Valencia head coach Gary Neville praised UEFA officials for their swift response to the removal of an offensive banner in Thursday’s Europa League tie at Rapid Vienna. The Liga club launched a complaint with European football’s governing body after Rapid supporters unfurled a banner with a message that translates as “b***h Valencia”. Neville complained to officials and the banner was swiftly removed, and the Manchester United great said Rapid’s coach Zoran Barisic also apologised following Valencia’s 4-0 win at Ernst-Happel-Stadion, which gave them a 10-0 aggregate triumph in the last-32 tie. “We saw the banner at the start of the…
Author: David Folami
Sergio Ramos has brushed off Cristiano Ronaldo’s criticism of his fellow Real Madrid players and insisted he is proud of all his team-mates. Ronaldo claimed after the 1-0 derby defeat to Atletico Madrid that “if the rest of the Madrid players were as good as him, perhaps they would be first” in La Liga while also suggesting the likes of Jese Rodriguez, Lucas Vazquez and Mateo Kovacic were not of the standard required to win trophies. The setback against Diego Simeone’s men left third-placed Madrid nine points behind leaders Barcelona, who also have a game in hand, and four adrift…
Pep Guardiola’s Bayern Munich threw down the gauntlet to Borussia Dortmund ahead of next week’s crunch Bundesliga showdown by going 11 points clear with a 2-0 win at Wolfsburg on Saturday. With second-placed Dortmund hosting second-from-bottom Hoffenheim on Sunday, Bayern took the chance to extend their lead just four days after their Champions League draw at Juventus. Guardiola’s Bayern now have 62 points out of a possible 69, their tally exactly double that of Wolfsburg, who are eighth. Dortmund host Guardiola’s Bayern at their Signal Iduna Park stadium next Saturday after the Bavarian giants play Mainz at home on Wednesday…
Disgraced ex-Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness is due to be released from prison on Monday as he contemplates a return to the club he built into a European powerhouse. The 64-year-old has served 21 months of his three-and-a-half year sentence after being convicted in March 2014 of having evaded paying at least €28.5 million in taxes. Hoeness, the son of a German butcher who became a millionaire businessman, rose to fame as the driving force behind Bayern’s rise before his fall from grace. Even behind bars, Hoeness was never far from Bayern. As soon he as he was granted day…
Zinedine Zidane suffered his first defeat since taking charge of Real Madrid as Antoine Griezmann’s solitary strike kept Atletico Madrid’s faint La Liga title hopes alive with a 1-0 win at the Santiago Bernabeu. Griezmann finished off a lovely team move eight minutes into the second half as Atletico became the first visiting team ever to win at the Bernabeu three seasons in a row. Diego Simeone’s men move to within five points of leaders Barcelona while Real’s chances of landing just a second title in eight years now look completely gone as they now trail Atletico by four points…
Zinedine Zidane suffered his first defeat since taking charge of Real Madrid as Antoine Griezmann’s solitary strike kept Atletico Madrid’s faint La Liga title hopes alive with a 1-0 win at the Santiago Bernabeu. Griezmann finished off a lovely team move eight minutes into the second half as Atletico became the first visiting team ever to win at the Bernabeu three seasons in a row. Diego Simeone’s men move to within five points of leaders Barcelona while Real’s chances of landing just a second title in eight years now look completely gone as they now trail Atletico by four points…
Sepp Blatter warned Gianni Infantino on Sunday that miracles will be expected from him as the newly-elected Fifa president but there will be plenty of backstabbers if he fails to deliver. Blatter, currently serving a six-year suspension from football, saw his 18-year reign as Fifa chief officially end Friday when 45-year-old Uefa secretary-general Infantino was voted in as football’s most powerful man. But in an open letter to the Swiss-Italian lawyer, Blatter warned his successor to be wary of the pitfalls that come with the job. He also said he was ready to offer his help if required. “I congratulate…
When Raheem Sterling gazes out the window of Manchester City’s coach on the road to Wembley on Sunday, it will be no surprise if the winger’s dreams of League Cup glory are interrupted by a flashback to his childhood. Sterling’s presence amid the pomp and circumstance of City’s League Cup final showdown with Liverpool represents a remarkable triumph in the face of adversity for the 21-year-old. Only 11 years ago, Sterling was facing an uncertain future as a new arrival at Vernon House, a school for children with behavioural difficulties which is situated less than a mile from Wembley. Transplanted…
Liverpool can beat the “best team in the Premier League” when they take on Manchester City in the League Cup final at Wembley on Sunday, according to boss Juergen Klopp. The Reds are intent on landing their first trophy since winning the last of their record eight League Cups in 2012, and are full of confidence after a 4-1 victory over title contenders Man City at the Etihad Stadium in November. “Maybe from the squad side this (Man City) is the best team in the Premier League,” German Klopp, 48, told the BBC. “Maybe another team will win the league…
As the 22 players walk out onto the pristine Wembley turf for Sunday’s League Cup final between Liverpool and Manchester City, Daniel Sturridge will have more to prove than most. The injury-plagued Liverpool striker, who will be facing his former club, is fighting to emerge from a mid-career slump that threatens to cost him a place in England’s squad for Euro 2016. Having made just 11 Premier League starts since August 2014, the 26-year-old has disappeared from view at times and this week he issued an impassioned rebuttal to press reports he was considering his Anfield future. “I don’t think…
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will be bidding to secure his first trophy for the club and Manchester City counterpart Manuel Pellegrini potentially his last in Sunday’s League Cup final. Klopp, 48, is less than five months into his mission to restore Liverpool to former glories, whereas Pellegrini, 62, has only three months left in the City saddle before handing the reins to Pep Guardiola. City are the favourites, but former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has claimed that the nous Klopp demonstrated by leading Borussia Dortmund to five trophies will give the underdogs the edge at Wembley. Responding to Gerrard’s prediction,…
The Nigeria Football Federation have appointed Samson Siasia as the head coach of the Super Eagles after Sunday Oliseh resigned on Thursday. Siasia will be assisted by Emmanuel Amuneke with Salisu Yusuf and Alloy Agu keeping their posts from the Oliseh circle. These changes are coming on the back of Oliseh’s shock resignation just few weeks before the all-important back-to-back 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying clashes with Egypt. Siasia, who has coached the Super Eagles in the past, has been mandated to navigate Nigeria through the two matches with Egypt next month. Alloy Agu and Salisu Yusuf were part…
Louis van Gaal has upset plenty of Manchester United fans already this season and may do so again by resisting calls for teenager Marcus Rashford to start against title-chasing Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday. The 18-year-old Rashford had a dream senior debut on Thursday when, thrust in after Anthony Martial was injured in the warm-up, the striker responded by scoring twice in a 5-1 win over Danish side FC Midtjylland as United overcame a first leg deficit for a 6-3 aggregate success in their last 32 Europa League tie. Such was Rashford’s display, and United’s injury crisis, there…
Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri says his shock leaders have recharged their batteries after a welcome break ahead of the final push for a stunning Premier League title triumph. Ranieri gave his players last week off after a demanding schedule to allow them to rest their bodies and relax their minds before returning to action against Norwich on Saturday. The Foxes are two points clear of second placed Tottenham and third placed Arsenal with 12 games left, raising the previously unthinkable prospect of Ranieri’s men becoming the most unlikely champions in the history of English football After giving his players a…
Claudio Ranieri savoured a gamble that paid rich dividends after Leicester City got their Premier League title challenge back on track by beating Norwich City. Ranieri rolled the dice by sending on Leonardo Ulloa in place of defender Daniel Amertey in a bold attempt to break down Norwich’s brave resistance in Saturday’s encounter, and it did the trick. Ulloa slid home an 89th-minute winner to give the Premier League leaders a hard-fought 1-0 victory that gave them a five-point lead at the top of the table. “It was a good choice,” said the Leicester manager with a wry smile. “I…
Ojuelegba crooner, Wizkid has remained mute regarding allegations he fathered another child with model, Binta. Wizkid when asked by an HipTv interviewer about his alleged babymama put two hands together, flashed a charming smile, hugged the reporter and walked away. Late last month, reports surfaced online that the pop star welcomed a new bundle of joy with his US based lover. His baby mama further fuelled the rumours when she revealed her son’s name on Instagram which is- Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun Jr. Wizkid welcomed his first son in 2011 when he was 21. The mother of his son is Sola…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has added another offence to the list of charges it filed against Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) spokesperson- Olisa Metuh. In the latest charge, Metuh is accused of obstructing officials of the EFCC. Reports say the latest charge brought against the PDP spokesman, is contrary to Section 38(2) of the EFCC (Establishment) Act 2004. The penalty of this new charge maximum of a five-year jail term or N20,000 fine or both imprisonment and fine. According to Punch, the anti-graft agency filed two charges of mischief and destruction of evidence earlier, at the High Court…
The former Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) boss, Ibrahim Lamorde has rebuked the Senate for issuing a warrant for his arrest, despite the fact that the case is in court. Lamorde also told the police to ignore arrest warrant issued by the lawmakers. The former EFCC boss, in a statement issued by his lawyer, Festus Keyamo, said the move by the Senators is an illegal scheme and a show of legislative rascality. The statement said “We most respectfully urge the Nigeria Police Force to await the outcome of the matter pending in court before deciding one way or the…
Mr Kayode Fayemi, Minister of Solid Minerals Development, has said that the ministry will support local marble and granite tiles producers to reduce importation gap. Fayemi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on a working visit to FUJIAN Stone Company Limited in Karu, Nasarawa State on Thursday. He reiterated that the ministry would pay attention to value addition to mining companies in Nigeria that would support the ministry to achieve Mr President’s diversification plan. He noted that the company which covered an area of 3,000 acres could only produce 200,000 square metres annually, creating huge gap opportunity for importation…
American television channel, Cable News Network (CNN) has described the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ali Modu Sheriff as the founder of terrorist sect, Boko Haram. The description was written on the screen during a Breaking News segment on Sheriff’s emergence as PDP Chairman. Sheriff, a former governor of Borno State, has been severally linked with the sect but he denies sponsoring its activities. The allegation has led many PDP members to reject him as the party’s chairman. One of such members is former aviation minister, Femi Fani-Kayode who insists that Sheriff occupies an important position in the…