The president of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has denied making contact with Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola over the men’s national team role.

Brazil are fourth in the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying standings having lost four of their 10 games, with existing head coach Dorival Júnior taking over from Fernando Diniz in January 2024.

“Although he is one of the greatest coaches in the world, there was no involvement from the CBF to make any contact,” Ednaldo Rodrigues, CBF president, said to ESPN Brasil.

“We’ve been working with the coaching staff led by Dorival Júnior and we’re satisfied. Yes [Dorival continues], the point is that he has a contract, the CBF has until 2026, he goes until the World Cup … It’s up to him.”

Guardiola’s future is up in the air as his contract with Man City expires at the end of the season.

He has led the club to four Premier League titles in a row and six of the last seven, as well as winning a Champions League in the 2022-23 season.

In October Guardiola told a news conference that he had yet to make a decision on his future while expressing sadness over the departure of City’s football director Txiki Begiristain.

Brazil take on Venezuela and Uruguay in the upcoming international break. The top six teams in the CONMEBOL standings qualify automatically for the 2026 World Cup, with the seventh-placed nation entering an inter-continental playoff.

Minutes after the injury to star striker Robert Lewandowski was confirmed, it has now been confirmed that Lamine Yamal has also been sidelined with an injury by journalist Santi Ovalle.

Yamal, 17, missed Sunday’s La Liga clash against Real Sociedad with the club confirming that his absence was a result of a ‘contusion’ he suffered earlier in the week against Crvena Zvezda.

Having sat out of Sunday’s defeat at Reale Arena, the Spanish rising star arrived at Ciutat Esportiva earlier today to undergo tests and determine the extent of his problem.

Now, it has been confirmed that Yamal is indeed injured and will be facing a period of two to three weeks on the sidelines.

It also means that the Barcelona sensation will not travel to the Spain national team this week for their upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures.

Yamal has been one of Barça’s best players this season and his absence on the field was felt when the Catalans lost to Sociedad on Sunday.

With the youngster now expected to be out of action for two to three weeks, the winger could miss the Blaugrana’s first game after the international break against Celta Vigo and possibly even against Brest in the UEFA Champions League.

Former Besiktas forward Nihat Kahveci made controversial statements about Victor Osimhen after Galatasaray’s 3-2 win against Samsunspor in a Turkish Super Lig encounter held at Ali Sami Yen Spor Kompleksi RAMS Park on Sunday, according to Allnigeriasoccer.com

The reigning African Footballer of the Year continued his rich vein of form by scoring two headed goals, taking his tally for the Lion to 8 goals in nine all-competition appearances.

Osimhen registered nine shots, a record in a Super Lig match in the ongoing season.

The Napoli loanee became the first player to score or assist in each of his first six games in the Turkish Super Lig since 2014-2015 when Opta started collecting data in this area, and won seven aerial duels.

After scoring, Osimhen paid tribute to Mauro Icardi, who is sidelined with a season-ending injury, holding up the Argentine striker’s jersey for the fans to see.

Reacting to Galatasaray’s win against Samsunspor, sports commentator Nihat Kahveci praised Osimhen for his performance, playfully remarking that the striker’s mask must have a magnet pulling the ball toward it.

He said on the Kontraspor YouTube channel, via Fanatik: “Osimhen looks like a single striker but it’s a lie. Rolland Sallai played like a striker, became a double centre forward. Mertens played like a striker, became a double centre forward. Even Yunus Akgün came there.”

He added: “He’s a monster. Not just with the goals he scores, but with everything he does. They should examine his mask, is there a magnet, is it attracting the ball?”

Osimhen has been recalled to the Nigeria squad for their Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Benin and Rwanda, after missing last month’s game against Libya due to injury.