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Former Kaizer Chiefs captain Siphiwe Tshabalala has explained why he is still clubless almost a year after leaving BB Erzurumspor. 

In an online press conference with the South African Football Journalists Association, 'Shabba' revealed he had planned to get back onto the field sooner but he picked up an injury which made it impossible for him to sign with any of the clubs he was in talks with.

After recovering from the injury he was about to leave the country, then the coronavirus hit the world which was another blow in his hopes of securing a new home, according to the Phiri-born midfielder.   

"The plan was to be back on the field sooner, and I picked up an injury late last year as we were about to embark on another journey, so that was a blow for me," Shabba told the South African Football Journalists Association.

"I recovered from the injury and, as I was about to leave, the situation that we're currently facing happened, so I had to put everything on hold and understand that it can't happen at that particular time." 

"There was no movement or anything. So, in a way, I shifted my focus to matters that have been affecting us from that particular period until now."

The 35-year-old is still hopeful of returning to the pitch after the lockdown and revealed he had offers from China, Italy and Turkey before the pandemic brought the world to a standstill.  

"I still hope that, when this is all over, I'll get an opportunity to be back on the field again. I had offers – before lockdown – to play overseas, there was interest in China, Italy and also in Turkey," confirmed the veteran. 

Tshabalala further stated that he will need time to think about what to do next after the coronavirus lockdown - whether he wants to go abroad or remain in South Africa and end his career. 

This is a decision he will take together with his family and for the benefit of his family.  

"Obviously after this, one has to sit down and think, do I still want to go abroad or do I want to play here at home and end my career as well?" he asked.

"But the decision that I'll take will be a collective decision with my family. It will be a decision that will favour my family as well, so we'll see about that."

Arsenal have been warned that their long-standing issues away from home are likely to scupper any top-four ambitions when Premier League football returns, with Martin Keown considering form on the road to still be the Gunners’ “Achilles heel”.

Top-flight action in England has been given a green light to resume amid the coronavirus pandemic from June 17.

Arsenal will be among the first back out onto the field, as they prepare to take in a meeting with Manchester City.

A positive result in that contest could set Mikel Arteta’s side up for a late surge up the standings and into contention for Champions League qualification.

There is an eight-point gap for them to bridge in that quest at present, with the Gunners sat some way behind London rivals Chelsea in fourth spot.

A faultless run through to the end of the current campaign may be required in order to give Arsenal a shot at staging the most miraculous of recoveries.

Keown cannot see that happening, with it likely that struggles on their travels will end up undermining the efforts of those from Emirates Stadium.

Away form has been a problem for some time, with the rot first setting in as Arsene Wenger was edging towards the exits and a managerial baton was passed to Unai Emery.

There have been signs of progress since Arteta took the reins, with Arsenal plugging some of their defensive leaks, but they are considered to be a work in progress and a side that is unlikely to trouble many of those currently sat above them in the table.

Keown told the Daily Mail when asked if a top-four finish remains a realistic target for the Gunners: “Arsenal’s problem, for the last two-and-a-half seasons, has been their away form. It’s their Achilles heel.

“In 2019-20, they’ve won twice on the road in 13 attempts, and their next three games are all away from home — against Manchester City, Brighton and Southampton.

“Then later in the campaign, they face Wolves and Tottenham away, too, before travelling to Aston Villa.

“If you’re a Manchester United player looking at those Arsenal fixtures, you’d be saying: ‘Good luck with that.’ United have a slight head start and a more favourable run-in.

“Something affects this Arsenal group when they’re competing away from home, and I doubt they’ll make it into the Champions League because of that.”

Failure to climb into the top four would mean that Arsenal are left facing up to a fourth successive season without elite European competition, with 2016-17 representing the last time they graced a Champions League stage.

AFC Leopards attacking midfielder Musa Saad has picked the players who must be kept if the club wants to fight and win the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) title.

AFC Leopards last won the title in 1998 and Saad says should the nine players he identified remain for the foreseeable future, victory can be achieved.

Saad named young players who were mostly signed last year by Ingwe as the ones capable of delivering the title back at the Den.

“AFC Leopards have incredible talents. There are very talented players at the club and if the club can keep them, we are bound to be successful,” Saad told the club's Online TV. 

“Collins Shichenje, Vincent Oburu, Austin Odhiambo, Marvin Nabwire, Omar Somobwana, Said Tsuma, Maurice Sunguti, Daniel Msamali and Boniface Mukhekhe are the players with huge potential for AFC Leopards.

“That is the crop of players if they are maintained together for two to three seasons, we can lift the league title easily. I can assure that.”

The attacking midfielder also said the fans need to play their part as the players fight to ensure the league title is won so as to earn a Caf Champions League slot in the coming seasons.

“It has also been a long time since AFC Leopards took part in the Champions League but with that kind of players that is achievable,” he added.

“We have got the squad, we have a good technical bench and an office that has shown their willingness to help players.

“We only need fans to push us as we try to achieve our targets.

“We will have a deadly squad especially if the other external factors are settled. I believe everyone there is capable and have great potential.”

Meanwhile, the former Thika United star picked Paul Were as the best ever player to don the blue jersey of AFC Leopards. Saad further stated his respect for Tom Juma, the current cub official, for what he did during his playing time.

"[Paul] Were is my all-time best player for AFC Leopards. I met him at AFC Leopards and after little interaction, I was satisfied by his abilities and talent," he concluded.

“It could have been great if I had played alongside our team manager [Tom] Juma. At times when we train together, you can just see how good he was during his time.”

Saad joined AFC Leopards on July 2018 from Thika United, who had suffered relegation.

Alisson is capable of breaking “all the records” at Liverpool if he sticks around at Anfield for a “long time”, says legendary former Reds goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar.

A Brazil international was added to Jurgen Klopp’s star-studded squad during the summer of 2018.

He was briefly the most expensive keeper on the planet, with a £65 million ($82m) transfer fee required to prise him away from Serie A giants Roma.

An immediate return has been offered on that investment, with Alisson’s debut campaign ending with him collecting a Premier League Golden Glove and Champions League crown.

He has since gone on to help Liverpool close in on the Premier League title, while also earning a billing as one of the finest shot-stoppers in the world game.

Grobbelaar believes the 27-year-old is capable of re-writing the history books on Merseyside, with a man who has 40 clean sheets to his name from 79 appearances in a position where he could chase down Ray Clemence’s club record of 323 shut outs.

“If Alisson stays at Liverpool long enough he could break all the records that myself and Ray Clemence achieved,” Grobbelaar, who spent 13 years at Anfield between 1981 and 1994, told The Mirror.

“If he wants to stay at Anfield for a long time he will break all the records for sure and I would love him to do that.

“Alisson is undoubtedly one of the best goalkeepers in the world and he deserves to be put on that pedestal.

“Him and Manuel Neuer are probably the best two when it comes to angles — those two are the very best in the world at getting their angles right, they don’t have to dive because they aren’t out of position.

“They are in the right place at the right time and they move their feet very, very well.”

Alisson is not the only talismanic presence to have emerged at Liverpool under Klopp, with Grobbelaar also quick to sing the praises of commanding Dutch centre-half Virgil van Dijk.

He added on a defensive colossus: “I played behind Phil Thompson and Alan Hansen, and they were both brilliant centre-halves.

“With Thommo, Jockey had to work a little bit harder because when Thommo made a mistake, he had to cover up quite a lot.

“When Thommo left, Jockey took up his role and we had Mark Lawrenson, who was quick, he had brilliant speed.

“Now with Van Dijk, you have a cool head like a Hansen but he’s that quick like Lawrenson — he is both rolled into one.

“But what he does with his other centre-halves and other defenders is make them much better, and that’s the quality of Virgil van Dijk.”

Jose Mourinho must manage Harry Kane's return to the pitch carefully, according to Paul Robinson, who says the Tottenham striker can't be expected to play three games a week.

Kane has not featured for Spurs since suffering a hamstring injury during a 1-0 defeat against Southampton at St Mary's on January 1.

The 26-year-old was forced to undergo surgery on the issue, and had to watch on from the sidelines as Tottenham embarked on a miserable run of form before the coronavirus-enforced break in the season.

Mourinho's men failed to win any of their final six matches, exiting both the Champions League and FA Cup along the way, but they do still have an outside chance of finishing in the Premier League's top four when the campaign resumes.

Kane has benefitted from the extra recovery time while in quarantine, and is now back in training with the rest of his team-mates ahead of a huge meeting with Manchester United on June 19.

However, Robinson has warned Mourinho against rushing a prized asset back into the fold, with a congested fixture list likely to increase the risk of injuries.

The ex-Spurs goalkeeper told Sky Sports: "You have to worry whether Harry Kane can play two or three games a week, whether he can play 90 minutes on a Saturday and then have to wait again for the following Saturday to play another 90 minutes.

"It will be all about how Jose (Mourinho) manages the situation because you can't expect a player whose been out after that length of time to be able to come back and play three games a week with all the demands Premier League football puts on you.

"Managers are going to have to be very aware and conscious as to how they man-manage their players fitness, injuries and squad rotation.

"Squad rotation, in particular, is going to be huge in the next three or four weeks with the amount of games - training is going to be minimal so it's going to be all about preparation and recovery."

Tottenham find themselves down in eighth in the top-flight standings, seven points behind Chelsea in the race for the final Champions League spot. Mourinho could see his side make up significant ground on their rivals if they secure all three points against United, before focus shifts to a London derby against West Ham on June 23.

Very few Indian players can boast of being part of historic title-winning sides like Jayesh Rane can. The decorated ATK attacking midfielder has an enviable CV, with one I-League title and two Indian Super League (ISL) titles to his name.

Jayesh was part of the Chennaiyin FC squad that sported a spirited comeback in the 2015 ISL to clinch the title. They won their last four games in the league phase, as required and defeated ATK, FC Goa in the following rounds to make the improbable possible.

He was also an integral part of the Aizawl FC side that defied all odds to write an incredible footballing story in the 2016-17 I-League season. Khalid Jamil’s men became the first team from North-East India to win the national title, despite not having any star name.

Recently, the 27-year-old won his second ISL title, this time with ATK which became the first side to win the competition thrice. Understandably, he was unable to pick a favourite when he spoke to Goal.

“All the tournaments were memorable. In the I-League when I played for Aizawl FC, no one thought we would win. But it became one of the best stories you've heard. Even with Chennaiyin FC (In 2015), no one thought we would win. We had to win five games in the last five games. We did it and won the trophy. You can say that all three were memorable for me,” he said.

All players have that one coach with whom they share a special bond and are able to play to their potential under them. While Jayesh claimed to have learnt a lot from all the coaches he played under, he reserved a special mention for Khalid.

He credited the former Aizawl and Mumbai FC coach for his development and versatility.

“It was always Khalid (Jamil). He was the one who picked me up at Mumbai FC where I started my career. There are many coaches I have trained under – at Air India it was Godfrey Pereira and then there was my uncle Rajesh Rahane.

“But it was Khalid Jamil who stood out. He knows how to handle players. There were no superstars in the team at Aizawl. He knew how to bring the best out of everyone. He knows me very well from the beginning and what I was capable of. And hence played me at central midfield that season.

“He knows where to use the players. He is very intelligent in all this."

Rane also paid credit to his former coaches and explained how playing in different styles has helped him improve his game.

“Everyone had their own style. I was with (Marco) Materazzi for three years. He was very strict on the field, like all foreign coaches I’ve played under. But Materazzi was chill (off the field). He used to say that we could do whatever we wanted off the field but on the pitch, he always demanded our 100 per cent. That is all he asked for. I got to learn different styles. From Materazzi, I learn the Italian style which was different defensively. I got to learn a lot. I was with Steve Coppell, Teddy Sheringham, Robbie Keane, and Antonio Habas. All their styles were different,” he explained.

Rane started his career as a striker and went on to play at multiple positions. A crucial element in any squad, Rane has practically played everywhere on the pitch bar between the posts and in central defence. Once again, he had words of praise for Khalid who believed in testing his players at multiple positions.

“I am a player who loves to adjust anywhere. I don’t mind where I play as long as I play football. Whatever the coach asks me to do, I would love to do it. Every coach has their own style and you need to adjust as a player.

“At Mumbai FC I started off as a striker. Ashutosh (Mehta) was there in my team at that time and he used to play as a right-winger. I was not a regular and joined mid-way. In most of my junior career, I played as a striker.

“Khalid Jamil knew that with my body type, you can’t play as a striker in Indian football because strikers are usually big. So, he used me as a winger. Then I played as a right-back, left-back, centre-half, and every other position. I give all the credit to Khalid Jamil because he used to play me in every position. He likes to try playing everyone in different positions.

“Whenever a coach asks me if I can play in a certain position because a player is injured, I am always up for it,” said Jayesh.

He also spoke about how Fiji star Roy Krishna motivated the youngsters at ATK last season. As for his personal goals, Jayesh is looking to achieve his first national team call-up. He has also made it his mission to impress in his first-ever Asian outing as ATK-Mohun Bagan gear up for their AFC Cup 2021 campaign.

“Elano, (Stevin) Mendoza, (Bernard) Mendy, Robbie Keane and many other players were active in mentoring the youngsters. I learnt a lot from them. This season, Roy (Krishna) stood out as a player who encouraged youngsters and motivated them.

“My goal was always to play for the national team and that will always be there. We will be playing AFC Cup with ATK now. I have never played in that competition before, so winning that would be a goal,” he concluded.

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said the club will need Eden Hazard for their La Liga title battle.

Hazard has been limited to just 15 appearances for Madrid since arriving from Chelsea in a reported €100 million deal due to injury and fitness problems.

The 29-year-old attacker broke his ankle prior to the La Liga campaign being suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic, but he has used the near-three-month hiatus as a chance to fully recover ahead of the league's return.

Madrid – who were two points behind leaders Barcelona with 11 matches remaining – will resume their season against Eibar on June 14 and Courtois provided an update on team-mate Hazard.

"Hazard is just fine," Belgium star Courtois told Movistar. "The rhythm he has is surprising, but we have to go bit by bit.

"We can't expect him to be on top form without playing. I think he's in shape and we'll need him to fight for the title."

Madrid had only won one of their last four La Liga games prior to the league's postponement due to the Covid-19 crisis in March.

Zinedine Zidane's Madrid defeated bitter rivals Barca 2-0 in March but lost to Real Betis and Levante, while they drew at home to Celta Vigo.

"We can't wait for the league to begin again and start the battle to win it," Courtois said as Madrid prepare to play behind closed doors.

"It'll be different [without fans]," added Courtois. "It's great when there is an atmosphere - even when you are playing away from home and it's against you. It gives you adrenaline and it's something which motivates me to pull off more saves. I'll be just as motivated without the fans there."

Not only will Madrid take to the field without fans, the Spanish giants will play away from the Santiago Bernabeu due to renovation work on the iconic stadium.

Madrid are set to play their remaining La Liga games at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano – the club's Valdebebas training ground.

"I don't think it will work against us [playing away from the Bernabeu]," Courtois said. "It's an honour to play at a stadium named after a legend - the best player in Real Madrid history.

"For the history of the club, it would be very nice to win the league there. The training sessions we have had there have been going well and I can't see us having any problems playing there."

Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo believes his "very special" team can win the Champions League without fans.

Atletico dethroned titleholders Liverpool in the last 16 before the Champions League was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic in March.

The Champions League could resume in August, with the Bundesliga back underway as La Liga, the Premier League and Serie A prepare to return this month.

Atletico lost two Champions League finals under Diego Simeone in 2014 and 2016, but Cerezo told Movistar: "We are very special, we can win a Champions League without an audience. It could be our year."

La Liga will restart with a Seville derby between Sevilla and Real Betis on June 11 following the Covid-19 crisis. Atletico, meanwhile, will travel to Athletic Club behind closed doors on June 14.

Simeone's men are sixth in the table with 11 matches remaining, a point behind Real Sociedad and the final Champions League qualification spot.

"In the league we are in a difficult situation and in Champions we are very good," Cerezo said. "A few games away from reaching a final, which is where we like to be."

"He [head coach Simeone] is calm and has confidence in what he does and will direct us to get into the top four," added Cerezo.

The coronavirus pandemic is set to impact the transfer market as clubs feel the financial effects of the crisis.

Atletico spent heavily at the start of the season after Antoine Griezmann joined Barcelona, breaking a club record to sign Joao Felix, while Marcos Llorente, Hector Herrera, Felipe, Renan Lodi, Mario Hermoso and Kieran Trippier also arrived.

Looking ahead to 2020-21, Cerezo said: "There is a possibility that nobody will be signed, but we will have to wait for what happens in the season. The transfers will be very difficult for everyone."

Star Atletico midfielder Saul Niguez has recently been in the headlines with the Spaniard reportedly being hunted by Manchester United.

The Red Devils have been strongly linked with the midfielder, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer still in the market for more ball-playing options despite adding Bruno Fernandes to his ranks and seeing Paul Pogba return to fitness.

They will not be the only ones in the mix, though, if a scramble is sparked for a prized signature, with Saul's agent Jonathan Barnett admitting as much to Sport Witness.

He said: "Somebody like Saul doesn’t need anybody to push him. He’s so good and everybody knows that and they know a lot of clubs want him. But he’s already at a very big club. He has a very good relationship with Atletico Madrid and Atletico fans.

"Every good player is linked with another club. Some agents may want to do that and if they need the press to do something, then they are not very good at their job. It’s journalists trying to write things. It may be true or may not be true, but it’s something we as an agency at Stellar don’t really get involved in."

Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling says tackling racism is the most important issue society faces.

The 25-year-old voiced his support of the anti-racism protests that have spread across the United States and Europe in response to George Floyd’s death.

Although the coronavirus pandemic is still going on, large crowds have gathered in cities all over the world to call for action against police brutality and discrimination.

Sterling says standing up to racism is more important than the danger posed by Covid-19 and urged people to do it peacefully.

"I know this might sound a little bit cheesy but the only disease right now is the racism that we are fighting," Sterling told BBC Newsnight.

"This is the most important thing at this moment in time because this is something that is happening for years and years.

"Just like the pandemic, we want to find a solution to stop it.

"At the same time, this is what all these protesters are doing. They are trying to find a solution and a way to stop the injustice they are seeing, and they are fighting for their cause.

"As long as they are doing it peacefully and safely and not hurting anybody and not breaking into any stores, they continue to protest in this peaceful way."

The England international says he does not fear putting his career at risk by speaking out about the issue and warned that protesting can only go so far.

"I don’t really think about my job when things like this happen, I think about what’s right.

"There’s only so much communities and other backgrounds can take – especially black people,” he said.

"It’s been going on for hundreds of years and people are tired and people are ready for change.

"This is something that needs more than just talking. We need to actually implement change and highlight the places that do need changes.

"But this is something that I will continue to do, spark these debates and get people in my industry looking at themselves and thinking what they can do to give people an equal chance in this country."

Augsburg striker Florian Niederlechner believes the lack of crowd noise contributed to his penalty miss during a 1-1 draw against Koln.

Niederlechner saw his spot-kick saved in the 27th minute by Timo Horn in the Bundesliga match played behind-closed-doors on Sunday.

The 29-year-old felt the eerily quiet 'ghost' atmosphere at Augsburg Arena made his chance to open the scoring a difficult one.

"I made the biggest mistake you can make as a penalty taker. Crappy ghost games," Niederlechner said post-match.

As Niederlechner was preparing to take the penalty, a Koln player told Horn that the Augsburg forward likes to shoot in the right corner.

After hearing the exchange between his opponents, Niederlechner decided to shoot away from his preferred side, with Horn diving full stretch to make the save.

"Actually, my corner is on the right, every time. I let the situation really influence me," Niederlechner said. "I was often the hero. Today I was the fool."

Three points would have been handy for Augsburg, but in the end they only managed to salvage a draw shortly afterr Anthony Modeste gave Koln the lead in the 85th minute.

Phillip Max forced an equaliser three points later with Augsburg moving three points clear of the relegation zone with four matches to play.

Koln are seven points clear of 16th-placed Dusseldorf and will be looking to secure their place in the Bundesliga next season over the next two matchdays.

Bayern Munich look close to securing their eighth consecutive title, leading Borussia Dortmund by seven points with only 12 left to play for.

In the race for the two Champions League spots behind Bayern and Dortmund, RB Leipzig have a three-point advantage in third over Gladbach and Leverkusen, with Wolfsburg all but mathematically out of the race for Europe's premier club competition.

Over the recent weeks, Bundesliga clubs and players have joined in on the worldwide protests surrounding the death of George Floyd.

Following a series of individual messages from Marcus Thuram, Jadon Sancho and Achraf Hakimi, both Dortmund and Bayern continued to speak out against the killing prior to their games against Hertha Berlin and Bayer Leverkusen respectively, Bayern choosing to take to the field wearing black armbands sporting the words 'Black Lives Matter'. 

BVB's stars, meanwhile, trained in shirts that showed the words "Black, white, yellow, red" crossed out above "Human," and another which stated simply, "No justice, no peace."

Quique Setien insisted Lionel Messi is "perfectly fine" as the Barcelona head coach addressed the superstar's physical condition.

Messi has trained separately after Barca confirmed their captain suffered a quadriceps injury ahead of La Liga's resumption on June 11 following a delay due to the coronavirus pandemic.

League-leaders Barca currently sit two points clear of bitter rivals Real Madrid with 11 matches remaining and will restart their 2019-20 campaign against Real Mallorca on June 13.

After that, they'll face a short turnaround before a match against Leganes three days later before a slight break ahead of a match against Sevilla on June 21.

Despite the congested schedule, Barca boss Setien has no concerns about six-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi ahead of that initial trip to Mallorca.

"It's not just Messi - other players haven't trained because they've had niggles," Setien told Movistar. "It's happened to lots of them.

"Leo has a cramp that's not hugely significant. I think he's perfectly fine and he won't have any problems.

"It's the same for any other player. We'll see how the league goes and what circumstances come up.

"We have lots of games and a small squad. I always want to have Messi on the pitch, of course."

Messi is atop La Liga's goalscoring charts with 19, ahead of Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema, who had netted 14 goals of his own at the moment the league was suspended in March due to Covid-19.

While Messi's fitness is a focus for Barcelona, the club will also be boosted by the return of Luis Suarez after the Uruguayan star's extended injury absence. 

The club confirmed over the weekend that Suarez will be fit to take part in next weekend’s clash with Mallorca, as he'll return to the Barca squad for the first time since January.

Suarez has been out of action for the last five months after undergoing surgery for a knee injury that had been expected to end his season.

However, with the season prolonged due to the coronavirus, the Uruguayan star will be ready for the final matches of the campaign as Barca pursue La Liga's title once again

Napoli have warned they will not allow Kalidou Koulibaly to leave in a cut-price deal, insisting the defender's value has not budged during the coronavirus crisis.

The Senegalese centre-back, who turns 29 later this month, has frequently been linked with a move, including to Premier League duo Manchester United and Liverpool.

Clubs across Europe have been hit by the impact of the pandemic, with the financial toll leading to suggestions it could have a major effect on the transfer market.

Yet Napoli have no intention of allowing players to leave below their full value, and sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli said it will take top dollar to prise away any of the club's stars.

Addressing the future of Koulibaly, Giuntoli told Italian broadcaster Sky Sport 24: "He is a great footballer and the club has the right to ask for the price it wants."

Giuntoli does not buy into the theory that the best players will suddenly be available for lower prices than before Covid-19 hit.

"They say negotiations will change, but in my opinion this is an alibi. I don't think the coronavirus issue can change the price of Koulibaly or other top players," Giuntoli said.

"Certainly, however, we'll come to appreciate the contractual formula such as the loan with an option to buy, which help to postpone the guarantees and ease the balance immediately. Football can adapt quickly."

Giuntoli also had words of praise for Napoli coach Gennaro Gattuso, whose sister passed away earlier this week.

“We immediately appreciated the technical and human qualities of Gattuso,” he added.

"There is a strong desire to continue with him and we are planning the team of the future together, to return to compete for the championship. Obviously, this is a very delicate moment, we are all a little shaken and my thoughts go to him and his parents.

“Rino's work is not only appreciated by the club, but also by the players who are doing very well in his 4-3-3.

“For example, Lorenzo Insigne is in love with Napoli: he still has two years on his contract and our common will is to return to the field stronger than before.

“The same applies to Fabian Ruiz: in he is happy here, I think he will stay and we will discuss his renewal from next year.”

Paulo Dybala has revealed he is still not 100 per cent fit after overcoming coronavirus - but he is relishing the return of Serie A all the same.

The Juventus forward confirmed in March that he and girlfriend Oriana Sabatini had tested positive for Covid-19, by which time football in Italy had been suspended due to the pandemic.

Dybala had to isolate for over a month before Juve announced he had returned two negative tests on May 6, though he is still not yet in peak condition following his illness.

Having gone up against Tottenham's Dele Alli in FIFA 20 as part of a charity event organised by Gamers Without Borders, the Argentina international declared his delight at the upcoming resumption to the 2019-20 campaign.

"I had coronavirus, but I feel much better now," Dybala said during the Instagram Live transmission.

"I am still not quite at 100 per cent, but I'm pretty good. We've started training again and football is coming back, so soon we will be able to do what we love the most.

"I hope we can have fun and entertain.

"I think it will be useful because we will have many consecutive football matches, and people like us who love this wonderful sport will have the opportunity to watch a different game every day."

Argentinian Dybala defeated Alli while playing as Liverpool, even singing the Anfield club's anthem 'You'll Never Walk Alone' midway through the online game with the England midfielder.

As for the real action, the Old Lady have been linked with a move for Manchester United star Paul Pogba, who took his career to another level in Turin between 2012-16.

Dybala revealed he would love to play with the France World Cup winner again after revealing the duo exchanged shirts during a Champions League match two years ago.

"I couldn't overlook a shirt like this, of course," Dybala said during an interview with UEFA.com, referring to a United shirt from Juve's 1-0 Champions League win in Manchester in 2018. "It's from Manchester, from my friend Paul, whom I admire as a person even more than as a football player.

"I had the chance to share great things with him and hopefully I can repeat that someday."

Serie A leaders Juve - who sit one point clear of nearest rivals Lazio - restart their league campaign with a trip to Bologna on June 22.

Before then, Juventus have the second leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final against Milan, which takes place in Turin on June 12. The first meeting between the teams finished in a 1-1 draw.

Joseph Yobo, Didier Drogba, Anthony Baffoe and a host of other football figures have paid tribute to late Stephen Keshi.

Keshi - the only man after Mahmoud El-Gohary to win the Africa Cup of Nations as a player and coach - passed away after suffering a heart attack at the age of 54 on June 7, 2016.

He led Clemens Westerhof’s Eagles to a triumphant Afcon 1994 outing as well as their maiden Fifa World Cup appearance in the United States of America in the same year.

After his playing career which saw him represent ACB Lagos, Africa Sports, Lokeren, Anderlecht, RC Strasbourg and Sacramento Scorpions, he went into administration and helped Togo qualify for the 2006 World Cup, before leading Mali and Nigeria national teams.

With the footballing world marking his fourth-year remembrance, the trio alongside others, has taken to social media to pay respect.

Ryan Giggs has revealed that Louis van Gaal has been key to his managerial career after the Welshman learnt vital lessons while assisting the former Manchester United boss.

Giggs spent his whole playing career at Old Trafford under the leadership of Sir Alex Ferguson, winning 13 Premier League titles in the process.

He had 23 years to pick up tips from the legendary United manager before making the step up himself after he hung up his boots in 2014.

The Wales manager took interim charge of Man Utd after David Moyes was sacked before becoming assistant to Van Gaal when he arrived in the summer of 2014.

The Dutchman was widely criticised for his tactics and management style at Old Trafford but Giggs, who is now manager of the Welsh national side, credits his former colleague for shaping his managerial career.

“Obviously I had different international managers, but that's only obviously a short space of time. That's why I talk about Louis (van Gaal), regarding my coaching, because I'm actually two years in the meetings, [taking] responsibility, and I talk so fondly of him because that was really my first coaching role. Whereas when you're playing, you don't know the preparation,” Giggs told The Official Manchester United Podcast.

“You don't know what the manager's seen on the videos. Players get seven or eight minutes of watching the opposition, but the coaching staff watch hours and hours.

“So that is completely different, it's completely different, even though you've worked under a manager for so long. It was more sort of the man-management and the different things that Sir Alex would do that I've picked up on, whereas with Louis obviously I've seen first-hand different systems, why you play the different systems, the reasons for this and the reasons for that, It was a really good experience.”

Giggs enjoyed two years alongside Van Gaal before leaving United in 2016 following the arrival of Jose Mourinho and he secured his first full-time management job in 2018 as head of the Welsh national team. And the 46-year-old said it was his four games in interim charge at Man Utd that convinced him to pursue a career in management.

“Amazing experience, amazing, and one, really, that made my mind up that I wanted to become a manager,” Giggs said about his time in charge at Old Trafford. “I would say up until then that I was still unsure.

"I just felt comfortable. I felt comfortable decision-making. I felt comfortable in that position. It was a brilliant experience. I was still doing my pro licence, but actually being in the job, having to make the decisions, all the pressure that you put yourself under, you can't prepare yourself for that.”

Two individuals connected to Championship clubs have tested positive for coronavirus in the latest round of testing, the English Football League (EFL) has confirmed.

This most recent figure marks a significant decrease from the previous two batches, which saw a combined total of 19 positive tests.

One of the positive results came at Barnsley, the Tykes have confirmed, with the club saying the individual is "safe" and "remains upbeat".

"Barnsley FC can confirm that one person has tested positive for the Covid-19 virus following a round of testing on Friday 5 June," a statement on the club's website read.

"The single positive test is from an asymptomatic member of backroom staff who had tested negative in all four previous rounds.

"The individual will now follow the relevant guidance and undergo a period of isolation whilst remaining in close communication with club personnel, before being re-tested at a later date."

The overall sample size was 1,179 this time around, meaning over 5,000 tests have been carried out on players and staff associated with Championship clubs since May 21.

An EFL statement read: "Following the latest round of Covid-19 testing, the EFL can confirm that 1,179 players and club staff from the 24 Championship clubs were tested over the course of Wednesday June 3, Thursday June 4, Friday June 5 and Saturday June 6, with two individuals testing positive from two clubs.

"Those players or club staff who have tested positive will now self-isolate in line with the guidelines provided by the EFL and only those who have tested negative will be permitted to enter training ground facilities."

The Championship is set to resume on June 20, three days after the Premier League recommences.

Just one point separates top two teams Leeds and West Bromwich Albion, while Fulham are six points further back in the play-off places with Brentford, Nottingham Forest and Preston.

Across League One and League Two, 267 players and staff were tested - one returned a positive result.

Ghana international Samuel Inkoom believes new Black Stars coach CK Akonnor has what it takes to succeed at the helm of affairs.

Akonnor assumed duty in January, taking over from James Kwasi Appiah whose contract expired at the end of last year.

The former Wolfsburg captain has been tasked to lead Ghana to victory at the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon next year as well as qualify the team for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

“He has that kind of character to handle the Black Stars. It's not every player who has played football can manage a team," he told Joy Sports.

"But I think he has the character to handle the national team. I believe he will do well with his assistant coach David Duncan. What’s important is that we all support CK Akonnor.

"CK has played at the highest level in terms of football. He knows what is good for footballers.

"I knew him when I was young. I was watching him captain the Back Stars and also playing for Wolfsburg."

Despite taking up the new job at the start of the year, Akonnor is yet to supervise his first game for the Black Stars five months on.

He named a 23-man squad for his first assignment - an Afcon qualifying double-header against Sudan in March - but the matches had to be called off due to the coronavirus disruptions.

The West Africans are hoping to win the continental showpiece for the first time since 1982, having won the title on four occasions.

Their last appearance at Egypt 2019 ended in disappointment as the Stars suffered a Round of 16 elimination at the hands of Tunisia.

It was the first time Ghana failed to reach the quarter-final since 2006.

Inkoom, who currently plays club football for Georgian side Samtredia, will be hoping to impress Akonnor for a recall for national duty after a long absence.

He was a member of Ghana's gold-winning side at the 2009 Fifa U20 World Cup, the silver-winning team at Afcon 2010 and the quarter-final-reaching outfit at the 2010 World Cup.

He was also at Afcon 2012 in Gabon/Equatorial Guinea. 

Maritzburg United defender Rushine de Reuck says he would like to play continental football as they look to secure a third-place finish and qualify for the Caf Confederation Cup.

The Team of Choice centre-back has attracted interest from a number of Premier Soccer League (PSL) teams including Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates.

However, the Cape Town-born defender has revealed his ambitions to play in Europe, saying according to their targets, they are surging closer to securing a position to qualify for a continental spot.

“We have targets as Maritzburg right now. I think we’re five or six points behind our best finish in the league – when we got to 45 points. So, there are targets to achieve and we want to fight for a Caf place as well,” De Reuck told FARPost.

“At the beginning of the season it was to get into the top eight, but now it’s different. To play in Africa will be very good for Maritzburg because they’ve never done that. And we’re not far off that. That’s the goal and the next step for us.

“I want to be part of that, I’ve been to two cup finals and haven’t won yet, but I want to continue making history with this club. It’s a club I fell in love with, it’s a club that gave me an opportunity when no-one believed in me.

“I’m just focused on Maritzburg, on Maritzburg doing well; that’s the most important thing,” he said. “I don’t think every day what people are saying about me. I’m happy with my progress and what I have achieved for Maritzburg this season.”

Speaking about playing under the former Bafana Bafana midfielder Eric Tinkler, the nippy defender has heaped praise on his manager, adding that positional play has helped to develop his game.

“He told me the talent is there, but that I need to work harder. And that’s what I’ve done, I’ve studied the game more and now this season I’ve hardly had any bookings,” he added.

“I’ve bettered my positional play, the way I read the game, the way I see things, studying players. I know what to do in certain areas. I know my strengths; I’m not scared to go 1-v-1.

“I’m good in the air, when the ball is coming for a cross, things like that, the coach has helped me a lot in terms of possession play, what I must do when I have the ball.”

Having already reached the final of the Telkom Knockout Cup but lost to the Brazilians, coach Eric Tinkler's men are fifth on the PSL table with 39 points from 24 games as the games remain suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.