History-making Gonzalo Higuain has declared his love for Napoli but left doubts hanging over his future as rumours persist of a possible move to the Premier League. Higuain hit a hat-trick in a dramatic 4-0 win over relegated Frosinone on Saturday to take his league tally for the season to 36 in 35 games, in the process breaking a 66-year-old Serie A scoring record. AC Milan forward and Sweden legend Gunnar Nordahl’s record of 35 goals in a single, 20-team, three-points-for-a-win Serie A season had stood since 1950. But at a packed San Paolo stadium Higuain defied torrential rain to…
Author: David Folami
German sportswear firm Puma has seen sales of Leicester City soccer jerseys rise fifteen-fold as a result of its winning the English Premier League title, chief executive Bjoern Gulden told a German paper. Puma has provided the kits for Leicester, who were 5 000-1 outsiders at the start of the season, since 2012. “The fans love such stories – the underdog coming from behind and pulling off something unlikely,” Sueddeutsche Zeitung quoted Gulden as saying in its Thursday edition. “The demand for jerseys has risen by fifteen-fold,” he said. Gulden did not say, however, whether Puma would pay more money…
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admitted his team became nervous after they lost the Europa league final 3-1 to Sevilla on Wednesday. Daniel Sturridge scored a fine goal to put the English side ahead in the first half but Sevilla equalised seconds after the interval and ran out comfortable winners to win Europe’s second-tier club competition for the third year in a row. “We had our chance, 1-0 at halftime is usually good,” Klopp said. “Their first goal was not really a problem but we lost faith in our style of play. Didn’t defend well. Nervous.” Defeat meant Liverpool will not…
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp collected his fifth successive losers medal after the Reds’ 3-1 defeat to Sevilla in the Europa League final on Wednesday. Liverpool had been hoping to end their 15-year wait for Europa League glory having last won the competition, as the Uefa Cup, in a nine-goal thriller against Deportivo Alaves in 2001. But a second-half fightback on Wednesday saw Spanish midfielder Coke hit a brace in the space of six minutes to help Sevilla to their third consecutive and fifth trophy overall from Europe’s second-tier competition. It means five-time European champions Liverpool have not won a European…
The past few weeks were, in the end, a disaster. Who knew that after their sensational performance at Stoke in April, after which Tottenham Hotspur were hailed by some as the best team in the land, they wouldn’t win another game and finish behind Arsenal? But this shouldn’t obscure what a terrific season this has been for Tottenham: They challenged for the title for the first time in a generation, qualified for the Champions League and finished third, which was their highest finish since 1990. All of this was achieved with a young, talented and attack-minded team, a vibrant manager…
Manchester United’s decision on whether to sack Louis van Gaal might be more important than The FA Cup final this weekend against Crystal Palace, as the Mail alleged that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will snub the Red Devils if the Dutchman remains in charge. There is growing concern at Old Trafford that Van Gaal’s style is becoming a real turn-off for Europe’s best players and United risk losing out on Dortmund’s star striker as a result. The Gabonese has banked 36 goals in just 44 matches this season, which has alerted plenty of suitors around Europe. With a plethora of options at…
James Rodriguez would favour a move to Manchester United if he left Real Madrid this summer, sources close to the Spanish club have said. After a respectable first season at the Bernabeu following his £80 million move from Monaco after the 2014 World Cup, the Colombian midfielder has suffered injury and spent long periods out of the team this season, and the Champions League finalists are now considering a sale. Sources close to Real Madrid said that although Zinedine Zidane likes Rodriguez as a player, the tactical shift to 4-3-3 means there is no place for him in the formation.…
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admitted that his team fell apart in their 3-1 Europa League final loss to Sevilla as soon as striker Kevin Gameiro scored an equaliser in the first minute of the second half. At that point, Liverpool had been leading through a fine 34th-minute Daniel Sturridge strike, but conceded two further goals to Sevilla captain Coke in the 64th and 70th minute. Klopp, who has now lost five straight cup finals as a manager, admits his team lost their way following Gameiro’s gut-punch early in the second period. “It’s obviously the first goal of Sevilla,” Klopp said.…
Sevilla lifted the Europa League trophy for a third successive season by beating Liverpool 3-1 in the final in Basel, Switzerland, on Wednesday night. Liverpool squandered the chance to end an 11-year European drought, while Sevilla qualified for next season’s Champions League group stage despite finishing seventh in La Liga. Daniel Sturridge’s exquisite first-half goal would have been worthy of winning any UEFA showpiece, but manager Jurgen Klopp’s side failed to capitalise and went to pieces in the second half. Kevin Gameiro scored just seconds after the interval as the Reds were exposed defensively before Coke grabbed two in the…
Nigerian artistes, Falz The Bahd Guy, Tekno and Skales have been officially unveiled as the new brand ambassadors for leading telecommunications company, MTN. The trio will be the face of the telco company’s newly relaunched product, MTN Pulse; a youth oriented data and lifestyle plan. The trio now join other entertainers like Tiwa Savage, Sound Sultan, Kcee, Don Jazzy, Banky W and others who are ambassadors of MTN.
Chris Brown and his friends were ordered off a private jet by police for allegedly smoking marijuana. The ‘Yeah 3x’ hitmaker and his entourage reportedly ignored warnings from the pilot not to light up on board the aircraft, prompting him to call police when he could smell a ‘strong odour’ of the drug coming from the cabin. Officers arrived at the Signature Aviation at Miami International Airport on Monday, May 16 2016 and made everyone leave the plane as they could also smell marijuana. According to TMZ, the smell of smoke was so strong, the pilot was forced to open…
YBNL leader, Olamide has proven to be a man of his word especially with his relationship and deals with his signed artists. He’s repeatedly said he only signs a 2-year deal with all his artistes after which they are free to go. With the exit of Lil Kesh from the label on the expiration of his deal in April 2016, we now have feelers that talented singer, Adekunle Gold may be the next in line to leave the label. Lil Kesh left YBNL to float his YAGI records after dropping his debut album. Sources have now told NET that Adekunle…
Justin Bieber’s ‘What do you mean’ visual work has hit over a billion Vevo views. Musicians who’ve crossed the milestone on the global video sharing website include Psy – ‘Gangnam Style’, Adele – ‘Hello’, Wiz Khalifa – ‘See You Again’, and Sia – ‘Chandelier’. Others are Taylor Swift for ‘Blank Space’ and ‘Shake It Off’, Katy Perry for ‘Dark Horse’ and ‘Roar’, Mark Ronson ‘Uptown Funk’, and Eminem‘s ‘Love the way lie’ ft. Rihannna It took the Canadian singer four years to get a billion views on Vevo for his debut song ‘Baby’, which was released in 2010, BUT in…
Kim Kardashian, was the shining star on the red carpet as she sparkled in a crystal covered dress at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival. The reality star dressed in a custom gown by Lan Yu Couture that was held together by embellished chains beneath the sparkly crew-neck design. Kim completed her head-to-toe crystal ensemble with a nude strapless slip, and a pair of statement earrings by de Grisogono. The star studded festival which took place on Tuesday, May 17, 2016. Was also attended by other A-list celebrities like Bella Hadid, Paris Hilton, Blake Lively, Kristen Stewart, Eva Longoria, Kirsten Dunst…
Two can definitely play that game! Kylie Jenner seems to have moved on with another rapper, PartyNextDoor, barely 6 days after split from ex boyfriend, Tyga. The Sun reports that the 18-year-old reality star has been longtime pals with the Canadian rapper whose real name is Jahron Anthony Brathwaite, 22, and that the pair have grown close since Kylie’s split from boyfriend of two years, Tyga. These reports come on the heels of Tyga’s debut with two models at the 2016 MET Gala event, where himself and Kylie were reported to have ignored each other through out. The Sun reports…
The Federal Government has applauded the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Joe Ajaero-led faction of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) for their understanding to shelve the planned strike by organised labour. Mr Babachir Lawal, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), gave the commendation in Abuja at a news conference warly on Wednesday after a meeting called with a view to avert the proposed strike. The organised labour had scheduled to commence an industrial action, Wednesday, in protest against the liberalization of the petroleum downstream sector, leading to a new fuel pump price of N145. Lawal said…
Public and private sector workers in five states of the North West on Wednesday defied the nationwide strike action ordered by the Ayuba Waba faction of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over fuel price increase. The Federal and state workers in Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Sokoto, and Kebbi have reported to their duty posts in defiance of the order. Reports from the five states indicated that socio-economic activities were also going on, with schools, banks, markets, hospitals and other businesses fully opened. In Sokoto, some civil servants said they would not join the strike because it would only aggravate current hardships…
Nigerians have been urged to consider seeking divine intervention as a way out of the challenges facing the country. Pastor Joseph Olalekan, who is also the Chairman, Christ Apostolic Church, Oke-Ibukun, Iloro Zonal Headquarters, Ile-Ife, gave the advice while speaking in Ile-Ife on Wednesday. Olalekan said that it would not be out of place to say that Nigeria needs God’s intervention at a period like this. He lamented the state of the nation’s economy, which he said was plagued with unemployment, unpaid salaries of workers, increased in price of goods, lack of stable power supply and non-availability of potable water,…
The strike commenced across the nooks and crannies of Kwara state Wednesday as workers and teachers in both primary and post primary schools complied with the directive of the national leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC) to embark on the strike over the alleged refusal of the federal government to reduce the pump price of petrol from N145 per liter to N86 per liter despite the court order that stopped the union from embarking on the strike. Recent visit to the state secretariat along Ahmadu Bello way, Ilorin and other ministries, indicated that workers that arrived early enough for their…
Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU yesterday joined in the nation-wide strike organised by the Ayuba Wabba-led faction of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC. Though, SSANU was in a capacity building workshop for its members and National Executive Council, NEC, meeting with the theme, “Trade union leadership skills in a challenging environs” at Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies, MINILS, Ilorin, Kwara state, the union said as an affiliate of the NLC it has to abide by the directives of the union. National President of SSANU, Comrade Samson Ugwoke had before joining the strike said that workshop was…