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Nashville SC has become the latest team to be forced out of the MLS is Back tournament as the expansion club has withdrawn due to a series of nine positive coronavirus tests.

MLS announced the decision on Thursday, the day after Nashville were set to take on the Chicago Fire in the club's opening match of the competition, with that game originally postponed as a result of a series of positive tests for Covid-19.

“We have withdrawn Nashville SC from the MLS is Back Tournament. Due to the number of positive tests, the club has been unable to train since arriving in Orlando and would not be able to play matches,” said MLS commissioner Don Garber.

“For every decision we make in our return to play, the wellbeing of our players, staff, officials and all participants is our top priority.”

Added Nashville CEO Ian Ayre: “In what has been a challenging year, and in an uncharted environment created by the Tornado that devastated our city and COVID-19, this is another big disappointing outcome for Nashville SC and its supporters,Our focus now lays on the recovery of our players who have been infected with COVID-19 and on getting our complete traveling party back home safely.

"Once everyone is safe and healthy in Nashville, we can then turn the page and focus on our preparation and participation in the return to play for the latter half of the season post-Orlando.”

FC Dallas announced on Monday that the club would withdraw from the competition after the club had produced 11 positive tests for coronavirus.

With the departures of Dallas and Nashville, the MLS is Back tournament currently features 24 teams spread across six groups now featuring an even four teams.

Group A had initially featured six participants to account for the number of teams, with each other group featuring four.

However, with the departure of FC Dallas, Group B dropped to three teams while, with Nashville's withdrawal, Group A featured five.

MLS confirmed on Thursday that Chicago Fire have moved from Group A to Group B to provide balance, joining the San Jose Earthquakes, Seattle Sounders, and Vancouver Whitecaps.

The MLS is Back tournament kicked off on Wednesday, beginning a month-long competition featuring a group and knockout stage. As a result, it became the first men's professional sports league to return to play in the U.S., following the NWSL which began in June.

The tournament opened with a 2-1 win for Orlando City, who took down newfound rivals Inter Miami in the first-ever meeting between the two Florida clubs.

On Thursday, the tournament continued with the Philadelphia Union picking up a 1-0 win over New York City FC. Next up is a match between the Montreal Impact and New England Revolution on Thursday night.

Cesc Fabregas has revealed the funniest moment during his career came at Chelsea when playing with Diego Costa and being managed by Antonio Conte.

Currently on the books of Monaco, the 33-year-old has been involved in the professional game since debuting for Arsenal in 2003, turning out subsequently for Barcelona and the Blues at club level.

It was at Stamford Bridge that produced his funniest moment, despite being consistently frustrated by Conte’s preference for more physical midfielders.

“When Conte first came to Chelsea I didn't really play the first three months. He made it clear he wanted a different type of midfielder,” he told BBC Sport. “Nemanja Matic was playing, I had an injury as well and I didn't really play the whole season.

"Then we went to Manchester City, we had won seven games and Conte says to me: 'You have to play.' We won 3-1, I played well and gave the assist to Costa for 1-1. It felt like I had made a point to the coach that he could count on me.

"Next we played West Brom, Matic recovers and he starts. It was a typical game and for 70 minutes it was 0-0. They were defending well. The game was calling for someone like me to come on to open the door or do something but the minutes went by and nothing. I remember Costa coming to the touchline and shouting at Conte, saying: 'Put Cesc on!'

"Conte is not the manager you mess with this and he was pretending not to listen to Costa. Two minutes later he says 'Cesc come', and two minutes after I come on and I provided the assist for Costa to score."

The Spain international striker, who is now with Atletico Madrid in La Liga, had a rocky relationship with the former Italy and Juventus boss and ultimately departed on bad terms. Fabregas, however, survived the Conte era but departed early in 2019 when he failed to make an impression under Maurizio Sarri.

Fabregas, now with Monaco, also considered Costa when asked about his craziest ever team mate, but had him in a tie with a former Barcelona colleague.

He said: "It is between Costa and Gerard Pique. Gerard I have played with since I was 10 years old. He hasn't changed much but now he is a business man and the image he has is completely different.

"He used to do crazy things all the time. One day he burst the tyres on the car of our goalkeeper. The guy went home and halfway back he was stuck on the motorway. He has to be in my top two."

Former Bafana Bafana striker Katlego Mphela explains why he cannot pursue a coaching career, saying his personality doesn’t suit the job.

‘Killer’ is of the view coaches must be crazy and eccentric, and that he doesn’t possess such qualities and that not all retired professionals can be successful coaches in their retirement.

On the other hand, the retired Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs hitman has called for Premier Soccer League (PSL) clubs to look at hiring former strikers to focus on finishing.

“To be honest, I don’t have the personality to take up coaching,” said Mphela as quoted by Daily Sun.

“We must remember that not every soccer player has the characteristics of being a coach. Coaching is a nice fall back option after retiring because you continue doing what you always wanted to do. But it’s not easy.

“You need to be a little crazy and be eccentric. I don’t know if I can do that.”

The 2010 Fifa World Cup campaigner also shares an update on his current occupation after hanging up his scoring boots at the age of 35 in 2019.

“I am working with some of my buddies who are running academies to assist them. I am enjoying working particularly with strikers,” he added.

“Maybe our clubs can start embracing that idea because we do not have specific striker coaches in the country I do not have any regrets. 

“But a lot of things have changed. I have to do everything myself. There are no agents anymore to do all the stuff for you. I organize everything and I am adjusting.”

The former PSL winner with the Glamour Boys and SuperSport United is still rated as one of South Africa’s top finishers where he netted 62 goals, provided 14 assists out of 191 official matches in his career.

His statistics include stints in French Ligue1 and 2 where he played for Stade Reims and RC Strasbourg as well as in the Caf Champions League with Masandawana.

Apart from winning the league title, the Brits-born legend has an MTN8 gold medal with the Naturena-based side plus he has found the back of the net for Bafana Bafana on 23 occasions from 53 international matches.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Praful Patel launched the first batch of the AIFF Masters Programme on Thursday via an online meeting.

The sports management programme started by the Indian FA is a first-of-its-kind and the apex body for football in India is the first national sports federation to take up such an initiative.

Welcoming the first batch of the course, the AIFF president said, “Warm welcome to the inaugural session of AIFF Masters.

"This is a unique programme by the All India Football Federation. I'm really happy that the first batch is kick-starting in 2020. I know a lot of people are passionate about Football. But we don't have more talented football administrators in our country. A new breed of football professionals is required, and hence, we took it upon ourselves to start this Masters Programme.”

"The current situation is a bit difficult. I consider the world is moving in one particular direction, and so are we. We have to keep the pace and work accordingly. This too shall pass.

“We intend to build a very robust system on the basis of which all of you will get a very sound future. There will be a lot of opportunities in India and beyond India. With comprehensive learning, you will be going through, the Masters Course will bring you on par with the best in the world.

“I will be happy to interact with all of you in person. You are in fine hands. This programme will certainly give you enlightenment and a better understanding of the game.

“The knowledge of the Spanish language which will be taught during the course will go a long way in your professional career.”

AIFF senior vice president Subrata Dutta stated, “We would be complying with the highest standard of governance, integrity and all the management ethics. The programme will also give an on-job experience to learn in the right manner and direction.”

AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das, corporate and business director of Spanish club Cadiz CF, Enrique Perez and all the Head of the Departments (HODs) also attended the online meeting.

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane has described non-contact training as “frustrating” and not easy for them “to address the tactical side of the game.”

Mosimane and his men have resumed group training to join their Premier Soccer League (PSL) title closest challengers Kaizer Chiefs, as well as the likes of SuperSport United, Bidvest Wits and Bloemfontein Celtic who had already restarted.

With clubs conducting their training sessions under very strict coronavirus health and safety protocols, Mosimane views it as a strange new normal although he acknowledges that they "have to observe the health issues and be an example."

Sundowns have set a training camp in Rustenburg, away from Gauteng which has become the epicentre of South Africa’s coronavirus cases.

“It has not been easy, it is a new life,” said Mosimane as per SuperSport.

“We just met here, it is a bit strange. When we meet, we always usually greet each other and hug each other. It has been three months that we have not seen each other, but the funny part of it, is now we meet on the WhatsApp group.

“Everybody just comes in, gets their room key and heads straight to their room. Because the rules that have been put in place by the doctors mean no hanging around, no loitering [with each other].

“So we speak to players, ask 'How are you, are you back?’, through the WhatsApp group, or through the phone from room to room. It is a strange feeling, but it is how the situation is, we have to respect Covid-19 and understand the situation as it is.”

Sundowns are training in small groups of four players each which Mosimane says is time-consuming to accommodate all their players.

With the group work-outs not allowing them to be in close contact, the Downs tactician feels that makes it difficult for them to practice certain aspects of their game.

“We knew what it would be like, but when you face it, it is something else. Everybody has their own basket with boots, kit, sanitiser, mask … we don’t sit together as usual,” Mosimane said.

“When you arrive for the training session, you have your station and you stay there. You put your basket there and you change into your equipment. That is your place. When you want to drink you must go back to your station. You must collect your own water or Energade.

“It is a non-contact training session. That means it is not easy to address the tactical side of the game. It is frustrating not to be able to be face-to-face with the players and hug, only being able to give instructions from a distance."

If the 2019/20 season resumes, Sundowns will continue with their bid for a third straight league title as well as the Nedbank Cup campaign.

They are second on the PSL standings, four points behind leaders Kaizer Chiefs who have played a game more than them, and will face Bidvest Wits in the Nedbank Cup semi-finals.

Christian Kouame has stated he wished he could have gotten a goal on his Fiorentina debut which ended in a goalless draw with Cagliari.

The 22-year-old has been out with an Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury since November 2019 while on international duty with the Ivory Coast.

He had contributed to eight goals (five goals, three assists) in 11 Serie A outings with Genoa before the injury.

Despite not recovering, he was loaned to Fiorentina in January and used the lockdown period to step up his fitness of which the Viola extended his loan deal until the end of the season.

The former Citadella player came on for Dusan Vlahovic in the 75th minute having made the bench for the first time in the previous match against Parma which ended in a 2-1 away win for the Florence-based club.

“The injury has never been a nightmare for me,” Kouame told Sky Sports Italia.

“If I had managed to score it would have been fantastic: I had dreamed of doing it, but the appointment is only postponed to the next. The choices will then be made by the coach and I will only give 100% in training.

"For me, it's the same, whether I play or someone else. Whoever deserves will play, I'm happy anyway. But when I go out on the pitch, I have to give my best."

In the 15 minutes played, Kouame had one shot on target, 13 touches, three accurate passes (42%), one accurate long ball and won two of three total duels.

Fiorentina boss Giuseppe Lachini says he is happy to have extended Kouame’s loan and will be monitoring his progress closely as he gives the club a “great hand”.

"I am happy to have reviewed it [Kouame’s loan] after the long injury, now let's see,” he told Sky Sports Italia.

“We are monitoring him from time to time. When the injury is so problematic, he must be reintegrated gradually. He can certainly give us a great hand."

Fiorentina are in 13th place on the log, eight points clear of Koaume’s parent club, Genoa, in the relegation zone. They host Europa League-chasing Hellas Verona at the Artemio Franchi on Sunday evening.

Wycombe Wanderers striker Adebayo Akinfenwa has taken to social media to release a statement in which he explains the racist abuse which was targeted towards him by a Fleetwood Town official in Monday’s 6-3 aggregate win in the League One play-off semi-finals.

The Chairboys had taken a 4-1 lead from the first leg at Highbury Stadium before drawing 2-2 in the return fixture on their turf.

Akinfenwa started from the bench in both matches and came on for fellow Anglo-Nigerian Fred Onyedinma and Alex Samuel in their respective games.

The 38-year-old narrates that he was called a “Fat Water Buffalo” by a Fleetwood representative after the game was over on Monday.

It sets a bad precedent at a time when football in England is standing in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement in the quest to end racial injustice following the death of George Floyd in the United States.

The FA according to TalkSPORT, have said they are aware of the incident and will be launching an investigation.   

“Monday night was one of the highlights of my career with Wycombe so far as we secured our place in the League One play-off final at Wembley. However, what should have been an evening of joy and excitement quickly turned into one of anger and frustration,” Akinfenwa said in a statement posted on Instagram.

“Historically, I have been subjected to and have experienced abuse across a number of areas tags about many things, including my size but also about the colour of my skin. Throughout my career, dating back to when I suffered severe and widespread racism playing in Lithuania, I have always vowed to stand up and have a voice when it comes to racism, believing that education is ultimately the key to a future without racial discrimination.

“Following the conclusion of the game, I learned that a representative of the opposition had repeatedly referred to me as a Fat 'Water Buffalo' in a derogatory tone. Regardless of whether or not there was deliberately racial intent by using that language and irrespective of the context in which it was used if we are to make real and long-standing change, then we must work together to ensure those who have not and do not face racial prejudice understand that what may appear to them to be a throwaway remark can have such a big and hurtful impact.

“I believe that it dehumanises me as a black man by associating me to a Water Buffalo, a dark animal, in a derogatory manner. I feel passionately around raising this because we as a sport and as a society must wake up. We must do more. We must educate ourselves and understand the potential repercussions of using such language and be aware of the hurt it can cause. The bigger issue to me would be the lack of understanding as to why calling me this term would not be hurtful to me as a black man, and this must change.

“Taking a knee, supporting social media campaigns and wearing a logo on our kits is a start, but it is not enough. It will not result in real and long-standing change.

“The real work must start now and the only way to move forward collectively is thorough education. We must all play our part. #BlackLivesMatter."

Akinfenwa has been on the books of Wycombe since 2016 when he joined from AFC Wimbledon and has scored more than 50 competitive goals which is his most productive tally in a career that has seen him play for 12 different English clubs including FK Atlantas in Lithuania where his senior career began in 2001.

Wycombe will come up against Oxford United, who saw off Portsmouth via penalties in the other semis, next Monday at Wembley, for a chance to reach the Championship for the first time in their history.

Paris Saint-Germain will begin their Ligue 1 title defence at home to Metz after the French Professional Football League (LFP) announced its 2020-21 top-flight schedule.

The first round of matches will take place on the weekend of August 22-23, with the season set to conclude on May 23 next year.

PSG were awarded their seventh top-flight title in eight seasons after the 2019-20 campaign was abandoned and decided on a point-per-game basis due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The abandonment move has since been questioned amid other elite divisions in Europe successfully resuming their seasons behind closed doors.

An LFP vote sealed Amiens and Toulouse's relegation, with Lorient and Lens promoted from Ligue 2 in their place.

Lorient host Strasbourg on the opening weekend, while Lens are on the road at Nice.

The first Classique of the season comes in the third round of fixtures, with PSG welcoming Marseille to the Parc des Princes in mid-September. The return is billed for February 7.

Marseille start at home to Saint-Etienne, with Bordeaux and Lille hosting Nantes and Rennes respectively.

Lyon begin on the road at Montpellier, with the first of their always feisty clashes against Marseille coming at Groupama Stadium on October 4. The rivalry is then scheduled to resume at the Stade Velodrome on February 28.

The other opening day games see Nimes host Brest, Angers travel to Dijon, and Monaco play at home to Reims.

The current French season has not quite concluded however, with the Coupe de France and Coupe de la Ligue still scheduled to be played in spite of the 2019-20 league season being drawn to a finish early.

PSG have the chance to complete a domestic treble, as they face Lyon in the Coupe de la Ligue showpiece and take on Saint-Etienne in the Coupe de France final.

The Parisian side's status as perennial champions depends on their ability to keep hold of their impressive roster of stars, such as Neymar, who has regularly been linked with a return to former club Barcelona.

However his proposed return to Camp Nou has essentially been ruled out by club president Josep Bartomeu, who says the transfer market will be negatively impacted by the coronavirus crisis.

Rivaldo has dismissed Josep Maria Bartomeu's claims of La Liga bias towards Real Madrid, insisting Barcelona's "problem isn't VAR", but rather a lack of "quality".

Barcelona have surrendered the initiative in the title race since the resumption of the Spanish football season on June 10. Quique Setien's men have drawn three of their last eight fixtures, while Madrid have won seven out of seven to leapfrog their arch-rivals at the top of the table.

Real hold a one-point lead over Barca at the moment, but they can increase their advantage if they beat Alaves at Santiago Bernabeu on Friday.

The Blaugrana bounced back from a 2-2 draw with Atletico Madrid to win their last two fixtures against Villarreal and Espanyol, but their fate is no longer in their own hands.

After Barca's 4-1 victory at El Madrigal on Sunday, club president Bartomeu expressed his belief that video technology has favoured Madrid over the last few weeks.

He told reporters post-match: "I feel bad because we have the best league in the world and VAR after coronavirus isn't fair."

However, Rivaldo does not believe that Madrid have benefited from an unfair advantage when it comes to refereeing decisions, and he thinks that Bartomeu is trying to draw attention away from issues behind the scenes at Camp Nou.

The former Barca forward told Betfair: "Sometimes you have the right to feel upset about refereeing or VAR decisions but I do not agree with Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu's claims that there is a bias towards Madrid. Bartomeu is simply trying to distract the media from his club's problems.

"Barcelona are still fighting for the Liga title, and they're still in the Champions League, but this is not a good moment for the club. Bartomeu is trying to use stuff like VAR to justify himself to the fans and pretend that his club's difficulties aren't the fault of himself, the players or the manager.

"In my opinion, Barca's problem isn't VAR or any refereeing decisions, their main problem is the quality of their football that needs to improve and become again that style of play that everybody loves to see around the world.

"The team was leading La Liga before the lockdown and now is four points behind Madrid, so you can't say VAR is the main reason for that, especially when the team is not playing well."

Rivaldo added on the Blaugrana's unconvincing 1-0 win against Espanyol on Wednesday: "Barcelona beat Espanyol in the Catalan derby, but I expected a much better match performance from Quique Setien's team.

"It was a disappointing step backwards after they'd played so well in beating Villarreal on Sunday. It leaves me worried because Real Madrid aren't slipping up in the title race.

"Barca's team spirit was affected by the lockdown, some of their players aren't in peak condition and playing without fans has removed some of the emotion from their play - but Real Madrid managed to find their rhythm right away and took advantage of that."

Saint-Etienne are ready to push until the last minute to allow Arsenal’s William Saliba to play for them in the Coupe de France final against Paris Saint-Germain on July 24.

The centre-back was loaned from the Gunners for the 2019-20 season, which was abridged because of the coronavirus crisis.

Although Ligue 1 may have shut down early, both cup competitions will be played to a conclusion at the end of the month, and Saint-Etienne are hopeful that they will have the youngster available for the Stade de France fixture.

His contract with the French side expired on June 30, but it could be extended until Thursday at midnight, when the domestic transfer window shuts down for a month before resuming in early August.

“We’ll be able to tell you more on Friday at one minute past midnight,” Saint-Etienne head coach Claude Puel told the press ahead of a friendly with Nice on Friday. “We’ll make a comment at that point. Until that time, I cannot say anything. Truthfully, I don’t know what will happen anymore.

“My wish is to have the most competitive team possible. We’ve got until 11:55pm to get the player.”

Highly rated 19-year-old Wesley Fofana would likely partner veteran Loic Perrin at the heart of the defence should the Saliba deal not come to fruition. 

Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that the Stade de France will be able to house 5,000 spectators for the match, but Puel regrets that there will be a virtual absence of fans. 

“It’s something very strange when you play a football match without supporters,” he said. “If it stays at 5,000, that means 5,000 all inclusive: the players, the staff, the journalists, so when you add it up, it goes very quickly.

“For me, it will be a match without supporters. It means that there will be more people who will be in the entourages of the two teams, but they are not supporters, it is not a support.”

Saint-Etienne have suffered heavily at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain so far this season, going down 4-0 in the only league match the two teams played.

They also crashed to a 6-1 Coupe de la Ligue reverse in early January, though they fielded a virtual reserve side in that encounter due to fixture congestion and injury problems in the early part of the year.

India international defender Pritam Kotal’s first major club in the top tier of Indian football was Mohun Bagan. The Bengali defender won the I-League and the Federation Cup title donning the Green and Maroon jersey in the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons respectively and is currently plying his trade at Indian Super League (ISL) club ATK. 

Earlier this year, Mohun Bagan entered into a merger with the ISL defending champions ATK and formed a new entity which will play in the ISL and the AFC Cup next season. A company has already been registered with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) as ATK Mohun Bagan Pvt Ltd. The former Bagan defender is hopeful that the merger will be a great success.

“Obviously it is great for Kolkata football. Mohun Bagan have a very passionate fan base. Both ATK and Mohun Bagan are big brands in Indian football and the merger will be really helpful in the future. We have AFC Cup this time and we will try to win that. I hope to get the support of all the fans,” said Kotal during a live Instagram session with the ISL. 

After bagging two titles in the first three years of ISL, ATK went through a rough patch. However, they came back strong last season under the tutelage of Spanish coach Antonio Lopez Habas and clinched a record third championship.

Pritam Kotal, who was an important member of ATK’s winning squad, spoke about his experience of working under coach Habas. He said, “When I met him the first time he told me that he wanted to retain me at Pune (City) in 2016 but I had (already) moved to ATK. He directly asked me if I could play as a centre-back and I said yes.

“The best thing about Habas is the intensity in his training sessions. He also sees everyone equally whether you are Roy Krishna or Komal Thatal. We had an amazing dressing room. I really liked working under him. His only aim is to win even if it is a practice match. I personally like his tactics and game plan.”

Barcelona should focus on signing Neymar over Lautaro Martinez, according to Rivaldo, who says the Brazilian star's return would allow Lionel Messi to "take a rest".

Martinez has emerged as a top transfer target for Barca after a stellar campaign in Italy with Inter, during which he has scored 17 goals in 37 appearances.

The Spanish champions missed the opportunity to sign the Argentine for €111 million (£99m/$125m) when his release clause expired on Tuesday, but Goal understands that the club are still hopeful of arranging a deal this summer.

Should Lautaro indeed end up completing a move to Camp Nou, the possibility of Neymar retracing his steps will become far less likely.

The Paris Saint-Germain superstar came close to re-joining Barca last year, and although the two clubs failed to reach an agreement on a final fee, negotiations were expected to continue in 2020.

However, Blaugrana president Josep Bartomeu has insisted that the financial implications of the coronavirus outbreak will make it very difficult for such a move to materialise.

Rivaldo is adamant that his old club should still be going all out to bring back the man they sold for a world record €222m (£199m/$251m) fee in 2017, with it his belief that Lautaro would be worse value for money now that Inter can increase their valuation.

The Barca legend also thinks Neymar's presence would help ease the pressure on Messi as he enters the latter stages of his career.

He told Betfair: "Lautaro Martinez's release clause has recently expired, so Internazionale can now ask for more money to sell him and, apparently, they want to extend his contract and keep him at the club. For that reason, I think Barcelona should refocus on signing Neymar this summer.

"Leonardo might now be interested in negotiating the Brazilian star's move from PSG. I believe Neymar joining Lionel Messi would help Barcelona become again that sensational team that won many titles several years ago.

"Neymar would be the best possible signing for Barcelona as he will cheer up the squad and give a nice alternative to decide matches, allowing Messi to take a rest occasionally."

Lautaro is due back in Serie A action with Inter on Thursday night as Antonio Conte's side prepare to come up against Verona, while Neymar continues to take in an extended spell on the sidelines following the cancellation of Ligue 1.

Manchester City attacker Raheem Sterling is surpassed in world football by only Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, according to former England team-mate Joleon Lescott.

The 25-year-old wideman may not have been able to help Pep Guardiola’s side record a third successive Premier League title but he has enjoyed another strong individual campaign, netting 14 goals and chalking up three assists in 29 league outings this season.

His latest contribution was scoring in City's 5-0 rout of Newcastle on Wednesday, and former centre-back Lescott believes the former Liverpool man should be recognised among the absolute elite of the game.

“Raheem has taken himself to the top tier now,” Lescott told the club’s ‘We’re not Really Here’ matchday show. “He has to be regarded as one of the top wide players or forwards in the game because he contributes.

"He has the ability to play well and win man of the match and not score and then on other occasions he just scores and impacts the game that way.

“I think you have to be pretty naïve to not respect what he’s doing. There are players like Messi and Ronaldo that are scoring 50 goals a season. They are super freaks! In terms of the next tier, Raheem has to be compared to those kinds of players.”

Lescott also suggested that Sterling could be a capable stand in for Sergio Aguero, who is presently out injured, in a centre-forward role for City.

“There are always going to be options for players to play in different positions, but Raheem has proven he can play as a No.9,” Lescott, who turned out for City between 2009 and 2014, said.

“The No.9s that we’ve come across in the past in the Premier League needed to hold up the ball, but that doesn’t need to happen for City.

“You need to make runs off the ball and create space for other people in possession and obviously have the composure that Raheem’s got in front of goal.

“He’s now our top goal scorer, I didn’t think there would be a time when someone would score more than Sergio Aguero whilst he is at the club. I know he’s been injured, but it’s a credit to him.”

It won't be long after the curtain falls on the 2019-20 Premier League season that the 2020-21 campaign kicks off.

Having resumed play on June 17 following the coronavirus-enforced lockdown period, Premier League clubs will have squeezed nine (and a bit) matchdays into the space of a month, with the last games of the season being played on July 26. The FA Cup final will then bookend the term on August 1.

So when exactly will the next Premier League season begin? Will clubs have much of a pre-season? 

Goal takes a look at the dates and which teams will be involved as English football looks to rebuild in the aftermath of the pandemic.

Contents

When will Premier League 2020-21 start?

There are currently two potential 2020-21 Premier League start dates: Saturday August 29 or Saturday September 12. 

The Daily Mirror reports that the Football Association favours an August start date, a position that is understood to be influenced by the fact that England's UEFA Nations League fixtures against Iceland and Denmark are scheduled for September 5 and 8 respectively.

However, Premier League clubs themselves are reportedly more keen on the September start date and it is understandable given that their players will have just played out a gruelling end to the 2019-20 season.

In normal circumstances, teams are granted a three-month break from competitive action, with the league season usually concluding in May and starting up again in August.

Pre-season, the period when players hone their match fitness, tends to kick off around a month before the first competitive games, but that will be impossible ahead of the 2020-21 season.

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When will Premier League 2020-21 finish?

The finish date for the 2020-21 Premier League season has not yet been confirmed, but it is expected to be wrapped up in May 2021 in order to minimise further disruption to normal schedules.

If the league commences at the end of August or start of September, it is entirely achievable to finish in May.

Indeed, it would be even more likely if, as has been speculated, the Carabao Cup is temporarily scrapped in order to ease fixture congestion, thus freeing up fixture slots.

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Which teams will be involved in Premier League 2020-21?

There will be 20 clubs in the 2020-21 Premier League and a number of them have already been confirmed as it becomes mathematically impossible for them to be relegated.

Three clubs will be relegated to the Championship, with Norwich City, Aston Villa, Bournemouth, Watford and West Ham all very much fighting to retain their place at the top table.

The three relegated clubs will be replaced by three teams from the Championship. Leeds United, West Brom, Brentford and Fulham in the mix for the two automatic promotion spots.

The final promotion will be decided through the play-offs, with Nottingham Forest, Cardiff City, Swansea City, Preston, Derby County and Blackburn Rovers all staking their claim - though it has not yet been confirmed.

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Kevin De Bruyne has seen a move away from Manchester City mooted, especially if a European ban is upheld, but his agent insists no thought has been given to leaving the Etihad Stadium.

The Blues are waiting to discover whether an appeal against a two-year suspension from continental competition will be successful.

If sanctions are overturned, then Pep Guardiola’s side will once again compete among the elite in 2020-21, but if UEFA’s initial ruling is upheld, then it could be ambitious performers decide to head for the exits and open new chapters in their respective careers elsewhere.

De Bruyne is among those seeing a switch mooted, but Patrick De Koster claims there is no substance to the reports.

He has told Sporza: “At the moment he is not at all busy with that. He still has a three-year contract with a team that belongs at the top of the world, at a club and in a city where Kevin feels good and appreciated.

“There will be many people who find this woolly, but he's not thinking about a transfer.”

While seeking to bring the unwelcome rumours to a close, De Koster admits that tentative interest from afar has been registered in a player who has previously been linked with Barcelona and Real Madrid.

De Koster added: “There is always an informal interest for a good player in the football world. Whether that is KDB or Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo or Antoine Griezmann.

“If everything I read in the papers were correct, then I would need a 48-hour watch and to be all over the world at the same time. I can declare in good conscience here and even swear on my children's head that everything I read is 90% rubbish.”

For now, De Bruyne is focused on ending the 2019-20 campaign as positively as possible.

City have surrendered their Premier League title to Liverpool this season, but have countered that disappointment by lifting the Community Shield and Carabao Cup and still having the FA Cup and Champions League in their sights.

“Kevin wants to end the season with one or two cups,” said De Koster. “If all these prizes are won, no one will complain about Manchester City’s season, I think.”

Harry Maguire makes a mockery of Manchester United for paying him so much despite a lack of talent, according to former Tottenham and Real Madrid midfielder Rafael van der Vaart.

Van der Vaart slammed the England international centre-back, who cost a world-record £80 million ($100m) when United signed him from Leicester City last summer, after he was nutmegged in the lead up to Bournemouth's opening goal in the Premier League clash last Saturday.

Maguire was left standing by Junior Stanislas, who then slammed the Cherries into a surprise lead at Old Trafford - although the home side came back to comfortably win 5-2 and keep up their challenge for the Champions League places.

The win was not enough to spare Maguire from stinging criticism, as former Netherlands international Van der Vaart accused the player of taking his club for a ride.

Speaking on Dutch TV station Ziggo, Van der Vaart said: "I think Maguire goes home every day and tells his wife: ‘I screw up, but I earn so much. They really believe I’m good.’ I really think so, he laughs at everyone."

It is not the first time van der Vaart has criticised Maguire on the same channel this season, saying his performance in the 1-1 draw with Liverpool last October was not worthy of a professional footballer.

He said: "If he is worth so much money, Virgil van Dijk is worth £300m. If I am going to play with the amateurs on Sunday afternoon, I can easily find three who can do this (what Maguire does on the pitch). I mean that seriously. A bit silly to say, but I really think so."

Van der Vaart went on to suggest that United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer should sign Bournemouth centre-back Nathan Ake as a replacement for Maguire.

Television cameras captured the United manager having a conversation with the Bournemouth defender at the final whistle, with some claiming he had said to the Dutchman that he needed a left-footed central defender.

Van der Vaart said: "That is nice if there is no crowd and no music after the game. Then you hear things like this. A transfer? I hope for him, I think he’s doing very well. Why not?"

However, Solskjaer subsequently dismissed the amateur lip-readers and said he has no intention of signing any more defenders this summer.

"I’ve got seven centre-backs, so I don’t know where that comes from. We’re fine," he said.

An international forward in Ligue 1 has been placed in police custody for the second time in little over two months after admitting to public masturbation.

Angers and Algeria striker Farid El Melali, who turns 23 next week, admitted performing a sex act in the public courtyard of his building complex in early May.

Now another individual has come forward to make a complaint over a similar incident believed to have occurred prior to the one which he had previously admitted.

El Melali’s legal counsel, Sandra Chirac Kollarik, provided the following statement: “Farid El Melali was heard this Wednesday morning by Angers police, about acts committed during the recent period of confinement, which he acknowledged, and about which he had already been interviewed before being summoned to court.

“Once again, Farid El Melali answered the questions asked of him and all the necessary checks could therefore be made, so that his hearing was quickly closed.

“He once again gives his sincerest apologies to the women he may have upset with inappropriate attitudes.”

Angers deputy chairman Fabrice Favetto-Bon, said the club made no further comment, having addressed the issue previously.

He said: “We consider that we have already expressed our views on the subject. We heard the player apologise.

“Obviously, this kind of behaviour, still subject to judgement from the Justice, does not align with the values of the club and the duty of an example which we expect from our players. The procedure is continuing.”

Now El Melali will be heard by the prosecutor of the Republic of Angers. He could face a fine of €15,000 and a one-year prison sentence, plus any punishment which may be given by his club.

El Melali will be tried in a pre-conviction appearance (CRPC), which essentially presupposes a guilty plea, and reports suggest he will likely face a fine.

He admitted to his indiscretions and will not contest the charges brought against him. In May, it was reported El Melali’s lawyers would argue he was unaware anybody could see him as part of their legal defence.

Melali has represented Angers for two seasons, having joined from Algiers-based Paradou AC in 2018. He recently signed a contract extension until 2023, and has three senior international caps for Algeria.

David Silva's legacy at Manchester City is one of a man who changed the club forever, according to director of football Txiki Begiristain.

Veteran playmaker Silva is set to leave City at the end of this season, following a 10-year stint that has yielded four Premier League titles, five EFL Cups and two FA Cups – the first of which in 2011 ended a 35-year trophy drought.

He offered a reminder of his enduring qualities with a masterful display in Wednesday's 5-0 rout of Newcastle United.

Silva supplied his 120th and 121st assists in City colours by setting up Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling, while he also dispatched a 65th-minute free-kick – the 76th goal of his time in England.

Begiristain feels Silva holds a special place in City history, along with club record goalscorer Sergio Aguero and the recently departed Yaya Toure and Vincent Kompany.

"He's been unbelievable in football in the world - especially here," he told the club's official website. "He's spent 10 wonderful years, winning trophies and changing the dynamic of the club.

"He's been one of the leaders – with Vincent, with Yaya and Kun [Aguero]. No one will forget what they've done for this football club.

"Not only the way David plays football but helping us be a successful club. David is always going to be remembered because of that."

Silva's two assists on Wednesday mean he has now reached 10 or more in all competitions in all 10 of his seasons at the Etihad. He has also been directly involved in 151 Premier League goals - more than any other midfielder since 2010.

Brazil forward Jesus opened the scoring with his 11th Premier League goal of the season – ending a nine-match drought that stretched back to February's 2-1 Champions League win at Real Madrid.

Echoing the sentiments of Pep Guardiola, Begiristain praised Jesus' selfless work for the team during a period of personal toil.

"His work rate, he's unbelievable," he said. "He helps a lot by creating space for the midfielders. He's the number nine and he likes to score and [against Newcastle] he could. We are always happy with the work rate."

Matteo Guendouzi would require “huge improvement” in order to make the grade at Barcelona, says Nigel Winterburn, with the Arsenal legend considering rumours of the Liga giants showing interest in the Frenchman to be “a long shot”.

Questions continue to be asked of Guendouzi’s attitude, with Gunners boss Mikel Arteta having dropped him from his Premier League plans as a result.

Barcelona are among those said to be monitoring Guendouzi’s situation, with the Catalan giants mulling over a move for a player who still boasts plenty of potential.

Winterburn, though, cannot see the Blaugrana taking a punt on an enigmatic talent who is far from being the finished article on both ability and character fronts.

The former Arsenal defender told bookmakers.co.uk: "I think there would need to be a huge improvement in Guendouzi’s game for Barcelona to be willing to take him. He’s a young kid who’s made big improvements but there’s a long way to go, so that would surprise me if it turns out to be true.

"Arsenal wouldn’t just let him go easily even if they do decide to sell him, it would need to be a substantial fee, so would Barcelona think he’s worth the risk? If the price is right, maybe, but it seems like a bit of a long shot to me."

Big things were expected of Guendouzi when he burst onto the scene at Arsenal in 2018-19, with a promising debut campaign in England seeing him play more minutes than many had expected.

He is, however, enduring a testing time at present and Winterburn believes Arteta is taking the right approach in showing those at his disposal who is boss.

The ex-Gunners full-back added: "Arteta doesn’t seem to be the type of manager to accept any excuses, we’ve already seen that he’s not afraid to leave players out of the squad who don’t toe the line and I really admire him for that because he’s clearly trying to instil some discipline.

"With Guendouzi, it all comes down to the player’s actions as well as the manager. I don’t know exactly what issues there are with Guendouzi, but it looks like the manager has had a word with him and asked him to show that he can do what is asked of him for the benefit of the team so everyone can move forward.

"If the player is not willing to do that, or has taken offence in some way, then you usually find that the player will ultimately force his way out of the club. He’s a young player who has made some improvements over a short period of time but there’s a lot more room for development from him.

"It’s up to the player to turn this situation around. It looks as though Arteta has thrown down the gauntlet to try and test his resolve, and if Guendouzi reacts in the wrong way then he’ll be gone. You can’t have someone in your squad who is disturbing the rest of the team.

"I have to say I like the way Arteta is organising the team and how he is dealing with these situations, it seems as though he won’t take any messing around and that’s a good thing – it’s been too easy at Arsenal for too long."