Author: Oladimeji Adeoye

Troost Ekong, the vice captain of the Super Eagles, has disclosed that he struggled with injury during the recently concluded AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire.  In a heartfelt message to PAOK fans, Ekong stated that it’s time for him to consider undergoing surgery for a full recovery. He explained that despite his willingness to play through the pain to support his club and country, further assessments and consultations have led him to decide that surgery is the best long-term option. Ekong emphasized his commitment to returning to the game better than ever. “PAOK FAMILY, As many know, I got injured during…

Bala Mohammed, the head coach of Gombe United, has resigned from his position with the club. His departure comes amidst reports of financial difficulties impacting the team’s performance.  Gombe United’s recent struggles, exacerbated by financial constraints, have led to Mohammed Bala’s decision to step down. The team, currently in 18th place with 24 points from 21 games, faced further setbacks when their game against the NPFL defending champions was postponed due to their bus breaking down en route to the match in Aba. However, the match has been rescheduled for today following their travel challenges.

Gombe United FC has reached out to the NPFL management to request a postponement of their 22nd match against Enyimba FC of Aba.  This request follows a breakdown of their team bus on the Lafia-Markudi road while heading to Abia today, leaving them two hours away from kickoff. The players and officials are currently stranded along the Lafia Road, awaiting transportation to Makurdi before proceeding to Aba for the league encounter.

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has acknowledged that his future with the club is not within his control, emphasizing his positive relationship with the club’s owners.  Pochettino stated, “If I have still time at Chelsea? It’s not in my hands…” He further expressed confidence in his rapport with the owners and sporting directors, indicating that the decision to continue his tenure lies with them. “We have very good relationship with the owners and sporting directors. It’s up to them to trust or not”. “It’s not the coach’s decision”. Pochettino, who took charge on May 29, 2023, on a two-year contract with…

In the FA Cup quarter-finals match between City and Luton Town, Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne were standout performers, contributing to City’s victory with a total of 9 goal involvements.  Haaland scored five goals, while De Bruyne provided four assists. Their exceptional performance helped City secure a 6-2 win over Luton, despite commendable efforts from Jordan Clark and Ross Barkley, who combined for both of Luton’s goals Haaland’s five-goal haul equaled a club record for most goals in an FA Cup match, with De Bruyne assisting the first four. Guardiola emphasized the synergy between Haaland and De Bruyne, highlighting…

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed that French forward Christopher Nkunku will miss Chelsea’s FA Cup fifth-round encounter against Leeds United due to an injury that will be further evaluated in the coming days. Nkuku played 67 minutes during Chelsea’s defeat suffered against Liverpool during the FA Cup Final on Sunday at the Wembley Stadium. He has only been featured 10 times following his summer move from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig the France international is now set for another spell on the sidelines. ‘We need to evaluate him (Nkunku) every day,’ Pochettino said during his pre-match press conference ahead of…

Brighton and Hove Albion manager Roberto De Zerbi has given an update about winger Kaoru Mitoma who is set to be sidelined for the rest of the season through back injury. Brighton, who seek to go for a spot in the quarter-finals of the Emirates FA Cup for the second year in a row, will lock horns against Wolves at the Molineux on Wednesday, kicking off at 7.45pm. At his pre-match press conference on Tuesday, head coach Roberto De Zerbi said that Kaoru Mitoma’s back injury will probably keep him out for the rest of the season. Evan Ferguson (ankle)…

A few years after Klopp joined Liverpool, the team experienced consistent losses in finals, but Pochettino, in his recent post-match interviews, emphasized the importance of maintaining positivity despite their recent defeat to Liverpool in the FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium.  Pochettino pointed out that despite Liverpool’s earlier struggles in finals under Klopp, they eventually turned things around due to their resilience and determination. He stressed the need for hard work and improvement, highlighting Liverpool’s journey as an example of perseverance leading to success. ‘When you’re playing for a trophy, nothing you can say will make them feel better. They…

Everton Football Club who were sanctioned with 10 points deduction after breaching the English FA rules have been forgiven with points sanctions reduced to 6. The relaxed and reduced points deduction have now risen Everton from 17th to 15th on the Premier League log. Recall that around November last year, the club was punished via points deduction for breaching Premier League financial rules. The club was slammed 10 points reduction in November for breaching profit and sustainability rules (PSRs) in the three years to 2021-22. The punishment, which is the biggest in Premier League history—took Everton from 14th to 19th…

Liverpool’s Jürgen Klopp has defeated Chelsea yet again in the final of the Carabao Cup after 120 minutes of stringent contest. Jürgen Klopp quadruple remains alive with the team hoping to seal the second Premier League title and the first UEFA Europa League trophy under his guidance. In the first half, both clubs fiercely contested, with Chelsea having a goal disallowed by VAR and Liverpool forced to substitute Gravenberg due to Caicedo’s dreadful tackle on his ankle. Despite Liverpool’s slight advantage in possession (54% to 46%), the half ended scoreless. In the second half, Chelsea stepped up, maintaining a 50/50…

Since making, its debut in the Nigeria top-flight league (NPFL), Doma United of Gombe suffered its inaugural home defeat, losing 0-1 to Enugu Rangers.  Since earning promotion to the NPFL last year, Doma United has played 39 league games, securing 16 wins, enduring 13 defeats, and settling for 10 draws. The defeat occurred at the Pantami Stadium, Gombe, with Ugwueze scoring the lone goal for the Rangers. This loss dropped Doma United to the 7th position in the league standings. Despite a promising start to the season, Doma United now finds themselves five points behind league leaders Remo Stars, who…

Nigerian duo, Calvin Bassey and Alex Iwobi played crucial roles in Fulham’s victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford. This marked their second appearance for Fulham since returning from the AFCON, where they represented Nigeria. The first half was tightly contested, with both teams sharing possession equally and registering eight attempts on goal each. In the second half, the score remained level until Calvin Bassey scored a superb goal for Fulham in the 65th minute. However, Harry Maguire equalized for Manchester United just before full-time. Alex Iwobi, who was named man of the match, secured the win for Fulham in…

During his pre-match conference ahead of the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool at Wembley Stadium, Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino provided updates on player availability and absences.  He mentioned the need to assess a few players to determine their readiness for Sunday’s game and highlighted Thiago as a potential inclusion pending evaluation tomorrow. ‘We need to assess a few players still to see if they can be involved on Sunday,’ said Pochettino. ‘We will know tomorrow if we can recover some players from injury. ‘Thiago has a chance, tomorrow we will see if he is ready to be involved in the…

Real Madrid has confirmed that Joselu will be sidelined due to a bone oedema in his right ankle, marking the team’s 32nd injury of the season. This setback comes after a medical assessment following his injury. Daniel Carvajal will also be absent from the next La Liga match due to a red card received in the previous game. Despite the injury challenges, Real Madrid maintains its top position in the league standings with 62 points after 25 games, leading second-place Girona by 6 points. Joselu’s absence, with his significant contributions of 13 goals and 4 assists this season, will be…

Former Barcelona full-back Dani Alves has been sentenced to four years and six months in prison for sexual assault following an incident involving a 23-year-old woman at a nightclub in Barcelona.  Evidence presented in court from the Audiencia Nacional confirmed that the woman did not consent to sexual activity with Alves, ultimately leading to his conviction. Despite denying the allegations, Alves plans to appeal the verdict, with his lawyer asserting his innocence. “We will appeal as I’m still convinced that Dani is innocent”, Inés Guardiola added today. In addition to the prison sentence, Alves has been ordered to pay €9,000…

Napoli’s new manager Francesco Calzona commended his team’s performance against Barcelona following a 1-1 draw on Wednesday night. He was announced as the team’s head coach a day ago and his first game in charge was a big contest against the La Liga giant Barcelona at the Stadio Armando Maradona Stadium, in Italy. Robert Lewandowski fired the visitors to an early lead in the second half of the stringent encounter, but of course, Osimhen’s 75th-minute strike (which was Napoli’s only shot on goal) leveled up the game at 1-1; both teams sharing the spoils at full-time. It was Osimhen’s first…

FC Bayern and Thomas Tuchel’s relationship has brutally ended after the club provided an update on the German relinquishing his position as the team’s head coach. “FC Bayern Munich and head coach Thomas Tuchel have jointly decided to end their working relationship, which was originally set to run until 30 June 2025, on 30 June 2024. This is the outcome of a constructive discussion between CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen and Thomas Tuchel.” FC Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen: “In a good, open discussion, we decided to end our working relationship by agreement in the summer. Our goal is to pursue a new…

Chelsea Football Club has appointed Brighton’s head of recruitment Sam Jewell, according to Sports Transfer Journalist Fabrizio Romano. Sam Jewell becomes the 11th staff member to join Chelsea from Brighton since Boehly took over Chelsea in the past 17 months. In that 17 months span: Graham Potter, Billy Reid, Björn Hamberg, Bruno Saltor, Ben Roberts, Kyle McCauley, Paul Winstanley, Robert Sánchez, Marc Cucurella. Moisés Caicedo, Sam Jewell have all switched club allegiance from Brighton to Stamford Bridge. According to Fabrizio, Jewell will be part of a multi-club project to bring in and select new players for Chelsea and more clubs.…

Serie A defending Champions Napoli has announced the departure of its first team head coach Mazzarri through the club’s President post on his Twitter page (now X).  The President, who appreciated Mazzarri for his time with the club in his Tweet, also revealed his successor; Francesco Calzona will take charge of the first team manager role according to the President. “The De Laurentiis family and of Napoli, for having supported the team in a complex moment. He will remain in the hearts of the Neapolitans and of our family. Welcome back to Francesco Calzona, who has already worked with us…

Olympique de Marseille has cut ties with first team head coach Gennaro Gattuso, who joined the club in September according to Fabrizio Romano. Gattuso and his backroom staff will leave the club while the club works on replacing them as soon as possible. “Gennaro Gattuso has been sacked by Olympique Marseille, decision made. OM are already looking for a new head coach after recent poor results — Gattuso has been informed this morning.” His dismissal came after the defeat his side encountered away to Brest last night in the Ligue one. The defeat leaves Marseille in the 9th spot on…

Super Eagles defender Zaidu Sanusi has suffered another injury blow after the Nigerian was stretchered out in the 31st minute during FC Porto’s home victory against Estrela on Saturday. Portuguese giant FC Porto will miss Zaidu during the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League slated for this week. It is his first game for Porto since returning from the AFCON where he represented Nigeria. He was a key player for the Super Eagles, playing every game except for one where he didn’t make the match day squad. It could be an ending season for the 27-year-old following the…

This marked their second draw of the season, following a 4-4 draw at Stamford Bridge earlier.  In a fiercely contested first half, Raheem Sterling scored in the 42nd minute to give Chelsea the lead. However, Chelsea mounted a strong defense in the second half, with Rodrigo’s 82nd-minute strike leveling the score at 1-1. Manchester City’s dropped points see them trailing behind Arsenal and Liverpool by 2 and 5 points respectively, with a game in hand. Chelsea, securing a point at the Etihad Stadium, moves up to 10th place in the league standings with 35 points.”

Liverpool outshone Brentford in their English Premier League encounter, securing a commanding 4-1 victory at the Brentford Community Stadium in London.  Darwin Núñez’s brilliant chip past the Brentford goalkeeper gave Liverpool an early lead in the 35th minute, with his goal proving to be the difference at halftime. Despite an unfortunate first half that saw Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota forced off due to injuries, Liverpool extended their lead in the second half with Mac Allister doubling the advantage in the 55th minute, assisted by Salah, who later found the net himself in the 68th minute. Despite Brentford’s efforts to…

The Equatorial Guinea Football Association has suspended Emilio Nsue, the top scorer of the 2023 AFCON after he made allegations of corruption against the FA on his Instagram page.  Nsue claimed that the FA took one million euros for themselves, leaving the national team in poor condition after their elimination from the tournament. “These cancerous and corrupt people who manage football in Equatorial Guinea took 1 million euros for themselves by leaving the national team in bad conditions.” He also stated that players had to pay for their own outfits before their match against Nigeria, and he was allegedly expelled…

The Algerian Football Federation is reportedly interested in signing Super Eagles head coach Jose Peseiro, as revealed by Algerian publication DZ Foot. This interest stems from Algeria’s disappointing performance in the recent AFCON tournament in Côte d’Ivoire. Following Algeria’s poor showing in the 2023 AFCON, where they failed to win any of their three group games and finished at the bottom of their group, Djamel Belmadi was relieved of his duties as head coach. According to DZ Foot, Algerian Football Federation President Walid Sadi is keen to discuss with Peseiro, considering his successful campaign at the recent AFCON. A shortlist…

Following the 2023 AFCON, the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has come to the defense of Alex Iwobi amidst numerous criticisms he has faced. Iwobi has been subjected to severe bullying following the Super Eagles’ defeat against Côte d’Ivoire. The NFF issued a statement condemning the relentless criticism aimed at Iwobi, urging Nigerians to refrain from such harsh treatment. They highlighted Iwobi’s dedication and past contributions to the national team, citing his pivotal goal against Zambia that secured Nigeria’s spot in the 2018 FIFA World Cup. “Alex Iwobi does not deserve these attacks. He has a record of utmost dedication to…

Three Super Eagles players, Troost Ekong, Ola Aina, and Ademola Lookman have been nominated for the 2023 African Cup of Nations team of the tournament.  Troost Ekong led the team to their 8th finals in history, featuring in all Super Eagles AFCON games except for the third group A game against Guinea-Bissau, where Nigeria won 1-0. He scored three goals in the campaign, making him the highest-scoring defender in the tournament’s history with a total of 5 goals. He was also voted the tournament’s best player. Ademola Lookman played a crucial role for the Super Eagles, scoring three goals in…

British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe has received approval from the Premier League Board for his acquisition of a 25% stake in Manchester United FC, alongside a $300 million investment in the club.  This follows the completion of the Owners’ and Directors’ Test (OADT). The club’s board recently agreed to alter its ownership structure, a decision clarified by an independent oversight panel. Sir Jim Arthur Ratcliffe, born in 1952, is a British billionaire, renowned engineer, and businessman. He is the founder and CEO of the INEOS chemicals group, which he founded in 1998. The company is estimated to have had a…

The Nigerian Football Federation has urged cooperate organizations to invest in the Nigerian League to help in developing it. The NFF President made this assertion when MTN hosted the Super Eagles team to a breakfast meeting in Abuja following their second place finish in the just concluded AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire. While delivering his speech during the Tuesday dinner in Abuja, Gusau revealed his happiness despite Nigeria finishing as a runner-up to the host nation on Sunday: “All of us here today (Tuesday) would have loved to be celebrating here with the trophy, but unfortunately, God knows why. But we…

The Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa, has urged Nigerians to put an end to the cyberbullying directed towards teammate Alex Iwobi. Iwobi has been under massive criticism from some Nigerians, who feel his playing has been awful since the start of the Nations Cup. The bullying intensified after Nigeria was beaten in the final on Sunday. Musa on his official social media account asserted that it’s inappropriate to target one player for the Super Eagles inability to win the trophy, rather they should show love to them because they need it: “Dear fans, I want to please urge you to…