Antonio Conte has insisted that Andreas Christensen was fine to continue in Chelsea’s 4-0 win over Brighton on Saturday, despite being substituted with a head injury in the second half. “Andreas had a contusion,” Conte said. “We made a substitution, but the player didn’t want to come off. At the same time, when you have the possibility to have on the bench players like David Luiz, it was simple for me. “The referee tried to force this substitution. It was a simple contusion. The player is okay. From tomorrow’s training session, he’s ready.” The Blues earned their first win of…
Author: David Folami
Pep Guardiola has said Manchester City do not need another striker after deciding against trying to sign Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez. “We have the two strikers and we do not need another one in that position,” Guardiola told a news conference. “Other players can play there in different circumstances. To buy a striker who can only play there, that is not going to happen. “[Raheem Sterling] can play there. He did at Old Trafford and in the United States in preseason. He showed me that he can handle that pressure without problems. He’s more of a winger, No. 10, but we…
Unai Emery has rejected the chance to clear the air on whether Neymar is the club’s new full-time penalty taker instead of Edinson Cavani in the wake of the club’s 8-0 win over Dijon in Ligue 1 on Wednesday. “I will not speak outside the dressing room about things that go on inside it,” Emery said ahead of Sunday’s trip to Lyon. “The players each have a role. “The penalty taking hierarchy is clear but I prefer not to talk about it.” “We only talk about collective statistics when preparing for matches,” he said. “Individual statistics help the team and…
Arsenal have made their first enquiry about Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, according to the German club. Hans-Joachim Watzke confirmed the Gunners had made an approach for the Gabon international, who has been left out of the squad for his side’s last two Bundesliga games. “I can confirm that there has been a first enquiry from Arsenal for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang,” Watzke said in an interview with Ruhr Nachrichten. He added Dortmund “were not commenting” on any figures involved. Aubameyang was the Bundesliga’s top goal scorer last season as he finished the campaign with 31 goals and has hit 13 in…
Antonio Conte has claimed that it is “stupid” for coaches to try to create a siege mentality at top clubs, insisting that his Chelsea players do not need the “other stimulation” of believing the world is against them in order to win. Conte also denied that his complaints are intended to motivate his players. “No, we are working under this aspect to create a strong mentality,” Conte said. “Not because you have to feel under attack [to win]. This is a stupid thing. Do I have to transfer to my players, ‘Oh, we are under attack from the referees, from…
Hebei China Fortune coach Manuel Pellegrini has confirmed he expects to sign Javier Mascherano this month, with the Barcelona defender anticipated to complete his move to the Chinese side within two weeks. “The idea is that he comes here,” Pellegrini told Marca from Hebei China Fortune’s training base in the south of Spain. “We have to see what the situation is with Barca, but he’s a player that I am really interested in.” Pellegrini previously worked with Mascherano — who has won over 140 caps for Argentina — at River Plate in the early years of his career and he…
Barcelona have denied reaching an agreement with Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann, contradicting reports which had appeared in the Catalan press today. Reports suggested Barca and Griezmann have already agreed on personal terms over a summer transfer, adding that if either party broke the deal there would be a “financial penalty.” Although Barca have reacted angrily to the latest bout of rumours. “Barcelona strongly deny the information which has appeared in different media outlets in recent hours in reference to Atletico Madrid player Antoine Griemzmann and a supposed move to our club,” the Catalans said in a statement. “Barcelona express…
Michael Zorc has revealed BvB are still waiting for a “concrete” transfer offer for the Gabon striker. Aubameyang, who was dropped from the squad for Dortmund’s 0-0 draw with Wolfsburg last Sunday, was again omitted from the side that drew 1-1 at Hertha Berlin. “It’s not a suspension but a sporting decision,” Zorc said. “There is nothing really concrete on the table. There’s a lot of rubbish.” Aubameyang was originally dropped for missing a club appointment, with manager Peter Stoger saying he felt the player was “not so focused at the moment.”
Muhammadu Buhari has said the agricultural sector has seen steady and remarkable progress in the last two years, significantly reducing the food import bill of the country. “We are very busy in the agricultural sector, and more Nigerians are getting involved,’’ the president told Maj.-Gen. Kazi Sharif Kaikoband, the Ambassador of the Republic of Bangladesh to Nigeria. “We have had the terrorism problem in Bangladesh for more than 36 years,’’ he said. “Bangladesh denounces terrorism in all forms, irrespective of colour or country.’’ The president also received Letters of Credence from Ms. Maria Saranto, Ambassador of the Democratic Republic of…
Speaker Yakubu Dogara has begged President Muhammadu Buhari to, as a matter of urgency, sign into law the Petroleum Industry Governance Bills (PIGB) passed into law by the National Assembly. He said the new legislation will be transmitted to the President within the next few days explained that the parliament had to move on and pass its own version of the bill following failure of the executive to present a draft bill to the National Assembly. He also described the passage of the PIGB, as historic and landmark achievement by the 8th National Assembly. The speaker also argued that with…
Atiku Abubakar has shared his sympathy for traders who lost their properties to the separate fire incidents that happened in Yola Township Market and the Plank Market in Ibadan over the past week. He posted “My deepest sympathies to all those who lost property in the fires that destroyed the Yola Township Market and the Plank Market in Ibadan. “I’m deeply grateful for the heroic firemen whose prompt response arrested the spread the fire.” According to reports, the cost of damage to properties in the Yola fire has yet to be determined as shop owners are still assessing the destruction…
Rochas Okorocha has said that President Buhari has had a successful first term stint. He said “We were in Abuja for three days, holding meetings of the Progressive Governors with the APC leadership. We deliberated on so many issues. First among the very important issues that we discussed, was the issue of Mr. President’s second term bid and it has the endorsement of all the governors of the APC. “There is the need for him to complete his second term as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and he should go ahead to declare. “We also deliberated and a…
Muhammadu Buhari momentarily slipped into a coma when Goodluck Jonathan rang to concede defeat at exactly 5:15pm on March 31, 2015; after a closely contested vote. “The PVCs (Permanent Voters Cards) worked well in 2015. That was why when the former president rang me, I went temporarily into a coma,” Buhari confessed to a gathering of APC chieftains during a dinner at the presidential villa this week. “I will never forget the time. It was quarter past 5pm and he said he called to congratulate me and that he had conceded. “He asked if I heard him, and I said…
Samuel Ortom has said that residents of Benue state, now live in fear, due to the constant attacks by Fulani herdsmen. He also accused members of Kautal Hore of masterminding the recent attacks, and called on the police to arrest the group. Ortom said “We thank God that peace is gradually returning to the state, but there are still pockets of challenges here; we know the challenges will soon be over because our people are always alert to give useful information to security operatives around. “Let me tell you that our people are still living in fear and are under…
Prof. Mahmood Yakubu has said INEC has 74 million voters in its register by the second week of January. He said the figure was expected to reach between 80 and 85 million by 2019 because of the on-going nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR). He assured Nigerians that only their votes would determine the 2019 general elections and beyond. Yakubu noted that there had been a lot of improvement in the electoral process since the current commission came on board. He said the commission was not unmindful of the enormous responsibility of conducting elections in a democracy. He also stressed the…
Umaru Al-Makura of Nasarawa State has said that arrangements have been concluded for the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to the state on Feb. 6. ‘‘I am happy to announce that Mr President has graciously accepted to visit Nasarawa State on February 6,” he said. He also said that during the visit, President Buhari would inaugurate various projects initiated and completed by the current administration for the benefit of the people. The governor begged the people of the various communities where the president would visit to cooperate with the committee constituted by the state government to ensure a successful outing.
Aminu Tambuwal has announced the purchase of N104 million worth of locally made fertilizer for distribution to farmers across the 23 Local Government Areas of the state. He mentioned that apart from the fertilizer company, other policies had been implemented in order to put the state’s economy in the right direction. “The micro and macro-economic policies of both the Federal and Sokoto State Governments had started to yield positive results. “As we can see, positive results have been churned out from sectors like agriculture, manufacturing, entrepreneurship development and other areas in the social investments chain. “It is worthy to note…
Muhammadu Buhari has said that he see towards the problems of the country and that he only appears to be slow to act because he’s reflecting deeply on creating solutions. He said, “I felt I had to invite you to let us eat together and I tell you that I am sitting here very much aware of the problem in this country. I will always reflect on historical antecedents. “I decided to drop the uniform and come back here (to be President of Nigeria), so I have gone through it over and over again. This is why I am not…
‘Yeba’ came through in September 2017. By December, it was one of the biggest songs of the holiday celebrations. By January, it started getting criticism from a section of Nigerians arguing that it promoted sexual assault. A Twitter user with the name Maryam Laushi, wrote: “Honestly I shudder whenever I hear the ‘Uncle stop touching’ bit. I thought I was the only one. Very molestey and rapey. And counter consent. Already dealing with such issues in our society, we don’t need Nigerian pop culture promoting it in that way.” Kiss Daniel has however clarified the meaning of it all. “D…
Dencia has spoken about her music career, business, the music industry and Paul Pogba. “I don’t talk about my vagina in public yea if the only thing I can tell you about Paul Pogba is that he is an amazing athlete that deserves a Ballon d’Or. “That’s the only thing, we don’t talk about anything else when it comes to…he’s an amazing, he is such an amazing person, such an amazing athlete I think that’s what we should be focused on you know, we should focus on people’s craft, you don’t talk little thinks to overshadow people’s, like you cant…