₦airaland Forum

Portugal has been described as ‘increasingly likely’ to host the Champions League final for the second year running as a result of ‘failed’ talks so far between UEFA and the English FA.

Istanbul was the intended host city for the 2021 final but, having already lost the 2020 final as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, current UK travel restrictions that put Turkey on the ‘red list’ would make it impossible for fans to attend as leisure travel to those countries is banned.

With plans having been made for up to 25,000 fans to attend in Istanbul, London and Wembley Stadium had been put forward as an alternative that would negate international travel for supporters and both clubs. But talks to iron out key details appear to have proven difficult.

According to The Times, the UK government has offered Wembley as an alternative venue to UEFA. But a UEFA request that its staff, as well as media, sponsors and VIPs be granted exemption to quarantine laws that still exist on arrival in the country has not been met.


It is said that talks are ongoing, but where Wembley had been considered the favourite to replace the Ataturk Olympic Stadium, the chances of it actually happening are now ‘in the balance’.


Sky Sports report that UEFA is still ‘torn’ about moving the final from Istanbul to Wembley, but is considering Portugal as a ‘feasible third option’. A final in Istanbul could yet be played in 2023 instead, which would actually fall in the year of the Turkey’s 100th anniversary as a republic.

Lisbon stepped in to host a Champions League mini-tournament last season from the quarter-final stage onwards. This time, Porto would be the replacement host city should Portugal be chosen.
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Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo has insisted that he won’t throw in the towel despite the team losing 3-0 to AC Milan on Sunday.

Pirlo has come under serious pressure after poor form of results in Serie A.

However, Milan delivered a huge blow against Juventus in the battle for a Champions League place as Brahim Diaz, Ante Rebic and Fikayo Tomori scored to put Pirlo’s job on the line.

Reacting to the defeat, Pirlo told Sky Italia that he won’t step down as manager.

“No, I won’t step aside. I took this role with a great deal of enthusiasm amid certain difficulties. I am at the disposal of the club, there are still three games to go, so I will continue doing my work as long as I am allowed to.”

“I said yesterday that the team looked good during the week, we trained with the right mentality and concentration. The team was alive and convinced it could put in a great performance,” Pirlo told Sky Italia.

“Instead that was not the case. We had actually started fairly well, but we lost our way and this was the final result. It’s difficult to explain now. There were many components that didn’t work. When you lose such an important game 3-0 it means many things didn’t work, but I need to evaluate it and then talk it over with the lads with a calm head.”
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Amputee Lagos hawker, Mary Daniel who received massive monetary support from Super Eagles Striker, Victor Osimhen and other well-meaning Nigerians has been discovered to be a member of a fraud syndicate.

Osimhen, like many other Nigerians, was moved by the plight of Mary, who became an instant online sensation had promised to help her plight and duly lived up to his words with a handsome donation.

He first urged his followers on Instagram to get in touch with her and later revealed that he has gotten through to her.

It was gathered that he donated an enormous amount to the women.

But the news filtering in from Lagos on Wednesday might not be pleasant to the ears of the Napoli striker, as Mary Daniel was discovered to have been untruthful about her life and her family.

Daniel, in an interview, claimed she was an orphan with a baby and an aged grandmother to fend for.

She narrated how life dealt her several blows and she had to drop out of school and hit the streets to make ends meet.

Following her harrowing tales, Nigerians started donating money through her bank account made public with about N25m raised.


This prompted the state government to immediately shelter her to prevent criminals from taking advantage of her sudden fortune.


It was gathered Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu immediately handed her over to officials of the social welfare for investigation following revelations her case was staged.

Daniel, it was gathered, was receiving strange calls from those who staged her story with threats to reveal the truth unless she gave them their share of the money.

It was learnt Sanwo-Olu handed her over to officials of welfare in the presence of the police and some Kogi leaders, who attested her father was alive.

Commissioner of Police Hakeem Odumosu confirmed that the young woman was in the custody of officials of the Social Welfare and not the police as earlier reported.

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Nigeria forward Kelechi Iheanacho is the most viewed player on the Transfermarkt website in the last 24 hours.

The Leicester City forward provided an assist and scored the winner in the Foxes’ 2-1 defeat of Crystal Palace in a Premier League tie Monday night at the King Power stadium and the Transfermarkt website has revealed the Nigerian as the top on the list of its 10 most viewed players.

Iheanacho is followed by Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema who spared the Los Blancos blushes Tuesday evening with the equalizer in their UEFA Champions League tie against Chelsea while Lionel Messi, the Argentine who has been inspirational for Barcelona in their bid to reclaim the LaLiga title is third.


Chelsea’s American forward, Christian Pulisic who scored the all-important away goal for the London Blues against Real Madrid Tuesday evening is fourth and he is followed by embattled Juventus forward, Cristiano Ronaldo who has been blamed for the Old Lady’s uninspiring displays in the Serie A this term.


Another Chelsea player, Timo Werner is sixth with former Blues midfielder, Eden Hazard who has spent most of his season on the treatment table at Real Madrid surprisingly seventh, ahead of one of the most sought-after forwards in the world football, PSG’s Kylian Mbappé.

Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland is the ninth most viewed with Turkey striker, Burak Yilmaz incredibly making the cut as the 10th on the list.

Still valued at just €15m, Iheanacho has been in the news since he started his goal-scoring spree against Burnley in the Premier League culminating in the winner against Crystal Palace on Monday. He has scored nine times in his last seven Premier League games and was deservedly voted the Premier League Player of the month of March.
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Lorient forward Terem Moffi has celebrated his first hat-trick in Ligue 1, reports Completesports.com.

The 21-year-old was the star of the show as Lorient boasted their survival hopes with a 4-1 win against Girondis Bordeaux at the Yves Allainmat – Le Moustoir on Sunday.

Moffi scored two goals in the first half before adding the third in the second period.


The forward took to the social media to celebrate his first hat-trick in the French top-flight and the crucial victory.


“Buzzing for the win and 3goals�⚽️⚽️⚽️ ,” the Nigerian wrote on his Twitter handle.

He has now scored 14 goals in 28 league appearances for Lorient this season.
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Conor McGregor has declared he will “smack” Kamaru Usman for “copying his shots” in his victory over Jorge Masvidal on Saturday night.

Usman defended his UFC welterweight championship with an emphatic second-round knockout to defeat Masvidal for the second time in two years.

The Nigerian feinted with his left hand before connecting with a straight right to send his American rival crashing down on the Octagon canvas.

Usman’s victory extends his UFC record to a formidable 14 wins without loss and #1 welterweight contender Colby Covington is likely to be his next opponent.


But McGregor appears to be keen to take on the 33-year-old, as he has grown annoyed of Usman allegedly mimicking his fighting style.


The Irishman posted a clip of him feinting and landing a heavy blow on Dustin Poirier in their January fight and wrote: “Usman even copying my shots now.

“Am I to fight this guy at some stage? I think so.

“Can’t be copying my words and my shots and not get a smack for it. I like 170 [pounds]. It’s mine soon.”

To McGregor’s annoyance, Usman claimed that fighting him is like “green panty night” in one of his pre-fight interviews.

This was a clear nod to McGregor’s famous “red panty night” remark, and it was not lost on the former featherweight and lightweight champion.

“I’m a block at 170 guys,” the 32-year-old wrote on Twitter. “Give me till end of year at this 155 weight.

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Anthony Joshua has said Floyd Mayweather and Wladimir Klitschko are “more than welcome” to join his training camp to help him prepare for his upcoming fight with Tyson Fury.

WBA, IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight champion Joshua is set to face Fury, who holds the WBC title, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in either July or August.

In an appearance on the Disruptive Entrepreneur Podcast, Mayweather, who attended AJ’s win over Kubrat Pulev in December, said there are plans for him to start “working with Joshua real soon”.


Mayweather said: “I look forward to working with Joshua real soon, we talk all the time.

“It’s a very interesting fight. Anthony Joshua has a lot of experience and Tyson Fury as well has a lot of experience but with Anthony Joshua losing a fight [against Andy Ruiz Jr], it helped him become stronger.

“I met Tyson Fury on a few occasions; he’s great guy and very interesting. After the fight I like to see him sing… I haven’t seen him fight a lot of times.

“I’ve seen him fight twice, against Deontay Wilder, but it’s a very intriguing match-up. You can never say what’s going to happen in the sport of boxing. Both guys are great competitors.”

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Kelechi Iheanacho’s recent impressive form has earned him admirers from Premier League’s heavyweights Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea, report claims.

Since the beginning of March, Iheanacho has scored 10 goals in seven games for Leicester, which included a hat-trick against Sheffield United and braces against Manchester United and West Ham.

Last Sunday hescored the goal that secured Leicester a 1-0 win against Southampton and a first FA Cup final in 52 years.


Now, Iheanacho is back on the radar of many clubs. According to Fichajes, United, Chelsea and Arsenal are all interested.


United are currently bracing themselves for the departure of Edinson Cavani as the Uruguay striker is out of contract at the end of the season. Although the club can extend that by a further year, Cavani may prefer to return to South America.

If the former PSG star leaves, United will need to find a replacement. They have been linked with big names like Erling Haaland, but Iheanacho would be cheaper.

Hence, they could attempt to lure Iheanacho back to Manchester – on the other side of the city’s divide.

Alternatively, Iheanacho has two options to end up in London. Chelsea are also in the market for a new centre-forward, for example.

Timo Werner has not scored as many goals as expected since joining from RB Leipzig in the summer. Hence, they are willing to invest in that position again.

They too are linked with Haaland, but reports have cast doubt on how much the Norwegian would want that move. Instead, if they shift their focus elsewhere, Iheanacho could be ideal.

It is claimed that Thomas Tuchel is “convinced” by Iheanacho’s “perfect technical and physical symbiosis”. With Olivier Giroud and Tammy Abraham possibly leaving, the 24-year-old could fill the gap.

Another suitor would be Arsenal, who have doubts about their own strikers’ futures. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has not enjoyed as successful a season since signing a huge new contract, which is cause for concern.

Alexandre Lacazette is approaching the last 12 months of his deal, so Arsenal may need to cash in. Furthermore, Eddie Nketiah could also look for a new club.

That would leave the Gunners with a lack of depth and Iheanacho may be a shrewd signing to reinforce.
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Jose Mourinho has been sacked as manager of Tottenham Hotspur.

The announcement comes just hours after Spurs announced it was part of controversial plans to join a European Super League.

Mourinho, 58, had been in charge of Spurs since November 2019 after taking over from Mauricio Pochettino.

The Portuguese manager’s original deal with the north London club had been due to run until the end of the 2023 season.


In a statement, Spurs said: “The club can today announce that Jose Mourinho and his coaching staff Joao Sacramento, Nuno Santos, Carlos Lalin and Giovanni Cerra have been relieved of their duties.

“Ryan Mason will take first team training today and a further update will follow in due course.”

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy said on the club’s official website: “Jose and his coaching staff have been with us through some of our most challenging times as a club.

“Jose is a true professional who showed enormous resilience during the pandemic.

“On a personal level I have enjoyed working with him and regret that things have not worked out as we both had envisaged.

“He will always be welcome here and we should like to thank him and his coaching staff for their contribution.”

Mourinho’s departure comes with Spurs in seventh position in the table and five points away from the places needed for Champions League qualification. In their last match on Friday, Spurs drew 2-2 with Everton.

It also comes just days before Spurs meet Manchester City in the final of the League Cup at Wembley.
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Kelechi Iheanacho has declared his affection for the FA Cup after helping Leicester City beat Southampton in their semi-final clash at the Wembley Stadium on Sunday, reports Completesports.com.

Iheanacho scored the decsive goal in the second half as the Foxes set up a final with Chelsea, Leicester’s first since 1969.

Brendan Rodgers’ side will look to win the trophy for the first time in their history when they confront the Blues.

No player has scored more goals in the FA Cup since the start of the 2015/16 season than the Nigeria international.


“The FA Cup loves me and I love the FA Cup,’ said Iheanacho.

‘‘I was in the right place at the right time. I’ve been unlucky in the past few years but it’s working out well now and I need to go to the next level.’’

Vardy’s brilliant burst and cross created Iheanacho’s strike and the Nigerian added: ‘The partnership is outstanding. He has pace, he has everything. He set up the goal and I was in the right place at the right time.’

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Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) giants Kano Pillars have confirmed that Super Eagles skipper Ahmed Musa has re-signed with them until the end of the 2020/21 football season, Completesports.com reports.

In a statement from the office of the chairman of the club, Surajo Shuaibu Jambul agreed to sign Musa until the end of this current campaign.

Musa had been without a club since departing Saudi Arabia club Al Nassr in October last year.

But the former CSKA and Leicester City forward has now rejoined his former club.

“Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa, has sensationally returned to Kano Pillars FC for the reminder of the 2020/21 Nigeria Professional Football League season (NPFL),” the statement read.

“Musa previously played for the Pride of Kano in 2009 where he ended the season as the top scorer in the Nigeria Professional Football League with 18 goals before moving to VVV-Venlo in the Netherlands.”

According to Malikawa, the club have agreed to the deal after due consultations with the player and the League Management Company of Nigeria (LMC) whom stand as a mediator to the deal.

Malikawa further stated that the club have received a letter from the League Management Company of Nigeria (LMC) that was signed by the Chief Operating Officer, Malam Salihu Abubakar, that Pillars will sign Musa as an Elite player of the league to the end of the season.

“Ahmad Musa is our own and Pillars FC will continue to support him anytime and anywhere he found himself,” Malikawa said.

Amongst the contractual agreement reached and would be documented between Musa and Pillars, anytime Musa gets an offer, he would be released by the club.

Malikawa concluded that after completing all the necessary documentations, Musa would be unveil by His Excellency, the executive Governor of Kano state, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje before the commencement of the second stanza of the league.

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Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen has splashed cash on one Mary Daniel, an amputee, who hawked water for survival, reports Completesports.com.

Daniel, 26, has been trending on the social media since she was spotted hawking water with one leg.

The young lady according to several reports lost her parents in an accident, which also took away one of her legs.

Instead of resorting to begging, she decided to go into hawking for survival.

She was recently spotted in a video which went viral and many Nigerians decided to make some contributions for her.

Osimhen also saw the video and sent money to her through his friends.
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Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel admits he would prefer to face Real Madrid rather than Liverpool in the Champions League semi-finals after the Blues reached the last four for the first time since 2014.

Chelsea were beaten by Porto on Tuesday night in the home leg of their quarter-final in Seville, Mehdi Taremi’s scoring a stunning injury-time overhead kick for Sergio Conceicao’s side.

But Tuchel’s men had done the hard work in the first leg, winning 2-0 in the away game which was also staged in Seville to render Porto’s late goal irrelevant.

Also Read: Musa Rejoins Kano Pillars Until End Of Season


Chelsea will now face the winners of the Liverpool and Madrid tie, which the Laliga champions lead 3-1 going into Wednesday’s second leg at Anfield.


“In general I like not to play against teams from your same league in the Champions League as it gives more of a feeling of a European competition but that is the only thing. The game is far from over but I will watch it for sure.

“Everything is possible. Liverpool are very strong at home so we take what we get. It is a good situation for us.”

Hailing Chelsea’s progress, Tuchel said: “The semi-finals is a big achievement. It’s a big step to be in the semi-final.

“We’re not used to being there but once you are there you play for the final.”

While Tuchel admitted the game was not a spectacle, Chelsea produced a professional display to keep Porto at arm’s length until it was too late for them to mount a comeback that took the game to extra time.

He said:”It is also part of the performance to not let your opponent perform.

“Today was the day to hang in and show all the effort, all the intensity, all the team spirit, that’s needed if you don’t have the experience, if you have a young team, it’s the moment to be together.

“We talked about what we needed to do if you feel nervous and that is to use your body, work hard and make yourself sweat. This is what we did.”
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Odion Ighalo says he turned down offers from Tottenham Hotspur and other clubs to join Manchester United last year, reports Completesports.com.

Ighalo, 31, joined the Red Devils on loan from Chinese Premier League outfit Shanghai Shenhua in January 2020.

The deal was later extended until 2021 with the forward scoring five goals in 23 appearances for United across all competitions.

Having left English football in 2017 following a three-year spell at Watford where he had helped the club to Premier League promotion, Ighalo would not have been a name many would have considered at the time to solve United’s striker shortage.


The former Nigeria international however revealed that turned down suitors to link up with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side.


‘That was close – my agent called me and told me they (Tottenham) had offered to match whatever I was earning but once I heard Manchester United were interested, there was no turning back,”Ighalo told Sky Sports.

“I couldn’t think about anything else other than making the Manchester United deal work. I was going to have to take a pay cut but I didn’t care, I just wanted the deal to happen.

“I just wanted to play for Manchester United. It’s my dream club and it was always going to be a privilege for me to play at Old Trafford.


“I’m just so grateful to God that it happened. Every day I wake up and I know that I am an ex-Manchester United player. It is something that I will never take for granted.”

Ighalo moved to Saudi Arabia Professional League club Al Shabab in February following the expiration of his contract at Old Trafford.

The striker disclosed he had offers to stay in the Premier League, but decided to play elsewhere.

“Yeah, there was the possibility of West Ham and West Brom to stay in the Premier League, which I thought about,”he added.

“But after being at Manchester United, the biggest club in England if not the world, what else could I possibly do in the Premier League?

“I had good offers to stay in England, but I just didn’t think I could stay after achieving my dream of playing for the club I had supported since I was young.

“I came all the way from China because it was Manchester United when I had already rejected other offers because United has always been my dream.”

Victor Osimhen has urged his Napoli teammates to keep working hard following Sunday’s 2-0 away win at Sampdoria, reports Completesports.com.

The striker sealed the win by grabbing a late goal for the Partenopei.

It was a return to winning ways for Napoli who lost away to Juventus in their last fixture.


Fabian opened scoring for Gennaro Gattuso’s side in the 35th minute.


Napoli moved into fourth place on 59 points following the win with eight games remaining.

“We keep fighting�� @sscnapoli �� ,”Osimhen tweeted.

The 22-year-old has scored five goals in 16 league appearances for Napoli this season.
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Joan Laporta has returned as the Barcelona president after coming out tops against Victor Font and Toni Freixa in the club’s 14th elections, which were held on Sunday.

The ex-president returns to the role that he had held from 2003 until 2010, having obtained 54.28 percent of the votes, totalling 30,184 of the club’s members. His reign will run until 2026.

He becomes the 42nd president in Barcelona’s history, having started the campaign as favourite to win.

The result comes as no great surprise given the support he has always had. When needing signatures to become a candidate, he obtained 9,265 to Font’s 4,431 and Freixa’s 2,634.

In June 2003, Laporta received 52.6 percent of the votes to win, with 27,138 people voting his way.

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For the first time ever, voting took place across as many as six different locations, as well as via postal votes, which 20,000 people took advantage of.

His newly elected board will take office within ten calendar days.

Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr is happy with the contribution of Leon Balogun and Joe Aribo at Rangers this season, reports Completesports.com.

Rohr has also told young defender Calvin Bassey and incoming signing Nnamdi Oforboh that they are in his sights and can join the duo in his squad.

Aribo and Balogun have been key figures for Rangers this season and, after helping them reach the Europa League last-16.


They can also help put Steven Gerrard’s side within touching distance of an historic title when they face Livingston in a Scottish Premiership clash on Wednesday.


Oforboh, who will join Rangers this summer after signing a four-year pre-contract agreement with the Scottish club has represented Nigeria at the U-20 level.

Bassey, 21, was born in Italy but is eligible to represent Nigeria at international level.

“It would be great for our players – Balogun and Aribo – if Rangers won the title,”Rohr told the Daily Record.

“We have been watching Rangers a lot and scouting all their games and there’s also Calvin Bassey and Nnamdi Ofoborh who is an Under-20 international who both have Nigerian roots so the challenge is there for them to join them.

It is great that they are getting so much exposure and success at a club the size of Rangers and, as well as domestically, they have played at a very high level in Europe.

“I played a friendly in Glasgow with Bordeaux and it was a full house – even for a friendly game – so I have good memories and I’m delighted they are getting to experience that, although Leon hasn’t yet had the chance to play in front of the fans.

“I have known Balogun for a very long time. He has a German mentality and has good speed which is very important for a central defender or full back as he can play both positions.

“There is no difference for Leon Balogun playing at right back for Rangers just now because he’s played there before, for Nigeria and in Germany sometimes.

“He’s quick and intelligent and can change his position very quickly. For me, he’s strong enough to play either position. In the 2018 World Cup he played at the right of a three-man central defence so not quite a right back.


“I watched him playing in Germany for Mainz before I joined the Nigerian national team so I knew all about the boy. He was born in Germany and speaks German so we have a good relationship.

“Leon has a very good character and self confidence and I was happy when he moved to Glasgow Rangers because he didn’t play enough in England.

Leon is one of the leaders in my group and I’m happy he has had success in European competition with Rangers. He is also one of my vice captains, we have a young team in Nigeria and he is an experienced player which is vital.”
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AC Milan chief Paolo Maldini has affirmed that the Rossoneri want to discuss a permanent deal for Fikayo Tomori with his parent club Chelsea.

Tomori was struggling for game time under former Blues manager Frank Lampard and headed to San Siro on loan in January, where he has made an immediate impression.

The 23-year-old has played the full 90 minutes three times in Serie A so far – including in Sunday’s 2-1 victory over Roma – but club director Maldini wants to drive Chelsea’s asking price of £26m down before they look to activate his option-to-buy clause.


Speaking to Sky Sports Italia, the Milan legend said: “Tomori is a player who has particular characteristics of speed and intensity and for us, he was a reinforcement.


“Tomori is a good talent and we have a buy-option clause. The price is very high. AC Milan will decide at the end of this season and we will discuss it with Chelsea’s board.”

Tomori has also made appearances in the Europa League and Coppa Italia for Stefano Pioli’s side, who sit seven points behind leaders Inter Milan with a game in hand.

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Hector Bellerin is reportedly considering leaving Arsenal amid interest from French club Paris Saint-Germain.

Bellerin, 25, has been with the Gunners since he joined from Barcelona as a 16-year-old and has become a key player for the London club in recent years.

However, CBS Sports reports that Bellerin is keen on a fresh challenge and is ready to consider leaving Arsenal this summer.


PSG manager and former Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino is understood to be an admirer of the Spaniard, who has two-and-a-half years remaining on his current contract.


Barcelona, as well as at least two other clubs in Serie A, are also believed to be monitoring the situation and will look to try and persuade the right-back to leave London this summer.

Mikel Arteta is hoping that his compatriot stays at Arsenal, but Bellerin is desperate to compete for trophies and would rather spend the remaining years of his prime away from a club in a transition phase.

Bellerin, who has won three FA Cups with the Gunners, has made 22 Premier League appearances so far this season, scoring once against Leeds United earlier this month.
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Victor Osimhen spent the night in the hospital under strict observation after being knocked down unconscious during the closing stages of Napoli’s away defeat at Atalanta on Sunday.

The 22-year-old fell awkwardly after a collision with Atalanta defender Cristian Romero and hit his head on the ground.

Osimhen was immediately stretchered off and rushed to the hospital.


Napoli released a statement on Sunday following the incident.


”Victor Osimhen, following the injury with head trauma suffered in the final minutes of Atalanta-Napoli, underwent tests with negative results,” reads the statement.

The player will remain in Bergamo until tomorrow under the clinical observation of the blue health manager Raffaele Canonico.”

The forward returned to action for Napoli on January 24 after an absence of more two months due to the injury he picked up on international duty with Nigeria.

He also tested positive for Covid-19 over the winter break.
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The recent choice of venue for the Super Eagles’ 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Lesotho in Nigeria may have raised some question marks on the politicization of the nation’s football ahead of maintaining a winning home ground for the team.

Last week Friday, the Chairman of Lagos State Sports Commission, Sola Aiyepeku together with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) First Vice President Seyi Akinwumi led the Super Eagles head coach, Gernot Rohr to the Teslim Balogun Stadium for an on-the-spot assessment ahead of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying match.

Aiyepeku reiterated that the pitch will be match-ready before the game next month.

“I am really happy that the Super Eagles Coach, who came for an on-the-spot assessment of the stadium to evaluate the level of our readiness was satisfied with what he saw at the Teslim Balogun Stadium”.

“I assure the Eagles Coach that the Teslim Balogun Stadium is a viable option for Nigeria’s home match against Lesotho. We have re-grown the grass in the last 15 months and a lot of work is in progress to ensure that the pitch is match-ready”, he added.

There is no doubt that hosting the match in Lagos will be a huge one for Lagos and the team considering the massive support they usually derive from Lagosians when matches are played at the Main Bowl of the National Stadium, Surulere.

The argument being forwarded by officials at The Glasshouse is that Lagos would be the best option for Lesotho, to save costs and due to logistics issues, especially as the Lagos State government is willing to foot the bills.

Again, if it eventually sees the light of the day, this will be the first time in a decade the Super Eagles have played any game in Lagos with their last against Sierra Leone ending 2-1 in favour of the hosts in 2011.

However, this may not be the best time for the NFF to accept the juicy offer of the team playing at the Teslim Balogun Stadium knowing fully that the players are not familiar with the turf. A further slip could cost the team a place in Cameroon.

Besides, it would have been an ideal venue if the team had already booked a place for the tournament when less pressure will be on the players. But at this stage, the venue should be a no-go area for the team if Nigeria must qualify for AFCON.

Super Eagles stars would rather play next month’s AFCON qualifier against Lesotho in Uyo and not make a long-awaited return to Lagos. Rohr also stated that the players would have preferred the game was played at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, where they have played most of the home games for the past four years.

“The second game, we will do it in Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos,” Rohr told ESPN.

“We know that this is a very special occasion with the pandemic, and we cannot have the usual [venue in] Uyo.

“But my players they like Uyo because of the facilities, because of the stadium.”

By and large, NFF must prioritize the ambition of the team and not the financial prize that comes with it when the State Government decides to show interest in hosting games. They should learn from the mistakes of the past in order not to jeopardize the team’s qualification ticket.
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Super Eagles players would not mind playing their last 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Lesotho at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, according to head coach Gernot Rohr.

Rohr is however aware that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has the final say on the choice of venue.

Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos will host the encounter between the three-time African kings and the Crocodiles on March 30.


The Super Eagles played their last home game against the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City.

“The second game, we will do it in Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos,” Rohr told ESPN.

“We know that this is a very special occasion with the pandemic, and we cannot have the usual [venue in] Uyo.

“But my players they like Uyo because of the facilities, because of the stadium.”

The Teslim Balogun stadium, which has recently undergone a facelift, with the artificial turf replaced by grass, was the last place the Super Eagles played in Lagos.

They recorded a 2-1 friendly win over Sierra Leone in 2011.
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Bukayo Saka was voted Arsenal’s second best player behind hat-trick hero Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, in their 4-2 win against Leeds United.

Gunners fans voted for their Man of the Match in the win against Leeds with the result published on the club’s Twitter handle.

After 61,965 votes were casted Saka polled 24 per cent to finish second while Aubameyang got 65 per cent.


Real Madrid on-loan midfielder Martin Odegaard was third with nine per cent and Gabriel had two per cent.


Saka was in superb form for Arsenal against Marcelo Bielsa’s men as he was involved in two of the London club’s goals.

He was recently voted the club’s Player of the Month for January and was also ranked ninth best U-20 player in the world by L’Equipe.

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Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez has broken a goalscoring record set by Cristiano Ronaldo as his fine form for Atletico Madrid continues.

Suarez left Barcelona for Atletico in September after he was told he was not part of new boss Ronald Koeman’s plans.

The move attracted plenty of criticism, even from Barcelona captain and close friend Lionel Messi, given Suarez’s importance to the side.


And despite recently turning 34, Suarez has gone from strength to strength with Diego Simeone’s men.


Suarez is La Liga’s top scorer with 16 goals from 17 games so far, firing Atletico to the top of the table.

His fine form has also seen him break a record set by Cristiano Ronaldo for Real Madrid during the 2009/10 season following his move from Manchester United.

Suarez is now the first player to score 16 goals in his first 17 games for a new team in the Spanish top-flight in the 21st century.

Among those to criticise Barcelona’s handling of Suarez is ex-Liverpool team mate and Celta striker Iago Aspas.

The Spain international praised Atletico for sensing an opportunity and swooping in, insisting they have a real talent on their hands.

“The truth is he was a true forward, a winner even in rondos and training matches. He always gave 200 per cent,” Aspas told Marca.

“What you see on the pitch is what he’s like training.”
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Super Falcons and Barcelona Ladies striker Asisat Oshoala has been voted Best African Woman Player of the Decade (2011 -2020), Completesports.com reports.

Oshoala, 26, was announced Africa’s best player of the last 10 years by International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS).

IFFHS is an organization that chronicles the history and records of association football.


It was founded on 27 March 1984 in Leipzig by Alfredo Pöge with the blessings of general secretary of the FIFA at the time, Helmut Käser.


In the last 10 years Oshoala has been the most outstanding African women’s player following her exploits at both club and country.

She helped the Super Falcons win three consecutive Africa Women’s Cup of Nations in 2014, 2016 and 2018.

At the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Canada she was voted Most Valuable Player of the tournament.

She was won the Nigerian Women’s League in 2014 with Rivers Angels, English women’s FA Cup with Arsenal in 2016, Chinese women’s Super League title with Dalian Quanjian in 2017 and the Spanish women’s league and Super Cup with Barcelona Ladies in 2020.

Also, she was voted African Women’s Footballer of the Year in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2019.

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Southampton have completed a late move to sign Liverpool’s Japanese star Takumi Minamino on loan for the rest of the season.

The Saints announced the signing of the Japan forward two hours after Monday’s deadline.

Minamino replaces Shane Long, who moved to Championship side Bournemouth in another late move on a fairly quiet deadline day.


Also Read: Arsenal Youngsters Maitland-Niles, Willock Join West Brom, Newcastle United On Loan


The 26-year-old joined Liverpool in a £7.25m deal from Red Bull Salzburg in January 2020.

But he has been on the periphery at Anfield, making just four Premier League starts since his arrival.

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl said: “Takumi will help provide another good attacking option and is importantly the right profile of player for us.

“This will give us some additional depth in our squad at an important time and I am looking forward to beginning work with him on the training pitch.”

Southampton turned to Minamino after being frustrated with other moves.

They had hoped to sign Arsenal’s Ainsley Maitland-Niles but talks broke down and he joined West Bromwich Albion.
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Drew McIntyre slayed Goldberg after a quick-fire and explosive WWE Title match at Royal Rumble.

The much-maligned veteran, 54, lost the Universal Title to Braun Strowman at WrestleMania 36 but appeared for the first time since to confront the Scotsman earlier this month.

He joined a host of icons in returning to WWE for the legends episode of Monday Night Raw – but the ex-WCW mega-star had more than just a cameo appearance on his mind.


McIntyre had defended his title against fellow powerhouse Keith Lee in the main event of the show.

The icon Goldberg marched to the ring afterwards to challenge McIntyre for the belt at the Rumble – a challenge quickly accepted by the Scotsman.

And despite McIntyre’s recent Covid-19 battles, he and the powerhouse wasted little time in getting down to business in a short and explosive war.

McIntyre headbutted Goldberg and hit him with a spear before the bell even rang and sent him outside the ring but the veteran managed to slam the champ into the steel steps before ramming him through a barricade.

The Scot was left writhing in agony on the outside as the challenger waited for him in the ring and for the match to start.

McIntyre had hurt his ribs but told the ref to ring the bell and instantly hit the legend with a kick and a Claymore.

But Goldberg kicked out, only the second man ever to do so after Brock Lesnar, and he soon missed another.

Goldberg landed another spear and then another but could only get a two-count after going for the pin.

The wounded champ was at the mercy of Goldberg, who picked him up and hit a jackhammer but once again the champ kicked out at two.

The challenger was stunned and began to show his frustration as he lined up another spear, but he missed and hit the turnbuckle as McIntyre quickly retaliated with a Claymore.

And this time it was enough to claim the win and retain his title – and Goldberg’s respect as he embraced and congratulated his rival afterwards.
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German-born coach Thomas Tuchel has been confirmed as new manager at Chelsea succeeding Frank Lampard.

The Blues made the announcement in a statement released on Tuesday.

Lampard was sacked on Monday after a dismal run of form left Chelsea ninth in the Premier League table and 11 points off leaders Manchester United.


Tuchel, who had been out of work for one month after being axed by Paris Saint-Germain, will be tasked with getting an immediate response out of a squad that has failed to show any cohesion in the weeks leading to Lampard’s sacking.

Tuchel paid tribute to predecessor Lampard, saying: “I would like to thank Chelsea for their confidence in me and my staff.

“We all have the greatest respect for Frank Lampard’s work and the legacy he created at Chelsea. At the same time, I cannot wait to meet my new team and compete in the most exciting league in football.

“I am grateful to now be part of the Chelsea family – it feels amazing!’

The 47-year-old Tuchel’s credentials were enhanced significantly last summer when he guided PSG to the Champions League final, where they were narrowly beaten by Bayern Munich.

Lampard departed with the worst points-per-game ratio of any manager in the Roman Abramovich era, a statistic that did not go unnoticed.
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Frank Lampard has reacted to his sacking at Chelsea on Monday admitting his disappointment at not being given more time.

Club owner Roman Abramovic insisted the former midfielder’s status at the club was undiminished by the decision, which came after a run of five defeats in eight Premier League games.

With Chelsea ninth in the table and 11 points off leaders Manchester United after spending £220million in the summer, Abramovich ended Lampard’s time as manager midway through a three-year deal.


It is understood that former PSG boss Thomas Tuchel is set to replace the 42-year-old.

Lampard issued a statement via the League Managers Association in which he described managing the club as a “huge privilege and an honour”, thanking the clubs’ fans who have largely remained staunchly behind him.

But Lampard added: “When I took on this role I understood the challenges that lay ahead in a difficult time for the football club.

“I am proud of the achievements that we made, and I am proud of the academy players that have made their step into the first team and performed so well. They are the future of the club.

“I am disappointed not to have had the time this season to take the club forward and bring it to the next level.”

Lampard’s uncle Harry Redknapp said his nephew’s downfall at Chelsea may have come from having his influence over transfers restricted by the club’s bosses.

Speaking to talkSPORT, Redknapp slammed Chelsea for their latest sacking. What’s more, he referenced how other Premier League bosses have survived criticism.

“It’s very disappointing to hear the news this morning,” the former manager said. “On the back of a good result, beating Luton in the FA Cup, I thought they’d give him a bit of time.

“I thought [Ole Gunnar] Solskjaer was sure to go, no way he was going to survive, but Manchester United gave him a bit of time and suddenly they have a little run and turn it around.”
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Chelsea defender Fikayo Tomori is set to join AC Milan in the January transfer window, according to sporting director Paolo Maldini.

Tomori has fallen out of favour under head coach Frank Lampard and is looking to leave the club in the hope of more regular game time.

Maldini has stated that a deal for the Englishman to join the Serie A leaders is now close to completion.


“We wanted Fikayo Tomori also last summer. “He’s always been one of our targets. He’s perfect for our squad – we’re working on the last details,” Maldini told Sky Italia.

The 23-year-old impressed during a loan spell with Derby County in the Championship two seasons ago under Lampard, but since returning to Chelsea, Tomori has seen the likes of Thiago Silva and Kurt Zouma picked ahead of him.

Tomori, who made his senior England debut in October 2019, has made just four appearances for Chelsea this season, with only one of those featuring in the Premier League.
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Manchester United matchwinner Paul Pogba is delighted to be top of the table going to Liverpool on Sunday.

Pogba struck the only goal of victory at Burnley last night.

He said, “It is [big] and you know even for us and the fans it is great, but there is a long way to go. So, now we are there and we need to stay there. Now is the difficult part as well. Today was a difficult game and it’s going to be harder and harder.


“Today proved that we are really focused. That’s how we improve, that’s how we get better.


“Our heads are focused on the league and we need to keep it up and keep going.”
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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has confirmed defender Rob Holding is set to sign a new deal with the club.

The centre-back’s current terms do not expire until the summer of 2023, but the Gunners will reward his impressive form with an improved contract.

Holding could have left the Emirates last summer with Newcastle among a number of teams chasing his signature, but the move was blocked by his manager and the 25-year-old has gone on to make 18 appearances this term – the same amount he managed last season.


Asked if the current first-choice would extend his stay at Arsenal, Arteta said: “It’s something we will announce as quick as we can and it looks that way.”

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