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David de Gea moved past Peter Schmeichel on Thursday to become the overseas player with the most Manchester United appearances. 

The Spanish goalkeeper played for United for the 399th time when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side travelled to Aston Villa in the Premier League and claimed a 3-0 win. 

It saw De Gea, who joined United from Atletico Madrid in 2011, move beyond another keeper in Schmeichel in the club's all-time list.

De Gea, 29, remains a long way behind Ryan Giggs, the man with the most United appearances regardless of nationality. The Welshman spent his entire career at Old Trafford and played for them on 963 occasions.

The Red Devils' shot-stopper is however eager to continue building on his appearance tally for the club as he also apologised to Schmeichel for breaking his record. 

“Sorry to Schmeichel,” De Gea told MUTV. “It's great. That means I've been here a long time and I've been playing really, really well to the top level so I'm really, really proud. I'm happy to play for this club for that many games.

“Hopefully I have another 400 games coming! So I'm really really happy.”

Manchester United became the first Premier League club to win four straight league games by three or more goals with their victory against Villa as they close in on the top four. 

Currently one point shy of fourth-place Leicester City, the Red Devils next take on Southampton and De Gea stressed the club must remain focused and not get carried away with their good form. 

"Of course, we are very confident now but we haven't done anything yet," he said. "We have some important games coming now so we need to be very, very focused and keep the level that we showed today and in the last four games.

“We're in a good mood, a good way, so yes, we keep looking forward to the next game.”

De Gea has enjoyed a mixed season in goals for United with club legend Roy Keane blasting his performance last month in a 1-1 draw with Tottenham.

“I am sick to death of this goalkeeper," Keane told Sky Sports. "I would be fighting him at half time. There’s no getting away from it, I would be swinging punches.

"It's a standard save for an established international goalkeeper. I am flabbergasted." 

Zlatan Ibrahimovic doubts he will remain at AC Milan if the situation does not change, while insisting neither he nor the Serie A club belong in the Europa League.

Ibrahimovic returned to Milan – where he previously won the Scudetto in 2011 – as a free agent in January after leaving MLS side LA Galaxy but there are doubts over his future beyond 2019-20.

The 38-year-old striker has scored six goals since his Milan comeback, rejuvenating the team and helping the Rossoneri – seven-time Champions League winners – move into Europa League contention.

AC Milan are seventh and just two points adrift of Roma and Coppa Italia champions Napoli through 31 league games after stunning leaders Juventus 4-2 on Tuesday.

Despite Milan's resurgence, head coach Stefano Pioli is set to be replaced by German Ralf Rangnick, who has been tipped to combine the role with that of sporting director, which is currently occupied by club legend Paolo Maldini.

Amid the uncertainty and chief executive Ivan Gazidis' reported plans to bring in Rangnick, former Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona star Ibrahimovic issued a warning.

"Ibra plays to win something or he stays at home," Ibrahimovic told La Gazzetta dello Sport's Sportweek magazine in an interview set to be released on Saturday.

"They told me that retiring in America was too easy, so I came back to Milan. I am here purely for passion, because I'm basically playing for free...Then this Covid situation stopped everything and I thought, maybe there’s something trying to tell me that I should retire...

"Fortunately, we got back on the pitch. My calf managed to get involved too, but after two days I was ready to come back into the team. Ibra is like that. But they told me to take it slow.

"Ibra was born to play football and is still the best at playing football. We'll see how I feel in two months. We'll also see what's happening with the club. If this is the situation, to be honest, it's unlikely you'll see me at Milan next season.

"Ibra is not a player for the Europa League and Milan are not a club who belong in the Europa League."

Quizzed on a reported confrontation with Gazidis prior to the Coppa Italia semi-final, Ibrahimovic said: "I spoke for me and for the team. I needed to have some explanations on the future, both mine and of Milan. I said that this is not the Grande Milan I once experienced, that is true, but we must do the best we can even in this situation. All the way to the end.

"Ibra is here, Ibra takes care of it. I have to be here or you'll lose the fans.

"I don't know if there will be another club after Milan, I never like to close doors to opportunities. I will only go somewhere I have some control, not where words are worth nothing.

"I still have too much passion for what I do."

Pioli only replaced Marco Giampaolo in October and while he has overseen an upturn in results, former RB Leipzig boss Rangnick has reportedly agreed to take over in 2020-21.

"Who is Rangnick? I don't even know who he is," Ibrahimovic added.

Inter boss Antonio Conte refused to blame his players after they threw away a lead to draw 2-2 at Hellas Verona on Thursday.

The Nerazzurri had been leading going into the final five minutes at Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi but Miguel Veloso showed wonderful composure to seal a point for the hosts.

Inter had forged ahead early in the second half thanks to an Antonio Candreva strike and own goal from Federico Dimarco after Darko Lazovic had given Verona a second-minute lead.

It is the second time in five days Inter have thrown away a lead following their 2-1 defeat to Bologna on Sunday but Conte would not be drawn into criticising his side.

"In terms of effort, hunger and determination, I have no complaints," he told Sky Sport Italia. "Let's not forget, we played against a Verona side that keeps a high tempo and makes that its greatest strength. I think Inter replied blow for blow.

"There is the usual regret that we conceded a goal five minutes from time on a throw-in. These are situations that are disappointing because you drop points along the way and they add up. We deserved to win the game.

"Verona barely had a shot on goal in the second half. We conceded through a throw-in and ball across to a player on the edge of the box.

"I don't want to say too much as people love to claim I always criticise, criticise, criticise. I don't; I just want to help everyone improve and move forward."

Inter have now dropped a whopping 20 points from leading positions in Serie A this season, with Conte well aware it is an issue that needs resolving swiftly.

"We're doing important work and I focus on that," he added. "I think you can see the results of the work we're doing. The fact we lost 20 points should push us to reflect and continue improving.

"We're well aware that we dropped points in a stupid fashion throughout the season, otherwise we'd be talking about a very different campaign."

Inter now sit fourth in Serie A, 10 points shy of league leaders Juventus, and are next in action on Monday against Torino. 

Kevin-Prince Boateng found the back of the net in Besiktas’ 3-2 victory over Bengali-Fode Koita‘s Kasimpasa in Thursday’s Turkish Super Lig game.

Ghana international Boateng made his third appearance since returning from an Achilles tendonitis injury which forced him out of Denizlispor clash.

The 33-year-old midfielder shone at Vodafone Park after replacing injured Gokhan Gonul to help the Black Eagles secured their 16th win of the season.  

Guinea international Koita, meanwhile, gave a good account of himself scoring twice, although his efforts were not enough to help his side avoid defeat.

Tyler Boyd opened the scoring for Besiktas in the sixth minute after he was played through on goal by Caner Erkin.

Koita then levelled proceedings for the Apaches after receiving a fine assist from Mame Thiam in the 21st minute of the encounter.

Eight minutes later, Koita doubled handed the lead to the Recep Tayyip Erdogan Stadium outfit for the first time in the game after he was set up by Haris Hajradinovic.

Boateng then equalized for Besiktas in the 49th minute after receiving a timely pass from former Tottenham Hotspur forward Jeremain Lens.

With the match looking to end in a draw, Guven Yalcin grabbed the match-winner at the nick of time after receiving a through ball from Victor Ruiz.

Egypt international and Arsenal loanee Mohamed Elneny featured for the duration of the game along with Mali’s Abdoulay Diaby while Koita was replaced in the 46th minute.

With the result, Besiktas are fourth on the Super Lig table with 53 points from 31 games while Kasimpasa are 11th with 36 points from the same number of matches.

The Black Eagles will slug it out with Yeni Malatyaspor in their next league game while the Apaches will take on Rizespor on June 13 respectively.

Jason McAteer is no stranger to Liverpool fans. The midfielder was a mainstay in the Reds first XI during a four-year spell from 1995 to 1999.

Nicknamed Trigger, McAteer was a Liverpool fan right from his childhood and his dream of playing for the club he supported came true in 1995 when he decided to spurn the advances of Blackburn Rovers in favour of the Reds.

He went on to make 139 appearances for the Reds in what was an eventful spell. But there are several highlights that Liverpool fans will still remember of the Irish international.

In January 1998, McAteer broke his leg during a match against Blackburn. But he made a full recovery and went on to score a brace on his return to first-team action in May 1998, in what was a 5-0 win over West Ham United.

It was also McAteer who would provide a telling cross for Stan Collymore to fire in a winner in a thrilling Premier League encounter against Newcastle United that Liverpool won 4-3. The match which took place during the 1995-96 season would go down in history as one of the greatest Premier League encounters.

McAteer did not score many goals for Liverpool but when he did, they were special. Leading 1-0 against a strong Arsenal side at Highbury in 1997, Liverpool were awarded a spotkick to seal the game. Robbie Fowler would miss the spotkick, only for McAteer to steer it in. Though Arsenal pulled a goal back, McAteer's effort turned out to be the difference.

McAteer also scored the final goal in a 3-0 win over Aston Villa in the 1995-96 FA Cup semifinal, helping the Reds reach another FA Cup final.

Of course, McAteer's most famous goal for his country came against the Netherlands in the qualifiers for the 2002 World Cup. McAteer's effort off a Steve Finnan cross would help the Irish qualify for the World Cup past a star-studded Netherlands.

No doubt, the lifelong Liverpool fan was a club icon and was regarded highly by the supporters. He would be as joyous as any Liverpool fan across the world after Jurgen Klopp's men won the Premier League after a hiatus of 30 years.

Here's your chance to catch up with the midfielder and interact with him as you celebrate a title triumph. McAteer will be appearing on Standard Chartered's Soundboard during Liverpool's Premier League encounter against Burnley this Saturday alongside singer-songwriter Jamie Webster, as well as The Anfield Wrap's James Sutton.

As the official partner of the club, Standard Chartered are bringing together various Liverpool legends and fan hosts on their YouTube platform with SC Soundboard. Tune in and let the Soundboard bring the best of Kop chants directly to your home. Sing along and enjoy the experience during every remaining Premier League match of Liverpool.

This Saturday, it's McAteer who will be live. You can catch him in action here.

Brasileirao Serie A side Botafogo have announced the signing of Ivorian forward Salomon Kalou on a free transfer.

The 34-year-old joins the team two days after announcing his departure from Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin after a six-year spell.

Disclosing this development, the Rio de Janeiro based outfit published a video on its social media handle.

Although there were no further details about his contract in terms of duration, the former Chelsea star is expected to make his debut for Paulo Autuori’s men when the Brazilian league returns in August.

The club failed to seal a deal for Yaya Toure, who Vasco da Gama presidential candidate Leven Siano has promised to sign.

Nevertheless, Kalou joins former Japan international midfielder Keisuke Honda as the club hopes to challenge for honours.

Meanwhile, the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations winner expressed his delight with his move “Very proud to be in Botafogo,” he said.

Botafogo are among the top clubs in Rio and the former Chelsea star is expected to add bite to their attack when football returns in the country after a coronavirus pandemic break.  

Carlos Augusto Montenegro, a member of the Brazilian club's executive committee had hinted on the veteran’s potential move on June 28, 2020.

"He already has the pre-contract, but he asked for just one more detail in the contract that was sent to him," Montenegro told SporTV.

"I think it's okay. And if no presidential candidate for Vasco appears at his house, I think that maybe he will come."

Before leaving the Olympiastadion, Kalou was punished for posting a video showing him disobeying many of the German football league's (DFL) safety measures upon his return to training with Hertha. 

Kalou began his professional career at Feyenoord before moving to Chelsea after three seasons in the Eredivisie.

In England, he enjoyed a trophy-laden spell – winning the Champions League, one Premier League title, Four FA Cups, Football League Cup and the FA Community Shield.

On the international scene, he marked his debut in a 1–0 friendly win over Guinea on 6 February 2007 and went a step further scoring 28 times in 97 appearances for the Elephants.

Moussa Marega was on the scoresheet for the 13th time this season to inspire Porto to a 3-1 win against Tondela in Thursday’s Primeira Liga game.

The Mali international was handed his 25th league start, pairing Soares in attack and delivered a fine performance in the encounter.

After scoring a brace against Boavista, the 29-year-old forward then bagged another brilliant goal in their last outing against Belenenses.

At Estadio Joao Cardoso, he continued his fine goalscoring form to help the Primeira Estadio do Dragao’s outfit secure their 24th win of the season.

The game started on a high tempo but both sides failed to break the deadlock in the first half after missing the few opportunities that came their way.

In the 47th minute, however, Danilo Pereira found the back of the net with a brilliant header which left Senegalese goalkeeper Babacar Niasse no chance.

Moments after the hour mark, Marega then doubled his side’s lead after benefitting from a timely assist from Jesus Corona.

Ronan Jeronimo reduced the deficit for Tondela from the penalty spot before Fabio Vieira sealed the victory in a similar manner.

Marega featured for the duration of the game along with his teammate and the Democratic Republic of the Congo international Chancel Mbemba.

With the victory, the Estadio do Dragao outfit now open an eight-point gap lead on the table after 24 wins, four draws and two losses.

Marega has scored 13 goals and provided eight assists across all competitions for Porto, including 10 strikes in the Portuguese top-flight this season. 

The forward, who has been with the Blue and Whites since 2016, has racked up 41 goals in 91 league appearances during his four-year stay so far. 

Marega will hope to continue his impressive performances when Porto face Sporting CP on July 15.

Godfrey Oboabona says winning the Erovnuli Liga is Dinamo Batumi’s target this season following Thursday’s 4-1 win at Locomotive Tbilisi.

Flamarion Junior’s first-half brace plus strikes from Malkhaz Gagoshidze and Jaba Jigauri inspired George Geguchadze’s men to a comprehensive away victory at the Mikheil Meskhi Stadium.

The triumph was their first this term having secured draws in all their previous four games.

Oboabona, who has been a key figure in Batumi’s squad, was rested for the encounter ahead of Saturday’s clash versus Torpedo Kutaisi revels in the important win which he claimed was a ‘big deal’.

“It’s great to have a win after a very long time. After so many draws, it is so important to secure an away win,” the Super Eagles defender told Goal.

“Locomotive Tbilisi are a very solid team and are well organised defensively, so getting all points at stake on their ground is a big deal and we are all happy.

“Yes, we scored four goals but it wasn’t an indication that the encounter was a stroll in the park for us. It was really tough but what gave us the upper hand was our high level of fitness, resilience and the attitude to win.

“This result is a sign of greater things to come for because it will boost our confidence level going into our next game.”

Thanks to this result, Geguchadze’s side sits in the third position after garnering seven points from five league outings.

Now that Dinamo Batumi entry’s into next season’s Europa League has been guaranteed, the Sunshine Stars legend claims their next target is to win the Georgian elite division diadem.

“We still have so many games to play but that was our target at the beginning of the season and it has not changed,” he continued.

“We were so close last season but we got a Europa League ticket as our consolation.

“Everybody in Dinamo Batumi knows it's a once in a lifetime opportunity, so we will keep fighting and continue working hard having in mind that others are also eyeing the league title.

“I am a positive man and we have what it takes to make this season ours.”

Manchester United have got their momentum back, according to Roy Keane, who is confident that the Red Devils will secure a top-four berth come the end of the season.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's bid to revive past glories at Old Trafford has gathered pace since last month's Premier League restart.

United had gone 11 matches unbeaten before the campaign was postponed for three months due to the coronavirus outbreak, with January arrival Bruno Fernandes helping to lift the mood of gloom surrounding Old Trafford while inspiring his new team-mates to raise their game.

The Red Devils have picked up from where they left off in March, winning four of their last five top-flight fixtures to move to within just a single point of fourth-placed Leicester City and two behind Chelsea - who currently sit in third.

A 3-0 win away at Aston Villa marked their latest triumph, as goals from Fernandes, Mason Greenwood and Paul Pogba helped Solskjaer's men etch their names into the record books.

United have become the first team in Premier League history to win by three or more goals in four consecutive games, with Liverpool the last club to achieve the same feat way back in 1987 - when the competition was known as the first division.

Keane, who won seven league titles and the Champions League during his time at Old Trafford, has been impressed with his old club's recent form, and expects them to go on and leapfrog their main rivals in the race for Champions League qualification.

The ex-United captain also thinks the players will be determined to go all the way in both the FA Cup and Europa League, as he told Sky Sports after the Villa clash: “I think we’ve said it now for a few months. Even before the lockdown, the momentum was getting back into the club.

“All of the new signings have seemed to have settled in. Paul’s back, Fernandes has been a huge boost for the club.

“What they have at the moment is a bit of momentum. Forget that Man City and Liverpool are ahead of them - there’s no getting away from that, but in terms of a few months ago, we’d ask if they could hunt teams like Leicester down, who had a huge advantage.

“To me now, they look favourites to catch Leicester and Chelsea. The momentum is there at the club. They’ll still want to get their hands on a little bit of silverware.

“Everyone at the club should be pleased. They’ve got the momentum back into the club, they just need to keep it up now.”

Keane added on United's quality in the final third of the pitch: “Man United fans want to see good attacking young players. That’s what gets United fans off their seats. United fans will be buzzing tonight.

"That’s what United’s all about, good attacking young players enjoying their game and hitting the back of the net.”

Seko Fofana provided an assist to help Udinese secure a 3-0 victory over SPAL in Thursday’s Serie A game.

The Ivory Coast international was afforded his 20th league start in the encounter and delivered an impressive performance to help his side clinch all three points.

After securing victory against Roma, the White and Blacks then played out a draw with Genoa before bouncing back to winning ways at Stadio Paolo Mazza.

Rodrigo De Paul opened the scoring for Luca Gotti’s men with only 18 minutes into the game before Stefano Okaka Chuka doubled the lead in the 35th minute.

With nine minutes left to play, Kevin Lasagna made it three for the White and Blacks after receiving a sumptuous assist from Fofana.

The 25-year-old Ivory Coast international featured for 90 minutes before he was replaced by Marco Ballarini.

Nigeria international William Troost-Ekong, who has made 26 appearances for Udinese in this campaign, was an unused substitute in the encounter.

With the result, the Stadio Friuli outfit are now 14th on the league table, five places above the relegation zone after gathering 35 points from 31 games.

Fofana has played 29 games for Udinese this season across all competitions, scoring two goals and providing seven assists.

The midfielder has been with the White and Blacks since 2016 when he joined the side from Premier League club Manchester City for a fee of £2.5 million.

The Paris FC and Lorient academy graduate will hope to continue his consistent form in their next league game. 

Troost-Ekong, meanwhile, will look forward to playing a part and make his 26th Serie A appearance this season against Sampdoria on Sunday. 

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has encouraged his Manchester United squad to listen to Paul Pogba’s advice to push on to the next level.

Man Utd extended their unbeaten run to 17 in all competitions with a 3-0 win against Aston Villa making Premier League history as they became the first team to win by a three-goal or larger margin in four consecutive games.

While there were plenty of positives to take from the Villa Park display, Pogba, who scored the third of the night, warned their records won’t count for anything if they don’t push on to win the Premier League.

“We are really pleased with ourselves but know we have to carry on," Pogba told Sky Sports.

"We talked before the game, we talked in training that we have to carry on, that’s what Manchester is, it’s a big club and we want to keep the level up always, and the performance today and in the last few weeks, they are very good and they are at the standard of Man Utd.

“We didn’t win the Premier League, that’s the goal, and we didn’t win anything this year so we have to keep working, there’s lots to do. A lot.”

And Solskjaer agreed with the midfielder and said those words need to be taken into the dressing room.

“I'm sure Manchester United will mount a challenge and get back to winning the league," Solskjaer said. "

When that's going to happen is up to every single one who's here and how quickly we can make this process go, we're developing as a team, improving and we've come a long way in one season so let's take Paul's word into the dressing room and expect and demand more every single day.

Despite another fine attacking display and another three goals the Norwegian wants to see more from his forwards and believes they should have scored far more goals over the past two fixtures.

“I think we could have scored many many more goals and we're keeping clean sheets but of course we keep going into every game wanting to win, 1-0, 2-0 or 3-0 hopefully the goal difference won't be the deciding factor in the end,” he said. “We should have had 10 more goals in the last two games.”

United’s first came from the penalty spot but there was some controversy as to whether or not Bruno Fernandes was actually fouled by Ezri Konsa and whether or not United should have been awarded the spot kick. But, for Solskjaer it was the right decision.

He said: “I think the boy has done a Zidane turn and the boy has stuck his leg out and Bruno has landed on him, if I try to land on someone and they tackle me, for me, it's a pen.”

Paul Pogba said Manchester United's two goals this season are to win both the Europa League and FA Cup as their good run of form continued on Thursday. 

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side proved too strong for Aston Villa as they claimed a 3-0 win with Pogba scoring the game's final goal after Bruno Fernandes and Mason Greenwood had given them a first-half lead. 

The Red Devils are now the first team in Premier League history to win four straight games by three or more goals as they find their stride late in the season. 

While currently fifth in the league and simply hoping to secure a top-four spot, United are intent on ending their season with not one, but two pieces of silverware.

"I have been injured for a very long time, I focused on myself to get back," Pogba told Sky Sports post-game. 

"This year we have two goals, to win the Europa League and the FA Cup, so we focus on that.

"We are really pleased with ourselves because we know we have to carry on. We talk before the game, in training, Manchester is a big club and we want to keep the level up always. The performances of the past few weeks are Manchester United.

"We have to keep working, there is a lot to do."

Greenwood's strong form in front of goal continued against Villa with the 18-year-old firing home his 18th goal of the season in all competitions to join Wayne Rooney in the record books. 

Though the teenager has shown plenty of quality in the final third, Pogba stressed there's even more to come from him as the Frenchman looks to unleash his full potential. 

"I enjoy to see them play, this kid in training and in the game and will keep pushing him to reach the top," Pogba said of Greenwood. 

"He has so much to do again, he can do even more than what he is doing, he is a talent."

Manchester United will look to keep their good form going on Monday when they host Southampton, with Solskjaer's side now just one point shy of fourth-place Leicester City. 

Manchester United have set a new Premier League benchmark after winning by a margin of three or more goals for the fourth game in a row by thrashing Aston Villa.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side arrived at Villa Park on Thursday looking to extend their recent winning run in the top flight to four matches, and their unbeaten streak stretching back to January to 17 across all competitions.

The United boss named the same starting XI that managed to secure comfortable victories over Sheffield United, Brighton and Bournemouth, with Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood leading the line and January signing Bruno Fernandes pulling the strings in midfield.

Villa managed to minimise the Red Devils' considerable attacking threat in the opening 25 minutes of the match, as Dean Smith's side aimed for an upset in their ongoing bid to avoid relegation.

However, the breakthrough was eventually made just before the half-hour mark, as Bruno Fernandes won a penalty following a rash challenge from Ezri Konsa in the box.

The Portuguese confidently struck the ball into the bottom corner for his eighth goal in 15 appearances for United, which sparked a dramatic shift in momentum.

Solskjaer's men quickly began pushing for a second goal and were rewarded for their efforts just before half-time when Greenwood picked the ball up 25 yards from goal. The 18-year-old set himself before firing a fearsome drive past Pepe Reina in the Villa net, giving the visitors a healthy lead heading in at the break.

Paul Pogba rounded off the scoring to continue his recent resurgence with 58 minutes gone, as he expertly placed the ball into the far corner of the net after receiving a pinpoint Fernandes corner just outside the penalty area.

The game finished 3-0 after a subdued last 30 minutes, with United becoming the first team in Premier League history to win four successive games by three-plus goals.

The Red Devils' latest win over Villa also means that they have now beaten the Lions on every day of the week in the top-flight, a feat no other side has managed against an opponent in the competition.

Solskjaer will now start preparing his side for a meeting with Southampton at Old Trafford on Monday, with United now only one point behind Leicester in the race for a top-four finish.

Prospective Marseille investor Mohamed Ayachi Ajroudi has admitted that he “dreams” of one day seeing Zinedine Zidane in the OM dugout and Cristiano Ronaldo wearing the club’s famous white shirt.

A consortium led by Mourad Boudjellal is hoping to buy the club from its American owners this summer and reinstate the Stade Velodrome outfit as one of the country’s foremost clubs on a consistent basis.

Although OM finished second in Ligue 1 this term, they were 12 points distant of Paris Saint-Germain and in order to close the gap, they are ready to be ambitious, hoping to draw some of the biggest names in the world game to the club.

One of those is local lad Zinedine Zidane, who was famously born in the city and went on to become one of the most talented players of his generation then a three-time Champions League-winning coach with Real Madrid.

But while Boudjellal would love to see Zidane return home, he admits that it may be some time away.

"A new coach? The one in place is very good,” he told Le Figaro, “but what would be better than bringing back a local lad? Zinedine Zidane? The future will tell us.”

On the playing front, meanwhile, there is one outstanding candidate – another legend of the Bernabeu.

“I love football. I love the noble side of sport. I love German discipline, especially that of Bayern Munich. I enjoy the grinta of Barca. And a player that I will never forget is Cristiano Ronaldo. I like respect and discipline. He embodies that,” he said of the current Juventus star, who turned 35 in February but continues to go strong in terms of his contribution. 

“Do I dream of signing him for Marseille? Everything is possible in life. He is generous and gives a lot. It makes me vibrate. It would be a dream to have him in Marseille… But that is the task of [potential future club president] Mourad Boudjellal.”

Marseille discovered on Thursday that they will open their Ligue 1 campaign for the 2020-21 season up with a clash against Saint-Etienne, with PSG, Lille and Lyon all to follow in what promises to be a very testing start to the term.

Miguel Veloso scored late on as Hellas Verona snatched a 2-2 Serie A draw with Inter at Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi on Thursday.

The hosts had taken a second-minute lead courtesy of Darko Lazovic's superb solo effort but Inter stormed back early in the second half thanks to Antonio Candreva and an own goal from Federico Dimarco.

There was a late sting in the tail for Antoino Conte's side, however, with Veloso coolly stroking home with four minutes remaining to secure a share of the spoils.

The result leaves Inter in fourth, one point behind third-place Atalanta, while Verona remain ninth.

The hosts started in scintillating fashion as Lazovic cruised past Milan Skriniar down the left flank and lashed a fine finish past Samir Handanovic from an acute angle.

Inter's miserable start almost got worse but Veloso struck the post with a long-range effort and Dimarco flashed a volley wide of the upright in quick succession midway through the first half.

Inter belatedly woke from their slumber and tested Marco Silvestri through Roberto Gagliardini and Alexis Sanchez, while Marcelo Brozovic twice fired wide from outside the penalty area before the interval.

Inter started the second half with a spring in their step and pulled level after 49 minutes, Candreva slotting into the bottom corner after Romelu Lukaku's effort crashed back off the post.

Candreva was the architect of Inter's second just six minutes later as his right-wing cross was diverted past Silvestri by the hapless Dimarco.

Inter substitute Lautaro Martinez squandered a golden opportunity to put the game to bed nine minutes from time, failing to beat Silvestri after being played clean through.

He was duly punished when Veloso kept his composure to fire past Handanovic and seal a point for Ivan Juric's side.

What does it mean? Inter fail to respond to Conte's challenge

Conte's call for his players to channel their "bitterness and disappointment" in a positive way following the shock home defeat to Bologna on Sunday seemingly fell on deaf ears.

Inter were dismal in the opening period and were lucky not to be more than one goal down at the break. They somehow clawed themselves back into a winning position but for the second time in five days conspired to throw it away.

Veloso gets his reward

The Portugal international was at the heart of everything good about Verona's display. He struck the post with a fierce effort in the first half and gave Handanovic little chance with a fine strike to grab a point for his side.

Sanchez fails to take his chance

Chosen ahead of Martinez, who missed a crucial penalty in the defeat to Bologna, Sanchez did little to suggest he should hold onto his position in the starting XI. The on-loan Manchester United man huffed and puffed but, as has been the case for a few years now, a spark was sorely absent.

What's next?

Inter will hope to return to winning ways against Torino at San Siro on Monday, while Verona visit Fiorentina a day earlier.

Caf has confirmed the new dates for the outstanding African U17 Women's World Cup and U20 Women's World Cup qualifying matches. 

As the world gradually eases from the coronavirus lockdown, Africa's football governing body has announced the resumption of the women's qualifying games on the continent on Wednesday. 

Three U17 World Cup qualifying fixtures initially fixed for May 1-3 and 15-17 after first-round triumphs in March will now be played in November after it was rescheduled due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

The first leg of the final stage is slated for October 30 to November 1 and the reverse fixture three weeks later as South Africa battle Morocco and Uganda face Cameroon, while Nigeria take on Ghana.

The development leaves Botswana in limbo as no new date was set for the second leg of the second round tie with Morocco following Caf ruling in favour of the Southern Africans in May.

In the build-up for the qualifiers resumption, Goal can confirm Morocco, who hold a 1-0 first-leg advantage over Botswana in Gaborone have resumed training at Mohammed VI since July 5.

The 2020 finals earlier scheduled to take place in November 2020 was moved and will be held from February 17 to March 7, 2021 in India with three representatives expected to emerge from Africa.

At U20 level, Caf announced the first round of the African qualifier will now be played in September, and the second in October, while the third and final stage comes up in November. 

Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon, earlier drawn a bye, will enter in the first round of the series which was initially slated for March, will see both legs now to be staged by September 3-5 and 10-12. 

The second round of the qualifiers will follow between October 1-2 and 8-9, while the third round fixtures are fixed for November 5-7 and 12-14.

The 2020 finals will be co-hosted by Costa Rica and Panama. They were earlier slated for November 2020 but rescheduled for January 20 to February 6, 2021, with two representatives from Africa.

Tottenham’s hopes of qualifying for Europe were dealt a blow as they were held to a scoreless draw against Bournemouth, with manager Jose Mourinho once again criticising VAR.

Throughout his career, the Portuguese has not been slow to lay the blame at officials but has been particularly prickly over the subject of the new system and referee Michael Oliver, who disallowed Harry Kane’s equaliser in a 3-1 loss to Sheffield United.

On Thursday, he felt his side should have been awarded an early penalty when Kane appeared to be shoved in the back, yet it was overlooked and an uninspired display from his side failed to break the resistance of their opponents. 

"The game has the most important moment and I don’t want to say any more in relation to that. Everybody knows. You know who, you know when... Everybody knows,” he told Sky Sports.

"The same referee who did the VAR decision against Sheffield United - Michael Oliver. Opinions matter. It’s not only mine, everybody knows that is a penalty and when I say everybody, I mean everybody. Everybody.

"I’m not saying Harry Kane 100% would score but his penalty range is high so usually we could win 1-0 against teams."

Mourinho, however, was aware there were shortcomings with his side after the early drama.

"The performance was not good enough,” he admitted. “Bournemouth surprised me in the way they played. It was a good result for them and they got the point they wanted. We were dominant behind but then there was lack of sharpness in the attacking areas. I made changes; I think the changes helped to improve the game in the last half but we didn’t score."

"I prefer to say the team understood it was more intense they were played, with certain levels of fatigue clearly for some players, like Moussa Sissoko and Giovani Lo Celso.

"I feel I got enough desire and they couldn’t give more today. For me it wasn’t a surprise but there’s always a negative when you have a huge penalty decision against you."

Tottenham have a north London derby to look forward to against Arsenal on Sunday, before a home match against top-four chasing Leicester is sandwiched between trips to Newcastle and Crystal Palace as their campaign draws to a belated close.  

Bloemfontein Celtic midfield duo of Lucky Baloyi and Given Mashikinya will remain at the club until the end of the season, according to their agent and business manager Jazzman Mahlakgane. 

The agent confirmed the two players were handed contract extensions to complete the remainder of the campaign. 

The pair's contracts came to an end on June 30 and the club could have decided to let them go. 

"The club has given them an extension of two-month contracts until the 2019-20 season is completed," Mahlakgane told Daily Sun. 

Furthermore, Mahlakgane said talks are ongoing behind the scenes for the two players to stay longer at Celtic. 

"We are engaging Celtic and we now wait for the season to finish," he revealed. 

The latest developments will come as good news to Mashikinya who recently rejoined his teammates after recovering from Covid-19. 

On June 22, the former Cape Town City midfielder tested positive for the coronavirus and had to self-isolate for 14 days. 

His results came back negative from the latest tests conducted by Phunya Sele Sele and he was subsequently given the green light to resume training. 

Baloyi, on the other hand, will hope to have done enough for the club this season to earn himself a new deal. 

He has been one of Celtic's standout players over the past three seasons and was instrumental during Lehlohonolo Seema's tenure as head coach.

That was before Seema dumped the Mangaung-based side for Chippa United; the move that happened earlier this week. 

Baloyi, 29, has featured 79 times across all competitions for Celtic since his arrival from Kaizer Chiefs in 2017. 

He has contributed just a single goal and two assists and this is largely because he's playing more as a central defensive midfielder. 

Meanwhile, Mashikinya has been used far less than Baloyi in the three seasons he has been with the club. 

To date, he has played 67 matches for Phunya Sele Sele - scored once and recorded a single assist.

The remaining matches of the season will determine if Celtic will keep both the players beyond their current deals. 

Baloyi and Mashikinya will have to do that under the stewardship of John Maduka who was appointed head coach when Seema left the club.

Paul Pogba scored his first Premier League goal in 15 months as Manchester United broke a Premier League record in a 3-0 victory at Aston Villa.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side became the first in the division's history to win four successive matches by a margin of three goals or more as they extended their unbeaten run to 17 games in all competitions.

Bruno Fernandes set them on their way by converting a controversial penalty, before Mason Greenwood took his tally to four goals in three games prior to the break.

Pogba picked out the bottom corner of the net from a Fernandes corner in the 58th minute to leave United one point outside the top four.

Despite United's recent purple patch, it was Villa who began brighter and Jack Grealish missed the target with a volley early on from a back-post Ezri Konza cross.

They came closer still when Trezeguet dispossessed Pogba and bent a low effort against the outside of the post.

Yet, a minute later, United had a penalty. Fernandes attempted a double drag-back to go beyond Konza, but his left leg came down into the defender, an act that referee Jon Moss deemed worthy of a spot-kick.

The contentious decision stood after a VAR review and it was Fernandes, rather than Marcus Rashford, who stepped up to slot home United's record-equalling 13th Premier League penalty of the season.

Greenwood and Fernandes then both came close before the former continued his fine scoring streak by blasting home right-footed in first-half stoppage time.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka really should have added the third early in the second half with a header that missed the target, and although he could not register his first goal of the season, Pogba soon did.

Fernandes picked out the Frenchman on the edge of the box from a corner and the World Cup winner steered his effort inside the post.

Pogba's compatriot Anthony Martial came close to adding a fourth - firing against the woodwork - but relegation-threatened Villa suffered no further misery.

What does it mean? Free-scoring United continue rich vein of form

Villa had good opportunities to open the scoring - and they may feel aggrieved at the manner in which United went ahead - but once Fernandes slotted in the penalty only one team looked like winning.

United are two points behind third-placed Chelsea and one behind Leicester City in fourth, and they still have to play the Foxes. In this form, it is hard to imagine them not finishing in the top four.

Brilliant Bruno

The impact January signing Fernandes has had on United is clear to see and this was another awesome display from the playmaker.

He has now had 28 goal involvements in 27 league goals this season with Sporting CP and United, scoring 15 and providing 13 assists.

Mings not merciless

England international Tyrone Mings was the latest target for Sky Sports pundit Roy Keane's ire at half-time, the ex-United captain ripping into the Villa defender for not closing down Greenwood.

Anyone who has seen Greenwood of late knows he possess a venomous shot from distance and Mings' inability to close the teenager down was emblematic of Villa's problems.

What's next?

United will hope to make it 18 unbeaten against Southampton at Old Trafford on Monday, while Villa will see the visit of Crystal Palace on Sunday as a more realistic chance to pick up points.