Jules Ahoka made his first Europa League start for Sunderland count by scoring in the club’s 2-1 victory over Torreense on Thursday.

The 20-year-old Congolese forward was named in the starting line-up for the first time in the competition and responded with a performance that could strengthen his position within the Sunderland squad.

Sunderland had fallen behind, but Ahoka brought his side level in the 67th minute with his first European goal. His equaliser gave the English club renewed momentum before they completed the comeback and secured a 2-1 win.

The appearance marked an important step in Ahoka’s progress. Having taken advantage of his first Europa League start, the forward has shown that he can make an impact when opportunities arise and may now be in line for more playing time in Sunderland’s upcoming matches.

Sunderland’s decision to promote Ahoka also reflects the club’s long-term plans for the player. His contract runs until 2031, while Transfermarkt values him at 7 million euros.

His goal against Torreense gives Ahoka another platform from which to continue developing and establish himself more firmly at the English club.

Paris Saint-Germain have been encouraged by Jaydee Canvot’s apparent openness to joining the club, although Crystal Palace are under no pressure to sell the 20-year-old defender.

Canvot, who is of Senegalese origin, is reportedly receptive to the prospect of moving to the French champions should PSG make a concrete offer. The Parisian club are understood to view him as a priority target, while the player is said to be flattered by their interest.

The possibility of playing for a leading European club could appeal to Canvot, according to sources cited by Football Insider. However, no transfer has been agreed and PSG’s interest would still need to be followed by an official proposal.

Crystal Palace are keen to keep the defender and are in a strong negotiating position. Canvot’s contract with the English club runs until 2029, meaning Palace do not face any immediate need to accept an offer for him.

His market value is estimated at 35 million euros by Transfermarkt, providing an indication of the potential financial scale of any deal. It remains to be seen whether PSG decide to make an approach and whether Crystal Palace would be willing to consider Canvot’s departure.

Strasbourg are due to face PSG in the seventh round of the French league very soon.

The second round of the Europa League league phase produced 50 goals on Thursday, 15 October 2026, with AC Milan, Lyon, Bournemouth, Benfica and Juventus among the winners.

AC Milan delivered the standout performance of the evening, winning 4-0 away to RB Salzburg. Alphadjo Cisse scored a hat-trick as the Italian side secured a commanding victory in Austria.

Lyon also claimed an impressive result, beating Crystal Palace 3-2 in an eventful contest. The French side held on despite a strong response from the visitors, who scored through Yeremy Pino and Daichi Kamada.

Bournemouth recorded a comfortable 3-0 victory against Sturm Graz, with Evanilson, Rayan and Alvaro Rodriguez on target. Benfica were equally convincing as they defeated Celtic 4-1.

Juventus came from behind to beat Celta Vigo 2-1, while Sunderland secured a dramatic 2-1 win at Torreense after Noah Sadiki scored in added time.

Elsewhere, Bayer Leverkusen won 3-0 at Lech Poznan and Olympiacos earned a narrow 1-0 victory away to Marseille. Real Sociedad also recorded a 1-0 win, defeating Union Saint-Gilloise.

Europa League results

AZ Alkmaar 2-1 Hapoel Beer-Sheva

Celje 0-2 Omonia Nicosia

Lech Poznan 0-3 Bayer Leverkusen

Lyon 3-2 Crystal Palace

RB Salzburg 0-4 AC Milan

Sparta Prague 1-0 Lillestrøm

Torreense 1-2 Sunderland

Union Saint-Gilloise 0-1 Real Sociedad

Benfica 4-1 Celtic

Bournemouth 3-0 Sturm Graz

Celta Vigo 1-2 Juventus

Dinamo Zagreb 1-0 Anderlecht

Ferencvaros 2-1 Viktoria Plzen

Hoffenheim 2-3 Besiktas

Jagiellonia Bialystok 3-1 Ararat-Armenia

Marseille 0-1 Olympiacos

NEC Nijmegen 1-1 Levski Sofia

Rennes 2-1 OFI Crete

Bournemouth continued their perfect start to their Europa League campaign with a 3-0 victory over Sturm Graz at the Vitality Stadium on Thursday.

The Cherries followed up their opening-day win against Real Sociedad with another convincing result, securing consecutive victories in the competition through goals from Evanilson, Rayan and Alvaro Rodriguez.

Bournemouth controlled much of the first half but initially struggled to turn their possession and chances into a breakthrough. They finally went ahead two minutes before the interval when Evanilson produced an excellent finish.

Adam Smith delivered the cross and Evanilson met it with a superb looping header from distance, placing the ball beyond the Sturm Graz goalkeeper. The goal gave Bournemouth a deserved lead at half-time.

Sturm Graz attempted to respond after the interval, but the Austrian side could not change the direction of the match. Their best opportunity came when William Bøving struck the post, although Bournemouth remained the more dangerous team overall.

The hosts doubled their advantage in the 76th minute through Rayan, who had come on six minutes earlier in place of Marcus Tavernier.

The Brazilian capitalised after a mistake by the visiting goalkeeper to make it 2-0 and put Bournemouth firmly in control. The English side continued to press for another goal as the match moved into stoppage time.

Bournemouth were awarded a penalty in the added time after Stankovic handled the ball inside the area. Alvaro Rodriguez took responsibility and converted from the spot in the 90th minute and two seconds to complete the scoring.

The result means Bournemouth have won both of their Europa League matches so far and maintained their flawless record in the competition. Sturm Graz, meanwhile, must recover quickly after suffering their first European defeat of the season.

Besiktas secured a 3-2 victory over TSG Hoffenheim in the UEFA Europa League league phase on Thursday, leaving the PreZero Arena with three points after an action-packed second half.

The match was goalless at the interval, but all five goals came after the break. Michael Murillo put the visitors ahead in the 59th minute before Fisnik Asllani brought Hoffenheim level eight minutes later.

Besiktas regained the lead through Oh Hyeon-gyu in the 72nd minute, and the South Korean forward struck again six minutes later to complete his double and make it 3-1.

Hoffenheim continued to push and Koki Machida reduced the deficit in the 87th minute. However, the German side could not find a third goal as Besiktas held on for the win.

Besiktas had a narrow advantage in possession, recording 53% compared with Hoffenheim’s 47%. The Turkish club also registered five shots on target from 11 attempts, while Hoffenheim managed three on target from 10.

Hoffenheim committed 15 fouls during the match, compared with eight by Besiktas, who saw out a closely contested encounter to take all three points.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has begun inspecting Ethiopia’s bid to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations, with a delegation arriving in Addis-Ababa to assess the country’s facilities, construction plans and ability to stage the 24-team tournament.

The CAF evaluation mission arrived on Thursday 15 October, following Ethiopia’s formal submission of its hosting proposal in August. Inspectors will examine the venues put forward, planned infrastructure projects and the country’s wider capacity to accommodate Africa’s biggest football competition.

The visit comes as Ethiopia seeks to revive its status as one of the continent’s historic football nations, despite significant shortcomings in its existing infrastructure.

When the bid was submitted, Ethiopia had only one stadium with CAF approval: Bahir Dar Stadium, in the city of the same name. Even that authorisation was provisional.

A central part of the country’s plans is the Adey Abeba International Stadium, which is expected to hold about 62,000 spectators. However, with less than two years before the tournament, Ethiopia’s challenge extends well beyond the construction or renovation of stadiums.

A 24-team Africa Cup of Nations requires multiple match venues, training grounds, hotels and transport and logistical networks capable of serving teams and thousands of visiting supporters.

Security concerns add to Ethiopia’s challenge

Ethiopia can point to a strong historical case for hosting the tournament. It was a founding member of CAF and took part in the first Africa Cup of Nations in 1957. The country has staged the competition three times, in 1962, 1968 and 1976, and won the title at home in 1962.

Security, however, could prove an even greater concern than the lack of infrastructure.

Tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea have escalated in recent days amid renewed fighting in the Tigray region. Addis-Ababa has accused Eritrea of carrying out military incursions into Ethiopian territory, allegations rejected by Asmara.

Military operations and drone strikes have been reported in northern Ethiopia, while Ethiopian forces have regained control of several areas close to the border. The developments have raised fears of a renewed open conflict between the two countries and prompted international calls for de-escalation.

CAF will have to assess whether the situation would allow the safe movement of national teams, officials and foreign supporters, as well as matches being played across several regions.

Ethiopia is also competing with a joint bid from South Africa and Zimbabwe. Their proposal remains in the race despite Botswana’s withdrawal at the end of September.

South Africa’s application benefits from the country’s experience of hosting the 2010 World Cup and its existing football infrastructure.

The CAF inspectors’ conclusions will now be closely watched. Ethiopia has historical credibility and clear political ambition, but must show that its plans can be delivered within a demanding timetable and under stable security conditions.

Strasbourg host Paris Saint-Germain at the Meinau on Saturday, 17 October, with both sides aiming to improve their position in the Ligue 1 table. The home team are seeking a return to the top half, while PSG are targeting a place in the top three.

Strasbourg

Strasbourg manager Hugo Oliveira will have to make changes because of several absences. Joaquin Panichelli, Martial Godo, Sebastian Nanasi and Ismael Doukoure are all expected to miss the match.

The club’s summer signings could therefore play an important role, particularly in defence. Giovanni Reyna and Jacobo Ortega are also in contention to return to the starting XI for the seventh league fixture of the season.

The expected Strasbourg line-up is:

Goalkeeper: Filip Jørgensen

Defenders: Genesis Antwi, Jeyland Mitchell, Karim Coulibaly, Oso

Midfielders: Giovanni Reyna, Diogo Sousa, Dario Essugo

Forwards: Samuel Amo-Ameyaw, Jacobo Ortega, Gessime Yassine

Strasbourg will be hoping the changes do not disrupt their efforts to move back into the top half of the standings when they face the reigning French champions.

Paris Saint-Germain

Paris Saint-Germain travel to the Meinau with almost their entire squad available. Their only absentees are Senny Mayulu and third-choice goalkeeper Alessandro Longoni.

Luis Enrique has a strong bench and several attacking players in good form, but the PSG manager could rotate his team. That would allow him to manage the workload of some key players before the meeting with Barca.

The expected PSG line-up is:

Goalkeeper: Matvey Safonov

Defenders: Achraf Hakimi, Illya Zabarnyi, Willian Pacho, Lucas Digne

Midfielders: Warren Zaire-Emery, Joao Neves, Dro Fernandez

Forwards: Maghnes Akliouche, Ferran Torres, Desire Doue

PSG will be looking to secure a result that keeps them in contention for a top-three position, although the expected changes could give opportunities to players seeking more regular starting places.

The match is the seventh-day fixture in the French top flight and will be played at Strasbourg’s Meinau stadium on Saturday, 17 October.

According to the odds published by 1xbet, Strasbourg are priced at 6.25 to win, with a draw at 5.60 and a Paris Saint-Germain victory at 1.38.

Paris Saint-Germain will look to maintain their momentum when they visit Strasbourg in Ligue 1 on Saturday, 17 October 2026, just days after an impressive 4-2 victory away to Manchester City.

The seventh-round match at Stade de la Meinau kicks off at 15:15 GMT. Strasbourg are seeking a response after consecutive 2-1 defeats by Paris FC and Nice, while PSG arrive with five successive wins in all competitions.

The match will be shown in France on Ligue 1+, in the United States and Canada on beIN SPORTS, in sub-Saharan Africa on Canal+ Sport, and in the Middle East and North Africa on beIN SPORTS.

Head-to-head record

PSG have the stronger record across the clubs’ previous meetings. Of their 78 encounters, Paris have won 43, compared with 14 victories for Strasbourg, while 21 matches have ended level.

The recent Ligue 1 record also favours the visitors. PSG have won five of the last eight league meetings, with Strasbourg winning once and the other two fixtures finishing as draws.

Contrasting form

Strasbourg have slipped to 11th place following their back-to-back defeats. Their challenge will be to improve their attacking efficiency and make full use of home advantage against the French champions.

PSG, by contrast, are in confident mood. Having already put together a five-match winning sequence, they strengthened their run with a statement result at Manchester City, winning 4-2. They will now attempt to carry that form into the league despite hosting FC Barcelona on Tuesday.

Prediction and odds

PSG are regarded as clear favourites, with a 70% probability of victory. Strasbourg are given a 13% chance of winning, while the likelihood of a draw is listed at 17%.

Africafoot’s prediction is a 3-0 victory for PSG.

The match is also listed by betting company 1xbet with Strasbourg priced at 6.25 to win, a draw at 5.60 and a PSG victory at 1.38.

Bournemouth lead Sturm Graz 1-0 at half-time in their Europa League league-phase meeting at Vitality Stadium on Thursday.

Evanilson put the hosts in front in the 43rd minute with an outstanding header from Adam Smith’s cross, rewarding Bournemouth’s control of the opening period.

Bournemouth made the brighter start and frequently looked to attack down the flanks. Marcus Tavernier had the first clear opportunity in the 12th minute, but his effort flew over the crossbar.

The hosts continued to apply pressure, with Ben Gannon-Doak particularly effective when driving forward on the right. Evanilson appeared to have opened the scoring in the 28th minute, only for the goal to be ruled out because of an infringement involving Oumar Diakite inside the penalty area.

Bournemouth did not have to wait long for a valid breakthrough. Smith delivered a precise cross from the right shortly before the interval, and Evanilson met it with a header from distance. The Brazilian striker judged the attempt perfectly, lifting it over the Sturm Graz goalkeeper to give his side the lead.

The goal came after Bournemouth had already gone close through Tavernier, who struck the post in the 31st minute.

Sturm Graz created few openings during the first half. The Austrian side were largely occupied with trying to contain Bournemouth’s attacking play and were unable to seriously test the home goalkeeper.

Bournemouth therefore take a deserved advantage into the break, although Sturm Graz remain within one goal and can still draw level if they find an opportunity after half-time.

TSG Hoffenheim and Besiktas were locked at 0-0 at half-time in their UEFA Europa League league phase match at the PreZero Arena on Thursday.

The opening 45 minutes were evenly contested, with neither side able to create the decisive breakthrough. Besiktas had a marginally greater share of possession, controlling 51% of the ball compared with Hoffenheim’s 49%.

Hoffenheim produced five attempts, although only one was on target. Besiktas managed two shots, with one requiring a save.

The only booking of the first half went to Hoffenheim forward Fisnik Asllani, who was shown a yellow card in the 22nd minute.

Both teams will need to improve their finishing after the interval if they are to take control of the match and claim the advantage.

Union Saint-Gilloise came from behind to draw 1-1 with Real Sociedad on Thursday, rescuing a point in the second matchday of the UEFA Europa League league phase.

The Belgian side had dominated the first half without finding a breakthrough, registering eight attempts before the interval. Real Sociedad then took the lead immediately after the restart.

Benat Turrientes, introduced at half-time in place of Yangel Herrera, made an instant impact by scoring in the 46th minute. The Spanish club then sought to protect its advantage as Union Saint-Gilloise increased the pressure in front of their home supporters.

That persistence was rewarded two minutes from time. Sekou Keita, who had come on five minutes earlier, levelled for the hosts in the 88th minute. The goal was confirmed following a VAR review.

Union Saint-Gilloise finished with 15 shots, five of them on target, compared with five attempts and one effort on target for Real Sociedad.

The draw takes Union Saint-Gilloise to four points after two matches. Real Sociedad, meanwhile, registered their first point of the league phase.

TSG Hoffenheim and Besiktas JK have announced their starting line-ups for Thursday’s Europa League fixture at the Rhein-Neckar-Arena in Sinsheim.

The match between the two sides is scheduled to begin at 19:00 GMT on 15 October 2026, with both teams aiming to secure a positive result in the league phase.

Hoffenheim manager Christian Ilzer has selected Oliver Baumann in goal. Vladimir Coufal, Mats Rots, Ozan Kabak and Koki Machida make up the defensive line.

Wouter Burger, Bambase Conte, Leon Avdullahu and Nathan De Cat start in midfield, while Tim Lemperle and Adam Hlozek are named in the attacking positions.

Besiktas, managed by Vincenzo Italiano, will rely on Alexander Nubel as their goalkeeper.

Michael Murillo, Kassoum Ouattara, Emmanuel Agbadou and Emirhan Topcu are listed in defence. Salih Ozcan, Ernest Poku, Junior Olaitan, Orkun Kokcu and Ilhan Fak?l? also start, with Hyeongyu Oh leading the attack.

Both teams are now confirmed for the contest ahead of kick-off.

Official line-ups

TSG Hoffenheim: Oliver Baumann, Vladimir Coufal, Mats Rots, Ozan Kabak, Koki Machida, Wouter Burger, Bambase Conte, Leon Avdullahu, Nathan De Cat, Tim Lemperle, Adam Hlozek.

Manager: Christian Ilzer.

Besiktas JK: Alexander Nubel, Michael Murillo, Kassoum Ouattara, Emmanuel Agbadou, Emirhan Topcu, Salih Ozcan, Ernest Poku, Junior Olaitan, Orkun Kokcu, Ilhan Fak?l?, Hyeongyu Oh.

Manager: Vincenzo Italiano.

Bournemouth and Sturm Graz have confirmed their starting line-ups for Thursday’s Europa League meeting on 15 October, with both Amine Adli and Oumar Diakite named among the substitutes.

The match is the second outing of the league phase, and the two African forwards will be waiting for an opportunity to make an impact from the bench. Adli offers Bournemouth pace and direct running, while Ivory Coast international Diakite could provide Sturm Graz with an attacking option later in the game.

Bournemouth will start with Petrovic in goal. Smith, Antonio Silva, Diakite and Julio Soler form the defensive line, while Tavernier, Cook, Adams and Gannon-Doak are selected in midfield.

Diego Rodriguez and Evanilson lead the home side’s attack. Adli is not included in the starting XI and will begin the match among the substitutes.

Sturm Graz have Khudyakov as their goalkeeper, with Hodl, Matoshi, Gorenc Stankovic and Heil named in defence. Balbo, Petrovic, Quarshie and Malic make up the next line of the team, behind Beganovic and Seidl.

Diakite is listed among the substitutes for Sturm Graz and could be introduced during the match, depending on how the game develops. His potential introduction, along with Adli’s, would give the two managers further attacking choices during the contest.

The official starting line-ups are:

Bournemouth: Petrovic, Smith (C), Antonio Silva, Diakite, Julio Soler, Tavernier, Cook, Adams, Gannon-Doak, Diego Rodriguez, Evanilson.

Sturm Graz: Khudyakov, Hodl, Matoshi, Gorenc Stankovic (C), Heil, Balbo, Petrovic, Quarshie, Malic, Beganovic, Seidl.

AC Milan lead Salzburg 3-0 in their second Europa League match, with Alphadjo Cisse’s clinical finishing proving decisive for the Rossoneri.

Cisse scored twice before half-time to put the Italian side in a commanding position. The forward then completed his hat-trick early in the second half, extending AC Milan’s advantage just as Salzburg appeared ready to push back into the contest.

The move began when the Rossoneri stopped an attack from the Austrian side and quickly broke forward. Adrien Rabiot drove down the left before delivering an inviting cross into the area.

Cisse arrived at the right moment and struck the ball firmly beyond the Salzburg defence to complete his treble.

The goal has seemingly ended Salzburg’s resistance, leaving them needing a dramatic response to get back into the match.

Union Saint-Gilloise and Real Sociedad were locked at 0-0 at half-time in their Europa League match at Den Dreef in Heverlee on Thursday.

The Belgian side had the better of the opening 45 minutes and created eight attempts, although only one was on target. Real Sociedad managed two shots in total as Union Saint-Gilloise tested the Spanish defence more frequently without finding a way through.

Herve Koffi and his Union Saint-Gilloise team-mates also kept Real Sociedad scoreless before the interval, ensuring the match remained level.

Real Sociedad had the greater share of possession, with 53%, but were unable to register a shot on target. The tie remains open ahead of the second half, with both sides needing greater precision in front of goal if they are to take control.

Algeria must beat Zambia on Friday, 16 October, to keep their hopes of reaching the semi-finals of the Futsal Africa Cup of Nations 2026 alive.

The Group A match will kick off at 20:00 Algeria time and 20:00 in Morocco, with the venue being the Ibn Yassine Hall in Rabat. In France, the start time is 21:00.

The fixture will be shown on Moroccan channel Arryadia and on CAF TV, the official YouTube channel of the Confederation of African Football, subject to geographical broadcasting restrictions.

Algeria are appearing at the final tournament for the first time and have yet to claim their first victory in the competition. They began with a 4-0 defeat by hosts Morocco, the three-time defending champions, before earning a historic 2-2 draw against Libya on Wednesday.

The Fennecs rescued that point with two goals in the closing minutes of the match.

That result leaves Algeria fourth in Group A with one point, behind Zambia on three points and Libya on one. Morocco top the section with six points and have already secured their place in the semi-finals.

The race for the second qualifying position remains open. Zambia moved into contention by beating Libya 3-1, but then suffered a heavy 7-0 defeat against Morocco. They take a one-point advantage over both Algeria and Libya into the final round of group matches.

Algeria’s route to the last four is clear but demanding. They have to defeat Zambia and will also be watching the outcome of the other Group A game, in which Morocco face Libya at the same time.

A victory would take Algeria above Zambia in the standings, but it would not necessarily guarantee qualification. If Libya also beat Morocco, CAF’s tiebreaking criteria could be required to determine which team finishes second.

The match therefore offers Algeria the chance to secure the first win in the history of their appearances at the final stage of the competition, while potentially reaching the semi-finals at their first attempt.

Morocco’s meeting with Libya is scheduled to begin simultaneously, ensuring that the final Group A positions will be settled on the last day.

Cesc Fabregas said Como do not currently have a player capable of influencing a match like Anis Hadj Moussa after the Algeria international inspired Feyenoord Rotterdam to a 3-2 victory in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Hadj Moussa scored Feyenoord’s second goal and played a major part in their third as the Dutch side recovered from falling behind to Assane Diao’s 18th-minute opener for the Italian club.

The Algerian levelled the contest’s momentum when he cut inside on to his left foot before producing a finish that found the net. He then contributed to the decisive third goal, with his long-range effort striking the post before rebounding off goalkeeper Robert Sanchez and crossing the line.

Those two decisive moments left a strong impression on Fabregas, Como’s manager, who praised Feyenoord’s performance while accepting that his side had been second best.

“They are a very good team, who know how to play very well. We have the same ideas. I think they were simply better than us today,” said the former Spain international.

Fabregas then singled out Hadj Moussa for particular recognition.

“Anis Hadj Moussa is an exceptional player and, at the moment, we do not have this kind of player who is capable of making the difference in this type of match as he does.”

The assessment carries added weight given Fabregas’ reputation for high standards and his own experience alongside some of the game’s most celebrated players, including Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and Thierry Henry.

Hadj Moussa’s display also reflects the praise he received from Robin van Persie, the former Feyenoord manager who was familiar with the winger’s qualities and regularly spoke highly of him.

The 23-year-old’s influence has extended beyond his European performances. In the Eredivisie, the Algeria international has scored five goals and provided one assist in seven matches.

He scored four times in two games during September and was subsequently named the Dutch league’s player of the month.

That form comes after an unsettled summer in which Hadj Moussa’s future was the subject of sustained speculation. He was repeatedly linked with a move away from Rotterdam, including reports of interest from Al-Ittihad, but ultimately remained at Feyenoord.

He now appears to have taken another step forward at the club. Having earned Van Persie’s confidence, Hadj Moussa has also won the emphatic approval of Fabregas.

Both men are former Arsenal stars, and both have been impressed by the same Algerian talent.

Ayyoub Bouaddi’s decision to represent Morocco rather than France is already being viewed as a missed opportunity in France after the 18-year-old impressed despite Manchester City’s 4-2 defeat by PSG in the Champions League on Wednesday.

The midfielder’s performance has revived debate over whether France could have benefited from his qualities, particularly with Zinedine Zidane potentially favouring technically gifted players if he takes charge of Les Bleus.

Dave Appadoo was among those struck by Bouaddi’s display. Speaking on L’Equipe du Soir, the Franco-Mauritian journalist praised the Moroccan international while expressing regret that France had not secured his commitment.

“He completely changed City’s game when he came on. It is a real failure for French football and for Zidane’s project,” Appadoo said.

Bouaddi’s profile has added weight to the argument. Didier Deschamps traditionally placed considerable emphasis on athletic ability in midfield, whereas Zidane is expected to be more receptive to players who can organise possession, control the tempo and dictate matches.

The inclusion of Lucas Da Cunha in discussions about his preferences has been cited as an example of that approach. Bouaddi has many of the qualities associated with such a role, including his passing, intelligent movement, ability to withstand pressure and notable maturity for his age.

Born in Senlis, Bouaddi still has plenty to learn, but his performances against Porto and PSG suggest he is already capable of competing at the highest level of European football.

His progress has also cast fresh light on comments made by Faycal Fajr when Bouaddi announced his decision to represent Morocco in May.

As Moroccan supporters celebrated the arrival of the former French international into the country’s youth set-up, the former Lions de l’Atlas midfielder struck a more sceptical tone.

“If he really had the level, he would already be in the France team,” Fajr wrote on Instagram.

After being accused of jealousy, Fajr later clarified his position.

“At no point did I say Bouaddi was not a good player, and certainly not a great talent. But if the France coach did not call him up, there is a reason,” he said.

Bouaddi’s performances now invite that reasoning to be reconsidered. The fact that Deschamps did not select him at the age of 18 did not necessarily mean he lacked the potential to join France in the coming months, particularly under a different manager with alternative footballing principles.

Whether he would have been given an opportunity by Zidane cannot be established, although it appears a strong possibility.

Morocco, however, did not wait for that question to be answered. The federation worked extensively to persuade Bouaddi, presented him with a sporting project and made clear its intention to include him in the national team’s future.

While France had not yet taken the step of calling him into the senior squad, the Lions de l’Atlas acted at the right moment.

Now that Bouaddi is attracting attention in the Champions League with Manchester City, Morocco can feel vindicated. France, meanwhile, will never know what the midfielder might have achieved under Zinedine Zidane.

Amin Chiakha’s performances for Rosenborg BK have begun to attract attention from several European clubs, with the Algeria international emerging as one of the more closely watched players on the transfer market after an impressive season in Norway.

The 19-year-old forward has kept his focus on his current objectives despite the growing interest. Rosenborg paid €5m to sign Chiakha permanently from FC Copenhagen, underlining the Norwegian club’s belief in his potential and long-term value.

His displays could now lead to opportunities in more prestigious European leagues. Asked by Norwegian newspaper Adresseavisen about the possibility of continuing his career elsewhere in Europe, Chiakha made clear that he has ambitions to progress.

However, his immediate future remains under his control. Chiakha is contracted to Rosenborg until 2030, giving the club a strong position should interest in the striker develop into formal approaches.

His estimated market value is €8m, according to Transfermarkt – €3m more than Rosenborg paid to secure his permanent transfer. For now, the Algeria forward appears to favour continuity while keeping open the possibility of taking the next step in his career.

Rosenborg’s next fixture will be against Sarpsborg 08 in the 24th round of the Norwegian championship.

Bayern Munich host RB Leipzig on Saturday evening in a potentially significant Bundesliga meeting between two sides hoping to move closer to the top of the table.

Both teams are targeting victory in the sixth matchday of the German championship, with attention focused on the players expected to start at the Allianz Arena.

Bayern Munich

Bayern will be without Jamal Musiala, who remains sidelined with injury. Manuel Neuer is expected to return in goal, while Michael Olise, Harry Kane and Luis Diaz are likely to form the attacking line.

Kane arrives in strong European form after scoring twice in Bayern’s most recent Champions League match.

Bayern Munich's probable XI

Goalkeeper: Manuel Neuer

Defenders: Konrad Laimer, Jonathan Tah, Kim Min-jae, Nathaniel Brown

Midfielders: Aleksandar Pavlovic, Ismael Saibari, Joshua Kimmich

Forwards: Michael Olise, Harry Kane, Luis Diaz

RB Leipzig

Leipzig have three injury absentees for the fixture, with Baumgartner, Guiu and Ouedraogo all unavailable.

Christopher Nkunku is expected to lead the attack after scoring a hat-trick against Eintracht Frankfurt. Antonio Nusa and Tidiam Gomis are also among the attacking players likely to attract attention.

RB Leipzig's probable XI

Goalkeeper: Maarten Vandevoordt

Defenders: Ridle Baku, Willi Orban, Castello Lukeba, David Raum

Midfielders: Ezechiel Banzuzi, Neil El Aynaoui, Andrija Maksimovic

Forwards: Christopher Nkunku, Antonio Nusa, Romulo Cardoso

The match forms part of the sixth round of the Bundesliga, with Bayern expected to start as clear favourites. The odds published by 1xbet make Bayern Munich 1.21 to win, with a draw priced at 8.00 and an RB Leipzig victory at 10.00.