Former Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata has opened up about his battle with depression in recent years. The former Real Madrid player recently joined AC Milan in the summer, following Spain’s triumphant Euro 2024 campaign, where he captained the team to a 2-1 victory over England in the final. However, Morata has now revealed that just months before the tournament, his mental health struggles made him doubt whether he could continue his football career. Speaking to El Partidazo, Morata said: “When you face really tough times—depression, panic attacks—it doesn’t matter what job you do or what life situation you’re in, there’s…
Author: Oluwaseun samuel
Hugo Viana is set to advocate for Sporting CP manager Ruben Amorim as Pep Guardiola’s successor if he becomes the director of football at Manchester City. With Txiki Begiristain expected to step down after 12 years in the role, Viana has emerged as the leading candidate to take over, and reports suggest that City has already begun talks with him. According to Record, Viana aims to bring Amorim to the Premier League alongside him. Guardiola’s current contract with the club is set to expire at the end of the season, and there has been no indication from him or the…
Paul Pogba is reportedly in ‘advanced talks’ to leave Juventus, with the former Manchester United midfielder set to return to action in March. After testing positive for doping in 2023, the 31-year-old was initially handed a four-year suspension, seemingly putting his career in jeopardy. However, on appeal, his ban was reduced to 18 months, allowing him to resume training in January and return to the field by March. Despite this, Juventus has decided to mutually terminate Pogba’s contract, which was set to run until 2026, following a difficult spell in Turin where he made only 12 appearances prior to his…
France head coach Didier Deschamps has addressed his decision to omit Kylian Mbappé from the squad, amid speculation regarding pressure from Real Madrid. Mbappé, who joined the La Liga giants this summer, has not been included in Les Bleus’ squad for the upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures, prompting criticism in France, especially since the 25-year-old played in the 2-0 win over Villarreal despite reportedly nursing an injury. However, Deschamps has clarified that the decision not to select Mbappé was entirely his own. Speaking to reporters ahead of Thursday’s match against Israel, he stated, “Mbappé was not fit against Villarreal. There…
Maduka Okoye has vowed to fight hard to reclaim the Super Eagles’ number one goalkeeping spot. Okoye was the first-choice goalkeeper for Nigeria during the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon but lost his place after a costly mistake in the Round of 16 match against Tunisia. Following nearly two years of absence from the national team, the 25-year-old Udinese goalkeeper has now been recalled and expressed his desire to regain the No. 1 jersey. “Yes, of course, that’s what I want, but Stanley (Nwabali) set a high bar with a great AFCON. So, I’m patiently waiting, working hard…
New Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny has stated that he has no plans to quit smoking anytime soon. Recently coming out of retirement to sign a short-term deal with the La Liga club due to Marc-André ter Stegen’s serious injury, Szczęsny discussed his lifestyle choices in an interview with Mundo Deportivo. “Smoking? There are aspects of my personal life that I won’t change, and it’s nobody’s business if I smoke. If anyone thinks they can change my personal life, they should try again—it has never worked!” he asserted. He added, “I don’t smoke in front of kids; I don’t want to…
Super Eagles striker Victor Boniface has named the three toughest defenders he has faced in his career, all of whom play in the Bundesliga, where he currently stars for Bayer Leverkusen. Boniface highlighted Bayern Munich’s Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-Jae, along with his own Leverkusen teammate Jonathan Tah, as the most challenging defenders he has come up against. The 23-year-old striker has impressive stats, with 27 goals and 11 assists in 43 appearances, including against top teams like AC Milan, Borussia Dortmund, Eintracht Frankfurt, and RB Leipzig. Despite these encounters, it was Bayern’s duo and Tah who stood out the…
Super Eagles winger Moses Simon has cautioned Austin Eguavoen’s squad that no match in Africa is easy. The Nantes star issued this warning ahead of Nigeria’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Libya at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Friday. The 29-year-old urged his teammates to put in their best efforts to secure a victory over Libya. “A lot of people might think the game will be easy, but we all know that no game is easy in Africa, even at the club level,” Simon told Onrise TV. “We just need to fight and do our…
Referee Elif Karaarslan has received a lifetime ban from the Turkish Football Association following allegations of an inappropriate relationship with 61-year-old referee observer Orhan Erdemir. According to The Sun UK, the ban was imposed after the federation reportedly viewed a sex tape allegedly featuring Karaarslan and Erdemir in a sexual encounter. The Turkish Football Federation acted swiftly to suspend both individuals after the controversial video surfaced online. The report states that Karaarslan was banned for allegedly appearing in an explicit clip with a referees’ official nearly three times her age. However, the 24-year-old strongly denies the allegations, asserting that she…
Manchester United’s summer signing, Noussair Mazraoui, is set to be sidelined for two months after being diagnosed with a rare heart condition. According to Italian journalist Nicolo Schira, the £17 million signing has been diagnosed with a form of cardiac arrhythmia. Schira reports that Mazraoui recently underwent a procedure to correct the condition, with sources indicating the player has experienced heart-related issues in the past. The report suggests it could take up to four weeks for Mazraoui to return to light activities following the surgery, and between six to eight weeks for him to fully recover and resume playing. Cardiac…
Erik ten Hag is set to remain in charge of Manchester United for their upcoming Premier League clash against Brentford, despite a lengthy seven-hour meeting with the club’s senior management. According to reports, the meeting, which was held to review the team’s poor start to the season, did not result in the Dutch manager’s dismissal. Ten Hag, who has been under immense pressure following United’s worst start to a Premier League campaign, will continue to lead the team as they aim to turn their fortunes around. Despite the discussions, United’s hierarchy decided to give the manager more time to address…
Barcelona is reportedly still owing payments to seven clubs related to the transfer of Polish striker Robert Lewandowski. The Catalan giants signed Lewandowski from Bayern Munich in 2022 in a high-profile deal, but the financial details of the transaction have left the club with outstanding obligations. According to reports, Barcelona agreed to structured payments for the striker’s transfer and has yet to fully settle the amounts owed to several clubs involved in the deal. This situation has raised concerns given Barcelona’s ongoing financial struggles. Here is the full list of the seven clubs Barcelona still owes money to in relation…
Turkish giants Galatasaray are reportedly considering activating the €81 million buyout clause in Victor Osimhen’s loan agreement with Napoli, according to Soccernet. The 25-year-old Nigerian striker, currently on loan at Galatasaray until the end of the season, has quickly impressed, scoring two goals and providing four assists in his first four matches. Reports from Corriere dello Sport and Fichajes suggest that Galatasaray is seriously contemplating making Osimhen’s move permanent as early as January, which would see Napoli receive a significant transfer fee. However, they face stiff competition from Chelsea, who remain highly interested in the forward. Chelsea initially pursued Osimhen…
According to a report from the Daily Record, which was also covered by Goal, former Arsenal striker Anthony Stokes has received a 15-month prison sentence after being caught with £3,300 worth of cocaine. Stokes, who also played for Scottish Premiership side Celtic, was convicted of drug possession following a high-speed car chase in Dublin. At the time, he was driving at 99 mph and nearly collided with another vehicle. This incident occurred in the early hours of January 6, 2023. Last month, the Dublin District Court judge postponed his sentencing until October 8 to assess whether Stokes would test negative…
Former Everton player Alan Stubbs has cautioned the Premier League club against hiring Jose Mourinho as their next manager. Speculation has arisen that the incoming owners of Everton may want to bring Mourinho to Goodison Park. The Friedkin Group is in the process of finalizing a takeover after agreeing to purchase Farhad Moshiri’s majority 94 percent stake in the club. Dan Friedkin, the owner and CEO of the group, is reportedly interested in appointing the Portuguese manager, who currently leads Fenerbahçe. Mourinho has an illustrious coaching history, having managed top clubs like Real Madrid, Chelsea, Manchester United, Inter Milan, and…
Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold has revealed the toughest player he has ever faced in his career. Speaking in a recent interview, the right-back named Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior as his most challenging opponent. Alexander-Arnold described the Brazilian winger as “the best” player he’s come up against, citing Vinicius’ speed, skill, and unpredictability on the field. The pair have faced off in several high-stakes encounters, including Champions League clashes between Liverpool and Real Madrid, where Vinicius’ performances have consistently troubled the Liverpool defense. “He’s just the best,” Alexander-Arnold admitted. “His pace, his dribbling, and his ability to create something out of…
Super Eagles caretaker coach Augustine Eguavoen has emphasized that his team is determined to secure maximum points in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double-header against Libya. Winning both matches would guarantee the Super Eagles a spot in the AFCON 2025 finals, which will take place in Morocco. Currently, the Super Eagles lead Group D with four points from two matches. Eguavoen expressed the desire to finalize their qualification early to avoid last-minute pressure. “We need to be realistic: the best and most reliable way to reach the finals is to secure all six points against Libya, which would…
The race to secure young Monaco forward George Osrzehmen Ilenikhena is heating up, as both the French Football Federation (FFF) and the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) vie for his international allegiance. Ilenikhena, born in Lagos, Nigeria, has attracted attention for his remarkable talent, with both France and Nigeria eager to bring the 18-year-old into their senior squads. Having moved to France at the age of three, Ilenikhena began his football career in Antony, a suburb of Paris, before making his professional debut with Amiens. In January 2023, Ilenikhena made history by becoming the youngest scorer in Ligue 2 at just…
Manchester United have reportedly received a boost in their pursuit of Palmeiras midfielder Richard Rios. The 24-year-old was linked with a move to United over the summer, but the club focused on securing Manuel Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain instead. However, midfield remains a concern for the Red Devils, with Christian Eriksen’s contract set to expire next year and Casemiro expected to leave at the end of the 2024-25 season. If the opportunity arises, United could make a move for a new midfielder in the January transfer window, with Rios believed to be one of the top targets. According to CaughtOffside,…
The Nigeria national football team, the Super Eagles, are set to face Libya’s Mediterranean Knights in a crucial 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier. Match Details: Date: Friday, October 11, 2024 Time: 5:00 PM local time Venue: Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo Broadcast Information: Fans in Nigeria can watch the match live on AfroSport TV Match Preview: Nigeria currently leads Group D with four points from two matches, while Libya sits at the bottom with one point A victory for the Super Eagles would strengthen their position in the group and bring them closer to securing a spot in…