After Sergi Roberto suffered an injury during Sunday’s scoreless LaLiga tie between Barcelona and Getafe, Xavi lamented the condition of the Coliseum Alfonso Perez surface.
The struggling Blaugrana were kept in check at relegation-threatened Getafe after going three games without scoring.
Barcelona is still on track to win the championship, leading Real Madrid by 11 points with nine games remaining, but they were once again made to regret their lack of a competitive edge.
Sergi Roberto was replaced by Eric Garcia early on due to a hamstring injury and Xavi put that down to the playing surface.
The head coach said, according to Marca: “The state of the grass has affected us. Yesterday we trained with a dry field. I have been criticised a lot for the issue of the surface. Today the whole world has seen it.
“It is very difficult to play like this, it is bad for the show. The ball gets stuck, it’s bad even for Getafe. It’s essential that it be in good condition.”
Xavi added: “It’s no excuse and we have to recover our sensations.
“We take a point that makes it not bad at all because of how uncomfortable we have been.”
Regarding the injury, Xavi said: “Sergi noticed something in the hamstring. Let’s see tomorrow. Let it be for a short time, whether or not there is an injury.”
Dele Alli’s fall from grace has been very stunning, and as more information about his way of life comes to light, it becomes clearer why the former Tottenham player is having difficulty on the pitch.
The midfielder’s partying ways have been further exposed by a picture that has surfaced of him in bed with numerous buddies.
Alli can be seen in bed with four ladies and former Chelsea player and star Izzy Jay Brown in exclusive photos obtained by The Sun.
The outlet further reveals that Alli allegedly went on a partying spree, where he clubbed twice in 10 days in Turkey, where he was on loan at Besiktas
The suggestive picture was allegedly taken inside a flat in Salford, and it is believed Alli and his friends spent a massive £6,000 on that fateful night.
After a night of clubbing, Alli returned to the Salford flat with four women and three men. This was after a trip to Chinawhite in Manchester.
Once touted as one of the best midfielders in the world, Dele Alli’s fall from footballing grace is quite disheartening.
As recently as 2019, Alli was starring in the Champions League final, but an underwhelming spell at Tottenham under Jose Mourinho saw him sold to Everton.
He made just 13 appearances for Everton before getting shipped off to Besiktas for a loan spell. He also featured 13 times in Turkey before his loan deal came to an end.
Alli recently uploaded an image of himself in hospital, suggesting he was on the road to recovery after minor surgery.
“Surgery done, all successful. I focus on full recovery now after tough weeks. My season unfortunately comes to an end”. He said on social media.
“I’m gonna take a break from socials and hit my recovery hard. I’ll be back when I am ready”.
Sean Dyche, who was recently appointed to help save the club from the shackles of relegation, spoke on Alli’s situation after the 27-year-old returned to the club after an underwhelming loan spell in Turkey.
“He’s not here obviously. He has got an injury that will keep him out for some time.” Sean Dyche said.
“He’s 26, he knows certain things that he should or shouldn’t be doing. As a manager, you can’t control everything they do in their lives. You can only guide players with what’s good for them.
Eventually, players have their own choices to make. Of course, you want them to make good choices.”
Following the red card incident during the RC Lens match, Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi sent Salis Abdul Samed of Ghana his best wishes.
Len was defeated 3-1 by PSG on Saturday night in Ligue 1 and the Black Stars player suffered his first-ever dismissal after just 19 minutes.
After playing well early on, RC Lens experienced a setback when their trusty holding midfielder received a straight red card following a harsh challenge on Achraf Hakimi.
After the game, the Ghana international took to social media and apologized to Hakimi, saying he didn’t have any bad intentions of hurting the player.
“Very sad to have abandoned the team in this way. I apologize to those I disappointed and to @AchrafHakimi. I had no bad intentions and I really regret, I apologize to all Lensois ????????” he tweeted.
Responding to Salis apology, the Moroccan international wished him well for the rest of the season.
“These are things that happen in football. Good luck for the rest of the season!” he tweeted as sighted by Footballghana.com.
With only 10 players left on the field, RC Lens failed to match the attacking prowess of Parisians.
Kylian Mbappe opened the scoring with a well-placed shot, followed by Vitinha’s powerful strike for the second goal. Mbappe and Lionel Messi combined for the third goal, which was finished off brilliantly by the Argentine.
Lens managed to score a consolation goal in the second half, but the outcome could have been different had they played with 11 men, as they were the better side until Salis’ rightful dismissal.
Salis, who has been an impressive player for Lens, would be disappointed that his mistake let his team down, as a win would have put them only three points behind the reigning champions.
Kennedy Agyapong, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central, has discussed the crucial role he played for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in forming the majority caucus of the 8th Ghanaian Parliament.
NPP presidential candidate Ken Agyapong stated that the party required independent MP Andrew Asiamah Amoako, who represents Fomena, to join their side in parliament in order to gain control of the House.
Speaking to delegates of the NPP in Tema, Ken Agyapong said that it took his intervention and his GH¢1 million for the condition given by Asiamah Amoako, who is now the 2nd deputy speaker of parliament, to be met, which made him join NPP in the House.
“If not for me, the NPP will not have majority in parliament after the 2020 elections. Because after the election, NDC had 137 parliamentarians, NPP also had 137 and there was one independent candidate.
“We wanted the independent candidate to join us and the condition he gave was that the NPP chairman for Adansi Fomena must resign before he joins us.
“I spoke to the Adansi Fomena NPP chairman and he told me that he will have resigned but a rural bank, he owes GH¢1.5 million will take him to court if he is no longer the chairman of the party in the constituency,” he said in Twi.
Ken Agyapong added that he paid GH¢1 million of the debt of the Adansi Fomena NPP Chairman, which led him to resign, for Asiamah Amoako to join NPP MPs to form the majority caucus.
Following the removal of the French manager at Al-Nassr on April 13, Cristiano Ronaldo left a heartfelt note to Rudi Garcia.
Garcia left the Saudi club after only eight months as the team’s head coach as a result of the team’s poor form, which was made worse by their expensive tie with Al-Feiha.
“Al Nassr can announce that head coach Rudi Garcia has left the club by mutual agreement,” the club said in a statement on their Twitter feed, as quoted by MEN.
“The board and everyone at Al Nassr would like to thank Rudi and his staff for their dedicated work during the past eight months.”
Aside from the club’s downward spiral in form, Spanish publication, Marca reports that a fight with his players in the dressing room also contributed to the 59-year-old’s dismissal from the job.
What was Ronaldo’s reaction?
Despite the reported friction betweenRonaldo and Rudi Garcia, the former took time out of his schedule to send a thoughtful message to his former boss.
“Pleasure to have worked with you. Wishing you all the best for the future,” Ronaldo posted on his Instagram story.
Meanwhile, Ronaldohas been criticised by supporters for apparently causing the dismissal of Garcia as Al-Nassr head coach.
The 59-year-old tactician was reportedly shown the door less than a year after taking up the role as coach of the Riyadh outfit.
It was also reported Ronaldo was being blamed by social media users for masterminding the exit of the Frenchman.
Rudi Garcia fumes at Ronaldo
Earlier, Sports Brief reported on Garcia hitting out at Ronaldo and his teammates after Al-Nassr dropped valuable points in a damaging draw with Al-Feiha last Sunday.
The French tactician did not hold back when expressing his disappointment with his charges, as they lost further ground to league leaders, Al-Ittihad on the standings.
With seven games to spare, Al-Nassr needs their rivals to stumble in subsequent games to stand any chance of claiming a first league crown since the 2018/19 season.
George Afriyie, president of Susubiribi Sporting Club, is reluctant to disclose any plans of a comeback in the contest for theGhana Football Association presidency.
In the 2019 elections, the previous FA vice president ran but was defeated by Mr. Kurt Okraku.
Numerous football administrators are anticipated to run for president since Mr. Okraku’s term ends in October of this year.
When asked if he would run for president of the GFA in the upcoming elections, Mr. Afriyie declined to say yes or no.
“As to whether I will contest or not, I cannot confirm but I know that our league is ongoing, the Black Queens are also preparing for their qualifiers and by June, the football season will end,” the former Black Stars Management Committee chairman told Kumasi based Sompa FM.
“By October 2023, Kurt Okraku must hand over power to himself or to somebody and that is what is in our status.
“Definitely, there would be timelines for elections but as we speak, there is none and as to whether I am preparing or not,time will tell,” he added.
Erik ten Hag used a Dutch expression to explain how he prevented Bruno Fernandes from receiving a pricey Europa League red card, telling Manchester United to “look in the mirror” and stop making costly mistakes.
Injuries to Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez marred Thursday’s 2-2 draw with Sevilla at Old Trafford, so the United manager placed his support behind Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof, who may both see action in the team.
He also said it was too soon to gauge the severity of those injuries, even though he has his private suspicions.
Ten Hag then brought a touch of levity to a routine pre-match press conference, ahead of Sunday’s trip to Nottingham Forest, when he explained why he substituted playmaker Fernandes against Sevilla.
The Dutch boss suspected his Portuguese star was at risk of being sent off, having thrown the ball away after already being booked, and he guessed any further indiscipline would see the key man ordered off.
“I don’t want to take a risk. Where I come from, they call it ‘looking a cow in the ass’. We call it that in my region of the Netherlands,” Ten Hag said.
United were 2-0 up at the time of the substitution, with Christian Eriksen taking over from Fernandes.
Late own goals from Tyrell Malacia and Maguire scuppered hopes of victory in the first leg of the quarter-final, however, after Marcel Sabitzer’s early double had put United in control.
“We had back luck definitely with injuries and the goals,” Ten Hag said. “But you can avoid it, and we had to avoid it, so we also have to look in the mirror.”
Asked about the injuries, Ten Hag could not specify how long Martinez and Varane may face on the sidelines. Reports Martinez may have a broken metatarsal were brushed aside but not denied.
Ten Hag said: “I don’t have a complete diagnosis, so I can’t say in this moment. When we have news we will give it straight to you.
“But let’s do the medical, do their assessment and get a complete diagnosis, and then we will give the news. But I think it doesn’t change in this moment. I have an idea, but I don’t go with speculation.”
He wants Maguire and Lindelof to prove their value to the team, although Maguire must miss next week’s FA Cup semi-final against Brighton and Hove Albion due to suspension.
Ten Hag said he had “a lot” of faith in both defenders, who have faced criticism in the past, saying: “They are decent centre-halves. We have four or five very good centre-halves who can do the job.”
What Ten Hag would have no time for is anyone who might see it as a big demand to come into the first team from out in the cold.
“I think then you’re finding excuses and when you want to find excuses or set excuses then you don’t have to play at Man United and you have to look for another club,” Ten Hag said. “You have to wait for your moment and when your moment is there you have to contribute and to bring your performance, this is what we demand.”
French forward Anthony Martial will also be involved but is unlikely to play 90 minutes as United manage his fitness after a recent hip problem.
“Maybe he can, but it’s a risk,” said Ten Hag, “and we can’t take that risk at this moment because we don’t have so many options in the front line with [Marcus] Rashford and [Alejandro] Garnacho injured, so we have to be careful.”
Attorney General Merrick Garland said on Thursday that the FBI had detained a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard in connection with the internet posting of classified documents.
The US authorities conducted a quick search for the identification of the leaker who uploaded secret papers to a social media site that is well-liked by video gamers before making the arrest of Jack Teixeira, 21.
Teixeira was arrested in Massachusetts without incident, Garland said, and will be arraigned in federal court there. “This investigation is ongoing. We will share more information at the appropriate time,” the attorney general said, declining to answer questions.
Teixeira will first appear in court on Friday in Boston, according to the US attorney’s office there.
The FBI said in a statement that it took Teixeira into custody “at a residence in North Dighton, Massachusetts, for his alleged involvement in leaking classified U.S. government and military documents.”
“The FBI is continuing to conduct authorizedlaw enforcement activity at the residence,” the agency said. “Since late last week the FBI has aggressively pursued investigative leads, and today’s arrest exemplifies our continued commitment to identifying, pursuing, and holding accountable those who betray our country’s trust and put our national security at risk.”
The leaked documents posted to social media, some of which have been obtained by CNN, included detailed intelligence assessments of allies and adversaries alike, including on the state of the war in Ukraine and the challenges Kyiv and Moscow face as the war appears stuck in a stalemate.
Multiple US officials told CNN that Teixeira is believed to be the leader of the group where a trove of classified documents had been posted.
The search for the suspect began with thousands of people who had access to the documents, but investigators were able to quickly narrow the search to potential members of the chat group with evidence collected in the days immediately following the discovery of classified documents online by US officials.
While there’s a large number of people who had access to the documents, investigators were able to home in on a small number for closer scrutiny thanks to the forensic trail left by the person who posted the documents.
Teixeira was under surveillance for at least a couple of days prior to his arrest by the FBI on Thursday, according to a US government source familiar with the case.
Earlier Thursday, President Joe Biden appeared to suggest that the US government was close to identifying the leaker. Biden was then briefed on the arrest in between his speech to parliament and his departure for a banquet dinner in his honor at Dublin Castle, according to a US official. He was at the hotel for roughly 90 minutes in between the two events.
Biden has been regularly briefed on the investigation, officials said, as well as the efforts by his top officials to engage with allies who have been identified within, or unsettled by, the content of the leaked information, according to one of the officials. Behind the scenes, it has been a reality that has loomed over a deeply personal and important foreign trip for Biden, one official acknowledged.
Jack Teixeira is taken into custody Thursday in Dighton, Massachusetts.WBZ
Joined Air National Guard in 2019
The Air Force released service details for Teixeira, an Airman 1st Class.
Teixeira is an enlisted airman at the Massachusetts Air National Guard, according to details from his service record released by the Air Force Thursday. He joined the service in September 2019 and his official job is Cyber Transport Systems journeyman. According to the Air Force, Cyber Transport Systems specialists are tasked with making sure the service’s “vast, global communications network” is “operating properly.”
On Wednesday, The Washington Post first reported that the person behind the leak worked on a military base and posted sensitive national security secrets in an online group of acquaintances. The leaker was described in the Post story as a lonely young man and gun enthusiast who was part of a chatroom of about two dozen people on Discord – a social media platform popular with video gamers – that shared a love of guns and military gear, according to a friend of the alleged leaker the Post interviewed who was also part of the group.
Several former high school classmates of Teixeira’s told CNN Thursday that he had a fascination with the military, guns and war. He would sometimes wear camouflage to school, carried a “dictionary-sized book on guns,” and behaved in a way that made some fellow students feel uneasy.
“A lot of people were wary of him,” said Brooke Cleathero, who attended middle school and high school with Teixeira. “He was more of a loner, and having a fascination with war and guns made him off-putting to a lot of people.”
John Powell, who also attended middle school and high school with Teixeira, said he recalled him as a pleasant and quiet kid who was sometimes picked on. “He didn’t have many friends,” he said.
A photo of Jack Teixeira taken from Instagram.From Instagram
Teixeira grew up in the suburbs of Providence, Rhode Island, according to public records. He attended Dighton-Rehoboth High School where he graduated in 2020, according to the superintendent of the regional school district.
Powell recalled Teixeira occasionally toting around a textbook on military vehicles – tanks, planes and submarines – and having a fascination with anything “military related” from an early age.
“He was dead set on joining some branch of the military, even as a kid,” he said.
Other students, who asked not to be identified, said they detected a more menacing vibe from Teixeira, who some recalled making comments they perceived as racist or mumbling derogatory things about people under his breath.
One student recalled him showing up for school wearing a shirt with an AR-15 on it the day after a mass shooting in Las Vegas in 2017.
Teixeira didn’t behave in a manner that rose to the level where “people felt the need to report him,” another former classmate said, but “he made me nervous.”
The same student said she took his fascination with the military as a form of American nationalism, and was therefore surprised by the allegations against him. “I didn’t think he would be capable of doing something like this,” she said.
On Thursday, Biden said he was concerned about the fact the leaks happened, but not necessarily about their content.
“I’m not concerned about the leak. I’m concerned that it happened, but there’s nothing contemporaneous that I’m aware of that is of any consequence.”
Pentagon tightening access to classified intelligence
The Pentagon has begun to limit who across the government receives its highly classified daily intelligence briefs following the leak.
Some US officials who used to receive the briefing materials daily have stopped receiving them in recent days, sources familiar with the matter told CNN, as the Pentagon’s Joint Staff continues to whittle down its distribution lists.
The Joint Staff, which comprises theDefense Department’s most senior uniformed leadership that advises the president, began examining its distribution lists immediately after learning of the trove of leaked classified documents – many of which had markings indicating that they had been produced by the Joint Staff’s intelligence arm, known as the J2.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Thursday that he is directing the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security to review intelligence access, following the arrest of the Air National Guardsman.
“As Secretary of Defense, I will also not hesitate to take any additional measures necessary to safeguard our nation’s secrets,” Austin said. “Accordingly, I am directing the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security to conduct a review of our intelligence access, accountability and control procedures within the Department to inform our efforts to prevent this kind of incident from happening again.”
Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder confirmed Thursday that the Defense Department is taking steps to tighten the community of people who receive classified intelligence.
Ryder said the Pentagon continues “to review a variety of factors as it relates to safeguarding classified materials. This includes examining and updating distribution lists, assessing how and where intelligence products are shared, and a variety of other steps.”
Ryder also emphasized that there are already “stringent guidelines” in place to safeguard classified intelligence.
“This was a deliberate criminal act,” he said, “a violation of those guidelines.”
The criminal investigation is being led by the FBI’s Washington field office, including a team of counterintelligence investigators experienced in hunting leaks.
Those investigators are also working with Pentagon officials on the damage assessment, which would become part of the evidence to be used in any potential prosecution that results.
When asked how Discord has cooperated with theFBI investigation, a spokesperson told CNN that they “have cooperated with officials and remain committed to doing so.”
In order to catch title challengers Arsenal,Pep Guardiola has cautioned his Manchester City players that they cannot afford to lose against Leicester.
City joined the six points train of Premier League leaders Arsenal last week after the Gunners’ 2-2 draw at Liverpool but they face a potential banana skin on Saturday against struggling Leicester in Dean Smith’s first match since succeeding Brendan Rodgers.
Guardiola said they have to treat every match from now until the end of the season as a do-or-die fixture.
“The only impact I believe is the fact that everyone knows that if we lose it is over. It is the best way to compete. This is when you have the best,” Guardiola told a news conference. “I have doubts that experience. I need more years like [Roy] Hodgson.
The reality is we are six points behind no guarantee we will win the games ahead. There is no team better than Brighton in modern football. Arsenal is no guarantee. We need to win our games, that is the reality. At the end of the games we will see the reality.”
City will win the league if they win their remaining nine matches and Guardiola stressed they have little margin for error as Arsenal have just the league to focus on, while his side are gunning for a treble of the title, FA Cup and Champions League.
“Everyone knows if we lose those games we will not win the title that is why our intentions and details are higher.
It is the same tomorrow, if we lose the game we will not be champions,” Guardiola added. “If we win we could still be there because we cannot forget we are six points behind Arsenal a team that has dropped few points throughout the season and play one game a week with a lot of time to recover, analyse.
It will be difficult to win and drop points, that is why we have to be there as much as possible.”
City play against Leicester on Saturday at the Etihad Stadium before travelling to Germany for the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie with Bayern Munich.
Christophe Galtier,the head coach of Paris Saint-Germain, has filed a lawsuit after being accused of making racist remarks against players while serving as the manager of Nice.
The accusations were made in an email purportedly written by former Nice football director Julien Fournier at the end of the previous campaign, which Galtier vehemently denies.
The Athletic claims that Dave Brailsford, director of sports for INEOS, the organization that owns Nice, was the email’s intended recipient.
The contents of the email were first reported on Tuesday, with Galtier alleged to have told Fournier – in Fournier’s words – that the club “could not have so many blacks and Muslims in the team”.
Fournier and Galtier both left Nice after the end of last season. The latter’s lawyer, Olivier Martin, has said the 56-year-old PSG coach “contests with the greatest firmness” the accusations made against him.
French media reported on Friday that police in Nice had launched an investigation.
Ahead of PSG’s crucial Ligue 1 meeting with second-placed Lens, Galtier confirmed he was taking legal action.
In a prepared statement, Galtier told reporters: “I cannot accept my name and my family’s name being tarnished in this way. I have therefore decided to take legal action against anyone damaging my reputation.
“I have confidence in the legal system in France. I have just found out that legal proceedings are beginning and I will not be making any further comments on this matter.
“PSG have a very important match tomorrow. All my energy and focus is on that game.”
Galtier said he was “very shocked by the allegations that some people have irresponsibly made”.
He has reportedly received threats this week since the email came to light, with PSG ensuring he has beenallocated added protection.
Galtier added: “These allegations hurt me in the deepest part of my being. I grew up in the inner city and was brought up in a mixing pot, with the overwriting values of sharing and respect for others, regardless of their origin, skin colour or religion.
“My whole life as a man, footballer and coach has been underpinned by constantly looking out for, sharing life with and living happily alongside others.”
Leroy Sane and Sadio Mane apparently engaged in an altercation in which the former Liverpool player punched his Bayern Munich teammate, and Thomas Tuchel was eager to put an end to it.
The two were seen bickering on the field during Bayern’s 3-0 loss to Manchester City in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal on Tuesday.
There were rumours that they had become physical after the game.
Bayern announced on Thursday that Mane had been fined and suspended from Saturday’s Bundesliga game at home to Hoffenheim.
“Yes just the one match, and the fine. These are the consequences of his behaviour,” Bayern head coach Tuchel confirmed at a press conference on Friday.
He added: “I didn’t see it myself because I was in the coaching room. Of course, I immediately spoke to everyone involved, the players and the staff.
“It was important that we clarified the matter before we started the next training session. We did that yesterday.
We have cleared up everything so that we can train positively with each other again.
“The way both players involved dealt with it, and the way the other players dealt with it, it had a cleansing effect. We had a positive atmosphere yesterday and today.”
Tuchel insisted the matter is now closed, and supported Mane, expressing his belief that it was out of character for someone he considers an “absolute professional.”
“I’m the first one to defend him. I’ve known him for a very long time and only know him as an absolute professional… He has never been guilty of anything [like this before].
“It was against the club’s code of conduct, and he recognised it and apologised.”
Mane has struggled on the pitch as well as off it since his move from Liverpool last year, with many calling into question whether he can reproduce the form he showed in his time at Anfield.
“Maybe he needs not to think too much,” Tuchel suggested. “He hesitates and takes long to react. That’s why it seems he can be half a step too late. We want to get him to where he was [at Liverpool] through trust and appreciation. He was an absolute top striker in the best league in the world.”
Bayern have been linked with a big-money move for a striker at the end of the season, with Napoli’s Victor Osimhen chief among the names being touted.
Tuchel was asked about the Nigerian, but kept his cards close to his chest, replying: “I have an opinion on that, but I know how things work.
FIFA has given more support in our mission to improve every area of the game and guarantee that members are properly supported.
The Ghana Football Association’s application for the FIFA Football for Schools Program was approved, and it will now be implemented in compliance with the appropriate FIFA regulations.
“After a thorough review of the documentation provided, the FIFA Football for Schools administration has decided to approve your application to start implementing the programme in Ghana” said Madam Fatimata Sidibe, Director, FIFA Football for Schools.
The FIFA Football for Schools administration will work with the Ghana Football Association to coordinate the release of the Football for Schools mobile app in Ghana, as well as to provide appropriate training and capacity-building support for users (selected public schools in Ghana).
The Ghana Football Association is working with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Education on this programme to benefit students between the ages of 10 – 14 years.
The Association will also ensure that there is gender parity as all schools selected are mixed schools.
This programme will further support GFA’s project to introduce football to young girls as early as possible toincrease the participation of girls in football.
The programme will provide training to Physical education teachers as well as provide footballs to almost 3,000 schools across every region of the country.
“The GFA is extremely happy that its application has received approval from FIFA.
This programme will benefit the Schools and Colleges as a member of the Association and a lot of PE Teachers and students between ages 10 to 14.
The GFA will continue to work assiduously with its partners, FIFA, the Education Ministry and the Ministry of Youth and Sports to ensure the success of this excellent programme” said Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, President of the GFA.
Former captain of Asante Kotoko, Yussif Chibsah, has requested an apology from Nana Oduro Sarfo, a member of the Ghana Football Association‘s Executive Council, for denigrating Stephen Appiah, a former captain of the Black Stars.
In response to Stephen Appiah’s statement that past players are frequently overlooked by the GFA, Nana Oduro Sarfo urged the former Black Stars captain to get formal education before pursuing a position of prominence in Ghanaian football.
Yussif Chibsah responded to this statement by asking Oduro Sarfo to apologise to the renowned Stephen Appiah, feeling that he had disrespected the man.
“I don’t know the qualifications of Nana Oduro Sarfo even though I know he started this football business a long time ago.”
“But he needs to come out and tell his qualifications since he is making his arguments on someone going to educate himself in football administration.”
“Oduro Sarfo needs to apologize to Stephen Appiah because some of his colleagues including my own Alhaji Grusah, have no academic qualifications but they serve on the GFA Executive Council,” Chibsah said on Angel TV.
Stephen Appiah led Ghana to two FIFA World Cup tournaments in 2006 and 2010 as the captain of the Black Stars.
Wojciech Szczesny, the Juventus goalkeeper described himself as “scared” after exiting the first leg of his team’s Europa League quarterfinal match against Sporting due to chest trouble.
Prior to the end of the first half, the Polish international left the pitch in tears. Mattia Perin was then brought in to finish the game at Allianz Stadium, which ended in a 1-0 victory.
Szczesny was checked by the medical team and given the all clear shortly after the resumption of the second half, though he admitted he was concerned by the sequence of events.
He told Sky Sport Italia:”I am fine, I was a little anxious, but we did all the tests and everything is fine.
“I was scared, it had never happened to me before, I was struggling to breathe and it really worried me.”
Perin’s heroics in added time with a double save to deny Pote and Hector Bellerin secured victory for Juventus, with Szczesny returning to form by joking about the situation and praisinghis team-mate.
He added: “The truth is, I saw Mattia in great shape in training, I felt tired and knew he would have a great double save at the 94th [minute].
“Nah, they fired it straight at him! I congratulated him, he is also a guy with a heart of gold, we get along well. It’s a shame Carlo [Pinsoglio] didn’t come on, he would’ve had a hat-trick of great saves today.”
Speaking shortly after, Perin hailed the team’s display and made it clear there was still plenty of work to be done.
He said: “I think the team as a whole has been exceptional not to fall into a victim mentality or false alibis, instead we used that negative energy and made it positive, proving we are real men.
“It is only half-time in the quarter-final, there are another 90 minutes to go and we can be happy with this victory, but it’s only half-done.”
Goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi of theBlack Stars was listed among the best saves at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
In the second group games against South Korea, the St. Gallen goalkeeper’s stop from a free kick made the cut.
Ati-Zigi gave a great performance in the contest, making four crucial saves to lead Ghana to a slim 3-2 victory.
His save from the free-kick came in the 75th minute when the Black Stars were leading 3-2. Ati-Zigi superbly tipped Kang-In Lee’s goal-bound freekick around the post to keep Ghana in the lead.
Ghana eventually grabbed the win but failed to progress from the group after losing to Portugal and Uruguay to finish bottom of Group H.
Lawrence Ati-Zigi played all three games and conceded a total of seven goals at the tournament.
An English pundit has suggested Chelsea should stick with Frank Lampard if they choose former Bayern Munich manager, Julian Nagelsmann as their manager.
Graham Potter was fired and his assistant, Bruno Saltor, who oversaw the 0-0 draw against Liverpool, declined the appointment.
He was replaced as interim manager until the end of the season by the Blues veteran and former coach.
With the hasty firing of Thomas Tuchel after only a few games of the new season, Todd Boehly and company are attempting to avoid making the same mistake with Potter.
The club invited former Barcelona boss, Luis Enrique to London last week for an interview and this week have invited Nagelsmann to do the same, according to German newspaper, Bild.
Keys advises Chelsea against Nagelsmann
Lampard has lost his first two games in charge, a 1-0 loss to Wolves in the Premier League and a 2-0 loss to Real Madrid in the Champions League, leading to calls from fans to hasten the appointment of a new manager.
Sportskeeda reported that the former RB Leipzig boss is the favourite and has the backing of technical director, Christopher Vivell and co-sporting director, Paul Winstanley.
However, English TV anchor, Richard Keys is critical of the possible appointment of 35-year-old Nagelsmann, claiming Lampard should be retained ahead of bringing the German on-boardif the German tactician is the club’s choice in the future.
Fans want Lampard sacked
Potter was not a popular figure among Chelsea fans but despite being a club legend, Lampard is also gradually losing his popularity among the Blues faithful.
As Sports Brief reported, fans called for Lampard’s sack after losing his first game 1-0 to Wolves thanks to a brilliant volley from Matheus Nunes past Kepathat beat Kepa Arrizabalaga.
With rumours that they have given up on signing Jude Bellingham, Jürgen Klopp acknowledges Liverpool may need to “step aside and do different stuff” in the transfer market.
In his remarks prior to Monday’s Premier League trip to Leeds United, the Reds boss only fleetingly addressed the claim that Liverpool are no longer in the running to sign Bellingham, an English player for Borussia Dortmund.
Reports earlier in the week suggested the club have decided the 19-year-old midfielder would take up too much of their budget in a transfer window in which they will need to sign more than one player.
“It’s nothing to say about, to be honest,” Klopp told a press conference.
“If we don’t speak about players we sign, or not sign, why would we now speak about this kind of speculation and this kind of news? So it’s really nothing to say about.”
He did, however, speak in broader terms about the prospect of chasing top players, and how sometimes clubs, even those of Liverpool’s stature, cannot expect to land all their targets.
Bellingham has been a target of Europe’s elite clubs after shining for club and country, and Liverpool had been seen as front-runners for his signature for what would almost certainly be a nine-figure fee.
However, the Reds look likely to miss out on next season’s Champions League after a disappointing 2022-23 campaign, and they may be readjusting their targets.
“It’s not about Jude Bellingham, my answer now, definitely not,” Klopp said. “I never understood why we constantly talk about things we theoretically cannot have.
“We cannot have six players in the summer where everyone’s £100million, for example. Everybody would say that’s kind of clear.
“You have to realise what you can do, and then you have to work with that. So how much money do we have available? And then you have to work with that.
“We are not children. If you ask a five-year-old what they want for Christmas and they tell you, ‘I want to have a Ferrari’, you wouldn’t say ‘that’s a good idea’, you would say ‘that’s too expensive and anyway, you cannot drive it.’
“That’s how it is. If this kid is then his whole life unhappy because he cannot get a Ferrari that would be a sad life, but it’s just what can you do, and then you do it and you work with that.
“Whatever I want, what we need and what we want, we try absolutely everything to get it.
“But there are moments where you have to accept this or that is not possible for us and just step aside and do different stuff.”
Klopp also touched on Sunday’s half-time flashpoint in Liverpool’s game against Arsenal where assistant referee Constantine Hatzidakis appeared to aim an elbow at Liverpool defender Andy Robertson.
Klopp said: “I think it’s been dealt with really well.
“I wasn’t aware of it during the game. I spoke to Robbo and all the other guys, not to the assistant, but I think it’s now been dealt with really well, and now we can carry on.”
This week, a significant setback to Marc Cucurella’s difficult Chelsea career occurred.
For his part in a play that led to Ben Chilwell’s dismissal against Real Madrid on Wednesday night, the 24-year-old Spaniard received harsh criticism.
Having suffered a 2-0 defeat in the away leg of their Champions League quarterfinal, the Blues’ catastrophic campaign now appears destined to conclude without a trophy and, most likely, without making it to the European stage.
Ahead of a visit from Cucurella’s former club Brighton on Saturday, we examine the defender’s uncertain future in West London.
Madrid error
When Frank Lampard became caretaker manager of Chelsea, he selected Cucurella as the left-back in a 4-3-3 formation for his first game against Wolves.
Having lost that match 1-0,Lampard switched to 3-5-2 for the difficult away trip to Real Madrid and left the ex-Seagulls star on the bench.
But in the second half, with the Blues 1-0 down, Cucurella was brought on to replace Kalidou Koulibaly on the left side of the back three.
Within four minutes of his introduction, the versatile defender lost the run of home forward Rodrygo, resulting in the panicked Chilwell bringing the Brazilian down.
Chilwell was given his marching orders and soon after, Lampard’s men conceded a second goal.
A turnaround at Stamford Bridge next Tuesday seems unlikely given their poor form.
Cucurella’s brief time at Chelsea has been a massive disappointment.
The trouble started when the club elected to pay a huge transfer fee of £62million for him last summer.
Brighton had signed theBarcelona academy graduate for a mere £15m from Getafe just a season before. He had looked set for a move to Manchester City, only for the West Londoners to gazump their rivals with their bid.
Straight away, that put pressure on the Catalan to deliver — and his task has been made all the more difficult by a turbulent period on the touchline.
When Cucurella signed, Thomas Tuchel was manager. His former Brighton boss Graham Potter then replaced the German, before Bruno Saltor became interim coach until Lampard stepped in last week.
The four different bosses have used a variety of formations and styles. Defensively, the team have switched from a back four to a three on multiple occasions in an attempt to find some solidity.
Cucurella has sometimes found himself tasked with playing as a left-back in a four, which is a role that arguably does not suit his skill set.
Second chance
Marc Cucurella has played under four different managers at Chelsea this season
Out of Chelsea’s raft of new signings, he is far from being alone in failing to settle — but he has certainly lacked the continuity offered to some of his colleagues.
There is sure to be a massive clear out of from a bloated squad over the summer. Who departs will in large part be decided by the club’s choice of manager.
Cucurella’s chances of staying and getting a fresh start will be helped by the fact that his contract runs through to 2028, with Stamford Bridge chiefs facing a massive loss if they were to try to sell him right now.
The one-cap international will hope that whoever is appointed as the new manager will have a settled idea of how they want Chelsea to play, giving him chance to revive his Premier League career.
The former vice-chancellor of the University of Cape Coast and minister of education, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, will deliver a speech at Harvard Law School.
“Reimagining Africa’s Development on Our Terms” is the focus of the programme, which is organised by the African Caucus of the Kennedy School of Law and the Harvard African Law Association.
The running mate of NDC Presidential candidate in 2020 elections will speak on the topic: ” Rising to Africa’s Education Challenges and Opportunities post the COVID-19 pandemic”
Achraf Hakimi, a Moroccan defender, has been trending on social media due to concerns involving his divorce from Hiba Aboukhris Benslimane, better known as Hiba Abouk in the entertainment sector.
Since the Paris Saint-Germain player was accused of rape by a 24-year-old woman in France, the divorce case of the PSG defender and his wife has been in the public eye.
In March 2023, Hiba Abouk reportedly requested half of Achraf Hakimi’s assets in a divorce petition.
However, according to unconfirmed reports on social media, Hiba Abouk was informed by the Court that her millionaire husband owns nothing because all his properties have been registered in his mother’s name.
This means that Hakimi has no money, property, cars, houses, or jewelry, and even the utensils he has in his house are not in his name.
Social media users have heavily praised the former Real Madrid defender because they believe that if not for his smartness, he would have lost half of his properties.
Many also said that Achraf Hakimi’s unorthodox style will become the blueprint for men who seek to evade such situations during divorce proceedings.
In the play-in round, the Chicago Bulls defeated the Toronto Raptors 109-105 to secure the victory, but their MVP didn’t play a single minute.
The loud screaming of DeMar DeRozan’s kid may have contributed to the Raptors making only half of their free throw attempts.
The Bulls had to come back from 19 points down, with Zach LaVine scoring 39 points, including 30 in the second half.
The six-time NBA champions will face the Miami Heat in another win-or-go-home game on Friday night, April 14th, per ESPN.
DeRozan broke the Raptors fans’ hearts with 23 points, sending them home in the process. Nikola Vucevic added 14 points and 13 rebounds.
Diar DeRozan steals the show
The Bulls expected DeRozan to eliminate his former team from playoff contention. He did. Not by himself, though. He had his 9-year-old daughter Diar backing him up.
Every time the Raptors went to the line, her ear-splitting screams echoed throughout Scotiabank Arena.
The 2019NBA champions shot 78.4% from the line during the regular season but missed a season-high 18 of its 36 free throw attempts in their defeat to the Bulls, per CBS Sports.
O.G. Anunoby (84), Pascal Siakam (77%), and Fred VanVleet (90%) were all decent from the line in the regular season but missed a combined 14 free throws against the Bulls, per the Athletic.
Diar’s scream may have affected Siakam during the game. He had a chance to tie the game with 12 seconds remaining on the clock. He missed two of three.
DeRozan said he was surprised to know it was his daughter screaming.
“I kept hearing something during the game during free throws,” Bulls guard DeMar DeRozan said after the game. “I looked back like … dang, that’s my daughter screaming,” via ESPN.
He said she won’t attend the Miami game.
“No,” DeRozan said. “She’s got to go back to school.”
DeRozan on Toronto
It was reported earlier reported onDeRozan describing how the city of Toronto meant to him before they played the Raptors.
He spent the first nine seasons of his career with the Raptors, who watched him blossom into a 4-time All-Star.
He made the Raptors a top team in the Eastern Conference.
Erik ten Hag was left bemoaning injury issues as Manchester United lost heartbreakingly late against Sevilla in the Europa League, and Marcel Sabitzer criticised the team for giving up “two stupid goals.”
Because to Ten Hag’s hosts’ dominance at Old Trafford, United appeared to be in perfect control of the quarterfinal first leg on Thursday after Sabitzer’s first-half double.
Prior to Harry Maguire’s own goal in the 92nd minute, Tyrell Malacia’s own goal gave Sevilla optimism six minutes from time.
Ten Hag insisted United’s 2-2 draw was down to bad fortune, as opposed to his substitutes collapsing under late pressure.
The United manager told BT Sport: “I think we had the game in hand, we were 2-0 up and should have scored three or four. The game was totally on us.
“Some unlucky moments with injuries. Raphael Varane at half-time, Anthony Martial because it was his first start, Antony and Bruno Fernandes because they were on a yellow card.
“Then we lose control at an unlucky moment, then another unlucky moment with Lisandro [Martinez] going off injured when we go down to 10.
“We conceded two own goals, that is bad luck. We have to learn, we have to kill the game, but everything is open for the next game.
“I know we can do better with those players in the last part of the game, we had to be more composed and could benefit from our counter-attacking opportunities, but we didn’t.
After three years of Covid control, the newChinese Super League season begins on Saturday, with the biggest match of the inaugural weekend apparently selling out in only five minutes.
The campaign will begin on Saturday with four games at the newly renovated Workers’ Stadium in the city, including the opening ceremony and a match between the hosts Beijing Guoan and Meizhou Hakka.
After restrictions placed on Chinese football since the Covid pandemic, including games in secure “bubbles” and limits on attendances, fans will be able to see their beloved teams home and away again.
The state-run Global Times reported there will be a capacity 68,000 crowd to watch title-contenders Beijing play Meizhou and said that tickets sold out in five minutes when they went on sale on Thursday.
The newspaper said it will be the first match since the stadium underwent a vast rebuild and called it “the perfect location for the start of a new era in Chinese soccer”.
The respected publication Soccer News said that there were also strong ticket sales for other games on the opening weekend.
Defending champions Wuhan Three Towns are also in action on Saturday when they host a Shanghai Port side containing the former Chelsea and Brazilian international Oscar.
A crowd of about 40,000 is expected, Soccer News said, hailing a return to a semblance of normality for Chinese football.
China once had a reputation for spending vast amounts of money on transfers and salaries for famous foreign players and coaches, but those days are long gone and Oscar is one of the few stars left.
President Xi Jinping wants his country to one day host and even win a World Cup, but the national men’s side languish in 81st in the FIFA rankings.
Chinese football is also in the grip of another major corruption scandal which has seen several leading administrators placed under investigation, including Chinese Football Association head Chen Xuyuan.
Former national coach and Premier League player Li Tie is also under investigation.
Numerous clubs have also folded in recent years, notably then-CSL champions Jiangsu Suning in 2021, as Chinese football went from boom to bust.
Despite all the issues confronting the game in the country and enduring disappointment with the national team, fans are relishing being back in stadiums again without any Covid restrictions.
“I haven’t watched a game live for three years and can’t hold back,” The Paper in Shanghai quoted one supporter as saying.
“Last season there were a few away games that sold tickets, but because it was inconvenient to get out of Beijing, I didn’t go anywhere.”
In Kenya’s coastal Kilifi county, four individuals were discovered dead on Thursday and around a dozen more were sent to the hospital after being rescued while anticipating the end of the world. According to police, the gang had been hiding out in a forest for many days after being instructed by a local preacher to fast while “waiting to meet Jesus.”
The authorities said they rescued 11 people – six of them were emaciated and in critical condition.
Police said they will resume a search for more members of the group on Friday morning following reports that others were still in the forest.
Police are reported to have found a fresh in the forest which will be investigated on Friday.
The worshippers belong to Good News International Church led by a local pastor who has been on police radar for allegedly urging his followers to starve to death in order to reach heaven faster.
The pastor is currently out on police bail after he was charged last month over the death of two children whose parents are among his followers.
Hajia Bintu, a TikTok star, has apologised to Ghanaians for promoting a product intended to attract wealthy men by advertising attraction oil.
With a video she made to promote a product that many thought was disgusting, Hajia Bintu for the first time aroused the fury of Ghanaians.
In a previous TikTok video, Hajia enticed her fans to purchase what she dubbed a “attraction spell.”
The video got many Ghanaians angry about the harm such products can cause to unsuspecting victims.
They descended on her heavily for seeking her own parochial interest without taking into consideration the harm the product can cause to others.
She has finally come out to apologize for what she described as an ‘out of line’ advert. Miss Bintu claimed she promotes products for various brands but erred by promoting an attraction spell.
She admitted that, she and hermanagement were negligent in assessing the effects of marketing the said product.
The Football Association (FA) has confirmed thatConstantine Hatzidakis won’t be punished for seeming to elbow Liverpool defender Andrew Robertson.
After halftime of Sunday’s 2-2 draw between Liverpool and Premier League leaders Arsenal, Robertson approached assistant referee Hatzidakis, who then appeared to throw his arm up with an elbow aimed in Robertson’s direction.
Hatzidakis was told he wouldn’t be assigned to any games until the FA’s inquiry into the incident was finished.
On Thursday, it was confirmed that the official would not face any further action, with a statement reading: “We have thoroughly reviewed all of the evidence in relation to the recent incident at Anfield involving the Liverpool defender Andrew Robertson and match official Constantine Hatzidakis, and we will be taking no further action.
“Our comprehensive process involved reviewing detailed statements from Liverpool and PGMOL, as well as multiple angles of video footage, in relation to both the incident and its surrounding circumstances.”
Hatzidakis also released a statement via the PGMOL, explaining that he had apologised to Robertson wanted to draw a line under the incident.
“It was certainly not my intention to make any contact with Andy as I pulled my arm away from him and for that I have apologised,” Hatzidakis said.
“I fully assisted The FA with their investigation and have discussed the matter directly with Andy Robertson during an open and positive conversation. It was certainly not my intention to make any contact with Andy as I pulled my arm away from him and for that I have apologised.
“I look forward to returning to officiating matches.”
On Saturday afternoon, Southampton take on Roy Hodgson’s Crystal Palace at St Mary’s, under the guidance of Premier League’s youngest manager Ruben Selles.
Saints started Selles’ tenure with two wins in his first threePremier League games, but two draws and three losses in the following five have left the team four points from safety at the bottom of the standings.
His 75-year-old Eagles counterpart has enjoyed a thrilling return to the Selhurst Park hot seat, engineering back-to-back wins against Leicester and Leeds.
Those successes, which have been achieved with a season-high 31 shots against the Foxes and a season-low average shot distance at Elland Road, suggest the usually pragmatic Palace boss has been letting the handbrake off.
Team news
Armel Bella-Kotchap shrugged off a shoulder problem to face Man City and looks likely to continue in defence alongside Jan Bednarek.
Mohammed Salisu was reportedly left out of the Saints squad for the last two games because of doubts over his commitment to the club.
Stuart Armstrong could replace Mohamed Elyounossi on the left, while Sekou Mara and Moussa Djenepo did their chances of a recall some good by combining for Southampton’s consolation goal last weekend.
Stuart Armstrong is in contention to start for Southampton this weekend
No changes are anticipated for Palace with Hodgson likely to stick with the same team that destroyed Leeds in the second half last Sunday.
Although Michael Olise won the official Man of the Match award for his three-assist display, the manager reserved his post-match praise for two-goal striker Jordan Ayew.
Sam Johnstone looks likely to keep his place in goal after an excellent display in relief of the injured Vicente Guaita.
The stats
Southampton have lost 11 Premier League games by one goal, spanning three different managers, this season.
Only Bournemouth (17) have conceded more goals from set-pieces in the 2022-23 Premier League, excluding penalties, than the Saints (13) and all but one of those was a header, which is the most allowed in the division.
Palace have taken 47 shots across Hodgson’s first two games — more than any other club have managed in the last two rounds of Premier League fixtures.
Prediction
Southampton set out to pressMan City last week and it always looked like being a very risky strategy to deploy against a team with such quality and cohesion.
Selles may think it is worth trying again when up against clearly inferior opponents to the reigning champions, but Southampton do not have anyone with the sort of predatory instinct to finish off opportunities that high turnovers can produce.
Palace played their way through Leeds’ flagging press after a half-time adjustment, but they lacked the appetite for the battle when put under pressure by their hosts in the early stages.
That suggests there could be an ebb and flow to this game as well with both teams likely to enjoy strong periods in the game.
The Ghanaian business owner splashed several pictures from the reveling on Instagram, where fans admired him.
Ibrahim Mahama, the brother of former president John Mahama, is known for splurging millions on deluxe whips and living his best life.
It is not the first time the businessman has been captured having fun on the Volta River.
In a video on his Instagram account, he is seen having a night ride on a boat with some associates.
He sported a white T-shirt over trousers while enjoying time during the boat ride with his two colleagues.
The recent pictures of the businessman spending time in a Seabreacher equipped with a small glass-covered cockpit resembling that of a fighter jet gained reactions from fans.
Netizens react to impressive pictures Iamedemgh posted: Herh Big bro aka Aquaman. Tebogocthobejane said: So cool. jacklynbarbiedoll3 posted: President of enjoyment.
T.heone shared: Good morning top Don. Mczyno reacted: You’re really enjoying your Sweat Pipette_it posted: Wow, I’m proud to be a neighbor of you.
Massigahyaw asked: Where’s Kennedy Agyapongs yarch bossu and enjoy yourselves.
Californiasyde said: Baba, you dey enjoy life. Roygeneralmadcap posted: Bossman, this your machine wikid. Kingsley_afrifa said: Nice toy and they always spec to your kinda taste.
Meanwhile, it was reported separately that Solomon Atimbiri, the talented Ghanaian teenager who built a moving excavator and other trucks, is being mentored by businessman Ibrahim Mahama.
The 17-year-old grabbed the attention of major eyeballs after a video spotlighting his works gained traction on social media.
In one of the clips, Atimbiri was captured demonstrating how the excavator works to some adults, who were impressed.
The striker was not present for his team’s quarterfinal first-leg defeat on Wednesday, as the Partenopei lost 1-0 at San Siro thanks to a first-half goal from Ismael Bennacer.
With 21 goals this season, Osimhen is the Serie A scoring leader and has played a key role in the club’s commanding lead in the Scudetto battle.
But having sat out this week’s game with a groin injury, Spalletti has given assurances he will feature for their home tie next week against the Rossoneri.
“Victor Osimhen will 100 per cent be available for the return leg at [Stadio Diego Armando] Maradona on Tuesday,” he said. “He will be there.”
Spalletti will also have to rethink his plans in light of Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa’s dismissal, with the midfielder sent off after a second yellow card for pushing Theo Hernandez.
The Cameroon international will be suspended, as will defender Kim Min-jae following a late booking, but the coach has the belief his side will adapt to their loss.
“Any absence is damaging at this stage of the season, but we also have players who can fill in, which is why we are where we are,” he added to Sky Sport Italia.
“We trust the squad. We are sad not to have Anguissa, as it feels unjust not to have him, but there’s nothing we can do. I don’t comment on the referee, that is not my role.”
Napoli will return to Serie A action this weekend against Verona before they face Milan. The Partenopei are already enjoying their deepest run in Europe’s premier competition.
Manager of Paris Saint-Germain, Christophe Galtier, has received support following accusations that he made racist remarks about players while in charge of Nice.
The accusations appeared in an email that Julien Fournier, a former Nice football director, is said to have sent at the conclusion of the previous campaign.
The email was sent to Dave Brailsford, the director of sports at INEOS, the organisation that owns Nice, according to The Athletic.
The email’s contents were originally made public on Tuesday evening, with Galtier allegedly telling Fournier that the team “could not have so many blacks and Muslims in the team” according to Fournier’s account.
Fournier and Galtier both left Nice after the end of last season, with Galtier cherry-picked to be coach of champions PSG.
Galtier’s lawyer, Olivier Martin, said the 56-year-old PSG coach “contests with the greatest firmness” the accusations made against him. In a statement to AFP, Martin said Galtier “learned with amazement of the insulting and defamatory remarks”.
Fournier allegedly also mentioned John Valovic, the agent and adopted son of Galtier, in the e-mail.
Valovic responded on Instagram, writing: “Thanks to everyone for your support. The accusations against me are false and intolerable. They will not remain without consequences.”
Veteran Turkish striker Burak Yilmaz, who played under Galtier at Lille, said the claims of racism did not tally with his own experiences.
In a message posted on Instagram on Wednesday evening, Yilmaz wrote: “I read the news today and I felt like I have to say something. I worked with Galtier and never felt any negative behaviour from him about my religion or nationality.
“He is a great coach as well as a great person.”
Defender Jose Fonte, who along with Yilmaz won the 2020-21 Ligue 1 title under Galtier at Lille, also stressed the claims came as a surprise.
“In three years working with Mr Galtier, he was always close to his players and above all, very respectful,” Fonte wrote. “It is upsetting reading some news today. I have only good things to say about this man.”
Jean-Michel Aulas, the long-standing president of Lyon, said he was “very sorry” for Galtier.
According to the Nice-Matin newspaper and other French media, security around Galtier has been tightened up since the allegations came to light.
Aulas, quoted by RMC, said: “I am very shocked and very sorry for Christophe, whom I know personally.
“I cannot imagine this kind of thing, but it’s not for me to pass judgement. We see things happening in the public square that are so different from what we advocate in football.
“From the moment Christophe expresses his refusal to accept this type of information, he has every right to do so.”
Nice issued a statement on Wednesday that read: “The facts related concern two people who no longer work for OGC Nice. This situation was treated with the utmost seriousness at the time of the events. The club will not comment further.”
Fournier has firmly denied leaking the email, saying in a statement to Nice-Matin: “I am in no way responsible for the dissemination of this year-old internal information at the time of my departure from the club. The timing of these revelations revolts me as much as their content.”
Galtier is expected to make a routine appearance at a PSG pre-match press conference on Friday, ahead of his team’s top-of-the-table Ligue 1 game against Lens the following day.
British left-back Last night, just before the hour, Chilwell was handed his marching orders for hauling back Rodrygo as he was running through on goal.
At the Bernabeu, the Blues were already down a goal as a result of Karim Benzema’s first-half tap-in.
And Chilwell’s dismissal was followed by sub Marco Asensio’s 74th-minute drive to leave Frank Lampard’s men with an uphill task going into the second leg of their quarter-final clash on Tuesday.
Writing on Instagram, the 26-year-old defender said: “Slept on it and just want to apologise to my team-mates and the fans.
“I made a decision in a split second last night and it was a mistake.
“I always give everything for the team and I will continue to do so. Thank you for the support.”
Ben Chilwell was red-carded for tugging back Rodrygo
With Chilwell ruled out of the return match at Stamford Bridge, Lampard is likely to deploy Marc Cucurella at left-back or left wing-back, depending on the formation he opts for.
Joao Felix might return to Madrid in the summer when his loan agreement expires because he has not performed well during his brief stay in London. Apparently that’s what the supporters believe. The hierarchy might believe otherwise.
The Portuguese started in attack alongside English winger Raheem Sterling as interim manager Frank Lampard deployed a 3-5-2 formation with a midfield trio of Enzo Fernandez, N’golo Kante, and Mateo Kovacic.
Real Madrid took the lead in the first half through Ballon d’Or holder Karim Benzema who slotted home after Spanish goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga spilt a shot onto his path.
Bar Enzo Fernandez, the whole team was lacklustre, but the fans felt let down the most by their attack and wanted Felix, the loanee player, returned and his move not made permanent.
Fans rip into Joao Felix
According to Guardian, the 23-year-old extended his Atletico Madrid contract until 2027 before joining the Blues until the end of the season for a £9.6m loan fee.
Chelsea are thought to be interested in retaining him despite Atletico demanding a fee in excess of £86m to make themove permanent in the summer, as reported by Football London.
Fans have had enough and want the loan ended at the end of the season after another poor outing against Real Madrid and just two goals in 12 appearances in London.
”Keeping Felix is a bad decision. It is waste of resources and a sign that the club is now very confused.”
Felix unsure of Chelsea future
It was reported that Felix expressed doubts over hisChelsea future due to a lack of buy option or obligation in his loan move and will rely on the two clubs finding an agreement.
The Portuguese is happy in London and wants to stay beyond his loan, but Rojiblancos demands could put Chelsea off, coupled with his performances.
Less than a year after assuming the position of head coach of the Riyadh-based team, the French strategist, 59, is apparently being let go.
According to Sportskeeda, the hierarchy of the club have run out of patience with the manager following the team’s slump in form, which was worsened by their recent stalemate against Al-Feiha.
Fans call out Ronaldo
Following Garcia’s sack, Ronaldo has been blamed by social media users for masterminding the exit of the Frenchman.
Garcia sacked as Al-Nassr boss As a result of his allegedly troubled relationship with Ronaldo, Garcia has reportedly been fired from his position as manager of Al-Nassr. Less than a year after taking the helm at the Saudi Arabian club, reports from the country claimed the French tactician had been told to go.
Wesley Fofana won’t concede that Chelsea’s hopes of winning theChampions League are all but lost.
Last night, Real Madrid took a strong lead in their Champions League quarterfinal thanks to goals from Karim Benzema and substitute Marco Asensio, handing Frank Lampard’s Blues a 2-0 loss.
Fofana and his teammates won’t give up, even if Ben Chilwell will miss Tuesday’s second game after receiving a red card at the Bernabeu.
The defender, 22, said: “It is difficult to take because we lost a player and conceded one goal in each half.
“Of course, it is always disappointing to concede two goals.
“The current situation is difficult for everybody but next week we’re playing the second leg at home, which is good.
Frank Lampard must lift his troops for the challenges ahead
Fofana played in a central defensive trio alongside the returning Thiago Silva and Kalidou Koulibaly as Lampard switched from a flat back four for the second match of his spell as caretaker boss.
And the Frenchman revealed the club legend sent his team out with a very clear message before the game.
He added: “He said play for the club, the badge and for Chelsea.
“We will prepare for the next game. We lost but when you see the game it is OK as 2-0 isn’t the worst. There are positives to take.
“It is hard for everybody as one coach comes in, he leaves and then another coach arrives.
“It is important to try our best for everyone to win more games. It is complicated, of course. The Champions League is the biggest competition and we will still try to win it.”
Before Chelsea welcome Real to the Bridge, Lampard must lift his side for Saturday’s Premier League showdown with Brighton.
The 11th-placed Blues are seven points behind Roberto De Zerbi’s men and have played two more games.
Due to their outstanding efforts in the Premier League match against Leeds United on Sunday, Crystal Palace’s dynamic combo of Jordan Ayew and Jeffrey Schlupp have earned a spot in the European Team of the Week.
The Ghanaian team’s comeback triumph at Elland Road, 5-1, was made possible by the pair’s skills, which they displayed.
In Palace’s commanding performance, Ayew scored two goals, while Schlupp was strong.
Ayew’s superb performance earned him a rating of 9.6 out of 10, highlighting his clinical finishing and impressive contribution to the team.
Schlupp received a rating of 8.8 out of 10 for his tireless work rate and creativity in midfield.
The duo was part of a quintet of Premier League stars that made the list, including their Palace teammates Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze, as well as Manchester United’s defender Aaron Wan Bissaka.
Palace fans will be thrilled to see their players recognized for their outstanding performances and will be hoping for more of the same in the coming games.
The Eagles currently sit comfortably in 12th place in the Premier League, with 41 points from 32 games.
If rumours are to be believed, Emile Witbooi may get a substantial boost.
Despite the side being thrashed by the hosts (5-0), Northern Ireland (2-1), and Luxembourg (3-2), the under-16 national team player excelled in the recent UEFA Development Tournament hosted in Poland.
Witbooi, a student at the School of Excellence, is the son of Mamelodi Sundowns magician Surprise Ralani.
According to iDiski Times, the 15-year-old, nicknamed Modric after the Croatian legend, reportedly caught the eye of Manchester United and other teams in Europe.
The article also stated he was not the only player who impressed the scouts that were in attendance.
U16 coach, Zipho Dlangalala, who had the unenviable task of hastily arranging the team at the last second, said:
“Without a doubt, we had some of the players that really put up their hands in the event, and the UEFA Technical observers mentioned four of our players that stood out… [Witbooi] like most South African kids that are talented, very skillful and creative… I would wish as a country we need to give them special treatment.”
Should Witbooi join the club, he would be the third South African to play for the Red Devils at any level after legendary goalkeeper, Gary Bailey and former Bafana Bafana midfielder, Quinton Fortune.
The latter is currently an ambassador for the club, having also been its U23 coach, before moving on to Reading.
Song named after Benni McCarthy
Talking of South Africans at Old Trafford, Benni McCarthy continues to prove an inspiration to his countrymen, Sports Brief reported.
Hip-hop artists, YoungstaCPT and Shaney Jay releasing a single named after the Red Devils senior team’s forwards coach earlier this year.
This is the second song where McCarthy is the subject, following TKZee’s late 1990s hit ‘Shibobo’ and now has an accompanying video.
Kylian Mbappe said he still wants to win the Champions League with his home city club, ruling out the possibility of an early release from his Paris Saint-Germain deal.
The recently appointed France captain extended his PSG contract in May of last year, potentially keeping him with the Ligue 1 champions through the 2024–25 campaign.
This deterred Real Madrid from showing significant interest in the player who went on to score the most goals in the Qatar World Cup, scoring three goals against Argentina in the championship match.
For Mbappe, triumphing in the Champions League with the French capital giants would be the crowning glory of his career.
PSG went close in 2020, losing out 1-0 to Bayern Munich in the final, but they have been bundled out at the last-16 stage in the last two seasons, with Real Madrid taking their scalp last year and Bayern Munich their conquerors this time around.
“The next level? To win the Champions League, I think,” Mbappe told France 3 show Tout Le Sport.
“I’ve already made a final, semi-final, quarter-final, round of 16… I have done everything except winning.
“That’s all I need. I hope it will be as soon as possible.
“Where? At Paris Saint-Germain. I’m Parisian and under contract. So it’s Paris Saint-Germain.”
Mbappe also dreams of winning an Olympic gold medal with France, so it is possible the 24-year-old could double up next year and compete at Paris 2024 after representing Les Bleus at the European Championship.
“I don’t know if I’ll be there,” Mbappe said. “But, in any case, I hope to be there.
As tens of thousands of people gathered to welcome him during a tour of the county where his ancestors were born,US Vice President Joe Biden paid tribute to his Irish heritage.
When he visited the region his great-great-grandfather had left for America, he claimed it “felts like coming home” in a speech he gave in a pub in County Louth.
After a brief visit to Northern Ireland to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday peace deal, he is currently on a three-day visit to the Republic of Ireland.
After stepping off Air Force One on to the rain-soaked runway at Dublin Airport he was met by Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar.
He then travelled to meet distant relatives in the Cooley Peninsula and the village of Carlingford in County Louth on Ireland’s east coast.
In Carlingford crowds lined the quayside as the presidential motorcade arrived.
Later there were shouts of “welcome home, Joe” when Mr Biden arrived in Dundalk to address an audience, including some of his relatives, at the town’s Windsor Bar.
He said Irish people were the “only people in the world in my view who are actually nostalgic about the future”.
“It is because, more than anything in my experience, hope is what beats in the heart of all people and in particular in the hearts of the Irish,” he added.
“Every action is about hope we can make things better.”
The president also visited a Dundalk shop owned by Jerome McAteer, who said he was honoured to sell Mr Biden some sweet treats, including lemon meringue and chocolate eclairs.
“He was talking a lot about his Irish background,” said Mr McAteer.
He runs the shop with his partner Bobby Wain, who said it had been an unforgettable day for them and their staff.
“Mindblowing – one of those days you’ll never forget,” he said.
Earlier Mr Biden completed a brief-but-landmark visit to Belfast, where he called for politicians to restore the power-sharing government at Stormont, which collapsed over a year ago.
He used a speech at Ulster University to praise the “tremendous progress” since the Good Friday Agreement was signed in 1998.
The peace deal largely brought to an end more than 30 years of violent conflict known as the Troubles.
“This place is transformed by peace; made technicolour by peace; made whole by peace,” he said.
Image caption,Joe Biden shook hands with young staff members in a food shop in Dundalk
President Biden regularly speaks of his Irish heritage and had promised to visit the country during his term in office.
His maternal great-great-grandfather Owen Finnegan departed Carlingford in County Louth in the late 1840s to travel to America.
Among his great-grandparents was Edward Blewitt, who left the west coast town of Ballina in County Mayo in 1850 to emigrate to the US.
He settled in Scranton in Pennsylvania as the devastating Irish potato famine was causing widespread starvation.
Image caption,Many people braved the wind and rain for hours to get a good position to see the president in Dundalk
In his speech in Dundalk, Mr Biden said his ancestors left Ireland at about the same time as former US President Barack Obama’s great-great-great-grandfather Falmouth Kearney, who was from Moneygall in County Offaly.
“They would never have dreamed that their grandsons would have been presidents of the United States,” he said.
Mr Biden was given a tour of Carlingford Castle alongside the Tánaiste (Irish Deputy Prime Minister) Micheál Martin.
Asked about his feelings on the visit, the president replied: “It’s wonderful. It feels like I’m coming home.”
Commenting on the wet weather, he added: “It’s fine – it’s Ireland.”
Image caption,Joe Biden was well prepared for the weather when he arrived at Dublin Airport
The US president greeted a crowd of about 5,000 people as he visited Dundalk, a town a few miles from the Irish border.
Mr Biden also made a visit to a cafe where he met staff before addressing an audience at the pub.
“When you’re here you wonder why anybody would want to leave,” he told them.
In the coming days, President Biden is expected to speak to politicians at the Oireachtas (Irish parliament) and meet more relatives in Ballina.
The first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal between the current Italian champions and the league’s current leaders took place at San Siro, and the home team emerged victorious.
Near the end of the first half, Ismael Bennacer gave the home team the lead, and they kept it going going into the second leg at the Stadium Diego Armando Maradona the following week.
Napoli started Eljif Elmas in place of injured star striker Victor Osimhen, but head coach Luciano Spalletti assured fans the Nigerian would be available next week, as reported by Soccernet.
Leao smashes the corner flag
Last season’s Serie A MVP has had an on-and-off season this year and has gone most of this year
Revelations from recent findings in classified documents that were released online, the US believes that the UN Secretary General is overly accommodating to Russian interests. The records imply that Washington has been paying close attention to Antonio Guterres.
In several documents, Mr Guterres and his deputy are mentioned in private communications.
It is the most recent from a leak of top-secret papers, whose cause US officials are trying to determine.
The documents contain candid observations from Mr Guterres about the war in Ukraine and a number of African leaders.
One leaked document focuses on the Black Sea grain deal, brokered by the UN and Turkey in July following fears of a global food crisis.
It suggests that Mr Guterres was so keen to preserve the deal that he was willing to accommodate Russia’s interests.
“Guterres emphasised his efforts to improve Russia’s ability to export,” the document says, “even if that involves sanctioned Russian entities or individuals.”
His actions in February, according to the assessment, were “undermining broader efforts to hold Moscow accountable for its actions in Ukraine.”
Saying he wouldn’t comment on leaked documents, one senior official said the UN was “driven by the need to mitigate the impact of the war on the world’s poorest.”
“That means doing what we can to drive down the price of food,” he added, “and to ensure that fertiliser is accessible to those countries that need it the most.”
Russia has frequently complained that its own exports of grain and fertiliser are being adversely affected by international sanctions, and has threatened at least twice to suspend co-operation with the grain deal unless its concerns are addressed.
Russian grain and fertilizer are not subject to international sanctions, but Russia says it has experienced difficulties with securing shipping and insurance.
UN officials are clearly unhappy with America’s interpretation of Mr Guterres’ efforts. And they say that Mr Guterres has made his opposition to Russia’s war very clear.
Another document from mid-February describes a frank conversation between Mr Guterres and his deputy, Amina Mohammed.
In it, Mr Guterres expresses “dismay” at a call from the European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, for Europe to produce more weapons and ammunition as a result of the war in Ukraine.
The two also talk about a recent summit of African leaders. Amina Mohammed says that Kenya’s president, William Ruto, is “ruthless” and that she “doesn’t trust him.”
It’s well known that America is among a number of nations which routinely spy on the UN – but when the products of that espionage come to light, it’s highly embarrassing and, for the world’s leading diplomat, potentially damaging.
There were few clues as to who leaked the files until Wednesday, when the Washington Post reported it was a gun enthusiast in his 20s who worked on a military base.
It said he shared the classified information to a small group of men and boys who share a “love of guns, military gear and God” on Discord – a social media platform popular with gamers.
The BBC has been unable to verify the report, which was based on interviews with two members of the chat group.
The screenshots of the documents themselves, which have since been shared on several Discord discussion channels, have been verified by the BBC.
Discord said on Wednesday that it was co-operating with law enforcement in its investigation into the leak.
US national security spokesperson John Kirby told the BBC that the US government was scrambling to get to the bottom of the leaks.
“This was a series of dangerous leaks. We don’t know who’s responsible, we don’t know why. And we are assessing the national security implications, and right now there is also a criminal investigation,” he said on Wednesday.
“We want to get to the bottom of this, we want to find out who did this and why.”
Washington was “reaching out actively” to allies to answer questions they have about the leaks, so they know “how seriously we are taking this”, he added.
Mr Kirby said that while the authenticity of some of the documents had yet to be established, they “certainly appear to have come from various source of intelligence across the government”.
Victor Osimhen has finally said that his goal in playing professional football is to be named the African Footballer of the Year in light of his great accomplishments this season.
Osimhen is most likely to wind up with the greatest goal total in the Italian Serie A this season given the way things are going, making him the first Nigerian to do so.
This season, the Super Eagles’ strongman at Napoli has been generating news for the right reasons and has been linked to a move to the Premier League.
Clubs like Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea have been identified as the three EPL sides who have signified interest to have the Nigerian striker.
According to the latest report on Complete Sports, Osimhen is looking to dethrone Sadio Mane who is the current holder of the prestigious African award.
Osimhen’s statement about landing award
“I am not going to lie. It would be my dream to be African Footballer of the Year. I was at the ceremony in 2015, when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang won the award. As an African you dream of this prize and maybe I can win.”
The last Nigerian player who won the African Footballer of the year award was Kanu Nwankwo in 1999.
Bayern Munich want Osimhen
Earlier, Sports Brief had reported how Bayern Munich joined the race to sign Nigerian striker,Victor Osimhen and are said to be willing to pay Napoli the €100 million asking fee.
This latest piece of transfer news means the Bavarians could hijack the signature of the Super Eagles striker from the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Paris Saint-Germain.
Since the departure of Robert Lewandowski to Barcelona, Bayern have been struggling in front of goals and are yet to find a good replacement for the veteran striker.
Rudi Garcia has reportedly been sacked as manager ofAl-Nassr following his alleged problematic relationship with captain, Cristiano Ronaldo.
After less than a year in charge at the league team, according to reports making the rounds in Saudi Arabia, the French manager was dismissed.
In a separate story from AS, Ronaldo and club executives also met behind closed doors, where the Portugal captain complained about the tactics used by his management.
And now, following a 0-0 draw with Al-Feiha, club management has decided to agree with Ronaldo’s assessment, releasing Garcia from his contract.
Meanwhile, ESPN reports differently, stating the former Lyon manager will be expected to secure a victory against Al-Hilal in order to keep his job.
The opposition club are currently attempting to structure a deal of their own to bring Lionel Messi to the Middle East.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s coach, Rudi Garcia, has been given one game to save his job at Al Nassr, sources have told ESPN's @MarkOgden_. pic.twitter.com/SdcTSc07dL
Sports Brief also analysed that after Ronaldo arrived at Al-Nassr, the club seems to have fallen off for some reason – if stats are anything to go by.
Footy Stats shows that in the league games since the veteran landed in Saudi Arabia, the club has struggled to claim any significant victories.
As a result, they have lost their top spot to Al-Ittihad, who are now three points ahead and were also defeated in the Saudi Arabian Super Cup.
Al-Nassr manager criticises Ronaldo, team
Meanwhile, Sports Brief also reported on Garcia’s criticism of his team who he claimed was not doing enough after falling three points behind Al-Ittihad.
With seven games to spare, Al-Nassr need their rivals to stumble if they stand any chance of winning their first league crown since the 2018/19 season.
Elon Musk defended his management of Twitter in a rare and in-depth interview with the BBC. James Clayton, the BBC’s technology correspondent, spent close to an hour questioning the second-richest man in the world at the Twitter offices in San Francisco.
Here are six things we learned.
1. He denies hate speech on Twitter has spiked
Mr Musk refused to accept there was more hateful content on the platform since he took over.
Speaking to the BBC earlier this year, some Twitter insiders have argued that the company is no longer able to protect users from trolling, state-coordinated disinformation and child sexual exploitation, following lay-offs and changes under owner Mr Musk.
In March, Twitter said it removed 400,000 accounts in one month alone to help “make Twitter safer”.
In order to assess Mr Musk’s claims fully you’d need two things which we don’t have at present – access to Twitter’s data before and after his takeover and, crucially, a clear understanding of how he defines misinformation and hate speech.
There is no blanket definition of hate speech under American law, which is generally much more permissive than other countries because of the first amendment to the US Constitution.
2. He voted for Joe Biden
Close to half the country voted forMr Trump in the last US election, Mr Musk said, but he added: “I wasn’t one of them. I voted for Biden.”
In another part of the interview, he defended ending a Twitter ban on Mr Trump who had been removed in 2021 when the platform accused him of inciting violence.
3. He says Twitter is beating the bots in war on disinfo
Mr Musk claimed his efforts to delete bots – automated accounts – had decreased misinformation on Twitter after his takeover.
“My experience is there is less misinformation rather than more,” he told our reporter.
Some outside experts disagree. A study from Newsguard which tracks online misinformation – and there are quite a few other studies along the same lines – found that engagement with popular, misinformation-spreading accounts spiked after Mr Musk’s takeover.
In the week following his acquisition of Twitter, the most popular, untrustworthy accounts enjoyed an almost 60% increase in engagement in the form of likes and retweets, according to the survey.
The BBC has also independently analysed more than 1,000 previously-banned accounts that had been let back on Twitter after Mr Musk’s takeover, and found that since being reinstated, over a third of them had spread abuse or misinformation.
This included false anti-vax claims, misogyny and anti-LGBT rhetoric, and the denial of the 2020 US election result.
4. He’s against banning TikTok
Mr Musk says he doesn’t use the most downloaded app in the US but he is against any moves to close it down.
The US is considering a ban due to security concerns over TikTok’s Chinese ownership. Some other countries have banned it from the phones of government employees.
“I’m generally against banning things,” said Mr Musk, although he says a ban would benefit Twitter because it may mean more people spending time on his platform.
5. He would turn down $44bn for Twitter
Mr Musk initially claimed in the interview that if someoneoffered to buy Twitter right now for what he paid for it, he’d refuse.
If he did sell, he said it would be more important to find a buyer who cherishes the “truth” rather than how much they’d pay because, as he says: “I don’t care about the money.”
But is that true? Remember, he desperately tried to back out of the deal.
Mr Musk said Twitter had just months left to live when he took over and was being run like a non-profit.
Twitter’s costs were outstripping the amount of revenue it was generating. In its last full-year results published before Mr Musk took over, total sales hit $5bn in 2021 but costs and expenses reached $5.5bn. In fact, it has only had two profitable years since 2012.
He reckons Twitter is now close to breaking even. No wonder – sacking 6,500 workers does tend to lighten one’s costs.
But he has also been proactive in finding ways to boost sales through things such as changing Twitter users for “blue tick” verification.
So yes, Twitter might be nearing breaking even now because of drastic cost-cutting. But the question is whether it can sustain that path to profitability and make the company worth that $44bn price tag.
6. He will back down on how BBC is labelled
Mr Musk confirmed he would change the BBC Twitter label from “government funded” to “publicly funded” after last week’s row.
The BBC had objected to the original description, stressing the corporation’s independence. It is mainly funded by the British public through a TV licence fee.
In Wednesday’s interview, Mr Musk said: “If we use the same words as the BBC uses to describe itself, that presumably would be OK.”
The licence fee made up about 71% of the BBC’s total income of £5.3bn in 2022 – with the rest coming from its commercial and other activities like grants, royalties and rental income.
The BBC also receives more than £90m per year from the government to support the BBC World Service, which predominantly serves non-UK audiences.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned a disturbing video that appears to show a Russian soldier beheading a Ukrainian hostage.
In the film, a man wearing the yellow wristband normally worn by Ukrainian military appears to be wearing green fatigues.
Before another man appears to wield a knife to cut off his head, he can be heard screaming.
The footage, which appears to have been recorded by one of the presumed Russian soldiers, cannot be independently verified by Sky News as legitimate.
“There is something that no one in the world can ignore: how easily these beasts kill,” the Ukrainian president said, his face sombre.
“There will be legal responsibility for everything. The defeat of terror is necessary,” he added in a video message.
The Kremlin described the video as “awful” but said its authenticity needed to be checked.
Moscow has denied in the past that its troops carry out atrocities during the conflict.
Ukrainian foreign minister Dmitro Kuleba said on Twitter: “A horrific video of Russian troops decapitating a Ukrainian prisoner of war is circulating online.
“It’s absurd that Russia,which is worse than ISIS, is presiding over the UNSC,” he said, referring to the UN Security Council, where Russia took up the rotating presidency this month.
He added: “Russian terrorists must be kicked out of Ukraine and the UN and be held accountable for their crimes.”
Ukraine’s foreign ministry called on the International Criminal Court to “immediately investigate yet another atrocity of the Russian military”.
The UN says it is “appalled” by the footage.
“Regrettably this is not an isolated incident,” the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine said in a statement.
It said it recently found “a number of serious violations of international humanitarian law”, including against prisoners of war.
“These latest violations must also be properly investigated and the perpetrators must be held accountable,” it said.
Ukraine’s ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said today that he will call on the UN Human Rights Committee to investigate the video apparently showing the Ukrainian prisoner of war’s execution.
Due to the delay in paying its members’ professional and skills development allowance, the Teachers and Education Workers Union (TEWU) has given notice that it would stop providing its services.
The Union claims that it has waited in vain for the concerned parties to address the issue, together with its members in the Ghana Education Service (GES).
A statement issued by the Union signed by its Secretary, Mark Dankyira Korankye, noted: “We have come to the conclusion that although processes leading to the payment of the allowance have been concluded, our Employer and the Government side are deliberately frustrating the union’s effort in getting this legitimate for our members.”
It noted that leadership of the Union can no more hold the pressure mounting on them by members.
It, therefore, served notice that if no pragmatic steps are put in place towards payment of the allowances, it will withdraw its services.
“If by 15 April 2023, we do not hear of pragmatic and positive measures put in place to ensure payment of the allowances, we will have no option than to resume our strike action which was suspended on 5 January 2023, in good faith and full of trust which has been broken on the side of government,” the statement added.
TEWU, whose members include bursars, cooks, cleaners, administrators, accountants, auditors, among others, called off its nationwide strike last year after a meeting with stakeholders to discuss their grievances.
A committee was set up to deliberate on their grievances after it had called off the strike.
On Wednesday, 13 January 2021, TEWU went on a similar strike over the government’s failure to finalise their conditions of service.
Lionel Messi’s potential return to Barcelona has been welcomed by Ronald Koeman, who also thinks the Argentina great is still the best player in the world.
Before Messi made an emotional departure on a free transfer to French powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain, the former Barcelona manager was in charge during Messi’s final season with the Catalan club.
Barca sacked the Dutchman in October 2021 after a poor run of form with the 60-year-old now returning to manage the Netherlands national team following the retirement of Louis van Gaal after the World Cup in Qatar.
Koeman himself will not be returning to Barcelona any time soon, but he still holds out hopes that Messi will make a romantic return to the club, amid speculation such a move is in the works.
“Messi is the best player in the world and when he left it was difficult,” he said at the Koeman Cup, a charity golf and paddle event.
“The team that has him is going to be stronger. His departure from Barca was a very bad day.
“If I see Leo with another shirt it hurts me. It’s his home, where he needs to be. It was not good that the board did not give him the possibility to stay, but I am in favour of Messi being a Barca player.”
Since his sacking, Koeman’s successor Xavi has led Barcelona on an inspired league run this season with the side 13 points clear at the top of LaLiga with just 10 games remaining.
“With Xavi they have improved and will surely win the league,” Koeman said of the head coach.
“It’s a much-improved squad. A coach is good or bad depending on his players. For me, we have to celebrate this league in a big way because we are talking about several previous seasons that Barca has not won anything.
“Barca are there for their own quality and for their defence. It should be noted that they have only conceded nine goals. It is deserved and if the others have not been at this level, it is their problem.”
Along with the couple’s two kids, the Duchess of Sussex will stay in the United States.
Their son Archie’s fourth birthday and the coronation both fall on the same day.
According to a statement fromBuckingham Palace,Prince Harry will attend the coronation of the King while Meghan will stay in California with their kids.
In a statement, it said: “Buckingham Palace is pleased to confirm that The Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on 6th May.
“The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.”
Harry, who revealed his troubled relationship with the royal family in his controversial Netflix documentary and autobiography Spare, will be there to witness Charles and his stepmother the Queen Consort be crowned in Westminster Abbey on 6 May.
The news ends months of speculation about whether the couple would show up to the King’s big day, but will undoubtedly see Meghan accused of snubbing the monarch and the royal family.
Image:The King and Queen Consort Pic: Hugo Burnand
The date of the coronation is also Archie’s fourth birthday.
In Harry’s controversial ghost-written memoir, he admitted to regular drug-taking and laid bare his frustrations with his family.
He claimed his brother William, now the Prince of Wales, had knocked him to the floor after calling the Duchess of Sussex “difficult”, “rude” and “abrasive”.
The duke claimed his father, now the King, put his own interests above Harry’s and was jealous of Meghan and Kate, and that the Queen Consort sacrificed him on “her personal PR altar”.
Archewell, Harry and Meghan’s charitable foundation, issued a near identical statement to Buckingham Palace confirming the duke will join guests at the coronation.
A spokesperson said: “The Duke of Sussex will attend the coronation service at Westminster Abbey on May 6th. The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.”
Joe Biden, the vice president of theUnited States, has just landed on Air Force One in Dublin in preparation for more engagements in the Republic of Ireland.
They will make their way to County Louth – where some of his ancestors hail from.
Due to the terrible weather, he will now travel by motorcade to Co Louth instead of by helicopter.
The White House says Biden will tour also Carlingford Castle
The president is also set for a full day of engagements in Dublin on Thursday.
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