revealed the conditions involved for his contract renewal with the Liga club, prior to the agreement being reached with City.

He said: "One was for [Valencia owner] Peter Lim to be involved so that I knew I was important, another was to be captain as I had seen other clubs do, [Atletico Madrid] with Fernando Torres, for example, and the third was to be one of the highest paid players. I wanted two of the three, but none were fulfilled.

"I wanted to stay and I put forward the conditions to do so. They weren't above the club's means. I know they're not in the same position as big European clubs, but I was able to lead that project and wanted to be treated as such. The club didn't want to keep me."

The 21-year-old went on to discuss his indifferent relationship with club captain Dani Parejo, adding: "After three years I'm more mature and mentally stronger, but at 17, no. He's a great player but I never had a relationship with him.

"When I joined the first team at 17, a number of weeks passed before he said a simple 'good morning' to me. He wasn't a good captain with me. The worst of it came after [former Valencia head coach] Marcelino's departure when [Lee] Kang-in and I were seen as culprits in the dressing room and they stopped talking to us for weeks."

Bidvest Wits midfielder Thabang Monare has revealed how his friendship with Mamelodi Sundowns star Andile Jali is helping both of them to always be on their toes whenever taking to the field.  

The two players are likely to face each other when the Students visit the Brazilians in the semi-finals of the Nedbank Cup on Saturday night, and Monare admits they cannot avoid each other on the field. 

"Yes‚ we are very close friends and our rivalry on the field is healthy," Monare told Sowetan LIVE.

"It helps us to push each other so that we can be the best that we can be. We see it as part of pushing each other to the limits and competing against each other because of the position we play‚ we can’t avoid each other on the field," he said.

Jali is known as a tough-tackler but Monare said he will not pull out in a 50/50 situation with Jali just because they are close friends. 

"If there is a 50/50 situation during the match‚ I will go in to win the ball. That’s the way it is because we are competing for our teams," he continued. 

Monare recalled how the public came to know he was Jali's close friends after keeping it away from the fans for so long, including other players such as Lehlohonolo Majoro and Aubrey Ngoma.    

"Last time he called me out on social media and it got the attention of football fans.

"It was the first time he took our little personal attacks on WhatsApp to the public. We always chatted on our WhatsApp group which includes other good friends Aubrey Ngoma and Lehlohonolo Majoro," he added. 

"It is a funny group and before matches they will be telling us how they are going to smash us and we will be doing the same," 

The Malahleni-born midfielder has, however, admitted that they have not talked about the upcoming game but said Jali won't hear the end of it if Wits beat Sundowns and seal their passage to the Nedbank Cup final.   

"We haven’t really discussed the game but deep down we do know that we will be coming against each other. There is always that talk about us whenever Sundowns plays against Wits and this time is no different‚" he said.

"I know that he (Jali) wants to win and I also want to win. I have not won against him and I am dying to beat him because he will never hear the end of it.

"It is the same with him when Sundowns have beaten us‚ he talks about it a lot to try to get to me. That is also part of the motivation and he will not hear the end of it if we win on Saturday.”

Toulouse midfielder Max Gradel rejected an offer from Arsenal to start his professional career with Leicester City in League One because they presented different assurances.

The 32-year-old had a four-month trial with the Gunners, but snubbed a scholarship offer to continue his development in North London. However, he opted to join the Leicester City academy with the promise of getting his professional career started at the club.

Gradel signed his first professional contract with the Foxes in 2007 and he spent four years at the club before completing a permanent move to Leeds United in 2010.

“One was the chance to become a professional footballer,” he told the Athletic when asked about the Arsenal snub.

“That’s the point — not just a footballer but a professional footballer. It was my dream and having a scholarship didn’t mean as much. Lots of players with scholarships don’t make it.”

During his stint at Leicester City, the Ivory Coast international was loaned out to Bournemouth in 2007-08 and Leeds United in the 2009-10 season.

The 32-year-old recalled how desperate he was to play at Elland Road by paying for his hotel accommodation.

“I was ready to use my own money. The club didn’t make me pay in the end but I was ready to do it,” he said.

“In Africa, the way we are and the way we think, we don’t need much to make things happen.

“To play in the street, you need a street and a ball. That’s it. So we played football all the time and every day.”

Toulouse are resigned to losing Gradel this summer following their relegation to Ligue 2, bringing an end to his two-year stay at the club.

The former Saint-Etienne midfielder did not hide his aspiration to return to Leeds United for their Premier League campaign next season, and he also expressed his admiration for Argentine manager Marcelo Bielsa.

“He looks crazy and they tell you he’s crazy but he’s not,” Gradel said of Bielsa. “To me, he knows exactly what he’s doing. I don’t know him but I know this.

“There’s always a chance. While you’re still playing, there’s always a chance. Leeds are family. Leeds are Leeds. If it was to happen one day, I couldn’t be happier.”

Manchester City are "more than a match" for Real Madrid but they must be wary of Karim Benzema's threat in the final third, says Joleon Lescott.

City will welcome Madrid to Etihad Stadium on Friday for the second-leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie, with the aggregate score currently standing at 2-1.

Pep Guardiola's men earned a famous win at Santiago Bernabeu in February thanks to goals from Gabriel Jesus and Kevin de Bruyne, and only need a draw in Manchester to progress to the quarter-finals.

The Blancos put that disappointment behind them to clinch a 34th La Liga title last month after an impressive run of form post-coronavirus lockdown, as they won 10 of their final 11 fixtures to dethrone Barcelona.

Madrid are still confident of a comeback against City as they bid for a domestic and European double, with Casemiro pointing out that Zinedine Zidane's men could benefit from the reverse fixture being played behind closed doors.

Lescott acknowledges the fact that the Spanish champions will provide a stern challenge even without their suspended captain Sergio Ramos, with it his belief that Benzema is the man to watch for his old club.

The former City defender says it will be crucial for Guardiola's men to keep the Frenchman quiet on the night, but also believes they are capable of producing another stellar performance against Madrid to progress to the last eight.

"Sergio Ramos is going to be a big miss for Real Madrid and they could look back on his red card as the defining moment in these games," Lescott told Football Index.

"Eden Hazard might well be back, but Benzema is still Real Madrid’s biggest threat. I don’t think Benzema gets enough credit for the number of goals he has scored consistently over a long period of time for the club.

"I think Varane is the best central defender in the world, alongside [Aymeric] Laporte and [Virgil] Van Dijk. Real Madrid have a lot of talent and accomplished world stars throughout their team, but Manchester City are more than a match for them.

"No-one will want to face Manchester City in the Champions League and that’s a big compliment for any team in an elite competition."

Lescott thinks City will ultimately prove too strong for Zidane's outfit despite the fact that they have benefitted from three weeks off since their last outing against Leganes.

"I see Manchester City beating Real Madrid again and progressing to the next round of the Champions League," he said. "It’s going to be tough, but the result in the first leg means Real Madrid know they need to score at least twice to stand a chance. I think that plays into Manchester City’s hands.

"It’s going to be a very different game to the first leg because Real Madrid are now in a much better place with more confidence having just won La Liga and playing well since the restart. The Real Madrid players have benefitted from a holiday before this game too."

Lescott added on City needing to win the Champions League to salvage their season: "I think by the standards that Manchester City and Guardiola, in particular, have set, the club needs to win the Champions League for this season to be considered a success.

"Manchester City have become accustomed to winning the Premier League and dominating the domestic cups, but they’ve fallen well short of Liverpool in the league and lost disappointingly to Arsenal in the FA Cup.

"The Champions League is a massive competition for Manchester City, If they were to go on and win the Champions League, that would be huge and we’d suddenly be looking at arguably the best season in the club’s history."

Police FC have intensified their transfer activities after landing the services of goalkeeper Oloka Sammon.

The 23-year-old has agreed to join the Ugandan Premier League (UPL) side after putting pen to paper on a three-year contract which has an option for extension.

Police have confirmed the arrival of Sammon on their social media pages by stating: “Police have acquired the services of 23-year-old keeper Oloka [Sammon] in a move to strengthen the department next season.

"Oloka put pen to paper on a three-year-deal at our offices in Kibuli, with an option for extension.”

On signing the new deal, Sammon told the media: “I really feel great joining Police. It was one of my aspirations to play in the top league. I am going to give it my best and the team should expect a good performance.”

Police CEO Fahad Lumu, who was present when the transfer was sealed, welcomed the player to ‘the Cops’ by saying: “He is young blood joining the club with a lot to learn and a new talent to look out for.

“With the 15 clean sheets kept from his former club, he will be an asset in our goalkeeping department.”

Goalkeeping coach Richard Kansole also spoke highly of the new signing by saying: “We are equipping our department to make it competitive in the coming season. The two signings [Oloka and Ikara] will be instrumental to the club and we have hope in them.”

Before signing for Police, Sammon previously turned out for Federation of Uganda Football Association (Fufa) regional league teams, Lukaya Town Council Football club, and Northern Elephant.

He managed to keep 15 clean sheets with Lukaya Town in the previous season attracting scouts in the process.

His arrival comes just a week after the club beat UPL champions Vipers SC and URA FC to the services of another experienced keeper Tom Ikara.

Ikara was a target for the two giants but opted to sign for the ambitious Police side, who have also captured the services of former Uganda Cranes midfielder Tony Mawejje.

Gor Mahia electoral board chairman Henry Ogoye has promised the polling exercise will take a record five minutes.

The Green Army’s registered members are expected to vote for the vice-chairman and the honorary treasurer since Ambrose Rachier stands elected as chairman as no one showed interest to challenge him for the influential position.

Sam Ochola will become the new secretary-general as he also did not receive any challenger in the August 8 elections.

The virtual elections are expected to be carried out by the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK), the only body allowed to conduct online elections.

“We have decided to issue the code a day to the elections so as to address any issue that will arise and put to test the integrity of the whole process,” Ogoye said as was quoted by Nation Sports.

“We have completed the coding of candidates and all the voters. Those are the two important components of the virtually held polls.

“I can assure you the exercise will be free and fair. It will take a record five minutes to know the results.”

Ogoye further detailed how sensitive the process will be as only the registered members are expected to take part in the matter.

“A voter should not share his code because it cannot be used to vote on his behalf,” the chair added.

“The code is synchronised since it will ask for the Identity number which must correspond to the Mpesa SMS. The link will be shared on the last day.”

Meanwhile, dissatisfied members have yet again reiterated their desire to have the elections stopped.

Through their lawyer Omondi Omollo, the members had laid down their demands of how they wanted the polls to be conducted.

They contested some of the eligibility requirements from candidates and said if their prayers were not going to be addressed, they are ready to petition the Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT) to stop the polls altogether.

“Saturday is still far,” Omollo said. “We are still working on our case and we will be heading there any time before the date of elections.”

Judith Nyangi, who has an interest in the honorary treasurer post, has publicly claimed the requirements for candidates to possess a degree are meant to lock her out of the race.

However, Rachier maintained the eligibility test were applied to help the club elect competent officials.

Kakamega Homeboyz chairman Cleophas Shimanyula has taken a swipe at AFC Leopards for their repeated declaration they are keen to sign Peter Thiong’o.

The attacking midfielder has also on many occasions openly stated he would love to leave Homeboyz for a new challenge and Ingwe have come out as one of the teams keen to acquire his services.

However, Shimanyula has now told Goal Thiong’o is a Homeboyz player and will not leave the club and went on further to accuse AFC Leopards of unsettling the player.

“AFC Leopards are simply broke and cannot afford to buy Peter [Thiong’o], they should try to sign players from elsewhere, they don’t have money to pay for the player and we all know they are struggling financially,” Shimanyula told Goal on Wednesday.

“The problem with [Thiong’o] is that he is a young boy who has gotten carried away with telling his stories to the media, I guess he likes to be seen in the newspapers and online all the time, he has not approached us that he wants to leave and I don’t think he will leave this season.

“I have just seen rumours AFC Leopards are interested but honestly speaking, they don’t have money to pay for his services, I know they cannot afford him so we should not discuss the player anyway.”

Thiong’o was part of the Homeboyz squad that did exceptionally well in the 2019-20 campaign where they almost beat Gor Mahia to the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) title before the season ended prematurely owing to the effects caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

After ending the season, Gor Mahia were declared champions on 54 points, while Homeboyz finished second, seven points behind and they still had a game in hand.

Shimanyula is still adamant Gor Mahia were lucky to be crowned champions for the third season in a row as his side were in a very good position to beat them to the title before the pandemic.

“Gor Mahia should always thank their God because were it not for Covid-19, Homeboyz were primed to lift the crown,” Shimanyula continued.

“We only needed to win our remaining matches and I knew Gor Mahia was to lose because they still had tough matches to play, adding that to the game we still had in hand, then we were the favourites to win the title, not Gor Mahia.”

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) is yet to confirm when the new season will kick-off.

Tusker defender Eugene Asike has revealed how he misses football action since the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) was suspended due to the coronavirus.

With a case at Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT) lodged by KPL and Chemelil Sugar against the Football Kenya Federation's (FKF) move to cancel the league, the fate of the competition remains undecided.

The recent extension of public gathering by President Uhuru Kenyatta also raised concerns on when the next campaign could start.

Kenya's neighbours Uganda and Tanzania have already given tentative dates for the start of the 2020/21 season as October 17 and September 6 respectively.

"I miss the smell of wet grass, the nostalgia of pre-match adrenaline, the hard tackles and everything that comes with this beautiful game of football," Asike tweeted.

Meanwhile, Vihiga United striker Lawrence Luvanda has revealed how his short stint at AFC Leopards almost discouraged him from football.

Luvanda played a key part after Vihiga United were relegated at the end of the 2018/19 season and finished third when FKF cancelled the National Super League (NSL) this year.

Vihiga United will face off with Kisumu All-Stars in the play-offs to determine the side that will earn a KPL slot.

“When I completed Form Four at Chavakali High School, having captained the school team for two years, I had a lot of expectations,” Luvanda told The Star.

“I found myself at AFC Leopards but it was hard to compete with experienced and talented players which relegated me into a bench warmer.

“This affected me badly. However, some club officials and senior players encouraged me and asked me to remain patient and work hard but when the opportunity to join Vihiga United on loan came, I couldn’t hesitate.”

The club’s team manager Nick Yakhama revealed he has complete faith on the striker and said he is destined for bigger things in future.

“I believe Luvanda has what it takes to play at the top level if he maintains discipline and hard work. At his young age, he is on the right course. Let him learn from others and gather enough experience,” the former Kenya international said.

Luvanda, Dennis Wafula and Mike Isabwa formed a rather formidable striking unit for the Vihiga county club.