Gareth Bale trained apart from his teammates on Monday as Wales continued preparations for their Euro 2016 semifinal against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal on Wednesday. While Bale’s teammates warmed up on the pitch at the team’s training base in Dinard, northwest France, the Real Madrid star and midfielder David Edwards were put through their paces by a fitness coach. A Football Association of Wales spokesman told AFP that Bale was not injured. Defender Ben Davies and in-form midfielder Aaron Ramsey were present, despite both being suspended for Wednesday’s game in Lyon. The only absentee from the 23-man squad was winger David…
Author: David Folami
One is an “Eau de toilette” kind of character, the other more “wake up and smell the coffee”. Cristiano Ronaldo is immaculately groomed, makes a point of posing for the cameras when he scores, is often captured scowling at his colleagues and recently launched his own men’s fragrance called “Legacy”. Gareth Bale is constantly encouraging his teammates and is described by his manager as “the most down-to-earth boy you could meet.” The world’s two most expensive footballers, who play alongside each other at Real Madrid, will go head-to-head when Bale’s Wales meet Ronaldo’s Portugal in their Euro 2016 semifinal in…
English champions Leicester City are set to break their record transfer fee for the second time in a matter of days by buying Nigerian international attacking midfielder Ahmed Musa on Wednesday, his agent told the BBC on Monday. The 23-year-old, who scored a brace for Nigeria in a 3-2 defeat of Lionel Messi’s Argentina at the 2014 World Cup, will see his present side Russian outfit CSKA Moscow receive £16.6million – a record outlay for Leicester. “Everything has been finalised and Musa will be in England for his medical on Wednesday,” Musa’s agent Tony Harris told BBC Sport. Musa and…
France will have the perfect opportunity to avenge their defeat to Germany in the 2014 World Cup when they take on their old foes in the Euro 2016 semifinals on Thursday, according to star striker Olivier Giroud. “It will be a great match, we have a lot of desire to get our own back for the World Cup,” Giroud said after his two goals helped France thrash Iceland 5-2 in Sunday’s quarterfinal. A header from Mats Hummels knocked France out in the quarterfinal in Rio de Janeiro two years ago and Germany went on to win their fourth global crown.…
With heavy hearts, the family of late music producer, OJB Jezreel will hold a candle light procession for him. OJB who passed on back in June 14, 2016 after a long term battle with kidney disease would have clocked 50 today, July 4, 2016. OJB battled with kidney problems since 2013 and was flown to India for a transplant. However, his kidney transplant failed again a week before his demise and OJB passed on. Sadly, his final burial rites will commence today starting with a candlelight procession at his residence in Surulere, Lagos. The kck off point will be the…
David Beckham and fashion designer wife, Victoria Beckham are still ‘drunk in love’. The duo are celebrating their 17th wedding anniversary today, July 4, 2016. Shutting down those divorce rumours once and for all, they both sent adorable messages to each other. The mom-of-four and former Spice girl member shared a flash back photo of their wedding back in 1999, when they tied the knot at Luttrellstown Castle in Ireland. “I feel so loved and truly blessed My best friend,my love.The kindest man who inspires me every day. Happy Anniversary to the best husband and daddy in the world!! EVER!…
Borussia Dortmund had a very good reason to hang on to Henrikh Mkhitaryan, after Mats Hummels and Ilkay Gundogan’s departures to Bayern Munich and Manchester City respectively. Losing two world class players was bad enough, but a third — in just one summer window — is a massive risk. The focus now has to quickly switch to how Dortmund move on and replace the Armenian. Mkhitaryan had a stellar 2015-16, scoring 11 and assisting 15 in 31 Bundesliga matches, but he has left as the club felt they needed to cash-in with the player’s contract due to expire in 2017.…
Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata could be on his way to Everton following the arrival of Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford. The Daily Telegraph reports that Mata, sold to United from Chelsea by Mourinho in 2014, knows he does not have a future under the new regime. It says Everton and their new boss Ronald Koeman “are trying to convince Mata” to switch to Goodison Park in a deal that would cost around £20 million and see him reunited with a coach with whom he worked at Valencia. United’s busy summer is set to get even busier when they sign…
Sami Khedira has been ruled out of Germany’s Euro 2016 semifinal against France on Thursday, while captain Bastian Schweinsteiger is facing a race against time to return to full fitness. On Saturday, Germany beat Italy in a dramatic penalty shootout to advance to their sixth consecutive semifinal at a major tournament. However, the win came at a cost and the Nationalmannschaft are set to make major changes for their semifinal with hosts France. At the weekend, attacker Mario Gomez was ruled out for the remainder of the tournament, and Germany coach Joachim Low has also confirmed that midfielder Khedira will…
Nigeria forward Ahmed Musa is set to join Premier League champions Leicester City this week, according to the player’s agent Tony Harris. Musa, 23, has scored 54 goals in 168 games for Russian side CSKA Moscow and has also attracted the interest of Premier League clubs Southampton, Everton and West Ham. However, the striker revealed in May that he would be happy to join Leicester this summer and is now closing on a move for a reported fee of around £16 million. “Everything has been finalised and Musa will be in England for his medical on Wednesday,” Harris told BBC…
Pep Guardiola has warned that Manchester City are yet to secure their place in the Champions League — but said their situation is still “better than Manchester United’s.” Guardiola agreed to join City in February and said taking the job had not been dependent on the club qualifying for the Champions League. They eventually finished fourth under Guardiola’s predecessor, Manuel Pellegrini, and must win a two-legged playoff to qualify for the group stage, with Roma and Borussia Monchengladbach among their potential opponents. However, the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss said it was a better scenario than that facing Jose…
Manchester United will sign Mexico winger Hirving Lozano after the Olympics, according to the player’s father-in-law. Andres Fassi, vice president of the player’s current club Pachuca, has confirmed that negotiations have taken place, but have not been concluded yet. The player himself has said that he is looking to follow in the footsteps of former Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez. The Olympics take place between Aug. 5 and Aug. 21. The player’s father-in-law told Futbol Entre Lineas: “Yes. It’s all done. Just missing some details and, after the Olympics, the deal will become official.” The Rio Olympics will see Mexico…
Chris Smalling has been in hospital in Bali, Indonesia with food poisoning which led to him fainting, his club Manchester United said in a statement. A source close to the club told ESPN FC earlier on Monday that United were investigating after a picture of Smalling on a hospital bed surfaced on social media, and a club statement was released giving the official reason. The statement added that Smalling is “now feeling fine” and that the player thanked everyone for their support. Smalling has been in Bali on holiday ahead of reporting back for preseason training later this month. United…
Atletico Madrid have announced that striker Fernando Torres has signed a new one-year contract at the Liga club. Torres, 32, was a free agent after his contract expired in the summer, but it had been suggested he would prolong his stay at his boyhood club. The Spain international returned to Atletico on a two-year loan deal from AC Milan in 2014 and last season he helped the club finish third in La Liga and reach the final of the Champions League, which they lost on penalties to Real Madrid. Last season, Torres scored 11 league goals in 30 appearances and…
Barcelona have confirmed they are set to re-sign midfielder Denis Suarez from Villarreal, subject to a medical. The Primera Division champions exercised a buy-back clause and will pay €3.25 million to sign Suarez, 22, who had been on the books at Barcelona B between 2013 and 2015. A statement read: “FC Barcelona have decided to exercise the buy back clause for the player Denis Suarez, currently at Villarreal CF, which will see the player join the Club for the next four seasons with an option for a fifth depending on the number of appearances in the fourth season. “FC Barcelona…
Wales manager Chris Coleman would “never, ever” even consider taking charge of his team’s beleaguered British rivals England, he said ahead of Wednesday’s Euro 2016 semifinal against Portugal. Having guided Wales to a first ever major tournament semifinal by masterminding a stirring 3-1 win over Belgium last Friday, Coleman’s star is firmly in the ascendant. England are seeking a new manager after Roy Hodgson stepped down following their last 16 humiliation by Iceland and while Coleman is not expecting a call from the Football Association, he says he has no interest in the job. “I have a lot of time…
Kunle Afolayan is a respected and talented filmmaker popular for movies like” October 1,” Phone Swap,” “The Figurine” among others. His most recent movie “The CEO” which features Hilda Dokubo, Kemi Lala Akindoju, Angelique Kidjo, Wole Ojo among others, premiered 30,000 feet into the air on June 1, 2016. In a recent interview with Business Day’s Kemi Ajumobi, the multiple award-winning filmmaker shared the secret to his successful movies. He also spoke on the cost of producing his anticipated movie “The CEO,” which debuts in Nigerian cinemas on July 15, 2016. On the cost of producing “The CEO,” he said,…
On Friday, July 1, 2016, popular comedian cum actor, Okey McAnthony Onyegbulam aka Okey Bakassi has been unveiled as the host of a new TV game show, UAC Unscripted. The entertainer was unveiled as the host of the new family television game show which is scheduled to start airing on July 11, 2016 on NTA network amidst pomp and glee. Produced by HotSports Media for UAC Nigeria, the family game show is poised to educate, entertain and inform the general public wih an array of celebrity guests that will be competing with one another on the show,’ the CEO of…
Veteran actress, Kate Henshaw, has declared that she has forgiven Nigerian comedian, Akpororo, after the latter used her name for the publicity of his upcoming show without getting her consent. Henshaw, through her manager, Funke Kuti, has not put everything behind her according to a report by Punch. Speaking on behalf of the actress, in a telephone conversation with Punch, Kuti said, “The apology has been accepted.” “It was a misunderstanding. She has forgiven him. She will be at the show. One thing Kate does is, she supports and encourage up-and-coming entertainers. She is a big sister to him.” In…
Few hours after we learnt of Nigerian singer, Di’ja’s delivery. Award winning author, Chimamanda Adichie has also put to bed. The writer who debuted her baby bump a few months ago at a writing event in Lagos in a recent interview with Financial Times announced she is now a proud new mum. According to her, she hid the fact that she was pregnant and had delivered her baby because she wanted it to be personal. She told FT, “This is the first time I’m saying it publicly. I have a little girl. I have some friends who probably don’t know…