World Soccer

Canada's newest European star is set to leave Belgian side Gent for Lille after the clubs agreed a transfer fee of $35 million.

Neal Thurman looks at the most recent announcements in the Premier League as well as some plausible rumors and analyzes them for clubs and fantasy (AP)

The UEFA Champions League and Europa League resume this week and here are predictions, betting odds, live updates and the schedule in full.

Perhaps Aubameyang cementing his time at the Emirates will sway a star currently on the fence about a season in the Europa League.

SHOWS: MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UK (AUGUST 6, 2020) (MANCHESTER CITY HANDOUT - ACCESS ALL) 1. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MANCHESTER CITY MANAGER, PEP GUARDIOLA, ON ZIDANE'S TACTICS, SAYING (ACCORDING TO OFFICIAL TRANSLATION): "Yeah it's difficult to know (what tactics Zidane will use), when you think that you've got one of his tactical plans covered, he'll hit you with another tactical plan or revert to the original one that you thought he was going to start with. So, it's very, very difficult to analyse someone like his tactics. Obviously in the dim and distant past we played the first leg and what we can remember from the first leg we've put to good use. We spoke about how we'd approach tactically before that game and since then we've watched all Madrid's games since La Liga restarted after the lockdown. So, we've spoken about how we think Madrid might approach this game. But what we've done more in these last two weeks as a squad is to talk about what we can do and how we feel that we can hurt Madrid in areas that we can cause problems for them and that's what we've been focusing on in the build up as we prepared for this game. 2. WHITE FLASH 3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANCHESTER CITY MANAGER, PEP GUARDIOLA, ON AVOIDING DEFENSIVE ERRORS, SAYING: "We have to avoid it, you know the making mistakes like in this competition, it punishes you a lot. So, we know it, we spoke about that not now, not these weeks, you know the last years many times, so in important games like this and we know it and if want to make a step forward as a team to be close to win this competition we have to be better in this area 4. WHITE FLASH 5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANCHESTER CITY MANAGER, PEP GUARDIOLA, ON ERIC GARCIA, SAYING: "No, he announced to us that he doesn't want to extend the contract with Manchester City. So, he has one more year and after that, yeah, he doesn't want extend, we want it, but he doesn't want to extend the contract. So, imagine he wants to play in another place." 6. WHITE FLASH 7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANCHESTER CITY MANAGER, PEP GUARDIOLA, ON IF THE WANT TO WIN IS MORE DUE TO HIS BARCELONA ROOTS, SAYING: "No, not especially honestly. So, the fact that I play against Real Madrid or not play against Real Madrid I will be always be a Barcelona supporter. It's a club where I grew up and gave me part of who I am. But when I was with Bayern Munich and play against Rael Madrid or Barcelona I want to beat them, so, I play against Barcelona I want to beat them. I didn't do it. So, nothing special honestly, just because I want to for our players for our club to go to the next step. That is what I want. So, I don't lose concentration and focus on these kind of things. I focus what we have to do as a team to beat Real Madrid." 8. WHITE FLASH 9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANCHESTER CITY MANAGER, PEP GUARDIOLA, ON FANS RETURNING TO STADIUMS IN FUTURE, SAYING: "Yeah of course, I think all the professionals, not just the managers, the football players miss the spectators, so, it's a reality. But we now already adapt a little bit, but hopefully depends of the health of the people who are going to play with them, but it's going to happen when it will be secure for everyone not just for us. So, also we want the kids come back to school as soon as possible, maybe it's more important than the come back the people in the stadiums, so, we will see." 10. WHITE FLASH 11. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MANCHESTER CITY MIDFIELDER, RODRI, ON WHY HE THINKS CITY HAS A BETTER SQUAD THAN REAL MADRID, SAYING (ACCORDING TO OFFICIAL TRANSLATION): "Well, I think that's just a general opinion of mine. I think maybe we have got a better team, but words are worthless if you can't demonstrate that out on the field. It's down to us to prove that and prove to people what I've said. You know there are lots of general reasons that I don't want to go into, but I'll just say we're a side that's full of goals, we've got talented players in every position, in every area of the field and everyone can contribute to scoring. But as I say, it's useless to say that if we don't show it out on the pitch. We've got to play well tomorrow night and I think we've got to match Real Madrid in what they may have which is better than us. That is experience on the massive stage like this and they've got a strong mentality in these big, big games. I think if we match them in those areas, fate will decide, but I think we'll have a good chance." STORY: Manchester City take a 2-1 lead into their Champions League last 16 match against Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium on Friday (August 7) but manager Pep Guardiola needs no reminders of how quickly games can turn in Europe's elite competition. In last year's quarter-finals City went out on away goals to Tottenham Hotspur after looking in command when 4-2 up in the second leg. The previous year, City were blitzed by three Liverpool goals inside 19 first-half minutes as they fell to a 5-1 aggregate defeat. Guardiola's first campaign with City in the Champions League ended in the last 16 when they threw away a 5-3 first-leg advantage over Monaco with a 3-1 defeat in the principality. In each of those games there were periods when City lost their grip on the game, their possession football and attacking creativity undone by sloppy defending and a loss of focus. "This competition punishes you a lot," Guardiola told a news conference on Thursday (August 6). "We know it, we have spoken about that the last years and we know it. If we want to make a step forward as a team to be close to winning this competition we have to be better in this area," he said. Much has changed since the first-leg against Real on Feb. 26, when City triumphed thanks to late goals from Gabriel Jesus and Kevin De Bruyne (penalty). Zinedine Zidane's side came back after the lockdown to clinch the Spanish league title with a run of 10 straight wins and they have had time to recover after drawing their final game of the season at Leganes on July 19. Guardiola and his team studied Real, record 13-times European champions, closely during their domestic return but the former Barcelona manager isn't sure that will help him a great deal. "When you think that you've got one of his tactical plans covered he'll hit you with another or revert. It is already very difficult to analyse tactics. In the dim and distant past we played the first leg and what we can remember from that we will put to good use," he said. "Since then, we've watched all Madrid's games since La Liga restarted so we've spoken about how we think Madrid might approach this game, but what we have done more is speak as a squad about how we can hurt Madrid and cause problems for them. That is what we've been focusing on in the buildup to this game," he said. Guardiola gave little away in terms of his side's tactics, while revealing that young defender Eric Garcia, heavily linked with a move to Barcelona, does not want to extend his contract.

Bold take: Chelsea overturning its 3-0 first-leg deficit over Bayern Munich would be a bigger flip than what Liverpool did to Barcelona last season.

There are updates on David Silva to Lazio, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg to Tottenham, and more in Thursday's Premier League transfer rumors.

Manchester City - Real Madrid should be an absolute classic in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second leg on Friday at the Etihad Stadium.

The rule was changed for Project Restart as the unprecedented fixture congestion demanded a lot out of pandemic-affected clubs.

Alexis, 31, has four goals and nine assists on loan for Antonio Conte this season, three and seven of those coming during the restart.

Cristiano Ronaldo has the highest anytime goal scorer odds on Friday's two-game Champions League slate, and RotoWire's Schuyler Redpath explains why the Juventus star may even be a bit underpriced.

== FULL SHOTLIST AND SCRIPT TO FOLLOW == VIDEO SHOWS: NEWS CONFERENCE WITH MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER

"We don't play for the commentators. We don't play for the writers."

They're one game away from a spot in the CONCACAF Champions League.

Venezuela's soccer federation president Jesus Berardinelli has died two weeks after he suddenly lost consciousness and presented other health problems in a hospital, the country's soccer federation said Wednesday. Berardinelli was 61. Berardinelli died 16 days after becoming subject of an investigation by Venezuelan authorities into the alleged misuse of public funds.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UK (FILE - OCTOBER 1, 2018) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS OF ALEXIS SANCHEZ JOGGING DURING MANCHESTER UNITED TRAINING MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UK (FILE - APRIL 9, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 2. SANCHEZ TRAINING BARCELONA, SPAIN (FILE - OCTOBER 1, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 3. VARIOUS OF SANCHEZ DURING INTER MILAN TRAINING 4. SANCHEZ WARMING UP AMONG TEAMMATES SAO PAULO, BRAZIL (FILE - OCTOBER 8, 2017) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 5. SANCHEZ KICKING BALL DURING TRAINING WITH CHILE NATIONAL TEAM STORY: Inter Milan have agreed to sign Alexis Sanchez from Manchester United on a permanent three-year deal, the Serie A club's CEO Giuseppe Marotta said on Wednesday (August 5). Sanchez signed with Inter on loan at the start of the 2019-20 season following a disappointing spell at United where he scored only five goals in 45 matches. Although the Chilean scored only four league goals this season, he seemed to have rediscovered his touch in Italy where he topped the club's charts with eight assists as Antonio Conte's Inter finished runners-up behind Juventus. "It will be official tomorrow (Thursday) in the morning," Marotta told Sky Sports. "The player is completely ours and we have a three-year contract with him. We think he can be a full member of our squad." The transfer will also allow Sanchez to play in the rest of Inter's Europa League campaign after they advanced to the quarter-finals on Wednesday with a 2-0 win over Spanish side Getafe in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. At his former club, after their 2-1 second leg win over Austrian side LASK to advance to the Europa League last eight 7-1 on aggregate, United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer confirmed Sanchez would join Inter on a permanent, adding that an announcement would be made on Thursday (August 6).

Manchester United coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said on Wednesday Alexis Sanchez's move to Inter Milan had been made permanent. Chile midfielder Sanchez, 31, who joined Inter last August after a season and a half at Old Trafford, has scored four goals in 31 appearances for the Italian side. "I can confirm that Alexis will be confirmed as an Inter player on Thursday," Solskjaer told broadcaster BT Sport.

Manchester United coach Ole Gunner Solskjaer praised the performance of his second-string side in reaching the Europa League quarter-finals with a 2-1 win over LASK on Wednesday. United had a 5-0 lead from their first leg played in March and will face Copenhagen who enjoyed a 3-0 victory on the night over Istanbul Basaksehir in their last 16 tie. Usual starters such as Paul Pogba, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial were named on the bench while the likes of Jesse Lingard and Fred started at an almost empty Old Trafford.

Manchester United edged LASK 2-1 and Inter Milan beat Getafe 2-0 on Wednesday in rescheduled ties due to the coronavirus pandemic to clinch places in the quarter finals of the Europa League. United had a 5-0 lead from their first leg played in March and will face Copenhagen who enjoyed a 3-0 victory on the night over Istanbul Basaksehir. Antonio Conte's Inter Milan will face either Steven Gerrard's Rangers or Bayer Leverkusen with the Germans holding a 3-1 lead going into Thursday's match.

Man United and Inter Milan sealed their places in the quarterfinals of the Europa League on Wednesday.

Man City have signed Nathan Ake from recently relegated Bournemouth, for a reported for of $52 million.

SHOWS: MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UK (AUGUST 5, 2020) (MANCHESTER CITY HANDOUT - NO RESALE. NO ARCHIVE. MUST ON SCREEN COURTESY MANCHESTER CITY.) (MUTE) 1. STILL PHOTO SHOWING NEW MANCHESTER CITY DEFENDER NATHAN AKE POSING WITH PEN AND CONTRACT ZEIST, NETHERLANDS (FILE - NOVEMBER 15, 2018) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 2. AKE TRAINING WITH THE NETHERLANDS NATIONAL TEAM ZEIST, NETHERLANDS (OCTOBER 12, 2018) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 3. AKE TRAINING WITH THE NETHERLANDS GUIMARAES, PORTUGAL (FILE - JUNE 5, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 4. AKE STRETCHING ALONGISDE NETHERLANDS TEAM MATE VIRGIL VAN DIJK HAMBURG, GERMANY (FILE - SEPTEMBER 5, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 5. AKE (LEFT) WARMING UP WITH NETHERLANDS TEAM MATE PATRICK VAN AANHOLT STORY: Manchester City have signed defender Nathan Ake from Bournemouth on a five-year deal, the Premier League club announced on Wednesday (August 5). Financial details of the transfer were not disclosed but British media reported City paid Bournemouth 40 million pounds ($52 million) to sign the 25-year-old with an additional 1 million pounds to be paid in add-ons. "City have been the best side in England over the course of the last decade," Ake said in a statement. "Coming here is a dream for me. This is a top side full of world class players. "Pep (Guardiola) is a manager admired across the world - what he's done in the game speaks for itself. The success he's had is unbelievable and the style of football he plays really appeals to me." Bournemouth were relegated from the Premier League on the final day of the season and Ake is one of their players who was expected to leave to continue playing in the top flight. The Netherlands international, who has also played as a left back, came through Chelsea's youth system and was initially loaned out to Bournemouth before he signed permanently for the south coast club in June 2017. Ake had loan spells at Watford and Reading before making 121 appearances for Bournemouth across all competitions, scoring 11 times and playing more minutes in the Premier League than any other player at the club. City, who finished runners-up in the Premier League to Liverpool, are looking to strengthen their central defense as Guardiola aims to improve his squad for a title challenge next season. Ake is City's second recruit in the off season after the club signed Spanish winger Ferran Torres from Valencia on a five-year contract on Tuesday in a deal reported by British media to be worth 23 million euros ($27 million). ($1 = 0.7625 pounds)($1 = 0.8433 euros)

Manchester City on Wednesday announced the signing of Bournemouth defender Nathan Ake on a five-year deal -- the second new arrival at the Etihad in the summer transfer window. Pep Guardiola's dethroned Premier League champions agreed a £40 million ($52 million) fee for the Netherlands centre-back, rising to a potential £41 million. The signing comes a day after the club announced they had landed Spain Under-21s winger Ferran Torres from Valencia.

Passionate about design, Creavalle created the distinctive shirts - with bold text on the front and a statement of human rights on the back - as part of the Black Players for Change movement within the league. Black Players for Change sprung from an Instagram group started by Toronto defender Justin Morrow after the death of George Floyd, which touched off protests worldwide against systemic racism and policy brutality. At the opening game of the MLS tournament in Florida, members of the group collectively stood in silence, fists raised, for 8 minutes and 48 seconds, the time a Minneapolis police officer kept his knee on Floyd's neck before he died.

There is a gender gap in concussion research. U.S. soccer legends are taking action to help the future of the sport, with some making a pledge upon their death.

Arsenal hope that offering a third year will be enough to beat Barcelona and Inter Miami to Willian's signature.

Paris Saint-Germain coach Thomas Tuchel fears Kylian Mbappe will lose his battle to be fit for next week's Champions League quarter-final against Atalanta. The PSG star was left with a sprained right ankle after a crunching challenge in the French Cup final win over Saint Etienne on July 24. "I've seen Kylian every day at the training centre, he's almost working 24 hours a day with the physios, but it's really short," said Tuchel on Wednesday.

The MLS is Back tournament semifinals kick off Wednesday night. Which of the four "underdogs" will reach the final?

The New York Red Bulls acquired English midfielder Dru Yearwood on a transfer from Brentford F.C. The 20-year-old will be a Young Designated Player and will occupy an international roster slot. The transfer will be complete when the Secondary Transfer Window opens Aug. 12.

Organisers announced on Wednesday the schedule for the remaining fixtures in this year's coronavirus-disrupted Six Nations. Ireland host Italy in Dublin on October 24 before the following Saturday includes all three round five games to decide the title winners. Table-toppping England, who are ahead of les Bleus on points difference, go to Italy and Wales face Scotland but a location for the meeting is yet to confirmed as Cardiff's Principality Stadium is a standby COVID-19 hospital.

VIDEO SHOWS: FILE FOOTAGE OF EMIRATES STADIUM EXTERIORS / COACH MIKEL ARTETA WITH ARSENAL SHIRT AT PRESENTATION / ARSENAL TRAINING SHOWS: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK (FILE - MARCH 13, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. ARSENAL BADGE 2. VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF ARSENAL'S EMIRATES STADIUM LONDON, ENGLAND, UK (FILE - DECEMBER 20, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 3. MIKEL ARTETA WALKING OUT ONTO THE EMIRATES STADIUM PITCH FOR HIS PRESENTATION AS ARSENAL MANAGER 4. ARTETA HOLDING ARSENAL SHIRT LONDON COLNEY, ENGLAND, UK (FILE - FEBRUARY 26, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 5. ARTETA WALKING OUT FOR TRAINING 6. ARTETA WALKING PAST PLAYERS WARMING UP 7. PLAYERS WALKING OUT FOR TRAINING / TRAINING IN PROGRESS 8. TRAINING IN PROGRESS STORY: Less than a week after winning the FA Cup to secure their place in next season's Europa League and as they negotiate a multi-million pound contract extension with striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Arsenal have announced plans to layoff 55 staff. The club said on Wednesday (August 5) that the cuts were the result of the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The announcement sparked an immediate social media backlash from fans contrasting the huge sums involved with keeping key players to the lost jobs of staff at the north London outfit. "Revenue from broadcasters, matchday and commercial activities have all been hit severely and these impacts will continue into at least the forthcoming 2020/21 season." the club said in a statement https://www.arsenal.com/news/club-update-2020. The club said they had done all they could to reduce costs, including players, senior staff and executive team members taking voluntary pay cuts, adding "but it is now clear that we must reduce our costs further to ensure we are operating in a sustainable and responsible way. "We do not make these proposals lightly and have looked at every aspect of the club and our expenditure before reaching this point. We have also received significant financial support from our owners, Kroenke, Sports & Entertainment in terms of refinancing our stadium debt. "These steps have all reduced the impact of the pandemic on the club and have helped us continue to maintain investment in the team. This will continue to be a key priority." Arsenal finished eighth in the Premier League but their record 14th FA Cup triumph last Saturday ensured another year of European football and the possibility of earning up to 40 million pounds ($52.58 million) in the Europa League. Fans have already been incensed by the fact that the club pay former Germany international Mesut Ozil, who has not played since before lockdown, around 350,000 pounds a week, with reference to his salary a common theme in hundreds of posts from disgruntled supporters on Wednesday. Arsenal are also bidding to lure Chelsea forward Willian to the club, also on a huge weekly wage, while local media reports this week say they are offering striker Aubameyang a 300,000 pounds-a-week deal to extend his contract. The wealth of the club's multi-billionaire American owner Stan Kroenke has risen by around 300 million pounds this year, according to a report written and compiled by the United States-based Institute for Policy Studies, another fact not lost on fans voicing their frustration. ($1 = 0.7607 pounds) (Production: Andy Ragg)

Gareth Bale has been left out of Real Madrid's squad for their Champions League last 16 second leg against Manchester City on Friday. Zinedine Zidane named 24 players on Wednesday for the trip to Manchester, where Madrid are aiming to overturn a 2-1 first-leg defeat to reach the quarter-finals. Sergio Ramos will travel with the squad, Madrid confirmed, despite being suspended for the fixture.

Since lockdown Bayern Munich have won all 11 of their matches to wrap up the Bundesliga and German Cup, part of a run of 24 wins in 25 games, and they go into the second leg of their Champions League last 16 tie with Chelsea with a 3-0 win from the first game in London. So with that in mind it is startling to hear Jerome Boateng talk about how the "joy and fun" was brought back to a campaign that started off pretty miserably. “There were hard times,� the central defender admits. “It’s like being a child: as a child if I had no confidence, if you don’t get trust from your friends you play with, then you lose the joy of the game and fun. That’s what happens now, even when I’m older.� Like Bayern, Boateng was struggling with opportunities limited under coach Niko Kovac. At 31, maybe Boateng’s race was finally run with the German giants having been linked with Manchester United in 2018 only for the move not to materialise due to concerns over his injury record. “Of course there were thoughts at some stage, do I need to change now?� Boateng says. “Because, like this, I really did not get a fair chance. Of course you think about this because I won’t play football for ever and I want to enjoy football and I knew I still trained good, I worked hard and in my opinion – not everybody has to have the same opinion – in my opinion I deserved a chance to play and to show more that I can play at a high level. That was it, and at some point if you see it’s not working between the sides then you have to make a clean, but like a nice cut, not a dirty cut.� Instead another cut was made. Kovac was sacked and assistant Hansi Flick took over and it helped that he had coached Boateng with the German national team. “He brought back the joy for us as a team to play football, to have fun,� Boateng says of Flick. “He talks with all the players, he gives us a good feeling on the pitch and a plan and I think everybody can see that.� Everybody can. Bayern, with Robert Lewandowski in the form of his life, are undoubtedly one of the favourites to win the Champions League this season and it would certainly be a major shock should they not progress past Chelsea even if their last competitive game – there was a friendly against Marseille last Friday – was winning the German Cup Final on July 4. Chelsea, of course, have played up until last weekend’s FA Cup Final. But, still, it would be some turnaround even behind closed doors. “It’s very important that we understand as a team that the game is not done,� Boateng argues. “We are really hungry and see Chelsea are in good form and they have improved and will be stronger than the match in London so we have to prepare very well. “As a team you have to have a strong mentality, everyone has to go in the one direction and that’s really important. You see the teams who won the Champions League, including the last years: they always prepare well and as a team whether it is (Real) Madrid or Liverpool, they were like a little family sticking together.� There is a growing relationship between German and English football, especially when it comes to young players – with Jude Bellingham following Jadon Sancho to Borussia Dortmund, although Sancho may now be returning if Manchester United push through with a deal, while Chelsea have signed Timo Werner and are pursuing Kai Havertz. It is something Boateng is well aware of. “I think it shows the Bundesliga teams give young talent time to grow,� he says. “I think they feel well treated in Germany. They have time to grow slowly. Sometimes as a young player you have times when you don’t play so well. In some other countries I think it is really strict – they have a bad game, they are out for weeks. In Germany they take care of them. The clubs give them confidence, so that’s why they grow so well. All these players had really good seasons. Kai, Timo and Sancho are all really good talents. They have played for a long time now and I think they are all ready for the Premier League. “Of course you have to show that first of all. It’s not that easy because it’s a different league. The intensity is different. It’s a different style of game. They have to see if they feel comfortable and like it there.� Boateng was once one of those young players making the move from Germany to England when he signed for Manchester City in 2010, when he was just 21, from Hamburg. Unfortunately he arrived injured, was part of a vastly changing team under Roberto Mancini, was played out of position at full-back – and was sold, joining Bayern, within a year. Still, it has not put him off coming back to the Premier League one day.

FA Cup winners Arsenal announced on Wednesday they were planning to cut 55 jobs due to the damaging effect of the coronavirus pandemic on the club's finances. The Premier League outfit said their main sources of income had all been hit, including broadcast revenue, matchday takings and commercial activity. "Our aim has been to protect the jobs and base salaries of our people for as long as we possibly can," said a statement signed by head of football Raul Sanllehi and managing director Vinai Venkatesham.

Club football returns on Thursday to Egypt, the home of African giants Al Ahly and Zamalek, after being suspended since March due to the coronavirus pandemic. Ahly have won a record 19 and Zamalek 11 of the 34 Confederation of African Football (CAF) trophies lifted by Egyptian clubs, making the country the most successful in the continent. The Egypt Premier League is the third major African championship to restart after the Moroccan Botola Pro 1 on July 27 and the Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 on August 1.

Premier League transfers will ramp up throughout the summer months and here you will find every deal from all 20 Premier League clubs ahead of the 2020-21 season.

The American Athletic Conference says it will keep its eight-game conference football schedule in place and allow its 11 schools to play up to four nonconference games. The AAC also announced it could move the date of its football championship game, scheduled for Dec. 5 at the home stadium of the top-seeded team, back to Dec. 12 or Dec. 19 if needed, due to COVID-19 disruptions. The conference championship game could also be moved to accommodate Navy’s annual game with Army, scheduled for Dec. 12.

Arsenal is cutting 55 jobs due to the financial damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic, which has seen fans shut out of stadiums. In a statement issued Wednesday, head of football Raul Sanllehi and managing director Vinai Venkatesham pointed to severe drops in broadcast revenue. “In line with other football clubs and many other businesses operating in the sport, leisure and entertainment arena, we have been impacted directly by COVID-19,� Sanllehi and Venkatesham said in the statement.

In the latest transfer news Gabriel Magalhaes has been linked with a move to Arsenal, while Jamal Lewis to Liverpool is a surprising rumor.

Premier League bosses will permit those clubs still involved in European competition to begin their domestic campaign later than the scheduled September 12 date, says Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Nuno Espirito Santo. The 46-year-old Portuguese followed Chelsea manager Frank Lampard -- whose side are in Champions League action at the weekend -- in calling for a delayed start to their season as the players are facing a shorter break than those not involved in European competition. Nuno's side host Greek outfit Olympiakos on Thursday in their Europa League last 16 second-leg clash, with Wolves holding the advantage having scored an away goal in the 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture.

Spanish police on Wednesday questioned a player who suggested in a leaked audio recording that his team may not play to win a rescheduled second-division match. Deportivo La Coruña captain �lex Bergantiños said he was asked by authorities to explain his comments in the audio released by Spanish media on Tuesday. Bergantiños said in the recording, apparently sent to his teammates, that club lawyers advised the team to show up with at least eight professional players to avoid losing points, but that he didn’t know “what kind of game it would be,� or whether they would talk to Fuenlabrada players and maybe after “1-0 we just sit back, I don’t know.�

The 20 teams for the 2020-21 Premier League season are now set and we are releasing a prediction for the final standings.

Spanish club Alaves hired coach Pablo Machin on a one-year contract on Wednesday. Machin takes over following a season in which the Basque Country club finished 16th in the first division of the Spanish league, three points above the relegation zone. The team was being managed by interim coach Juan Muniz since Asier Garitano was fired after a poor run of results following the pandemic break.

“This pandemic creates something special with this problem — we have just the computer and we have Zoom,� the Olympiakos coach told The Associated Press — via Zoom — from Athens. Venezuela coach José Peseiro was dialled up. “We have so many,� Martins said.

Jadon Sancho to Manchester United is set to be the transfer saga of the summer/fall and the big question is: do Man United really need Sancho?

As the sporting world gradually emerge from months of coronavirus lockdowns, the European Union's agency for law enforcement cooperation is warning against the ''greater risk'' of game-fixing by criminals. In a report published Wednesday focusing on the involvement of organized crime groups in sports corruption, Europol said criminals involved in the sector have quickly adapted to the crisis to exploit new opportunities despite the virus' disruptive impact. ''Criminal business continued and it is anticipated that the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic may be particularly significant in the area of organized crime, including money laundering and corruption,'' Europol said.

As the sporting world gradually emerge from months of coronavirus lockdowns, the European Union's agency for law enforcement cooperation is warning against the “greater risk" of game-fixing by criminals. In a report published Wednesday focusing on the involvement of organized crime groups in sports corruption, Europol said criminals involved in the sector have quickly adapted to the crisis to exploit new opportunities despite the virus' disruptive impact. “Criminal business continued and it is anticipated that the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic may be particularly significant in the area of organized crime, including money laundering and corruption," Europol said.

Scott Parker says newly-promoted Fulham must avoid the mistakes they made when last in the Premier League two seasons ago after securing a return to the top-flight with victory over Brentford in the Championship play-off final. The 39-year-old former Fulham and England midfielder's pragmatic approach got the better of the more adventurous style of Brentford counterpart Thomas Frank as his side won 2-1 after extra time Tuesday at an empty Wembley. Parker was a first-hand witness to the debacle having replaced Claudio Ranieri in February 2019 when they were all but doomed.

Zinedine Zidane may never have been hired as Real Madrid coach but for the success of Pep Guardiola at Barcelona, but it is Guardiola who now must follow the Frenchman's example to complete his mission at Manchester City. Zidane's Madrid travel to Manchester on Friday looking to overturn a 2-1 first-leg deficit from February as the Champions League resumes after a five-month coronavirus shutdown. Then under pressure, Zidane, in his second spell in charge at the Bernabeu, has again interrupted Barca's dominance of La Liga with a run of 10 straight victories after Spanish football's return in June to take the title.

The UEFA Champions League returns on Friday with the remaining places at the final tournament in Lisbon up for grabs as Europe's top clubs look to go all the way and lift the trophy on August 23 after a suspension of five months because of the coronavirus. It is nearly six months since officials in Lyon questioned the decision to allow the first leg to go ahead as coronavirus cases took off in northern Italy. Lucas Tousart's goal gave Lyon a surprise 1-0 win on the night, but much has changed since then -- for a start Tousart is no longer at Lyon having signed for Hertha Berlin.

Philadelphia Union midfielder Brenden Aaronson has played so well in his brief MLS career that he's now fodder for the European soccer rumor mill. ''I think it's just been staying confident on the field and just doing what I know I can do best,'' Aaronson said. Aaronson is in his second season with the Union, who are set to meet the Portland Timbers on Wednesday night in the semifinals of the MLS is Back tournament in Florida.