Looking for Soccer News?

Liverpool won their first game at Anfield as Premier League champions as a 2-0 victory piled the misery on relegation-threatened Aston Villa.

Having been angered by the Reds' 4-0 loss to Manchester City on Thursday, Jurgen Klopp saw his side triumph on Sunday even if the performance still left much to be desired.

Sadio Mane's 71st-minute goal broke the visitors' stubborn resolve before Curtis Jones added late gloss as Dean Smith's men, winless in nine in the league, remained in the bottom three.

For Liverpool, this was not the celebratory homecoming they would have envisaged after a first top-flight title in 30 years but their march towards the 100-point barrier continues.

A tepid first half made very clear that Villa's game plan was to sit deep and frustrate Liverpool, who simply could not find a way through.

Indeed, when the first shot on target finally arrived in the 33rd minute it was Alisson who was called into action and not former Reds goalkeeper Pepe Reina.

That Douglas Luiz strike, easily dealt with by Alisson, proved to be the closest either side came to breaking the deadlock before the interval.

With Liverpool having won their previous 23 home league matches, they were always likely to emerge victorious in this one and Klopp's side got the job done in the second half.

The German made a triple change on the hour mark, introducing Jordan Henderson, Roberto Firmino and Georginio Wijnaldum.

And finally, the breakthrough came. Mane – who scored a 94th-minute winner in the reverse fixture – stroked home from Naby Keita's assist via the underside of the crossbar to register his 50th Anfield goal for Liverpool.

Jones, who signed a new contract this week, was introduced in the 85th minute and scored his first Premier League goal four minutes later, steering into the bottom-left corner from Mohamed Salah's knockdown. 

What does it mean? Reds still rolling towards history

Liverpool are now 11 points shy of the century mark and that is a tally they will be eager to reach to cap this remarkable campaign in style. Villa, meanwhile, are running out of time to put enough points on the board to avoid an immediate return to the Championship.

Mane the man for Liverpool

In a poor game of precious few chances, Mane had to step up when the time came, and he did just that. The Senegalese connected well with Keita's low cross and that strike took the wind out of Villa's sails, leaving them vulnerable to another setback, which Jones duly provided.

Robertson off his game

Andrew Robertson's stellar form this season has been one of the many highlights for Liverpool, but he has now turned in a couple of off-colour displays. The full-back was arguably the worst of a bad bunch at City and was only marginally better here, in far less testing circumstances.

Key Opta Facts

- Liverpool have now won each of their last 34 Premier League matches when scoring the first goal of the game.

- Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 57 Premier League home games (W47 D10), winning each of the last 24 in a row.

- Aston Villa have failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their last 24 Premier League away games, their longest such run in the top flight since September 1989 (38 games).

- Villa are without a victory in nine Premier League games (D2 L7), the longest current winless run in the competition.

What's next?

Brighton and Hove Albion will be the next team to form a guard of honour for the champions when Liverpool head to the south coast on Wednesday, while Villa must defeat in-form Manchester United on Thursday if they are to avoid having their winless run taken into double figures.

The Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa) will convene a club's Pro-Agenda that will help teams engineer their sporting and business processes.

The move is aimed at delivering short, medium and long-term planning and clubs have up to Monday to confirm their participation.

“In order for a club to participate in this phase of Clubs Pro-Agenda, they must express interest, in writing, to participate in the respective Division in the season 2020/2021 by 16:00 hours Monday 6th July 2020,” Fufa's CEO/Football Decolas Kiiza told the federation's website.

“The club stakeholders expected to attend include are club owner(s), club President/Chairman, club Board/Executive, club CEO, Administrative and Technical Staff, volunteer staff, if any, representative of fans and the representative of players.

“Full cost of the programme estimated to be not less than USh2,000,000 per club which must be conducted in any case not later than 16th July 2020.

“The entire programme is streamlined to further ensure professionalization of football competitions in the country to rhyme with Fufa’s core vision 'To become the number one football nation in Africa on and off the field' with a mission 'To develop, promote and protect football for all.'”

The programmes will assess and grade clubs beyond sporting merit to be able to participate in various levels of football competitions in the upcoming season.

Meanwhile, Ugandan defender Denis Iguma is close to joining KCCA FC. Iguma last featured for Bekaa SC in Lebanon and has been out for over a year due to an injury.

According to a source close to the defender, Iguma will join KCCA with a deal that will keep him for two seasons.

“True, we agreed on a deal for Iguma and he successfully passed medical tests,” the source told Kawowo Sports.

Finally, Mbarara City FC captain Hillary Mukundane has reacted to Ibrahim Orit's move to Vipers SC.

“Its everyone’s dream to go for greener pastures so, as a captain I am happy for [Ibrahim] Orit and I wish him the best of luck though it hurts to lose a good player like him,” Mukundane told Sports Nation.

“But all in all, every player has a right to leave or stay at the club.

“Mbarara have many good players who can fit in Orit's shoes. And its the work of the administration to convince players to stay, so as the players, we have done our job.

“Fans should still expect the winning and stronger Mbarara City FC come next season.”

Lautaro Martinez's missed penalty cost Inter dearly as Bologna staged a superb second-half comeback to seal a stunning 2-1 win at San Siro on Sunday. 

Romelu Lukaku had given Inter a first-half lead with his 20th Serie A goal of the season before Bologna's Roberto Soriano received a red card for dissent after 57 minutes. 

Martinez then squandered a golden opportunity to make it 2-0 five minutes later, striking his attempt from the spot straight at Lukasz Skorupski. 

The visitors took full advantage of that reprieve, scoring through Musa Juwara and Musa Barrow inside the final 16 minutes to seal a memorable away win over the Nerazzurri, who had Alessandro Bastoni dismissed for two bookable offences.

Lukaku looked dangerous in the opening stages and gave his side a deserved 22nd-minute lead, tapping home from close range after Martinez's header had crashed back off the post.

Skorupski pawed away Antonio Candreva's long-range strike moments after the interval, while at the other end Barrow thundered a 25-yard strike against the upright.

Bologna's hopes of getting back into the game appeared to suffer a blow shortly before the hour mark when Soriano was dismissed for dissent after he had been penalised for a foul on Roberto Gagliardini. 

Their woes should have been compounded when Mitchell Dijks brought down Candreva in the area, but Martinez's penalty was kept out by Skorupski. 

The Argentina international paid a significant price for that miss, Juwara firing an equaliser through the flimsy resistance of Samir Handanovic in the 74th minute. 

Bastoni received his second yellow card after 77 minutes, with Inter's misery compounded soon after when Barrow powered through to fire past Handanovic.

Substitute Alexis Sanchez twice came close to salvaging a point in the closing stages but Bologna held on for the most unlikely of away victories.

What does it mean? Shell-shocked Inter throw it away 

Quite how Inter conspired to throw away all three points will remain a mystery for some time. They were dominant for the first hour, yet Bologna sensed a vulnerability after Martinez's penalty miss and they took advantage in some style.

The result leaves Antonio Conte's side four points behind second-place Lazio and 11 adrift of leaders Juventus, though they may now be looking over their shoulder with Atalanta so close. As for Bologna – led by former Inter player Sinisa Mihajlovic – they jump up to ninth in the table.

Juwara makes stunning impact 

The 18-year-old could not have picked a better time to open his Serie A account. The substitute had already seen a sharp volley kept out by Handanovic before he got the better of the Inter goalkeeper with a well-struck shot from just inside the area. 

Martinez pays the penalty 

He has been one of the star performers for Inter this season, but Martinez fluffed his lines from the spot. There is little doubt Conte's men would have gone on to register a fourth win in five games since the season resumed had he found the net. 

Key Opta facts

- The last time Inter lost a Serie A match in which the opponent received a red card before the 60th minute was in February 2001 (1-0 against Napoli). 
- After scoring in three of his first 11 home games in Serie A this season, Romelu Lukaku has scored in four of his last five. 
- Lautaro Martínez missed his first penalty in Serie A, having scored with his three previous attempts from the spot. 
- At 18 years and 192 days, Musa Juwara is Bologna's youngest player to score since Luigi Della Rocca in January 2003 (18 years and 146 days). 
- Musa Barrow has scored in three Serie A games in a row for the first time in his career. 

What's next? 

Inter will hope to return to winning ways when they travel to Hellas Verona on Thursday, while a buoyant Bologna host Sassuolo a day earlier. 

Young Africans (Yanga SC) coach Luc Eymael has described Karume Stadium in Musome as “a pitch good for cows and pigs” after they secured a 0-0 draw against Biashara United on Sunday.

The draw was something of a blow for Yanga who are looking to widen the gap between them and second-placed Azam FC, as they have now amassed 61 points against Azam's 59, who play in the late kick-off.

Eymael has now told Goal he was surprised the pitch was passed to host a top-flight match under the condition it was in, saying it can only be good to be used by cows and pigs.

“It is a shame for a team like Yanga to play in the pitch which is just good for cows and pigs, the changing room was catastrophic, you cannot play soccer in such a pitch, how is it possible for a league match to be played there?” Eymael posed a question to Goal after the match.

“It is impossible to play in such a pitch, you know me I like teaching my players to play good soccer, I am not enjoying this kind of soccer when playing in such a pitch, I only enjoy playing soccer when using the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

“But we hit the crossbar more than three times, we created a number of scoring chances though we could not convert them into goals.”

Asked whether the draw could affect their intentions to finish in the second position, Eymael said: “Yes it can affect our second place but we are okay, we will fight until the end, we knew very well it will be difficult but we were not lucky like I told you we hit the crossbar but could not score.”

Yanga are yet to lose a game since the Mainland Premier League restarted on June 13. They resumed their league assignments and defeated Mwadui FC 1-0 away from home.

A second tie saw them draw 1-1 against JKT Tanzania on June 17 before they picked up another 2-2 draw against Namungo FC in what was their first home match since the resumption.

On June 27, they had to fight hard and secured a 3-2 win at home against Ndanda FC.

Meanwhile, Biashara United have lost one of the three matches they have played since they took to the pitch again after the league suspension in March.

The Musoma side lost 1-0 to Ndanda FC on June 20 before picking up one of their heaviest wins against the Kinondoni Municipal Council (KMC FC) after a 4-0 outing on June 24.

Their last game saw them fight for a 1-1 draw with Azam.

Ahmed Hegazi scored his first Championship goal of the season and got sent off as West Bromwich Albion defeated Hull City 4-2 at the Hawthorns on Sunday.

The Baggies had started the resumption of the second-tier on a bad note with a goalless draw against Birmingham City before losing at Brentford.

This gave Leeds United the chance to control top spot, but West Brom adjusted in their last outing at Sheffield Wednesday, which ended in a 3-0 win thanks to goals from Charlie Austin (penalty) and a Matheus Pereira brace.

Slaven Bilic’s men started on the front foot through former Southampton striker Austin in just the fourth minute of play, the assist coming from Pereira.

Hull equalised 20 minutes later via Kevin Stuart, but Hegazi made it 2-1 to the hosts eight minutes prior to the half-time break with a powerful header from Pereira’s corner.

The Tigers equalised again two minutes after the restart this time from Mallik Wilks, but West Brom responded almost immediately with Pereira making it a hat-trick of assists as he provided for Kamil Grosicki.

Grady Diangana put the final nail in the coffin in the 76th minute with the assist coming from former Hull and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Jake Livermore.

Hegazi played for 90 minutes but got his marching orders in injury time for a second bookable offence having gotten his first yellow in the 12th minute of the game.

The Egyptian still had a strong game regardless of the red card, with five clearances, one tackle and one interception. He also won five of seven aerial duels and successfully played five long balls from nine.

It was only Hegazi’s 14th Championship appearance of the season which has been due to fitness issues that kept him out for the first three months of the campaign.

The 29-year-old has been an unused substitute 14 times and has now completed 90 minutes in every game since the restart of the league.

Nigeria international Semi Ajayi was an unused substitute having come on in the final two minutes of West Brom’s last match. The 26-year-old has been a regular starter this term with a total of 3,332 minutes in the Championship.

West Brom remain in second spot on the table, one point behind leaders Leeds United with their next game at home against promotion hopefuls Derby County on Wednesday.

Ashanti Gold defender Eric Donkor has doubts about the club's preparedness for continental inter-club football next season.

The Miners have been given the nod by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) Executive Council to represent the West African nation in the 2020-21 Caf Confederation Cup.

This is after the country was unable to select a candidate on the pitch due to the premature termination of the 2019-20 football season due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The winners of the Ghana FA Cup, which together with the Premier League (GPL) headlines the topmost affected competitions by the season cancellation, would have represented the country in the Confederation Cup.

“I cannot say that we are ready because we haven’t played for some time now,” Donkor told Bryt FM.

"This year’s competition is still on course which I know they will finish by September. So I’m sure Caf will tell us the way forward after the competition.

“We should wait for them to finish this year’s edition and see how the preparations will go for us because I believe in training and team unity.

“You cannot just make purchases like Messi and Ronaldo thinking that you can do well. Football is a team sport so you have to build a team before you can face your opponent.

“For Ashantigold, I cannot confirm whether we are ready or not but frankly speaking we are not ready."

Donkor's position sharply contradicts AshGold chief executive officer Emmanuel Frimpong, who declared the side almost ready for the African adventure.

"We are 85 per cent ready for Africa," Frimpong told Kumasi FM.

"When the league was suspended, there was a rumour of AshantiGold and Asante Kotoko going for Africa hence we started preparing and putting everything in place.

"Our coach has been sending training schedules for the players at home. My players are very ready for anything.

"AshantiGold would have been at the top of the league but for the cancellation of the league."

Joining AshGold in Africa next season are Asante Kotoko who have been confirmed for the Champions League.

The two sides similarly represented Ghana in this season's continental campaign where they both got eliminated in the first round. 

Inter chief executive Beppe Marotta says Lautaro Martinez has shown no desire to leave and remains hopeful the club can fend off any interest in the Argentina striker this summer.

Barcelona are believed to be frontrunners to sign the 22-year-old, who has scored 17 goals for Antonio Conte’s side this season.

The deal would see him link up with international team-mate Lionel Messi at Camp Nou, with the Barca skipper reportedly a big fan of Lautaro’s talents and keen to play alongside him at club level.

As reported by Goal in April, Barca are willing to offer the Argentine a contract worth €10 million (£9m/$11m) a year. But the main issue appears to be the transfer fee.

Lautaro has a €111m (£97m$121m) buyout clause that expires on in July. But such a fee is out of reach for Barca at present, with the Catalan side still needing to offload players just to meet their budgetary requirements for 2019-20. The club may therefore wait for the clause to expire before making a lower bid for his services.

Lautaro, meanwhile, has seen his form decline in recent months, scoring just once in 10 matches, and he also missed a penalty in Sunday's game against Bologna. That has led to accusations his head had been turned by Barcelona and he had already begun to look ahead to life at Camp Nou.

Marotta, though, remains defiant and says the striker is not agitating for a move, which significantly strengthens Inter’s hand in any negotiations that may be taking place with the Spanish giants.

“Lautaro has not shown the slightest desire to leave,” Marotta told DAZN.

“Aside from dates and deadlines, the clearest situation is that Inter do not want to sell their champions or interesting young talents. If the player were to ask to leave, we would evaluate that together, but so far, that request has not arrived.

“I believe that, being a young player, it can boost his career to continue playing for a while longer at Inter. Being an Inter player means being part of a big club and that ought to be reason enough for him to feel proud.”

Zinedine Zidane feels his Real Madrid players deserve more respect as he is "tired" of their victories being attributed to refereeing decisions.

Madrid celebrated a seventh straight win on Sunday as they prevailed 1-0 at Athletic Club, moving seven points clear of rivals Barcelona at the top of La Liga.

However, their goal came courtesy of a Sergio Ramos penalty, awarded only after a VAR review highlighted Dani Garcia's trip on Marcelo.

Iker Muniain revealed his frustration at the call after the match, echoing comments from Barca's Gerard Pique, who suggested the officials were making it difficult to stop Madrid winning the title.

Zidane bristled at the accusations, though, telling a news conference: "I am tired of being told that we won because of the referees.

"This is not going to change. But the players deserve respect. Nothing is going to take away from our goal."

The head coach accepted Madrid were not at their best at San Mames, yet he pointed to a tough schedule which saw the leaders in action against Getafe as recently as Thursday.

"Our strength is what I like the most. We are showing our strength and our balance when we lose the ball," Zidane said. "We are doing very well.

"We have lacked brilliance in attack and we can improve, but most important is our defensive strength.

"[The problems in attack are due to] a little bit of everything. It can be something physical, too. We play every three days.

"But I don't think it is our own thing; I think it is something for all the teams. There is a lot of difference between the beginning and the end."

Talk is turning towards when Madrid might clinch the title, with just four games to play and Barca struggling for form.

But Zidane is not getting ahead of himself, adding: "Until it is mathematically won, we cannot relax and think about the title.

"We have shown our strength and our solidity, but I am not going to talk about it, even if you ask me every day, because I already have a lot of experience in my career, also as a player, and all the games are difficult.

"What I can say is that winning seven games out of seven is impressive."

Former Liverpool midfielder Graeme Souness has criticised the contribution of Jack Grealish to Aston Villa, claiming that he does not read the game well enough to be a top player.

Though regarded as one of the Villans’ top performers and a reported summer transfer target for Manchester United, Souness is not a fan.

The 54-time capped Scotland international claimed that there is one statistic that is particularly damning of the 28-year-old.

“I would not want to have been the most fouled player in the Premier League. That means I’m holding onto the ball too long, I’m taking extra touches when I don’t need to,” he told Sky Sports.

“It means you’re not seeing the picture quickly enough. There’s no doubt about it. He’s easy on the eye, he’s silky on the eye, but I’m yet to be convinced by him.”

While fellow pundit Emile Heskey argued that Grealish takes so many touches because of a lack of intelligent movement ahead of him, Souness dismissed the claim. 

“When I was being coached at Liverpool, I was told, I make the striker’s mind up, with my body movement, with the way I get the ball out of my feet, with my body movement. I make them run where I’m looking like I’m going to kick the ball,” Souness retorted.

“I just think that anyone who gets that many fouls, is not seeing the picture quickly enough. 

“As an old midfield player, I always think: ‘Would I like to have played against him?’ I’d have loved to have played against him because he allows me to get to him, to get physical with him.

"Do I want to play against Paul Scholes, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, who pop it off one or two touch? I want to play against people like him because I know he’s going to let me mess him around.”

Villa currently find themselves in the teeth of the relegation battle in the Premier League. Prior to their Sunday kick-off against champions Liverpool at Anfield, Dean Smith’s side lay 18th in the standings, though a single point behind Watford, who are currently in the 17th spot, which signifies safety.

Glasgow City general manager Laura Montgomery has praised a philanthropic contribution that she says has saved the club’s Champions League dreams.

James Anderson will pay for the club’s travel and Covid-19 testing, enabling the Scottish side to compete in the latter stages of the European competition.

The women’s Champions League will take place over the course of 10 days in San Sebastian, Spain, in August but with UEFA instructing clubs to charter their own flights, there was a very real threat that costs would prove too much for Montgomery’s outfit until Anderson stepped in.

“He has been amazing,” Montgomery said. “Mr Anderson was aware of our financial implications on our club in getting back to train and to play in the Champions League, and I have been discussing these with him over the past week as he was keen to help us. 

“Covid-19 has brought unprecedented financial pressures.

“The stark reality is if James hadn't come forward then I don't know how we could ever have played this game.

“He is now taking care of testing and our means to travel, because UEFA want teams to go on their own plane.

“It was the most amazing news when he told me he would cover that. He is an incredibly generous man.

“His generosity is unmatched in anything I have ever seen in Scottish women's football. We cannot say thank you enough.”

Montgomery revealed that after overcoming Chertanovo and Brondby, it would have been a bitter blow not to be able to continue their quest for glory.

“Our players were absolutely magnificent in defeating Brondby to, unbelievably, get to the quarter-finals and it would have been a tragedy for our game if we would have been unable to take our place,” she said.

“Thankfully, with the biggest act of kindness we have known in our 22 years as a club, this is something we now no longer need to worry about.”

Anderson, meanwhile, has otherwise pledged £250,000 ($306,000) to the women’s game in Scotland, as well as providing a donation of £3 million ($4m) to SPFL clubs.

Sergio Ramos revealed he enjoys the responsibility of taking crucial penalties for Real Madrid, although he claimed he would be playing tennis if he was looking for individual recognition.

For the second time in four days, Ramos grabbed the only goal from 12 yards for Madrid, this time to secure a 1-0 win at Athletic Bilbao at San Mames on Sunday.

A seventh straight victory moved the Liga leaders seven points clear, at least until Barcelona take on Villarreal later in the day.

Ramos is focused on ensuring Madrid keep winning, having been flawless since the season's restart – a period in which the captain has now scored five times, including from the spot against Getafe on Thursday.

"All I think about is the three points," he said. "But those moments of doubt [when taking penalties], that's when I feel most comfortable.

"I just wanted to take that responsibility. What matters most is the overall result. The only thing that matters is that it helps the team win."

On his personal exploits, Ramos added: "The individual recognition is second for me.

"What matters is that the team get the objectives we want and manage to get the three points in every game we play. Luckily, for the moment, we are getting those results.

"I would have probably played tennis if I were more interested in individual recognition. This is a very beautiful sport, a team sport, and it's very nice to win as a team."

Having also overcome Getafe this week and with relatively kinder fixtures to come, Ramos acknowledged the magnitude of Madrid's latest victory.

"It was very important for us. We knew today was going to be one of the most important games of those that are left for us," he said. "It's a very difficult game always, travelling away to Bilbao.

"We just organised it like that: we had 11 finals left coming back from lockdown and we just had to go game by game, getting the three points.

"I believe today, again, the team proved that against a team like this, you always have to be at it. We're very happy with the three points. That was our objective.

"It's three very important points to put more pressure on Barcelona, who play later today.

"We just want that league title. From the first minute, you could see how we wanted to go for that game and get the result today.

"We knew we weren't going to win 3-0 or 4-0 today – it was going to be a very tough game – but it was important."

SuperSport United have announced their return to training ahead of the 2019/20 season resumption.

The campaign has been suspended since mid-March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the government has given the PSL the go-ahead to complete the suspended season.

Matsatsantsa released the following statement on Sunday afternoon:

"WE'RE BACK. A safe and secure first training session for Matsatsantsa as we returned to Megawatt Park," a club statement read.

This comes after Cape Town City became the first PSL team to resume training on Thursday after complying with safety protocols to ensure a safe return to the first phase of training.

SuperSport made the announcement on their official Twitter account with photos of the players working with the club's head coach Kaitano Tembo at Megawatt Park in Sunninghill, Gauteng.

PSL players and officials have already undergone the first round of tests and clubs are also expected to fumigate their training facilities.

There have been 13 confirmed positive cases that have been reported across both the PSL and National First Division (NFD) thus far. 

Prior to SuperSport's return to training, Megawatt Park was fumigated as confirmed by the club's Twitter page on Saturday.

SuperSport will be looking to continue moving up on the PSL standings when the season resumes soon.

The Tshwane giants recorded two successive wins over Highlands Park and Bidvest Wits which took the team to the third spot on the league log just before the season was suspended.

Matsatsantsa are four points behind second-placed Mamelodi Sundowns, who have three games in hand.

Tembo's side will be without the experienced trio of Dean Furman, Thabo Mnyamane, and Thabo Qalinge after they were released by the club during the break enforced for the coronavirus pandemic.

Furman decided against renewing his contract which expired on Tuesday, June 30 and the central midfielder returned to the United Kingdom (UK) where he started his football career.

While the attack-minded duo of Mnyamane and Qalinge left the three-time PSL champions after their expiring contracts were not extended by the club earlier this week.

Promising goalkeepers Thakasani Mbanjwa and Thato Lesoma have also been released by Matsatsantsa.

The team has a new captain in long-serving goalkeeper Ronwen Williams, who was appointed following Furman's departure.

Achraf Hakimi left Real Madrid to sign for Inter because of head coach Zinedine Zidane, the player’s agent has claimed.

The Morocco international had spent two campaigns on loan at Borussia Dortmund, but after they failed to match the Italian side’s financial package, he ultimately moved to the Serie A side for €40 million (£36m/$45m).

Martin Camano, the player’s agent, has explained why the right-back was on the move, hinting that three-time Champions League-winning boss Zidane was the catalyst.

Speaking to Al Mountakhab, he said: “Zidane is the reason for Hakimi’s transfer to Inter Milan. He must explain why Hakimi moved.”

But while the Frenchman was a driving force out of Madrid, counterpart Antonio Conte, who has enjoyed success with Juventus and Chelsea, is one of the attractive factors in Inter’s favour.

“He was always in contact with Hakimi,” the representative said. “He talked to him about the club’s future project, so we decided to move to Inter.

“I believe that when a high-value coach like Conte calls you and strongly insists on contacting you, this is evidence that he wants you to become an important piece in his project. His team represents him.”

The presence of Spain international Dani Carvajal holding down a coveted position at Santiago Bernabeu is one of the reasons that a deal was made.

“I think that Hakimi’s return at the current time is not appropriate given the presence of a distinguished player like Carvajal and I’m sure that Hakimi’s future will be bright after taking this step forward,” Camano continued.

The 21-year-old has spent the last year distinguishing himself with Borussia Dortmund, with whom he featured on 33 occasions as they finished second in the Bundesliga. Featuring primarily on the right of midfield, he scored five goals and laid on another 10.

Hakimi had been on the books of Madrid since 2006 and signed professional terms in 2016, debuting for the first team a year later and featuring on 17 occasions for Zidane’s side in all competitions, scoring a couple of goals in the process.

He will have to wait until the beginning of the 2020-21 season before making his debut for Inter.

Sergio Ramos was Real Madrid's penalty hero for the second time in four days as a 1-0 win at Athletic Bilbao sent the LaLiga leaders seven points clear.

Zinedine Zidane's men have been flawless since the season's restart to claim control of the title rice, but they were given a stern test by Getafe on Thursday and again had their work cut out for a time on Sunday.

Yet as against Getafe, Ramos stepped up to net a second-half penalty and secure all three points in Bilbao, with his latest decisive goal coming after Dani Garcia tripped Marcelo in the area to prompt a VAR review.

A seventh straight victory ensured Madrid made the most of playing before rivals Barcelona, who will kick-off at Villarreal later in the day knowing they have an even more significant gap to make up.

Madrid recalled Marco Asensio for his first start of the season in a move which almost brought immediate reward.

The fit-again forward drew a low save from a fourth-minute free-kick, with Karim Benzema then unable to direct his header goalwards when Dani Carvajal squared the rebound.

That was about the extent of Athletic goalkeeper Unai Simon's involvement before half-time, while Thibaut Courtois repelled Raul Garcia's powerful header at the other end.

Simon might have had a far greater role to play, though, as both Rodrygo and Benzema squandered huge headed opportunities from searching Asensio centres, each missing the target completely.

The second period appeared set to play out in similarly frustrating fashion for Madrid until Marcelo went down in the area and a penalty was eventually awarded, with Ramos coolly tucking his finish inside the left-hand post in the 73rd minute.

Simon saved smartly with his legs from Benzema in the closing stages, but the one Ramos goal proved enough for Madrid again.

What does it mean? Madrid unscathed after testing week

Madrid have not been quite as stylish in their past two matches as in earlier performances, but Getafe and Athletic provided potentially tricky opponents.

In both games, Los Blancos had to rely on late penalties. But given the relatively kind fixtures to come, it was crucial Zidane's side simply collected the points in any way possible. They are well on course for the title now.

Asensio deserves assist

This has been a difficult season for Asensio due to injury, but he might yet have a key role to play in the run-in.

The Spain international was involved from the outset at San Mames and twice was let down by team-mates following fine crosses. His deliveries for Rodrygo and Benzema were begging to be nodded in.

Ramos rash at the back

Ramos has now scored five massive goals in the past month, but his work at the other end of the pitch was of slight concern in Sunday's first half.

The centre-back was grateful to an offside flag following an awful early slip that let in Inaki Williams, who soon profited from some more hopeless defending on halfway. Eder Militao stepped in superbly on that occasion and often battled Williams alone.

What's next?

After a couple of tough tests in quick succession, Madrid will welcome the opportunity to rest until Friday when they host out-of-form Deportivo Alaves. Bilbao's next encounter is a home clash with Sevilla on Thursday.

Christian Kouame will finally have the chance to make his Fiorentina debut after he was named in the matchday squad that travels to the Stadio Ennio Tardini to tackle Parma in the Serie A on Sunday.

The 22-year-old Ivory Coast international has been out of action since November 2019 because of an Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury while he was with Genoa.

Despite failing to recover, he joined Fiorentina on loan in January but still failed to make an appearance.

Had the Serie A season ended in May, Kouame might not have been able to play for the Viola. However, lockdown measures that suspended football activities because of the coronavirus gave him more time to work on his fitness and his improvements convinced his loan deal to be extended until the end of the season.

“It’s been 235 days, almost eight months, have passed since that November 12 injury, the pain, the operation and the long rehabilitation,” Kouame wrote in an Instagram post.

“In January I transferred to Fiorentina and I’m finally able to be on the field again to play ball after the enormous joy of reading my name on the squad list today.

“235 days, almost 8 months, in which I grew up as a man. But now I can only think about putting my soccer shoes back on and go back to playing.”

Getting to feature for Fiorentina has been something desperately on Kouame’s mind, previously describing whenever he gets to wear the purple shirt as both emotional and at the same time fantastic.

"I certainly really want to go back to playing, but everything must be done without haste,” the former Citadella player told TuttoMercato.

“I am constantly followed by medical and technical staff and only when it is all right and the doctor will give his ok then I will return to full capacity with the group, with which, however, I am already doing various parts of training and preparation.

"I am sure it will be an extraordinary emotion [making Fiorentina debut]. When the time comes, it will be fantastic to be able to wear this shirt. Since my arrival I have received so much affection from clubs and fans, I hope to be able to return as soon as possible."

Kouame’s return could be a boost for Fiorentina who have been winless in their three league games since the restart, drawing one and losing two, including a 3-1 home defeat to Sassuolo last time out.

They sit in 13th place, five points clear of the relegation zone.

Andre Ayew scored his 14th goal in the Championship this season to seal Swansea City's 2-1 victory against Sheffield Wednesday.

The 30-year-old stepped forward to double the hosts lead at the Liberty Stadium with his 66th-minute strike from the penalty spot, 10 minutes after Rhian Brewster opened the scoring.

Ayew who has played 39 Championship games for the Swans in this campaign, was on parade from start to finish, to help them return to winning ways after settling for a 1-1 draw against Millwall on Wednesday and conceding a 1-0 loss against bottom-placed Luton Town last Saturday.

In the encounter, the Ghana international registered the most shots on target (3) and he also completed the most dribbles (3) as Swansea City secured their 15th league win of the season.

The victory shot Steve Cooper's men to eighth in the Championship table with 60 points from 40 games, to boost their chances of sealing a play-off spot as they are four points behind sixth-placed Cardiff City.

Ayew is currently enjoying his best scoring form in a league season in his career with a contribution of 14 goals and six assists in the English second division so far.

He joined Swansea City from West Ham United in 2018 and his three-year contract at the Liberty Stadium is expected to expire in June 2021.

Following the Swans' relegation from the Premier League in 2017-18, Ayew moved to the Turkish Super Lig to join Fenerbahce on a season-long loan for top-flight football.

During his stay in Turkey, the Black Stars captain scored five goals in 38 games for the Yellow-Navy Blues.

Ayew will be aiming to boost Swansea City's push for the play-off when they visit Birmingham City for their next Championship fixture on Wednesday before hosting league leaders Leeds United on July 12.

Former Mamelodi Sundowns striker Katlego Mphela says George Maluleka’s switch to the Brazilians is not about challenging Andile Jali and Hlompho Kekana, but all about strengthening the squad.

The retired Kaizer Chiefs hitman explores why some of the players from Naturena tend to struggle at Chloorkop, as he looks to George Lebese’s time under coach Pitso Mosimane, saying ‘Mido’ is like Portugal’s talisman Cristiano Ronaldo.

On the other hand, ‘Killer’ is confident the Tembisa-born midfielder made the decision to join the reigning Premier Soccer League (PSL) champions to secure his future whilst looking at new challenges and ambitions.

“For me, I’ve been in this situation before and I think he has thought about his family and his security. I think he made up his mind based on a number of things and as a professional player, he managed to decide and join Sundowns,” Mphela told Goal.

“Maybe there are things that happened in between and its only George who knows. I’ve played for Sundowns and it’s a good environment for a player like George. Even at Chiefs, it was a good place for him.

"But we need to also look at big players such as Ronaldo, he left Real Madrid and went to Juventus and I think George is in that space where he wanted to set new ambitions in terms of winning trophies with Sundowns and also play in Africa.

“We just have to wait and see what will happen at Sundowns. I’ve played with both George Lebese and Maluleka, they are talented players.

“I think Maluleka was convinced by the coaches at Sundowns and he saw the bigger picture that he can fit and do well there. He’s a hard worker, competitive, and talented.

“For me, I think he will be able to fit in and do well there.”

On whether the former SuperSport United and Ajax Cape Town anchorman can be able to challenge the likes of Jali and skipper Kekana, the 35-year-old shares his thoughts.

“I don’t think it’s about fighting the likes of Jali, Hlompho, and so on. But it’s about strengthening the team because we all know Sundowns competes on so many fronts,” he added.

“We all know George brings a different quality into the team. Hlompho is not getting younger.

“So, I think all the players at Sundowns cannot be available for all the games and George will definitely come in to boost their depth.

“He will have to compete against Andile and all the other guys but not to force some of the players out of the team. He will bring good competition and I really can’t say, he will focus on taking places for certain players.”

Xavi's long-awaited return to Barcelona has been put on hold after his decision to sign a one-year contract extension with Al-Sadd.

Barcelona said goodbye to a club legend when Xavi called time on a hugely successful spell at Camp Nou spanning 17 years in 2015.

The Spaniard spent the next four seasons playing in the Qatar Stars League for Al-Sadd, before hanging up his boots in May of last year.

Xavi was subsequently appointed Al Sadd's new permanent head coach, and has since guided the club to two trophies.

The 40-year-old has been heavily linked with the top job at Barca since moving into management, as the Spanish champions continue to try and rediscover the spark of previous eras under former players Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique.

Quique Setien is the latest man attempting to bring back the glory days at Camp Nou, but he is already being tipped to leave the club after just six months in charge.

Xavi, who recently admitted that he harbours ambitions to coach Barca in the future, has been touted to replace Setien if he fails to deliver success in either La Liga or the Champions League come the end of the season.

However, the former Blaugrana captain has now committed his immediate future to Al-Sadd, with an official announcement posted on the club's Twitter account on Sunday.

Xavi has delivered a message to supporters after agreeing to fresh terms, which reads: “Happy to renew my contract with Al Sadd, I’m working with the club’s management during the current period on a number of issues, including the renewal of Akram Afif’s contract, and signing foreign players to replace Gabi and Marco Fabian."

Despite the World Cup winner's decision to remain in Qatar, Barca could still end up bringing back an influential figure after the club's next presidential elections in the summer of 2021.

Xavi's old team-mate Juan Antonio Pizzi, who played for the Blaugrana between 1996 and 1998, is certain that the ex-midfielder will end up in the Camp Nou dugout eventually.

“I am absolutely convinced that the future of Xavi and the future of Barcelona will come together at one point, I don’t know if in two years or five years or eight years but Xavi is going to be Barcelona coach, there is no doubt about that," Pizzi told the Daily Mail in March.

Marcus Rashford has advised Mason Greenwood to ignore outside influences and keep focusing on his football.

The teenager became the youngest Manchester United player to reach 15 goals in a season since Wayne Rooney after he scored a brace against Bournemouth in United’s 5-2 win at Old Trafford on Saturday.

His impressive finishing has already led to comparisons being drawn between the 18-year-old and Robin van Persie, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer refused to compare the forward with the likes of Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo after the game.

Rashford has told his teammate to ignore praise and negativity and carry on focusing on his football.

“He's a fantastic player. I've watched him before he got to the first-team. It was never a matter of if was going to play with us, it was just when. When can we get him involved? Ole has done a terrific job with him,” Rashford said.

"First of all, he put him in the squad and brought him on against PSG and that for a player, as a first step, it's huge and it shows that the manager had confidence in him. You've got no reason not to have confidence in a player like Mason.

"But, for me, I just tell him to keep doing what he's doing because what he does is score goals, so he doesn’t need to do anything else. You know, forget everything whatever people are doing outside, whether it's praise or negativity.

“I just think there's a massive flood of positivity right now and momentum. For us, we want to keep that going. All three of us scored. Mason scored two. That's the type of momentum we want to keep going. That's it, really.

"He's done very well for the whole season. It's not just these bits he's been scoring goals. He's been working hard for the team and doing the dirty work, you know the unseen work. He does it so he deserves all the credit that he gets."

While Greenwood has received plenty of praise in the past few weeks, Rashford is also having a successful campaign. His penalty on Saturday took him to 20 goals for the season in all competitions.

“It's definitely a nice feeling to back scoring goals, but you know for forwards you just take it one game at a time,” Rashford explained. "Whether you score or you don't score, the next game is always about scoring.

"That's what I'll continue to do, like I've done for the whole season, really, so game-by-game we want to win games and just keep competing for the trophies we're still in."

The win saw United keep pressure on Chelsea and Leicester in the top four and extend their current unbeaten run to 16 in all competitions and Rashford gave credit to Solskjaer for improving the team.

"The manager has helped us a lot. He's stuck with us in difficult times and we've listened and tried to take on board what he's saying and what he wants us to deliver on the pitch,” Rashford said. "Where we are now, it's getting closer to what we picture but there's still a lot more work to do to be back challenging for the Premier League."

Ugandan Premier League side SC Villa have extended Joseph Nsubuga's contract by two years.

The experienced right-back has been with the 16-time league champions since 2016 after signing from Bright Stars. However, he has not been involved much especially in the last two seasons owing to injuries.

"It has been four years since I arrived at Villa Park, time has soared so quickly," Nsubuga said in a statement after his contract extension which will keep him at the club until 2022.

"I am proud to sign a new contract and continue my career at this great club. I love playing for this club and I am looking forward to what the future holds. The hard work continues so I can continue living my dream.

The 2019/20 season was halted after the Covid-19 outbreak and the new season is set to kick-off in October. The 25-year-old has already revealed his desire once normalcy returns.

"I cannot wait to get back into the game to hear our loyal fans supporting the team," Nsubuga added.

"I want to let everyone know that I will give everything back to repay the club and the fans who have stood by me in my trying times."   

The defender also had a word for the entire management and those who have stood by his side despite being out of the pitch.

"I would like to thank the management of SC Villa, my teammates and friends that have stood by me during my trying times of a long injury and supported me."

The Jogoo coach Edward Kaziba believes the right-back will remain to be an asset for the team and will give the team much-needed depth next season.

"Joseph is a great player; he deserves this contract," the tactician said in a statement obtained by Goal.

"He has worked very hard to get out of that long injury and you would see him grind it every day.

"Joseph is a player that has a deep knowledge of the game. We cannot wait to have him back and give us the depth that we are looking for in a defender of his potential and experience. [He] is a top player the team has missed for a while."

Villa finished third in the abandoned season with 46 points.