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Spanish football authorities plan to have a maximum of 197 people inside the stadium on matchday upon the restart of La Liga.


Football chiefs in Spain believe the coronavirus-hit campaign can resume on June 12 with players returning to training this week.

League officials have revealed a detailed scheme to . . . continue reading @ https://sportinglife.ng/la-liga-reveals-number-of-people-allowed-into-stadium-in-restart-plans/

Nigeria’s Taiwo Awoniyi bagged a crucial goal for loan club Mainz on Sunday afternoon’s Bundesliga clash against FC Koln.

After Mainz full-back Bote Baku was slipped in on the wing with a tidy pass from midfield, a low cross was drilled into the middle of the box and Awoniyi was on hand to slot the ball into the back of the net.

The 22-year-old’s effort appeared to take a slight deflection off a defender before it hit the back of the net, but the Nigerian ace has been credited with the effort as it was headed goal-bound anyway.

Get kink to video here https://sportinglife.ng/video-awoniyi-nets-first-goal-for-mainz-in-bundesliga-clash/

Sevilla defender Sergio Escudero remained coy about reports saying that he has agreed a return to Getafe as “these are things that come out”, although he does not know “anything” and is “focused on Sevilla”.

The 30-year-old has fallen out of favour at the Andalusian club this season under Julen Lopetegui, who has instead opted to play Sergio Reguilon (on loan from Real Madrid) at left-back with Diario AS claiming he had an agreement to re-join Getafe.

Escudero said, as cited by La Razon: “I have . . . continue reading @ https://sportinglife.ng/sevillas-escudero-coy-on-getafe-switch/

Technical director Paolo Maldini faces an uncertain future but has claimed his family’s ‘story at Milan is so long that it will hardly end’.

The legendary defender and his family have been through a tough period after testing positive for coronavirus, but confirmed that everyone is with good health.

“My whole family has been infected, my two children and my wife, but now we are all well,” Maldini told Che Tempo Che Fa. “It was two tough weeks, but now we are well.”

The former left-back still believes that the championship should be completed but is not sure a training retreat will be the best solution for the players health.

“We must try to finish the . . . continue reading @ https://sportinglife.ng/maldini-our-story-at-ac-milan-will-hardly-end/

Borussia Dortmund are ready to accept that transfer fees will be lower this summer.

The German giants are known for selling their best players at high prices to cover the cost of their own transfer moves.

Manchester United and Chelsea are interested in . . . continue reading @ https://sportinglife.ng/dortmund-to-accept-reduced-fees-for-chelsea-target-sancho/

The goal scored by Sergio Ramos in the 2016 Champions League final for Real Madrid against Atletico de Madrid was offside, the match referee Mark Clattenburg has admitted.

The English official was in the middle for the Madrid derby in the showpiece of the competition in Milan – two years after Los Blancos had also beaten their city rivals in the deciding game.

Central defender Ramos poked home from close range after Gareth Bale had flicked on a Toni Kroos free-kick in the 15th minute of the game in San Siro but there was no VAR at the time and the goal was allowed to stand.

That lead stood until 11 minutes from time, when Yannick Carrasco levelled the score for Atleti and the game went all the way to penalties.

Ramos was one . . . continue reading @ https://sportinglife.ng/clattenburg-admits-ramos-ucl-final-goal-in-2016-was-offside/

These days, Cristiano Ronaldo is uttered in the same breath as Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona and Pele thanks to his incredible talent with a football.

But the Portuguese superstar, now 35, wasn’t always a super-ripped, mega-rich contender for the title of Greatest of All Time.

Cristiano Ronaldo's amazing 12-month transformation.

In fact, it took a real kick up the backside for Ronaldo to become the elite footballer he is today.

In England, Ronaldo burst on to the scene out of nowhere after running John O’Shea ragged during a pre-season friendly between Manchester United and Sporting Lisbon in 2003.

Rio Ferdinand, playing for United that day, revealed: “We get in at half-time and John O’Shea must’ve needed an oxygen tank next to him.

“He was in bits and he was sitting there panting. We were telling him to get closer to Ronaldo and he couldn’t even answer us.

“To be fair, me, Paul Scholes . . . continue reading @ https://sportinglife.ng/how-ronaldos-body-structure-transformed-in-12-months/

Juventus forward, Cristiano Ronaldo, is expected to fly back to Italy today ahead of returning to training.


Ronaldo would get even more assists out of De Bruyne
Ronaldo has spent the last few weeks of the coronavirus pandemic in his homeland of Madeira.

However, Record claims he will be touching back down in Turin on Tuesday after Juve started recalling their foreign-based stars.

Continue reading @ https://sportinglife.ng/anxiety-as-ronaldo-returns-to-italy-today/

UK football Legend, Rio Ferdinand has recommended Nigeria international, Wilfred Ndidi to Manchester United along with Saul Niguez, Thomas Partey whenever the transfer window opens.

Wilfred Ndidi has been linked with Arsenal

"I’d maybe go get Partey from Atletico Madrid or Ndidi from Leicester," Ferdinand said on The Beautiful Game podcast.

"I like Saul Niguez. He’s a very, very good player in midfield."

The ex-United defender . . . continue reading @ https://sportinglife.ng/premier-league-legend-recommends-ndidi-to-man-united/

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola and at least eight first-team players of the Premier League champions could face 14 days of mandatory self-isolation when they return to Britain for the resumption of matches, the Times newspaper reported.




Professional soccer in England was suspended last month due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, and the British government’s lockdown measures will be in place until at least May 7.

With the Premier League aiming to resume play in June, foreign players and managers returning to England are likely to be asked to self-isolate as part of steps to curb the spread of the virus, the Times reported.

The paper added that at least four managers, as well as players from several teams, could be affected.

Guardiola is in Spain following the death of his mother this month, while eight City players are in their home countries.

Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Nuno Espirito Santo and his . . . continue reading @ https://sportinglife.ng/guardiola-man-city-players-face-self-isolation-on-return-to-britain/

Juventus are keen to lure Mauro Icardi to Turin and They are reportedly preparing to deal That Could see the Inter striker move to the Old Lady.

The Argentina international is currently on loan at PSG , who could exercise his 70 million euro buyout clause and resell the player.

Continue reading @ https://sportinglife.ng/juventus-plot-higuain-for-icardi-swap-deal/

Barcelona have a lot on their agenda this summer, but high on the list of priorities is getting rid of Philippe Coutinho.

The big money panic buy from Liverpool has been an utter disaster since arriving at the Nou Camp, and the club have reached the stage where getting back the money they paid for him looks impossible.

They’re willing to take almost any deal that gets him off their wage bill and out of their hair for now, while they deal with more pressing problems.

Chelsea are one of the teams who have been linked most strongly, and Catalan paper Sport are leading the charge with details about . . . continue reading @ https://sportinglife.ng/barcelona-place-e90m-price-tag-on-chelsea-target-coutinho/

Manchester United boss, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, is dreaming of signing Jadon Sancho in the summer.

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

The Borussia Dortmund man is wanted by several Premier League clubs as he looks to move back home after two seasons in Germany.

Metro claims Solskjaer and United are . . . continue reading @https://sportinglife.ng/solskjaer-wants-to-form-dream-man-utd-front-three-this-summer/

In helping people survive the economic hardship brought by the coronavirus pandemic, Chievo midfielder Joel Obi has distributed food items including rice, noodles and vegetable oil to families in Aniocha Local Government Area in Delta State.

Delta is one of the states in Nigeria that is currently under lockdown due to Covid-19 and the government's restriction is widely reported to be affecting people's livelihoods.

The distribution was made by Obi's foundation with the Nigeria international stuck in Italy - one of the heavily hit countries in Europe.

. . . continue reading @ https://sportinglife.ng/coronavirus-how-joel-obi-supported-residents-of-delta-state-with-food-items/

Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius has filed a complaint to FIFA over unpaid wages at Besiktas, it has been suggested.

The German is in the second of a two season loan with the Turks, though now wants the deal immediately scrapped.

The claim was made by Besiktas board member . . . continue reading @ https://sportinglife.ng/besiktas-director-liverpool-keeper-karius-causing-us-trouble/

Anderlecht midfielder, Samir Nasri, has denied going AWOL during the coronavirus lockdown, after reports surfaced suggesting he was facing the sack due to his conduct.

At the start of the week, Belgian outlet Derniere Heure published a story claiming Nasri had failed to notify Anderlecht officials that he had flown to Dubai, and cut all contact with the club amid the Covid-19 crisis.

The Jupiler Pro League outfit requested to be kept in the loop regarding players' movements and schedules while in self-isolation, with Nasri the only member of the squad neglecting to check in regularly.

The report states that the 32-year-old could be released from his contract, with Anderlecht now unlikely to take up a one-year extension option to keep hold of the enigmatic playmaker.

Nasri joined Anderlecht on a free transfer last summer, reuniting with ex-Manchester City team-mate Vincent Kompany in the process - with . . . continue reading @ https://sportinglife.ng/nasri-denies-going-awol-during-coronavirus-lockdown/

Professional women's golf will resume in South Korea next month after a coronavirus hiatus, with a report Tuesday saying two of the world's top 10 would seize the chance to return to competition.

South Korea dominates the women's game globally, with its best players gravitating towards the lucrative US-based LPGA tour, where they occupy three of the top six ranking spots and eight of the top 20.

But sport events around the world have been put on hold as the novel coronavirus has swept the globe with total cases nearing 2.5 million.

South Korea once had the largest confirmed cases outside China but appears to have brought the outbreak under control with a huge "trace, test and treat" strategy.

And government officials have said . . . continue reading @ https://sportinglife.ng/south-korea-womens-golf-resumption-draws-world-top-10-players-report/

PGA chief executive Seth Waugh has said his organisation is studying the feasibility of staging this year's Ryder Cup without fans in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

Waugh told New York's WFAN radio that while a Ryder Cup without spectators was "hard to imagine," PGA officials were looking to see if the event could be held with "virtual fans."

US captain Steve Stricker (L) and Europe skipper Padraig Harrington (R) could battle for the Ryder Cup before empty galleries

This year's Ryder Cup -- the hotly contested biennial team competition that pits the United States against Europe -- is due to be held at Whistling Straits, Wisconsin from September 25-27.

Raucous, partisan crowds are integral to the febrile spectacle of Ryder Cup competition, but COVID-19 could ensure that this year's competition takes place before . . . continue reading @ https://sportinglife.ng/golf-pga-says-ryder-cup-without-fans-under-consideration/

Nigeria international Moses Simon has revealed that it took him time before he could adapt to life in Europe, Sportinglife.ng reports.

The Nantes forward, who is on loan from Levante, has now spent seven years in Europe since signing a pre-contractual agreement with AFC Ajax on 10th May 2013 while at GBS Academy before making his first appearance for the Dutch club on 13 July 2013 in pre-season friendly match against De Graafschap.

The Super Eagles winger shared his . . . continue reading @ https://sportinglife.ng/moses-simon-it-was-difficult-adjusting-to-life-in-europe/

Nigeria Football Federation has expressed profound shock and a sense of deep sorrow at the passage on Saturday, 18th April 2020 of Mallam Abba Kyari, Chief of Staff to His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR).

“Mallam Abba Kyari’s death is a big loss to the NFF, Nigerian Football family and the entire country as a whole,” NFF’s director of communications, Ademola Olajire, said. “Nigeria’s football industry has lost a friend and a great man who showed tremendous interest in the progress of the country’s game. He was, indeed, a colossus.”

Olajire said the NFF retains abiding fond memories of Mallam Kyari’s love and support for the various National Teams, accentuated by the passion, energy and resolve with which the Cambridge –educated lawyer and former banking titan attended to, and presented to President Buhari, matters concerning the teams.

“The NFF never had reason, even for one day, to doubt Mallam Kyari’s . . . continue reading https://sportinglife.ng/nff-mourns-abba-kyari-says-he-was-a-colossus/

Manchester United's away kit for the 2020/21 season has reportedly been leaked online, and it appears to resemble their infamous 1996 grey kit.

Reports initially indicated that United's change strip which, manufactured by Adidas, would be a well-defined shade of green.

The colour is also officially known as 'legacy green' and is believed to have been used in Adidas' latest pair of Predator boots.

However, the supposed first look at next season's away strip appears to show the kit having a shade of grey, rather than dark green, with the club badge and Adidas logo visible in orange. . .

See kit picture here: https://sportinglife.ng/manchester-uniteds-next-season-away-kit-leaks-online/

Barcelona's interest in Lautaro Martinez is no secret, but Inter are not taking the Blaugrana's pursuit of their striker lying down.

From Luis Suarez to Mario Kempes, and even Lautaro's agent, many prominent figures have talked up the move that is becoming increasingly more likely.

But Inter are biting back as they look to keep hold of their star asset.

The Serie A side's first retaliation came from their former president, Massimo Moratti, who talked up the possibility of Inter signing Leo Messi.

"I don't . . . continue reading @ https://sportinglife.ng/inter-fire-back-at-barca-over-lautaro-chase-threaten-to-sign-griezmann/

Much like the rest of Europe's clubs, Paris Saint-Germain are living through uncertain times due to football's forced break.

But the situation is slightly exaggerated in Paris as four players are nearing the ends of their contracts and two of them have been symbols of their modern history and dressing room heavyweights.

Both Thiago Silva and Edinson Cavani will leave the Parc des Princes this summer, and may not . . . continue reading @ https://sportinglife.ng/ligue-1-psg-are-facing-an-inevitable-revolution/

Real Madrid have not offered Sergio Ramos a new deal and won't discuss fresh terms with the player until next season, reports in Spain claim.

The 34-year-old is currently tied down at the Bernabeu until 2021, but it has been claimed that Los Blancos do not see his contract renewal as a priority.

According to Spanish news outlet AS, Real run the risk in allowing Ramos to become a free agent by the time next summer's European Championship comes around.

They state that . . . continue reading @ https://sportinglife.ng/no-new-real-madrid-offer-for-ramos-as-he-nears-end-of-contract/

William Troost-Ekong's Udinese are organising logistics to bring groceries, medicine and other essential items to the homes of their older season ticket holders during the lockdown.

The Friuli club announced the initiative, which will see them contribute to help fans aged over 65.

As they are at risk groups, it is even more important that they maintain social distancing guidelines and limit leaving their houses.

“In this moment without precedent, we wanted to do our bit with a series of initiatives alongside our partners and season ticket holders, starting from the . . . continue reading @ https://sportinglife.ng/serie-a-troost-ekongs-udinese-deliver-groceries-to-fans/

Boxing legend, Floyd Mayweather, has announced he wants to become the best trainer in the world after posting a video of him putting his 14-year-old nephew through his paces in a pad work session.

The American is considered one Boxing's greatest ever boxers after winning 15 major world titles and finishing his career undefeated in 50 fights, and revealed his desire to follow in his late uncle Roger's footsteps in becoming a trainer.

The 43-year-old has not fought professionally since 2017 and has now revealed his desire to make a career change and move to the other side of the pads.

Mayweather revealed the decision on his . . . read more @ https://sportinglife.ng/mayweather-announces-desire-to-become-the-best-trainer-in-the-world/

President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), Engr Habu Gumel has enjoined the Sporting Family in Nigeria not to lose grasp of hope and the bigger picture as Christians celebrate Easter across the globe.

In his goodwill message, the Treasurer of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) is optimistic that stakeholders are in good spirit and safe with their families bearing in mind the challenges being faced globally as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.

“The impact of Covid-19 has been quite enormous and unprecedented, affecting virtually all sectors, including sports, which has now led to the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and various other national and international sporting engagements. However, in the face of these difficulties, I sincerely hope that we shall all come out of it stronger and more determined to move ahead in life in the Olympic spirit of solidarity and friendship,” Gumel said


Continue reading @ https://sportinglife.ng/covid-19-gumel-gives-message-of-hope-at-easter/

Fears are growing that this year’s Olympics may be postponed or axed because of the coronavirus pandemic but Japan has been here before – the cancelled summer Games of 1940 were also due to be hosted in Tokyo.

Japan’s military aggression in Asia forced the annulment of what became known as the “Missing Olympics” after the Games were switched to Helsinki before finally being scrapped because of World War II.

Tokyo officials originally touted a bid for the 1940 Games as a way to show the city had recovered from the devastating 1923 earthquake, according to author David Goldblatt in his history of the Olympics entitled “The Games”.

continue reading @ https://sportinglife.ng/tokyo-1940-the-games-that-became-the-missing-olympics/

This summer's European Championship has been postponed until next year as the coronavirus continues to wreak havoc on the footballing calendar.

UEFA convened a meeting on Tuesday with leading lights from the continent's various authorities - and the international tournament was high on the agenda.

Domestic leagues around Europe are currently postponed and face a race against time to conclude their current seasons, with many believing the postponement of Euro 2020 would allow them the freedom to delay their fixtures until . . . continue reading @ https://sportinglife.ng/euro-2020-postponed-until-next-summer-amid-worldwide-coronavirus/

Liverpool have handed players individual training programmes to adhere to following the closure of Melwood no thanks to the coronavirus.

The Reds are one of many Premier League clubs to have now closed their training centres across the country as they attempt to reduce the risk of players and staff getting covid-19.

With the current Premier League suspended until April 4 at the earliest, clubs are taking the necessary measures to ensure their players maintain the right level of fitness for when the season returns.

The Athletic claims Liverpool’s players have been given individual fitness programmes to carry out at home and a WhatsApp group has been created to provide players with further updates.

They have been informed Melwood will not . . . continue reading @ https://sportinglife.ng/reds-players-get-training-dietary-instructions-via-whatsapp/

Mike Tyson believes Deontay Wilder is right to call an immediate rematch with Tyson Fury despite his convincing defeat to the British heavyweight last month.

Tyson Fury, left, and Deontay Wilder are expected to square off for a third time in July at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas

Fury stripped Wilder of his WBC title in a remarkable performance that saw the Bronze Bomber’s team throw the towel in during the seventh round. Wilder and Fury’s trilogy fight has been pencilled in for July, providing sport has resumed by then amid the coronavirus crisis, and Tyson offered some advice to his fellow American ahead of the third clash.

He told the Sportsman: ‘[Wilder] has to go right back in, right away. ‘Get yourself healthy, your head right, and get back in the ring.’

Tyson is a self-declared fan of the Gypsy King and was leaning towards his name-sake before the original rematch.

Fight fans were . . . continue reading @ https://sportinglife.ng/mike-tyson-backs-wilders-decision-to-call-immediate-rematch-with-fury/

Jan Vertonghen’s family were held at knife-point during a terrifying burglary while the Tottenham defender was away with his Premier League club.

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British police said four men wearing balaclavas and armed with knives broke into Vertonghen’s house while the Belgian international’s wife and children were inside.

The 32-year-old was in Germany for Tottenham’s Champions League last 16 second leg defeat against Leipzig on Tuesday.

Vertonghen was an unused substitute as Tottenham lost 3-0 to crash out of the competition.

“We have been supporting Jan and his family through this terribly traumatic time,” a Tottenham spokesperson said.

“We encourage anyone who has any information to come forward to help the police with their investigation.”

comtinue reading here: https://sportinglife.ng/vertonghens-family-held-at-knifepoint-during-home-invasion/