Maurizio Sarri has admitted he’s struggling to motivate his players for Napoli’s Europa League game against RB Leipzig on Thursday, confirming that they are too focused on winning Serie A this season. “This is a European competition and it’s fascinating, but it’s borderline crazy considering the stress caused by the short time from the full-time whistle of the Leipzig game to the kick-off against SPAL [on Sunday],” Sarri said at a news conference on Wednesday. “Everybody wants to keep getting better, but first of all, we’ve got to be competitive in Italy and then in Europe. This year, we’re struggling…
Author: David Folami
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is preparing for life after Manchester United by house hunting in Los Angeles reports have said. News have said Ibrahimovic is yet to make a decision about his future and has not ruled out staying in Europe — or even at United. He returned from a serious knee injury in November and has made seven appearances so far this season, scoring once, but has not featured since the 2-2 draw with Burnley on Boxing Day after suffering another knee problem. He returned to training with the rest of the squad last week and is nearing a first-team comeback.…
Manuel Neuer is working on his comeback bid by rehabilitating a broken foot in Thailand. Fellow 2014 World Cup winner Jerome Boateng has recovered from injury in Dubai, while Spain midfielder Thiago carried out the majority of his rehab work from a thigh muscle injury in Barcelona. In Neuer’s absence, backup goalkeeper Sven Ulreich has been deputising and signed a new contract on Sunday, committing him to the German champions until 2021. “He is a great goalkeeper and now he has the chance to confirm it,” Neuer said last month. “He is doing an outstanding job for Bayern and for…
Jordan Henderson is of the opinion that teams all around Europe will be wary about facing Liverpool and believes that was the case even before Wednesday’s 5-0 demolition of Porto. “I think before this game, I am not sure how many teams would have wanted to play us anyway because when we are on it, like we were tonight, we are very hard to play,” Henderson said. “But that has to be our norm and we have to be consistent with the performances and to get results like this. Yes, it is a lot of goals. Hopefully, we can get…
Sadio Mane has shared a timely interjection from a Liverpool legend was enough to motivate him on to score three goals in Wednesday night’s 5-0 thrashing of Porto in the Champions League. “He [Carragher] is my good friend,” Mane told Viasport presenter Jan-Aage Fjortoft after completing his hat-trick in the second half. “At half-time he told me to score more goals, and we tried as a team. Luckily I got three goals today and I’m happy.” “I had to go running after the ball boy for Sadio’s ball at the end — he was nearly upset! Luckily, I managed to…
Monchi has said that Mohamed Salah’s value doubled following the summer transfers of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe and that he could do nothing to prevent the Egyptian’s sale to Liverpool. “In the end, with bonuses, we got €50 million for him, which is a figure I don’t feel is the best for him right now,” Monchi told Sky Sport Italia. “It’s still double what their first offer was, and at the time we needed to sell and he already had an agreement with Liverpool, so we couldn’t do anything else. “Then there was the transfers of Neymar and Mbappe to…
Nasser Al-Khelaifi recently blamed Italian referee Gianluca Rocchi for his decisions in the Parisians’ 3-1 first leg defeat in their Champions League round-of-16 clash with Real Madrid on Wednesday night. “We can also speak about the referee,” Al-Khelaifi said. “Two yellow cards, which were not, and an offside against Kylian [Mbappe] that was also incorrect. “The small things, such as these, can also make the difference against big teams like Real. It was not solely because of this but it helped Real, of course. “Last year, in Barcelona, the referee. Today, again, the referee. I think that UEFA have to…
Cristiano Ronaldo used to practise taking penalties so that the ball moves before he strikes it, former Manchester United teammate Rio Ferdinand has said. “He used to mess about in training and do it but to do it in a game. I’m not saying he means it but he used to do it, I swear to you. “Crazy, but he used to do it.” Had the match officials seen the ball move, the rules of the game mean they would have had to order the penalty to be retaken. Former Premier League referee Graham Poll told the Daily Mail: “You…
Dele Alli has said Tottenham Hotspur are not too “soft” for their forthcoming FA Cup challenge at Rochdale after helping them to a Champions League comeback against Juventus. “A lot of us grew up playing on worse pitches than that. A lot of us grew up playing on concrete, so I don’t think the pitch is a problem. “For us, we’ve just got to go there and be professional and ensure a good performance to win the game.” “We know it’s not going to be easy. We saw that against Newport when we played them — it was a difficult…
Chief Bisi Akande has said his visit to President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday in Abuja was not political but to commiserate with him on his bereavement. According to him, Buhari’s popularity in the country is unshakable. “I must point out clearly that my visit in the company of Asiwaju has nothing to do with politics. There is no crisis in our party that is not being adequately handled. “Our visit is a friendly one; it is a visit by friends commiserating with another friend, who recently lost family members. Every other thing is in the imagination of mischief makers. “The…
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu says APC is fully ready to prosecute 2019 general elections in a most transparent and democratic manner. “I belong to this party. My commitment is to this party. We have a better chance and we are strongly determined to prosecute election in a most transparent and democratic manner and we will win. “Well, l feel greatly honoured with the mutual confidence that the president has reposed in me which is a very strong political challenge. “We have started in earnest. He has given me free hand to put cohesion, confidence and trust in the party. “Democracy is…
Muhammadu Buhari has expressed sadness over the death of the former chairman of the Bank of the North, Alhaji Muhammad Lugga, who died after a prolonged illness. The President recalled with pride how Lugga used his extensive experience to revive the defunct Bank of the North which was at the verge of collapse on account of poor management. He extended his condolences to the Government of Zamfara State and family of the late Lugga and prayed to Allah to forgive his gentle soul. He also also condoled with the Baba-Ahmed family, the government and people of Kaduna state over the…
Muhammadu Buhari has begged Nigerian Christians to pray for the unity of the country which he believes is a ‘divine arrangement’ that should not be jeopardised. The statement read, “President Muhammadu Buhari felicitates with Christians in Nigeria on the solemn occasion of the commencement of this year’s Lenten season. “As they join their counterparts worldwide to emulate the worthy example of Jesus Christ who fasted 40 days at the beginning of His earthly ministry, the President urges Christian brothers and sisters to pray fervently for the country’s unity and progress. “He believes that Nigeria’s existence as one united country is…
All Progressives Congress (APC) Badagry Division on Sunday urged Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State to seek a second term in office. Mr Rabiu Oluwa, Chairman of the APC in the division, said Ambode deserved a second term because of his achievements in the past three years. He commended the governor’s total dedication to duty, his enormous development projects and his desire to make the state a better place to live. ”Gov. Ambode’s unimaginable performance and commendable zeal for developmental projects have been visible in every nook and cranny of the state, especially in Badagry division. ”In this division, we…
Akinwunmi Ambode has urged Lagos residents to register with the National Identity Card Management Commission (NIMC) because of its numerous benefits. The governor said it was in the best interest of residents to do so, just as it was good for data and financial planning. “I just finished registering as a proud Nigerian. “I also urge all Lagosians to do the same,’’ Ambode said. He also called on all Lagosians to register, saying there are were many benefits attached to the registration. According to him, the national identity cards that will be eventually issued to those who register have 18…
Major-General Rogers Nicholas has assured Nigerians that troops are relentlessly closing down on Boko Haram militants in a bid to end the terrorist group’s nine-year insurgency. He said, “Camp Zairo has been taken by our troops on several ocassions. This is an assymetric warfare; there’s no boundary. We take it today, they leave the place and move to another place occupy it again. They continue to run round; but this time around, I’ve decided we’re going to stay with them in that bush. “We’re pursuing them round the bush, so we’re with them there.” He further urged Boko Haram militants…
Umar Ganduje has denied reports that children voted during the just concluded Local Government election in the state. He said “That was propaganda. You can ask the national observers who went there. They held a press conference. All those pictures were children during a school assembly. It is not true, it is part of the propaganda. “Let them go back to the states and ask the people did they queue up and vote in the election? “So, we don’t even need to respond to such falsehood. Ask those who are credible and who witnessed the election, I think that is…
Olusegun Obasanjo has once again blasted President Muhammadu Buhari for his administration’s handling of the fight against corruption. According to him, the president could do more in how he goes about the war that’s been one of the centrepieces of his administration. He said, “I would make sure people in charge of anti-corruption institutions are people of integrity. There is no point in fighting corruption beyond you and you have corruption on your nose.” He said, “It (Coalition for Nigeria) is not an old wine in a new bottle, but a new wine in a new bottle. I will not…
Solomon Dalung has attacked the response of Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, to the killing of over 73 people in his state, describing it as ‘shameful’. He said, “I have not made up my mind whether to contest any election in 2019, not even Councilorship let alone governorship. I don’t know where the speculations of my contesting for the governor of Plateau State is coming from. “One office I don’t envy in my life is the office of the governor in Nigeria. I told the governor of Lagos State so. The responsibility of the governors is so enormous and anybody…
DJ Consequence has finally dropped one of the most anticipated videos in recent times, the visuals for the viral hit – ‘Assignment’, featuring king of the streets – Olamide. Directed by the fast rising and incredibly talented Dammy Twitch, “Assignment” video exudes what a fun video should be, with cameos from Josh2Funny, Oluwadolarz and much more. Very inspiring jam.