Bayern Munich is considering an immediate termination of head coach Thomas Tuchel if the team fails to advance past Lazio in the Champions League’s last 16. Tuchel’s departure at the end of the season has already been confirmed following a disappointing stretch that left the club trailing ten points behind Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga title race. The Champions League struggles escalated when Bayern suffered a 1-0 defeat to Lazio in the first leg of the last-16 tie last month. There’s a looming risk of elimination unless they can overturn this deficit in the upcoming return leg on Tuesday. Sky…
Author: Oluwaseun samuel
Trent Alexander-Arnold emphasizes his full understanding of England manager Gareth Southgate’s past decisions to limit his playing time on the national team, despite his prominent role with one of the top club teams in the country. Despite his notable contributions to Liverpool, Alexander-Arnold faced challenges securing a spot in England’s starting XI, playing only 33 minutes during the recent FIFA World Cup in 2022. While he eventually featured as a central midfielder in the latter part of 2023, Alexander-Arnold, in an interview with FourFourTwo, acknowledged the timing factor in team selection and expressed understanding towards Southgate’s choices. “In a different…
Xavi expresses concern over Barcelona potentially facing an extended period without midfielders Frenkie de Jong and Pedri, both of whom sustained injuries during Sunday’s 0-0 draw against Athletic Club. De Jong, who left the field on crutches after an ankle injury in the first half, and Pedri, who appeared to injure his quadriceps just before half-time, could be sidelined for an extended period. Xavi remarked, “The injuries to Pedri and Frenkie do not look good. It is very unfortunate. They look like they will miss several games and could be out for a long time. Between today and tomorrow, we’ll…
Reports indicate that Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique has engaged in discussions to clear the air with Kylian Mbappe. This comes in the wake of Enrique substituting the star forward during a 0-0 draw with Monaco, following Mbappe’s announcement of his intention to leave PSG when his contract expires in June. Despite persistent rumors linking Mbappe to Real Madrid on a lucrative five-year deal, tensions between the player and manager seem to have risen. Enrique, possibly preparing for a future without Mbappe, made tactical decisions such as not starting him in a recent win over Nantes and substituting him in…
Former Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas is confident that the team will secure all three points in their upcoming match against Sheffield United on Monday night. Arsenal is currently in excellent form, having won all their Premier League fixtures in 2024. Fabregas anticipates that Mikel Arteta’s side will continue their winning streak, asserting that they are too strong for the relegation-threatened Blades. Despite their recent loss against Porto, Fabregas believes Arsenal is performing at a higher level in the Premier League and is confident in their abilities. Expressing his viewpoint, Fabregas stated, “I see Arsenal at the moment as too strong.…
Barcelona is actively seeking to transfer Kounde to secure funds for their own signings, and alongside Kounde, Brazilian winger Raphinha is also marked for sale. The onus is now on Chelsea, Manchester United, and Liverpool to present concrete offers for the player. Specifically, Chelsea is in need of a high-quality central defender for the long term, especially to succeed Thiago Silva. Kounde’s ability to play as a full-back adds to his appeal as a potential option for the Blues. Manchester United, on the other hand, aims to strengthen their defensive lineup by considering a partnership between Kounde and Lisandro Martinez.…
Genk and Nigerian forward Tolu Arokodare faced a barrage of online vitriol and racial abuse after his penalty miss contributed to the team’s defeat against Club Brugge. In the Belgium Pro League clash, Genk, sitting in the 5th position, had the opportunity to overtake the 3rd-placed Club Brugge at Cegeka Arena. Arokodare, who had netted eight goals in 10 starts for Genk that season, was entrusted with a penalty kick in the 18th minute to secure an early lead for the hosts. Unfortunately, the 23-year-old Nigerian’s attempt missed the target, leading to a shift in momentum. Club Brugge capitalized on…
Anthony Joshua is determined to achieve a knockout victory over Francis Ngannou and intends to “make a statement” during their super-fight in Saudi Arabia on Friday. Currently riding a three-fight winning streak, Joshua is steadily working his way back into world title contention after a dominant performance against Otto Wallin last December, where he secured a victory in five rounds. Anticipating a different challenge against Ngannou in their non-title contest, Joshua expressed his confidence, stating, “I believe I can knock him out. Definitely. I would love to knock him out and make a statement. Physically, I feel strong and ready…
Sevilla’s head coach, Quique Sanchez Flores, has acknowledged that Manchester United loanee Hannibal Mejbri has secured a future with the Spanish club after making his inaugural start over the weekend. Initially joining Sevilla on loan for the remainder of the season with a potential £17 million buy option this summer, the 21-year-old faced a challenging beginning as he was deemed unready to play following a 28-minute appearance in a 5-1 defeat to Girona. Subsequently, Mejbri saw limited action, totaling just nine minutes over the next seven games. After the Girona loss, Sanchez Flores explained, “Hannibal, after speaking with him and…
Erling Haaland entered the Premier League only around 18 months ago, yet Manchester United fans are already dismayed by his impact. The Manchester City striker, with an extraordinary goal-scoring record, played a crucial role in his team’s historic treble last season, leaving United to witness his lethal abilities firsthand. As Sunday’s highly anticipated Manchester derby approaches, Haaland, facing United three times, has scored five goals and provided three assists against them. The irony is that Haaland could have been a Red Devil, as former United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who had previously worked with him at Molde, recognized his prodigious…
In Manchester City’s 3-1 Premier League victory over Manchester United, former Red Devils captain Gary Neville placed blame on Victor Lindelof for Phil Foden’s impressive equalizer. Neville asserted that the defender’s efforts were lacking in the lead-up to Foden’s goal. Despite Marcus Rashford finding the net for Erik ten Hag’s team during the match, Lindelof, who filled in as a left-back in Luke Shaw’s absence, struggled to contain Foden after a precise pass from Rodri in the center of the pitch. Neville commented on Sky Sports, stating, “We have witnessed two remarkable goals at that end of the pitch. Manchester…
Liverpool legend Graeme Souness has strongly criticized Paul Pogba following the Juventus midfielder’s four-year ban for doping. Souness maintained that Pogba lacks honesty, emphasizing that his previous observations about the 30-year-old being ‘lazy’ were accurate. Pogba recently received a four-year ban from football due to a failed drugs test, and he is currently appealing the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), expressing shock and heartbreak over the situation. ”I criticized Paul Pogba often during his career, and some people seemed to take amusement from it,” said Souness in an interview with the Daily Mail. “But it was…
Paris Saint-Germain manager, Luis Enrique, has confirmed that the decision to substitute Kylian Mbappé at half-time during their 0-0 draw against Monaco was entirely his own. This marks the second consecutive match where Mbappé has been taken off early by Enrique. In the previous game against Rennes, the 25-year-old was substituted in the 65th minute as they played to a 1-1 draw. Speaking after the Friday game, Enrique emphasized the importance of preparing for a future without Mbappé in the squad. “I have been in football long enough; you should know that everything is important in this kind of club,”…
La Liga has initiated an inquiry following the circulation of a video on social media that allegedly captures a young Valencia fan racially abusing Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior during their 2-2 draw on Saturday night. ESPN Brazil shared the footage and interviewed the woman who recorded the incident. She revealed that the police were alerted during the game. This match marked Vinicius’ return to the Mestalla since May of the previous year when he faced racial abuse from home fans. Despite the Brazilian’s two goals helping Real Madrid secure a point, a potential late winner was denied after the…
Former Chelsea and Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas has criticized Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, questioning his tactics and the apparent lack of structure in the team. According to Fabregas, under former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Manchester United had a clear plan, but something seems to be missing under Ten Hag. Ten Hag had an impressive first season at Old Trafford, securing the EFL Cup and reaching the FA Cup final despite Cristiano Ronaldo’s mid-season departure. The team also finished third, ensuring a return to the UEFA Champions League. However, Ten Hag has struggled to replicate that success in the…
Manchester United legends Roy Keane and Gary Neville have shared their predictions for the upcoming Premier League derby against Manchester City at Etihad on Sunday. In the reverse fixture last year, Man City secured a 3-0 victory at Old Trafford. Both teams are entering the clash with midweek FA Cup fifth-round wins, with City defeating Luton Town 6-2 and United securing a 1-0 victory against Nottingham Forest. During The Overlap discussion (as per TBR), Keane offered his prediction, stating, “3-1. Let’s go 3-1 City,” with a playful warning to Neville: “Don’t be copying us now.” In response, Neville stated, “I…
Darwin Nunez etched his name into Liverpool history by securing a 1-0 triumph over Nottingham Forest on Saturday. Throughout the afternoon, Liverpool struggled to break the deadlock, and it seemed they were headed for a draw until Nunez forced an impressive save from Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels in the 95th minute. Undeterred, the Uruguay international persevered and netted the decisive goal just four minutes later. Nunez’s goal was recorded at 98 minutes and 35 seconds, marking the latest winning goal Liverpool has scored in the Premier League since the inception of records. Additionally, this strike ranks as the tenth-latest goal…
Jude Bellingham received a red card after the conclusion of Real Madrid’s 2-2 draw with Valencia for expressing his displeasure with referee Jesus Gil Manzano’s decision to end the game just before his header crossed the goal line. Despite being two goals down, Los Blancos managed to level the score in the La Liga clash, courtesy of Vinicius Junior’s two goals in response to Valencia’s early lead from Hugo Duro and Roman Yaremchuk. In stoppage time, as Carlo Ancelotti’s team sought a winning goal, Bellingham appeared to secure victory with a header from Brahim Diaz’s cross. However, Gil Manzano blew…
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has rejected the idea of introducing the blue card in football, declaring it a non-existent matter for FIFA. In an interview with SKY Sports UK, Infantino emphatically stated, “Blue cards? This is a topic that is non-existent for us. If you want a title, it is: red card to the blue card. No chance, no way.” Although plans for the blue card are expected to be abandoned, the concept of a sin bin is still being considered.
Former Super Eagles striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni has expressed frustration over the persistent criticism he faces from Nigerians for a missed goal 13 to 14 years ago. On June 22, 2010, during a World Cup match between Nigeria and South Korea, Aiyegbeni missed a tap-in when Nigeria was trailing 2-1 in their final Group A game at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in South Africa. Despite later scoring from the penalty spot, Super Eagles fans struggled to forget the astonishing miss. Aiyegbeni revealed in a recent interview that he continues to receive messages from upset fans demanding an explanation for the missed…