Arrizabalaga went down with a cramp in the second period of extra time, causing team-mate Willy Caballero to begin warming up down the touchline.

Caballero was then called by Sarri to replace the Arrizabalaga, who was just getting to his feet.

Sarri informed the fourth official he wished to substitute Caballero on for Arrizabalaga, however, the on-field keeper refused, despite his number being raised.
Kepa Arrizabalaga

A stand-off ensued between Kepa along with his manager, together with all the Spanish keeper angrily waving away the command.

Sarri angrily cried back in the 24-year-old, who he signed #72million last summer.

However, insisting he had been physically fine to referee Jonathan Moss, Kepa remained on the pitch.

Read more: https://presstimes.ng/kepa-arrizabalaga-refuses-to-be-subbed-off-and-maurizio-sarri-is-pissed-about-it/#ixzz5gUBTQz6Z

former Charlton goalkeeper Jordan Dawes died this week after a battle with liver cancer.



The 18-year-old, that played for Kent Football United earlier this season, was diagnosed with cancer after suffering a stroke in November.

‘We are heartbroken beyond heartbroken,’ read a household statement.

‘I am confident that you will continue making saves up in heaven

De Gea sent Jordan a set of gloves last year after her cancer diagnosis.

Read more: https://presstimes.ng/manutd-star-de-gea-pays-tribute-to-teenage-keeper-who-died-of-cancerphotos/#ixzz5gPv9sGE0

The 19-year-old attacking midfielder is being touted as the New Cristiano Ronaldo and has attracted attention from Barça, Atlético, PSG, Bayern, and Juve.

João Félix has exploded on the scene at Primeira Liga this year with Benfica and has already been touted as the brightest attacking talent to emerge in Portugal since Cristiano Ronaldo after knocking in eight goals in a little over 1,000 minutes of action in all contests.

The Portuguese media have nicknamed the 19-year-old attacking midfielder”Hurricane Félix” following the 19-year-old became the youngest-ever participant to score in a Lisbon derby following his promotion into the senior side at the start of the season.

Real Madrid has been aware of Félix’s ability ever since he destroyed Guti’s under-19s from the UEFA Youth League semi-finals at 2016-17 with a brace. Along with also, the Bernabéu was keeping close tabs on him since then.

Read more: https://presstimes.ng/real-madrid-keen-to-finalize-the-new-cristiano-ronaldo-signing/#ixzz5eeRxxebA

After two decades collectively, Rafael Nadal along with his girlfriend Xisca Perello will get married in 2019.

The wedding will take place in the Spanish tennis player’s birthplace, Mallorca, in the upcoming autumn.

According to the ¡Hola! , magazine Nadal proposed to Perello last season during the 2018 Italian Open, that was hosted in Rome between May 14 and 20.

Read more: http://sportblitzz.com/2019/01/31/rafael-nadal-and-perello-getting-maried-after-fourteen-years-together/#ixzz5e9h3wCTV

Joe Hart described the “huge honour” at having a training pitch at Manchester City named after him.

Manchester City have honoured former goalkeeper Joe Hart by naming a training pitch after him. Hart joined City from Shrewsbury Town in 2006 and won two Premier League titles, two League Cups and an FA Cup, before departing in a permanent deal for Burnley in August this year. The 75-cap England keeper had fallen down the pecking order under Pep Guardiola and spent the past two campaigns on loan at Torino and West Ham.

Read more: https://sportblitzz.com/2018/10/19/manchester-city-name-training-pitch-after-joe-hart/#ixzz5UQ1Pxv4U

Numerous French media suggest PSG have highlighted Griezmann as a replacement for Neymar should he leave the French capital in the summer.



Antoine Griezmann has been highlighted as a potential replacement for Neymar and their desire to sign the Frenchman will only increase should he win the Ballon d’Or in December. They’d be keen to pay €150 million for his services. Their desire to sign Griezmann is built across the idea of pairing him with Mbappé as an all-French world champion duo.

Read more: https://sportblitzz.com/2018/10/18/psg-view-griezmann-as-the-perfect-neymar-replacement/#ixzz5UHmjjTs7

Usain Bolt scored twice for the Central Coast Mariners in his first game as a starter against Macarthur South West United.



It took until the second half for Usain Bolt to get himself onto the scoresheet in a 4-0 win, beating the opposition defender on a long ball and holding him off well before finishing with his left foot.

Read more: https://sportblitzz.com/2018/10/12/usain-bolt-bags-a-brace-in-his-first-game-in-australia/#ixzz5Tk6FyjXi

Court documents say, Kathryn Mayorga, who says Ronaldo raped her in Las Vegas in 2009, was left traumatised and contemplating suicide.

On Sunday, a number of UK media outlets followed Der Spiegel’s interview by revealing court documents that shed additional light on the alleged incident, in which Mayorga, now 34, who at the time was an aspiring model, says that the Portuguese raped her at the Palms Casino Resort Hotel on 13 June 2009.
Alleged to have said: “Sorry, I’m usually a gentleman”

In line with the documents submitted to the Clark County District Court in Nevada, after the pair met at a night club, Ronaldo invited Mayorga and a friend back to his penthouse suite. Once there, say the court papers, he urged her into his hot tub, however, she refused as a result of she did not want to spoil her dress.

He’s then alleged to have offered her clothes to change into and pointed her towards the bathroom. As she was changing, he purportedly came in and asked her to carry out a sexual act. She “refused and said she wanted to leave the hotel suite,” said the court documents.

“Upon leaving the bathroom, Ronaldo pulled the plaintiff into a bedroom and on to a bed and tried to engage in sexual intercourse,” the paperwork adds. “Plaintiff refused… and covered herself in an attempt to prevent sexual penetration.”

Ronaldo then allegedly raped Mayorga, regardless of her screaming “no”, before saying: “Sorry, I am usually a gentleman.” In line with court papers, the footballer confirmed that they did have sexual intercourse, however, mentioned that it was a consensual act.
Mayorga attorneys want non-disclosure agreement quashed

After filing a police complaint the next day, Mayorga says she negotiated a 375,000-euro out-of-court settlement with Ronaldo to not go public with her claims.

However, her lawyers now wish to annul that settlement, which she says she only signed as a result of she was “afraid of retaliation” and of “being publicly humiliated by being identified as a victim of sexual assault”. She says she was left traumatised, and suffering from post-traumatic stress, “major depression” and suicidal thoughts.

Read more: https://sportblitzz.com/2018/10/01/cristiano-ronaldoalleged-rape-victim-left-traumatised-and-contemplating-suicide/#ixzz5Sgyoi8C6

Real Madrid fans have made their feelings known.

Just a couple of hours after Cristiano Ronaldo played a part in each of Juventus’ three goals in their 3-1 victory over Napoli, Real Madrid played out a 0-0 draw with city rivals Atletico Madrid.

Real Madrid have now scored just one goal in their last three games and supporters made a point of crying out for the club’s top scorer of all time as the team squandered chance after chance against Atleti.

Chants of ‘Ronaldo, Ronaldo’ broke out around the Santiago Bernabeu, with fans acknowledging the lack of a goal threat since the Portuguese superstar left for Serie A in the summer.

nobody has had a greater contribution than him in Serie A this term.

Ronaldo has scored three goals and set up four more in his seven games for Juve, earning five man of the match awards for his heroics.

Read more: https://sportblitzz.com/2018/09/30/ronaldo-ronaldo-chants-echoing-around-the-bernabau-during-madrid-derby/#ixzz5SYB9VVKb

“I voted for #Modric, but #Salah is my friend, so I want him to win!”

Head and heart in conflict for the sharply-dressed @hazardeden10!#TheBest #FIFAFootballAwards


Read more: http://sportblitzz.com/2018/09/24/eden-hazard-has-revealed-who-he-voted-for/#ixzz5S0FtZT66

Both all-time top scorers for their clubs, Leo Messi has scored 559 goals in a Barça shirt, compared with the Pelé’s 643 for Santos.


PSV hat-trick

Following his effortless hat-trick against PSV Eindhoven, Messi made it 559 goals in 638 games: 387 in LaLiga, 103 in the Champions League, 48 in the Copa del Rey, 13 in the Spanish Super Cup and five in the Club World Cup.
Just another 84

Consequently, Leo Messi needs 84 goals to reach Pelé’s total, Pelé scored 643 goals in 757 official matches for Santos. A number that would seem a step too far for most.



Read more: https://sportblitzz.com/2018/09/23/one-club-goalscorers-leo-messi-hot-on-peles-heels/#ixzz5RsUkMYUp

Romelu Lukaku has collected his award after joining the Premier League 100 club with a goal against Swansea towards the end of last season.

The Belgium international became the 28th player to reach the milestone having scored Premier League goals for Manchester United, Chelsea, Everton and West Brom.

Lukaku has been in great form for United and has already scored four goals in five Premier League games so far this season, but he insists he wants more.

Read more: https://sportblitzz.com/2018/09/21/lukaku-receives-a-award-for-100-premier-league-goals/#ixzz5RgEbBQS7

The French international talked to AS exclusively about his personal scenario with Atlético, the Ballon d’Or and The Best awards and his motivation for staying in Madrid…



—A new season has just begun and it looks like a great moment in your profession after winning the Europa League with Atleti and capping it off with the World Cup win in Russia.

—Sure, it is true and it is fair to say I am enjoying football at present at both club stage and international level with great team-mates and managers. I really feel privileged and hope that this carries on.

—You’ve said in the past that you would like to sit at the “top table” alongside the likes of Messi and Cristiano. do you feel you now sit there?

—Sure, I believe so. I know other players are rising and I’m aware that I can improve my game too. This can be a driving force for me, improve, win more and keep winning by playing in the manner we play.

Read more: https://sportblitzz.com/2018/09/17/griezmann-im-now-sitting-at-the-top-table-alongside-messi-and-cristiano/#ixzz5RRuIUqZe

Dave Mussard is the goalkeeper for the Seychelles, a small archipelago of islands to the north of Madagascar that has more giant tortoises than people. Two years ago he stopped working as a cake maker at the Hotel Patatran to become chauffeur for the president for his team Le Passe football club.

He hit fame on social media after the Africa Cup of Nations game with Nigeria, for his bulky frame.

Did you see the impact of images of you against Nigeria?
Yes I saw it on the television and the Internet

How did you feel?
It is a chance for the world to see us play and show our abilities against some of the most talented players in Africa.

What does it mean for you to play in goal for Seychelles?
I am very happy, I don’t care what people say. It is an honour for me to defend my country. It was great to play against big names like Musa. I felt under pressure but it was a great chance, I wanted to show the fans how well I can play.

When did you start playing football?
When I was young, eight years old at school. In 2013 they called me for the first time to play for the national team and in 2018 they called me up again. My club is Le Passe Football Club who have been league champions four times.


Read more: https://sportblitzz.com/2018/09/12/dave-mussard-seychelles-goalkeeper-i-dont-care-what-people-say/#ixzz5QuRsnlMp

Courtois has admitted that he’s saddened by the response of some Chelsea supporters over his transfer.

“It makes me feel unhappy and clearly they don’t know all the truth,” he stated, as reported by Sky Sports.

“I did not want to be poisonous, so obviously it’s a pity because I love Chelsea.

Lastly, he repeated his stance of major motive for the transfer to the Spanish capital was to be closer to his kids.

“I had an opportunity to return to Spain to be closer to my children,” he stated.

“That was a necessary factor for me.”

Read more: https://sportblitzz.com/2018/09/08/courtoisi-feel-sad-that-some-chelsea-fans-are-angry-at-me/#ixzz5QXjShdSt

Only 14 months after leaving Real Madrid, Mariano Diaz (Barcelona, 1993), has returned.

it’s official, he’s back as a Madrid player, signing for five seasons, and he will be presented in the next few hours.

The transfer will therefore cost Madrid 22 million euros plus bonuses, and the club already asked the player last May about his availability in case Real went for him.

Read more: https://sportblitzz.com/2018/08/29/official-mariano-diaz-returns-to-real-madrid/#ixzz5Pb7bToia

Liverpool and Roma are accused of having the same ownership without declaring it

Napoli owner Aurelio de Laurentiis has launched a sensational accusation claiming that both Liverpool and AS Roma are breaking UEFA rules by having the same ownership without declaring it.

De Laurentiis, a well known Italian movie producer and a man fond of making controversial statements, made the claims shortly after admitting that his Napoli side had placed a bid with AS Roma in the course of the summer for goalkeeper Alisson Becker.

Becker, Brazil’s number one keeper, finally moved to Liverpool for a then-world record fee of £67 million.

De Laurentiis’ claims centre around the fact that both the Premier League and Serie A clubs are owned by Americans.

Liverpool is owned by the Fenway Sports Group (FSG), whereas AS Roma are owned by an American investment group led by Thomas Di Benedetto and ran day-to-day by president James Pallotta.

I was told by somebody a couple of years ago and if it was true they would not be allowed to play the Champions League.”

Read more: https://sportblitzz.com/2018/08/17/napoli-owner-want-liverpool-to-be-kicked-out-of-champions-league/#ixzz5OKs6VQGJ

Zinedine Zidane wants to manage in the Premier League subsequent season and is monitoring Jose Mourinho’s situation at Manchester United, in line with reports in France.

The 46-year-old is at the moment out of work after he resigned as Real Madrid manager in May just five days after guiding the club to their third consecutive Champions League trophy.

Zidane also won La Liga with Madrid in 2017, in addition to two Club World Cup trophies throughout his two-and-a-half years as first-team manager at the Santiago Bernabeu.

In line with L’Equipe, Zidane is already considering his next role and has his sights set on the Premier League

Read more: https://sportblitzz.com/2018/08/15/zidane-wants-to-replace-jose-mourinho-as-man-utd-manager/#ixzz5OEx4vGUt

Roberto Firmino has saved the lives of two Brazilian infants after donating the £59,000 the household needed to give the two brothers life-saving treatment.

The 2 boys, Joao and Miguel, suffer from spinal muscular atrophy and their mother and father had been fighting to raise funds on social media to pay for drugs and treatment from America.

They needed to raise £827,032 for a yr‘s worth of treatment but were £59,132 short when Firmino and his spouse, Larissa Pereira came to their rescue and donated the remaining sum, according to Globo.

Read more: https://sportblitzz.com/2018/08/10/firmino-saves-two-brazilian-boys-lives-with-59000-donation-for-medical-bills/#ixzz5NjLFmPRn

Barcelona has placed the 3rd bid of around £55million for Chelsea winger Willian.

The La Liga giants have had two bids rejected this summer for the Brazil star as Maurizio Sarri is keen to keep the 29-year-old.

Barcelona’s first bid of £50m was followed up with another of around £53m however the Spaniards hope to finally land the winger with a bid in the area of £55m, in line with Sky Sports.

Manchester United are keen on Willian and could match the sums on offer from Barcelona but Chelsea would rather sell the winger abroad if they were to let him go. Barcelona submit a third and final offer for Chelsea star Willian
Willian is valued at around £60m (Image: Getty)

Willian was determined to leave Stamford Bridge had Antonio Conte stayed in west London but the club hoped Sarri’s arrival would persuade him to remain.

Read more: https://sportblitzz.com/2018/07/20/barcelona-submit-third-and-final-bid-of-55m-for-chelsea-star-willian/#ixzz5LqI6wp9g

Chelsea has reached an initial agreement with Madrid to sell Eden Hazard for €190 million (£170m), in line with reports in France.

Speaking after Belgium’s World Cup campaign, the 27-year-old indicated that he wants to leave Stamford Bridge this summer and suggested that Madrid remains his preferred destination.

Hazard has just under two years remaining on his contract with Chelsea and has not committed to a new deal with the club.

According to Le10 Sport, Madrid has stepped up talks to sign Hazard this week and a ‘first agreement’ has been reached with Chelsea over a £170m deal.

Read more: https://sportblitzz.com/2018/07/20/chelsea-reportedly-agree-170m-deal-with-real-madrid-for-eden-hazard/#ixzz5Lq9s5ZFW

Arsene Wenger has surprisingly admitted that his 22-year stay with Arsenal is the biggest regret of his managerial career.

The 68-year-old Frenchman famously spent more than two decades in charge of the ‘Gunners’, taking over on October 1, 1996 and leaving at the end of the 2017/18 season.

However, despite a host of impressive achievements, he has now admitted that his time in north London may also have been the biggest mistake he ever made.

“Perhaps staying at the same club for 22 years (was the biggest mistake of my career),” he told French news outlet ‘RTL’.

“I am someone who likes to move around a lot, but I also like a challenge. I’ve been a prisoner of my own challenge at times.”

Read more: https://sportblitzz.com/2018/07/18/arsene-wenger-staying-at-arsenal-for-22-years-is-my-biggest-regret/#ixzz5LcE5noNn

Cristiano Ronaldo’s former Manchester United teammate, Ryan Giggs, believes the Portuguese’s decision to leave LaLiga and Real Madrid in favour of Juventus has everything to do with his rivalry with Barcelona’s Lionel Messi.

The tiresome debate of who is the better player looked like it might finally end with them no longer going head-to-head in the same league, but Giggs thinks this new move only adds more fuel to the fire.

“Cristiano is obsessed with beating Messi,” he told ITV.

“Now he has the argument of having won in England, Spain and with Portugal, so he wants to say ‘I’ll do it in Italy as well.’

“He can use it in his favour in the argument of who is better between them.”

Read more: https://sportblitzz.com/2018/07/12/giggs-cristiano-ronaldo-is-obsessed-with-being-better-than-messi/#ixzz5L4FRhvfI

Barcelona posted a message on Chinese social network 'Weibo', where they confirmed that Paulinho would return to Guangzhou Evergrande, but then quickly deleted it.
It seems that Paulinho will indeed return to China. Reports in the last few days had suggested that an unnamed Chinese team had bid €50m for the midfielder, who was rumoured to be keen on the move.

The Spanish media stated that it was up to Barcelona to decide whether they let Paulinho go, and there is now a clear sign that their answer is yes.

The move looks set to happen after Barcelona's official profile on Chinese social network 'Weibo' (an equivalent of Twitter), posted a message stating that Paulinho would return to Guangzhou Evergrande on a loan with an obligation to buy.

More @sportblitzz.com

In Italy, everyone is awaiting the possible arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo at Juventus, but employees of Fiat do not seem at all happy with the situation.

Some of the workers of Fiat Crysler Automobiles group (FCA) have shown displeasure at the alleged recruitment of the Portuguese star by the Turin based team.

As reported by 'A Bola' the FCA group could make a decisive contribution if and when the signing of Ronaldo happens.

This is because the Agnelli family, owners of the company, are also the owners of the Italian football club Juventus.

This has had negative effects on the FCA workers over the last few years, and the Agnelli's have invested heavily in the club instead of in their employees.

Employees have complained that they have not received any improvements in their work contracts for years.

"First it was Higuain (who arrived for 95million in 2016), now Cristiano Ronaldo, it's a disgrace, and all while we haven't received a raise in ten years, with layoffs in all the branches," one of the employees said angrily.

"In addition, they will try and sell a Panda (a famous Fiat model) with quotes and images of Ronaldo in Naples, Rome or Florence. No one will buy any, they will say that it is a juvenile machine, and they won't want it," he concluded.

Tite has boldly decided to reveal Brazil’s starting XI more than 24 hours before their World Cup quarter-final clash with Belgium
Brazil’s starting XI vs Belgium

Alisson; Fagner; Silva; Miranda; Marcelo; Paulinho; Fernandinho; Coutinho; Willian; Jesus; Neymar

There were calls for Roberto Firmino to replace the out-of-form Gabriel Jesus in Brazil’s side after his goal against Mexico.

However, Tite has decided to keep the faith in the City striker and Firmino must settle for a place on the bench at the Kazan Arena.

Read more: https://sportblitzz.com/2018/07/05/tite-reveals-brazils-starting-xi-for-world-cup-quarter-final-clash-with-belgium/#ixzz5KPl7ycTP

The announcement comes three weeks after Morocco’s bid to host the 2026 World Cup was defeated by the North American United 2026 bid.



Algeria and Tunisia are considering a doable joint bid with Morocco to organize the 2030 World Cup, authorities officials stated.

Morocco has already announced their intention to make a bid for 2030, after losing out to the US, Mexico and Canada bid for the 2026 World Cup.

Algeria is now raising up their hand to bring the World Cup to North Africa, with Tunisia drawn into the combo.

Read more: https://sportblitzz.com/2018/07/04/algeria-tunisia-and-morocco-considering-joint-bid-for-2030-world-cup/#ixzz5KBnw63AW

Andres Iniesta has announced his retirement from international football following Spain’s World Cup exit to Russia on Sunday.
“The reality is that this is my last match with the national team,” Iniesta said after the game.

“A wonderful stage has come to an end for me individually, but sometimes endings aren’t as you expect or dream. Overall, it’s probably the saddest day of my career.

“I’m leaving with a bad taste in my mouth, like everyone else. It’s a difficult moment that we’ve experienced on other occasions.

Read more: https://sportblitzz.com/2018/07/02/andres-iniesta-announces-his-retirement-from-international-football-after-133-esp-caps-13-goals-and-one-worldcup/#ixzz5K3Qu1CwD

The Manchester City midfielder has been given permission by Coach Gareth Southgate to temporarily leave the Three Lions’ World Cup camp to be with his wife.



Delph flew out of Russia after starting Thursday’s 1-0 defeat to Belgium, which saw England finish as Group G runners-up.

Read more: https://sportblitzz.com/2018/06/29/england-star-fabian-delph-returns-home-with-wife-set-to-give-birth/#ixzz5JrKEFMvy

The second round of group stage fixtures is already over and boy, has the tournament created drama.

Russia set the pace of the 2018 World Cup when it wowed crowds with a 5-0 victory over Saudi Arabia in the curtain-raising game on June 14, and there has been no shortage of thrills (Portugal 3-3 Spain), spills (Germany’s shock 0-1 loss to Mexico), and chills (Luka Modrić’s performances are a thing to behold).

But who are the key players after round two?

SportBLITZZ has put together a power ranking of the 23 best soccer players in Russia so far, using statistical data from number-crunching soccer site whoscored.com. The website grades players based on how the individual performs relative to his position, and ranks each player out of a maximum score of 10.

Keep scrolling to see who made the list, ranked by score in ascending order.

Read more: https://sportblitzz.com/2018/06/27/the-23-best-world-cup-players-after-the-second-round-of-action/#ixzz5Jf9Lrpph

Argentina’s World Cup camp descended into chaos on Saturday night with reports that Jorge Sampaoli would stay on as coach but be stripped of effective power before Tuesday night’s vital fixture with Nigeria.

Read more: https://sportblitzz.com/2018/06/24/argentina-players-will-decide-the-team-for-their-game-against-nigeria/#ixzz5JNX8UYJF

Reporter Julieth Gonzalez Theran is a correspondent for German news station Deutsche Welle. During her live report from a city square in Saransk, Russia, a man ran up to Gonzalez Thoran, groped her breast and kissed her on the cheek.

Gonzalez Theran continued talking to the camera and remained professional despite the man’s sudden attack.

Gonzalez Theran told Deutsche Welles that she looked for the man after she finished her report.

“I had been at the scene for two hours to prepare for the broadcast and there had been no interruptions,” she said. “When we went live, this fan took advantage of the situation. But afterwards, when I checked to see if he was still there, he was gone.”

Gonzalez Theran posted the video on Instagram with a caption saying, “We do not deserve this treatment. We are equally valuable and professionals. I share the joy of football, but we must identify the limits of affection and harassment.”

Read more: https://sportblitzz.com/2018/06/21/female-reporter-gonzalez-sexually-assaulted-on-live-tv-at-world-cup/#ixzz5J1nZeg5Y