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Eder Militao is eagerly awaiting the second leg of Real Madrid’s Champions League last-16 tie with Manchester City and is ready to plug the gap that Sergio Ramos’ absence will leave.

The Spain defender was dismissed with four minutes remaining of the first leg, in which City scored twice in the last 12 minutes earn a 2-1 win.

With the second leg to be played in England, it leaves the Liga champions with a mountain to climb as they will need to score twice to stand any chance of progression, a particularly difficult ask without their talismanic captain. Militao, though, is ready to step up to the plate.

“Ramos is not there and I have to show my heart, play with everything I have,” he told AS. “It’s a really strong feeling. It is a unique moment for me.”

Still to score for the club which he joined in the summer of 2019, Militao has admitted that he has dreamed of making a decisive contribution in the second leg.

“I can imagine it now, in the Champions League, in Manchester. The winning goal, with a header. I wouldn't know how to celebrate it. Nothing is impossible, so I'm going to go for it,” he said.

Madrid, whose three-year reign as European champions was ended in 2019, have been through some difficult periods this season, sacking two coaches before Zinedine Zidane led them past Barcelona to the domestic crown, but former Porto man Militao says the squad always retained confidence in their abilities.

“The media always have to talk about something to do with Madrid,” he said. “We know what we worked on in training, and how well we were doing. We don't like to lose, we always want to keep winning, but it doesn't always happen. We knew we were on the right track.

“I said that the Champions League was very important, but the league is also important and I can't explain the feeling of winning it, it was incredible. Now comes the Champions League, and we’ll fight and battle to reach the final and succeed.”

Since losing 2-1 at home to City, Madrid have won 11 of their 13 fixtures, with a 2-2 draw against Leganes in their last outing on July 19 nothing more than a dead rubber for them. Their tie at the Etihad Stadium will be played on August 7.

As the games are set to restart next weekend after they were suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic, Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane insists the 2019/20 Premier Soccer League (PSL) title is in the hands of the log leaders Kaizer Chiefs.

Although the reigning PSL champions trail Amakhosi by four points and have a game in hand, ‘Jingles’ says he cannot be emotional about their title aspirations.

Moreover, he believes the two upcoming matches against German coaches, Josef Zinnbauer and Ernst Middendorp, may not decide the title race but warned SuperSport United can still win it.

“For me, it’s always about winning the next match, that’s my attitude. Some people say you’ve won this and you’ve won that,” Mosimane told SundayTimes print version.

“So, what else inspires you? I always say top coaches want to win everything. We’ve done the treble, in fact, we won four [2015/16].

“In those nine games, big clubs [Pirates and Chiefs] are coming. Who can get maximum points in the remaining games? I don’t think anybody can really.

 “The league is not in our hands, it’s in Chiefs’ hands. They don’t need anybody’s favour. All they have to do is win their remaining matches and they’re champions.”

Speaking about the fact that he will meet the two Soweto giants in the second round, games many reckon would have a say in the race, the former Bafana Bafana boss has a different view, saying he won’t be emotional about winning their 10th league trophy.

“Anybody can win the league even SuperSport United can,” he added.

“Football is not the way we say it. Football is on the pitch and it’s played on the pitch: and then it’s a different story.

“I remove my heart from being emotional about all these talks. It’s our supporters who are on that. Same as Chiefs, it’s their 50th anniversary and they’d like to celebrate that with winning the league.

“But my job is to make sure I remain sober-minded and the players must get into my mode of knowing that yes we have to deliver, yes we can but we can’t be reckless and be all over the place, planning the party without winning the games.”

Meanwhile, the Brazilians will resume their current campaign with a mouth-watering semi-final clash against Bidvest Wits in the Nedbank Cup as they look to reach the final.

As things stand, Sundowns are gunning for their third consecutive PSL crown and have already lifted the Telkom Knockout Cup trophy – and winning another cup will complete a treble for them.

Mauricio Pochettino feels no regret over his decision to honour his Tottenham contract and shun Real Madrid in 2018, but did reveal frustration at a perceived lack of "support" from the Spurs board.

Pochettino spent five years with Spurs after joining from Southampton in 2014 and turned the team into Premier League top-four regulars and Champions League finalists.

But a difficult start to the 2019-20 season led to his dismissal in November last year, with Spurs bringing in Jose Mourinho as his replacement.

Pochettino previously had the opportunity to leave on his own terms in 2018, when Real Madrid attempted to hire him as Zinedine Zidane's successor, but he opted to stay put.

In the short term it proved a wise decision, as he went on to guide Spurs to their first ever Champions League final and Madrid sacked Julen Lopetegui and Santiago Solari in the same campaign, eventually persuading Zidane to return in March 2019.

But within a few months of Spurs' Champions League defeat to Liverpool, the club's outlook was much gloomier and Pochettino rued not being shown more support by chairman Daniel Levy and the board.

"I was happy at Tottenham and I signed a contract," Pochettino told El Pais when asked if he regretted not joining Madrid when the opportunity arose.

"And we [his staff and Spurs] finished very well, the relationship is impeccable. I always say, without false humility, that we too made mistakes that led to what happened, although we did expect a little more support or reassurance to reverse the situation.

"But the club line was going another way and there was wear; respite was needed from both sides.

"We work in a result-led environment where it seems that all the things that have a good result are the ones that continue. But, how do you measure what works or not?

"Only the one who wins or the one who exceeds expectations? After the Champions League final, four years in the top four, two years without signings ... a different management strategy was needed.

"Sometimes the vision of a coaching staff is not accepted by the club management. We knew what could happen.

"You need to fall, be down to then go up, but Tottenham made the decision to separate us after five and a half years. I understand that it is a long time."

Tanzania Mainland League side Azam FC have completed the signing of midfielder Ayoub Lyanga on a two-year deal.

The 2014 league champions have been active in the transfer window so far, aiming at strengthening the team ahead of next season. The midfielder, who was turning out for Coastal Union last season, is among the new players who are expected to bolster the squad.

"Attacking midfielder Ayoub Lyanga has joined Azam FC after signing a two-year contract as a free agent," the club confirmed on their official social media accounts.

"In presence during the signing of the contract was Azam FC CEO Abdulkarim Amin who was also there during the medical tests.

"The midfielder has been in a fine form for Coastal Union, scoring eight goals in the process and creating four."

Lyanga helped the team finish in the seventh position with 53 points after winning 14 matches, drawing 11 and losing 13.

A couple of days ago, the 2018/19 FA Cup champions completed the signing of midfielder Awesu Ally Awesu from Kagera Sugar on a two-year deal.

The player made a return to the team which developed him between 2014-15 while at the Azam Academy. In the last two seasons, he has been in good form and it was not a tough decision for the technical bench to make him the first signing in the transfer window. 

"I am delighted to sign this deal, it is like making a return home," Awesu said during the signing.

"No one can turn down a deal from Azam because it is a big team in Tanzania. It is home for me because I played for them [in the reserve team] for two years.

"I had to leave and gain experience elsewhere, but in my heart, I always promised myself to make a return to the team and not in the reserve but as a first-team player. I am happy it has happened."

On Saturday, the team also announced the signing of Ally Niyonzima from Rayon Sports.

The ‘Ice Cream Makers’ confirmed the arrival of the Rwanda international who signed a two-year contract that will see him stay at the Chamazi-based club until 2023.

In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, Bidvest Wits manager Gavin Hunt says they face an uphill battle in their remaining matches of the 2019/20 Premier Soccer League (PSL) season.

The Clever Boys have nine games to wrap up the campaign and the experienced boss says they require physical and psychological strength, although they will be professional until the end.

On the other hand, his counterpart at Baroka, Dylan Kerr, says playing the Nedbank Cup semi-final match against Bloemfontein Celtic next weekend without friendly matches is set to cause headaches when it comes to team selection.

“It’s difficult because we have so much to deal with. So, it’s not only the physical but psychological issues to deal with. We’ll see how it goes and we will show professionalism until the end,” Hunt told CityPress print version.

“In a normal pre-season, you would play five or six friendly games. We haven’t really done anything like that. Our programme will not be easy because we have so many catch-up games.”

The Braamfontein-based club was recently sold to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) and are set to face Mamelodi Sundowns in the Nedbank Cup semis next weekend at Orlando Stadium.

On the part of Bakgaga Ba Mphahele, Kerr says he hopes his men can overcome John Maduka’s Phunya Sele Sele for them to gain an advantage heading to the remaining matches in the league.

“It goes against everything a coach wants to do before any game. Never mind such a huge game. We normally need to play competitive games against good opponents to see the level [of fitness] of your team,” Kerr said.

“Now we have 25 players who want to play in the semi-final. Within our team, we have played 11 versus 11 – it’s very competitive and you risk injuries.

“If we win, it will give us good momentum going into other games. It would set us up nicely for the remaining league games and then the cup final.

“It’s our FA Cup and the biggest competition in the league for me. It’s the last cup of the season and what a way it would be to end the season on a high by winning it.”

Looking at Wits’ league schedule, they will clash against PSL table-toppers Kaizer Chiefs in their next match on Wednesday, August 12, and are currently sixth on the log with 38 points from 21 games.

Meanwhile, the Limpopo club will target a safe finish this term as they are involved in the relegation battle – they occupy the 13th spot with 23 points from 24 games so far.

Maurizio Sarri's Juventus have posted the worst Serie A statistics from the club's last nine title-winning seasons.

Juve were crowned champions of Italy for a ninth successive season after beating Sampdoria 2-0 at the Allianz Stadium on July 26. Sarri's men clinched the Scudetto with two matches to spare, but benefitted greatly from the inconsistent form of their main title rivals Inter, Atalanta and Lazio.

The Bianconeri only picked up two victories from their final eight matches, and finished the campaign with back-to-back defeats against Cagliari and Roma.

After wrapping up their domestic schedule with a 3-1 loss at home to the Giallarossi, Sarri admitted that his side's motivation levels had dwindled.

While looking ahead to a Champions League last 16 showdown against Lyon, the Italian boss said Juve knew the title was all but wrapped up after last month's win against Lazio.

"A little fear can do us good. After Lazio we felt the championship was won and we had a mental decline," Sarri told reporters.

The truth is that Juve have failed to reach the same heights as in previous years throughout the season, which is reflected in their final points tally.

Their latest haul of 83 is the lowest number they've amassed in the last decade, and they also conceded more goals than in any of their previous eight title successes - 43. Juve have recorded their worst goal difference of that period (+33) along with the highest number of defeats (seven) and the smallest final points gap between the top two clubs.

To make matters even worse, the Turin-based outfit have dropped 21 points from a winning position, more than any other title-winning side in Serie A history, beating Roma's previous mark of 20 set in 1982-83.

Sarri also saw his team beaten in both the Italian Super Cup and Coppa Italia finals, but he could end up silencing many of his critics if he can deliver the Champions League later this month.

Juve haven't won the competition since 1996 and face an uphill battle to reach the quarter-finals this time around having been beaten 1-0 by Lyon in the first-leg of their first knockout tie.

The Bianconeri will be rewarded with a last-eight clash against either Real Madrid or Manchester City if they can complete a comeback against the French outfit on Friday.

Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has asserted that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s future doesn’t seem to be with Arsenal, even after the Gabon striker lifted the FA Cup for the first time on Saturday.

The ex-Borussia Dortmund man scored twice as the Gunners edged past Chelsea 2-1 at Wembley for a record-extending 14th cup crown.

Aubameyang has a year left on his existing deal and there has been no indication he is keen to commit to new terms, even though coach Mikel Arteta has been positive that he will sign.

When quizzed after the game, Auba, as he has done in time past, didn’t give a definitive answer.

“I’m really not thinking about this. I just want to enjoy this with the guys and take the trophy," he told BT Sport.

"I think we deserved the win. Everyone gave their best today for the team and yeah, we deserve it. The journey has been long but today we’re enjoying this great game."

This response prompted Ferdinand to think Aubameyang isn’t focused on staying at Arsenal, believing the FA Cup triumph would have been a perfect opportunity for him to announce his commitment.

“I think he's [Aubameyang] gone from that reaction. He's already decided,” Ferdinand said on BT Sport.

"I'm going to enjoy this with my team-mates" - he sounds like someone who is going elsewhere.

“Arsenal need to do all they can to keep him. He was unbelievable. But the Arsenal fans adore him. Is he going to find that elsewhere in his career?

"I feel there have definitely been negotiations or he’s already decided I’m going to go.

"I’m going to enjoy this moment with my team-mates and I don’t want to talk about my future.

"From my own perspective if I’m committed to the club and I know I’m staying this is a moment for me to say I’m going to sort it out it’s not done yet but I will try and get it sorted out here guys."

Former Chelsea and Liverpool full-back Glen Johnson was of the opinion that Aubameyang will definitely want to leave Arsenal, citing his desire to want to win bigger trophies like the Premier League and playing in the Champions League, which Johnson doesn’t believe Arsenal can win in the next four years.

"Yeah I think you're right [he'll want Champions League football]," Johnson told Stadium Astro.

“I think there's two different equations - if you're Arsenal Football Club you have to do anything possible to keep hold of him.

"As Aubameyang, he's 30, and Arsenal aren't winning the league in the next four years. That's a fact, they're miles away from it. So in four years' time, Aubameyang is not going to be the same player.

"For him personally, if he wants to win trophies - it sounds silly after them winning the FA Cup of course, but trophies like the league or playing in the Champions League then of course he needs to move on.

"But he seems to enjoy his football there, and these strikers are hard to come by.

"If you want to go and buy a striker now that's going to get you 20 goals a season, you're talking £100million.

"Arsenal have that player so as a club they need to do all they can to keep him. Liverpool would take him, City would take him, United would take him - everyone would take him.

"For him personally he might look elsewhere but he does seem to enjoy the lads and he does seem to enjoy Arsenal Football Club so maybe he will stay."

Aubameyang ends the season with 29 goals in 44 competitive matches, 22 of those coming in the Premier League which was one short of Golden Boot winner Jamie Vardy of Leicester City.

Overall, he has 70 goals in 109 outings since joining Arsenal in January 2018.

Bayern Munich great Oliver Kahn believes that UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rules need to be examined after Manchester City had their two-year European ban overturned at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Pep Guardiola’s side had expected to sit out the next two years of competition but were found to have exploited a loophole in UEFA’s regulations that meant this aspect of their suspension was annulled, while a €30 million (£27m/$35m) fine was reduced to €10m (£9m/$11m).

The outcry that has followed from City’s European competitors has been a frustrated one, with Kahn, currently a director at Bayern, of the opinion that the laws need examining.

When asked if the current situation means that it will be harder for Bayern to secure a sixth European title, he replied: “Yes, that's right, if we look at the Financial Fair Play issue it would be. We are very interested that Financial Fair Play should be taken more seriously.

“I don't know the situation exactly now in Man City or Paris Saint-Germain or other clubs but I think we should take this Financial Fair Play in the future more seriously, because if we don't do that, we don't need it.

“I think there is a lot of work to do and as you see from the competition in Europe, we need a clear structure and serious Financial Fair Play so that we get more balanced competition.

“If in the future you only have the same clubs winning the Champions League or winning for example Bundesliga or Premier League or other leagues I think it's getting a little bit boring. So, I think we should do everything to get really strong Financial Fair Play.”

Bayern have now won the Bundesliga eight times in succession, but Kahn believes competition can only be healthy in the sport, although how to achieve it is a more problematic issue.

“I think that's the big question at the moment in football,” he admitted. “If you look for example in Italy, you have Juventus winning now the ninth title. If you look to Spain, you have always the situation between Real Madrid and Barcelona. I think if you look to England, you have different champions in the last years.

“We as Bayern Munich we are always interested in a more balanced competition in our league, but we have to be careful concerning the money because we are not only competing in the German Bundesliga, we as a global brand are also competing in Europe. These are not easy questions but we need to find an answer in the next months.

“We have to find this balance between our local leagues and get a good competition there but we as Bayern Munich must also compete in Europe against the other clubs. To find this balance is I think not an easy thing.”

Bayern are still active in the 2019-20 Champions League, with a strong 3-0 advantage over Chelsea before the second leg of their delayed last-16 fixture next week.

Mauricio Pochettino has seemingly opened the door to potentially coaching Barcelona after expressing regret for showing them "disrespect" with comments he made in 2018.

Pochettino's managerial career is most synonymous with Tottenham, where he spent five years until 2019, but Espanyol is where he first made his name and spent most of his playing days.

Across two spells as a player, Pochettino represented Espanyol for just shy of 10 years and then became the club's head coach in 2009, three years after retiring with Los Periquitos.

It was this association that was often referenced by Spanish football commentators and columnists when suggesting Pochettino would not coach Espanyol's local rivals Barcelona.

Pochettino also expressed reticence to such an idea on several occasions, most recently in 2018 when he claimed he would never coach Barca, Arsenal or Rosario Central due to his close ties to Espanyol, Spurs and Newell's Old Boys.

"I would prefer to work on my farm in Argentina than go to work in certain places," he said - but he has now backtracked on that statement.

"I have to explain it well," he told El Pais. "I was in Barcelona that year and I met [Barca president Josep Maria] Bartomeu in a bar.

"We greeted each other because we were taking the children to the same school and we were talking for five minutes. That generated a rumour that set off alarms because there were more teams that wanted us.

"When reporters asked me, I wanted to settle it drastically. I didn't want to disrespect Barcelona. You can say things differently. Espanyol has made a name for me, but I'm not arrogant and I didn't like making a statement like that.

"Maybe now I wouldn't because in life you never know what will happen."

Pochettino has been out of a job since November last year when he was sacked by Spurs, just a few months after leading the club to the Champions League final.

Barca are currently coached by Quique Setien, but following his failure to retain the Liga title after replacing Ernesto Valverde earlier this year, it looks as if he must win the Champions League just to keep his job.

Kieran Tierney has paid tribute to Arsenal physio Chris Morgan after winning the FA Cup, thanking him for his help in getting through an injury nightmare earlier in the season.

Tierney completed a £25 million ($33m) move to Arsenal from Celtic back in August and made his debut in the Europa League the following month after making a full recovery from hernia surgery.

The Scotland international found himself on the fringes of the action up until the Christmas period, before being dealt another injury blow during the win over West Ham on December 12.

Tierney was forced off with a dislocated shoulder 30 minutes into the 3-1 victory at the London Stadium, and did not appear in an Arsenal shirt again for over six months.

The 23-year-old's return was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, which called a temporary halt to all major leagues across Europe in March.

However, Tierney was able to use the extra recovery time to get himself back into peak physical condition, and he was included in Mikel Arteta's starting XI for the club's first game back against Manchester City on June 17.

The former Celtic star played the full 90 minutes of the 3-0 defeat at Etihad Stadium, before establishing himself as one of the first names on Arteta's team-sheet.

Tierney's performances helped Arsenal reach Saturday's FA Cup final at Wembley, where they managed to beat Chelsea 2-1 to lift the trophy for a record-extending 14th time.

After the match, the Scottish full-back took to social media to express his gratitude towards Morgan, who will be moving to Liverpool next season.

"This man helped me from the first minute I walked in the door! Cannot thank you enough for everything you’ve done for me. A special man. Grateful for everything," Tierney wrote on Twitter. "So sad to see you go gonna miss you so much legend. Thank you. Couldn’t have done this without you. Love @ChrisMorgan10 hero."

Arsenal will return to Wembley on August 29 to face off against newly crowned Premier League champions Liverpool in the Community Shield final as a reward for their FA Cup exploits.

The showpiece event has been pushed back two weeks later than usual due to the scheduling issues caused by the Covid-19 crisis, with the new top-flight season set to begin on September 12.

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Nick Mwendwa is confident Michael Olunga can power the Harambee Stars to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Olunga has been in sensational form for Kashiwa Reysol and the latest outing against Nagoya Grampus on August 1 saw him score his ninth goal of the season.

The former Thika United, Tusker and Gor Mahia striker has scored in each of the last four games and is atop the J1 League scorers’ chart with nine goals after eight games.

“The Gods of goals stay with you Michael [Olunga], Qatar is a possibility,” Mwendwa tweeted after the Harambee Star scored on Saturday.

Olunga, who has forged a close relationship with Kashiwa Reysol fans, dedicated the win to his teammates as they bagged a fourth victory in five matches.

“At the end of the day when I score it is teamwork,” Olunga said after his strike helped the 2019 J2 League champions beat Nagoya Grampus.

“Of course, I scored the winning goal but it was teamwork and especially we have to give credit to our defence, they were really solid at the back, they absorbed pressure from the first minute and wish to thank all the players for sacrificing and making us win four matches in a row.”

The Harambee Stars are in Group E of the World Cup qualifiers alongside neighbours Uganda, Rwanda as well as Mali. The winner of the group is guaranteed a place in the final phase of qualifiers.

The second round of the World Cup qualifiers will see the top 26 ranked Caf teams joined by the 14 winners from the first round. The teams have been drawn into 10 groups of four teams to play home-and-away round-robin matches, with the winners of each group qualifying.

All the four teams in Group E are fighting for a first-ever slot at the World Cup. Kenya will be seeking a slot in the global competition after their previous 13 attempts failed.

The Harambee Stars reached the second round of the 2018 World Cup qualifiers but were defeated by Cape Verde with a 2-1 aggregate.

Olunga, then playing for Gor Mahia, scored the only goal for the Harambee Stars at Nyayo Stadium before they stumbled away in Praia.

Kenya’s chances of participating in the qualifiers, though, remain unresolved due to the Adel Amrouche case at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Fifa demanded that the FKF pays the coach over KSh109 million shillings for wrongful dismissal if Kenya are to take part in the qualifiers.

Inter CEO Giuseppe Marotta has responded to Antonio Conte's outburst over a lack of support from the board at San Siro, insisting the Italian manager's "work has made itself felt".

Conte's side managed to keep pace with Juventus at the top of the Serie A standings in the first half of the season, but a poor run of form in the new year saw their title hopes fade.

The 51-year-old and several of his players came in for intense criticism when Lazio and Atalanta overtook Inter following the resumption of Italian football in June, before a return to form was enjoyed in the final weeks of the campaign.

The Nerazzurri picked up maximum points from their last three games to earn a second-place finish, their latest victory coming away at Atalanta on Saturday.

Conte vented his frustration towards the club for failing to protect him or the squad during a turbulent period after the 2-0 win, telling Sky Sports: "Neither my work nor the players' work was acknowledged, I found little protection from the club when making comparisons.

"If you want to reduce the gap with Juventus you have to be strong on the pitch but above all off it."

When asked to address Conte's comments, Marotta praised the head coach for making significant changes at San Siro in his first 12 months at the helm, while insisting the team is now on the right path towards future success.

The Inter chief told the club's official website: "It is not easy to analyse objectively. Obviously we have dropped points, but we have learned from these situations too. We have seen an improving team.

"Negative experiences will become great qualities in the future. We must continue on this path, to raise the bar more and more and give satisfaction to the fans. We have a squad that has shown a lot and is up to par. Conte's work has made itself felt."

Marotta went on to express his "pride" after seeing Inter close the gap to perennial champions Juventus in the final Serie A standings to just a single point, adding: "We have created a model that is giving a lot of satisfaction. 

"If we look at the statistics, we have finished Serie A in second place, with the best defence, with the greatest number of away victories.

"It means we have done a good job and credit must be given to everyone, to Conte and all of them [the coaching staff].

"With the great support of the whole team, we finished with the same points as the year of the treble [2009-10], which is obviously a source of great pride."

Ugandan Premier League (UPL) side BUL FC have completed the signing of Ibrahim Mugulusi and Ibrahim Madoi.

Mugulusi has been signed from Busoga United while Madoi has been acquired from Wakiso Giants and both have signed two-year deals.

“We are glad and happy to unveil to you our new players. Welcome [Aggrey] Madoi and [Ibrahim] Mugulusi to BUL FC family,” the club announced.

Coach Arthur Kyesimira has now moved with speed to bolster BUL, who struggled last season.

Kyesimira replaced Peter Onen as the coach midway through the season and managed to win two of the six matches he was in charge.

Mugulusi is hopeful the Jinja-based side can enjoy good results, more than the previous seasons, if they work together.

“I want to first thank the coach for the opportunity and the faith he has put in me, I promise not to disappoint him,” Mugulusi is quoted as saying by Football256 after agreeing to ditch BUL’s crosstown rivals Busoga United.

“And I believe that when we work together as a team, we shall have a better season than the one the club had the previous season.”

Coach Kyesimira and Mugulusi worked together before at Edgars Youth Academy. The player has also played for Kampala University and former Premier League champions SC Villa.

Madoi has set his target of helping BUL win a title in his maiden season with the club.

 “I am happy to have joined BUL. I promise the fans that I will help the team perform well and at least win a title this season,” Madoi said.

“I also want to thank the coach [Arthur Kyesimira] for believing in me and I won’t let him down.”

The left-back has previously played for Vipers SC, Police FC and lately Wakiso Giants.

Kyesimira has revealed he has complete faith in the two players who have been signed.

“Of course, I am thrilled with the new players coming on board and I feel they will beef up the team to compete favourably and realise our goals for the coming season,” he said.

“I thank the management for the effort put in for this to happen.”

Premier League clubs are in races to strengthen their squads ahead of the 2020/21 season that is expected to start on October 17.

Express FC striker Eric Kambale believes he has a lot to work on to convince the technical bench he has what it takes to lead the team in the attacking department.

The Wankulukuku-based side struggled in the abandoned 2019/20 Ugandan Premier League season and they are aiming at making amends in the coming one.

The 20-year-old, in particular, was not so much involved in the first half of the campaign but now he feels ready for the new season.

"It has been a start-stop for me," Kambale said as quoted by the Red Eagles official website.

"I missed the first round of last season because of personal reasons and that set me back a bit, but I know I have to work hard to earn coach [Wasswa] Bossa’s trust ahead of next season."

However, it will not be a walk in the park for the youngster, who scored just one goal last season which came in the Uganda Cup game against Maroons where the Kampala side won 3-2.

Kambele is aiming at dislodging Frank Kalanda, who was the team's lead scorer with 11 goals. 

The youngster broke into the limelight in December 2018, when he managed to get his name onto the score sheet in the 3-2 victory over then-unbeaten KCCA FC. Since then, he has been inconsistent for the six-time league champions.

Recently, goalkeeper Mathia Muwanga also revealed his intention to work harder and become Express' first-choice stopper.

The custodian was not involved in the first round of the abandoned 2019/20 Ugandan Premier League season owing to a back injury but made several appearances in the second leg. The custodian feels he is ready to oust his colleagues from the post.

"It has been tough on all the players but toughest for me, because I was nursing my back injury," Muwanga also told the club's official portal.

"But now I am ready and I can't wait for the season to start."

In the 2015/16 season, the 22-year-old impressed while with Sadolin Paints and went on to keep 16 clean sheets in the 25 matches played.

It was during the same season he was named the Ugandan Premier League (UPL) goalkeeper of the season.

The custodian revealed what helped him reach that level.

"For me, it is all about hard work and I guarantee you, I am well prepared and I will reclaim the number one jersey," the youngster concluded.  

The former URA shot-stopper managed to keep three clean sheets for Express in a handful of matches he played.

The Wankulukuku-based side finished in the ninth position having managed to collect 31 points in the 25 matches played.

The Red Eagles managed to collect nine wins, four draws and 12 losses in the process. 

Supporters are speculating that the Ghana national team could be aiming to persuade Eddie Nketiah to switch international allegiances after the African nation's football association sent him a congratulatory message after Arsenal's FA Cup final victory.

England under-21s striker Nketiah, who is of Ghanaian descent, won his second major title in two months as the Gunners beat Chelsea 2-1 to at Wembley on Saturday.

The 21-year-old saw eight minutes of action as a late substitute, after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's double ensured a comeback victory, Christian Pulisic having given the Blues an early lead.

The title, which secured Arsenal a place in the 2020-21 Europa League, was Nketiah's second of the 2019-20 season as he spent the first part of the campaign with Leeds United, who ultimately won the English Championship to seal a comeback to the Premier League.

Born to Ghanaian parents in London, the forward looks to be on the radar of the African nation who could be hoping to convince him to play for Ghana at senior level after coming through the various youth sides of England, from U18s up to the U21s.

On Saturday night, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) appeared to indicate their interest in the player with a congratulatory social media message on his latest feat.

The tweet has generated a lot of reactions, with many Ghanaian football fans excited about a hot Premier League talent being added to their ranks, although others suggested Nketiah would be better swerving the Black Stars and sticking with the Three Lions.

Nketiah has impressed at youth level with England, scoring eight goals in as many appearances for the U21 international side.

At club level he has broken into the first team picture this season with Arsenal since manager Mikel Arteta took over at the end of 2019 and decided to recall the forward from his loan at Elland Road.

Nketiah made 16 appearances for Arsenal in the second half of 2019-20, scoring four goals. 

He has already turned down one approach from Ghana to be called up to their senior international side, pledging his allegiance to England in January 2019 when asked by former national team manager James Kwesi Appiah.

Cesar Azpilicueta has reflected on Chelsea's 'painful' FA Cup final defeat, insisting they can have no excuses despite "a lot of 50/50s" going in Arsenal's favour.

Arsenal picked up the domestic cup for a record-extending 14th time on Saturday after securing a 2-1 victory over Chelsea at Wembley.

Christian Pulisic opened the scoring with just five minutes on the clock, producing an assured finish after latching onto a clever Olivier Giroud flick.

The Blues continued to dominate proceedings until Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's clever run just before the half-hour mark saw him sneak in behind Azpilicueta, who clumsily brought down the Gunners forward in the box while trying to track back.

Referee Anthony Taylor pointed to the penalty spot and Aubameyang stepped up to convert expertly from 12 yards, which saw the momentum of the match swing in Arsenal's favour.

Mikel Arteta's men pushed hardest for the winner, and were rewarded for their efforts when Aubameyang notched his second of the game in the 67th minute.

The Gabon international left Kurt Zouma with a delightful body swerve before dinking the ball over Willy Cabellero in the Chelsea net, sparking wild scenes of celebration in the Arsenal dugout.

Frank Lampard saw his side reduced to ten men when Mateo Kovacic was sent off for a second bookable offence moments later, and the Blues were ultimately unable to find an equaliser.

Azpilicueta questioned Taylor's decision-making post-match, but also admitted that Chelsea failed to maintain their usual high level throughout the entire 90 minutes.

"A lot of times there were 50/50s [that went in Arsenal’s favour] and we had the same in 2017 [when Taylor also refereed a Chelsea-Arsenal final and gave Victor Moses a red card] but we have to look further than this," the Blues captain told the club website.

"We have to look at ourselves. We know two weeks ago when we played against Manchester United, we really controlled it. We played our game, we were on top of them against a very good side but today we couldn’t do it for 90 minutes and, in the end, that makes the difference."

Azpilicueta had to be withdrawn ten minutes before the interval after tearing his hamstring, but he is already motivated to come back stronger and "learn" from the loss at Wembley.

"It’s my first time that it’s happened and it hurts a lot when that happens in a final like today," said the Spanish defender. "Sometimes it’s football and it’s life but it’s hard to take.

"Now we have to learn from the game, even if you always want to learn when you win and when you lift trophies rather than by losing these kinds of games. It’s tough but we have the next challenges that we have to be ready for."

Azpilicueta added on where it went wrong for Chelsea against Arsenal: "It’s painful and a tough one to take. Obviously when you lose a final, it’s always painful.

"We started the game well and scored an early goal which normally gives the confidence to build on but we didn’t capitalise on it. We dropped our level a little bit and we were punished. When you score an early goal, you have control of the game. We had a couple of chances after that to make it 2-0.

"It’s a final and we knew that we were playing against a side that has good attacking players and they can be dangerous. After this, we couldn’t get into our game as we wished."

Former Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates midfielder Stanton Fredericks has revealed why he kept coming back to the PSL from Europe during his playing days. 

The now 42-year-old had three stints in Europe, with his first big break coming in 2000 when he joined Grasshopper Club Zurich in Switzerland. 

Fredericks said while playing for Grasshopper was a great opportunity for him, he had to return home after failing to agree to new financial terms with the club, and when he joined Amakhosi in 2001 he was recharging his batteries.        

"My first stint in Europe was a big learning curve," Fredericks told Goal.

"I went to Grasshopper Zurich which was a big club in Switzerland - a great opportunity for me but I think financially, it just didn't work out with the negotiations with my team.

"Now that taste of playing in Europe in a big team... coming back to Kaizer Chiefs, I always knew that's where I wanted to be. So, I had to come back to South Africa and work hard, and this when I managed to get into the national team and I was able to go back to Europe."

Fredericks would spend three seasons with the Glamour Boys before jetting off to Russia to sign for FC Moscow. 

However, he came back to the PSL again to sign for the Sea Robbers in 2006, and this time, he had different reasons, saying he desperately wanted to be part of the Bafana Bafana squad to represent South Africa at the Fifa World Cup finals in Germany.

Bafana Bafana failed to qualify for the global showpiece, however.

Fredericks' final stint in Europe saw him move to Greece to sign for Pierikos, and this was after he was loaned out to SuperSport United by the Buccaneers.   

"Going back there, it's not like I wanted to come back [to the PSL] but there's one thing that made me come back just before the 2006 World Cup in Germany. I wanted to represent my country at the World Cup," he revealed. 

"So, being overseas in Russia, playing for FC Moscow, I wasn't selected for the national team and I really wanted to play at the highest level possible. So, that decision to come back, to have the coach look at you and again see your abilities and hopefully get back into the national team, was the reason for me coming back. 

"So, that was always the reason to try and knock on the door."

He stayed in Greece for three years before returning to South Africa a third time, this time to join Bidvest Wits, where he spent a further three years before finally hanging up his boots in 2013.

Without criticising the South African league, Fredericks concluded by saying he would choose Europe any day if he had an opportunity to turn back the hands of time. 

"If I had a choice to ride again, Europe is where you want to be and I am not slamming South Africa - the level is really getting better in terms of coaching and players - but Europe is where you've got to be," added Fredericks.