Bayern Munich forward Thomas Mueller said yesterday the Champions League holders are “happy to be playing in our competition again” ahead of their group-stage game at Lokomotiv Moscow. Bayern visit the Russian capital today looking to build on a 4-0 thrashing of Atletico Madrid in last week’s Group A opener. “We’re happy to be playing in our competition again,” Mueller said. “We want to continue the flow we currently find ourselves in. We’re confident, the team is in form, the omens are positive.”
Bayern, who have won their last six matches in all competitions, have reached the Champions League knockout stage in each of the last 12 seasons. “Bayern are always among the favourites, we are always in the mix in spring,” added Mueller, who has won the European Cup twice with the Bavarian giants. “At the moment, we feel very, very strong, but that won’t help us in March and April when it comes to the knockout stage. However, I have faith in the club and the team.”
Lokomotiv had to settle for a 2-2 draw at Salzburg last week before suffering a shock defeat in the Russian Premier League by Rotor Volgograd.
CONMEBOL planning to 
allow fans into next year’s Copa America
The South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) is making plans to hold next year’s Copa America in stadiums filled with fans if a vaccine is found in time, one of the senior members of the organisation said.
The tournament, set to be held in June and July 2021 in Argentina and Colombia, was held over from this year due to the pandemic but officials said they are optimistic fans will be able to attend what is one of the region’s biggest sporting events. “The projection is to realize a Copa America with full stadiums if a vaccine is found for the coronavirus,” Gonzalo Belloso, CONMEBOL’s development director, told Reuters. “If that’s not possible we are also working with the possibility of stadiums that are at 30%-40% of capacity.” Belloso said a final decision will rest with the host nations. 

Man denies charges 
in connection with 
Sala plane crash
A 66-year-old man appeared in court yesterday in connection with the death of Argentine footballer Emiliano Sala in a light aircraft crash last year. Britain’s Civil Aviation Authority charged David Henderson with two offences under the Air Navigation Order 2016 earlier this month.
At a hearing in Cardiff, he denied endangering the safety of an aircraft, and attempting to discharge a passenger without valid permission or authorisation. Sala, 28, died after a single-engine Piper Malibu aircraft flown by David Ibbotson crashed north of the Channel island of Guernsey in January 2019.
He had just become then-English Premier League side Cardiff’s record signing, and had been returning from his former club Nantes when the plane went down. Sala’s body was found the following month but that of Ibbotson, 59, has not been recovered.
Air accident investigators concluded that Ibbotson was not licensed to fly the plane or at night, and that he lost control and flew too fast as he tried to avoid bad weather. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch said the pilot, who also had had no recent practice on instrument flying, was affected by carbon monoxide poisoning.

AC Milan goalkeeper 
Donnarumma tests positive for coronavirus
AC Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma has tested positive for coronavirus and will miss the Serie A leaders’ next three matches, the club said. Milan were playing Roma late last night and Donnarumma will also sit out Thursday’s Europa League match against Sparta Prague and this weekend’s game with Udinese.
Young Norwegian striker Jens Petter Hauge and three members of club staff have also tested positive for Covid-19. In Italy, for asymptomatic cases like Donnarumma’s, the self-isolation period must last at least 10 days and is lifted after a negative test. He could possibly return for Milan’s Europa League clash with Lille on November 5.