Xherdan Shaqiri has not made the trip to Serbia for Liverpool’s Champions League clash with Red Star Belgrade as Jurgen Klopp is keen to avoid off-the-pitch distractions. Shaqiri would have been given an extremely hostile reception in Belgrade after the Kosovo-born player celebrated a goal scored for Switzerland against Serbia at the World Cup with a gesture imitating a double-headed eagle, the Albanian national symbol. Shaqiri also wore the image of a Kosovo flag on his boot. Kosovo is a former Serbian province that declared independence in 2008, although Serbia does not recognise this. “It’s a situation where we will…
Author: David Folami
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has said the quality of the Premier League is “overrated” but that very few can handle the pace required to succeed in English football’s top flight. The Swede, now at LA Galaxy, spent 19 months at Manchester United between 2016 and 2018 — scoring 29 goals in 53 appearances in all competitions with much of his time blighted by a serious knee injury. Previous to that, he had played in his native Sweden, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain and France. Ibrahimovic, 37, said a lot of people tried to persuade him not to join United as he could produce…
Adams Oshiomhole has said that the ruling party is not in support of the misunderstanding between Imo Governor, Rochas Okorocha and top leaders of the Christian community in the state. Oshiomhole said this on Saturday, November 3, 2018, at a meeting with Archbishop Anthony Obinna and representatives of the Christian community in Imo state. The APC chairman also condemned what he described as the Governor’s lack of respect for the Church. Reports have it that he said “Governor Rochas Okorocha’s personal battle with the Christian community in Imo State is a matter between him and the Catholic Church. We in…
The defence headquarters of the Nigerian Army has cautioned the members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) to be ready to face the consequences if they insist on taking on the military. This follows the clashes that happened in Abuja last week where some members of the movement were killed by soldiers during protests. Many people, including four soldiers, also sustained injuries. During an Interview on the Osasu Show with Osasu Igbinedion, Army spokesperson, Brigadier General John Agim, denied allegations that the military was sent to disrupt the procession of the movement, saying those accusing the military wanted to…
Bukola Saraki has called on both the federal government and the Nigerian Labour Congress/Trade Union Congress to work together in order to avert the proposed nationwide strike in the interest of Nigerians. He disclosed this in a statement signed by his special adviser on media and publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, on Monday, November 5, 2018. Saraki urged the two sides to demonstrate sensitivity and concern for the plight of ordinary Nigerians who are already battling with the harsh economic conditions in the country. “My Appeal is for the two sides to immediately move fast, shift from their extreme positions and create…
Ayo Fayose has alleged that the Federal Government is planning to increase the pump price of fuel from N145 to N185 in 2019. According to Daily Post, the former Governor said that the government is delaying the increase because of the effect it will have on the 2019 elections. Fayose also warned the government not to increase the price of fuel because many Nigerians are suffering. He added that “Nigerians have suffered enough in the hands of the APC government and won’t accept any further upward review of petrol pump price. “They are delaying the increment till March because of…
Yemi Osinbajo will on Monday in Lagos inaugurate the TraderMoni scheme at Ketu, Bariga and Oshodi markets. Laolu Akande, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Office of the Vice President said this in a statement in Abuja. According to him, more than 809,000 petty traders have so far benefitted from the TraderMoni initiative. TraderMoni, which is part of the Federal Government’s Social Investment Programme (N-SIP), is designed to assist petty traders across the country expand their trade through the provision of collateral and interest-free loans ranging from N10,000 and above. The loans are repayable over…
Bukola Saraki on Sunday, November 4, 2018, received five thousand youths who decamped from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). This was contained in a statement made available to Pulse by the Senate President’s Media Office Sunday night. Saraki and the PDP governorship candidate, Razak Atunwa, received the decampees to the PDP. Saraki noted that the PDP would continue to provide opportunities and development in Kwara state. “Today in Kwara, I was delighted to receive thousands of former APC members as they defected to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). As we move forward together, our…
Dr Oby Ezekwesili has taken a shot at Nigeria’s established political structure, noting that the political influence of godfathers such as former Lagos governor, Bola Tinubu, is overhyped and without substance. Tinubu is the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and acclaimed political godfather in Lagos who’s practically handpicked two successive governors and was influential to President Muhammadu Buhari’s victory in the 2015 presidential election. In a statement signed by Ezekwesili on Monday, November 5, 2018, she said the doubts about her party’s structure are unimportant because the supposed established structures are not as influential as people believe.…
Muhammadu Buhari’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, has described the 2019 presidential election as a contest between light and darkness that he expects the president to win. While speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Sunday, November 4, 2018, the president’s spokesperson said Nigerians will decide on the right candidate who’ll move the nation forward. He said, “What we know is that a contest is ahead and it is going to be a contest between light and darkness, between integrity and people who have question marks; between a man whose life is plain and…
The Senior Special adviser to President Buhari on Diaspora, Abike Dabiri has called for the prosecution of those who reportedly molested late Elizabeth Ogbaje Ochanya. According to reports, Ochanya was raped constantly for five years by her uncle and his son, Andrew Ogbuja and Victor Ogbuja respectively. Mr. Andrew is a lecturer in the Department of Catering and Hotel Management at the Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo. The 13-year-old reportedly died of Vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) and other health complications at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi. Speaking at an event Dabiri called on women to let their voices be heard…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reacted to comments made by the All Progressives Congress (APC) about its strategy meeting in Dubai recently. The APC called on security agencies to investigate the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar’s meeting with some party leaders in Dubai. The ruling party’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, in a statement issued to newsmen, described the meeting as sinister. He said “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, his running mate, Mr. Peter Obi; Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and the party’s National Chairman, Uche Secondus met in Dubai few days ago…
Dani Carvajal has said sacked coach Julen Lopetegui is the best manager he has worked under. Lopetegui was dismissed last week after less than five months in charge of Real, following a 5-1 Clasico defeat by Barcelona and a dire run of form in which they sunk to ninth in La Liga. The coach has endured a nightmare year after being sacked by Spain on the eve of the World Cup after agreeing to take the Real Madrid job. However, Carvajal, who won three Champions League titles with Real under Zinedine Zidane, is standing by Lopetegui. “For me, he’s the…
Memphis Depay is very much his own man — that much was clear when he turned up for a Manchester United reserve game in late 2015 in a Rolls Royce, red leather jacket and cowboy hat after being dropped from the first team, despite being asked by his captain at the time, Wayne Rooney, to keep a low profile. Since joining Lyon in January 2017, however, it looked like Depay had turned a corner. In good form and fitness, ahead of his side’s Champions League clash with Man City in September, the forward suggested he had left his crazy days…
Paul Pogba has said his relationship with Jose Mourinho is one of “happiness” and insisted ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League game with Juventus that he has no regrets about leaving the Italian champions to rejoin Manchester United in August 2016. Pogba will play in the Allianz Stadium Wednesday for the first time since leaving Juve for a then-world record fee of £89 million two years ago. The French midfielder was signed by United to help accelerate the club’s return to competitiveness in the Premier League and Champions League, but his second spell at Old Trafford — Pogba left United for…
Paulo Fonseca, who worked with Fred for two seasons, has “no doubt” that Manchester United’s Brazilian midfielder — despite his difficult start at Old Trafford — will “become one of the most important players in England.” “He’s a big talent and he’s still developing,” he said, speaking exclusively to ESPN FC. “I have no doubt he’ll have a great future at Manchester United. But, of course, he needs time. It’s totally different from what he was used to in Ukraine. “He needs a period to adapt, to the club, to the league. It’s a totally different situation.” Fonseca added that…
Manchester United travel to Italy to face Juventus in the Champions League following a comeback win at Bournemouth on Saturday. Jose Mourinho’s men are making a habit of winning from behind, but nothing achieved in recent months can compare to fightbacks during the treble season some 20 years ago and, in particular, events in Turin on the night of April 21, 1999. Against a team considered the best on the planet — the Juventus of Zinedine Zidane, Edgar Davids, Didier Deschamps and Alessandro Del Piero — United recovered from falling two goals behind inside 11 minutes to win 3-2 and…
Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez said the thought of retiring from international duty with Mexico has “crossed his mind.” The 30-year-old forward hasn’t been involved with El Tri since the World Cup, although a prolonged illness meant he couldn’t have been chosen for the October friendlies. “In all the stages [of my career] I’ve had thoughts about not going, of course,” said Hernandez, Mexico’s highest-ever goal-scorer, in an interview with Univision. “I’ve said that and people should judge me however they want. I’ve thought [about leaving the Mexico squad] at the start [of my career], in the middle and now.” Hernandez didn’t…
Liverpool face an uphill task to qualify for the knockout rounds of the Champions League after suffering a 2-0 defeat away to Red Star Belgrade. Milan Pavkov scored both goals as the Group C’s basement club picked up their first win of the competition to give themselves hope of continuing in Europe. Liverpool still have Napoli and Paris Saint-Germain to play and must now do it the hard way to finish in the top two. But Liverpool should have been in front in the 17th minute when the ball ran kindly for Daniel Sturridge inside the six-yard box, but the…
So much of the focus of the Champions League is on the big clubs with the big names from the big leagues. But what about the rest? What about the teams who may be top dog domestically and find themselves relative minnows on the European stage? How do they begin to prepare for the big boys? Paulo Fonseca, manager of Shakhtar Donetsk will be facing Manchester City for the fourth time in two years this week. Last season, his team kept a clean sheet (and had the bulk of possession) in the first half at the Etihad, before losing 2-0.…