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Adama Traore "could easily play for Manchester City or Liverpool", according to Joleon Lescott, who has talked up the talents of the Wolves talisman.

Traore has been a bright spark for Wolves since moving to Molineux from Middlesbrough in the summer of 2018.

The 24-year-old has built on an encouraging first year with the club to establish himself as a key member of Nuno Espirito Santo's squad this season.

Traore has featured in 52 games for Wolves in 2019-20, scoring six goals while also providing 12 assists.

His performances helped the team secure a seventh-place Premier League finish, and he will be back in contention for a place in Santo's line up when they take on Olympiacos in their Europa League round of 16 second-leg tie on Thursday.

Traore has impressed enough to attract a number of high profile potential suitors, including Liverpool, Man City, Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Lescott certainly believes the talented attacker has the ability to play for one of England's top two clubs, after seeing him hone his skills at Molineux and add a "final product" to his game.

The former City defender told Football Index: "Adama Traore has the ability to play for any side in club football. Traore could easily play for a Manchester City or Liverpool. I have never seen such speed and strength on a football pitch before.

"Before this season, there were question marks over his game management and his final product, but he has really improved over the last 12 months.

"Traore has simplified his game and has taken his foot off the pedal. He used to sprint at his absolute fastest to beat defenders which meant he had no time to deliver a telling cross or shot.

"He now beats defenders only running at 80% which has given him that extra bit of time he needs to make the position count with a goal or assist. He was a star in the Premier League this season."

One man who now looks destined to complete a move to City is Bournemouth defender Nathan Ake, with Goal reporting that a £40 million ($52m) deal will likely be finalised in the coming days.

Lescott thinks the 25-year-old will be valuable addition to Pep Guardiola's ranks due to a combination of his Premier League experience and technical ability.

"I think Nathan Ake would be a very good signing for Manchester City if he does sign," the former England international added. "He’s an established Premier League defender and while Bournemouth were relegated, Ake has proven to be more than capable at this level.

"He probably didn’t perform as well this season as he would have liked, but he rarely has a bad game and his decision making is excellent. He loves to defend and he is comfortable on the ball so I could see him settling in well at Manchester City."

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.

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.

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.

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.

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."

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.”

Vipers SC have remained ambitious for the coming campaign after unveiling Simon Peter Njuba as their new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) on Wednesday.

The Venoms, who were crowned the Ugandan Premier League (UPL) champions when the 2019-20 campaign was prematurely ended owing to the effects caused by the coronavirus pandemic, have been very active in the transfer window and have now appointed Njuba to take over the void left by his namesake Peter Lwanga.

Lwanga was relieved of his duties three months ago and the club has been searching for a replacement with almost 85 applicants applying for the vacant role.

According to Vipers Legal Director and Executive member Alex Luganda, who presided over the handing over ceremony, Njuba was picked from a pool of 85 applicants and that the selection for the most important job at the Venoms was thoroughly and ethically done through a Human Resource firm whose final shortlist comprised of six names.

“It was a very competitive race,” Luganda told the club’s official website. “The firm confirmed to us the best candidate that will take us forward is Simon Peter Njuba. Our job now is to make sure we give him the necessary support.”

Njuba, who had previously worked for the club as the Transfer Match System (TMS) manager, will work on a two-year contract and will be tasked with providing proper management and direction to the club will take part in the Caf Champions League by virtue of being declared the league champions.

Speaking after taking over the oath of office, Njuba said: “I have some good experience in football. I have also dealt with the federation before so it will not be hard for me to manage this job. I will make sure I fulfil the obligations of the club.”

On the pressure of working for the league champions in Uganda, Njuba explained: “I am very humbled to work with champions and I am coming with a champion’s mentality. I also know the job comes with the pressure to deliver but I am prepared for the task at hand to ensure Vipers stay at the top; both sporting and management wise.”

Njuba’s appointment comes just a few weeks after the club moved to beef up their technical bench with the arrival of Paul Kiwanuka and Francis Mugerwa, who will work as assistants to head coach Fred Kajoba.

In the transfer market, Vipers have already signed three players among them midfielders Ibrahim Orit from Mbarara City, Jamil Kalisa from Bright Stars, and left-back Disan Galiwango from Express FC.

Neymar says he is in his "best form" since arriving at Paris Saint-Germain, and that he is ready to "fight" for Champions League glory.

PSG acquired the forward for a world-record fee of €222 million (£201m/$262m) in the summer of 2017, in a move which sent shockwaves through the European football landscape.

The Brazil international called time on a hugely successful four-year spell at Barcelona to undertake a new challenge in France, with a view to increasing his chances of winning the Ballon d'Or.

He hasn't quite been able to reach the same heights at Parc des Princes as he did at Camp Nou, despite scoring 70 goals in his first 82 appearances for Thomas Tuchel's side.

A string of serious injuries have hampered Neymar's progress at PSG, and he has often found himself in the headlines for his conduct away from the pitch rather than his brilliance on it.

However, since failing to manufacture a return to Barca last summer, the 28-year-old has rediscovered his best form to silence his critics and begin to justify his huge price tag.

The dynamic attacker's performances have helped PSG win a domestic treble and a place in the Champions League quarter-finals, with a huge showdown against Atalanta on the cards next Wednesday. 

Neymar is determined to help the club pick up an elusive piece of silverware this month, after putting the most "difficult" stage of his career firmly behind him.

"During these three years I have acquired a lot of knowledge," Neymar told PSG's official website.

"I have lived through happy moments and difficult ones, especially when the injuries didn't allow me to play.

"With the help of my team-mates, I was able to overcome them and focus on what really matters, our performances on the field which translate into titles.

"Our fans, the club and all fans can see the fight of our team in any game.

"I am in my best form since I arrived in Paris, the team is like a family.

"We want to win the Champions League title. We will fight because we have never been so close."

All the buzz that Odion Ighalo’s extended stay at Manchester United generated at the start of June has slowly faded in the last two months owing to the striker’s lack of appearances.

Having played a somewhat significant part in the FA Cup and Europa League before the lockdown, the Shanghai Shenhua loanee had little play time after the restart. The Nigerian got only 61 minutes on the pitch despite the intense scheduling in the Red Devils’ Premier League run-in, which may have disappointed supporters of the former Watford man.

In truth, while there was always the understanding that Ighalo wouldn’t be first choice, especially after Marcus Rashford’s return gave the team more attacking options, those willing the striker on hoped he’d get some time on the pitch given the frenzied run of matches.

Admittedly, he had barely featured in the Prem before football’s suspension in March but circumstances as regards scheduling of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team’s remaining nine games, played within five weeks from mid-June to late July, meant he was a viable option in some fixtures.

However, the ex-Nigeria frontman was at a disadvantage when it became obvious the club’s Norwegian boss was throwing all he had into Man United’s fight to end in the top four. This was ultimately accomplished as the red half of Manchester ended joint-third just above Chelsea on goal difference.

Indeed, Solskjaer took huge risks choosing to start the same XI for five games on the trot against Sheffield United, Brighton & Hove Albion, Bournemouth, Aston Villa and Southampton, risking burnout in their run-in. Ighalo got cameos in four of those games, before being an unused substitute in the team’s 2-2 draw with the Saints at Old Trafford.

It was significant that in the quartet of brief appearances, United had established unassailable leads thus allowing the 1999 Champions League winner rest his key players. When the going got tough, however, he was reluctant to turn to the Nigerian and other fringe players indicating a worry in the drop-off in quality between the starters and substitutes.

The threat of fatigue told in their performances toward the end of the season as United tended to start slowly before their superior quality eventually saw them overpower the opposition. They conceded early against the Cherries before winning 5-2 and the woodwork saved them from falling behind at Villa Park in their 3-0 success.

They didn’t quite get lucky against Southampton while Crystal Palace were in the game at Selhurst Park in the opening exchanges, were hard done by as VAR ruled out Jordan Ayew’s equalizer in the 56th minute for the most marginal of offside calls before Anthony Martial made it 2-0 with 12 minutes to play.

Despite his side’s laboured showing vs the Eagles, Solskjaer’s lack of trust in Ighalo and co. on the bench was evident as he made only two changes all game. Still, the West African frontman was to endure the most painful snub days later in the FA Cup semi-final with Chelsea.

Having hinted with his changed line-up that a top four spot was the priority, the ex-United striker left the experienced forward out of the XI at Wembley, only introducing the 31-year-old 10 minutes from time. At the time, the Red Devils trailed 3-0 having just conceded the third but found a late consolation strike in the 3-1 defeat.

There was opprobrium directed at Ole in the media which seemed odd as the criticism didn’t seem nuanced enough to take into consideration that, despite the appeal of a trophy, ending in the Champions League positions was the main goal for the Red Devils.

Having missed out this season, the Manchester giants could ill-afford successive years outside the top four. Also, the Norwegian’s lack of rotation in previous games left him with little choice but to tweak his selection against Frank Lampard’s troops, who were at full strength.

Expectedly, Ighalo didn’t start against West Ham United and Leicester City. Regardless of an insipid showing against the Hammers, the ex-Super Eagle was uninvolved until the 85th minute as it ended 1-1 and didn’t get a look in against the Foxes till deep into second-half stoppage time.

In truth, that was par for the course given Solskjaer’s prime concern post-lockdown but his selections for the resumption of the Europa League will fascinate the average observer.

Again, the enforced change to the format of the competition may not necessarily be to Ighalo’s benefit. While he’s expected to start against LASK on Wednesday, where United already hold a 5-0 lead, the on-loan frontman may then be restricted to watching briefs as the team’s heavy-hitters are called upon in the latter stages of Europe’s second-tier competition.

Had the pandemic not disrupted the season, the Nigerian was likely to play a huge role as the Red Devils chased success in a competition they won in 2017. With the deviation from the usual weekend-Thursday-Sunday scheduling, replaced with this year’s tweaked design it remains to be seen if the Shanghai Shenhua loanee will play a leading role.

However, if Solskjaer takes an unexpected route with his selection and trusts Ighalo to lead the line in Europe, it’ll give the marginalised man a chance to rescue what was once an uplifting loan spell.

After several months of uncertainty, Kenya international Johanna Omolo has finally extended his stay with Cercle Brugge.

The Harambee Stars midfielder had run down his contract with the Flemish club at the end of June and was yet to renew the same with his future remaining unknown.

However, the Belgian club has now confirmed on their official website they have extended the stay of the Kenyan star for another one year.

The statement confirmed: “Johanna Omolo has signed a new contract. The 31-year-old Kenyan international signed a new one-season deal and is entering his fourth football year at Cercle.”

Omolo had featured for Brugge for the last three seasons managing to feature in 59 matches. Omolo who is capped 19 times for the national team, Harambee Stars, featured in 12 matches for the club in the 2019-20 campaign.

On signing the deal, Omolo said: “This new contract is a great feeling. It clicked well with the coach, and it is also nice that I can play football for a long time here. I hope that we can achieve our ambitions in this period as a club, but I am anyway confident I made the right choice.”

Omolo was an important link in the Cercle team in 2018, which clinched the league title to earn promotion to the top-flight.

Omolo scored the lone goal for Kenya as they battled to 1-1 draw against Togo in 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers before the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

He has featured for several clubs in Kenya, Belgium, and Luxembourg among them Coast Stars, Vise, Fola Esch, Beerschot, and Lommel United, and received his first call-up to Harambee Stars’ in September 2010, making his debut for the country in 2011.

In 2019, Omolo won the prestigious Fifpro Merit Award for his community work in Dandora through his foundation. The award came with a Ksh2.5 million cash prize.

Started in 2017, the Johanna Omolo Foundation has been supporting kids in Dandora, where the Belgium-based player grew up, through education scholarships, mentorship, and entrepreneurship programmes, providing sanitary pads to teenage girls among many other initiatives meant to uplift the livelihoods of the youth of the informal settlement in Nairobi.

Omolo is also a member of Common Goal, a charitable organisation that draws willing professional footballers and coaches to donate 1 percent of their wages to non-governmental organisations working in football.

Gareth Bale is in the top three players in the world at his best, according to Casemiro, who insists the Welshman is still "very important" to Real Madrid.

Bale's position at Santiago Bernabeu has been the subject of much speculation since Zinedine Zidane's return to the club in March 2019.

The 31-year-old was touted for a big-money move to China last summer having initially been deemed surplus to requirements by the Frenchman, but his manager ultimately performed a U-turn which saw the deal fall through at the eleventh hour.

Bale has since found himself restricted to a bit-part role in the Madrid squad, making just 20 appearances across all competitions this season.

The Wales international cut an awkward figure during the club's La Liga title celebrations last month, and it has been suggested that his time in the Spanish capital will soon end.

Ex-Tottenham midfielder Danny Murphy has been among those to advise Bale to return to north London and rediscover his "passion" for the game, while Manchester United has also been mooted as a possible next destination for the winger.

However, Casemiro is adamant his out-of-favour team mate still has a future at the Bernabeu, and that he remains fully committed to the cause ahead of their return to Champions League action later this week.

"He's working," the Brazilian told Esporte Interativo. "He knows it's not the best time in his career, but he has our support, that of the coach and of the club.

"He's very important for us, he can spring a surprise at any time and he's already shown that. He's a decisive player who scores goals in Champions League finals.

"We have to be honest and say that he's not at his best, but when he is he's incredible and in the top three in the world. I have a lot of love for him and that's why I try to take care of him as much as I can."

Bale will be in contention for a place in Zidane's squad when the Blancos arrive at Etihad Stadium to face Manchester City on Friday, where they will be aiming to overturn a 2-1 first-leg deficit to progress to the quarter-finals of this season's Champions League.

Tanzanian giants Young Africans (Yanga SC) have continued with their reshuffle as the club has let go of key members of the technical bench.

First assistant coach Boniface Mkwasa and goalkeeping coach Peter Manyika are the latest to end their association with the Dar es Salaam-based club.

Mkwasa and Manyika’s exits follow the recent decision to part ways with 14 players that included captain Papy Tshishimbi and last season’s top scorer David Molinga.

The team had also sacked head coach Luc Eymael, who had been with them for just half a season, for demeaning comments he made towards their fans and the Tanzanian Football Federation (TFF).

“The reshuffle means our assistant coach [Boniface] Mkwasa will leave because his contract has ended and we have jointly agreed he is going to leave the club,” Yanga’s Competitions Committee’s chair Dominic Albinus told Mwanaspoti.

“Goalkeeping coach [Peter] Manyika will also leave but our team manager Abeid Mziba and kits manager Fred Mbuna will exchange roles in the team.

“The club would like to thank and appreciate them [Mkwasa and Manyika] for the services they rendered for us during their period of service.

“They are still part of the Yanga family but because of one or more reasons as I have already explained, we arrived at the joint decision.”

The reshuffle means the current composition of Yanga consists of just foreigners as Manyika and Mkwasa were the only Tanzanians.

“In the senior team, we will continue to have Reidoh Berdien and Fareed Cassim as our assistant fitness coach and the team doctor respectively,” added Albinus.

“The duo will work with the new head coach and the technical bench that we are going to unveil soon.”

The two who have been retained are South Africans.

Yanga have been the busiest Mainland Premier League side since TFF opened the transfer window on August 1.

They have so far signed highly-rated defender Bakari Mwmanyeto, left-back Yassin Mustapha, striker Waziri Junior and midfielder Peter Zawadi Mauya.

Yanga finished a distant second to Kariakoo arch-rivals Simba SC and their new signings together with the expected new technical bench is a suggestion they are building and hoping for a better 2020/21 campaign.

Next season will start on September 6.

Former Orlando Pirates head coach Roger De Sa believes Lucas Radebe should be the next president of the South African Football Association (Safa).

The 55-year-old backed Radebe to replace Danny Jordaan as Safa president due to his experience as a former professional footballer. 

Radebe was ineligible to run for the top job in 2018 as he didn’t meet the requirement and Jordaan was re-elected unopposed after Ace Ncobo withdrew from the presidential election race.

The organisation's electoral code states the candidate needs to have served in the Safa structures for a period of five years in the lead up to the election

However, the former Bafana Bafana captain, Radebe had only served in the technical committee alongside Farouk Khan, Buti Mathathe, Anna Nyman, Neil Tovey and Natasha Tsichlas. 

When speaking to the South African Football Journalists Association (Safja), De Sa explained Safa needs a great influencer like Radebe, who had a successful playing career. 

“We need people that can speak like Lucas with a lot of experience to head the federation," De Sa told Daily Sun.

"He also made his name in Europe, but does he want it [the job]? I doubt it. He will be a great leader in football. He would probably need to have a good team around him.”

Radebe won trophies with Kaizer Chiefs, before moving to English side Leeds United where he achieved legendary status and he was also part of the Bafana team which clinched the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) title.

De Sa is now a football administrator as he is serving as the general manager at National First Division (NFD) club Cape Umoya United.

The former Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper said Safa should look to emulate Cricket South Africa (CSA) which is run by a retired professional cricketer, Graeme Smith, who is the former Proteas captain.

“It’s nice to see ex-professionals lead the game. Graeme Smith [Director of Cricket at Cricket SA] is now doing it in cricket, so we need others [former players] to lead football," he added.

The next Safa elections are set to take place in 2023 and it remains to be seen whether Jordaan will run for a third term. 

Radebe has previously admitted his interest in taking over the Safa presidency, but he will have to meet the requirements .

Rwanda international Patrick Sibomana has bid farewell to Young Africans (Yanga SC) after he was released by the club on Monday.

Sibomana was among the 14 players released by the Jangwani Street-based giants, who are in a restructuring process after missing out on silverware in the just-concluded 2019-20 campaign.

“I thank the management, teammates, and fans who supported me during my time with Yanga. It was a great time and I had the best memories here,” Sibomana told New Times.

“Unfortunately, I will not be part of the team next season, but I will forever wish the best for the club. I will take a few days to rest and refresh before thinking about my next destination.”

New Times has also reported the player has already entered talks to sign for Rwandan club SC Kiyovu.

On Monday, Yanga sent packing 14 players among them former Gor Mahia striker Gnamien Yikpe, who took much criticism last season, alongside captain Papy Tshishimbi, who refused to renew his contract and Congolese striker David Molinga.

Others dropped are veteran striker Mrisho Ngassa, Jafary Mohamed, Mohamed Issa Banka, Tariq Seif, Andrew Vincent Dante, Patrick Sibomana, Muharami Issa, Ali Ali, Rafael Daud, Ali Mtoni Sonso and Eric Kabamba.

Surprisingly, the club has retained controversial Ghanaian forward Bernard Morrison, who has missed training since the team suffered a humiliating 4-1 defeat against rivals Simba SC in the FA Cup semi-final clash and was since arrested under suspicion of marijuana possession.

Other players retained include Kenyan keeper Farouk Shikhalo, Metacha Mnata, Ramadhan Kabwili, Haruna Niyonzima, Lamine Moro, Bernard Morrison, Feisal Salum, Juma Mahadhi, Adeyum Saleh, Said Makapu, Balama Mapinduzi, Deus Kaseke, Ditram Nchimbi, Abdulaziz Makame and Paul Godfrey.

The Jangwani Street-based giants have already signed four players – defender Bakari Mwamnyeto from Coastal Union, striker Waziri Junior from Mbao FC, left-back Yassin Mustapha from Polisi Tanzania and midfielder Peter Mauya from Kagera Sugar.

The Timu ya Wananchi have also been linked to a number of foreign-players, including Kenyans Jesse Were and John Makwatta, who play for Zesco United, Sven Yidah of Kariobangi Sharks, Erick Rutanga of Rayon Sports and Mukoko Tonombe of AS Vita Club from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro said playing behind closed doors at Manchester City can help the La Liga holders overturn their Champions League deficit.

Madrid travel to Etihad Stadium for the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against Pep Guardiola's City on Friday, having lost the opener 2-1 prior to the coronavirus-enforced break.

Gabriel Jesus and Kevin De Bruyne condemned Madrid - who had captain Sergio Ramos sent off in the Spanish capital - to defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu in February.

Madrid have a mountain to climb in Manchester, but star Casemiro believes Zinedine Zidane's side can benefit from playing without fans on the road.

"Without fans it's a different game," Brazil international Casemiro told Esporte Interactivo.

"It will be a very good game and difficult for both sides, but we're Real Madrid and we know we have a chance to go through.

"They won't have their fans and that might favour us a little.

"But the players are the same, the coach is the same and we all know that the difficulty level will be the same because they're a great team."

Casemiro's team-mate Raphael Varane explained the Los Blancos' drive to overcome the deficit against City and the team will be ready to put their best foot forward.

"We want to win every day, we're Real Madrid," the France international said in a video message posted on the club's social media accounts. "We want to win everything possible and gain more confidence that way.

"We haven't had games to play beforehand, so we have time to prepare ourselves. The best team on the day will win. We'll go into [the game] with hunger to win and the necessary determination."

Varane added on the likelihood of another fiercely competitive contest between two elite teams: "[It will be] a difficult game against a very good team. The first leg was a top-quality game, with pressing from both teams. "It was decided by the small details.

"[Real Madrid and City are] two teams that like to have the ball, are very intense and that require lots of concentration.

"These are the best games in the Champions League - the ones that are decided by very little. They are why we love this competition."

Madrid won three European Cups in a row during Zidane's first spell in charge, and Varane says that experience holds them in good stead to avoid an early exit this time around.

"We know what we've achieved in recent years is something exceptional," he continued. "What we have to do is carry this experience with us and know that the small details make the difference in big games.

"Now, we're a bit more relaxed, but we have the same determination and we know the traps we have to avoid. We have years of experience, but it's hard to win every game, repeat victories and always be at the top."

Joe Bryan's unlikely double sent Fulham to the Premier League in a 2-1 extra-time win over west London rivals Brentford in Tuesday's Championship play-off final at Wembley.

The full-back caught goalkeeper David Raya off guard with a 35-yard effort towards the end of the first half of extra time, with the Brentford goalkeeper expecting his opponent to cross.

Incredibly Bryan scored a second after a wonderful move in the closing moments as the former Bristol City man proved the difference-maker in a game otherwise lacking in quality

Henrik Dalsgaard pulled one back in stoppage time of the second period of extra time but it was too little, too late as Fulham returned to the top flight at the first time of asking following relegation last season.

Brentford's defeat in a match dubbed the richest game in football meanwhile means their 73-year wait to play in English football's top tier continues.

Fulham were the main aggressors in a first half devoid of chances, Josh Onomah forcing Raya into a smart low stop down to his right after 17 minutes the closest Scott Parker's side went.

Harrison Reed was perhaps fortunate only to see yellow for a late slide on Christian Norgaard half an hour in, while Neeskens Kebano bent a free-kick in the side-netting shortly after the break.

Fulham again had a chance when Bobby Decordova-Reid shot wide on the half-volley from a promising position inside the area.

It took until the 71st minute for Brentford dangerman Ollie Watkins to test Marek Rodak with an edge-of-the-box drive and he also scuffed wide under pressure from Michael Hector early in extra time.

The game needed a spark and Bryan provided it to the dismay of Raya, the full-back shooting from an improbable free-kick out on the left after spotting Brentford's keeper well out of position. 

Fulham made sure when Bryan received Tom Cairney's pass, played a one-two with Aleksandar Mitrovic and slotted past Raya with his weaker right foot.

There was still time for Dalsgaard to nod in when Norgaard kept Said Benrahma's cross alive but the seconds soon ticked down on Brentford's promotion push as the final whistle brought delirious Fulham celebrations.

What does it mean? Fulham in the money and in the promised land

Brentford stood to gain a reported £160million if they were promoted. Fulham stand to earn slightly less at around £135m but a swift return to the Premier League will bring a sigh of a relief.

Bryan's brilliance the difference

In truth, Fulham just about edged the chances without ever really creating a clear-cut opportunity, which is why Bryan's ingenuity proved so inspired. There was a little more panache about Fulham's second.

Heartbreak for Raya

You do have to feel for Raya for such an incident occurring in Brentford's biggest game of the season. Never has the saying expect the unexpected been more true as Raya was left embarrassed by Bryan.

What's next?

Parker can now start preparing his Fulham side for a fresh tilt at the Premier League, while for Thomas Frank and Brentford it is at least one more campaign in the hustle and bustle of the Championship.

Cedric Amissi scored Al Taawoun’s only goal in Tuesday’s 2-1 defeat to Al Faisaly in a Saudi Professional League fixture.

The Burundi international beat goalkeeper Mustafa Malayekah in the 63rd minute yet his side ended on the losing side inside Al Majma'ah Sports City Stadium.

With football returning to the Asian country after a long hiatus owing to the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic, Al Faisaly took an early lead through Ahmed Al-Fiqi in the ninth minute courtesy of Igor Rossi’s assist.

The Burgundy held on to the slim advantage heading into the half-time break as Malayekah denied the visitors from equalising thanks to his brave saves.

Al Taawoun started the second half like a wounded animal and were rewarded 18 minutes from restart as the 30-year-old found the net with a cool finish.

Notwithstanding, the hosts regained their lead through Guilherme Augusto who fired past goalkeeper Hussain Shaian seven minutes later.

That proved to be the winning strike as no goals were scored for the remaining part of the encounter.

Amissi’s goal was his fifth in 19 Saudi Arabia topflight appearances so far this season. He was on parade from start to finish for Vitor Campelos’ side. Cape Verde international Heldon Ramos was an unused substitute for the Wolves.

Defeat leaves Al Taawoun in the league's eighth position having garnered 32 points from 23 league outings as Al Faisaly climbed to fifth after accruing 38 points from the same number of matches.

Unbeaten in their last four outings, Al Faisaly travel to Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Sports City Stadium on Sunday for a date with Damac, as Al Taawoun visit ninth-placed Al Shabab on Monday.

Amissi joined the Saudi Arabian outfit in 2017 from Portuguese side Uniao da Madeira and helped them win the 2019 Kings Cup. He had previously represented Prince Louis, Rayon Sports and FC Chibuto.

On the international scene, the midfielder boasts of 45 caps for the Burundian national team with 10 goals to his credit. He was part of Olivier Niyungeko’s squad to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations where the country failed to qualify from Group B that also paraded Nigeria, Guinea and Madagascar.