Chelsea could be affected by UEFA's Champions League change and Blues get Cavani transfer boost

This season’s Champions League final is set to be moved from its original location due to the current pandemic.

The Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul was set to host the showpiece event, however the impact of COVID-19 in Turkey has meant the match will take place elsewhere. Champions League fans from all over the world can buy online Champions League Tickets to enjoy its stunning performances.

An alternative location is yet to be decided by UEFA, with Lisbon and a number of German cities being considered.

The news could impact Chelsea who are still in the competition, although the Blues are on the brink of elimination following a 3-0 first leg defeat to Bayern Munich at Stamford Bridge.

In the unlikely event they can overturn the deficit in the return leg, Frank Lampard will await news of the new venue for the final.

Chelsea handed boost in striker chase

Chelsea’s chances of signing Edinson Cavani have increased after Inter ruled out making a move for the player.

The Blues had previously been linked with a move for the Paris Saint Germain forward in the January window but no deal materialised.

Frank Lampard’s side are said to be keen on pursuing the Uruguayan in the summer and will now no longer face competition from Inter who were also rumoured to be interested.

Frank Lampard’s aims as football set to return

Chelsea are set to return to action after the Premier League announced that matches will commence in June.

Despite sitting fourth in the table, the Blues have won just three of the nine league games since the turn of the year.

The team did sign off before the enforced break with an emphatic 4-0 victory over Everton.

Frank Lampard’s side remain on course for Champions League qualification but will need to address some issues in order not to slip out of the top four in the coming weeks.

football.London’s Oliver Harbord looks at what is on the manager’s agenda ahead of the final nine games of the season.

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Jones is unsure of his starting point McGeechan backs England star to captain British and Irish Lions

British and Irish lion’s guru Sir Ian McGeechan chose the man he thinks should lead the South African tour next year, scorning Welsh favorite Alun Wyn Jones and English Owen Farrell. Rugby fans can book British and Irish Lions Tour Tickets on our website on exclusively discounted prices.

The Scotsman was the head coach of the British and Irish Lions in 1989, 1993, 1997 and 2009. In 2005, he trained halfway through the week on tour to New Zealand. Although there is uncertainty surrounding the tour, "Geech" believes that choosing the captain is a simpler task.

"Predicting who Gatland could select as captain, however, takes less guesswork, McGeechan writes in his Telegraph column. To be honest, I think there are probably only three genuine contenders: Owen Farrell, Alun Wyn Jones, and Maro Itoje."

Crucially, he does not believe that Alun Wyn Jones is a certainty, to begin with, effectively ruling the Welsh out of the role. Jones is not sure of his starting point. He will be 35 years old by next summer and the competition in the lock is fierce.

"James Ryan has really moved on and would start with him and Itoje together at the lock if the first test were tomorrow."

Itoje, at least, is a certain opener. One of the few on the team. And I think that is important. You can argue that you have a tour captain and a test captain, but I think the key moments of a tour come in the melting pot of the test match arenas, so that's where you want your tour; your emissary in the field.

"Itoje is a player that I admire tremendously, said McGeechan, who studied the lock game in England. What you see is an intelligent player who reads the game well, places himself in key positions at key moments in the game, to slow down or accelerate as needed."

McGeechan believes that the loss of the Saracens' lockdown in the Rugby World Cup final will have taught him long before a tour in which the Springboks will seek to physically intimidate tourists. Rugby fans can book British and Irish Lions Tour Tickets on our website.

"He certainly is a player that I would love to have coached. Technically and physically, Itoje is designed for modern gaming; hit the rucks with precision and create turnovers, if you lose it will punish you and you have good hands. But, above all, his uncompromising attitude stands out. Itoje is incredibly competitive."

Lan McGeechan

The Lions guru believes Itoje would demand respect from his teammates on the tour. "Everyone has been against him by club and country and they know what it is about." Itoje is the type of player you want to play with instead of against it. Martin Johnson was the same, a nightmare to play against."

McGeechan admits that Owen Farrell, many people's favorite for the captain, is doing a good job with England, but should let him play without the pressure of the captaincy. Latter month McGeechan selected a British and Irish Lions, XV, for next year's South African tour, which rugby enthusiasts will find it very difficult to discuss.

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Chelsea confirm double contract extensions for first-team players

Chelsea has confirmed that they have extended the contracts for Olivier Giroud and Willy Caballero.

Both players had deals that were running out at the end of the 2019/20 campaign however, they have now been extended for another season. Champions League fans from all over the world can buy online Champions League Tickets to enjoy its stunning performances.

Giroud, 33, and Caballero, 38, have mainly been back-up players under Frank Lampard this season, however, both have been called into action in recent months.

World Cup-winner Giroud was keen on a Blues exit in January however, that was blocked due to Chelsea's failure to bring in another striker in his place.

With the injury to Tammy Abraham and the disappointing start by Michy Batshuayi, Giroud stepped into the starting XI and impressed.

Chelsea confirm double contract extensions for first-team players

He scored a big goal against Tottenham Hotspur and bagged another in the 4-0 rout over Everton before the season was suspended.

Frank Lampard said: "Since I have been back at Chelsea, Olivier has been brilliant as a professional and as a man in general.

"He has great qualities to help the squad both on and off the pitch, not only with his talent but with the example he sets every day and the experience he brings to our young squad. I am very pleased that will continue next season."

With Batshuayi set to be sold this summer, Giroud could be another useful tool for Lampard in what could be a difficult summer to sign new players.

Meanwhile, Caballero replaced Kepa Arrizabalaga in goal after the Spaniard suffered a dip in form.

Caballero started four Premier League games and then the Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich.

The goalkeeper said: "I am very happy to make this announcement. It is a privilege to be part of this Chelsea squad and the Chelsea family, at one of the most historic clubs in the Premier League."I’m sure they will continue to demand the maximum from me and I will compete with the same energy as always. I am very happy."

Pedro and Willian now remain the two key first-team players who are out of contract this summer and could be set to leave on a free transfer.

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Arsenal morning headlines as advantage gained in Moussa Diaby transfer race, Pepe promise

Arsenal hold transfer advantage in the race for Moussa Diaby - report

Mikel Arteta is interested in signing Bayer Leverkusen winger Moussa Diaby, and Arsenal’s strong relationship with the player’s agent could put them in pole position to complete a deal, according to Le10sport.

Diaby has enjoyed an impressive debut campaign in German football following his move from Paris Saint-Germain last summer, scoring five goals and providing eight assists. Champions League fans from all over the world can buy online Champions League Tickets to enjoy its stunning performances.

He attracted particular attention for his two assists on Monday night against Werder Bremen, and indeed global interest in the 20-year-old will only increase while the Bundesliga remains the only major European league playing football.

Diaby, who would reportedly cost around £26million, is also wanted by Borussia Dortmund and may wish to continue his development in Germany.

Ian Wright publicly suggested Arsenal should sign three specific footballers last summer and the club ended up buying one of them, Nicolas Pepe from Lille.

Wright was advising how then manager Unai Emery could improve on the side that had narrowly missed out on Champions League football in 2018/19 by losing the Europa League final to Chelsea.

After first naming Ben Chilwell and Youri Tielemans as players who could help the Gunners, Wright then heaped praise on Lille’s young winger.

“And Nicolas Pepe at Lille,” he told The Mirror “That kind of winger with his intensity pace and skill. Those are the kind of players that are going to improve any team if I'm totally honest.”

Pepe later joined for £72m, and while his debut campaign in England hasn’t gone quite to plan the 24-year-old is improving rapidly under Mikel Arteta.

Pepe promises refugee children to use their suggested new goal celebration

Winger Pepe has revealed the thinking behind his previous goal celebrations in an Arsenal shirt and promised a new one when the football returns.

Speaking to refugee children to help promote Coaching for Life, a project that links Arsenal with Save the Children to provide football coaching in the Za’atari Refugee Camp in Indonesia, Pepe talked through the signs he has made after scoring goals.

“The two came from jokes with my friends,” he told Arsenal’s official website. “I was chatting to them and we were trying to come up with a new celebration.”

The children then suggested he adopt a new one, based on a movie - called The Kamehameha from the Dragon Ball cartoon series. The hand gesture involves putting the wrists together and fanning the hands outwards.

“Easy! Is that the one you want me to do?” Pepe said, “For them the children, of course!”

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Frank Lampard names the former Chelsea star that saved him from the worst night of my life

Frank Lampard names the former Chelsea star that saved him from the worst night of my life

The Blues defied all odds to beat Barcelona at the Nou Camp to reach the Champions League final.

Frank Lampard has admitted he feared for the worst night in his football career when Chelsea went 2-0 down to Barcelona in the semi-final of the 2012 Champions League. Champions League fans from all over the world can buy online Champions League Tickets to enjoy its stunning performances.

The Blues led their Spanish counterparts 1-0 from the first leg but found themselves 2-0 down and a man light after John Terry was sent off early in the first half.

However, a moment of magic from Ramires before half-time put Chelsea ahead of away goals, before Fernando Torres scored on the counter-attack after a dogged second-half defensive display.

At 2-0, though, and at the mercy of, in Lampard's eyes, "the best team in the world", the now-Chelsea boss was fearful of a cricket score.

When we went 2-0 down and we had 10 men and had such a reshuffle, I thought this could be the worst of my footballing life," Lampard told The Football Show.

"I'm thinking it could have been double figures. I spent the first 20 minutes getting nowhere near Xavi and Iniesta and there's so much time to go. It sounds funny but I'm not joking.

"You play at that high level and there are players that are so comfortable and can hurt you, with the reshuffle, I didn't see it coming. If we didn't score the goal before half-time that changed our feeling, I think it was the only time I got into the Barcelona half.

"Thankfully I had a runner to find, Ramires was in the space, it was a nice pass but an even better finish."

"At half-time, we had a 'let's go, we've got a chance'. We were massively handicapped, down to ten men against the best team in the world. It wasn't so much the words but the feeling at half-time.

"I remember, I hardly got beyond my 18-yard line in the second half, we were so deep, we couldn't get up to people. If you went near Iniesta he would just go past you. It was a shuffle, get across, and shuffle. It was a dig in the scenario.

"It's easy to say now because we had Bayern Munich at their ground to come but it seemed like fate. A game you have no right to win and you win; you do (believe it)."

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Sharks happy to hang onto RWC stars Am and Mapimpi

The Sharks organization have expressed their delight at hanging onto Rugby World Cup heroes Lukhanyo Am and Makazole Mapimpi. The global closure of rugby has made the future of the game in South Africa uncertain, and many high-profile players have recently left in an attempt to secure their future financially.

South Africa Rugby initiated a 21-day contract exit window in late April to allow players to seek alternative offers in a bid to mitigate the financial impact of the game's suspension. Rugby fans can book British and Irish Lions Tour Tickets on our website on exclusively discounted prices.

This left South African franchises and unions struggling to protect their award-winning assets from talent forays abroad.

The Sharks have seen Springbok center Andre Esterhuizen depart in a settlement agreed before the Super Rugby season began. But crucially Durban's men have retained the key men, Am and Mapimpi. Am was named captain of the Sharks earlier this season, which brought the franchise to the top of the Super Rugby table before the season was suspended.

Mapimpi had shown the same great form that saw him lead the scoring for the Springboks at the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Am and Mapimpi combined to create the Springboks' first attempt at a Rugby World Cup final. Rugby fans can book British and Irish Lions Tour Tickets on our website.

Sharks

Sharks CEO Eduard Coetzee said they had not tried to pressure players to stay under the circumstances, but were delighted with the couple's commitment to being close friends as well as being Bok's teammates. The Sharks boss credited coach Sean Everitt for building a culture and environment in which players have been eager to get involved since they took over.

“This has been quite an emotional and difficult time. What we said to the players is that one way or another they’d be doing nothing wrong,” Coetzee told SA Rugby Mag on Friday.

“It was not like they asked for it the escape clause, but it was an option given to them, and then it was up to them as individuals on how to handle it. I think they have dealt with it really well, and it was done on a platform of respect. I think it speaks volumes about the culture we've established and how Coach Sean Everitt has really brought the team closer together.”

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South Africa's Great Rugby hookers: Who can step up to the Bok plate?

With Super Rugby nearly halfway and suspended due to the coronavirus, it's an ideal time to see the Springboks' options at each position for new head coach Jacques Nienaber and rugby director, Rassie Erasmus, ahead of planned tests against Scotland and Georgia.

We will evaluate the leading players this season in the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers, and we will make our final selection. Rugby fans can book British and Irish Lions Tour Tickets on our website on exclusively discounted prices.

Bulls: Jaco Visagie

The former Bolander, who hails from Clanwilliam, has now matured into a solid Super Rugby hooker. He is a hard-working extra loose forward who gets around the pitch and does the unfashionable stuff, and is not a modern-day flashy No 2. The 27-year-old hits rucks hard, finds his jumpers, and makes his tackles.

The Bulls are in an impressive sixth position on the tournament list with regards to lineout success, on 88 percent, although their scrum has not been as smooth, being ranked 10th on 90 percent this season.

Visagie has made 13 ball-carries and five turnovers, as well as 45 tackles - which places him joint-fourth among hookers, although he has missed 12 tackles, the most in his position.

Lions: Pieter Jansen

The Lions have won just one of their six matches, with their inexperienced pack of forwards one of the major reasons for their struggles. They haven’t been able to gain dominance up front, with their lineout not functioning optimally either.

They are ranked 11th in the tournament with an 86.3 percent lineout success rate, and have the worst scrum - statistically - with 81 percent. It is part of the reason why Jansen eventually lost his starting berth to Jan-Henning Campher for the last few matches.

Jansen had the chance to establish himself as the Lions’ first-choice hooker in the absence of Malcolm Marx, who is on a sabbatical in Japan, but he hasn’t quite made the most of it. Rugby fans can book British and Irish Lions Tour Tickets on our website.

Jansen has made 13 ball-carries, but just 20 tackles in 270 minutes of rugby across six matches. His best contribution has come in the tight loose, with eight turnovers.

Sharks: Kerron van Vuuren

At the start of the season, some people outside Durban may have wondered Kerron who?, but now the rest of South Africa would have sat up and taken notice of Van Vuuren, based on his performances.

The Glenwood High product is a “no-frills” operator who seems to have that bit of mongrel needed to be a success at hooker. He never stops working, as can be seen by his 47 tackles, the joint second-most in the competition among hookers.

Van Vuuren has engineered six turnovers, and forced three tackle-busts and two offloads from his 19 runs. But the Sharks’ lineout is rated as the worst in Super Rugby at 78.4 percent.

Stormers: Scarra Ntubeni

The early-season injury to Bongi Mbonambi has provided Ntubeni with an opportunity to push for a Bok recall after he missed out on the World Cup last year. The ever-smiling front-rower has thankfully kept the perennial injury bogey at bay, and that saw him building impressive momentum during the Stormers’ four-match winning start to the campaign.

But it just appeared as if Ntubeni was running out of a bit of steam against the Blues and Sharks, and that lack of spark from their usually bustling No 2 played a part in their successive defeats.

The 29-year-old has made 14 carries, mainly at close quarters, as well as four turnovers and 42 tackles in six matches. The Stormers lineout has been decent at 87 percent, which puts them eighth in the competition, while their scrum has been strong at 95 percent fifth. But Ntubeni has slipped nine tackles as well, which places him joint-second among hookers.

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Arsenal duo on Napoli's transfer wishlist and Arteta's best XI to seal Champions League return

Aubameyang, Lacazette on Napoli shortlist

According to Napoli expert Ciro Venerato, who was speaking to CalcioNapoli24 via Sport Witness, Napoli manager Gennaro Gattuso is extremely keen to sign Lazio center-forward, Ciro Immobile, who has ripped up Serie A this season with 27 goals in 26 games. Champions League fans around the world can buy online Champions League Tickets to enjoy its stunning performances.

However, Immobile is valued at €100 million and Gattuso may be forced to look elsewhere.

It is said that both Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette are potential targets, with either of the Arsenal pair the ideal immobile alternative.

With both under precarious contract situations, Aubameyang’s expiring next year and Lacazette’s the year after that, Napoli could come sniffing on a cut-price deal.

Financial expert delivers a blow

The extent of the coronavirus is still being understood. However, even if the Premier League’s Project Restart plans for mid-June resumption are approved, clubs will have gone three months without playing a match.

They will also then have to face the remainder of the season and potentially large portions of next season with games played behind closed doors with no matchday revenue raised as a result.

This is damning for Arsenal, who rely heavily on matchday income.

There will subsequently be less spending in the transfer window, as finance expert Kieran Maguire explained to football.london.

“Apart from the very elite clubs, I think the transfer market will be quite subdued,” Maguire said. “The number of huge transfers is likely to be few and far between because those types of transfers will only arise if you’ve got a club who is in a very strong position as a buyer and a club who is in a very strong position as a seller, so we’re only talking between the elite clubs themselves.

“If you’ve got clubs further down the leagues, they’re going to have to make offers that they wouldn’t have particularly wanted to accept 12 months ago but for cash flow reasons, you might have had a player go for £60milion 12 months ago who will be going for half of that this summer simply because those are market forces.”

What is Arteta’s best starting XI?

If and when the Premier League returns to action, Arsenal faces a mad rush to sneak into the Champions League qualification positions.

At present, the Gunners sit in ninth position. However, they are only five points behind fifth-placed Manchester United and have a game in hand, though that is an away trip to Manchester City.

Mikel Arteta had inspired major improvement in the team before the postponement of play. Arsenal had not lost in the Premier League in 2020 and their only league defeat under Arteta’s guidance came against Chelsea in a match they dominated.

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The loosehead props: Who's Number 1 on the Springboks' Team Sheet?

With Super Rugby nearly halfway through and suspended due to the coronavirus, it's an ideal time to see the Springboks' options at each position for new head coach Jacques Nienaber and rugby director Rassie Erasmus ahead of the Tests against Scotland.

We will evaluate the leading players this season in the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers, and we will make our final selection. In our final edition of a 15-part series, let’s look at loosehead prop. Rugby fans can book British and Irish Lions Tour Tickets on our website on exclusively discounted prices.

Bulls: Lizo Gqoboka

He was probably the next loosehead prop in line for a World Cup call-up, but missed out in Japan. So, he needed to use 2020 to push for the No 1 jersey following Tendai Mtawarira’s retirement, and he has continued the consistent form that made him a Bok in the first place.

Not a particularly massive front-rower, it is Gqoboka’s physical strength that makes him stand out. He makes a big impact in the tackle, and carries the ball strongly. The 30-year-old’s scrummaging is also underrated, and the Bulls have had a solid set-piece to work from this season. Gqoboka has made 20 ball-carries in six matches, including three tackle-busts, as well as 25 tackles.

Lions: Dylan Smith

He has been a mainstay of the front row that reached three consecutive Super Rugby finals, but now Smith has to play a leadership role following the departure of a number of stalwarts. And it isn’t going well for the Lions, who have lost five out of six matches.

Despite his success with the Lions, the 26-year-old hasn’t really been mentioned when it comes to discussing Springbok contenders up to now, due to the number of quality No 1s around. Rugby fans can book British and Irish Lions Tour Tickets on our website.

Could 2020 be his year? He has made a respectable 25 ball-carries in six matches, which puts him in sixth position among loosehead props in the competition. Added to that, he has made 33 tackles. But the Lions scrum is ranked the lowest in the tournament with a scrum success rate of 81 percent.

Sharks: Ox Nche

He may be regarded by some Sharks fans as the ‘new Beast’, having moved from the Cheetahs to Durban following the departure of Tendai Mtawarira. But the man whose first name is actually Retshegofaditswe has carved a niche for himself at the four-time Super Rugby finalists.

The 24-year-old has brought his usual energy and explosiveness to Sean Everitt’s team. He is always a willing ball-carrier, and has made 24 runs, which has resulted in four tackle-busts and three offloads.

He also pulled off a memorable long pass to set up Andre Esterhuizen’s try against the Stormers, while his considerable work-rate saw him make 35 tackles as well.

Nche has conceded five penalties, though, and while the relatively light Sharks pack do hold their own in the physical stakes, they don’t usually dominate in the scrums – they are second-last in the tournament with an 82 percent scrum success rate.

Stormers: Steven Kitshoff

The world champion couldn’t quite wrest the Springbok No 1 jersey away from Tendai Mtawarira, but is now making a compelling case that he should wear it going forward.

Renowned for his mobility as a front-rower, Kitshoff has a tournament-leading 41 ball-carries among loosehead props, which has equated to 186 running metres – also the most. Seven tackle-busts and three line-breaks are not statistics that are usually associated with a prop either, while you can also add in 35 tackles.

The 28-year-old Kitshoff has been a rock in the scrums as well, with the Stormers earning a number of penalties, while the team has a 95 percent scrum success rate – the fifth-best in the competition.

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Lions legend says they need a pattern of confrontation against Springboks: 'That's their DNA'

Former captain Paul O'Connell says it will be vital for the British and Irish Lions to choose a leader capable of beating the Springboks at their own game next year. Rugby fans can book British and Irish Lions Tour Tickets on our website on exclusively discounted prices.

The former Ireland lock, who captained the Lions when they lost the 2009 2-1 series to the Springboks, says it will be a unique experience on tour in South Africa and therefore they need a particular type of personality as a leader.

"When you go South Africa you probably need someone confrontational because that is their DNA. You have to have a tactic to beat South Africa, to trick them," O'Connell said, as quoted by the Lions' official website.

"But you certainly have to take them on confrontationally as well. If they begin to get on top of you in the collisions their belief begins to grow, as we saw in the World Cup final. You need to take them on and you need a captain that will drive that philosophy as well."

O'Connell, who also toured with the Lions to New Zealand in 2005 and Australia in 2013, mentioned the names of England lock Maro Itoje and flyhalf Owen Farrell as candidates. Rugby fans can book British and Irish Lions Tour Tickets on our website.

He is the type of player you want to play against South Africa. He is a world-class athlete and a phenomenal second-row striker. I like to watch him play, he's always pushing the limits. I'm surprised that he doesn't award more penalties than he does.

"He is always pushing at the rucks, around the offside line, and is brilliant at collapsing mauls, brilliant at stopping teams mauling. He is a real pleasure to watch in that regard. But I do not know what he is like in the dressing room, what he is like in terms of leadership, and leading a group of men."

Owen Farrell

Regarding Farrell, who was England's captain when they lost last year's Rugby World Cup final 32-12 to South Africa in Yokohama, O'Connell stated: I know a lot of people feel like you need a second rower or a front-row forward captaining the side when you face SA, but a player like Owen Farrell also has that abrasive attitude.

"He is also very experienced now in terms of taking on Southern Hemisphere teams and beating them. He has obviously also had that tough experience against South Africa in the World Cup, so he is someone who springs to mind."

Paul O'Connell

O'Connell, 40, played 115 tests in an illustrious career that included 108 for Ireland and seven for the Lions.

He retired from professional rugby in 2016 before going into coaching - he was an assistant coach for the Ireland under-20 side 2017-18 and forwards coach at French giants Stade Francais 2018-19. He currently works as a rugby pundit and commentator for BBC Sport.

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Tottenham's recruitment decision helped launch Champions League conquerors' transfer empire

Tottenham's recruitment decision helped launch Champions League conquerors' transfer empire

The former Spurs head of recruitment Paul Mitchell moved to RB Leipzig and is flourishing in the role

Tottenham is known to be fond of buying in players who can impress, improve and then inevitably move on to excel even further elsewhere but they perhaps didn’t expect to be doing that with staff members, too. Champions League fans around the world can buy online Champions League Tickets to enjoy its stunning performances.

Michael Edwards is the best domestic example of that, having left Spurs to eventually become Liverpool’s sporting director, but another who has gone on to thrive in a position of influence in the transfer market environment is Paul Mitchell: the former Spurs head of recruitment and analysis, now a key component of RB Leipzig’s recruitment process.

Mitchell was appointed head of the Bundesliga club’s recruitment and development in early 2018, while the position he now holds is listed as Technical Director of the entire Red Bull International Soccer Empire, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Overseeing the incoming transfers at Leipzig, he has seen his influence help send the club toward the top of the table in Germany so exactly who has he deemed of the quality and value necessary for the club to invest in?

Since his first window with the club the summer of 2018/19, a total of 16 players have been signed under his say-so

Nordi Mukiele

A versatile defender, the 22-year-old signed from Montpellier for around €16m and has been pushing his way into the team this season, firstly at center-back and then, increasingly as the season has gone on, at right wing-back.

The French youngster is a talent for now and the future—Leipzig’s, and perhaps Mitchell’s, favorite kind of investment Already linked with PSG.

Matheus Cunha

The Brazilian forward played a peripheral role last season after joining from Sion in Switzerland. He didn’t have a huge impact and was sold on for a similar amount in January, as Hertha Berlin’s effective replacement for the outgoing Krzysztof Piatek.

Quickly made an impact with two goals in four games for his new club; at just 20 years of age, he could easily still be a major success story in Germany.

Marcelo Saracchi

A Uruguayan left-back who has already debuted for the senior international team. Minimal impact with Leipzig so far, but the 22-year-old has been on loan with Galatasaray since January.

Tyler Adams

A versatile performer who has been seen both in a central midfield role and as wing-back so far The American joined from MLS side New York Red Bulls—a promotion from within, of sorts—and has impressed sporadically, but has also had several fitness issues to overcome.

Looks an undoubted talent and is only 21, with 10 USA caps to his name already.

Emile Smith-Rowe

A loan move for the Arsenal midfielder, which didn’t pan out due to injury concerns Leipzig was keen to get him back, but it didn’t happen in 19/20.

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Why Jaco Kriel in a Bok jersey again isn't an outrageous idea

As popular as he is among local rugby enthusiasts, Jaco Kriel has understandably fallen off the Springboks' radar. 30 months devastated by injuries will invariably translate into the world from any player.

Upon his return to Ellis Park in February, the 30-year-old flanker pointed out carefully how the national team had to be delayed as an ambition, simply because he first needs to play for a lengthy period of time again. Rugby fans can book British and Irish Lions Tour Tickets on our website on exclusively discounted prices.

However, as much as a Springbok jersey seems improbable at the moment, Kriel's case is intriguing. When you retired halfway through the unfortunate 2017 Rugby Championship tour of the national side, does anyone remember 57-0? - He did it at a relatively high.

Selected out of position on the blind flank by Allister Coetzee due to Siya Kolisi's convincing form, Kriel performed surprisingly well. After three rounds of that year's campaign, he completed the most tackles 39, made the third most dominant hits, and still found enough gasoline in the tank to make the most turnovers.

For a man considered a bit small for the blindside role, Kriel is 1.84m and weighs just 100kg, he did quite well. The point here is that Kriel is not going to evict a Pieter-Steph du Toit or a Duane Vermeulen. The important thing is that it is adaptable.

"Well, I once played on the wing from the bench for the Boks in 2016, he told Sport24 with a smile. I have played in many positions in my life. Most of my coaches told me to play it as I see it and I think that experience has allowed me to read the game quite well."

Jaco Kriel

Kriel is not naive: he is well aware that versatility is invariably more of a curse than a gift in South African rugby. As a result, he prudently continues to favor his beloved No. 6 jersey. Rugby fans can book British and Irish Lions Tour Tickets on our website.

"I really like being a hunter. I enjoy playing ball, said Kriel. You'll also find me defending on the broader channels, particularly when the support play comes a little late!"

Focusing on playing in the opening, regardless of whether you're in the national frame, is quite possibly the most realistic way to get back to the Springbok team. And before discarding the idea based on the perception that the national configuration today favors a more "traditional" trio composition, a reminder is necessary.

Rassie Erasmus has shown her willingness to give loose forwards like Kwagga Smith and Marco van Staden a chance.

Jacques Nienaber

In fact, if Bok coach Jacques Nienaber were to choose a local national team immediately after the Super Rugby suspension, he would face an excess of smaller "6" (captain Siya Kolisi would still be injured) in the form of James Venter, Van Staden and Marnus Schoeman.

Venter in particular flourished in a shark pattern that closely resembled Springboks. Given the skill set he has displayed in the past, a fit Kriel could easily be located internationally. Probably unlikely, but hardly absurd.

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UEFA announce Champions League plan that will affect Chelsea's second leg tie vs Bayern Munich

Manchester City and Chelsea have a round of 16 fixtures against Real Madrid and Bayern Munich respectively to complete. UEFA have outlined their plans for a conclusion to the Champions League campaign in August by compiling a provisional calendar for the remaining fixtures in the competition. Champions League fans around the world can buy online Champions League Tickets to enjoy its stunning performances.

The Champions League was suspended in mid-March, midway through the Round of 16 stages, due to the coronavirus crisis and there are still several matches to play at that stage, as well as the entire round of quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final, due to be played in Istanbul.

Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund were both knocked out of the competition before the suspension, with Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain sealing their spot in the knockout stages of the competition alongside Atalanta and RB Leipzig.

Four second-leg Round of 16 fixtures needs to be played through, consisting of Bayern Munich vs Chelsea, Manchester City vs Real Madrid, Juventus vs Lyon and Barcelona vs Napoli.

UEFA and relevant club bosses met via video-conference on Wednesday, where the desire to complete this year’s Champions League was made clear, and they also outlined for the remaining games of the competition to be played in August, starting with the four remaining last 16 matches, on the weekend of August 8.

French outlet RMC Sport suggests that Lyon’s clash with Juventus is provisionally scheduled for that date, with quarter-final ties then taking place the following midweek.

However, there remains uncertainty over the format to the latter stages of the competition and whether home-away ties are suitable for the current global climate, which could lead to single-leg matches held at neutral venues.

That would help to reduce the risk of fans gathering outside the stadium with matches behind closed doors, which was witnessed in Paris when PSG defeated Borussia Dortmund before the competition’s suspension.

As mentioned above, Chelsea still has to face Bayern Munich in the second leg. Frank Lampard's side will have a massive mountain to climb following a 3-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge in February, but perhaps the long wait to complete the tie could work in the Blues' favor.

With that said, Bayern might have the advantage in terms of match sharpness after German chancellor Angela Merkel gave the go-ahead for the Bundesliga to resume in the coming weeks.

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