George Weah, the sole recipient ofAfrica’s Ballon d’Or award, has advised Victor Osimhen, the forward for Nigeria and Napoli, to aim for winning the prestigious award.
Osimhen, aged 24, played a significant role in Napoli’s triumph as they secured their first Serie A title in 33 years.
He also surpassed Weah’s longstanding record for the African player with the highest number of goals scored in the Italian Serie A, by scoring his 47th goal during the match against Fiorentina on the previous Sunday.
Despite his recent success, Weah – who won the 1995 European best award- in congratulating the striker urged him to go for more accolades and believes the Super Eagles attacker has what it takes to win the Ballon d’Or.
I want to admonish you not be contented. There are many more of my records for you to break. I wish you go on to achieve greater success.
“I watched your goal against Udinese when your 52nd -minute header won the Scudetto for Napoli. Your movement, your passion, your determination and hunger brought back many memories to me.
I wait for your 100th Goal in all competitions in Italy so that you can celebrate (but donât remove your shirt like I did or you will get a Yellow Card),” wrote Weah on Facebook.
“You have won one Scudetto. Great! When I won my first Scudetto with Milan, I said to myself, why one, why not two? I went on to win another Scudetto with Milan. I went on to win the Ballon Dâor.
So why not two or more for you Victor? The sky is your limit. With your dedication, commitment, humility, hard work, you can conquer the World. Africa needs another World Best. Africa needs another European Best. You Victor, can deliver that for us,” he added.
Osimhen is leading the goal king race in Italy with four games to end the season.
Osimhen pens message to Weah
Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Napoli striker, Victor Osimhen has paid tribute to African football legend,George Weah, after breaking his long-standing Serie A record.
The Super Eagles striker netted his 47th Serie A goal – his 23 of the campaign – in the 1-0 win over Fiorentina on Sunday.
The 74th minute penalty against La Viola now places him above the former AC Milan striker, who held the record for 23 years.
Mr. Haaland was present in Madrid to support his son and his Manchester City team in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid.
The incident was unpleasant and witnessed by many.
Erling Haaland speaks with Vinicius Junior at the end of their game on May 9. Photo by Burak Akbulut.
Source: Getty Images
Despite early pressure and dominance from Pep Guardiola’s team, it was the record European champions who struck first thanks to a fine belter from Vinicius Junior.
Haaland had a rare dull day, with the Norwegian being subdued by Madrid’s centre-back pairing of Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba. He had two flimsy shots on target on a night Guardiola elected not to use his substitutes bench.
Perhaps frustrated with the situation, Alfie Haaland was accused of insulting Real Madrid fans, with footage showing him cupping his ears towards them.
As Daily Mail reports, he was also accused of throwing food at the opposition supporters before security intervened and escorted him out of his private box.
With his son previously linked with a move to the Spanish giants, this altercation could severely dent those hopes when that time comes. This was Haaland’s first-ever game at the iconic stadium.
He will be hoping for a better outing as City hope to reach their second UCL final in history.
Aguero slams Guardiola’s UCL tactics
Sports Brief also reported on Sergio Aguero blasting Guardiola’s ‘baffling’ decisions during Man City’s Champions League clash against Real Madrid.
The Citizens took on the reigning UCL champions in a mouthwatering first-leg semi-final encounter on May 9 at the iconic Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
Aguero was less than impressed with a tactical move made by Guardiola during the match, with the Spaniard leaving all his subs on the bench.
Diogo Dalot’s remarks regarding the potential replacement for David De Gea appear to align with the sentiments of the Manchester United dressing room towards the Spanish goalkeeper.
De Gea’s mistake during the match against West Ham United gifted the opposition a goal and resulted in a defeat for United, which was a significant setback to their hopes of securing a top-four finish in the Premier League.
This season, the former Atletico Madrid goalkeeper has faced criticism for his inability to possess the necessary footwork for building attacks from the back, a system that United’s coach, Erik ten Hag, is known to prefer.
According to Mirror UK, the shot-stopper’s contract expires in the summer but he had agreed to an extension, only for his manager to reportedly tell him he is not guaranteed a starting role next season.
Dalot praises Diogo Costa
According to Sports Mole, Porto’s Diogo Costa and Brentford’s David Raya are considered potential replacements, with De Gea set to be a back-up goalkeeper next season.
Man United right-back and an international teammate of Costa, Dalot has clarified his feelings about his childhood friend who could be coming to England in the summer.
“I grew up with him, he’s my friend, there’s a great relationship between us. I know perfectly well that he has the capacity to one day be a world reference,” he was translated as telling Mais Futebol.
While Dalot did not seem certain the move to Manchester United would materialise, he believes Costa would be a big-name player where he goes.
“I don’t know if he’ll be at Manchester United or another big club in Europe. He shows at FC Porto that he is a differential goalkeeper and has helped the club a lot. If he continues there, I’ll be extremely happy. If he leaves, I hope he has the greatest success in the world.”
United fans lament De Gea
Sports Brief also reported that United fans want De Gea out of the club after his recent string of poor performances, which have led to opposition scores.
The news of the club reportedly extending his contract was not well-received, but it has since emerged that the Spaniard is not guaranteed to start.
Yaw Dabo, a Ghanaian actor, has been making waves on social media after his appearance on the Spanish TV show Marca following Real Madrid’s UEFA Champions League match against Manchester City.
Despite claiming to be 24 years old during the interview, the small-statured actor expressed his excitement about the 1-1 draw at Santiago Bernabeu and believes that Real Madrid will advance to the final.
In the match, Kevin De Bruyne’s 67th-minute goal canceled out Vinicius Jr’s first-half goal, resulting in a draw.
As the European champions head to England for the second leg, the tie remains evenly balanced.
In a video shared severally on social media, Dabo is seen analyzing the game, praising Real Madrid for cutting supplies to Manchester City striker Erling Haaland.
Dabo is currently on an European tour and has already visited PSG, Borussia Dortmund and Ajax.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid will be hoping to get a positive result at the Etihad as they eye back-to-back Champions League final.
Kudus welcomes Dabo to Ajax Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Ghanaian footballer Mohammed Kudus took time off to show actor Yaw Dabo around following his visit of the Netherlands.
Dabo has been in Europe since last week touring some big clubs as he monitors how these teams are run due to his involvement in the game.
The diminutive actor owns a soccer academy in Ghana and has taken the opportunity to establish relationship with some of these European clubs.
Yaw Dabo visits Dortmund
Ghanaian actor, Yaw Dabo continued his tour of Europe with a visit to German giants Borussia Dortmund.
The president of Dabo Soccer Academy spent time at the club’s training venue, where he was also given a tour of the club’s facilities byformer Ghana coach Otto Addo.
Dabo met some of Dortmund’s stars, including English midfielder Jude Bellingham and teen sensation Youssoufa Moukoko.
Pep Guardiola made a ‘baffling’ decision during Manchester City’s Champions League match against Real Madrid, according to Sergio Aguero.
The semi-final matchup between City and the defending champions took place on Tuesday, May 9, at the Santiago Bernabeu.
According to Marca, the European powerhouses agreed to a 1-1 draw in the thrilling match, leaving the tie wide open going into the second leg, which will be played at the Etihad Stadium.
During the first half, the hosts’ Vinicius Jr. scored a stunning goal to start the scoring before Kevin De Bruyne controversially equalised for City in the 66th minute.
Vinicius Jr opened the scoring for the hosts in the first half with a stunner before Kevin De Bruyne controversially equalised for City in the 66th minute.
Aguero hits out at Pep
Despite the encouraging result, Aguero was less impressed with a tactical decision made by Pep Guardiola during the match.
Sportbible reports that Guardiola did not make a single substitution in the Champions League match, a move that left Aguero baffled.
The City legend slammed his former manager for the decision, insisting his fellow countryman Julian Alvarez should have been given an opportunity to play.
“What I don’t understand is why he didnât put JuliĂĄn [Alvarez on]… I wonder, but well itâs Pep. He doesnât marry anyone,” he said via @City_Xtra.
“If it was up to me, I’d play JuliĂĄn in almost every game – we need him to be active and have a spark,” he added.
Fans mock Haaland
Earlier, Sports Brief reported a section of fans has taken to social media to mock Erling Haaland for allegedly going missing duringManchester City’s Champions League cracker against Real Madrid.
Haaland was part of City’s squad that settled for a 1-1 draw against the reigning champions in the first leg of the semi-final fixture staged at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday night.
The Norwegian hotshot went into the clash off a fantastic run of form that had seen him score an eyewatering 51 goals across competitions.
Additionally, if they qualify for the group stage, they have committed to holding all their Champions League fixtures at the same venue.
This season, Jonas Eidevall’s team has already played three WSL games at the stadium, including the record-breaking match against Tottenham where they set a new league attendance record.
Furthermore, they sold over 86,000 tickets across games against Manchester United and Chelsea.
The team also played five of their Women’s Champions League games at the Emirates, which included a sold-out semi-final second-leg against Wolfsburg. However, the German side managed to win in extra time.
Arsenal are in a tussle to qualify for next seasonâs Champions League but, if they do progress, every fixture from the group stage onwards will be hosted in N5 rather than at Meadow Park.
The successes of this season have built on a groundswell of support for womenâs football following on from Englandâs Womenâs Euro victory last summer.
Now, Arsenal are keen to continue the trend of hosting more games at the Emirates, with Eidevall saying recently he believes it would be possible to host all womenâs fixtures there at some point in the future.
âWeâre delighted to confirm that our womenâs first team will play five WSL games at Emirates Stadium next season,â Arsenal chief executive Vinai Venkatesham said when the announcement was made on Wednesday morning.
âWeâve received fantastic support at Emirates Stadium this year, setting a new record attendance in the WSL and achieving a memorable sell-out for our recent UEFA Womenâs Champions League semi-final against Wolfsburg earlier this month.
âThis latest announcement ensures that as many supporters as possible can enjoy the matchday experience with us, as we continue to support the sustainable growth of womenâs football.â
The competition between the world’s most lethal forwards for supremacy is heating up as the Champions League enters its final stages, as well as the contest to be named top scorer.
We go over the favourites to see who is still in the running.
Erling Haaland (12 goals, one assist)
Erling Haaland scored two more goals against Southampton
Records continue to tumble for the Norwegian sensation â no player has ever scored more goals in a single Champions League season for an English club than Haaland’s 12 this term, level with Ruud van Nistelrooy’s efforts for Manchester United in 2002-03.Â
Mohamed Salah (eight goals, two assists)
Mohamed Salah has endured a difficult Premier League season
Liverpool star Mohamed Salah was on fire in Europe this season and scored his eighth goal in just seven matches to hand his side a 2-0 lead over Real Madrid in the first leg of their last-16 showdown.
Unfortunately for the Egyptian, the Reds went on to lose 5-2 at Anfield and were knocked out after a 1-0 defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Vinicius Junior (seven goals, six assists)
MADRID, SPAIN – FEBRUARY 2: (L-R) Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid, coach Carlo Ancelotti of Real Madrid during the La Liga Santander match between Real Madrid v Valencia at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on February 2, 2023 in Madrid Spain (Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images)
Vinicius Junior broke the deadlock at the Bernabeu on Tuesday night and will hope to add to his tally in the return fixture in Manchester.
Vinicius relishes the European stage, having been involved in 22 goals in his last 22 Champions League appearances (11 goals, 11 assists).
Kylian Mbappe (seven goals, three assists)
Kylian Mbappe could not inspire a Paris Saint-Germain comeback in Munich
The Frenchman failed to inspire his side past Bayern Munich in the last 16 and finished on a respectable seven goals from eight outings.
Joao Mario (six goals, two assists)
Joao Mario
Joao Mario struck in both legs as Benfica breezed past Club Brugge in the last 16 â equalling the great Eusebio’s club record of scoring in five consecutive European games.
But he was an anonymous presence as the Eagles crashed out at the hands of Inter Milan in the last eight, 5-3 on aggregate.
The young Spanish defensive midfielder made his National team debut in 2005 and has since made 719 first team matches.
After 18 years at the Camp Nou, Barcelona legend Sergio Busquets has revealed he would leave the team at the end of the current campaign.
The young Spanish defensive midfielder made his National team debut in 2005 and has since made 719 first team matches.
The 34-year-old made the following statement on the Blaugrana website: “It has been an honour and a source of pride to have been able to wear this badge but everything must come to an end.
“It has [not] been an easy decision but the time has come.”
Busquets’ final act for the club is set to be lifting his ninth LaLiga title, with Barca currently 13 points clear with five games to play.
A true legend of the LaLiga giants, Busquets was also at the heart of three Champions League triumphs.
He formed an iconic midfield partnership with current boss Xavi and Andres Iniesta, with the trio particularly thriving duringPep Guardiola’s reign in Catalonia.
The Spain international was handed the captaincy when Lionel Messi left in 2021 and has made 39 appearances in all competitions this term.
Initial reports suggest a move to Saudi Arabia or MLS could be in the offing for the 2010 World Cup winner.
His father and agent, Jorge Messi, wanted to dispel recent rumors about his son’s future.
According to a report by the Daily Mail, it was claimed that Messi had already agreed to a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia.
The report suggested that the World Cup winner would sign a contract worth ÂŁ522 million with Al-Hilal and reignite his rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo.
Messiâs father has since shot down the rumours, saying that the media sources knowingly publishing fake news lack respect, Football Espana reported. Jorge released a statement on social media, explaining that his son has not agreed on a deal with any club.
âThere is absolutely nothing with any club for next year. The decision will not be made before Lionel finishes the season with PSG. Once the season is over, it will be time to analyse and see what is there, and then make a decision,â part of the statement read.
The statement criticised the publications that use Messiâs name to gain publicity.
âIt seems to me a lack of respect towards the media that do their due diligence, that there are those who consciously and deliberately deceive, without providing any proof of their claims,â Jorge said in the statement.
Messiâs wife hesitant about move
Lionel Messi’s potential move to Saudi Arabia has received a subtle blow, with his wife, Antonella Roccuzzo, reportedly hesitant about the deal.
Messi has received a mega offer from Al-Hilal in a deal believed to be valued at least 400 million euros per year to ditch European football for the Middle East.
It is becoming increasingly apparent that the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner will leave Paris Saint-Germain at the end of this season, Sports Brief reported.
Ahead of Tuesday’s first-leg tie in the Champions League semi-final, Real Madrid’s Rodrygo Goes has expressed admiration for Manchester City striker Erling Haaland.
The two teams met in last year’s semifinal, which Real Madrid won 6-5 on aggregate, including a thrilling 3-1 comeback at the Bernabeu.
Since then, City has acquired Haaland, who has scored an impressive 51 goals across all competitions since joining Pep Guardiola’s side from Borussia Dortmund last summer.
The Norwegian goal machine has also forged an effective link with his teammates outside the box.
According to UEFA, Haaland is the top scorer in this year’s Champions League, scoring 12 goals in just eight appearances this season.
And Speaking with RTVE, via Madrid Universal, Rodrygo said:
âHaaland scores a lot of goals, no one knows how to stop him. I hope he doesnât score against us.
âManchester City is always scary. Theyâre a great team, they play very well, but we are confident that we can win.â
Rodrygo’s 2022/23 season
In Real Madrid’s previous five games, Rodrygo has three goals and an assist to his credit. Under Carlo Ancelotti, the Brazilian has had a strong season and has established himself as a regular starter.
The Brazilian has made 30 league appearances for Real Madrid this season, contributing eight assists and six goals.
He also creates 10 major chances and averages 1.4 critical passes per game, per Madrid Universal.
City are on course to secure a historic treble under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola, with the club in the race to lift the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League.
The Citizens have been in incredible form and are currently topping the charts with 82 points, four points ahead of second-placed Arsenal.
Despite Al Nassr’s position in second place on the Saudi top-flight table, their missed opportunity to temporarily overthrow Al Ittihad from the top spot left Ronaldo visibly frustrated during the Monday evening match.
Despite making several attempts, including a disallowed goal due to an offside call, the 38-year-old was unable to rally his team to victory.
Furthermore, Al Khaleej’s goalkeeper, Al Haidari, repeatedly thwarted Ronaldo’s efforts, adding to his disappointment.
The 1-1 stalemate means Al Nassr’s feint chances of winning their first league crown since 2019 appear to be fading away, which clearly left the ex-Real Madrid star frustrated.
After exchanging shirts with his Portuguese compatriot on the other side of the divide, a member of the visitors’ backroom staff tried to take a selfie with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner but was shoved by a frustrated Ronaldo, per GOAL.
Ronaldo’s partner blamed for draw
Al Nassr manager Dinko JeliÄiÄ appears to fault Cristiano Ronaldo’s attacking partner Anderson Talisca following his side’s costly draw with Al Khaleej on Monday, May 8, Sports Brief reported.
The Knights of Najd had the chance to temporarily usurp Al Ittihad at the summit of the Saudi Pro League. However, they fluffed their lines, sharing the spoils with the visitors.
Following the end of the game, Dinko, who is serving as Al Nassr coach on an interim basis following the sack of Rudi Garcia, appeared to blame the disconnect between his two attackers – Ronaldo and Talisca.
Ronaldo ‘tricked’ into joining Al Nassr
Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Brazil legend Rivaldo has claimed that Cristiano Ronaldo was ‘fooled’ into signing for Saudi Arabia giants Al Nassr. Ronaldo sealed a sensational January transfer move to the Riyadh-based outfit after he left Manchester United.
The veteran striker had his contract at Old Trafford terminated following his explosive interview with Piers Morgan.
According to Brazil icon Rivaldo, Ronaldo may have been ‘fooled’ into signing for the Saudi giants, with the ex-footballer claiming the forward could be unhappy in his new surroundings.
Michael Essien, a former Ghanaian footballer who played for Chelsea, has offered his congratulations to Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen on winning the Serie A title with Napoli.
Osimhen played a key role in helping Napoli secure their first league title in 33 years, scoring 23 goals in the Serie A this season.
With four matches remaining, he has the opportunity to increase his tally. By winning the league, the 24-year-old also surpassed George Weah’s long-standing Serie A record for the most goals scored by an African player in the Italian league, netting his 47th goal against Fiorentina last Sunday.
“Bravoo,” Essien wrote on Twitter with emojis applauding the striker.
Osimhen’s accomplishment has been celebrated across the continent with the likes of Didier Drogba all paying tribute to the striker.
His prolific goal scoring form has seen him become a target for German giants Bayern Munich as well as French side Paris-Saint Germain, as reported by GOAL.
The FIFA U17 World Cup winner’s future will be decided in the summer transfer window.
Meanwhile, Essien spent a season-and-a-half in the Italian Serie A with AC Milan between 2014 to 2015.
Reports indicate that, Mauricio Pochettino is already actively working to identify the weaknesses in the current Chelsea side, even before his appointment as the club’s new permanent head coach is confirmed.
Chelsea is expected to finalize the appointment of the Argentine soon. The team has underperformed this season and is currently bloated with players.
Reports suggest that Pochettino will need to conduct a mass clear-out of players in order to start afresh and improve the team’s performances. Football London has reported on this development.
There have been reports that some players have had to change in the corridors after the club brought in eight new players in January alone.
Players like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Hakim Ziyech, and Cristian Pulisc could make way as the rebuild process begins in West London.
Pochettino’s plans for Chelsea
But even as a number of players leave, Metro UK reports that Pochettino will require three new players to form the basis of what he wants to achieve at Stamford Bridge.
The report further adds the former Paris Saint-Germain manager is keen on signing a new goalkeeper, a central midfielder, and a striker.
No specific names have been given just yet, but it is saidPochettino wants players with Premier League experience. His pursuit for a goalkeeper spells doom for Kepa Arrizabalaga and Edouard Mendy – the latter who has barely played this season.
The idea of a central midfielder is presumably someone who can partner with January’s acquisition, Enzo Fernandez.
The striking department is self-explanatory, with Chelsea out of luck in that area since the departure of Diego Costa.
The likes of Harry Kane, Declan Rice, and Manuel Ugarte have all been linked with moves to Chelsea.
Pochettino: What Chelsea can expect from
Poch’s lack of trophies during his first spell with Tottenham has always been a consideration when judging his suitability to manage a top club.
However, as Sports Brief previously reported, Pochettino might be Chelsea’s solution to a team which has had many questions asked of it this season.
He can be relied upon to being stability to Stamford Bridge, provide direction, and reign in player power – something Potter’s tenure certainly lacked.
Ryan Mason, who is currently serving asTottenham’s second interim manager, has received praise from defender Ben Davies for his contributions to the team.
Tottenham achieved their first victory under Mason’s leadership on Saturday with a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace.
Mason made changes to Antonio Conte’s 3-4-3 system, which had been used frequently before his arrival.
Tottenham lined up in a 4-4-2 out of possession and it helped them keep a first clean sheet in the Premier League since February 26 with more confidence restored to a group who have experienced crushing defeats to Bournemouth, Newcastle and Liverpool in the past month.
âItâs something weâre all well aware of and one that we needed for a long time. Itâs a good start for us and hopefully we can kick on for the final games now,â Davies said of the shut-out against Palace.
âItâs not the easiest situation to come into (for Ryan). Weâve got limited amount of games so itâs hard for him to come in and completely change things and do it his own way.
âBut thereâs been a clear message that we need to be as good as we can with the ball and tighten up without it.
âItâs pretty basic but thatâs the way weâve been training and working. Ryanâs instilled that belief in us that weâre able to do that.â
Davies, who has largely played left of a back three this season, was used as a full-back last weekend before being asked to push higher up the pitch when Spurs attacked.
On the right wing was January recruit Pedro Porro and it was the Spain international who set up Harry Kaneâs winner to help make up for some poor defensive showings at St Jamesâ Park and Anfield recently.
Davies added: âPedro is still a young player. We know the intensity and scrutiny of the Premier League, you make one little mistake and itâs highlighted for the world to see.
âLook, we all know how good a player he is. Weâve seen it on the training pitch. When you iron out those mistakes I think weâve got a top player on our hands.
âSometimes when youâre new to the club and the Premier League, you probably feel a lot of demand, especially when it comes to the transfer fee, to try to impress.
âSometimes itâs about making sure you do the basics and do the simple things right first. I think he did that. He defended well and then when he got the opportunity (to attack) he was good.â
Tottenhamâs win over Palace moved them up to sixth and kept them on course to qualify for a European competition.
âOur aspiration is to play European football and be involved in as many competitions as we can,â Davies insisted.
Kolo Toure, a former Manchester City defender, believes it’s just a matter of time before the club wins the Champions League under their current manager, Pep Guardiola.
City are currently aiming for a treble and are set to face Real Madrid, who have won the European competition a record 14 times, in the first leg of a highly anticipated semi-final match on Tuesday at Santiago Bernabeu.
Despite Guardiola having lost six out of nine Champions League semi-finals, no other manager has lost more at this stage.
But Toure is convinced a City success in Europe’s elite club competition will come sooner rather than later and believes this could be the year for Guardiola to win his third Champions League crown, and first with City.
“It is a matter of time, we all know that and you can see that,” Toure, who played for City between 2009 and 2013, told Stats Perform.
“City has been dominant in the Premier League, of course.
“And in Champions League, they haven’t got as far, but they’ve been so unlucky a few times. In football, you need that luck element, it’s maybe that one or two per cent.
“At the moment it doesn’t go to Man City, but you can feel it’s coming. For Pep, he knows it is coming anyway.
“He is breeding the team he wants. Of course, when you’re not winning it and for a manager of his stature, everybody is just trying to put the pressure on, but there’s no pressure because within the Champions League you play against unbelievable teams.
“Keep calm, keep the process, keep improving the team if it doesn’t work. Sometimes they are teams who will press very well. You have to be able to value the game, you cannot be predictable.
If they know you’re going to pass short, they will go at you, and you can lose the ball and that can be damaging.Â
“And there are moments you have to feel as a player that, ‘we have to go over because this guy is pressing so well’. City have that and for me, it can help them to reach the Champions League [final].
“You just need to find that key element with which will help them to win that Champions League, which for me is coming.”Â
This season Carlo Ancelotti’s side have already seen off Liverpool and Chelsea in the knockout stages, but Toure is confident City can progress after beating RB Leipzig 8-1 on aggregate and then ruthlessly dismissing Bayern Munich 4-1 over two legs.
Toure said: “For me, when I look at both teams, I see City going on further because I believe that they have the right team. Now, when I say the right team, I mean they are really well-balanced.
“Defensively, they look really strong. In the middle they are strong, but at the same time, they are in form. They look really, really good this year.
“With [Manuel] Akanji signing, they look very good [in defence]. Going forward they have Erling Haaland which brings another dimension in the game because City always been a team that always want to play short ball all the time, but now Kevin De Bruyne can go over the top as well.
“One thing Pep has been doing really well this season, it’s been managing the [minutes] really well, managing the energy.
“Every time they’re winning 2-0 or 3-0, he just takes the key players out, to rest them to make sure they don’t get fatigued to make sure they don’t get injured.
“That management this season will help the players to be fresher because when you go to the end on the Champions League, it is right at the end of the season, and sometimes players are tired [physically] and they are mentally tired because they’ve been playing so many games. That will make you fatigued, that’s where you lose the lucidity that you need.Â
“A few years ago, you always saw them and at the end of the season not feeling that fresh because we’ve been over overworked really. But this season, I look at the Manchester City team and they look really fresh.”
After the match in Spain, City will travel to Everton in the Premier League on Sunday before the return leg against Madrid in Manchester on May 17.
Mario Gomez, a former European champion, believes that Real Madrid is “the best team of this generation” and that they have a good chance of winning the Champions League once more this year.
Madrid won their 14th European championship in spectacular way last season, defeating Manchester City, Chelsea, and Paris Saint-Germain in a series of intense knockout matches.
Los Blancos defeated Liverpool 1-0 in the Champions League final in Paris after making it there despite dropping a match in the round of 16, quarterfinals, and semis.
Gomez, a former striker for Bayern Munich, described Madrid as the “true beast” of Europe’s top club championship as Carlo Ancelotti’s team got ready to play them in a rematch of last year’s semifinal match.
“With Real Madrid, over the last 10 years, how many times have we thought, ‘it is over for them’, and they just come back every time,” Gomez said in an interview with the Go Turkiye YouTube channel.
“They are the true beast of the Champions League, absolutely unbelievable.
“Since I was very little, I have been a Barcelona supporter, but I really enjoy this Real Madrid side.
“They believe until the last second, so, for me they are the best team of this generation.
“For that reason, I think that they will go really far. I don’t know if they will win it, because football is unpredictable, but they can reach the final.”
Turkey striker Cenk Tosun was speaking alongside Gomez, and having worked with Ancelotti during a stint in the Premier League with Everton, he believes the Italian could be set for more glory in Istanbul next month.
“It is always a special event to have theChampions League final here in Turkey,” Tosun said. “Of course, Real Madrid is the winner of last season and a clear favourite.Â
“They have the same manager as last year, Mr. Ancelotti. I worked with him at Everton and I really like him, he is a special person for me, so I would pick Real Madrid to win it.”
Gomez appeared as a substitute as Bayern beat Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund in the 2013 Champions League final, as part of a memorable treble won by Jupp Heynckes’ team.
Reflecting on that win, Gomez said: “It was one of the most beautiful days in my life, because we were in the final one year before against Chelsea, and we lost [on penalties].
“To this day nobody knows how we lost that game. In 2012-13 we really had the power and energy to show people that it was our year, it was our time.
“The final wasn’t that good. Dortmund were as strong as us, if not better, but in the end, we got the trophy. When we got handed the trophy and lifted it in front of the fans, it was amazing.
“The four years I spent there were just incredible. There were so many special players in that team.
“I’ll start with the two wingers. They were the stars and I was just the finisher. On the left-hand side we had Franck Ribery.
“On the other wing, Arjen Robben. Totally different from Franck. He always wanted to finish.
“With Arjen I always had to predict the keeper’s movement, and if they saved his shot, I was there for the rebound. I scored many goals liked that!”
While much of the focus has been on the Premier League title match between Manchester City and Arsenal, things have recently become ugly for a few clubs at the other end of the league.
The fear of being relegated has set in with only four games remaining, and clubs are risking everything to make sure they avoid the drop.
At least eight clubs were in danger of closing a few weeks ago. However, Bournemouth, Wolves, and Crystal Palace have since fought their way to safety.
With 37 points right now, West Ham are also essentially secure, even if they fall short of the fabled 40-point threshold.
This leaves five clubs; Nottingham Forrest, Everton, Leicester City, Leeds United and Southampton in the danger zone.
The first two recorded huge wins on May 8 but will still need to do more in the coming weeks.
Should any of these clubs go down, they will be in danger of losing their key players, who would almost certainly find new clubs in the top flight. Sports Brief has compiled a list of players who are likely to move on if their clubs go down.
1. Leicester City
There is absolutely no way the massively talented James Maddison will play in the championship.
Maddison can play behind the striker, as a winger or in midfield and would attract plenty of admirers.
Newcastle United are already keeping tabs on him. His midfield compatriot Youri Tielemans has also in the past attracted interest from Arsenal.
Other mentions; Harvey Barnes
2. Southampton
Name a better dead ball specialist than James Ward-Prowse; we will wait. The Southampton skipper is unlikely to go down with his team. His leadership qualities and pass range could come in handy for a different team. Same applies to Manchester City graduate Romeo Lavia who has been one of the positives of the Saints’ season.
Other mentions; Carlos Alcaraz
3. Leeds United
It is hard to understand how the Lilly Whites are struggling with their talented squad. Wilfried Gnonto has been linked with top clubs like Juventus, Napoli and PSG.
Ilan Meslier is also perceived as one of the best young goalkeepers and could attract interest from clubs like Chelsea and Manchester United, who are in the market for new custodians.
Other mentions; Patrick Bamford.
4. Everton
Should the Toffees go down, England’s national team’s number-one shot-stopper Jordan Pickford will certainly move on. Pickford could easily slot in at a top-six club. Dominic Calvert-Lewin has also been an exciting striking prospect despite his injury issues.
Other mentions; Dwight McNeil
5. Nottingham Forrest
Steve Cooper’s side bought an excess of 20 players who have so far failed to gel properly. Brennan Johnson has been arguably their best player and the onus will be on him to find new employers if they can’t maintain top-flight status. Morgan Gibbs White could also be an option for clubs looking for an adept ball carrier.
Keylor Navas would have been an obvious pick but he is on loan.
Other mentions; Taiwo Awoniyi
There is no shortage of talent in the teams fighting for relegation. Top-flight clubs could easily move in and sign players at considerable amounts.
Premier League’s biggest time wasters
Sports Brief has also reported that interesting data has exposed Newcastle United as the biggest time-wasters in the Premier League this season.
The Magpies, under Eddie Howe, have been a force to reckon with and are well on course to qualifying for the Champions League.
Their brilliance came to play once again on Sunday, May 7, albeit via defeat against title hopefuls Arsenal, who emerged with a 2-0 win under difficult circumstances at St Jamesâ Park.
City, who were heartbreakingly defeated by the Spanish giants in the semifinals a year ago, have a chance to atone this time around.
On Tuesday, the Bernabeu will host the first leg of their most recent match, and Guardiola is not thinking about the previous 12 months. Instead, he is focused on the game at hand.
The City manager said: âIt was tough but we made an exceptional first game in Manchester and played a really good game here.
Today marks the 22nd anniversary of the worst stadium disaster in Africa and the third-deadliest in the world. On May 9, 2001, about 126 football fans died in a stampede after a match between Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko.
This tragedy revealed the weaknesses of Ghanaâs stadia security and management. It sent shock waves through the nation and the world.
In this article, we will look back at the disaster and its aftermath, and how it has affected Ghana’s football culture. We will also consider the lessons learned and the challenges that still remain.
The Event On May 9, 2001, a football match between Ghana’s two most successful teams, Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko, took place at the Accra Sports Stadium, also known as the Ohene Djan Stadium. The match was expected to be tense and exciting, as both teams were competing for the league title. Officials had taken extra security measures to prevent crowd disturbances.
The match was goalless until the 80th minute when Hearts scored two goals in quick succession. This angered the Kotoko fans, who felt that the referee was biased and unfair.
They started throwing plastic seats and bottles onto the pitch, protesting the result. The police responded by firing tear gas into the crowd, hoping to disperse them. However, this caused more panic and chaos, as fans tried to escape the gas and the stadium.
Accra Sports Stadium disaster
The stadium had a compromised design, with fewer exits than originally planned. Some gates were locked, preventing fans from leaving. The Ghana Institute of Architects later called the stadium a “death trap”.
As fans rushed to the exits, they trampled on each other, creating a deadly stampede and crush. Some fans suffocated from the tear gas, while others died from trauma.
The incident lasted for about an hour, leaving behind a horrific scene of bodies piled up on the floors and stairs of the stadium.
Some fans who had passed out from the gas were mistakenly taken to the morgue, where one of them regained consciousness after someone stepped on his foot. Medical staff had already left the stadium, as the incident happened near the end of the match.
The official death toll was 126, making it the worst stadium disaster in Africa and the third-deadliest in the world.
Most of the victims were young men and women who had gone to watch their favourite teams play.
The Aftermath The Accra Sports Stadium disaster shocked and saddened the nation and the world. Ghana’s president, John Agyekum Kufuor, declared three days of national mourning and ordered an official inquiry into the incident.
The Ghana Premier Football League suspended play for a month. FIFA and CAF expressed their condolences and solidarity with Ghana.
Many people donated blood and money to help the survivors and families of the victims.
The official inquiry blamed the police for overreacting with reckless behaviour and indiscriminate firing of plastic bullets and tear gas.
It also accused some officers of dishonesty and indefensible laxity.
Six police officers were charged with 127 counts of manslaughter, but they were later acquitted by a court that ruled that the prosecution had failed to make a case and that the asphyxia may have been caused by the stampede and not the tear gas.
The inquiry also recommended improvements to stadium security and first aid facilities, and that nationwide rapid response teams should be set up. It also called for better training and supervision of police officers deployed at public events.
It urged football authorities to enforce discipline and fair play among players, officials and fans.It suggested that plastic seats should be replaced with metal ones that could not be easily removed or thrown.
The Accra Sports Stadium was renovated in 2007 according to FIFA standards, with new seats, gates, lights and turf installed.
However, some critics argued that politics may have deferred the attention of the National Sports Council to maintain the stadium properly and that it was again in disrepair 15 years after the disaster.
The Memorial Since 2001, various corporations and philanthropists have memorialized the tragedy with donations, events and campaigns to raise awareness and prevent future disasters. One of them is Herbert Mensah, who was Asante Kotoko chairman from 1999 to 2003.
He established the Stadium Disaster Fund to support the survivors and families of the victims, and organized annual memorial services in Kumasi.
He also initiated a peace walk between Hearts and Kotoko fans to promote unity and harmony among rival supporters.
A bronze statue was erected outside the stadium depicting a fan carrying another fan to safety with the inscription title, “I Am My Brother’s Keeper” in honour of the victims of the tragedy.
A memorial was set up for the deceased
The statue serves as a reminder of the human cost of the disaster and the need for solidarity and compassion among football fans.
The Accra Sports Stadium disaster remains a dark and painful chapter in Ghana’s football history, but also a catalyst for change and improvement in stadium safety and security.
It also shows the resilience and spirit of the Ghanaian people, who have not given up on their love for the beautiful game, despite the tragedy.
Following their victory in the Copa del Rey, Florentino Perez has praised Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes, two players from Real Madrid, for their outstanding performance.
The Brazilian pair worked together to great effect, leading Real Madrid to a 2-1 win over Osasuna in the Spanish FA Cup on Saturday night.
Throughout the season, Vinicius and Rodrygo have been key players for Los Blancos, and they demonstrated their skill early on in the game by scoring the first goal in just 109 seconds.
Los Blancos took an early lead following a brilliant play down the left flank by Vini Jr, who danced along the byline past a couple of defenders before putting the ball on the plate for his compatriot, who made no mistake to prod home, Sportskeeda reports.
Lucas Torro pulled parity for Osasuna after halftime but Rodrygo, who has carved a niche for himself as the man for the big occasion, restored the lead for Carlo Ancelotti’s men slotting home from close range after Toni Kroos’ deflected effort fell kindly to him.
And speaking after the match, Perez was full of praise for his star forward and said, as quoted by Fabrizio Romano on Twitter:
âVinicius Junior is the best player in the world in his position. We should defend players who produce something special like him.
âRodrygo is a very, very good player. And heâs still so young. Heâs gonna give Madrid fans a lot of fantastic years.
This season, Vini has registered 22 goals and 21 assists, surpassing his tally of 42 goal contributions last season.
Rodrygo equals Messi’s record
Meanwhile, Rodrygo continues to etch his name in the annals of Real Madrid and Spanish football history with his latest goal-scoring heroics in the final of the Copa del Rey.
The Brazilian forward scored on either side of half-time to help Los Blancos win their first Spanish Cup title since 2014 at the expense of Osasuna on Saturday evening.
Rodrygo also became the first player since Lionel Messi to score multiple goals in the Copa del Rey final with his brace against Osasuna, according to ESPN.
Vini destroys Villarreal defenders
In a related Publication, Vinicius Junior channelled his inner Ronaldinho to score a sublime goal to continue his purple patch of form this season.
The Brazil international put in another assured performance from the left flank. However, his efforts proved futile as Real Madrid suffered a shock 3-2 defeat against Villarreal on Holy Saturday.
Despite the heartbreaking defeat, Vinicius left an indelible impression on the game with a goal akin to Ronaldinho’s stunning goal against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu in 2005.
TheGeneral Legal Council has issued a statement refuting recent media reports suggesting that lawyers will soon be obligated to take exams in order to renew their licenses.
The statement, dated May 8, 2023, clarified that the reports were based on a misinterpretation of remarks made by the Chief Justice during the enrollment ceremony for 196 new lawyers on May 5, 2023.
The Council quoted a portion of the Chief Justice’s speech in its statement.
âLawyers in the country will soon be mandated to complete a minimum of a 12-hour professional development programme in a year before the renewal of their license.
This is to help broaden their knowledge and contribute to their growth in the profession.
In line with that, plans were far advanced to make the programme, which was enshrined in the Legal Profession (Professional Conduct and Etiquette) Rules, 2020 (Legislative Instrument 2423) a prerequisite for the issuance of a practicing license to all lawyers under the Legal Profession Bill which would soon be made law,â the Council noted that reports were published which sought to suggest that lawyers will soon be required to write an exam.
In the statement, the Council noted that the portion of the speech by the Chief Justice in no way suggests that any such initiative will be introduced, rather it said, there will be a âContinuing Professional Developmentâ programme, which is a standard requirement in some jurisdictions around the world.
âThere was no mention of Lawyers being required to write examinations at all before a renewal of License and indeed no such amendment to the Law is about to be made,â portions of the statement read.
Carlo Ancelotti, the manager of Real Madrid, has emphasized the importance of stopping Manchester City as a team and not just their star striker, Erling Haaland, in their upcoming Champions League semi-final match on Tuesday.
The 14-time champions will be hosting the hungry visitors led by the Norwegian hitman who has scored 51 goals in 45 games across all competitions, including 12 in eight Champions League matches.
However, Ancelotti believes that City is an unstoppable force as a team, and his strategy is to try and foil their entire squad.
“Obviously Haaland is a very dangerous player. He’s showing impressive qualities, above all in goalscoring. He’s a threat obviously,” Ancelotti told a news conference Monday.
“Just talking about Haaland means not talking about a complete team that plays good football, defends well, attacks, that has ideas.
“We’re not setting up for a game to stop Haaland, but to stop a team that seems unstoppable, but I think we can have chances to have an equal game, one that we can win.”
City have been foiled time and time again in their quest to win the Champions League, but Haaland’s lethal edge gives them a strong chance of beating Madrid and reaching the final.
Ancelotti said he thought Manchester City have more avenues to cause danger with Haaland in the side.
“It’s a more complete team than last year. They had a very good forward in Gabriel Jesus, but he has different characteristics to Haaland,” continued the Italian coach.
“Today, they can take advantage more of long balls, because they have a very tall striker, and behind him is (Kevin) De Bruyne, so they can win balls in the air.
“They have not changed their style, they are very well organised at the back and a team that handles the ball very well.”
Former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney recently suggested City would “blow away” Madrid in the tie, a comment which Los Blancos midfielder Toni Kroos laughed off.
Madrid beat Manchester City in last season’s semi-finals despite losing in the first leg, and the German was quick to recall it.
“It was the same a year ago, no? That Madrid were out, and we did it,” Kroos told reporters.
“I remember words from last year, not Rooney’s — who is a guy I like a lot, apart from what he said — but it doesn’t affect us.
“It doesn’t motivate us more either, because it’s impossible to be more motivated than we are.”
Former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney recently suggested City would “blow away” Madrid in the tie, a comment which Los Blancos midfielder Toni Kroos laughed off.
Madrid beat Manchester City in last season’s semi-finals despite losing in the first leg, and the German was quick to recall it.
“It was the same a year ago, no? That Madrid were out, and we did it,” Kroos told reporters.
“I remember words from last year, not Rooney’s — who is a guy I like a lot, apart from what he said — but it doesn’t affect us.
“It doesn’t motivate us more either, because it’s impossible to be more motivated than we are.”
Victor Osimhen, a Nigerian footballer, has honored George Weah, a former AC Milan player, after breaking his record to become the highest-scoring African player in the history of the Italian Serie A.
Osimhen scored the only goal in Napoli’s 1-0 win over Fiorentina to achieve this feat.
The 24-year-old striker surpassed Samuel Eto’o’s previous record for the most goals scored by an African player in a single Serie A season.
Osimhen expressed his admiration for Weah, whom he considers an African football legend, in a heartfelt post on Twitter.
He hailed Weah’s achievements and expressed his gratitude for the support he has received on his journey.
âWhile growing up, I have always admired the great achievements of so many African legends, and His Excellency Mr George Weah is one of themâan icon in the world of football and also a leader to his people. Someone who has motivated and inspired millions of young talents alike.
“Yesterday, it was a great honor to break his record as the top-scoring African player in Serie A historyâan achievement I will forever cherish. Mr George Weah has set a foundation of excellence for individuals like me to emulate, and his legacy will forever be remembered.
“I celebrate this milestone with everyone who has inspired and supported me on this journey. Thank you for your contributions. God is the greatest,” Victor Osimhen stated.
Jorginho, an Arsenal midfielder, has given an explanation for why his coach, Mikel Arteta, has chosen to start him instead of Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey in recent matches.
Jorginho was in the starting lineup for Arsenal’s victories against Chelsea and Newcastle United.
Following the match against Newcastle, Jorginho stated that he and Partey have distinct playing styles and skillsets, which provide Arsenal with more options in midfield.
According to him, he and Partey have given Mikel Arteta options in midfield and only have one responsibility to be ready anytime when called upon.
âI think we are two different players that can adapt for the coach in different games. I think the coach has two good choices and depending on what game, and what type of players he wants on the pitch. The only thing we can do is be ready when he needs us and give our best to help the team,” Jorginho said in an interview.
Over the weekend,Mohamed Salah scored his 100th goal at Anfield and set a new record for Liverpool by scoring in nine consecutive home games during their 1-0 victory over Brentford in the Premier League.
This win, combined with Manchester United’s loss to West Ham, has given Liverpool a chance to finish in the top four and qualify for the Champions League next season.
During the match between West Ham and Manchester United, the goalkeeper David De Gea made a mistake which led to Said Benrahma, who is Algerian, scoring the only goal of the game.
Here, AFP Sport highlights African headline-makers in the major European leagues:
ENGLAND
MOHAMED SALAH (Liverpool)
The Egyptian, who has been voted African Footballer of the Year twice, slammed home at the second attempt fromVirgil van Dijk’s header to register his 30th goal of the season in all competitions.
RIYAD MAHREZ (Manchester City)
Mahrez was the creator for both City’s goals, scored by Ilkay Gundogan, as the defending champions moved a step closer to retaining their title with a 2-1 win over Leeds.
Twice the Algerian cut inside off the right wing before laying perfectly-weighted passes into the path of Gundogan to slot home from the edge of the box.
SAID BENRAHMA (West Ham)
Benrahma’s goal all but guaranteed West Ham’s top-flight status for another season as the Hammers beat Manchester United 1-0.
But the Algerian had De Gea to thank for his 10th goal of the season as the Spaniard somehow let a weak shot from distance through his grasp.
ITALY
VICTOR OSIMHEN (Napoli)
The Nigerian international capped the best season of his career by ramming home the penalty — his 23rd goal in Serie A this term — which gave Napoli a 1-0 win over Fiorentina in his team’s first home match since being crowned Italian champions for the first time in 33 years.
Osimhen had scored the goal which sealed the title at Udinese midweek and gave his partying fans more reason to cheer with a strike which makes him the highest scoring African player in the history of Serie A overtaking Liberian legend George Weah.
GERMANY
SEBASTIEN HALLER (Borussia Dortmund)
The Ivory Coast international scored Borussia Dortmund’s second goal in a 6-0 thrashing of Wolfsburg. Haller turned in a low cross from Karim Adeyemi on 28 minutes as Dortmund secured a vital win to keep their title hopes alive and remain within a point of leaders Bayern Munich.
Haller, who missed the first half of the season following a testicular cancer diagnosis, has scored five goals since his return to action in February.
ILHAS BEBOU (Hoffenheim)
The Togo striker scored a tap-in as his side beat Eintracht Frankfurt 3-1 to take a huge step toward safety in the Bundesliga relegation fight.
Bebou latched on to an Angelino cross to make it 3-0 on the stroke of half-time and take his tally to five this season as Hoffenheim came out fighting with a brilliant first-half performance.
FRANCE
SEKO FOFANA (Lens)
The Ivory Coast international midfielder opened the scoring to put Lens ahead in a crunch Ligue 1 game against Marseille before Belgium’s Lois Openda added a second goal for the side from northern France.
Dimitri Payet notched a late consolation for Marseille but the 2-1 win propelled Lens into second place behind Paris Saint-Germain, two points ahead of their beaten rivals from the south.
As the team won back-to-back games without Thomas Partey,some Arsenal supporters on social media called for his transfer.
Some contend that the Gunners should release the Ghanaian in the summer since the team has advanced past its over-reliance on him.
Thomas Partey had a stellar season up until April, when his repeated mistakes and poor performance caused Arsenal to lose their unbeaten streak and slip to second place in the standings.
He was introduced in the final 20 minutes of Arsenal’s 2-0 away win over Newcastle United. This is the first time the 29-year-old was left on the bench in back-to-back games this season.
His replacement Jorginho has filled the void and won man-of-the-match against Newcastle and winning the hearts of the fans.
Some fans believe Jorginho gave the team much better control and thus the club would only need a replacement for Partey and keep the Italian.
Arsenal are in hot pursuit of the Premier League, trailing league leaders Manchester City by a point with three games left but the City have a game more.
This team has evolved past Thomas Partey, he needs replacing now.â . (@The_Wilsh) May 7, 2023.
If anyone should get sold this summer, it’s Thomas Partey, not Granit Xhaka. #NEWARS
Itâs time to sell Thomas Partey this summer.â agâąïž (@TAGunner28) May 2, 2023
Honestly we might have seen the last of Partey at Arsenal.
With Rice and/or Caicedo possibly joining we’ll need to make space in midfield and given the selection of Jorginho against a very physical team with no news of an injury to Partey it looks like hes done here.â AfcBOM (@AFCBOM)Â May 7, 2023.
orginho is better than Thomas Partey.
Arsenal fans should we debate this?â Temitope (@IamTopsy4real)Â May 7, 2023.
The aftermath of Napoli’s win has been punctuated by a debate over who between Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was the face of their title triumph.
Fans, especially Osimhen’s loyalists from Africa, feel hard done by as Serie A’s account continues to hand the Nigerian striker a peripheral significance despite being the league’s top scorer.
Seemingly not taking a cue from the backlash their post on Saturday received, Ser
Lega Serie A’s Twitter posts
In the first graphic, Diego Maradona was seen placing the new crown of King of Naples on Kvaratskhelia’s head, with fans arguing that Osimhen, and not the Georgian, deserved to be in the picture.
As reported by Sports Brief, Lega Serie A Twitter came under attack over the controversial graphics posted on the account.
The second one was amended to include Osimhen and club captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo as they ascended a flight of stairs. But the bone of contention herein was Kvaratskhelia was once again placed in front of his teammate.
It was a re-enactment of Maradona’s photograph where the Argentine legend was on the same stairs.
There were no other players in Maradona’s photo, which means the account introduced a new set of players to accommodate Osimhen.
ie AÂ followed it up with another a few minutes before Napoli’s clash against Fiorentina.
And just like with the first post, Twitter went wild.
Fans reactions
@Obajemujnr said;
“I donât know what your plan is, but the leader of “IDAN of Africa,” Victor Osimhen, should always be at the front. If you want to put him at the back in pictures, then make sure he plays your defence next season.”
@Mc_Phils tweeted:
“Trying to put Victor Osimhen in the picture so we don’t talk”
@comeback_snarky said:
“Why is Osimhen still not in the front?”
@valam0ghurliss was of a different opinion;
“Kvara is undoubtedly the main treasure ofNapoli and he is portrayed everywhere for a reason. It’s his 1st season and he could successfully contribute to the team. He was a piece of the puzzle that this team needed. With a huge respect to Osimhen and his brilliant moments.”
The other time Osimhen was snubbed
Osimhen is so far on 23 goals and four assists, while Kvaratskhelia has chipped in with 12 goals and 10 assists. The post by the Serie A account has brought about fears that Osimhen might get snubbed in the Most Valuable Player of the season.
But for Osimhen, as Sports Brief reported, getting snubbed after a prolific scoring season, sadly, won’t be something new.
Despite a hard-fought effort by the Magpies, the Gunners came out on top with a 2-0 win, which would have gifted the title to Manchester City if they had lost.
The loss was a setback for Newcastle’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League.
The game was marred by frequent breaks in play and heated confrontations, preventing the home team from finding a rhythm.
In the reverse fixture in January at the Emirates Stadium, Newcastle had been accused of similar tactics.
But, asked about Arsenalâs approach, Burn said: âOf course itâs frustrating, but thatâs what they said we did at their place. We get a lot of stick for slowing the game down, which I donât know if we intentionally do all the time.
âThey did that, but itâs part and parcel of football. We canât do it and then complain when it happens to us.
âA lot of teams tend to do that now when they feel the energy of the crowd, they try and stifle it a little bit.
Newcastle set off with high hopes of repeating their 2-0 home win over the Gunners last season and might have been on their way in front of an expectant home crowd had Jacob Murphyâs early shot not come back off a post or had referee Chris Kavanagh not been advised to review his decision to award a penalty for handball against Jakub Kiwior.
In the event, they were undone by Martin Odegaardâs first-half strike and Fabian Scharâs unfortunate own goal.
Burn said: âWe knew it wasnât going to be the same as last season, where we played them off the park. Theyâre a lot better this year and theyâve shown that all season.
âTheyâve been unlucky that City have overtaken them, but theyâre a very good team who caused us problems, especially at home. Weâre just unfortunate we couldnât get the win.â
Grimsby ended their first season back in League Two with a 1-0 win against AFC Wimbledon at Blundell Park.
The only goal of the game was an own goal by Isaac Ogundere, which came early in the match, after seven minutes.
Danilo Orsi’s low cross was deflected by Ogundere into the net past goalkeeper Nathan Broome.
With this win, Grimsby finished 11th in the league table, while their opponents, who had not won in seven matches, finished in 21st place.
Chances were generally few and far between in the opening 45 minutes, though Orsi and Shaun Pearson both took aim for Grimsby before half-time.
Josh Davison forced Max Crocombe into a decent save with his half-volley shortly after the restart and the Wimbledon frontman also set his sights on the hour mark, with a powerful drive which flew past the post from 25 yards.
Grimsby went close to grabbing a second when Gavan Holohan and George Lloyd had quickfire attempts blocked in a penalty-area scramble, while Orsi glanced wide after combining with substitute Otis Khan in the closing stages.
Lionel Messi has resumed training with Paris St-Germain after being suspended for taking an unsanctioned trip to Saudi Arabia.
The Ligue 1 club announced on their official Twitter account on Monday that the 35-year-old Argentine player had returned to the team after being fined and suspended for visiting the Middle Eastern country without permission, as it was a promotional visit.
Messi, who is an ambassador for the Saudi Tourism Authority, was pictured in Riyadh the day after his side had suffered a surprise defeat to Lorient.
He later revealed in a video posted on his official Instagram account that he had to make the trip for contractual reasons, having previously cancelled it, and had assumed he had a day off.
Messi said: âI wanted to make this video due to everything that is happening.
âFirst of all, I want to say sorry to my team-mates and to the club. I honestly thought that we were going to be free after the game, as had been the case in previous weeks.
âI had organised this trip to Saudi Arabia, which had been cancelled previously and this time I couldnât. I apologise again and Iâm here for whatever the club decide. All the best.â
Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, a former Minister of Science, Environment, Technology and Innovation (IMCIM), has defended himself against allegations made by Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah.
Frimpong-Boateng stated that he did not do anything wrong regarding the accusations leveled against him.
In March 2021, Frimpong-Boateng submitted a report to the Chief of Staff, claiming that Oppong Nkrumah had gathered a group of journalists to plot against him during his tenure as Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), which has since been dissolved.
âOn Saturday the 8th of February 2020, Mr. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the Minister for information assembled a group of journalists from both NDC and NPP affiliated media houses at the Forest Hotel in Dodowa to discuss a strategy to bring me Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng down,â Prof. Frimpong-Boateng alleged in his report.
This was however debunked by the Information Minister, insisting that the claims were false.
But in response, Prof Frimpong Boateng said: âI have good advice for you, though. When I was part of the government, we were colleagues and I related to you as such. Now I will advise you as my son, just as I do my children.
After all you are the same age as my 4th-born son. When I returned to Ghana from Germany to start the cardiothoracic project you were just 6 years old as my 4th child. I will not lie to you or insult you or be harsh on you.â
âMy advice is, always remember that political power is both short-lived and effervescent. In about 2 yearsâ time you may no longer be in government, and you may experience the real world as former high-profile political power holders do.
I will urge you to do your work diligently and avoid the coded and evil tactics Mr. Paul Adom-Otchere boastfully and unashamedly told the world on âGood Evening Ghanaâ that you employ to deal with your real and perceived enemies,â he added.
Speaking further on the issue on UTV, Friday, Prof Frimpong-Boateng said, “I know exactly why I did that”.
According to him, “I did no wrong. I know exactly why I did that. Someone else could’ve done worst but I did the minimum so let’s take it like that”.
Meanwhile, Prof Frimpong Boateng has denied slandering persons in his report.
“The report was more than 100 pages but I considered a lot of things so I had to summarize it into 36 pages.
I’m not maligning anyone; I’m just speaking the truth. those I spoke about are my friends but I had to be brutally honest with the President. if he has put his presidency on the line, you have to be honest with him” he added.
The next eight days will see Manchester City play Real Madrid in a two-game semifinal of the Champions League, providing fans of football with a mouthwatering matchup.
Pep Guardiola will be attempting to reach just his second final as City’s manager, but in order to do so, he must defeat a team who eliminated him at the same point last year.
The Los Blancos late comeback won’t happen again this season, which is something the Premier League’s defending champions will be hoping for.
They enter the match having had a fantastic league run, but history has shown that Madrid always has a surprise in store for them when it comes to Europe’s top competition.
Stocked with Erling Haaland and a near impossible-to-beat formation of 3-2-4-1, Guardiola will fancy his chances in the Spanish capital and in Manchester.
As MEN reports, his latest game against Leeds United might have provided subtle indications of who will start on Tuesday night.
City survived a late scare from Sam Allardyce’s men to take another step to winning a fifth league title in six years.
Haaland surprisingly lasted the entire duration of the game alongside Julian Alvarez. Kevin De Bruyne was also given a full 90 minutes after missing the last two games through injury. Haaland and De Bruyne are sure starters on May 9.
City’s lineup vs Real Madrid
Jack Grealish, John Stones, Ruben Dias and Rodri were also given rest, but the Spanish holding midfielder came in the latter stages as Leeds threatened to cause an upset. The quartet is also in line to start from the word go against the record Champions League winners.
First-choice goalkeeper Ederson is among the starting eleven despite giving way in midweek.
Nathan Ake’s resurgence this season could have seen him become a sure starter, but the Dutch centre-half picked up an injury on Saturday. His involvement remains in doubt, paving way for Kyle Walker.
Vinicius Junior plan
Last season, Walker managed to keep Vinicius Junior silent, with the Brazilian only finding space after Walker went off injured. Manuel Akanji similarly did well against the pacy Leroy Sane and Serge Gnabry and could be called upon to deal with Vinicius.
Bernardo Silva was also rested, and he could play either in the right wing or alongside De Bruyne should Guardiola choose to drop Gundogan. The Spanish manager wasn’t too impressed that his captain missed a penalty against Leeds and clearly ignored him after he took him off, per Sky Sports.
Should Gundogan be dropped, that will open a chance for Riyad Mahrez to slot in.
International students in Italy are eligible for the same financial assistance services as Italian students if they meet the same requirements regarding financial need or academic excellence.
The Italian government provides national and regional scholarships for which international students can apply.
Additionally, certain universities in Italy provide scholarship programs specifically for international students.
Italian Government Scholarships for Foreign Students The Italian Government awards scholarships for studying in Italy both to foreign citizens and Italian citizens resident abroad (IRE).Â
The scholarships are offered for the following type of courses: Masterâs Degree (Laurea Magistrale 2° ciclo), Courses of Higher Education in Arts, Music, and Dance (AFAM), PhD program, Research under academic supervision (Progetti in co-tutela), and Italian Language and Culture Courses.
The scholarship includes tuition fees, health insurance and a monthly allowance. It is only possible to apply for three, six, or nine month scholarships.
The âInvest your Talent in Italyâ programme, supported by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and by the Italian Ministry for Economic Development, offers students from Azerbaijan, Colombia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Turkey, Tunisia, and Vietnam the opportunity to develop their skills and specialise through a range of Masterâs and postgraduate degree courses in English, in the fields of Engineering, Advanced Technologies, Architecture, Design, Economics and Management at prestigiousItalian universities.Â
The best students will be offered scholarships, sponsored by partners and main corporate sponsors.
EDISU Piemonte Scholarships Students including non-EU international students enrolled in a full-time Bachelorâs degree, Masterâs degree, Single Cycle Masterâs degree, or PhD Degree courses at one of the Universities of Piedmont (i.e. The Politecnico of Torino, the University of Torino, the University of Eastern Piedmont) can apply for EDISU scholarships if they meet the merit and economic requirements of the competition. Part-time students can apply if enrolled in a bachelorâs degree. The scholarship amount varies depending on many conditions. Accommodation service can also be granted to non-resident students.
Padua International Excellence Scholarship Programme The University of Padua also offers the which provides full scholarships to highly talented prospective students wishing to pursue a first-cycle or second-cycle degree taught in English at Padova. The scholarship includes a subsistence allowance of âŹ8,000 and a tuition fee waiver.
Tuition Fee Waivers at University of Pavia for International Students In order to strengthen the presence of international students and foster the creation of an ever more global community, the University of Pavia is awarding 120 tuition fee waivers providing exemption from the payment of University tuition fees to all foreign students enrolling in selected degree programs in the 2023/2024 academic year. The fee waiver will be effective for the first year only and cannot be extended or renewed.
Bocconi Merit and International Awards Bocconi University offers merit-based scholarships to international students enrolling in any eligible Bachelorâs Program or Master of Science Program at Bocconi. The scholarship includes half to full tuition waiver worth up to âŹ13,000 per year for Bachelorâs Program and up to âŹ14,000 per year for Masterâs of Science Program.
Politecnico de Milano Merit-Based Scholarships for International Students Every year, Politecnico di Milano offers a number of merit based scholarships to the most talented international candidates admitted to a Master of Science programme. Students obtaining a scholarship will have to pay only an administrative fee of about âŹ200. Scholarships of âŹ5.000 to âŹ10.000 per year may also be awarded on top of the tuition fee waiver.
Politecnico di Torino International Scholarships The Politecnico di Torino offers scholarships to international students to attend academic programs in certain fields such as Engineering and Architecture.
UniversitĂ Cattolica International Scholarships The UCSC International Scholarship is an annual tuition fee reduction promoted by UniversitĂ Cattolica in order to foster the access of international student to the degree programs. The discount covers about 25% of the total cost.
Once again,Kylian Mbappe has fueled speculation about a summer transfer to Manchester United.
Rumors suggest that the club’s possible new owner, Sheikh Jassim, is keen to make high-profile signings if he takes over the club, with Mbappe being at the top of the list.
Aside from these reports, Mbappe has been dropping hints that he may be considering a move to Old Trafford.
It remains unknown whether he does it knowingly or not, but the fact of the matter is, at least two of Mbappe’s recent Instagram posts have had the word ‘Manchester United’ embedded in them.
Mbappe’s cryptic Instagram posts
It started on February 14 when he took to his account after Paris Saint-Germain had just lost the Champions League round of 16 first leg to Bayern Munich.
Mbappe was barely fit for that game and came off the bench and despite his best efforts, he couldn’t impact the game.
He wrote, ‘Tout reste Ă faire’, and tagged his club, which when translated, means ‘All that remains to be done’ or ‘Everything has to be done’ ahead of the second leg.
However, Instagram translated it to ‘All that remains to be done... Manchester United’s team is now on @psg.
This was passed off as perhaps Mbappe rallying his teammates to pull off a comeback in the second leg the way United had done on them a couple of seasons back against all odds.
However, when the same script repeated itself on May 7, it became apparent that it wasn’t a comeback or anything of that sort.
Mbappe had just starred in PSG’s win over Troyes and this time, he wrote, ‘Un peu plus prĂšs’, which means ‘A little bit closer’ to imply the Ligue 1 title. Instagram translation picked it up as ‘A little closer… Manchester United’s team is now on @psg.
One thing that stood out in both posts was immediately after his French caption; what followed was the ellipsis sign (…) and two coloured circular emojis, a red one followed by a blue one, then he tagged his club.
Sports Brief repeated the same trick but used ‘je suis journaliste sportif’ which means I am a sports writer as a caption.
We then followed it up with the ellipsis, the coloured emojis and tagged PSG. Upon sharing the story, Instagram translated the caption to ‘I’m a sports journalist… Manchester United’s team is now on @psg’.
Verdict
Sorry Manchester United fans, it seems like Mbappe is not doing this knowingly. It looks like there is an Instagram glitch as far as the translation is concerned.
What’s interesting, though, is why of all clubs, the translation feature settled on Manchester United. When the same caption is used but one tags a different club, the caption remains as written.
Either it is a glitch or Instagram has specific emojis that denote certain teams.
Doesnt mean Mbappe can’t sign for Manchester United. Have some faith – it’s the hope that kills.
When Mbappe praised Rashford
Sports Brief had earlier reported that Mbappe andMarcus Rashford are arguably among the fastest-rising stars in modern-day football. The former especially has already exacted his presence with blistering performances on the biggest of stages, such as the World Cup final.
the idea of these two possibly linking up at Old Trafford next season creates an interesting prospect.
 Mbappe and Rashford already have a rapport and have the greatest amount of respect for each other. They have met a couple of times, the most recent being the World Cup quarter-final, where France triumphed over England.
Thierry Henry has implied that Lionel Messi’s trip to Saudi Arabia may have caused a blow to the ego of Paris Saint-Germain’s owners, resulting in the club’s decision to fine the Argentine player and suspend him for two weeks.
The trip was taken without the permission of manager Christophe Galtier.
As per the report by Goal, Henry has further disclosed that since PSG’s owners belong to Qatar, a country at odds with Saudi Arabia, Messi’s visit to the Middle Eastern country may have resulted in the club feeling aggrieved.
“They hit a shot, maybe because he’s not going to stay. Or did the destination he went to affect their pride a little? But there were much more serious things that happened at PSG. Was Messi right? No, you don’t miss a practice.”
Qatar and Saudi Arabia have been at loggerheads since the beginning of the Arab Spring, which left a power vacuum both states sought to fill. Qatar supported the revolutionary wave and Saudi Arabia opposed it.
PSG responds to Messiâs apology
Meanwhile, Lionel Messi was excluded from Paris Saint-Germainâs Ligue 1 clash against Troyes this weekend despite apologising for his unsanctioned trip to Saudi Arabia, Daily Mirror reports.
Kylian Mbappe, Vitinha and Fabian Ruiz all scored for the Parisians who ran out 3-1 winners against Troyes to tighten their grip on the Ligue 1 title this season.
PSG have now garnered 78 points from 34 matches played thus far and are six points clear of second place who have 72 points from same number of matches played this season.
Messi breaks silence after being suspended
Earlier, Sports Brief reported Paris Saint-Germain forward Lionel Messi has issued an apology to his club teammates after he was suspended for missing training.
The Parisiens punished the 2022 World Cup winner after travelling to Saudi Arabia in a sponsored visit.
The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner is not expected to feature in the games against Troyes and Ajaccio.
During the Premier League match between West Ham and Manchester United on Sunday evening, May 7th, there was a situation where Declan Rice did not keep a promise he made to Marcus Rashford.
Both football players played against each other as United visited the London Stadium. The Red Devils were eager to win the game to increase their chances of qualifying for the Champions League.
Nevertheless, the Hammers won the match, thanks to Said Benrahma’s goal in the first half, which gave them a home victory over Erik ten Hag’s team.
According to Goal, David de Gea was responsible for his side’s defeat, with his costly goalkeeping blunder earning the home side a vital win.
Rice breaks promise to Rashford
An off-field moment involving Rice and Rashford has become a major talking point, especially on social media.
The Mirror reports that Rice had promised to hand his match-worn shirt to Rasshford after the encounter, only for the midfielder to give it to a young fan, who was crying in the stands.
“Are you alright, brother? Why are you crying?” Rice asked the kid before giving him a big hug.
The young lad went on to ask for the midfielder’s shirt, to which the West Ham ace replied:
“You know what, I did promise it to Rashford. Don’t show them a lot [some other fans] because I’ve just told them I’m going to give it to Rashford, but I’ll give him another one!”
Chelsea could help Arsenal land Rice
Earlier, Sports Brief reported Chelsea could reportedly play an important role in Arsenal’s pursuit of the services of West Ham United midfielder, Declan Rice.
Rice has courted interest from a number of Premier League clubs over the years, with Manchester United also linked with a potential transfer move for the West Ham skipper.
Paris Saint-Germain has denied rumours that it intends to sever ties with Lionel Messi at the conclusion of the 2022â2023 season.
When his two-year contract with the Ligue 1 winners expires at the end of the current campaign, Messi, who is now serving a two-week suspension from PSG, will become a free agent this summer.
After Messi took an unapproved trip to Saudi Arabia, the PSG leadership became upset, and the Ligue 1 winners punished the forward.
Barcelona, Inter Miami, Inter Milan and Al Hilal have all indicated an interest in signing Messi next season when his current PSG deal expires.
Messiâs apology changes nothing
Meanwhile, former Paris Saint-Germain player, Jerome Rothen, has described Lionel Messiâs apology to the Ligue 1 club as sad and revealed it changes nothing, Daily Post reports.
Rothen questioned Messiâs decision not to apologise to PSG supporters as he says the apology by the seven-time Ballon dâOr winner leaves a bitter taste.
Messi posted an apology video days after the 35-year-old received backlash from PSG supporters and the board and was suspended for two weeks following an unsanctioned trip to Saudi Arabia.
How PSGâs pride was damaged
Earlier, Sports Brief reported Thierry Henry has suggested Lionel Messiâs decision to visit Saudi Arabia may have hurt the pride ofParis Saint-Germainâs owners, after the Parisians fined the Argentine.
Messi was suspended by PSG and fined two weeksâ wages after he took an unsanctioned trip to the Middle East without the approval of manager Christophe Galtier.
Henry has now revealed that Messiâs decision to visit Saudi Arabia, a country at loggerheads with Qatar, where PSG owners are from must have hurt the club’s ego.
Juventus is the latest club to express an interest in signingManchester United’s Mason Greenwood, according to reports.
The Italian Serie A team is believed to be using the presence of Greenwood’s former teammate Paul Pogba as a bargaining tool to persuade the troubled striker to join their ranks in Turin.
Greenwood has been out of competitive football for over 15 months, after being suspended by the club following allegations of sexual assault against him.
He was arrested and later released after the Crown Prosecution Service withdrew the charges.
The Red Devils are yet to allow the 21-year-old back into the fold as they complete their internal processes.
There have been reports of disquiet among the United players, especially the Women’s side, that his return could cause divisions.
As the Sun reports, Juventus have now entered the fray to offer Greenwood a route back to professional football.
Before his misfortunes, he was one of the most promising striking prospects in the world. other Italian clubs, AC Milan and Roma, are also believed to be interested.
Greenwood is contracted until 2025 and given his latest cases, he shouldn’t attract a huge fee should United decide to sell him. Juventus are said to be interested in a long-term loan deal.
Pogba, meanwhile, hasn’t had the best of seasons since rejoining the Turin club for a second stint. His minutes have been minimal, with injuries keeping him out of Massimiliano Allegri’s side. Allegri is chasing a top-four finish, with the Europa League title also a huge possibility.
Greenwood gives up on Man United
Previously, Sports Brief reported that Greenwood has reportedly informed his friends that he won’t play for the club again.
Greenwood, who hasn’t played for over 15 months after he was suspended, was hopeful of a quick return once his charges were dropped.
Greenwoodhas seemingly given up on representing the club again. The teenage star is said to have informed his friends of his decision even as he awaits the club’s verdict.
After a fan was captured on camera making what looks to be a discriminatory gesture towards South Korean star Son Heung-min of Spurs,Crystal Palace committed to ban him on Sunday.
After Son was replaced in Saturday’s 1-0 victory for Spurs, the incident happened in the 89th minute.
The gesture was performed by one of the Palace supporters when the South Korean captain had to pass them as he was leaving the pitch at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
“We are aware of a video circulating online (as well as reports made directly to us) regarding an individual in the away end at Spurs yesterday, appearing to make racist gestures towards Heung-min Son,” said Palace in a statement.
“Evidence has been shared with the police, and when he is identified, he will face a club ban. We will not tolerate such behaviour in our club.”
Tottenham said they were working with Palace and the police to identify the individual.
“Discrimination of any kind is abhorrent and has no place in society, our game and at our club,” said Spurs.
Son was also racially abused during a match betweenChelsea and Tottenham at Stamford Bridge in August.
Chelsea banned a season-ticket holder indefinitely after footage emerged on social media of a fan in the home end making a racist gesture towards Son in the 2-2 draw.
“We will do everything in our powers to ensure that if found guilty, the individual will receive the strongest possible action — as was the case earlier this season when Son suffered similar racial abuse at Chelsea,” said Tottenham.
Raheem Sterling has an opinion, but it appears like the search for Chelsea’s new permanent manager for the upcoming season has come to a conclusion.
The English winger cost ÂŁ50 million when he transferred from Manchester City to the Blues last summer. Thomas Tuchel was one of the four managers that coached him during that time.
In the first full season under the ownership of the Todd Boehly-led consortium, the team has had a very poor campaign.
Subject to confirming and settling on contract specifics, Mauricio Pochettino , a former head coach of Tottenham, is the heavy frontrunner to fill the permanent position as of next season.
Sterling advises coaching selection criteria
The former Manchester City winger has advised the club on the criteria for the selection of a new manager, subtly hinting coaches don’t have full authority at the club since his arrival.
ââIâm not one to tell the club what to do, but from what I can gauge from where I was previously, organisation is the most important thing,ââ Sterling told Sky Sports.
ââHaving a manager that has the final say on everything and it being his way with everyone having to follow that.
ââSuccessful teams always have a manager that comes in, brings his blueprint, and everyone follows. If there are people that donât follow, then they are not part of the team, and that is how brutal it needs to be at a high level.ââ
It is hard to disagree with Sterling, who spent seven successful years at City, where Pep Guardiola is given full decision-making control.
How Chelsea could be relegated
Chelsea are one point away from the mythical 40-point relegation benchmark, but there are unlikely scenarios that could see them relegated.
Brazilian forward Rodrygo scored twice, once in each half, to secure the victory and Real Madrid’s 20th title in the competition.
The opening goal came just two minutes into the game when Vinicius created an opportunity for Rodrygo to score with a well-placed shot.
This was Osasuna’s second appearance in the final and they were unable to mount a comeback against the reigning champions. The result was reported by BBC.
Lucas Torro will draw parity for the underdogs however Rodrygo was on hand to deliver Real Madrid their first Copa triumph in almost a decade when he slotted home from close range after Toni Kroos’ shot deflected into his path.
After the blast of the whistle, the playing body switched into a jubilant mood following their triumph and gleefully posed for a team photo on the podium.
But one player, Eden Hazard, did not seem happy, perhaps with himself, despite adding another title to his growing trophy cabinet during his stint with Madrid.
Hazard has endured a bittersweet time with the La Liga giants, winning every possible trophy with Real Madrid but has seen game time being few and far between, especially under Carlo Ancelotti.
According to Transfermarkt, the ex-Belgian skipper is in his final year and looks likely to exit the Bernabeu when his current contract expires in the summer.
Rodrygo, Vinicius inspire Madrid’s Copa triumph
Rodrygo Goes fired Real Madrid to Copa del Rey glory with a clinical double in a 2-1 victory over Osasuna in Seville on Saturday, with Brazilian compatriot Vinicius Junior playing a part in both goals, Sports Brief reported.
Carlo Ancelotti’s Madrid earned their 20th Spanish Cup at La Cartuja in their 40th final, ending a nine-year wait to lift the trophy again.
Madrid have now won all six of the trophies available to them during Ancelotti’s second reign at the club after the Italian returned in 2021.
Barcelona congratulates Real Madrid
Earlier, Sports Brief reported that following the end of the game, Real Madrid’s El Clasico nemesis put aside their age-old rivalry to congratulate the Spanish capital club on their most recent feat.
The Catalan giants took to the micro-blogging App, Twitter, to send a classy message to Los Blancos, which read: “Congrats to Real Madrid, the Copa del Rey Champions!”
Madrid remains the second most successful club in the Copa del Rey, only behind Barcelona, who boast a staggering 31 trophies.
On coronation day, the Egyptian was again the Reds’ matchwinner as he moves level with Steven Gerrard on the club’s all-time scoring list
Anfield hailed its true King on Saturday as Mohamed Salah’s 30th goal of the season gave Liverpool a 1-0 win over Brentford to keep alive their hopes of Champions League qualification.
The Egyptian struck early on from Virgil van Dijk’s nod down, his goal moving him level with Steven Gerrard in fifth on the Reds’ all-time scoring list and, more importantly, putting Jurgen Klopp’s side within a point of fourth-placed Manchester United in the Premier League table.
It was not a vintage Liverpool performance by any means, but they defended firmly in a bitty second half as a robust and determined Brentford side repeatedly threatened from a series of set-pieces.
Did what he needed to do. Saw too much of the ball in the second half for Klopp’s liking, but his work from crosses was excellent.
Trent Alexander-Arnold (8/10):
More evidence of his incredible passing ability. Should have had an assist for Nunez and stung David Raya’s palms with a 20-yarder. Best player on the pitch.
Ibrahima Konate (7/10):
Needed to be on guard throughout against Bryan Mbeumo and Ivan Toney. He was.
Virgil van Dijk (7/10):
Unselfish assist for Salah. Strange early booking, but kept his composure well in a fraught second half.
Andy Robertson (6/10):
Solid and steady before appearing to suffer a hamstring issue.
Midfield
Fabinho (7/10):
Stood up to the physical test and kept things simple.
Curtis Jones (6/10):
Repeatedly led the press from midfield in the first half. Less of that in the second 45, but a couple of lovely touches.
Attack
Mohamed Salah (7/10):
Poacher’s goal to open the scoring and move level with Steven Gerrard on the Reds’ all-time scoring list.
Cody Gakpo (6/10):
A few nice touches in what was more a midfield role generally. Looked a little leggy in the second half and somehow didn’t score from virtually on the line.
Nigerians dethroned Napoli, the league winners, by challenging the Serie A league’s administrators on Twitter. Napoli had been chosen as the best player.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia received a crown placed on his head by Argentine legend and Napoli legend Diego Maradona, indicating that he was the club’s greatest player this season, according to a picture uploaded by Serie A.
In less than an hour following the posting, Nigerians started tweeting an altered version of the picture showing Maradona crowning Osimhen.
Victor Osimhen, a Nigerian international who has been considered the finest player on the Naples team all season, formed a solid relationship with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, the club’s No. 77.
Osimhen has 27 goals with 4 assists so far whiles Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has 14 goals with 14 assists.
Osimhen has been one of the most influential players for the new Scudetto winners, as he was seen celebrating with his colleagues on the pitch and in the dressing room after the game.
If not Racism, Victor Osimhen should wear the crown. Retweet if you agree???? https://t.co/XImpK4RY3c pic.twitter.com/WtISjbu3O7
â French ???????? (@Mc_Phils) May 6, 2023
You couldn’t make this up. Except, of course, it is Italy. No matter what Osimhen did, you always knew he probably needed to score a 100 goals before he’s given his due. https://t.co/J9N5g0ulJW
Gary Al-Smith (@garyalsmith) May 6, 2023
VICTOR OSIMHEN THE ONLY NEW KING OF NAPOLI ???? PIC.TWITTER.COM/B42MTOIYJQâ STEADY BOY ???? (@STEADYDEY) MAY 6, 2023
Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen and his colleagues have been urged by De Laurentiis, the president of the recently crowned Italian champions Napoli, to ensure that their Serie A title success is replicated next season.
Since Thursday night, when Napoli’s 1-1 draw at Udinese handed them the Serie A title courtesy to Osimhen scoring their goal, there has been a great deal of celebration in Naples.
Even though Napoli still has five games left in the season, the draw ended their 33-year wait for the Scudetto.
According to the report on Complete Sports, De Laurentiis explained that he is happy with the success recorded by his players as he urged them to continue making the club and fans proud.
Statement made by De Laurentiis
âYou always told me, we want to win. And we won! We all won together. And on Sunday against Fiorentina, everyone is here for the big party. Thank you to everyone.
âToday is the crowning of an expectation that lasted 33 years. When I arrived, I said it will take 10 years to get into Europe â we maintained that early. I said another 10 years to win the Scudetto, and we did that again a couple of years in advance.”
Osimhen breaks Serie A record
Earlier, Sports Brief had reported how Victor Osimhen helped Napoli to become Serie A champions for the first time in 33 years, through his equalising goal against Udinese in the second half.
The Nigerian powered home a shot through the crowd after a scramble from a corner kick, to help Napoli hold on and seal the Italian league title away from home in Udine.
Neapolitans put everything in place for a party at home last Sunday against Salernitana, but the team fell short of victory despite Inter Milan beating Lazio 3-1.
Napoli are now 16 points clear of second-placed Lazio with a maximum of 15 points left to fight for, meaning they cannot be matched or overtaken mathematically.
Frank Lampard celebrated his 100th game in Premier League management with a victory as Chelsea defeated Bournemouth 3-1.
Despite conceding an equalizer from Matias Vina after Conor Gallagher’s early goal, the Blues secured their first win in almost two months with two late goals from Benoit Badiashile and Joao Felix, ending their six-game losing streak under interim manager Lampard.
Bournemouth also had the better of the chances before the late drama, with Dango Ouattara squandering a golden opening by heading over from inside the six-yard box.
Yet Badiashile and Felix punished that profligacy, leaving visiting fans to salute the overdue triumph with ironic chants of âwe are staying upâ.
Victory in Dorset moved the two-time European champions on to 42 points, three ahead of their hosts, albeit they remain in the bottom half of the table.
For Lampard personally, it was a first victory in 17 matches including his Everton days and his first with Chelsea in 832 days dating back to a 3-1 FA Cup success over Luton in January 2021 during his initial spell as manager.
The former Blues and England midfielder opted for five changes following Tuesdayâs tame 3-1 defeat at Arsenal, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Raheem Sterling among those dropped, while the Cherries were unchanged from the 4-1 thrashing of Leeds.
Gary OâNeilâs in-form hosts began brighter but after Jefferson Lerma, who scored twice last weekend, curled narrowly wide, Chelsea snatched a ninth-minute lead.
Trevoh Chalobahâs pass afforded NâGolo Kante time and space to deliver an inviting cross from the right wing and recalled midfielder Gallagher beat Adam Smith to the ball to divert a simple, close-range header beyond goalkeeper Neto.
Chelsea supporters responded to the early breakthrough with self-deprecating chants about avoiding relegation and âweâve scored a goalâ after seeing their side net for only the third time in nine outings.
Yet they were not ahead for long.
Uruguay left-back Vina claimed the 21st-minute equaliser, delightfully curling home via the right post from just inside the Bluesâ 18-yard box following slick interplay involving Ryan Christie and Dominic Solanke.
The Roma loaneeâs eye-catching leveller prompted calls of âsign him upâ from home supporters, in addition to light-hearted taunts of âyouâre going down with the scummersâ directed at the away end and referencing local rivals Southampton.
While Chelsea have endured a torrid season under their American owners, Bournemouth have gone from strength to strength since Texas businessman Bill Foley completed his takeover in December.
OâNeilâs men, who won six of their previous nine fixtures to banish relegation fears, remained relatively comfortable for the rest of the half,with Chelsea short of ideas and looking toothless in attack.
The away team continued to monopolise the ball following the restart but the lack of creativity persisted.
At the other end, Badiashile turned behind Ouattaraâs dangerous low cross while lively winger Christie rippled the side-netting.
Lampard, who suffered league and Carabao Cup defeats on this ground with Everton earlier this season, then saw his side survive a VAR check for a possible penalty when Thiago Silva slid in on Solanke before Vina was denied a second when his shot was pushed wide by Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Ouattara should have given Bournemouth the lead 11 minutes from time when he somehow nodded over unmarked after Lerma headed a Lewis Cook corner back across goal.
That miss proved pivotal as Chelsea grabbed the three points with quick-fire goals in the closing stages.
Former Monaco defender Badiashile restored the Bluesâ advantage in the 82nd minute, connecting with Hakim Ziyechâs searching free-kick into the box to volley beyond Neto and claim his first goal for the club.
Belated joy for Lampard was secured four minutes later as Felix put the result beyond doubt with a first-time finish after fellow substitute Sterling burst into the box and slipped the ball to his right.
According to BBC, Ilkay Gundogan revealed that Pep Guardiola became furious in the locker room after Gundogan missed a penalty in Manchester City’s Premier League game against Leeds United.
Despite the miss, Gundogan went on to score two impressive goals in the first half, leading City to a crucial victory and extending their lead at the top of the table by four points.
The midfielder scored the opener with a neat finish after Riyadh Mahrez found him in space on the edge of the area before he doubled the advantage in the 27th minute.
Gundgogan had a chance to bag a hat-trick with six minutes left, only for the ex-Dortmund star to fluff the chance from the penalty spot.
Erling Haaland looked destined to step up to take the penalty but opted to hand the ball to his captain – much to the disappointment of Pep Guardiola.
The Man City boss was seen fuming on the touchline as he shouted ‘Youâve got to take it.’
Guardiola fumes at Gundogan
Express UKÂ reports that Guardiola extended his fury to Gundogan in the dressing room as he took issue with the midfielder’s decision to take the penalty.
âFirst he (Guardiola) showed to Erling that he was quite mad about that and then also he had a go at me,” Gundogan disclosed.
âIt is what it is at the end. The moment Erling grabbed the ball, I was sure he was going to take it but he looked out for me. I checked with him a few times to make sure he was sure. He was certain to hand the ball to me and I was confident to score,” he added.
After a split with the Argentine superstar, PSG is reportedly planning to part company with seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi at the end of the current campaign. Kylian Mbappe may be the next player to leave Parc des Princes.
Former football agent Francois Gallardo reportedly told Sportskeeda that the French star is considering leaving the Ligue 1 winners at the end of the current campaign.
Mbappe penned a three-year contract extension with PSG at the start of the season, but the France forward is said to be keen on quitting the club to join Real Madrid this summer.
Mbappe wanted at Manchester United
Meanwhile, Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani will reportedly attempt to sign PSG star, Mbappe if he successfully completes a takeover of Manchester United, Sports Mole reports.
Sheikh Jassim is widely regarded as the favourite to buy the 20-time English League champions, with the Qatari banker seeking to acquire 100 percent ownership of the club.
He would almost certainly make significant transfer funds available if he were to complete a takeover from the Glazers,with Mbappe a top target for the club if he succeeds.
Mbappe slams PSG over image
Earlier, Sports Brief reported on Mbappe being displeased with PSG over ‘excessive use’ of his image, following the clubâs new campaign to promote ticket sales for the 2023/24 season.
The 24-year-old Frenchman has revealed he was not asked for his input before the Ligue 1 champions released a video to advertise the sale of next season’s Ligue 1 tickets online.
Mbappe, who is the clubâs top scorer this season with 31 goals and eight assists in 34 appearances, has since released a statement condemning PSG for overusing his apperance.
In the Copa del Rey final on Saturday night against Osasuna,Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo worked in sync to devastating effect to help Real Madrid break the tie.
For Los Blancos, the Brazilian duo has been outstanding all season. They scored the game’s opening goal in just 109 seconds.
Madrid took an early lead in the match, which was played at the neutral Estadio de La Cartuja in Seville, thanks to a brilliant play down the left flank by Vini Jr. Vini Jr danced along the byline past a few defenders before putting the ball on the plate for his compatriot, who made no mistake to prod home.
Rodrygo restored Madrid’s lead with 20 minutes left on the clock after Lucas Torro had drawn Osasuna parity shortly after the break.
Vini destroys Villarreal defenders
Vinicius Junior channelled his inner Ronaldinho to score a sublime goal to continue his purple patch of form this season, Sports Brief reported.
The Brazil international put in another assured performance from the left flank. However, his efforts proved futile as Real Madrid suffered a shock 3-2 defeat against Villarreal on Holy Saturday.
Despite the heartbreaking defeat, Vinicius left an indelible impression on the game with a goal akin to Ronaldinho’s stunning goal against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu in 2005.
Rodrygo produces sublime skill
In a related publication, Sports Brief reported that Rodrygo Goes produced a sublime piece of skill to set up Karim Benzema’s second goal in Real Madrid’s game against Almeria.
The 22-year-old Brazil prodigy proceeded to use an amazing technique to utterly bamboozle his opponent on the byline.
Rodrygo then stood up and sent the ballback to Benzema, who scored from about eight yards out with no mistake.
In the final second leg of the Asian Champions League on Saturday, Urawa Red Diamonds of Japan beat the defending champions Al Hilal from Saudi Arabia 1-0, securing a 2-1 aggregate victory and winning the championship.
The only goal of the game came from an own goal by Al Hilal’s Andre Carrillo in the second half.
Urawa’s win in front of a home crowd of almost 55,000 fans in Saitama, near Tokyo, gave them their third Asian title. In the opening leg of the final last week in Riyadh, the two teams drew 1-1.
Despite Al Hilal’s strong first-half pressure, Urawa held on to win against a team that was seeking a record fifth continental title and a third in four seasons.
The decisive moment came when Carrillo turned a header from Urawa’s Marius Hoibraten into his own net amid strong wind in the 48th minute, before a determined rear-guard effort from the home side saw out the result and sent the crowd into delirious celebrations.
The two teams were meeting in the final of Asia’s premier club competition for the third time in six years. Urawa won in 2017 but Al Hilal came out on top two years later.
Al Hilal were without injured captain Salman Al Faraj and suspended star winger Salem Al Dawsari, who was sent off late in the first leg for kicking out at Urawa’s Ken Iwao.
Al Hilal manager Ramon Diaz made three changes from the first leg, dropping Malian striker Moussa Marega and bringing in experienced Peruvian Carrillo, while Urawa were unchanged.
The Saudi side had an early chance when Odion Ighalo broke clear in the box, only for Urawa defender Alexander Scholz to block his shot on the line.
Al Hilal’s Michael also had a scent of goal midway through the first half, but Urawa goalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa got down quickly to parry his shot.
Urawa came even closer to opening the scoring against the run of play when Shinzo Koroki, who scored his team’s goal in the first leg, hit the bar with a flying volley on the half-hour mark.
Nishikawa again had to be alert to keep out a long-range Carrillo effort with the first half winding to a close, before Urawa’s Yoshio Koizumi pulled a shot wide of the post at the other end.
Urawa made the perfect start to the second half when a floated free-kick from around the half-way line found Hoibraten, whose wind-assisted header found its way over the line via Carrillo’s boot.
The Japanese side enjoyed far more possession from then on and Atsuki Ito almost added a second goal when he shot just wide of the post with the goalkeeper beaten.
Al Hilal posed far less attacking threat in the second half and Nishikawa was on hand to deny Ighalo when the Saudi side did create a chance late in the game.
The final was taking place more than a year after the Asian Champions League season began, with delays because of the winter World Cup in Qatar and travel complications arising from the Covid pandemic.
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