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Olivier Giroud says fellow striker Timo Werner signing for Chelsea is going to provide him with "more motivation" and that he relishes the competition.

Werner has joined the Blues in a £47.5million (€52m/$60m) deal from RB Leipzig after the Stamford Bridge side won a long-term transfer battle, securing his signature ahead of a host of other interested parties including Premier League rivals Liverpool.

The arrival of the German puts more pressure on the other Chelsea forwards, including Giroud, however the French international said it is just a chance for him to step up and make life difficult for manager Frank Lampard.

Giroud told The Guardian: “He [Werner] is going to be a very good signing and will provide more motivation for strikers.

“I’ve been the super sub but I want to make the gaffer’s choices even more difficult.”

The 33-year-old signed a one-year contract extension at Chelsea earlier this season, having worked his way back into the side in the first few months of 2020 after rarely featuring under Lampard in the first half of the season.

Giroud had scored twice in nine Premier League games this season before the 2019-20 campaign was postponed because of coronavirus, however after a 100-day hiatus the English top flight has returned, with Chelsea's first match back coming against Aston Villa on Sunday.

Giroud's club and international team-mate N'Golo Kante was one of the players to voice their concerns about football returning, with BAME people disproportinately affected by Covid-19.

The defensive midfielder is back and now available for selection, however, and Giroud says he understands his team-mate's concerns.

He said: “I believe, like all the player,s he had at-risk people in his entourage, so that’s why he didn’t feel very comfortable. I respect that. We are very glad to have him back and I think he will definitely be here for the first game. He is looking good.”

Giroud was a key part of France's World Cup winning side in Russia in 2018, however his chances of a tournament swansong at Euro 2020 have been damaged after the competition was delayed until 2021 because of coronavirus.

He will be 34 when the tournament comes around, but Giroud - who has 39 goals from 97 games for France - is refusing to worry about his international future.

He said: “Panic is not for me. Time is not playing on my side, I’m almost 34, but my body is ready to play a few more years at the best level. We are World Cup champions and we want to do like our brothers from France 98 and win the European Championship.”

Leroy Sane has told Manchester City that he will not sign a new contract with the Premier League champions, Pep Guardiola has confirmed.

The Germany international is entering the final year of his contract at the Etihad Stadium, with Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich leading the chase for the 24-year-old.

Guardiola confirmed that the club have made several offers to the winger but he has no interest in signing a new deal with the club.

Sane will leave for the Allianz Arena this summer if the two clubs can agree a fee, although City maintain he will not be allowed to leave on the cheap.

"Leroy has said he doesn't want to extend the contract," Guardiola said ahead of Monday night's clash with Burnley.

"It means he wants to leave. It's going to happen this summer or at the end of his contract. The club have offered him two or three times and he rejected so he's going to play for another club.

"Leroy rejected to extend the contact and everybody knows that. If at the end of this season we agree between the two clubs he is going to leave, if not he is going to stay another year."

Sane was at the centre of a transfer saga between the clubs last summer that was expected to rumble on until deadline day, only for the winger to suffer a serious knee injury in the Community Shield in August.

Bayern decided against a move in January, with Sane still recovering from the setback that has seen him miss the whole season so far, though he was edging closer to an on-field return when the Premier League was shut down by the Covid-19 outbreak.

He was an unused sub for the Premier League return against Arsenal, although Guardiola says he remains in his plans for the rest of this season.

Sane joined City in August 2016 from Schalke in a deal worth €52 million (£37m/$46m) and the City boss admitted he is saddened that he wants to leave.

"I'm so disappointed," he added. "We want him. He's a young player with incredible potential and incredible quality and that's difficult to find all around the world.

"We tried before the injury, we tried before the surgery and after that, but he rejected and he has other ambitions. I understand. We want players who want to play for this club.

"We respect him, he's an incredibly nice guy. We love him, I love him so much. He's so well- educated, has a nice family. It's just he decides he wants another adventure for his career."

Goalkeeper Claudio Bravo is out of contract at the end of the month and the City boss confirmed he will sign a short extension to stay with the club for longer.

RB Leipzig boss Julian Nagelsmann has launched a staunch defence of Timo Werner after the Germany striker completed his move to Chelsea.

Werner agreed terms on a deal that reportedly takes him through to 2025 at Stamford Bridge, with the Blues said to have paid a reported £47.5million for his services.

The 24-year-old will become a Chelsea player in July, meaning he will not feature for Leipzig when their Champions League campaign resumes, with the tournament due to be completed in a shortened format in Lisbon in August.

Werner's decision to make the move to London while Leipzig are still in Europe's premier competition has drawn condemnation among some quarters in Germany.

But Nagelsmann had sympathy for his departing superstar in the context of the unprecedented complications caused by the coronavirus pandemic and is convinced Werner will give his all for Leipzig's final two Bundesliga games.

Speaking at a news conference ahead of Leipzig's clash with Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, Nagelsmann said: "I would like to defend him. 

"I don't like the way he's portrayed right now. I read some reports yesterday where it was said that he was not a sportsman, since he does not want to play in the Champions League for us anymore.

"He is a great sportsman who will give his all for us in the last two matches and who certainly will score in the last two matches. 

"If he stays healthy he will play for sure and be a normal member of our team even though he will leave us. 

"Regarding the Champions League, I would have loved to have him on board and would have liked it if he'd play for us. Simply because he is great player who scores a lot of goals. 

"But I can understand his and his team's side. He's coming to another city in a different country with a foreign language. 

"It's an unusual situation due to Covid, we never had something like this in football, with all competitions being spread out, everything being different and different measures need to be taken."

Nagelsmann believes Werner would have wanted to see out the Champions League campaign and says he must not be judged negatively by the unusual situation.

"I don't think one should judge from a far distance what kind of player or human being Timo Werner is. It is his right," he added. 

"It's a pity and sad and I believe he would have liked to play. However, it is a transfer that ends a big chapter of his life and where a new one with a lot of changes begins. 

"It's normal that during this time he does not want to take the risk of being injured, even though that rarely happens with him. 

"He wants to make his move together with his girlfriend so I can completely understand. It's not right that he is being blamed for his decision. 

"That does not mean I would not have liked him to take part in these matches. Timo knows this. He still is a good guy and a great player, so you must not criticise him in every TV show and claim that he is not a good sportsman."

La Liga and Sevilla FC have signed a strategic consultancy agreement with Tanzanian giants Young Africans (Yanga SC).

The agreement will see Sevilla provide advise on sporting management, economic management and fans with an aim of helping the record Tanzanian champions in their transformation journey.

The development follows a historic agreement between the two sides early in June which will see the Andalusia-based outfit contribute its strategic vision to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of Yanga‘s resource management and complete its evolution into a leading club in Tanzania.

“Our international strategy, as well as having a presence and increasing interest in the competition, has the aim of making football grow on a local level. We think that increasing interest in football in each country is good for everyone,” La Liga International Development Director Oscar Mayo said. 

“It will be three-and-a-half-year agreement, in which we will advise them in management and activities with the fans, digital transformation, marketing and sales, economic control, digitalisation or international development.”

The director of Sevilla FC Jose Maria Cruz said the club's coaches will travel to the East African nation when travel restrictions will be lifted in order to implement the details of the pact.

“In these complicated moments for travel, the idea is that the work is more telematic and as soon as the sanitary circumstances allow it, we can complement it with the presence of our technicians there in Tanzania,” said Cruz.

“When the circumstances allow it, our coaches will be present in Tanzania.”

“Just like when we have asked La Liga for help to go to an international market, we have had it when they ask us for help in a specific country, we have thrown ourselves into it. We understand that there has to be a joint work.”

Yanga's chairman Mshindo Msolla hailed the deal when it was signed in Dare Salaam a few weeks ago saying it will greatly help their bid to transform the Wananchi side.

“It is a new dawn for this great club of Tanzania as we venture into transforming ourselves into a respected club across Africa. We are very happy that the deal is now sealed and we now look forward to making the partnership a great success,” Msolla said then.

“I am excited to witness one of the historic moments for this great club that I have supported since my childhood," former Tanzania President Jakaya Kikwete, who witnessed the signing of the agreement, said.

“It is aimed at improving the standards of the club and now we should use the deal to the maximum and make sure we become a force to reckon with in Africa.”

Former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel has labelled Odion Ighalo as "one of the most positive surprises ever".

The 31-year old has shone brightly at the Old Trafford since arriving on loan from Shanghai Shenhua in January, scoring four goals in eight competitive appearances.

With the coronavirus pandemic halting football activities, Ighalo’s initial loan deal was to expire in May, but has now been extended till January 2021, ensuring he completes the ongoing season.

"I think he’s been one of the most positive surprises ever,” Schmeichel told the Express.

"First of all his personality around the club, he’s been a revelation around the club. Everybody has tagged on and liked him straight away.

“When you have that kind of personality, it changes the whole team. Someone who brings a laugh into the dressing room, rather than coming in grumpy or not saying anything.

“It changes the dynamics. And what he’s done on the pitch, that really has surprised me.

“I was kind of confused…because it was last day and it looked as if they were just needing and looking to bring someone in.

“But that’s not the truth. And what he’s done is just fantastic.

“And another thing as well, someone like him, all of his life the only thing he really wanted to achieve was to play for Manchester United.

“Now that has been cut short by circumstances that are out of everybody’s control. And for what he’s done, in the very few games he’s ended up playing, it would have been heartbreaking if that was to stop."

With the return of Marcus Rashford to fitness, Ighalo’s chances of starting games might be very limited, but Schmeichel acknowledges that he can still be of great value from the bench.

“I think he might not be a starter but he might be somebody you can throw into the mix," the 56-year old continued.

"You’ve seen him in the Europa League, like Ole himself, he can come on and change a game.

“Nobody, nobody, knows that better than the Manchester United manager. The value of having someone on the bench who can change a game, so I’m really happy about that.”

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men will be up against Tottenham Hotspur on Friday night with the hope of temporarily displacing Chelsea from fourth spot on the table.

Stuart Baxter boasts of a globetrotting career with the British manager working in eight countries on three continents. His upcoming stint with Odisha FC will be his first on Indian soil and second in Asia. 

His appointment points towards a shift in modus operandi of recruiting a head coach by the Odisha and the erstwhile Delhi Dynamos management. For the past three seasons, they had pinned their hopes on Spanish managers but failed to secure play-off qualification. Moreover, the selection of Miguel Angel Portugal and Josep Gombau was approved after working closely with Qatar's Aspire Academy, an institute with whom Odisha have a strategic partnership of four years.

Although both the coaches managed to leave their mark on the team with a distinct style of football, results have remained at bay. After finishing eighth in two successive seasons, they improved their record considerably with a sixth-place finish in the previous campaign, and more importantly remained in the hunt for a playoff spot till the penultimate matchday. 

After Gombau and Odisha mutually agreed to terminate the contract, the time was ripe for a fresh impetus. This time the think tank took matters in their own hand and opted for someone who has the experience and has found success all over the globe.

He has won the top-flight division and Cup with Sweden's AIK and also has the distinction of being the first coach to win a Premier Soccer League title in his first season in South Africa with the Kaizer Chiefs. But he reached the zenith of success when he guided the Bafana Bafana to the quarterfinal of the AFCON Cup 2019.

In Baxter, they have a man who by his own admission is “pretty easily transportable”, and is flexible enough to mould himself to suit the project at hand. At Odisha, he will be entrusted with the responsibility of bringing out the best from a bunch of potential youngsters who have been showing flashes of brilliance but have failed to produce the goods consistently. 

His challenge will be to push players like Shubham Sarangi, Vinit Rai, Jerry Mawihmingthanga to the next level and at the same time nurture upcoming talents like Akshunna Tyagi and Rishabh Dobriyal. 

It is unlikely that he will be furnished with a star-studded squad with the best players in each position. But the 66-year-old has shown that he has the expertise to turn heads even with underdogs. 

Not many placed their bets on a nervy South African side who barely scraped through the group stages on goal difference against Mohamed Salah's Egypt. But at the final whistle, Salah left in tears dismayed and shocked after getting knocked out at their own backyard by Baxter's men.

"When it comes to coach Stuart‚ he appeared to be more detailed when it came to the analysis of his team and the individual analysis of the players in his team. And he plans very well in terms of his opponents. So I think the modern way of coaching with coach Stuart was well applied," commented Molefi Ntseki, coach South Africa national team, after taking over the mantle following an unceremonious exit of Baxter. 

He is another English coach who advocates attractive football, unlike the common misconception about the long-ball game coaches from that region are said to prefer.

Can Odisha turn around their fortunes with Baxter at the helm? The Juggernauts wait in eager anticipation. 

Indian Super League (ISL) outfit Odisha FC have signed Stuart Baxter as their head coach ahead of the 2020-21 season.

The 66-year-old will be the club's sixth coach in seven seasons as the English-born Scot is set to take over from Josep Gombau who led the club over the last two seasons at Delhi Dynamos and later Odisha FC.

On joining the club, the experienced coach said, "I'm pleased to say that Odisha FC and I have reached an agreement for the upcoming ISL season. The vision of the Sharma family for the club representing the sporting state of Odisha is an exciting one with development, teamwork and cooperation with our stakeholders serving as cornerstones for the task ahead.

"I'm looking forward to the challenge of Indian football and the opportunity to develop players and coaches in India. I'd like to wish all the supporters, players and staff good health during these testing times. Together we will bring joy and success to the region."

Baxter's had two stints with the South African national team including his last assignment when he famously defeated Mohammed Salah's Egypt in the 2019 African Cup of Nations to make it into the quarter-finals. His previous stint with the Bafana Bafana was preceded by him leading the England U-19 team between 2002 and 2004.

In his overall coaching career, Baxter has managed 455 games in all competitions, won 220, drew 75 and lost 160 times in his time in Europe, Africa and Asia. He won two Premier Soccer League titles with South African outfit Kaizer Chiefs besides winning the MTN8 Cup once and the Nedbank Cup thrice including twice with SuperSport United.

He had a fair amount of success in Sweden as well where he led AIK into the group stages of the UEFA Champions League after winning the Swedish championship with them and a Swedish Cup each with AIK and Helsingborgs IF.

Delhi Dynamos/Odisha FC's best performance so far is making it to the play-offs twice, in 2015 and 2016, under former managers Roberto Carlos and Gianluca Zambrotta respectively. 

Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe has confirmed winger Ryan Fraser will not play for the club again.

Fraser opted against signing a short-term extension to his current contract, which expires on June 30, to cover the remainder of the rescheduled Premier League season.

The 26-year-old Scotland international has been linked with Everton, Arsenal and Tottenham among others and Howe insists he only wants players who are fully focused on Bournemouth's battle against relegation.

The Cherries are in the relegation zone, sitting third bottom but level on points with West Ham and Watford immediately above them, as they prepare to restart their campaign at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday.

"I don't think I was particularly surprised by his decision," Howe told a news conference. "It's been clear to us as a club for some time that Ryan was not going to sign a new contract with us.

"The first thing to say on this is no-one could have predicted what would have happened with the virus, the season shutting down and then being extended. Ryan's then found himself in a very difficult position because of that.

"He has now played his last game for the football club. He won't be involved with us for the last nine games.

"I only want players who are fully focused on the relegation battle that we have ahead and I'm looking forward to doing that with my squad.

"These are the most important games this football club has had in recent times and we need everybody in the same position mentally, fight tooth and nail for the football club.

"Ryan, due to his contract situation, can't commit to that. Two games for us wasn't going to make the difference. We need a nine-game commitment and he can't give that at this moment in time.

"We go ahead with the current squad and probably the strongest squad I've had to pick from this season. Hopefully that will show in the games we have.

"[Fraser] didn't deserve this ending but the circumstances that have arisen have meant this has happened.

"I'm sad for him because he's had a really good link with the supporters and they've really loved him during his time here. The way it's ended is uncomfortable for me and it's sad because it shouldn't have ended like this."

Fraser joined Bournemouth from Aberdeen in January 2013, when they were still in League One. He has made 208 appearances for the club, scoring 24 times.

Neymar has been ordered to repay €6.7 million (£6.1m/$7.5m) to former club Barcelona after a judge ruled in favour of the Liga side amid a bonus dispute between club and player.

The Brazil international and former Barca player had claimed he was owed €43.6m (£39m/$49m) in bonuses by his old team, however this was dismissed and he must now repay money to his former club.

A statement on the club website said: "FC Barcelona welcomes the judgment handed down today by the Social Court 15 of Barcelona, in connection with lawsuits between the club and the player Neymar Junior in claiming compensation for the bonus signed in his last contract renewal.

"The judgment dismisses the player's claim in its entirety, which demanded the payment of €43.6m, and estimates a large part of the claim filed by FC Barcelona, ​​under which the player must return the club €6.7m."

Neymar is able to appeal this decision.

The PSG forward had filed the lawsuit in August 2017 after Barcelona declined to pay bonus included in his contract renewal signed in 2016, with Neymar completing his world-record transfer to the French club the following summer.

Barcelona contended that the clause relating to the payment was rendered null and void when he left Camp Nou, while the footballer's agent and father, Neymar Sr., accused Barca of "blackmail", and the player's camp even called for the Spanish giants to be expelled from the Champions League for not paying his bonus.

The case was initially taken to FIFA, who closed their investigation with no action in February 2018, and now Barca have been awarded the judgement in the law courts.

Neymar left Barca in 2017 in an attempt to move out from the shadow of Lionel Messi and increase his own chances of winning the Ballon d'Or.

While he has won every domestic trophy on offer in France - they have won the Ligue 1 title in every season the Brazilian has played for the French side - the club have yet to find any success in the Champions League, while Neymar has regularly been linked with a move away from Paris and a potential return to Barcelona.

Everton striker Richarlison has lit the touch paper ahead of the Merseyside derby by stating Virgil van Dijk is not among the best three defenders in the world.

Van Dijk has been outstanding since joining the Reds from Southampton in a then-world record transfer fee for a defender of £75 million in January 2018.

The Netherlands captain has hardly put a foot wrong for Jurgen Klopp's side, playing a major part in their Champions League triumph last season and putting them on the brink of the Premier League title this term.

Yet, Brazil international Richarlison does not rate the former Celtic centre-back as the best in his position as they prepare to do battle at Goodison Park on Sunday.

He said in an interview with Desimpedidos:  "People talk a lot about him [Van Dijk]. Yes, he is a great defender, but I've already dribbled past him.

"He was chosen as one of the top three in the world as he had an excellent season, but yes, for me, there are better defenders."

Asked which players he thinks are better than the 28-year-old, he replied: "Thiago Silva, Marquinhos and Sergio Ramos."

Van Dijk was second behind only Lionel Messi for the Ballon d'Or last year but did land the PFA Players' Player of the Year award.

Liverpool are only two wins away from their first Premier League title and their first top division crown in 30 years, having established a mammoth 25-point lead in the standings before coronavirus forced English football to shut down for 100 days.

They had hoped to wrap up the title by beating their local rivals, however those dreams were dashed by nearest challengers Manchester City beating Arsenal on Wednesday.

Instead, the Reds will aim to earn three points on Sunday and then claim the title by winning their following game, against Crystal Palace this coming Wednesday.

Everton are on a trophy drought of their own, stretching back 25 years to their FA Cup triumph in 1995, but current manager Carlo Ancelotti has been backed as the man to bring silverware back to Goodison Park by former Toffees striker Kevin Campbell.

Campbell said: “Fans of the Blues will have to be patient, but if anyone can do it, Carlo Ancelotti can – he is a perennial winner. If he can mould this squad in his image, I have no doubt he can win things.”

Atletico Madrid turned down a €150 million (£135m/$168m) offer for forward Joao Felix from a Premier League club earlier this season, sources close to the Liga side have told  Goal .

The 20-year-old Portuguese forward joined the Liga side last summer from Benfica although this did not stop an intermediary acting on behalf of an English team approaching Atletico about a transfer prior to the coronavirus pandemic.

The bid, which came from an unnamed club and would have seen Felix move this summer, was seen as being serious although was immediately rejected by Atleti.

Felix is highly regarded at the Wanda Metropolitano, with the club having shelled out €126m (£122m/$142m) to sign him from Benfica ahead of Antoine Griezmann's departure for La Liga rivals Barcelona last year.

He has not lived up to that immense price tag quite yet, with eight goals and three assists in 29 appearances this season in between niggling ankle injuries.

He did, however, score twice in his first appearance after the resumption of La Liga following the coronavirus lockdown - a 5-0 away win over Osasuna - and he is regarded as a potential star of the future.

Atletico managed to sign Felix ahead of interest from Real Madrid, Manchester City, Juventus and others, and are not keen on parting with a prized asset so quickly.

It now remains to be seen whether leading clubs will be able to afford transfers on this scale for the foreseeable future, with the Covid-19 pandemic having had a serious effect on club finances with the loss of matchday revenue as teams are forced to play behind closed doors.

Goal can confirm City were interested in Felix before his move to Atleti although it's unclear if Pep Guardiola's side made the more recent follow-up approach, with it not being usual for the former Barcelona coach to go back in for a player who has previously opted against linking up with the Catalan.

Felix's underwhelming first campaign for Atletico has led some to suggest he would have been better off at another leading European side, with fellow countryman Carlos Carvalhal stating the Portugal international should have joined city rivals Real.

The head coach at Primeira Liga side Rio Ave said: "Joao Felix is​​ a great player and I don't want to create controversy with my statements. He is a player with incredible technical ability, but I'm not sure Atletico's way of playing is the best for him.

"That was my doubt when he signed for them. Diego Simeone is a great coach, his teams are very strong, very competitive, but Joao Felix does not seem to be the perfect player to be there.

"In a different situation, we would see a great Joao Felix. It will be a little difficult and it will take more time. He will have to transform as a player.

"If he had gone to a team like Real Madrid, he would be at a higher level. The context would be more favourable for him.

"It's not a criticism of Simeone, there is no doubt about what he has achieved. The work speaks for itself, I just believe this marriage is not the best."

Arsenal have been rocked by a centre-back crisis ahead of Saturday’s trip to Brighton - with Pablo Mari expected to miss the remainder of the season.

The Spanish defender was injured during the first half of Wednesday night’s 3-0 defeat at Manchester City and is expected to be out for several weeks with damaged ankle ligaments.

Arsenal fear the injury means Mari will not play again before the end of the campaign and his absence leaves Mikel Arteta desperately short of options in the centre of his defence.

David Luiz is unavailable to face Brighton due to suspension following his red card against Manchester City and Sokratis is still struggling with a thigh injury picked up in training.

Calum Chambers, meanwhile, remains sidelined having ruptured the cruciate ligament in his left knee earlier this year and Cedric Soares is expected to miss out again due to a broken nose.

That means Shkodran Mustafi could be partnered by Rob Holding at the Amex Stadium on Saturday, unless Arteta opts to use Kieran Tierney as a makeshift centre-back.

Holding, who returned from a year out due to a cruciate knee injury in September, has featured just three times under Arteta - with his only start coming in the 1-0 victory against Leeds United in the FA Cup third round.

The 24-year-old has struggled to regain his top form since his return to fitness and there have been suggestions he could be sold in the summer, but Arteta has praised the former Bolton star in the past.

“He is a very interesting player, very focused, very determined, very willing to learn,” Arsenal’s head coach said in January. “Obviously the fact he has been out for such a long time, he is lacking competition now and lacking that rhythm. We need to try to give him as much as possible to help him.

“There were some moments that he looked really, really good. He is a player that is going to be very valuable for us.”

In midfield, Arsenal are also set to be without Granit Xhaka and Lucas Torreira for Saturday’s game against the Seagulls.

Xhaka suffered an ankle injury inside the first five minutes at Manchester City and Torreira is still on his way back from the fractured leg he sustained during the FA Cup fifth-round tie at Portsmouth.

Dani Ceballos, who started on the bench at the Etihad, is likely to come in to partner Matteo Guendouzi, although Ainsley Maitland-Niles is another option for Arteta.

Paul Mukatabala has revealed helping SC Villa win the Ugandan Premier League in 1994 remains one of the best memories of his playing days.

The Wakiso-based side had lost its key players owing to several reasons and were not regarded as title contenders, and the current assistant tactician explained the situation at the time.

"After the departure, and, or retirement of a majority of the stars of the SC Villa great side of 1990-1993, leading SC Villa to the 1994 League title as the star player in a squad of mainly a young team that had been given no chance when pitted against the experienced international players at Express FC," Mukatabala recalls as reported by the Sports Nation.

"This was my third league title after earlier triumphs in 1990 and 1992."

The Villa legend also mentioned four other special moments which he said will forever remain in his memory.  

"Making my league debut for SC Villa in 1990 just weeks after signing for the club as a youngster in April [is also one of my best moments]," he continued.

"[The debut was] made even sweeter by the fact that I provided the assist for the winning goal, thumped home by the great [late] Magid Musisi in a 1-0 win against a stubborn Uganda Airlines at Nakivubo stadium.

"[Another best moment was] being named in the starting [team] and playing in two consecutive Africa Cup Competitions. 

"The 1991 Africa Cup of Champion Clubs(Caf CL) vs Club Africaine of Tunisia and the 1992 CAF Abiola Cup (now Confederation Cup) vs Shooting Stars of Nigeria."  

The former attacking midfielder also revealed some of his special moments in front of the goal, while his first top tier hat-trick came against Nate FC 23 years ago.

"Scoring my first hat-trick in international club football vs AS Sotema of Madagascar in the 1993 Caf Champions League at Nakivubo stadium, in front of my own club adoring fans," Mukatabala added.

"I was a regular goal-scoring midfielder at SC Villa, but getting my first hat-trick in a league match and walking away with the Match Day ball was pretty special for me. 

"And that was against Nate FC at Nakivubo Stadium in 1997."

Mukatabala turned out for SC Villa from 1990-1997 before making a return to the club later on as the assistant coach.

He is also doubling as the CEO for the Uganda Football Players' Association (Ufpa) and is the National Team's officer. 

The summer months usually mean the same thing for football fans. If there are no international tournaments to enjoy, it is a long wait for the new campaign to begin – and the latest instalment of EA Sports’ FIFA series to be released.

Of course, 2020 will be very different. Not only on the pitch, where league seasons are stretching through the summer, but in the gaming world too.

Seven years since the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One were first released, the next generation of gaming consoles – the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X – are set to debut.

Fans are excited for the possibilities the step-up in hardware could bring, and FIFA players are no different.

EA Sports has released its first-look video at FIFA 21, with the current-gen adaptation pushed back by the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

On current consoles, FIFA 21 is now set to be released on October 9, 2021, a slight delay on the usual release on the final Friday of September. FIFA 21 early access is available from October 6 on these consoles.

Release dates for the PS5 and Xbox Series X have not been confirmed at this point. However, some clues are available as to when they could be.

Both consoles are expected to be released during the holiday season of 2020, in the lead-up to Christmas.

Some reports have suggested the Xbox Series X could be coming in November 2020, perhaps November 26 – Thanksgiving in the U.S. – after some now-removed marketing material which had teased ‘coming Thanksgiving 2020’.

Similarly, some outlets reported that the PlayStation 5 release date had been accidentally leaked. Amazon France listed the console as being available from November 20, 2020, a listing which has since been removed.

That would make sense as it would place the release date in the middle of holiday shopping season and a week before Black Friday, but it has not been officially confirmed.

FIFA 21’s release date on these new consoles won’t be confirmed until that of the consoles themselves but, as flagship sports titles alongside NBA 2K and Madden NFL, expect confirmation to follow sooner rather than later.

It has been announced that, through EA’s dual entitlement programme, gamers who buy FIFA 21 on Xbox One or PS4 before the launch of FIFA 22 will be able to claim a free upgrade for the equivalent console – so fans don’t need to wait until the next-gen release to enjoy the newest instalment.

Gor Mahia coach Steven Polack has warned club officials not to relax but instead, work hard to secure more sponsors after they sealed a deal with new betting firm Betsafe.

The Kenyan champions, alongside their rivals AFC Leopards, signed a partnership deal that will last for the next three years, with K’Ogalo set to pocket KSh55million per year while Ingwe will pocket KSh45 million.

The new deal has excited the British coach, who has been with the club for one season while the club went through financial difficulties, which has seen the playing unit and officials owed up to five months’ salary.

Polack has, however, warned the club officials not to rest on their laurels and continue to work hard for more sponsors, giving an example of how Gor Mahia were left suffering after SportPesa withdrew their support early this season, leaving them with no place to run to for help.

“The fight to get a new sponsor has been going on for a long time and to get new support is not easy and I want to thank the chairman [Ambrose Rachier] for the good work he has put in and the other people, who helped along the way to secure the deal,” Polack told Goal on Friday.

“I am happy for the club now we have a sponsor, but one sponsor is not enough in football, in football you need more than one sponsor, if you look around the world any club around the world, even the smallest teams have more than one sponsor.

“Let me explain to you, you can’t put all your eggs in one basket, because look at what happened to SportPesa, they dropped out and that was it, there was no one to support the club with money, there was no one to cover up after they left, you need to have at least three sponsors.

“If you watch football on TV, you see many sponsors around the pitch, all of them are supporting teams because you can see several adverts around the pitch which will end up to support the team and then you have your main sponsor, so it becomes easy to run your club.

“I am not only looking at Gor Mahia but even in South Africa teams have more than one sponsor, so they need to work hard and get more sponsors so they can be able to keep the club financially stable, but one thing is for sure, I know Gor Mahia officials are not going to sit and wait, they are going to work hard and get more sponsors, we have already talked about it.

“You can only work hard to get a sponsor and if you get you then you get, and if you don’t then you don’t, but it is good to try and keep pushing.”

However, Polack lauded the arrival of Betsafe, terming it as a good move in the right direction for the club, who will represent Kenya in the Caf Champions League next season.

“It is a good stepping stone, it is a good move in the right direction for the club but we must also make sure the money is used wisely, we have to use it wisely, that is the main thing and nobody wants to hear in five months we don’t have money, so we must be wise and I believe they will be,” Polack concluded.

Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards have been struggling since SportPesa, their previous sponsor left, leaving the clubs to depend on fans, members, and other well-wishers to honour matches and settle players' allowances at times.

EA Sports will launch the next edition of FIFA - FIFA 21 - in October 2020, despite the difficulties associated with the Covid-19 pandemic, which has disrupted various industries, including football.

Every year, the pressure is on games developers to come up with something that tops the previous effort, with avid gamers always keen to see new features or upgrades to existing aspects of the game.

It's all about improving the user experience and, while the creative work is led by the experts, gamers are consulted and their concerns are certainly part of the decision-making process.

So, what sort of new features will be on FIFA 21? Goal takes a look at some potential changes and the things people want to see.

Gameplay & graphics upgrades

The release of FIFA 21 will occur around the same time that next-generation consoles PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, so the expectation is that the game will be better on those new consoles.

Along with Madden NFL 21, FIFA 21 showcases EA Sports' new 'Next Level' updates. These include a variety of graphical and gameplay developments, including new features that are only available in the PS5 and Xbox Series X versions of the game.

Controller haptics are a new addition in FIFA 21 on PS5, thanks to the console's DualSense controller, which allows you to "feel the rhythm of the game in your hands" and respond to shots, passes and tackles through the controller.

Deferred rendering and lightning will add to the realism of the game, with stadiums looking more like their real-life counterparts, while player physiques have been improved to look and feel more natural.

In addition, spatialised audio improves in-game sound effects, while there has been improvements in off-ball humanisation so that players react more realistically during games.

EA Sports has also promised the fastest load times ever for FIFA 21, meaning players will not have to wait as long to begin a match when they boot up the game.

Another gameplay addition that would increase the realism of FIFA 21 is VAR .

While there is strictly no need for a video assistant referee in the game due to the fact that AI makes calls on whether a foul was committed inside the box or there has been an offside, it is now a part of football.

Adding VAR would only be an aesthetic touch, but it would have to be incorporated well, so as to avoid it becoming repetitive, for example.

New Ultimate Team Icons

FIFA 20's new class of Icons included the likes of Kenny Dalglish, Ian Wright and Ronald Koeman, as well as cover star Zinedine Zidane, but what will FIFA 21 bring?

There is already an extensive list of past players on FUT, but there are still some notable absentees, not to mention those iconic stars who recently hung up their boots for good.

Roma and Italy hero Francesco Totti, for example, is widely tipped to be included in the next game as an Icon, as is Chelsea's John Terry and former Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic.

Others include Gabriel Batistuta, Phillipp Lahm, Cafu and Tim Cahill.

One icon who is unlikely to appear on FIFA 21 is David Beckham, who has had a deal with EA Sports' rival brand Pro Evolution Soccer to appear on their game only.

Career Mode improvements

Every year there seems to be a slew of minor issues with Career Mode and FIFA gamers are never shy about airing their grievances.

One the biggest peeves for players is the apparently preponderance of unrealistic transfers, which see transfers of big players between bitter rivals, which, while it does happen, doesn't happen that often.

Issues with the youth academy part of the mode have also been noted, with the more meticulous types preferring a more hands-on interface and greater options in the development of players.

Another request that has appeared on FIFA forums has been the ability to customise club kits instead of having to wear the same kit with the same sponsor despite moving a number of seasons in the virtual future.

Changes to Volta 

The new game mode Volta was rolled out in FIFA 20 with much fanfare as EA Sports sought to reimagine the classic FIFA Street game with small-sided football.

While it was indeed a popular addition with its Journey-style aspect, there have been calls to expand the FIFA street football universe with more venues.

However, some gamers who recall the more cartoonish FIFA Street games of old have suggested that realism isn't exactly necessary in a five-a-side freestyle football game.

Leagues & competitions

EA Sports' FIFA series has long been the most far-reaching football simulation game when it comes to officially licensed players and teams, but they have been hit with some big losses in recent years.

There was no Juventus on FIFA 20 for example, while River Plate and Boca Juniors were also initially unavailable. As well as that there were some issues with licensing for international teams, including Brazil.

They won't be able to get Juventus back, but they can perhaps make up for it somewhat with the addition of more officially licensed competitions.

It is unlikely, given the preference for EA Sports to launch a 'World Cup' edition of the game, but a tournament mode similar to the classic 'Road to World Cup' games, would be a welcome addition.

Onduparaka FC patron Bernard Atiku has explained why some Ugandan Premier League (UPL) clubs are opposed to the reforms fronted by the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa).

Among the reforms Fufa is seeking to implement in the top-tier is the reduction of teams from the current 16 to 12, but this has generated intense debate. During Thursday's consultative meeting, the clubs made their presentation through Aggrey Ashaba.

Among their issues they want to be implemented first include stadium funding, increase in prize money, governance re-calibration, creation of a chairmen’s forum, commercialisation model of the league and refereeing reforms 

“I am very hopeful that our submission in regard to the reforms of the league that Fufa is proposing will give them an insight and guide them in the decision-making process," Atiku said as is quoted by Sports Nation.

“We have come out with our position as clubs which is let’s stay the reforms because there are some strategic challenges that we need to address as a league and once those challenges are addressed, I am sure the league will get lucrative and attractive to the sponsors.”

Atiku was among the chairman who boycotted the initial meeting with Fufa and revealed their earlier decision was due to a communication breakdown with the federation.

The clubs had also sought intervention from the government against some of Fufa's recent decisions.

“We agreed to attend after receiving the agenda in time and also sitting down as club owners to understand the issues therein for discussion and also to prepare a position that is agreeable by all the clubs,” he added.

“Having tried to communicate with Fufa and UPL and failed, we decided to petition Minister Janet Museveni and having these issues presented correctly by our chairman, to us somehow settled the nerves.

“What has also come out clear is that the clubs have not been fighting Fufa or [President Moses] Magogo. We wanted to be heard, and the platform was not there. It was admitted that the communication challenges were there.

“I thank Fufa for allowing us to debate. It’s only in an environment like this that we can relay the challenges. We can either agree or disagree but I believe this is a good platform for both the clubs and the FA.

“We should be looking at professionalisation but we cannot if we don’t have an enabling environment.”

Ronald Mutebi of Bright Stars also commended the meeting between the FA and the clubs.

“When we come to such meetings, we have many issues but we must leave with a bit of diagnosis. Looking at issues with political ammunition but rather deliberate, find solutions and avoid reacting to situations,” Mutebi said.