₦airaland Forum

The house of representatives has appealed to the UK government and parliament to temper justice with mercy in sentencing former deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, his wife, Mrs. Beatrice Ekweremadu, who were found guilty of organ harv£sting.

The lawmakers also called on the federal government to take diplomatic steps to intervene in the matter.

The resolution was passed at the plenary session on Tuesday, May 2, following the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Toby Okechukwu, a lawmaker from Enugu state.

Following the adoption of the motion, the lawmakers asked the clerk of the lower legislative chamber to convey their resolutions in writing to the British embassy, the UK government and the parliament.

Ekweremadu is due to be sentenced on May 5 at the Central Criminal Court, Old Bailey.

Presenting the motion, Okechukwu said: “Senator Ike Ekweremadu acted within his limited knowledge of the UK laws and did write to the UK High Commission to support the medical visa application for the potential donor and did declare the purpose of the trip.

Senator Ekweremadu and Mrs. Beatrice acted under the natural instincts of parents to save an ailing daughter, and not for commercial purposes.

It is a common practice in international relations for nations, including the UK, to seek relief for their citizens involved in situations such as that of the Ekweremadus.

The House is also aware of the longstanding history and cordial ties between Nigeria and the UK.

The predicaments of Ekweremadu’s ailing daughter, who needs the financial support and parental love of her parents to scale through her dire health challenge. The Ekweremadus must have learnt their lessons.”

Games do not get any bigger than this. It was a Premier League matchday 33 clash which did not disappoint, pitting table-toppers Arsenal against title hopefuls Manchester City. Coming into this one, the Sky Blues knew they would have their seventh Premier League trophy within reach should they win, while Arteta's men needed the three points at all costs after letting their grip slip in recent weeks.

Right from the get-go the Citizens looked like they were on a mission, but they did initially sit back to soak up a spell of Arsenal pressure. The counter-attack was certainly their best friend for the opener, which came on the 7' minute thanks to a wonderful De Bruyne strike. After receiving a pin-point Haaland ball, the Belgian star took on what seemed like the whole of the Arsenal side before opening fire from outside the box into the bottom corner.

It looked like City had an addiction for goals after that, with Guardiola urging his side forward relentlessly. He certainly got his wishes, with Erling Haaland enjoying peppering Ramsdale's goal. Despite a few efforts on target for the Norwegian, he couldn't find the net though, with the English keeper coming to resuce. One of the Gunners' only positive points was being one of the only sides to prevent Haaland from converting off three shots.

More pain was inevitable, although, after John Stones rose the highest off a free-kick to prod home the header. After initially being ruled out, VAR adjugded the England centre-back to be onside, sending the Etihad into delirium once more.

Arsenal drew 2-2 against West Ham last Sunday in the Premier League but could have won if Saka had scored the penalty goal.

The Gunners won a penalty for a handball by West Ham striker Michail Antonio and the England international took it. However, Saka soon stepped up only to fire the shot wide round Fabianski's right post.

Arsenal leged David Seaman talked about the 21-year-old on his podcast: "You know what, the West Ham result feels worse than the Liverpool one," he said.

"They were supposed to have learned their lessons from last week. That’s what was really annoying. If we don't win the league, that will be remembered as a pivotal point.

"It's a great time to play Arsenal now, we've had a little blip and a little wobble. Hopefully Manchester City have a little wobble," added the former goalkeeper about Arsenal's title race.

Madrid have a great opportunity to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League. On Tuesday, Real Madrid visit Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea, who have to turn around the 2-0 first leg deficit at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Ancelotti is wary of the Londoners and in the last training session before the game, the Italian gave a talk to try to get his players to understand what he wants for the game.

"We have to play a complete game. We're in good shape. We have to show desire, commitment and attitude like we had in Wednesday's game (first leg with Chelsea) and also on Saturday's game (Cadiz). Attitude and courage at the back for the defence in every game," said the Italian.

Everything suggests that the coach will field the same team that won the first game against the Blues at the Santiago Bernabeu. Vinicius and Kroos were present at training and will be back after resting against Cadiz.

Chelsea will have to come from behind against Real Madrid at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday if they want to progress to the next round of the Champions League.

Kepa Arrizabalaga, who plays for the Blues, spoke at the pre-match press conference and said it will not be an easy task: "Obviously we need a better performance than we had in the Bernabeu.

"We need to control better their counter-attacks, we need to spend better the time with the ball, we need to create more chances for sure. We need to score goals and we need to be more clinical in both penalty areas. I think this is going to be key," he added.

"It's not going to be easy but I don't think we are going to need the performance of our lives. We need a good performance obviously, we need to play at our best, and we cannot over-think. We have to go step by step, we have to defend well, we have to attack well and do a great game.

"We need to push to keep them in their own half, that is something we can work on for tomorrow. Hopefully tomorrow we can involve all the fans, all of Stamford Bridge, by playing our best and make the atmosphere that we need in this game to go through. We have to do the right things from the beginning and push as much as we can," Kepa concluded.

While the next stage of his career is being cooked up, Lionel Messi was the star of a new advert for 'Louis Vuitton'. In a section of the launch interview, the Argentine surprised everyone and said that his future is not yet sorted.

"A horizon for me means looking towards to the future, letting myself loose with my own imagination. Thinking about what could come next, what could happen and imagine a bit", the current PSG player said.

He then went on to say something which will have excited all Barcelona fans: "I don't know what lies ahead, what my future will be, but like I said at the start, I like to think about it, think about things which could happen".

"But really I don't know what lies ahead it'll be what it ends up being, it's got to be whatever God wants, and it will be", the man from Rosario added, who will have to make up his mind in the coming weeks.

Messi's contract runs out with the French side in June of this year and he still hasn't come to agreement to renew there. Barca, however, have presented a plan to La Liga to see about the possibilities of being able to comply with the Financial Fair Play rules and signing the Argentine.

There's still nothing officially confirmed, but it wouldn't be out of the question for him to return to the Catalan side. The next few weeks will be key to clear the whole situation up.

Arsenal's six-point lead at the top of the table could be halved by the time they visit West Ham on Sunday. Both matches will also have a bearing on the battle to beat the drop with only six points separating Leicester in 19th from Wolves in 13th. In-form Aston Villa could force their way into the top-four race when third-placed Newcastle visit Villa Park. Manchester United are also looking to take a step closer to next season's Champions League at Nottingham Forest. AFP Sport looks at some of the key talking points ahead of the action.

City hit top form
Leicester look like lambs to the slaughter ahead of their trip to the Etihad due to the contrasting form of both clubs. Dean Smith will take charge of the Foxes for the first time after a nine-game winless run that has seen them slip to second bottom in the Premier League. City, on the other hand, have scored 34 goals in winning their last nine, including a 3-0 demolition of Bayern Munich in midweek.

Despite the gap at the top, the title race is back in City's hands as they have played a game fewer than Arsenal and also host the Gunners in their next league game after this weekend on April 26. Erling Haaland took his tally for the season to 45 against Bayern on Tuesday and the Norwegian has more records within his reach on Saturday. Haaland needs just two more goals to match Mohamed Salah's Premier League record of 32 in a 38-game season.

Arsenal had matched City's recent run stride-for-stride until they stumbled in a 2-2 draw at Liverpool last weekend to blow the title race wide open once more. "We know that everything is in our hands and we just have to keep going game by game," said Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka ahead of the trip to West Ham. "If we win these last eight games and get some good results, the title can be ours, so we just have to stay focused."

Villa enter European race

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has ruled out signing Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham, and made use of the metaphor of a little 5 year-old child not being able to get a Ferrari for Christmas because "it's very expensive".

The Reds pulled out of the fight for the English midfielder this week because investing €100 million on just one player could put the team's rebuild in jeopardy.

"I don't have anything to say about it. It's not about Bellingham, it's just I don't understand why we talk about things we can't have. We can't pay €100 million for six players in the summer", Klopp explained in a press conference.

"We're not kids, when you ask a five year-old what they want for Christmas, they say a Ferrari, you'd tell them that it was too expensive and that they can't drive it. They may even get sad because they didn't get their Ferrari. But you've got to work with what you've got. We try to get what we need and what we want, but there are times when we have to accept things and go for something else", the German admitted.

frenchfederation logo
LOADING OFFICIAL CONTENT
Liverpool will not attempt to sign England international Jude Bellingham, one of the world's most sought-after players, because of his high price tag in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The Reds are looking to rebuild their squad after a disastrous season in which they will not lift any trophies and are struggling to qualify for the Champions League, but according to 'The Times', Liverpool have ruled out spending more than 100 million euros on a single player, who would also be on a high salary, as they believe it could affect the overall rebuild, which will need several additions, especially in midfield.

This moves are more in line with the policy carried out by Jurgen Klopp and his team in recent years, always signing talent before they emerge so as not to get into bidding wars like the one that Bellingham, who is also wanted by the likes of Real Madrid and Manchester City, is expected to provoke.

The German has several midfielders in mind to reinforce Liverpool. Yuri Tielemens, who finishes his contract at the end of the season at Leicester, Matheu Nunes, who has been a great performer at Wolves, Gravenberch, who has no place at Bayern Munich, Alexis Mac Allister, who has excelled for Argentina at the World Cup and at Brighton, Moises Caicedo, one of Brighton's surprise packages in the Premier League, and Mason Mount and Connor Gallagher, who have dropped down the pecking order at Chelsea.

Despite this flood of names, Klopp is said to have asked for only two midfielders, as Naby Keita and Alexander Oxlade-Chamberlain will leave the Reds at the end of the current season.

Jude Bellingham, who came through the youth ranks at Birmingham City and had his shirt retired when Borussia Dortmund signed him, has been in Germany since 2019, where he has established himself as one of the best players in the Bundesliga. The midfielder is capped 24 times for England.

Although the world of football works on a seasonal basis, it is also interesting to look at it through the calendar year; to see how a player overcomes the changes of the summer and rounds off the 12 months. Therefore, below we highlight the top scorers throughout the whole of 2023.

These are the players in the major leagues who have scored the most goals for both their clubs and their national teams in all official competitions. This means League, Cup, European and international tournaments, including national team friendlies, qualifiers, etc.

Kylian Mbappe was the top scorer in 2022 with 56 goals. The World Cup helped him open up a lead over Erling Haaland, second in this ranking with 46, ahead of Robert Lewandowski with 41. All three are once again major contenders for this award in 2023.

The likes of Leo Messi and Karim Benzema, as well as classics such as Harry Kane and Wissam Ben Yedder, are also expected to compete for this year's crown, and we'll see what surprise 2023 unveils. Here is their provisional ranking of top scorers.

job as the Englishman paid the price for slipping to 11th in the Premier League table. That was not the return the club's American ownership group was expecting after investing over £500 million in new players in their first season in charge, on top of the £2.5 billion they paid for the club.

The board have already chosen Potter's replacement until the end of the season. Former Spain coach Luis Enrique travelled to London on Wednesday to sign his new contract as Chelsea manager, according to 'Jijantes'.

The Spanish coach could face Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals in less than a week's time. However, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano, the Blues are still considering Julian Nagelsmann.

Luis Enrique said he would like to coach a Premier League team when his time with the Spanish national team ended after the World Cup in Qatar. Barcelona were the last team he coached in 2017 and the Spaniard is set to take charge of a hopeless Chelsea side.

It was news which had been speculated for a while, but Chelsea made the departure of first team coach Graham Potter official on Sunday evening. The London club are now on the look out for someone to take the reins, and fast.

The Premier League giants are wallowing down in 11th place in the English top flight, and they have a daunting Champions League quarter-final coming up against Spaniards Real Madrid. This makes their hunt for a new coach even more frantic as they look to turn their fortunes around.

And they're not short of potential candidates. One of their main targets, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano, is recently sacked German manager Julian Nagelsmann. The club have "already approached" the experienced coach, who was most recently at serial winners Bayern Munich before they axed him due to shaky form.

He, according to the source, "is the favourite" to take on the role, but "talks will continue to make a final decision". One thing for sure is that Todd Boehly will be rushing to find a replacement in order to try and turn the club's season around, and get a bit back from his €600 million investment in signings.

The Barca fans are still confident that he'll come back, just like the rest of the club are. In fact, the side have got the ball rolling to try and get him back, considering what Gerard Romero said to 'Jigantes'.

The journalist claimed that Barcelona are now working with big sponsors to fund the return of their beloved one. The Catalan side have opened the door to the financial markets so that the move would be economically viable.

What's more, the source claimed that he couldn't give any more details about the news, but that the combination means the club are getting a bit closer to Messi. Having said that Gerard Romero made it clear that he doesn't want to say that it's a done deal nor that he's going to return for 100%.

The moves Barca are carrying out at the moment are generating optimism inside the club as well as for Messi. Both parties think it's possible that next season he may be wearing the red and blue once more.

It's been one of the main ties in the calendar in most recent years. Whether it be in the Premier League, Carabao or FA Cups or the Champions League, Manchester City-Liverpool has never failed to offer the ultimate showdown between two of the country's best sides, with goals sprouting from everywhere.

Perhaps it's the mix of both sides' unrelenting desire to attack, the fact that City have recently been striving to enter English football's history books with their achievements, or even Klopp's somewhat renaissance of the former Liverpool that we were so used to seeing, but we've certainly been treated at least twice every season when these two meet.

This Saturday, both giants meet in Manchester lock horns once more, this time the Etihad playing host. The Premier League matchday 29's encounter comes at arguably a better time for Guardiola's side, who are currently propping up second spot in the league. They've got some work to do if they are to catch the Gunners, though, as the Mancunians are a significant eight points behind at the time of writing.

As for the visitors, they will be making the short trip east with sights firmly set on the top four. A win on the road this Saturday would go a long way for them in potentially securing a Champions League come the end of the season, as well as keeping the pressure firmly on rivals Tottenham and Newcastle, who both kick off after Klopp's men.

Team news
Manchester City are arugably the most hampered going into the clash, with a couple of big names either in doubt or outright unavailable. After going through surgery to remove his appendix while he was on international duty, star forward Phil Foden was forced out of the England camp, forcing him to be out for an unspecified amount of time. It's a loss which could certainly prove costly for City's title bid.

Elsewhere, goal-machine Erling Haaland is in doubt after not training with the side. The Norwegian was not able to join his compatriots in Spain or Georgia last week, and he's therefore a serious doubt for this Saturday. It's another big blow for Guardiola, who will be desperate to get his star on the pitch considering he's scored an eye-watering 28 goals so far in the competition.

As for Liverpool, spirits were lifted after Colombian star Luis Diaz was spotted back in first team training yesterday with the Reds. This adds another potent attacking threat to Klopp's already strong armoury, as he'll be hoping to get revenge for Liverpool's last outing at the Etihad.

History and form
City go into this one with the better form, winning their last seven in all competitions. Thanks to Guardiola's side's stellar form of late, they're purring nicely in the competitions which remain.

As for The Reds, it's been a bit more of an up-and-down story. With just two wins in their last six outings, they'll be hoping to put behind them the disappointing Champions League defeat they had against Spanish giants Real Madrid, as well as trying to turn things around from their last domestic game on the road to Bournemouth which saw them fall 1-0.

As previously promised, his tie never fails to disappoint, with there being more than one goal in all but one of the 11 previous encounters. That reaches back to the 3rd January 2019, as both sides have gifted fans with attractive football for as long as the stats go back.

Details
Game: Man City vs Liverpool

Location: Etihad Stadium, Manchester

Time: 1st April 2023, 13:30 CEST

SEARCH

Daily Post Nigeria
Daily Post Nigeria

NIGERIAN NEWSPAPERSNigerian Newspapers: 10 things you need to know this Thursday morningPublished on March 30, 2023By Ochogwu Sunday



Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers:


1. The President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, said he won’t disappoint Nigerians when he assumes office. Tinubu said he could not afford to squander his mandate as the nation’s next President because it was a dream that he spent his life perfecting.

2. Some key political players are plotting to foist an Interim Government in Nigeria, according to the Department of State Services (DSS). President-Elect Bola Tinubu is due for inauguration on May 29, but in a statement on Wednesday, Dr. Peter Afunanya, DSS spokesman, stated that some persons have weighed various options, which include foisting interim government after obtaining frivolous court injunctions.

3. Prof. Nnenna Oti, Returning Officer for the Abia State governorship election, has confessed that she was offered a bribe to manipulate the election. Speaking while being welcomed by the staff and students of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Oti, who is the Vice Chancellor, said before the final declaration of the result, she was promised huge monetary inducement to change the will of Abia people.

4. The United States has announced an increase in certain non-immigrant visa application (NIV) processing fees. The increases, published in the Federal Register on March 28, 2023, will be effective on May 30, 2023.


SEARCH

Daily Post Nigeria
Daily Post Nigeria

NIGERIAN NEWSPAPERSNigerian Newspapers: 10 things you need to know this Thursday morningPublished on March 30, 2023By Ochogwu Sunday



Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers:


1. The President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, said he won’t disappoint Nigerians when he assumes office. Tinubu said he could not afford to squander his mandate as the nation’s next President because it was a dream that he spent his life perfecting.

2. Some key political players are plotting to foist an Interim Government in Nigeria, according to the Department of State Services (DSS). President-Elect Bola Tinubu is due for inauguration on May 29, but in a statement on Wednesday, Dr. Peter Afunanya, DSS spokesman, stated that some persons have weighed various options, which include foisting interim government after obtaining frivolous court injunctions.


3. Prof. Nnenna Oti, Returning Officer for the Abia State governorship election, has confessed that she was offered a bribe to manipulate the election. Speaking while being welcomed by the staff and students of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Oti, who is the Vice Chancellor, said before the final declaration of the result, she was promised huge monetary inducement to change the will of Abia people.


4. The United States has announced an increase in certain non-immigrant visa application (NIV) processing fees. The increases, published in the Federal Register on March 28, 2023, will be effective on May 30, 2023.


5. Gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State, Nasir Yusuf Gawuna, has congratulated his New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) rival in the election, Abba Kabir Yusuf, (popularly known as Abba Gida-Gida). The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Yusuf as the governor-elect, a declaration Gawuna and his party had challenged.

6. Kano State Governor-elect, Abba Kabir Yusuf (popularly known as Abba Gida-Gida) of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) yesterday said that his wives and children will not have any role in the governance of the state when he takes over in May.


SEARCH

Daily Post Nigeria
Daily Post Nigeria

NIGERIAN NEWSPAPERSNigerian Newspapers: 10 things you need to know this Thursday morningPublished on March 30, 2023By Ochogwu Sunday



Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers:


1. The President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, said he won’t disappoint Nigerians when he assumes office. Tinubu said he could not afford to squander his mandate as the nation’s next President because it was a dream that he spent his life perfecting.

2. Some key political players are plotting to foist an Interim Government in Nigeria, according to the Department of State Services (DSS). President-Elect Bola Tinubu is due for inauguration on May 29, but in a statement on Wednesday, Dr. Peter Afunanya, DSS spokesman, stated that some persons have weighed various options, which include foisting interim government after obtaining frivolous court injunctions.


3. Prof. Nnenna Oti, Returning Officer for the Abia State governorship election, has confessed that she was offered a bribe to manipulate the election. Speaking while being welcomed by the staff and students of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Oti, who is the Vice Chancellor, said before the final declaration of the result, she was promised huge monetary inducement to change the will of Abia people.


4. The United States has announced an increase in certain non-immigrant visa application (NIV) processing fees. The increases, published in the Federal Register on March 28, 2023, will be effective on May 30, 2023.


5. Gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State, Nasir Yusuf Gawuna, has congratulated his New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) rival in the election, Abba Kabir Yusuf, (popularly known as Abba Gida-Gida). The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Yusuf as the governor-elect, a declaration Gawuna and his party had challenged.

6. Kano State Governor-elect, Abba Kabir Yusuf (popularly known as Abba Gida-Gida) of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) yesterday said that his wives and children will not have any role in the governance of the state when he takes over in May.



7. The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has attributed the spike in cancer and organ failure in the country to increasing use of bleaching creams by Nigerians. This is as the agency said a national cosmetics safety policy would soon be released.

8. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday, presented certificates of return to governors-elect of Kano State, Kano, Oyo, Benue, Ebonyi, Nasarawa and others, as well as their deputies and House of Assembly member-elects.
The colourful ceremonies were held amid tight security across the country.

9. The National Emergency Management Agency has confirmed receiving 151 Libyan returnees at the cargo wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos State. The Coordinator, Lagos Territorial Office, NEMA, Ibrahim Farinloye, who confirmed the development in a statement on Wednesday, said the distressed returnees include 88 females and 63 males.

10. The Labour Party has said it was confident that Nigerians wouldn’t be intimidated into abandoning their legitimate, legal right to seek judicial redress to reclaim their mandate which was freely given to the LP Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi but allegedly brazenly stolen. Chief Spokesperson of the Labour Party, Dr Yunusa Tanko, said this in response to an alarm raised by the Department of State Services, in Abuja, yesterday.

Christian Eriksen suffered an injury in Manchester United’s FA Cup fourth round victory against Reading when he was tackled by Andy Carroll. However, he showed on social media that he is already recovering.

Moreover, the 31-year-old spoke about his recovery process on the United podcast: "I'm very good, very well thank you. It's weird not being on international duty, you are normally away and now it's more the thing you are following your national team, and you are here instead of being with them," he said.

The Danish midfielder was asked about the photos he posted on Instagram and his possible return: "It's going well. I have just started being outside as you saw [on Instagram] with football boots on. And then we take it from there, that's the next step. I have been in the gym for some weeks now and now it's time to do the next rehab session outside.

"I think earlier in my career I would have taken it a lot harder than I do now. You learn later on that it's just part of your career. Sometimes you are lucky, sometimes you are not," Eriksen continued.

"With this one particularly, when I can't do anything myself, when somebody came on to me, the mindset is just getting back as soon as possible in a healthy, strong way and not to get any setbacks," he concluded.

The Denmark international hopes to be back in training with his teammates soon and Erik ten Hag could have him back for the next few games, even if he only plays a few minutes.

The 38-year-old, who was dropped from the Portuguese first-choice XI during the World Cup in Qatar last year, won a 197th cap for his country in Lisbon as a starter. He netted a 51st-minute penalty after earlier goals from Joao Cancelo and Bernardo Silva, before drilling home a free-kick 12 minutes later.

It was Ronaldo's record-extending 120th goal for his country and made him the first man to score 100 times in competitive internationals. Portugal made the perfect start to their qualification campaign with a straightforward win against Liechtenstein.

Cancelo scored the only goal of the first half in the eighth minute but the floodgates opened after the break. Bernardo Silva doubled the advantage less than two minutes into the second period before Ronaldo hammered a penalty into the bottom corner.

A powerful free-kick from the edge of the box flew through the hands of goalkeeper Benjamin Buchel to complete the scoring. Ronaldo was substituted late on for Ramos, with the much expected changing of the guard put on the back burner.

Portugal will visit Luxembourg in their second Group J qualifier on Sunday. They have also been drawn alongside Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland and Slovakia.

Mesut Ozil has decided to retire from professional football. Istanbul Basaksehir enjoyed his performances until the 34-year-old got injured. For this reason, Ozil believes "it's time to leave the big stage of football".

The former Real Madrid player announced his retirement on Twitter: "After a thoughtful consideration, I'm announcing my immediate retirement from professional football. I've had the privilege to be a professional football player for almost 17 years now and I feel incredibly thankful for the opportunity.

"But in recent weeks and months, having also suffered some injuries, it's become more and more clear that it's time to leave the big stage of football. It has been an amazing journey filled with unforgettable moments and emotions. I want to thank my clubs: Schalke 04, Werder Bremen, Real Madrid, Arsenal, Fenerbahce and Basaksehir. And the coaches who supported me, plus teammates who have become friends," he continued.

"Thank you to all my fans who have shown me so much love no matter the circumstances and no matter which club I was representing. Now I'm looking forward to everything that is in front of me with my beautiful wife, Amine, and my two beautiful daughters, Eda and Ela - but you can be sure that vou will hear from me from time to time on my social media channels. See you soon," he concluded.

Ozil, born in the German city of Gelsenkirchen but of Turkish descent, played on some of football's biggest stages but also became embroiled in international politics and accusations of racism. When Germany were knocked out of the 2018 World Cup at the group stage, a wounded Ozil accused the German public of "racist" attacks.

His club career blossomed when his deft passing and vision helped secure his move from the Bundesliga to Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid side in 2010. He soon led La Liga in assists while helping the Spanish club to their 32nd league title in 2012. His big-money move to Arsenal in 2013 helped the London club end their FA Cup drought the following year.

In 2014, Ozil started the final as Germany beat Lionel Messi's Argentina 1-0 in the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro thanks to Mario Goetze's extra-time goal. Ozil was repeatedly shortlisted for the Ballon d'Or but the later stages of his career were troubled by disputes over playing time and his close personal friendship with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Erdogan was the best man at Ozil's Istanbul wedding to former Miss Turkey and actress Amine in 2019. But it was Ozil's decision to be pictured with Erdogan on the eve of Turkey's 2018 presidential election that caused particular controversy during that summer's World Cup. Erdogan was then unleashing a sweeping political crackdown that followed a failed coup attempt against his government.

Ozil's picture with the Turkish leader was widely interpreted as his political endorsement of Erdogan in the 2018 election campaign.He ended his international career before moving to Fenerbahce and most recently Istanbul Basaksehir.

Barcelona snatched a 2-1 Clasico win over Real Madrid with Franck Kessie's late goal on Sunday to move 12 points clear at the top of La Liga.

The English newspaper 'Daily Mail' talked about Sunday's El Clasico and journalist Pete Jenson, who wrote the article, talked about the futures of Robert Lewandowski and Karim Benzema.

"When Barcelona signed the Pole last summer they gave him a four-year contract despite his age. The 34-year-old remains La Liga’s top scorer but he has slowed post-World Cup and his better days this season have come against La Liga’s lesser lights – in Europe and against Real Madrid he has made less of an impact. Barca will not threaten in Europe in the coming seasons if he is spearheading their attack.

"Real Madrid have resisted signing a replacement for the 35-year-old, holding out for Kylian Mbappe and hoping the Frenchman repeats last season’s brilliance. They can’t go into next season with only Karim as their centre forward," he wrote.

The victory dents Madrid's ambitions of retaining the title and leaves the Catalans close to lifting the trophy for the first time since 2019. Carlo Ancelotti's Madrid took the lead through a Ronald Araujo own goal but Barcelona pulled level when Sergi Roberto tucked home just before half-time.

Both sides had chances to win the game and Marco Asensio struck for Madrid, but the goal was ruled offside by VAR, before Alejandro Balde set up Kessie in the 92nd minute.

"It's not definitive but it's a very important step. Twelve points clear at the top of La Liga, we are having an extraordinary league campaign, I am very happy for that and proud to watch the team play," Xavi told reporters.

Comeback charge
Barcelona had significantly more possession than in their cup win over Madrid and significantly more chances, but Madrid nearly won it. Madrid substitute Asensio fired home but the goal was ruled out for offside after a nervy wait for VAR instruction.

"We did not win because of an offside that we're still doubtful about. I was not so sure. We have doubts about it, and we go back to Madrid with this doubt," complained Ancelotti.

Barcelona seemed content with the draw but Kessie's last-gasp strike sparked wild celebrations at Camp Nou.

"I don't have the feeling (the league is won). It's a considerable advantage but we can't relax. The atmosphere was extraordinary, how the fans supported the team," added Xavi.

Earlier Real Sociedad held on to fourth place with a 2-0 win over Elche on Sunday. They are under pressure from Real Betis and Villarreal who both won too. Betis, fifth, are three points behind the Basque side after they beat Mallorca 1-0, while Villarreal, sixth, thrashed Osasuna 3-0 on the road and sit four points behind the Andalusians.

Sevilla fell to a disappointing 2-0 defeat at Getafe as their topsy-turvy season continued, leaving Jorge Sampaoli's side 14th and two points above the drop zone.

Sean Dyche's side were moments away from a damaging defeat until Simms scored his first goal for the club to stun Stamford Bridge into silence. Everton's show of defiance came after they twice trailed in west London.

Joao Felix had put Chelsea ahead early in the second half with his second goal since joining on loan from Atletico Madrid in January. Abdoulaye Doucoure's equaliser was followed by Kai Havertz's third goal in his last three appearances as the German converted penalty in the closing stages.

Simms was on loan at Championship side Sunderland earlier this season, but the 22-year-old showed he could be Everton's saviour in the relegation battle with his crucial leveller. Everton are now two points clear of the relegation zone after extending their unbeaten run to three games.

It was a bitter pill for Chelsea to swallow as Graham Potter's team squandered the chance to clinch a fourth successive win in all competitions. The match was marred by homophobic chanting from Everton fans, who could be heard singing "Chelsea rent boy".

It was announced in January that clubs could be charged by England's Football Association if their fans sang the offensive song. The UK's Crown Prosecution Service defined the term as a hate crime last year.

That was an ugly side to a memorable match that started with Chelsea's Mateo Kovacic volleying just wide from the edge of the area. Chelsea were monopolising possession but Jordan Pickford kept Everton on level terms with a brave save as the keeper dived to block at Felix's feet.

Felix, a constant menace with his quick feet and clever movement, forced Pickford to save his effort from 18 yards. Hampered all season by a lack of cutting edge, Chelsea had scored more than once in just two games in all competitions in 2023.

Tottenham will leapfrog third-placed Manchester United if they beat struggling Southampton while Newcastle can strengthen their push for a Champions League place by seeing off Nottingham Forest.

At the other end of the table, just five points separate 12th-placed Crystal Palace from basement club Southampton.

AFP Sport' looks at some of the key talking points ahead of the weekend's action in the English top flight.

Arsenal eye clear blue water
A month ago Manchester City beat Arsenal 3-1 to go top of the Premier League table as Mikel Arteta's men wobbled. Now the Gunners can pull eight points clear of the defending champions if they beat Palace at the Emirates on Sunday. Arsenal have won all five league games since their defeat to City - their only loss at home this season - while their closest rivals dropped two precious points against Forest.

A 3-0 victory at Fulham last weekend was the 100th win of the Arteta era, which started in 2019. It came in the Spaniard's 168th game in charge, meaning his overall win percentage of 59.5 is the highest for any Arsenal manager in history.

Arteta has been deprived of the services of Eddie Nketiah, who is out of action with an ankle injury, but Gabriel Jesus returned to action last week following knee surgery to add more firepower. January signing Leandro Trossard has also made a big impact in the final third - the Belgian provided all three assists at Fulham.

Champions League battle
Behind Arsenal and City, the race is also on for the two remaining places in next season's Champions League. Manchester United, in FA Cup quarter-final action this weekend, appeared to have a strong grip on third but that has been loosened after their 7-0 pummelling by Liverpool and a disappointing goalless draw against Southampton.

Victory at Southampton on Saturday would lift Antonio Conte's Spurs one point above United, though they would have played two games more. Draw specialists Newcastle beat Wolves 2-1 last week to reignite their top-four push after a spell in which they won just one of eight league games.

"We'd gone a few weeks without that feeling - we wanted to return to our best and I felt we did," said Newcastle boss Eddie Howe. "Hopefully we can build on it." Liverpool and Brighton are not in action this weekend, meaning Brentford would go sixth if they condemn Leicester to a fifth straight defeat in all competitions.

Serie A leaders Napoli take on AC Milan in an all-Italian showdown and Inter Milan face Portuguese league leaders Benfica. The winners of Real's tie against Chelsea will go on to face either City or Bayern in the semi-finals, throwing open the possibility of an all-English last-four tie. That also increases the chances of seeing an Italian team reach the final for the first time since Juventus in 2017, as Inter will play either Milan or Napoli in the last four should the Nerazzurri beat Benfica.

Real's path to what would be a 15th European Cup is starting to look remarkably like last season, when they beat Chelsea and City before defeating Liverpool in the final. Carlo Ancelotti's team are fresh from beating Liverpool in the last 16, and will now hope for a repeat of a year ago when they eliminated Chelsea 5-4 on aggregate in the quarter-finals.

The teams also met in the semi-finals in 2021, when the Stamford Bridge side won on their way to lifting the trophy for the second time. City's ongoing bid to win the Champions League for the first time faces a major obstacle in a Bayern side who knocked out Paris Saint-Germain in the last round.

It will be the first encounter between the clubs since the 2014/15 group stage, when Guardiola was in charge of the German giants. Guardiola left Bayern to join City in 2016, but is still chasing after a first Champions League title as a coach since winning it with Barcelona for the second time in 2011.

Italian accent
The draw appears somewhat lopsided, with the four richest clubs left in the competition all on the same side, while Italian clubs find themselves in the other half. A year ago no Serie A side made it beyond the last 16, but now the runaway Italian league leaders Napoli will face the team who won the domestic title last season.

Napoli won 2-1 away to Milan in the league earlier this season and are due to host the seven-time European champions in Serie A on April 2nd, just a week and a half before the first leg of their Champions League tie. Napoli are the only other club left in the competition other than City who have never won the trophy, while Inter's meeting with Benfica brings together two teams who have won it five times between them.

Benfica lost to Liverpool in the last eight a year ago and have never reached the semi-finals in the Champions League era. Inter, currently second in Serie A, 18 points behind Napoli, have not reached the semi-finals since last winning the trophy under Jose Mourinho in 2010, the last victory for an Italian club in the Champions League.

The quarter-final first legs will be played on April 11th and 12th, with Real entertaining Chelsea at the Santiago Bernabeu first before travelling to London for the return a week later, and City at home to Bayern first. Inter were drawn to play Benfica at home initially but will now travel to Lisbon for the first leg to avoid a clash with Milan's meeting with Napoli at San Siro.

The semi-finals will be played in May with the final in Istanbul scheduled for Saturday, June 10th.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has advised politicians who didn’t win in the presidential and National Assembly polls and those that might not succeed in their ambitions in the forthcoming governorship and state assembly elections to consider doing business or other areas of interest.

The former President also narrated how he almost cried when he was voted in as Vice President in the 2007 presidential election because he never wanted to become one.

Jonathan stated this when he paid a condolence visit to governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State over the death of his father at Sampou Community in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of the state.

“As a leader in the country who had the privilege of serving at the state level and national level, I can only advise that politics is not about that you must be there. If God wants you to be there, you will be there. If it is not yet your turn to be there, you will not be there. When I became a vice president I almost cried, I never wanted to, but that was my destiny and I had to move.

“So, I advise people who are interested in these offices and their supporters to conduct themselves very well. They want to serve us, not to serve themselves.

“I always tell people that if you are so ambitious, then go into business. If you want to be in the state assembly and people don’t want you, fine, go and sleep. You want to be a governor and people don’t want you, go and sleep or do business.

“But if you want to serve us as people then you must be humble and you will not kill us before you serve us. So, people must conduct themselves peacefully and if God wants them to win their elections, they will win their elections,” Jonathan said.

Before the 2007 general elections, Jonathan, who was the Governor of Bayelsa State, was chosen as Yar’Adua as running mate in the presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). They won the election and he served as the Vice President for three years before the passing of Yar’Adua.

After the wild last 16 first leg clash at Anfield in February left Madrid sitting pretty with a three-goal advantage, Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp said his side only had a one percent chance of turning the tie around. They stemmed the bleeding at the Santiago Bernabeu but never looked like mounting a stirring comeback of the type they managed against Barcelona in 2019, or AC Milan in the 2005 final.

Madrid have now knocked Liverpool out of the Champions League in three consecutive seasons, including beating them in last year's final. The 14-time record winners showed the nous to keep Liverpool at arm's length, with defenders Eder Militao and Antonio Rudiger determined to shut out the visitors, along with goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

Reigning champions Madrid could have significantly stretched their lead, save for a series of superb stops by Liverpool stopper Alisson Becker and some unusually profligate finishing. In the first leg, Madrid were lethal, with Vinicius Junior and Benzema netting twice each - neither had their shooting boots on in the Spanish capital.

Eventually they combined for Madrid's winner after 78 minutes, with Vinicius slipping as he tried to shoot, but managing to hook the ball into Benzema's path for a simple tap-in. Madrid's only worry was seeing their captain limp off after his goal amid an injury-hit season.

Liverpool, wildly inconsistent in this campaign, took heart from their 7-0 thrashing of Manchester United in the Premier League, but could not produce the same magic under the Bernabeu lights.

Klopp started with Diogo Jota alongside his usual attacking trio of Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo, deploying as much firepower as he could to try and mount a comeback. The first chance of the game fell to Nunez but Courtois thwarted the Uruguayan, who was fed by Salah.

At the other end Madrid sliced open Liverpool but Toni Kroos could not find Benzema, back after missing the win over Espanyol in La Liga on Saturday with an ankle problem. Vinicius did produce a superb pass to feed the French striker, but Benzema miscontrolled and could not get a shot away.

The hosts began to dominate, running rings around James Milner and Fabinho in midfield, and Alisson made a stunning save to deny Vinicius from point-blank range. Eduardo Camavinga, selected over Aurelien Tchouameni in defensive midfield by Ancelotti, crashed a long-range effort against the crossbar, with Alisson getting his fingertips to it.

The Brazilian goalkeeper denied Vinicius at his near post after he got in behind Trent Alexander-Arnold - not for the first time - and watched a Luka Modric drive fly narrowly over. Liverpool showed signs of life near the end of the first half, with Nunez forcing Courtois into a full length stop with a curling effort.

However Madrid were on top at the start of the second half and Alisson foiled Fede Valverde as he ran through on goal, before fielding a tame Benzema follow-up. Camavinga impressed in midfield and helped create Benzema's goal, with a drive forward pass in the build-up.

The striker has now scored seven times in the Champions League against Liverpool, more than any other player. Benzema is key to Madrid's bid to lift the trophy for a sixth time in 10 seasons, if he can stay fit.

The coach had admitted, after his team's 5-2 first leg defeat by the European champions at Anfield in February, that his side's hopes of progress were extinguished. However Klopp said he had changed his mind a little, and even if nobody else believed in his side, they were looking forward to the clash in the Spanish capital, a repeat of last season's final.

"I said three weeks ago, Madrid with their result are through to the next round, now we are here three weeks later and we know there's a game to play," Klopp told a news conference. "If there's only a one percent chance, I would like to give it a try. We're here to play an extremely strong opponent and try to win the game tomorrow.

"As difficult as it is, it's not likely, but possible. For that, we are here, we'll see where it leads us to." Six-time champions Liverpool have produced both the sublime and the ridiculous in recent weeks, thrashing rivals Manchester United 7-0 in the Premier League, before losing 1-0 to relegation-threatened Bournemouth last weekend.

Klopp's side, expected to fight for the title, have languished in mid-table at times this season but are now aiming at a top four finish. "If we can surprise ourselves in a negative way we should be able to surprise ourselves in a positive way as well," said the German coach. "But it's clear, we're not here telling Madrid, 'be careful, we're coming!' - that's not the situation we are in."

DAILY POST reports this is according to information obtained from CBN’s website on Tuesday.

Accordingly, the apex bank stated that the two-day meeting would be held from 20 March to 21 March 2023 in Abuja.

MPC is the highest policy-making committee of the Bank with the following mandates; Review economic and financial conditions in the economy; Determine appropriate policy stance in the short to medium term; Review regularly the CBN monetary policy framework and adopt changes when necessary.

The 290th MPC meeting notice came when Nigeria’s headline inflation rate reached 21.81 per cent in January amid rising energy, food costs and cashless policy implementation concerns.

The Central Bank of Nigeria has directed commercial banks to dispense and receive old naira notes as legal tender across the country.

The CBN gave the directive at a Bankers’ Committee meeting held on Sunday, according to a statement by the acting Director, CBN Corporate Communications, Isa AbdulMumin, on Monday.

This is coming hours after the Presidency Monday evening said the CBN had no reason not to comply with the ruling of the Supreme Court on the naira redesign policy.

It stated that the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), did not instruct the CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, to disobey “any court orders involving the government and other parties.”

But the apex bank in a statement titled, “Old N200, N500, and N1,000 banknotes Remain Legal Tender – CBN’, said the directive was in compliance with Buhari’s administration obedience to court orders.

The statement read, “In compliance with the established tradition of obedience to court orders and sustenance of the Rule of Law Principle that characterised the government of President Muhammad Buhari, and by extension, the operations of the Central Bank of Nigeria, as a regulator, Deposit Money Banks operating in Nigeria have been directed to comply with the Supreme Court ruling of March 3, 2023.

“Accordingly, the CBN met with the Bankers’ Committee and has directed that the old N200, N500 and N1000 banknotes remain legal tender alongside the redesigned banknotes till December 31, 2023.
Consequently, all concerned are directed to conform accordingly.”

The comparison between Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo is timeless and will probably go far beyond the date of their retirements, so every statement from a top player on the subject will be considered with particular interest by fans. Thomas Muller, after eliminating PSG in the last 16 of the Champions League, commented on Bayern Munich's results against both.

"Against Messi, things have always gone well at all levels in terms of results. At club level, our problem was Cristiano when he was at Real Madrid, but I have all the respect in the world for Messi's performance at the World Cup. Individually, he was incredible. He put the team on his back. It's not easy to play against a team like PSG," said the Bavarian captain.

Indeed, this is only the second time the Argentinians have lost to the Germans in the Champions League since winning it in 2015. Their previous elimination came in 2020, when the Allianz Arena side thrashed Barcelona 2-8 at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon. In this way, the Germans have become a headache for the former 'Cule' in UCL.

But has Muller been up against Messi and Cristiano so much that he has such a strong opinion? Yes. BeSoccer Pro show that he has faced the Portuguese eleven times, three times with Germany and eight times with Bayern. His record is six defeats, one draw and four wins. Against the Argentine, in 12 different duels (four with Germany and eight with Bayern), he has won nine times and lost three.

Celta could have found a replacement for star striker Iago Aspas. Gabri Veiga has become one of the surprise packages of the season in La Liga. As a result, several Premier League and Bundesliga giants have already had their eye on him. According to 'Relevo', the English clubs are Manchester United, Arsenal and Newcastle.

The names of the German clubs that have sent scouts to Spain to monitor his development have not been revealed, however. The source mentioned in the first paragraph assures that the presence of these specialists is usual at the stadium of the Galician team, who do not intend to negotiate his departure. In other words, the club will ask for the 40 million euro that his termination clause costs.

At the moment, the 20-year-old has a contract until 2026 and is very comfortable at the club, although he is negotiating a change of agent. Until that happens, it seems that the issue on the player's mind is whether to look for a summer exit to take advantage of his breakthrough or to sign a renewal.

Gabri Veiga's breakthrough is a recent one, and although he was called up to the first team on ten occasions last season, this year is different. He has become one of his coach's favourite assets. The Spaniard's brace and assist against Real Valladolid, his brace against Real Betis or his goal against Sevilla are proof of his quality.

Leading 1-0 from the first leg in Paris last month, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting put Bayern in front on the night at the Allianz Arena and substitute Serge Gnabry wrapped up the victory a minute from time. Bayern were worthy winners against a flat PSG side, for whom neither Kylian Mbappe nor Lionel Messi had the expected impact on the game while Neymar was missing with an ankle injury.

It is the second season running in which PSG have gone out of the Champions League in the last 16, and the fifth time in the last seven campaigns the Qatar-owned club have failed to go beyond the first knockout round. They were not helped by injuries in defence, with captain Marquinhos forced off after 36 minutes with a rib problem and his replacement, Nordi Mukiele, also having to be substituted at half-time.

Vitinha might have put the French champions in front in the first half, but Matthijs de Ligt cleared his attempt off the line. Bayern went ahead just after the hour mark, Leon Goretzka setting up the unmarked Choupo-Moting for an easy finish after Marco Verratti had been dispossessed in his own box. Sergio Ramos came closest to getting the visitors back into the game before Gnabry clinched Bayern's victory late on.

This result puts Bayern into the UCL quarter-finals after they dump out PSG from the trophy which they were so desperate for.

Current FC Barcelona President Joan Laporta spoke to the media at Barcelona's Circulo Ecuestre and talked about Lionel Messi's situation, whose contract is up with PSG at the end of this season, and who could return to Catalonia.

"Why did he leave? I had to make a decision. The club goes above anything else. We didn't have the 'Fair Play' rules. I'm sad. I had to choose and I chose the club. We saw each other in Paris", the Catalan side's main man said.

He then went on the tell the truth about the meeting he had a few weeks ago with the star's dad and agent, Jorge: "We met. I congratulated him for Argentina's win. We spoke about the hommage for Messi, who really loves Barca".

"Is he going to return to our club? I don't want to speak about it for respect to the player, who's playing at PSG. Leo's situation isn't about the money, we spoke about a hommage", Laporta said.

For now we don't know where Leo Messi will be playing next season. The Argentina captain admitted that's he's comfortable at PSG, but a possible Champions League exit could speed up his departure.