Former Super Eagles midfielder John Obi Mikel has predicted that Manchester City and Arsenal will be the two teams to reach the final of the Champions League this year. Mikel Obi participated as a guest in the quarter-final draw held on Friday, where he assisted in selecting the balls. This draw marked the last of its kind for the current format, as the Champions League will adopt a 36-team format from the next season. In the quarter-finals, Arsenal is set to face Bayern Munich, while Manchester City will take on Real Madrid. When asked prior to the draw which teams…
Author: Oluwaseun samuel
In the latest FIFA women’s rankings for 2024, Nigeria’s Super Falcons have slipped two spots. The nine-time African champions now stand at 34th position, dropping from their previous ranking of 32nd. However, Randy Waldrum’s squad still holds the top spot in Africa. The Super Falcons have had limited action this year, participating in only two matches. They secured a 0-0 draw against the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon in Douala and clinched a 1-0 victory in the reverse fixture. Next month, they will face off against South Africa’s Banyana Banyana in the final qualifying round for the 2024 Olympic Games. Meanwhile,…
Cadiz, a Spanish club facing relegation, has drawn comparisons between their in-form goalkeeper Jeremías Ledesma and Super Eagles’ Stanley Nwabali following Ledesma’s standout performance against Atletico Madrid during match-day 28 of the LaLiga 2023/24 season. Nicknamed Conan, Ledesma exhibited a stellar performance, thwarting Alvaro Morata and company to secure a crucial victory for the struggling Cadiz at the Estadio Nuevo Mirandilla in front of 15,917 spectators on Saturday. During the game, Ledesma made four crucial saves, aiding the Yellow Submarines in clinching their third league triumph of the season, their first since their September 1, 2023 victory over Villarreal on…
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has issued a warning to his team regarding two key Manchester United players ahead of their FA Cup quarter-final showdown this weekend. The Reds are set to visit Old Trafford on Sunday, facing a United side potentially boosted by the return of Rasmus Hojlund from injury. Hojlund, who has been sidelined with a muscle problem, rejoined training this week after missing the Red Devils’ last three fixtures. The Danish international had been in fine form prior to his injury, contributing seven goals and two assists in his last six Premier League outings. Klopp also highlighted the…
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola acknowledges the intriguing “tradition” emerging in the Champions League, as his side prepares to face Real Madrid in the quarter-finals for the third consecutive year. With both teams having secured a victory each in their previous encounters, Guardiola reflects on the significance of facing the “kings” of the competition. Guardiola remarked, “It looks like a little bit of a tradition, three years in a row playing the kings of the competition. Hopefully, we can arrive in a good moment, but there are still a few weeks before the first game in Madrid.” Acknowledging the challenge…
Chelsea bolstered their WSL title aspirations with a crucial 3-1 victory over Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on Friday evening, in front of a crowd exceeding 30,000. Emma Hayes’ squad now sits three points ahead of Manchester City and six points clear of Arsenal after this significant win. The Blues surged into an insurmountable lead with three first-half goals, leaving Arsenal trailing. The Gunners managed to pull one back late in the game through an own goal. The game faced a 30-minute delay due to a kit clash, as Arsenal wore white socks instead of the required red. In a peculiar…
Former Tottenham Hotspur striker Darren Bent has lauded Cole Palmer, asserting that the Chelsea midfielder has outshone his teammates Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez this season. Bent commended Palmer for his impressive displays since his transfer from Manchester City last summer. Despite being one of Chelsea’s more economical signings, Palmer has made a significant impact in midfield compared to the high-profile acquisitions of Caicedo and Fernandez, both of whom commanded fees exceeding £100 million each. Highlighting Palmer’s stellar contributions, Bent noted that the English midfielder has amassed 13 goals and 11 assists across all competitions this season, making him a…
Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman ignited Atalanta’s comeback at the Gewiss Stadium with his second-half equalizer, etching his name into the club’s history books. Lookman opened his Europa League scoring account for Atalanta on Thursday night, leveling the score in their 2-1 victory over Sporting Lisbon at the Gewiss Stadium. This result secured a 3-2 aggregate win for the Italian side over Ruben Amorim’s team. In the match, Pedro Goncalves’ 33rd-minute goal initially put Sporting ahead, but Lookman and Gianluca Scamacca’s strikes turned the tide in favor of Gian Piero Gasperini’s men. Lookman’s equalizer, just 36 seconds after the restart,…
Liverpool has been paired with Atalanta in the quarter-finals of the Europa League. The Reds showcased their status as favorites in the tournament with a resounding 11-2 aggregate triumph over Sparta Prague in the previous round. Their commanding 6-1 victory in Thursday’s clash featured a remarkable four goals within the first 15 minutes, sending a strong message from Jurgen Klopp’s squad. Atalanta, currently positioned sixth in Serie A, advanced to this stage by overcoming Sporting CP. Liverpool’s right-back, Conor Bradley, expressed his determination to secure as many trophies as possible for Klopp before his departure. “He’s been the only manager…
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has firmly dismissed any notion of selling Marcus Rashford to Paris Saint-Germain. Rashford, who shone as United’s standout performer during Ten Hag’s inaugural season at Old Trafford, demonstrated his prowess by netting an impressive 30 goals in 56 appearances across all competitions in the 2022/23 campaign. Although Rashford’s form has experienced a slight dip this season, with only seven goals in 34 outings, recent performances have shown signs of resurgence, with two goals in his last two matches. While recent reports have linked Rashford with a potential move to Parc des Princes, Ten Hag…
Following the conclusion of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 fixtures on Wednesday night, here are the current leading goal scorers in the competition. Atlético Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann shares the top spot with Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane, Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe, and Manchester City’s Erling Haaland. Griezmann, the French international, netted his sixth goal of the season against Inter Milan as Atlético defeated the Serie A side on Wednesday. As the competition heads into the quarter-final stage in April, here’s the rundown of the top scorers: Six goals: Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, and Antoine Griezmann. Five goals:…
Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has shared his thoughts on Arsenal’s celebrations following their penalty shootout victory over Porto. Ferdinand made his remarks while speaking on TNT Sports after Arsenal secured a spot in the Champions League quarter-finals. Despite losing 1-0 in Portugal, Mikel Arteta’s side managed to level the tie on the night thanks to a goal from Leandro Trossard. The match was eventually decided via a penalty shootout, with David Raya saving two spot kicks and Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, and Declan Rice converting their penalties to send Arsenal to the quarter-finals for the first…
Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp has shared his assessment of Chelsea defender Malo Gusto’s performance this season. According to Redknapp, Gusto has been consistently improving for Mauricio Pochettino’s side. Gusto has been given ample opportunities to showcase his skills at right-back due to Chelsea captain Reece James’s injury. Despite his young age of 20, Gusto has already made 28 appearances for Chelsea, contributing seven assists across various competitions. Redknapp expressed his admiration for Gusto’s recent displays, particularly highlighting his standout performance against Newcastle. According to him, Gusto’s defensive prowess was evident as he effectively contained threats from opponents like…
The draw for the quarter-finals of this year’s Champions League took place on Friday. Former Super Eagles captain, John Obi Mikel, had the honor of selecting the teams. Arsenal will face Bayern Munich, while Atletico Madrid will take on Borussia Dortmund. Defending champions Manchester City have been paired with Real Madrid for the third consecutive year. Paris Saint-Germain has been matched up against Barcelona. The first legs of these quarter-final ties are scheduled for April 9 and 10, with the return legs set for April 16 and 17. Here are the full fixtures: Arsenal vs Bayern Munich Atletico Madrid vs…
Manchester United are unlikely to entertain any offers from Borussia Dortmund for the permanent transfer of Jadon Sancho if they attempt to include Donyell Malen as part of the deal, according to information obtained by 90min. Sancho returned to Dortmund on loan for the remainder of the 2023/24 season in January after a falling out with United manager Erik ten Hag back in September. The rift stemmed from Ten Hag dropping Sancho from the matchday squad to face Arsenal, citing poor performances in training, which Sancho disputed on social media. Despite the disagreement, Dortmund agreed to re-sign Sancho on a…
Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo is unlikely to be included in the senior England squad for the upcoming international friendlies against Brazil and Belgium at Wembley Stadium. Despite making a significant impact since his emergence in 2023 and solidifying his place as a starter under manager Erik ten Hag after recovering from an ankle injury, the 18-year-old may not receive a swift call-up to the England squad. While there has been positive feedback from England manager Gareth Southgate regarding Mainoo’s potential, reports from Sky Sports News indicate that his inclusion in the squad this week is improbable. However, there are…
Chelsea faced the looming threat of financial collapse in 2022 due to mounting pressures on the club before the takeover orchestrated by Todd Boehly’s BlueCo consortium. Under the ownership of Roman Abramovich, Chelsea encountered challenges stemming from sanctions imposed by the UK government following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Abramovich’s close ties to Vladimir Putin and the Russian government. While the club received a special license to maintain its sporting operations, restrictions were placed on ticket and merchandise sales as part of the asset freeze. As the Raine Group, tasked with overseeing the takeover process, worked towards transferring ownership from…
Amid speculation surrounding Aaron Ramsdale’s possible departure from Arsenal in the upcoming summer transfer window, the club has shifted its focus towards securing USA goalkeeper Patrick Schulte as a potential replacement. Ramsdale’s future at the Emirates Stadium seems uncertain, having lost his starting XI position to David Raya this season. Despite being initially favored, Ramsdale has seen limited playing time, primarily featuring in domestic cup competitions and making a solitary appearance in the Champions League. With Raya’s loan spell expected to be made permanent for a reported £30 million, Ramsdale is likely to seek regular playing opportunities elsewhere, prompting Arsenal…
Manchester United is reportedly contemplating the sale of Antony, their record £85 million signing from Ajax, during the upcoming summer transfer window. However, the ongoing police investigation into allegations of physical assault by Gabriela Cavallin, the player’s former partner, could pose a challenge for any potential acquiring club. The investigation, conducted by both Greater Manchester Police and Sao Paulo Civil Police, might complicate the transfer process unless the case is dropped or Antony is cleared of the allegations. Despite denying the accusations and being allowed to return to the club, Antony was placed on indefinite leave when the reports initially…
Jadon Sancho’s early goal propelled Borussia Dortmund into the Champions League quarter-finals for only the second time since 2017, as they dispatched PSV Eindhoven in their last 16 encounter. With the tie finely poised after a 1-1 draw in the first leg in Eindhoven last month, Sancho, on loan from Manchester United, wasted no time in giving Dortmund the edge, slotting home a low shot from the edge of the penalty area just three minutes into the match. Sancho’s return to form comes after a stint in Manchester where his career had stalled under manager Erik ten Hag. While his…