Diego Simeone believes Atletico Madrid’s collective unity can help them make a positive start to their Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich.. Bayern have lived up to their billing as favourites to become European champions throughout this season’s competition with a goal-laden campaign, the Bundesliga side scoring 28 in 10 matches. They needed a strong performance in Lisbon to get past quarter-final opponents Benfica, Pep Guardiola’s side scoring two away goals to progress 3-2 on aggregate. Next up is Simeone’s Atletico, and the Argentine coach knows his side will have to be at the top of their game if they…
Author: David Folami
Xabi Alonso believes Pep Guardiola has prepared Bayern Munich well for the future and will leave a big legacy behind at the club. Guardiola is set to switch to Manchester City at the conclusion of the campaign, ending his association with Bayern after three seasons in charge. The former Barcelona boss is poised to win a third Bundesliga title with Bayern, who face Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals of the Champions League – the one trophy that has eluded Guardiola in his time at the Allianz Arena – on Wednesday. Speaking to the Bundesliga official website, Alonso said of the…
Leicester City star Riyad Mahrez is not tempted by a return to France with Paris Saint-Germain, insisting he is happy in England. Crowned PFA Player of the Year on Sunday, Mahrez is now set to collect more silverware as Leicester close in on the Premier League title. Leicester require just three points from their remaining three matches after Tottenham were held to a 1-1 draw by West Brom on Monday. French champions PSG are reportedly interested in Mahrez – scorer of 17 goals and six assists this term – but the former Le Havre winger has no plans to head…
Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul says Diego Simeone’s men will treat their Champions League last-four tie with Bayern Munich as if it were a final. The La Liga side welcome Bayern to the Vicente Calderon on Wednesday for the first leg having seen off domestic rivals and holders Barcelona in the quarter-finals. Saul, who has scored eight goals in all competitions for Atletico this season after establishing himself in the first team last campaign, believes they are set to face the most well-rounded side left in the competition. But the 21-year-old stressed Atletico will give everything to match Pep Guardiola’s Bundesliga…
Gareth Bale would love Real Madrid to draw Tottenham in the Champions League next season and hopes he would still get a good reception at White Hart Lane. The Wales international swapped the Premier League for La Liga in 2013, with Madrid paying a world-record fee – reported to be in the region of £85million – for his services. Despite rumblings of discord at the Santiago Bernabeu Bale has performed well in his stint in the Spanish capital. Since arriving in Madrid the 26-year-old has scored 57 goals in all competitions for the 10-time Champions League winners, including 18 this…
Playmaker Riyad Mahrez and his Leicester City team mates are taking nothing for granted, despite the club being just one win away from winning a maiden Premier League title. The Foxes have a seven-point advantage at the top of the standings over Tottenham Hotspur and will win the title with two games to spare if the beat Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday. “It is not done yet,” Mahrez told the Daily Telegraph. “We have to keep going and focus on every game because it is difficult. “We don’t need to be nervous. This is just a bonus for…
Sunday Owoeye, the Head of Service in Osun State has denied allegations that kidnappers of state officials from the Ministry of Finance and Audit have demanded for a ransom. Speaking with Punch Newspaper, Owoeye the tale is far from the truth but security agents have taken over the move to free the abducted officials. It was also reported that security agencies in Kogi State are working to ensure the safe release of officials who were abducted by some gunmen in Kogi State on Friday, April 22, 2016. The three officials, Adebimpe Ogunlumade, Tajudeen Badejoko and Oladapo Arogundade were returning from…
The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola has said that there’s not enough power in the country to go round for the use of all Nigerians. Fashola made the admission on Monday, April 25, 2016, during the first Federal Government Town Hall meeting in Lagos. “I acknowledge that we are in a result-driven business and perhaps today results are measured by ‘in my ministry, how many roads have been finished? How much power do you have, how much housing can you get?’ Those results are not yet delivered but I assure you they will be delivered,” he said…
Former aviation minister, Femi Fani-Kayode has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of protecting the Fulani herdsmen who have been launching attacks in various states in the country. Fani-Kayode also said that all the predictions he made about Buhari’s administration have come true. He made the comments via an article titled “Fear Not the Man”. Read it below: Everything that I said about President Muhammadu Buhari and his APC during the Presidential campaign has come true. In less than one year I have been proved right in my continuous assertion that when it comes to running the affairs of our country President…
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu has said that the government will soon begin placing trackers on tankers carrying petroleum products in order to prevent the diversion of same. Kachikwu made the disclosure on Monday, April 25, 2016, during the first Federal Government Town Hall meeting in Lagos. “Over 30 per cent of (fuel) supply is diverted. For example, in the last five days, we have pumped 400 trucks of product into Lagos State. The total consumption (in the state) at the maximum is 250 trucks; most of those trucks are diverted from Lagos to the hinterland of…
A group of youths under the umbrella of the Citizens United for Peace and Stability (CUPS) have embarked on a protest march to the National Assembly to demand the resignation of Senate President, Bukola Saraki. The protesters are also expressing their anger at the recent purchase of expensive vehicles by the Senate, according to Sahara Reporters. They further urged the 36 Senators who received the vehicles to return them immediately or face the wrath of Nigerians.
The Presidency has reportedly said that it’s ready to submit the 2017 budget to the National Assembly. The 2017 budget was prepared early in order to avoid the kind of delay which is being experienced with the 2016 budget, a source told The Guardian. “We are happy that the National Assembly has accepted responsibility and offered to take a look at the grey areas of the 2016 budget. Mr President is particularly pleased with this position,” the source said. “We are not in any way pleased that the budget has not been passed up till now. This was not our…
The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu has said that Nigerians must endure some pain in order to have a bright future. Tinubu made the comment on Sunday, April 24, 2016, after being honoured with Silverbird’s Extraordinary Man of the Year Award, The Nation reports. “A nation cannot achieve progress without planning and I am committed to that plan towards making Nigeria great,” he said. “We must also be committed to that plan to drive success and development and that is what we must do together as a nation. But we, as Nigerians, must persevere, endure…
Former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, has revealed his intention to run for the 2019 Presidency seat under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) umbrella. He disclosed this while speaking to newsmen in his village, Bamaina in Birnin-kudu Local Government Area of the State. He noted that a party’s ticket is not given to anybody on the platter of gold, but must be earned. “If my party finds me worthy of the party’s presidential ticket to serve Nigeria, I will thank God and oblige,” he said. “Although there are issues in the party that we are all working to resolve,…
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, that Nigerians have now realised that the ruling party, All Progressives Congress is not Nigeria’s ‘saviour’ after all – as they were meant to believe. Speaking in Dutse, Jigawa state, on Monday, April 25, during the PDP membership mobilisation programme, Wike said Nigerians have now seen that APC was built on deceit. He said this would give the PDP a chance to return to power in 2019. “What happened in 2015 has opened the eyes of Nigerians. Nigerians have lost faith in APC. From what we have seen, it is obvious that Nigerians were deceived.…
The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ali Modu Sheriff has said that the party will regain power in 2019. Sheriff made the comment on Monday, April 25, 2016, during a visit to Dutse, Jigawa State, ThisDay reports. The PDP Chairman also reportedly said, while addressing supporters, that the reception her received showed that the party is still strong. The Jigawa PDP had earlier accused the state government of stopping Sheriff from visiting the state. The Acting Deputy Chairman of the PDP in the state, Aminu Jahun, told Daily Trust that the police denied them permission to host Sheriff…
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) deceived Nigerians in a bid to win the 2015 elections. Wike made the comment on Monday, April 25, 2016, during a PDP membership mobilisation programme in Dutse, Jigawa state, The Cable reports. “What happened in 2015 has opened the eyes of Nigerians. Nigerians have lost faith in APC. From what we have seen, it is obvious that Nigerians were deceived. They have seen the deceit of APC and they have returned to where they belong,” he said. “They have seen the truth and they are back to…
Senate President, Bukola Saraki has said that his opponents are trying to force him out of office. Saraki made the claim on Monday, April 25, 2016, via a statement released by his Special Adviser on Media and Communication, Yusuph Olaniyonu. It reads: The Office of Senate President has alerted members of the public on the plan by some politicians to create public disorder tomorrow through a sponsored demonstration that will seek to ground human and vehicular activities on some major streets of Abuja, particularly, those leading to the National Assembly Complex. We have information that the sponsors have been deploying…
Former aide to ex-president, Goodluck Jonathan, Doyin Okupe has said that chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the South West will dump the party if the next chairman doesn’t come from the region. Okupe made the disclosure on Monday, April 25, 2016, while speaking to Premium Times. “We took a firm position which was that we will dump the party en masse if we get robbed again at this year’s convention,” Okupe said. “Governor Udom is a young gentleman whom I believe still has a long future in Nigerian politics ahead of him. It will be unfortunate if…
Manchester United defender, Timothy Fosu-Mensah allegedly asked a reality star and model Elantine-Flore Aguilar for a threesome with him and teammate Anthony Martial. According to the Sun, Aguilar also revealed that Fosu-Mensah asked her for nude snaps and a lap dance. She claimed Fosu-Mensah told her to ‘bring a friend’ and asked ‘can you handle 2 vs 1? Two black guys.” The model told Sun that the 18-year-old defender who just broke in to United’s first team began flirting with her after following her on Instagram and liking her pictures on April 13. The defender allegedly contacted her through Direct…