Chelsea manager Antonio Conte praised midfielder Oscar following a two-goal performance in a 3-1 win over AC Milan in the club’s International Champions Cup finale on Wednesday. After the West London club’s 3-2 defeat to Real Madrid in Michigan on Saturday, reports emerged suggesting that Conte was dissatisfied with the Brazilian’s effort. Oscar started the match but was substituted at half-time with Chelsea trailing the European champions 3-0. But the manager spoke highly of Oscar’s contributions on the pitch, following a 30-minute cameo at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. “Oscar is an important player, and I think the season when…
Author: David Folami
Spanish newspaper AS reports that Real Madrid are planning a third bid for Bayern Munich star David Alaba. It is claimed Los Blancos will make a €65 million offer for the Austria international, although AS says Bayern are after centre-back Pepe in addition to that fee. Bayern coach Carlo Ancelotti is said to be keen to keep Alaba at the Allianz Arena. But in June, Alaba’s father said he was “proud” that Real continue to be linked with his son.
Barcelona coach Luis Enrique does not expect any of his goalkeepers to leave despite reports of interest from Manchester City in Marc-Andre ter Stegen. Ter Stegen, 24, has been linked with Pep Guardiola’s City amid reports he is not entirely convinced by current No. 1 Joe Hart. The Germany international faces competition from Claudio Bravo and Jordi Masip, and he made seven La Liga appearances last season. But Luis Enrique said: “We are dealing with the issue with absolute normality, we have three great goalkeepers under contract, who behave in a perfect manner. “That is still the case today, after…
Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo denied that Diego Costa was a target for the club after having spent more than €80 million in this transfer window. Los Colchoneros in this window have added France forward Kevin Gameiro, who suffered a thigh strain in training on Wednesday, as well as midfielder Nicolas Gaitan. On Thursday, they sent defender Theo Fernandez on a season-long loan to Alaves. Costa has been an on-again, off-again rumour for the club. On Wednesday, Chelsea manager Antonio Conte said about his forward: “Diego Costa is a Chelsea player and very happy to stay with us.” Cerezo agreed…
Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has criticised Manchester United for reportedly demoting Bastian Schweinsteiger to the reserves. Schweinsteiger, who turned 32 on Monday, is reportedly training with United’s under-23 squad after being told by Jose Mourinho that he has no future at the club. “I could hardly believe when I read it,” Rummenigge told a news conference on Wednesday. “This never happened before at Bayern Munich and never will happen.” Schweinsteiger left Bayern for United last summer and made 13 Premier League starts during the 2015-16 season. Rummenigge added: “In the future players will think twice before joining such clubs,…
Poland winger Bartosz Kapustka has joined Leicester City from Polish club Cracovia on a five-year contract, the English Premier League champions said on Wednesday. The 19-year-old, who has 11 caps for his country, made more than 60 appearances for Cracovia and was part of Poland’s Euro 2016 campaign. “Leicester City Football Club is delighted to confirm the signing of Poland winger Bartosz Kapustka, subject to FA, Premier League and international clearance,” the club said. Although no financial details of the deal was released, British media reported that Leicester paid £7.5 million. Kapustka becomes the fifth signing for Leicester in the…
Wayne Rooney has described Jose Mourinho’s low-key approach to life as Manchester United manager but insists the new Old Trafford chief has a fierce will to win. The United and England captain was talking after he marked his testimonial with a goalless draw against Everton, his team’s final preparation before Sunday’s Community Shield meeting with champions Leicester. It was also the first Old Trafford game in which Mourinho, United’s fourth manager in five turbulent seasons, has taken charge of the club. Two of his predecessors, Sir Alex Ferguson and David Moyes, were in the stand to show their appreciation for…
Premier League champions Leicester City could strengthen their squad further before the transfer window closes at the end of August, manager Claudio Ranieri has said. Ranieri has made five signings since winning the title, bringing in midfielder Nampalys Mendy, goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler, defender Luis Hernandez, striker Ahmed Musa and winger Bartosz Kapustka. The Foxes fought off interest from Arsenal to tie down last season’s top scorer Jamie Vardy to a new contract but did lose influential midfielder N’Golo Kante to rivals Chelsea. Algerian winger Riyad Mahrez’s future remains uncertain, with a host of clubs reported to be vying for his…
Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane says he will not rush Cristiano Ronaldo back into action as he continues to recover from a knee injury he suffered playing for Portugal in the final of Euro 2016. Ronaldo sprained his left knee during Portugal’s 1-0 extra-time win over hosts France in Paris last month and Real have not set a date for his comeback. “Right now he (Ronaldo) still has his injury,” Zidane said following Real’s 1-0 win over Bayern Munich on Wednesday in the International Champions Cup in New Jersey. “Obviously he wants to be back but we need patience and…
The Nigerian Olympic football team were initially scheduled to leave for Rio last Friday. Departure was then moved to Monday, and then Tuesday, and then Wednesday and at the last check (last night at 8pm), the players were still in their hotel rooms in Atlanta. To make matters worse, and as expected, the morale among the Dream Team as they are fondly called, [below] is at the lowest in a long while, with some players threatening to return to their various clubs if they fail to make the trip to Brazil today as again promised by the sports ministry. One…
The Ali Modu Sheriff-led People’s Democratic Party (PDP), on Tuesday overturned the suspension of party members in Abia. This is contained in a statement jointly released to newsmen by Sheriff and his National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo, in Abuja Sheriff and his scribe described the suspension of Chidi Nwosu (Umuahia South) Emeka Ejiogu (Umuahia North) and Chukwuemeka Osoagbaka (Ikwuano) as a witch-hunt. ”The attention of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP has been drawn to the purported suspension of some of our party members by the Abia State Chapter. ”The NWC frowns at a situation where party members…
Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court in Abuja, has upheld an order allowing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to seize Governor Ayo Fayose’s properties. The court also held that the seizure of Fayose properties by the EFCC did not violate section 308 of the constitution. Section 308 of the constitution, states that a sitting Governor has immunity from criminal or civil proceedings. According to Justice Dimgba, “It is my considered opinion that the order of court, made on July 20, 2016, in respect of some property of the applicant, and within the limited scope and duration…
According to Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, Nigeria went into a recession during the Goodluck Jonathan regime, but the situation was hidden from citizens. Amaechi also claimed that then Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala pleaded with him to keep quiet about the financial crisis in the country. The minister made the comments during a recent appearance on The Osasu Show. “People just pick up words without knowing what words mean. Even under Goodluck we went into recession,” Amaechi said when asked about the current state of the economy. “I am one of those who participated in the budget. We looked at…
Former Chairman of the House of Representatives Appropriation Committee, Abdulmumin Jibrin has accused Speaker, Yakubu Dogara of plotting to kidnap him. According to Jibrin, he was only saved by the intervention of the Department of State Services (DSS). “The quartet of Speaker Dogara and others were determined to abduct or kidnap me until few days when my lawyers requested and got maximum protection for me from the DSS and police,” he said via a statement released on Tuesday, August 2, 2016. “I am confident that the party will do the rightful thing by throwing its weight to support our resolve…
The Islamic State (ISIS) has appointed a new leader for Nigerian terrorist sect, Boko Haram. ISIS announced, via the latest issue of its magazine, that Abu Musab al-Barnawi will now serve as Boko Haram’s leader, BBC reports. Al-Barnawi, previously a spokesperson for the group, takes over from Abubakar Shekau. Shekau became globally notorious due to his eccentric nature which was showcased in the sect’s videos. He however went underground in March 2015 after pledging allegiance to ISIS. Shekau resurfaced in March 2016 in a video which showed him looking weak and frail as he called on his followers to surrender…
President Muhammadu Buhari, today, August 3, 2016, met with his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan. The duo met at the State House in the Presidential Villa, Abuja, a tweet from Buhari’s official handle said. The purpose of the meeting was however not revealed. Buhari took over from Jonathan on May 29, 2015, after winning Nigeria’s most keenly contested general election.
Former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has been selected to lead the African Union Elections Observation Mission (AUEOM) to the Zambian general elections taking place on October 11, 2016. According to a statement posted on AU’s website on Tuesday, August 2, Jonathan will be leading members of the short term mission to join the continental body’s deployment of long term election experts who are already on ground in Zambia. The statement reads: “The Chairperson of the AUC has approved the deployment of African Union Elections Observation Mission, AUEOM, to the General Election scheduled to take place in the Republic of Zambia…
The Minister of Power, works and housing, Babatunde Fashola, has said that when he promised to improve power generation in the country, he did not factor in vandalisation. Fashola, who spoke in an interview with Channels television, said it is senseless for people to expect electricity generation to improve and still destroy the equipment that will produce electricity. “Let us be careful when you claim that I made promises because I am ever so conscious of the things that I say and I believe that if I recollect correctly, it was when I was unveiling my ministries, probably sometime late…
Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of Governor Fayose Fayose’s aide, Abiodun Agbele in Kuje Prison. The judge remanded Agbele till Thursday, August 4, when he will rule on his bail application. The Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Agbele today, August 3, on 11 counts of money laundering involving the sum of N1,219,000,000 (One Billion, Two Hundred and Nineteen Million Naira). The money is believed to be part of N4,685,723,000 (Four Billion, Six Hundred and Eighty-five Million, Seven Hundred and Twenty-three Thousand Naira) allegedly transferred unlawfully from the account of the…
Former Head of State, retired Gen. Yakubu Gowon on Wednesday, August 3, recalled how he became the Head of State 31 years ago, describing it as an accident. Gowon stated this in reaction to calls by some Nigerians for the reduction of age limit to contest for presidential position to 30 years. Speaking in Abuja when he hosted the Deputy Chairman of Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Sen. Shehu Sani, the elder statesman said he was chosen because of his reputation. “What happened was the accident of history,” he said. “When you have lost your leadership and there was crisis…