Veteran winger Mahmoud Shikabala Abdel-Razek has extended his deal with Zamalek for two years, the Cairo giants announced on Wednesday. The club said in a brief statement that Shikabala, whose previous deal was due to expire at the end of the season, did not set any conditions to prolong his stay at his boyhood club. Although the 34-year-old has played a bit-part role since his return to Zamalek from Greek side Apollon Smyrni in the summer of 2019, he has proven decisive on several occasions last season. He scored a superb solo goal in Zamalek s bitter 2-1 defeat by arch rivals Ahly in the African Champions League final last month and netted a sublime free kick in another loss to Talae El-Geish in the Egypt Cup semi-final a few days later. Shikabala, whose trickery and nifty footwork made him a fan darling, came through Zamalek s youth ranks in 2002. He has often been criticised by pundits for failing to live up to his potential, thanks to a series of disciplinary problems that marred his career. He had a brief spell with Greek side PAOK and also played for Portugal s Sporting, UAE club Al-Wasl and Saudi Arabia s Al-Raed. Zamalek, who are struggling to keep hold of their prized assets due to financial difficulties, are striving to extend the deals of other key players, including Tunisian midfielder Ferjani Sassi, whose current contract expires at the end of the season.

Barcelona midfielder Philippe Coutinho needs surgery to mend a torn meniscus after the Brazilian limped off the pitch late in Tuesday s drab home draw with Eibar. His loss adds to a long list of injuries including Lionel Messi with the club sixth in La Liga seven points off leaders Atletico Madrid. "It s the meniscus in his left knee and it needs surgery, which will be carried out in the coming days," a Barcelona statement said. Coutinho was recruited from Liverpool for £142 million pounds (157m euros) in 2018. But Coutinho failed to replicate the success he enjoyed on Merseyside in Barcelona, where his talent has withered in Messi s shadow. He was loaned out to Bayern Munich last season but the Germans opted against signing him permanently.

French champions Paris St Germain have sacked coach Thomas Tuchel, with the side sitting third in the league standings, the Ligue 1 club said in a statement https://www.psg.fr/equipes/equipe-premiere/content/depart-de-thomas-tuchel-du-paris-saint-germain-officiel-psg-club on Tuesday. German Tuchel, who led PSG to the Champions League final in August which they lost to Bayern Munich, was dismissed on Christmas eve following a 4-0 win over Racing Strasbourg. "I would like to thank Thomas Tuchel and his staff for everything they brought to the club," PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi said. "Thomas has put a lot of energy and passion into his work and of course we ll remember the good times we shared together. I wish him the best for his future." PSG have 35 points from 17 games, one point behind league leaders Olympique Lyonnais and Lille, and are through to the last 16 of the Champions League, where they face Spanish side Barcelona. Tuchel, 47, was appointed PSG boss in 2018 and guided them to two Ligue 1 titles along with a domestic quadruple in his second season at the club. L Equipe reported that Argentine Mauricio Pochettino, the former manager of English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur, is set to be named Tuchel s successor. Pochettino, who played for PSG as a defender in the early 2000s, has been out of a job since being dismissed by Spurs in November, 2019, a few months after guiding the north London club to the Champions League final.

South African club Mameldoi Sundowns announced on Monday the termination of discussions with Ahly to transfer Uruguayan striker Gaston Sirino after failing to reach a transfer fee that is suitable for both sides. Ahly Coach Pitso Mosimane, Sundowns’ former coach, lobbied to bring the 29-year-old Sirino to play for the Cairo giants. Ahly had reached an advanced level in the negotiations to acquire Sirino before negotiations broke down, according to Ahly Football Contracts Director Amir Tawfik. Sundowns assured in a press release issued on Monday that relations between the two clubs will remain good as usual. “The good relations between the President of Ahly, Mahmoud El-Khatib, and the President of Sundowns, Patrice Motsepe will continue, as well as the good relations between Sundowns and Ahly, but there is no point or purpose in continuing the discussion on Gaston Sirino,” the statement explained. The South African team stressed that the club will continue to release players, but the transfer fee must be competitive as they consistently pay large sums for these players. “Gaston Sirino must now focus on his football and compete for a starting position at Mamelodi Sundowns,” the club’s statement concluded.

Leicester came from behind twice to draw 2-2 against Manchester United and stay ahead of its opponent in the Premier League on Saturday. Bruno Fernandes looked to be sending United to its seventh straight away win when he scored in the 79th minute, moving onto 10 goals in his first full season in the league. If the visitors had held on, they would have jumped above Leicester, but Jamie Vardy met a cross from substitute Ayoze Perez with a shot that was drifting off target before deflecting into the net off the outstretched leg of United substitute Axel Tuanzebe in the 85th. Everton s 1-0 win at Sheffield United later Saturday lifted the team from Merseyside into second place and a point above Leicester, which dropped to third, with Man United fourth. ``Disappointed we didn t win today,`` United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said, ``because we had loads of big chances and we could ve finished it off. Solskjaer was likely referring to Marcus Rashford, who squandered two clear-cut chances either side of his 23rd-minute opener at King Power Stadium. Fernandes set that goal up by stretching out to flick the ball to Rashford, who slotted home a low finish. But the Portugal playmaker was at fault for Leicester s first equalizer by giving up possession sloppily in his own half, leading to Harvey Barnes firing home a left-footed shot from outside the area. ``Marcus Rashford had a chance early on,`` Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers said, ``but I thought over the first half we were the better team. Bit of luck went against us and Vardy does what he does, he s a top-class finisher. ``I thought it was the least we deserved. Leicester is three points behind Liverpool, which hosts West Bromwich Albion on Sunday. United defender Victor Lindelof came off with a recurrence of a back injury midway through the second half.

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has played down an off-the-ball incident involving striker Edinson Cavani and Everton defender Yerry Mina in their 2-0 League Cup quarter-final victory at Goodison Park on Wednesday. Cavani, who scored two minutes from time before Anthony Martial netted United s second, received only a verbal warning from referee Bobby Madley after shoving Mina to the ground with his hands close to the Colombian s throat in the opening half. No further action was taken as the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) is absent in the competition until the semi-finals and Solskjaer said there was "nothing in it" despite TV replays showing that Uruguayan Cavani was lucky to escape sanction. "Two South Americans that have had a few battles before, they met in Copa America qualifiers so, no, this was a proper game of football," Solskjaer told Sky Sports. "With fans, tackles, yellow cards and chances at both ends, I enjoyed it... He (Cavani) is a top striker, the movement, the quality and the left-foot strike was excellent." Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti said that he did not discuss the matter with his players at the end of the game. "The rules are that VAR does not happen in the game and so if the referee decides that Cavani did not do anything wrong then we need to accept this. Full stop," Ancelotti said. United next face local rivals Manchester City in the semi-finals of the competition.

FC Barcelona star Lionel Messi surpassed Brazilian legend Pele for most goals with a single club on Tuesday. Messi scored his 644th goal for the Catalan giants in the 65th minute against Real Valladolid. It was the last goal of the 3-0 victory. Messi got the goal thanks to a delicate backheel from Pedro Gonzalez, and finished it off in clinical style. "I see Messi happy. He is working hard, and he is a very important part of our attacking game," said FC Barcelona head coach Ronald Koeman following the match. Messi reflected on Instagram after the game. "When I began playing, I never thought I would break any record, much less the one I have surpassed today that belonged to Pele. I only want to give my thanks to all those who have helped me all these years, my teammates, my family, my friends and those who support me every day," said the new record holder. Pele reached out to Messi on Instagram soon after Messi broke his record. "Like you, I know what it s like to love wearing the same shirt every day. Like you, I know that there is nothing better than the place we feel at home," said Pele. "Congratulations on your historic record, Lionel. But above all, congratulations on your beautiful career at Barcelona. Stories like ours, of loving the same club for so long, unfortunately will be increasingly rare in football. I admire you very much." Comparing Messi to Pele Messi has been compared to fellow star Christiano Ronaldo for much of the past decade, especially when Ronaldo played at rival side Real Madrid. But how does the new record compare to what used to be Pele s? The Brazilian star scored 643 career goals in 665 competitive matches with Santos FC in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Messi required 749 matches to break the record. However, Pele played 19 seasons in Brazil to reach the mark while Messi was in his 17th season in Spain. Both were teenagers when they started at their respective clubs, but Pele was two years younger at 15. Pele also has also won the top compeition in international football, the FIFA World Cup, three times. Messi played in the final match once in his career. Messi has spent his entire senior career in the Catalan capital. While Pele spent nearly two decades in Brazil, he did not spend his entire career in Sao Paulo. He finished his career with three seasons on an American team, the New York Comsos. While the record is just another mark in Messi s historic career, it almost did not happen. Messi had said he wanted out of Barcelona over the summer, sending the club into chaos. He begrudgingly stayed, but the club has not lived up to expectations. FC Barcelona sits in fifth place, eight points behind Atletico Madrid in La Liga after Tuesday s matches.

Barcelona s Lionel Messi has explained how tough it has been to play without fans in the last year due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, likening the experience to a training session. "It s horrible to play without fans, it s a very ugly sensation," Barcelona captain Messi told newspaper Marca on Monday after receiving the Pichichi award for the top scorer in La Liga last season. "Seeing no-one in the stadium is like a training session and it is very tough to really get going at the start of a game." The new normal of football in empty stadiums has certainly taken its toll on Messi and Barca. The Catalans were top of La Liga with 11 games to go when last season was disrupted by the pandemic but they surrendered the title to Real Madrid when play resumed in empty stadiums. They then suffered a humiliating 8-2 defeat by Bayern Munich in the Champions League in an empty Estadio da Luz in Lisbon in August. This season they have made their worst start in 33 years and are currently fifth in La Liga, way off the pace of leaders Atletico Madrid, while they failed to finish top in their Champions League group for the first time since 2006. The 33-year-old Messi meanwhile is having his worst individual season since the 2007/08 campaign, scoring only nine goals in all competitions, five of which have been penalties. "The truth is it s very ugly and that s why we are seeing such evenly matched games. It s very difficult to win, regardless of who you are playing against," Messi added. "The pandemic has caused football to change a lot, and for the worse. You can see it in the matches, and I hope this all ends soon and we can get fans back into the stadiums and return to normality." Supporters have been absent from Spanish top-flight games since March but are set to return from April once a large section of the population has received vaccines to protect against the virus. According to Spanish media, the first game with fans will be last season s postponed Copa del Rey final between Real Sociedad and Athletic Bilbao, due to take place on April 4.

Zamalek s football director Ashraf Qassem said the club s management will not offload their 23-year-old in-form striker Mostafa Mohamed before signing a good replacement. The announcement was made after the club received an offer from FC Nantes of France to sign the want-away star. "Mostafa Mohamed is currently the best striker in Egypt and it s difficult to offload him during the current period as the team is competing in various championships, including the CAF Champions League, Egyptian Premier League and Egypt s Cup," Qassem told a television programme. "Zamalek won t allow Mohamed to leave the club until we receive an applicable offer and sign another striker to replace him." "We know the player hopes to play overseas, but Zamalek also want to compete in all tournaments," Qassem said. Zamalek s official TV channel announced late on Sunday that FC Nantes of France offered 2.5 million euro to get the services of Mostafa Mohamed when the winter transfer window opens in January. "Zamalek will agree on offloading the striker after the closure of the Olympic Games, so he should concentrate with the club in the coming competitions," former Zamalek star and the club s TV presenter Khaled El-Ghandour said. "It s difficult for Zamalek s football management to allow Mostafa Mohamed to leave the team without signing a good replacement," El-Ghandour added. The Egypt international striker is one of the most efficient players in Zamalek s squad, helping the team to win African Super Cup, Egypt s Cup and Egyptian Super Cup. He was named the 2019 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations top scorer after netting four goals, helping the Pharaohs win the cup. Mohamed returned to Zamalek s squad in the summer of 2019 season after finishing his loan deal with Talae El-Geish. He scored 19 goals and provided four assists in 51 appearances.

Manchester United are capable of winning big trophies and need one final push to bridge the gap to Europe s elite clubs, forward Marcus Rashford has said. United have not lifted a trophy since 2017, when Jose Mourinho guided them to League Cup and Europa League success, while their last Premier League triumph came in 2012-13 under Alex Ferguson. Under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, United reached the semi-finals of the Europa League, FA Cup and League Cup last season and Rashford believes it is only a matter of time before they get their hands on silverware. "I believe that the team that we have now is capable of winning big trophies," the England forward told the official Manchester United podcast on Saturday. "We are not quite there but I feel like we are close. We just need to make that final push to be a team that can win trophies and fight for everything. "In the big games, we go toe-to-toe with any team and we know that we can do it. We have confidence on the pitch that we can beat them, whether it is Liverpool, Manchester City or Paris St Germain." United are seventh in the Premier League on 23 points, eight points adrift of leaders Liverpool with two games in hand, and Rashford is confident his side can wipe away the deficit with a strong run in the festive period. "We have to go back to spells where it s worked, where we ve won 10 or 11 games, and just do it again," Rashford said. "We have to show that we re ready to step up and be that team that s going to be fighting for the title." United face Leeds United later on Sunday.

Manchester United striker Edinson Cavani has been charged with an aggravated breach of the Football Association s (FA) rules for using the word "negrito" in an Instagram post last month. The 33-year-old Uruguayan had apologised for the post, which he sent after Manchester United beat Southampton 3-2 on Nov. 29, saying it was an affectionate greeting to a friend. "Edinson Cavani has been charged with misconduct... in relation to a social media post on Thursday Nov. 29, 2020," the FA said in a statement. "It is alleged that... a comment posted on the Manchester United FC player s Instagram page was insulting and/or abusive and/or improper and/or brought the game into disrepute. "It is further alleged that the comment constitutes an Aggravated Breach ... as it included a reference, whether express or implied, to colour and/or race and/or ethnic origin." United issued a statement defending the striker, saying there was no malicious intent behind Cavani s message. "Manchester United and all of our players are fully committed to the fight against racism and we will continue to work with the FA... in that regard," the club said. "Edinson and the club were clear that there was absolutely no malicious intent behind the message, which he deleted and apologised for, as soon as he was informed that it could have been misconstrued. "The player and the club will now consider the charge and respond to the FA accordingly." Cavani, who is back in training after a muscle injury but is still doubtful for United s Premier League trip to Sheffield United on Thursday, has until Jan. 4 to respond to the charge.

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane hailed his forward Karim Benzema as the best French striker of all time after his two goals helped them beat a stubborn Athletic Bilbao 3-1 at home on Tuesday in La Liga. Madrid played the final 77 minutes with an extra man after Raul Garcia’s early red card, but the visitors did not make life easy for the champions and Ander Capa scored in the second half to cancel out Toni Kroos’s opening strike. Benzema, however, showed his class late in the game, restoring Madrid’s lead by heading in a Dani Carvajal cross before rounding off the victory by finishing off a rapid counterattack in added time. The coach was asked if his compatriot was the best French striker ever after the game and he had no doubts. “For me he is the best, because he has spent so long at Real Madrid and he keeps proving himself,” Zidane told a news conference. “He has played over 500 games and scored so many goals. His achievements and honours speak for themselves. For me he is the best, of course.” Benzema has turned into a talismanic figure for Real since Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure in 2018 but has not featured for France since 2015 following an incident involving his then national team mate Mathieu Valbuena. But Zidane still ranked him above the likes of France greats Thierry Henry, David Trezeguet and current players Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe. “He is a more complete player now than he used to be. He is not a pure number nine, he doesn’t just think about scoring goals and that’s what I love about him,” Zidane added. “He loves to combine with his team mates and create chances for them but he also knows how to score goals and he does that when the team needs him the most like he did today. That’s what Karim is all about.”

France midfielder Paul Pogba is likely to remain at Manchester United until next summer as it would be difficult to organise such a high-profile transfer in January, his agent said. Mino Raiola had said last week the 27-year-old was unhappy at United and needed to change teams "in the next transfer market" to reignite his career. However, Pogba has since pledged his commitment to United. "I was talking about next summer," Raiola was quoted as saying by Tuttosport on Monday. "When it comes to Pogba in England they are sensitive, perhaps too sensitive. "It s very difficult to see big clubs making these kinds of transfers in January. We will see what happens next summer." Pogba, who joined from Juventus for 89 million pounds ($118.59 million) in 2016, has featured in nine Premier League matches this season, starting only six. His contract runs out in June 2022.

After beating Maqassa 3-1 in the first matchday of the Egyptian Premier League, Ahly s assistant coach Sami Komsan has praised the performance of his team s players, promising that it will improve in the coming games. Defending champions Ahly wasted a flurry of goal-scoring chances but still got the job done in their opening Egyptian Premier League game after beating Maqassa 3-1 in Cairo on Sunday. "The first games in the league are always very important as all teams have prepared well for the tournament," Komsan said in a post game press conference. Tunisian left-back Ali Maaloul converted an early penalty to put Ahly in front, but Marwan Hamdi leveled the playing field four minutes before the break via a fortuitous goal. Ahly spurned a handful of easy chances in a second half they totally dominated, as Maqassa s porous backline left them exposed to wave after wave of attacks. "Maqassa is a well-organised team and we know them well, so we dominated the game but failed to make use of all scoring chances during the game," Komsan added. Winger Mahmoud Kahraba missed a sitter on two occasions but made amends to restore Ahly s advantage on the 65-minute mark, with midfielder Amr El-Sulaya ensuring the win with a late volley. "We didn t reach the performance that we have been targeting, but the players have an excuse as they recently played tough games in the CAF Champions League final and the Egypt Cup trophy," "We will return to our ordinary performance, and I promise fans to improve our performance in the coming games," Komsan said. Ahly, who are eyeing a sixth consecutive league triumph, moved level to three points with Zamalek, Aswan, Ittihad of Alexandria and Ceramica Cleopatra, who all grabbed opening wins. The Red Devils are set to face Ghazl El-Mahalla on the 2nd matchday of the Egyptian Premier League on Friday.

After failing to win any local trophy in the past season, and being routed by Ahly in the African Champions League final, Zamalek coach Jaime Pacheco praised the performance of his team s players in opening their Egyptian Premier League campaign with a 2-0 win over Arab Contractors on Saturday. The Cairo giants defeated the Arab Contractors in convincing fashion, with an own goal and a late strike from Mostafa Mohamed. "Victory is most important," Pacheco told a press conference after the victory over Arab Contractors. "The game was very difficult as we knew that we will face a tough opponent," he added. Zamalek were disciplined throughout despite creating few chances, focusing on tightening up at the back rather than displaying an attacking flair. "We didn t start the game in a well shape but after 5 minutes we returned to the game until the end of the first half then in the second half we suffered from a dip-in-performance," the Zamalek coach said. The 62-year-old tactician Pacheco stressed he is playing league games to win not to show off. "The team who wants to win the league should collect more points as the Egyptian Premier league is difficult and all teams are equal in their technical performance." "I play every game searching for victory not the performance," Pacheco added. Zamalek coach Jaime Pacheco surprisingly left Moroccan winger Achraf Bencharki on the bench to start the game, introducing compatriot Hamid Ahadad on the left wing after he returned from a loan spell with Casablanca-based club Raja. "Bencharki didn t start the game as he was not ready for the game," Zamalek moved joint top with Aswan, Ceramica Cleopatra and Ittihad of Alexandria, who all grabbed opening wins.

Paolo Rossi, Italy’s goalscoring hero from their victorious 1982 World Cup campaign, has died at the age of 64. The celebrated striker’s death comes with the soccer world still in mourning for Argentina icon Diego Maradona, who passed away late last month. Italian TV channel RAI Sport, where Rossi had been working as a pundit, said on Thursday “Pablito” had died of an “incurable disease”. “Such terribly sad news: Paolo Rossi has left us,” RAI Sport presenter Enrico Varriale tweeted. “Unforgettable Pablito, who made all of us fall in love in that summer of 1982 and who was a precious and competent work colleague in RAI over recent years.” Rossi s wife, Federica Cappelletti, posted a photo of herself and her husband on Instagram here along with the words "per sempre" - "forever". “There will never be anyone like you, unique, special ...” Cappelletti later wrote in Italian on Facebook. Rossi won two Serie A titles, a European Cup and a Coppa Italia with Juventus but will be most fondly remembered for lighting up the 1982 World Cup in Spain with six goals. His selection in the Italy squad came after a two-year ban for a match-fixing scandal and was initially criticised by pundits, who wrote him off as out of shape. But they were left eating their words when he struck one of the World Cup’s great hat-tricks against Brazil. Italy’s 3-2 victory in that classic encounter in the second group phase booked them a place in the semis against Poland, where Rossi again made the difference. He sunk the Poles with a brace in a 2-0 win that fired his side into the World Cup decider against West Germany. Rossi then scored Italy’s first in a 3-1 victory that gave them their third World Cup title and their first since 1938. He won the Golden Boot as the top scorer and Golden Ball as the player of the tournament, a campaign regarded as one of the best individual World Cup performances of all-time. He was also awarded the 1982 Ballon d’Or as Europe’s top footballer. PERSONAL REDEMPTION Born in Prato, Tuscany, Rossi played his entire club career in Italy. He was banned for three years in 1980 as part of the nation’s infamous “Totonero” match-fixing scandal but always denied any wrongdoing. The ban was later reduced to two years, allowing him to carve out his slice of World Cup history and win “personal redemption.” “On one hand I felt fulfilled. I said to myself, ‘you’ve made it’,” he said in a FIFA documentary in 2018. “On the other hand, I was disappointed that all of this just ended. The World Cup was over.” He also scored three goals at the 1978 World Cup in Argentina. With a total of nine goals, he remains Italy’s joint highest scorer at the World Cup with Roberto Baggio and Christian Vieri. Italians woke on Thursday to media eulogies for one of the country’s favourite soccer sons. Rossi was “the one who beat Zico’s Brazil, Maradona’s Argentina, Boniek’s Poland and in the final, the Germany of Rummenigge,” La Gazzetta dello Sport said on its website. Former Italy Prime Minister Matteo Renzi tweeted: “In our hearts, forever. Farewell Pablito.” Germany’s former World Cup winner Juergen Klinsmann tweeted: “Dear Pablito, we always remember you!”

RB Leipzig s victory over Manchester United on Tuesday not only propelled the German side into the Champions League knockout stages it also proved their run to last year s semi-finals was no fluke, said coach Julian Nagelsmann. Needing a win to advance from Group H, Leipzig powered to a 3-0 lead before a late United comeback, with two goals in the final 10 minutes, almost scuppered their chances of reaching the last 16. They hung on for a 3-2 win that saw United eliminated. Paris St Germain, who defeated Leipzig in last season s semis, are also through, though they have to play the remainder of Tuesday s suspended game against Istanbul Basaksehir later on Wednesday. Nagelsmann said beating United would come as a psychological boost to his side. "The win is very important for the boys so that they realise that we were not a one-hit wonder last year (season), that we advanced again to the knockout stage," Nagelsmann said. "It is also important to keep players at the club and to find new players." Nagelsmann s exciting brand of football which took them to the brink of last season s final has been further improved, despite the departure of top striker Timo Werner. Nagelsmann said those watching the game on television saw Leipzig lay down a marker for young clubs by remaining in Europe s elite club competition over the winter. The knockout rounds begin in February, though Leipzig will have to wait for the result of PSG s game to see if they finish top or second in the group. Leipzig are on 12 points but PSG will top the group with a win over Basaksehir as they have a better head-to-head with the Germans. Nagelsmann said his team had matured from last season, dropping fewer points against weaker opponents in the Bundesliga and Europe. They were also able to thrive despite a demanding schedule, coming into the United game on the back of a gruelling 3-3 draw with Bayern Munich but showing no signs of fatigue. "In the league we have not dropped too may points and the players have matured and are hungry," said the 33-year-old. "The boys believe in themselves and they just keep marching."

Inter Milan are counting on prolific striker Romelu Lukaku to power the former three-time winners into the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday in a must-win clash against Shakhtar Donetsk. The Belgian scored a double in a 3-2 win over Borussia Moenchengladbach last time out to keep the Italian giants alive in the continental competition whose knockout rounds they have not reached since the 2011-2012 season. Bottom of Group B, Inter need to win at the San Siro and for Gladbach and Real Madrid not to draw their match. "I ve never played so well in my life," said Lukaku after bagging four goals in as many European games this season. In total, the Belgian has scored 12 goals in 13 games this season, including the opener at the weekend in a 3-1 Serie A win over Bologna. For 27-year-old Lukaku it is the first time in his career that he has scored more than seven goals in his first 10 league games of the season. Lukaku has come into his own since joining Antonio Conte s side from Manchester United in 2019 for 80 million euros ($89 million). In his first season Lukaku scored 34 goals in all competitions, matching the performance of Brazilian Ronaldo in his debut season for Inter in 1997-1998. The Belgian s high energy levels and sharp play at Inter are in contrast to United where he spent two seasons, scoring 42 goals in 96 appearances, but just 15 goals in his final season. He was never far from fan criticism, over his weight and professionalism, as he fell down the pecking order once Ole Gunnar Solskjaer replaced Jose Mourinho. But Lukaku has found a rich vein of form at Inter alongside Argentine Lautaro Martinez and former United teammate Alexis Sanchez. Conte had been a long-time admirer of Lukaku, who started his career at Anderlect, and tried to sign him for Chelsea before the Belgian s move from Everton to United. His move to Italy at the same time as Conte, was also eased by the presence of his brother Jordan Lukaku, 25, who played as a defender for Lazio. Inter finished second in Serie A last season, one point behind Juventus, although Lukaku s own goal in the Europa League final handed Sevilla victory. - Rough diamond - Inter have scored 26 goals from their first 10 matches, their best haul at this stage since the 2009/2010 campaign when they won an unprecedented treble under Mourinho. "Romelu can still get better," predicted Conte whose side are second in Serie A, five points behind city rivals AC Milan. "I described him as a rough diamond when he arrived. I felt that by putting in the work, he could become one of the best strikers in the world. "He s like an American football player. "He s on the right track because he s a humble player who works hard for the team and has everything in his locker -- physical qualities and also the running ability to make a mark on an open pitch. "I’m happy with him, the team, with Lautaro and with Sanchez, who could become even more decisive and score a few more goals given the qualities he possesses. "However, he previously barely played at all for two years while at Manchester United, now he’s playing a lot of games and can also be a decisive player when coming off the bench." Former Juventus and Chelsea manager Conte is bidding to avoid a financially-damaging fourth group stage exit from the Champions League. The 51-year-old s best result as a coach was leading Juventus to the 2012/13 quarter-finals, and he reached the last 16 with Chelsea in 2017-2018. "It ll be a tough game because Shakhtar could go through if they get a good result, but we also want to play our own hand," said Conte. "We need to react as a team and show the right level of maturity. It s one more step for us but we re well up for it and our morale is high."

Real Madrid is used to breezing through the Champions League, rather than facing must-win matches near the end of the group stage. But poor performances this season have left Zinedine Zidane s team needing a victory on Wednesday against Borussia Monchengladbach to ensure the record 13-time European champions don t miss out on the knockout phase for the first time in the club s Champions League history. With a draw, Madrid can still squeak through to the round of 16 if Shakhtar Donetsk loses at Inter Milan. Madrid has never failed to get past the group stage in its 25 previous campaigns. Before falling in last season s round of 16, Madrid had reached at least the semifinals for eight consecutive seasons, winning the title four times in that stretch. Lionel Messi s latest meeting with old rival Cristiano Ronaldo features as the other main attraction in the last of the group games. Messi s Barcelona hosts Ronaldo s Juventus on Tuesday with both already qualified. Group B has proven to be the most competitive. Gladbach leads it with eight points. Madrid and Shakhtar each have seven, two more than last-place Inter. All four can still advance, and all four can still miss out. When Gladbach hosted Madrid in October, the German club was leading 2-0 until Karim Benema and Casemiro scored late to salvage a 2-2 draw. Madrid s only two wins both came against Inter. It was beaten twice by Shakhtar. Struggling in attack, Madrid has also had problems in defense, conceding nine goals in five group games, its worst defensive record up to this point in the competition. A hamstring injury has sidelined defensive leader Sergio Ramos for the last two weeks. Injuries to right backs Dani Carvajal and Alvaro Odriozola have forced Zidane to play a forward, Lucas Vazquez, in their spot. Madrid has underperformed for a squad of its caliber in the Spanish league as well. It had gone three rounds without a win until it eked out a 1-0 victory at Sevilla last Saturday thanks to a goalkeeping blunder. ``We re going through a bit of a tough spell lately, Zidane said after the win at Sevilla. ``The recent days have been difficult, (but) this team is full of character. It thrives on challenges and this win is hugely important for what is to come . Gladbach can go through with a draw. In the case of a loss at the Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium, it would need Shakhtar and Inter to draw. STALEMATE Two of the trio of Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United and Leipzig will advance from Group H; the other having to settle for the Europa League. All three are tied on nine points. Last year s losing finalist PSG can win the group with a victory over eliminated Istanbul Basaksehir on Tuesday. It can even advance with a loss as long as United s game at Leipzig does not end in a draw. A draw in Germany would be enough for United. Leipzig will aim to beat United because a draw will leave the German team needing Basaksehir to upset PSG. If he plays, PSG star Kylian Mbappe will be trying to break his 13-match, nine-month scoring drought in the Champions League. Here s a look at other group games: Tuesday Group E Chelsea welcomes Krasnodar and Sevilla is at Rennes with absolutely nothing at stake. Chelsea is already through as group winner and Sevilla is through in second place. Krasdonar is going to the Europa League; Rennes will place fourth. Group F Borussia Dortmund is already classified but can claim the group outright if it wins at eliminated Zenit St. Petersburg. Lazio can advance for the first time in 20 years if it avoids defeat against Brugge, which must win in Rome to progress to the next stage. Group G Barcelona will win the group unless Juventus can overtake it in head-to-head goals. Barcelona won 2-0 in Turin. Ronaldo missed that possible rematch with Messi after catching the coronavirus. The two best players of their generation have not faced another since Ronaldo left Real Madrid in 2018. Dynamo Kyiv hosts Ferencvaros. Both teams have one point. Wednesday Group A With defending champion Bayern Munich already through as group winners, the second spot is down to either Atletico Madrid or Salzburg when they face off in Austria. Diego Simeone s Atletico has only lost once in all competitions this season. A draw is enough to send it through, while Salzburg must win. Bayern is likely to rest players for its game against Lokomotiv Moscow. Lokomotiv must win to have hope of taking third place and a Europa League spot. Group C Manchester City and FC Porto have already booked their spots in the last 16. Olympiakos faces Porto, while City hosts Marseille. Olympiakos will take the Europa League berth as long as it matches the result of Marseille. Group D Liverpool is already through, leaving Atalanta and Ajax to decide who joins the English champions. Atalanta can go through with a win or draw in Amsterdam. Liverpool visits Danish club Midtjylland.

After completing a historic treble by winning the Egypt Cup on Saturday, Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane heaped praise on his players, likening them to a golden generation led by Mohamed Abou-Treika that won a host of major titles in the 2000s. "I am very proud of my players; they have done a great job today and deserve all the credit. They are making history, just like the generation of Abou-Treika," the South African coach said after the game. Ahly won their 37th Cup title after beating Talae El Geish on penalties following a 1-1 draw at Alexandria s Borg El-Arab Stadium. It was only the second time Ahly complete a hat-trick of major titles (the league, cup and African Champions League) following their treble winning 2006-2007 season. Ahly could still make their season even more impeccable if they win the African Super Cup later this month and the Egyptian Super Cup in early January. "We still have two titles to win, nothing is guaranteed but if you win three it means you can win four and five. We have to work very hard to continue winning," Mosimane added. "Today it was a very tough game and the pitch didn t help us produce our normal football. I have to thank my players for their spirit and effort. "There are also a lot of people who I have to thank for this victory like the club president, supporters and my family. Again I thank the entire Ahly board for trusting me and giving the chance to be here." Mosimane was appointed as Ahly coach on 2 October, succeeding Swiss boss Rene Weiler. The Red Devils had already won the domestic league by the time he arrived, but he still led them to the Champions League and cup crowns.

Ceramica Cleopatra FC has announced the signing of talented former Ahly playmaker Saleh Gomaa in a free transfer. The newly promoted team to the Egyptian Premier League didn t reveal the contract terms and financial details. "We signed Saleh Gomaa in a step to make a big squad before starting the new season of the Egyptian Premier League,” the club said in a statement. The 27-year-old attacking midfielder joined African champions Ahly in the summer of 2015, but failed to meet the expectations of the Reds management and technical staff. Ahly terminated the contract of Gomaa amicably last week, releasing him as a free agent, able to join any team. Gomaa made 72 appearances with Ahly during his five-year stay with the team, scoring 12 goals as well as providing 13 assists. Ceramica Cleopatra FC qualified for the Egyptian Premier League last month for the first time. They have so far landed 14 players, including several footballers who played for Cairo s famed duo Ahly and Zamalek, such as playmaker Mohamed Ibrahim and winger Mido Gaber. The club, which was established in 2006, sealed promotion to the top flight on the final day of last season.