Sergio Busquets said that Barcelona is “angry” about losing to Manchester United in the Europa League semifinals, but he insisted that it won’t affect their performance at home.
After giving up a one-goal lead to the Premier League team at Old Trafford and losing 2-1, Xavi’s team’s European exploits for the year came to an end.
The Blaugrana’s European campaign comes to a disappointing end as Erik ten Hag’s team wins 4-3 on aggregate after the two legs.
Although Busquets touched on the sting of defeat, he was adamant that Barca would be fine. Barca remains at the top of La Liga and is still vying for the Copa del Rey.
“In terms of spirit, it does take its toll,” he told Movistar+. “We are angry, but the team is aware of where that comes from.”
“We are good in the league, but in Europe, we lack that little point. We must aspire to win everything. We are on the right path, and I’m sure [this] won’t take its toll on the team.”
Defeat in the Europa League marked a second exit from a continental competition this season, with Barca having dropped into the second-tier competition from the Champions League.
In a group that also included Bayern Munich and Inter, they only managed a pair of wins over Viktoria Plzen, but Busquets shut down suggestions this latest result represents a similar failure.
“They have been different eliminations,” he added. “In the Champions League, a lot of things happened that were incredible. We weren’t good in some games.
Kim Min-jae of Napoli has gained prominence quickly, andManchester United is reportedly looking into a possible transfer for the end of the season.
Kim, 26, played until he was 24 years old in China and Korea before being noticed by Fenerbahce, who paid €3 million to acquire him.
He spent one season in Turkey before being signed by Napoli for €18 million. He was a key component of their best season in the twenty-first century. He has participated in 22 of defending champions Napoli’s 23 Serie A games this season, starting every one of them.
The strong-built defender has established himself as one of the league’s top players, but unfortunately for Napoli, his contract has a surprisingly reasonable release clause.
According to Calciomercato, United have been targeting Kim for months and have been in contact with his agents to gauge his interest in a potential Premier League move.
Kim reportedly has a £44m (€50m) release clause in his contract, but Napoli officials are desperate to award him a new contract to at least raise that figure to their valuation of £61m (€70m).
Football London is reporting Arsenal have made 24-year-old West Ham midfielder Declan Rice their top target after acknowledging they will not be in the running for Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham.
According to the Evening Standard, Arsenalwill have to battle Juventus, Borussia Dortmund, and Newcastle United to secure 18-year-old Real Valladolid full-back Ivan Fresnedain the next transfer window, with his £26.5 million (€30 million) release clause drawing plenty of interest.
Chelsea will allow midfielder Mason Mountto leave before the beginning of next season if he does not agree to a new contract, per The Athletic.
Sport Witness is reporting Everton had a £22 million (€25 million) offer for 25-year-old Udinese forwardBetorejected late in the January window, and it is believed they could return with an improved bid.
According to Football Insider, Tottenham are viewed as the favourites to land 26-year-oldLeicester City midfielder James Maddison, who will be allowed to leave the club if he does not sign an extension.
Bruno Fernandes put Manchester United’s 2-1 comeback win over Barcelona down to a “bouncing” Old Trafford on Thursday.
Due to the Portuguese midfielder’s tug on Alejandro Balde, the hosts fell behind in the first half. Robert Lewandowski converted the penalty for Barcelona.
But after the break, United turned things around to win 4-3 on the whole and advance to the round of 16, thanks to goals from Fred and Antony.
A boisterous Old Trafford supported Erik ten Hag’s team the entire time, and Fernandes was quick to acknowledge the support afterward.
“The belief in the team is always there,” he told BT Sport. “The belief from the fans, for us, is amazing. They [have] pushed us through difficult moments this season.
“They’ve been with us in the toughest moments. This season, we have been good, really good. This is something different, between them and us.
“We have something special, because they can see we are doing all we can to win games for them.Old Trafford was bouncing, and that’s why we got the result.”
For United, there is limited time to dwell on such a momentous result — their first win over Barcelona since April 2008 — as they turn focus towards Sunday’s EFL Cup final against Newcastle United.
With a chance to end the club’s six-year silverware drought this weekend, fellow midfielder Fred acknowledges they must refocus quickly to stay on track.
“[It was a] good game today,” he added. “[But] we need to keep going. We have a final on Sunday. We need to change our mind [ahead] of the final.”
Before their inspired comeback againstBarcelona at Old Trafford,Erik ten Hag urged Manchester United to exude more confidence and bravery.
In a thrilling comeback, the Red Devils defeated the undisputed LaLiga leaders 4-3 overall to advance to the round of 16 of the competition.
United struggled in the first half, trailing 1-0 thanks to a Robert Lewandowski penalty and managing just two shots on goal. If Casemiro hadn’t stopped Sergi Roberto and Franck Kessie just before halftime, United might have been down 2-0 for the game.
Ten Hag made a substitution at the break for a second successive match, having also done so against Leicester City on Sunday, introducing Antony in favour of Wout Weghorst.
It proved an inspired move, as the hosts appeared invigorated upon the contest’s resumption. Fred levelled the tie before Antony struck out the winner 17 minutes from time.
“I emphasised the belief. It was too flat [in the] first half,” Ten Hag told reporters his post-match press conference. “We had our spare man Casemiro [who] we didn’t use enough. Aaron Wan-Bissaka had a lot of space on the right side, we didn’t use [him] enough.
“I think in the pressing, we could be more brave. So, that is what we emphasised. The second was to make the sub with Antony, who brought more speed in the play and who brings belief on the pitch.
“In the squad, you need different types and profiles and when your time is there, you have to be ready and contribute with the team. You can’t win trophies with 11 [players], especially not nowadays. You need that squad and rotation.
“This is another step because when you can beat Barcelona – one of the best teams in this moment in Europe – your belief can be really strong, because then I think you are able to beat anyone.
“It was a magnificent night. I think it is brilliant when you can beat Barcelona – eight points ahead of Real Madrid in LaLiga – and we have seen this week Real Madrid playing [in their 5-2 win [over Liverpool]. We did a magnificent performance.”
As he announced his retirement from international football, World Cup winner Sergio Ramos fired a parting shot at Luis de la Fuente, the manager of Spain.
Ramos, 36, earned a record 180 caps for his nation, helping La Roja win the European Championship in 2008 and 2012 in addition to the 2010 World Cup victory.
But the Paris Saint-Germain defender has decided to call it quits after going without a match since March 2021, capping a glittering international career.
“The time has come to say goodbye to the national team,” he wrote in a post on Instagram.
“This morning I received the call from the current coach who told me that he doesn’t count and that he won’t count on me, regardless of the level I can show or how I continue my sporting career.
“With great regret, it is the end of a journey that I had hoped would be longer and that would end with a better taste in the mouth at the height of all the successes we have achieved.”
“Humbly, I think that career deserved to end because of a personal decision or because my performance was not up to what our national team deserves, but not because of age or other reasons that, without having heard them, I have felt.”
Luis de la Fuente replaced Luis Enrique as Spain manager last December
Ramos continued: “Being young or less young is not a virtue or a defect, it is only a temporary trait that is not necessarily related to performance or ability.
“I look with admiration and envy at [Luka] Modric, [Lionel] Messi, Pepe.
“Unfortunately, it won’t be like that for me, because football is not always fair and football is never just football.
“Through it all, I take it with this sadness that I want to share with you, but also with my head very high and very grateful for all these years and for all your support.
“I take back indelible memories, all the titles we have fought and celebrated all together and the tremendous pride.
“All of you have made me happy. I will continue to cheer on my country from home with the thrill of the privileged who has been able to proudly represent it 180 times.
National Democratic Congress members visited the family home of Christian Atsu, the late Black Stars winger.
For the family’s one-week preparation for the observation, the NDC gave them 30 cartons of water and GHC 2000 during their visit.
Osman Ayariga, Ruth Dela Sedoh, Amos Blessing Amorse, Gideon Hammond,Mohammed Judah, Nath Tetteh, and a large number of other members of the delegation were led by the party’s National Youth Organiser, George Oppare Addo.
After expressing their condolences in the book set up in Christian Atsu’s honour, NDC representatives promised to assist the family in making funeral arrangements.
The NDC officials, after signing the book of condolence, opened it for Christian Atsu pledged to support the family in planning the funeral.
Christian Atsu was found dead on the morning of Saturday, February 18, 2022, at the site of his collapsed apartment more than a week after a devastating earthquake hit parts of Turkey and Syria.
Christian Atsu played in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil and four other African Cup of Nations tournaments.
In all, Christian Atsu made 65 appearances and scored 10 goals for the Black Stars from 2012-2019.
Meanwhile,Christian Atsu’s one-week observation has been scheduled for Saturday, March 4, 2023, in Accra.
Last summer, Frenkie de Jong turned downManchester United in favour of competing for a spot at Barcelona, and so far, that move is looking wise.
The classy Dutchman has since become a focal point of Xavi’s midfield for the LaLiga leaders, despite the fact that United manager Erik ten Hag was eager to reunite with his former Ajax charge at Old Trafford.
We highlight the Blaugrana playmaker’s impressive season as he gets ready to take on the Red Devils in the second leg of their Europa League knockout round play-off.
Summer saga
United’s pursuit of De Jong was one of the sagas of last summer, with Ten Hag identifying the 25-year-old as the ideal addition to implement a transformation of the Red Devils’ fortunes.
The midfielder was at the heart of Ajax’s sensational run to the Champions League semi-finals in 2019 under the 53-year-old, and a reunion seemed to be a smart move on both sides.
De Jong had been in and out of Xavi’s starting XI last term, and the LaLiga giants’ financial plight meant they were willing to part with the player they handed a five-year contract to in 2019.
But rather than succumbing to pressure to make the move, the talented creator stood firm and insisted he was happy in Catalonia.
Focal point
United eventually turned their attentions elsewhere by signing Christian Eriksen and Casemiro, moves that have both proved successful, but it is unlikely De Jong has been watching on with any sort of envy.
The Blaugrana have raced eight points clear at the top of LaLiga and the Oranje ace has been a regular presence, starting 16 of their 22 league games and missing out only once through injury.
Finding a natural heir to legendary midfield pivot Sergio Busquets has been an issue to solve for some time at the Camp Nou and De Jong has been a surprise revelation in that role.
Switching between that deeper position and a more advanced one, he has expertly dictated proceedings in the engine room and allowed burgeoning youngsters Pedri and Gavi to flourish.
No Barca player has completed more passes than the technically-gifted Dutchman in LaLiga this term, with only three beating his total of 1,076 in the division overall.
Suitable system
De Jong has also thrived alongside Busquets of late, with Xavi’s deployment of four midfielders, including shifting Gavi across to the right, proving effective in overloading the opposition.
A similar system was used in the first leg against United, with De Jong selected alongside Franck Kessie, and Xavi believes the tactics are getting the best out of his No21 in particular.
Xavi, 43, said: “We feel comfortable in any system. We’ve also played great games with two wingers.
“Actually, we never change much. Maybe with Frenkie and Busquets together, with four midfielders, we lose fewer balls.
“We have found the perfect position for Frenkie. I see he is happy.”
That certainly looked to be the case, particularly in the first half, against the Red Devils last week.
De Jong completed 40 passes, took 50 touches, and won possession more times in the middle third (five) than anyone else on the field.
Shatta Wale, a Ghanaian dancehall musician, has explained why, despite their friendship, he has yet to record a song in Christian Atsu’s honour. Atsu was a winger for the Black Stars.
Shatta Wale claims that his ability to write and create a song to honour Christian Atsu’s memory was hampered by the loss of the musician.
He admitted that despite their friendship not being as close as it was with Asamoah Gyan, he was always proud of Christian Atsu’s perseverance in achieving success in life.
“I have heard people ask why I haven’t done a song for Christian Atsu as I have done in the past. I know I have done songs to honour some personalities in the past, including the late Major Mahama.”
“I haven’t been able to do it for Atsu because his death has hit me so hard and it has affected my ability to write a song for him,” Shatta Wale said.
He also criticised the media for waiting for Christian Atsu to die before publicising his good deeds and the charity work he was doing while he was alive.
“God will punish you media people for waiting for him to die before making Ghanaians aware of the good deeds that he was doing. All the charity work he did, you couldn’t talk about it but now you are doing it because he is dead,” Shatta Wale ended.
Background
Christian Atsu was found dead on the morning of Saturday, February 18, 2022, at the site of his collapsed apartment twelve days after a devastating earthquake hit parts of Turkey and Syria.
The one-week observation of Christian Atsu has been scheduled for Saturday, March 4, 2023, in Accra.
Christian Atsu played in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil and four other African Cup of Nations tournaments.
In an effort to put an end to rumours of a transfer to aPremier League rival, Englandgoalkeeper Jordan Pickford has agreed to a new contract with Everton.
The 28-year-old, whose current contract was set to expire in the summer, had been linked to a move to Tottenham among other clubs.
Although the contract has not yet been signed, the England goalkeeper has now decided to remain at Goodison Park despite their precarious position near the bottom of the table.
Pickford, a 2017 £30 million acquisition from Sunderland, has played in 222 games for the Toffees, and manager Sean Dyche thinks he can get better.
Dyche, 51, said: “He’s a very, very good player, a good servant to this football club so far and he’s going to continue to be that for sure.
“I think it’s a sign that he’s enjoying our new regime and that he’s accepting of what we’re looking to offer. He’s been a fantastic player, so we want that to continue.
Guardiola ‘sad and disappointed’ as Man City drop points in title race
“Any way we can rub off on him and help him continue his development will be great if he feels there is stuff, and I think there is.”
Dyche, who has taken six points from nine since replacing Frank Lampard at the end of January, said the club were continuing to look at the contract situations of several players.
The likes of Alex Iwobi and Conor Coady are thought to be next in line for new deals.
He said: “I’m three weeks in. It feels like 17 months, but I’m still new to it.
“We’re assessing every situation. Some have been ongoing like Jordan’s but I’ve been put in line with that and asked my opinion quite obviously.
“But we’re looking at all situations because we’ve got to make sure all the good players we want to be here are still here.”
Dyche has won both of his home games in charge so far — either side of defeat in the Merseyside derby at Liverpool — and will look to make it three in a row when Aston Villa visit on Saturday.
The Toffees sit 16th in the table, ahead of Unai Emery’s men,a point from safety.
President Volodymyr Zelensky reportedly discussed his country’s peace initiatives at the UN, according to a tweet.
He claimed that they also talked about the potential for expanding their mutual relations.
Zelensky stated that he anticipated close collaboration, particularly in enhancing food security.
It happened as the 193-member UN General Assembly was debating a motion supported by Ukraine that called for a vote on a resolution to bring about peace in that country.
The assembly has voted on three resolutions opposing the Russian invasion in the past year, receiving between 140 and 143 votes in favour.
The latest vote comes just ahead of the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Manager of Manchester City, Pep Guardiola, offered a novel solution to RB Leipzig’s struggles to score more after watching his team hold them to a second consecutive 1-1 draw, this time in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 match.
“Maybe in the second leg I will be crazy and play with nine strikers,” he joked.
Even though Guardiola seemed upbeat following the match in Germany, and a draw on the road in a European knockout match is certainly not a result to be sniffed at, he will likely still be frustrated that his team has not converted their recent dominance into more goals.
The same thing happened at RB Leipzig as it did at the weekend, costing them two points in the Premier League title race after Manchester City’s first-half goal was cancelled out by Nottingham Forest’s equaliser.
Riyad Mahrez’s goal was the only result of City’s complete dominance in the first half.
“You expect us to come here and win 0-5? That is not a reality,” Guardiola told BT Sport after the game.
“This is a competition where, in the group stage, many important teams are out. It is difficult. We are a good team, and we do many, many good things. We continued to do this.
“People expect us to come here and win 4-0; I am sorry we are not able to do this.”
A quiet night for Haaland
City’s hopes of scoring more than one goal were not helped by a quiet display from Erling Haaland.
The striker, who missed a number of chances at Forest, had just seven touches of the ball in the first half and none of those were in the opposition penalty box.
Haaland, usually so deadly with the few chances he gets, had a real opportunity to add a second for City after the break but dragged his shot well wide.
The Norway international has five goals in five Champions League games for Guardiola’s side this season and has 32 overall, so of course the odd quiet game is allowed, but this was a particularly anonymous one.
By the end he had had 20 touches of the ball and just one shot on goal.
Mahrez, who scored his 20th goal in the Champions League, defended the work of his team-mate.
“He is a fast, powerful attacker and we know his qualities,” he said.
“It’s not up to him to win, to go get the ball. He’s not there to have 70 touches every game.”
Former Arsenal defender Matthew Upson, who was watching the game for BBC Radio 5 Live, said: “You can’t say he doesn’t do his job when you look at the numbers. I know he didn’t score tonight, but that’s his role; that’s how they play.
“His manager seems happy with it and he seems happy that he’s scoring loads of goals and going to be breaking records in terms of that.”
‘Trust the process’ as Guardiola opts not to turn to his bench
As the game wore on and a winner for City – who were unfortunate not to have been awarded a late penalty for handball – looked increasingly unlikely, it seemed unusual that Guardiola did not turn to his bench.
With a number of attacking options available to him including Phil Foden and Julian Alvarez, Guardiola had players who could make a difference, but he didn’t see the need to mix things up.
“I saw the team was good, especially in the middle,” he added. “In the end I decided to continue with what I had.”
Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand said on BT Sport: “You want to get on the pitch and play football, especially when you think you are the person who can affect this game, unlock this team.
“But at the same time you have to respect Pep. All of the players, especially in the attacking areas of the pitch, have these moments – so you have to be patient, trust the process.”
‘We will adjust some things to try and go through’
Pep Guardiola debriefed his players on the pitch at full time
Given City’s formidable record on home soil — they have won 17 of 19 games at the Etihad Stadium this season — they will rightly feel confident of getting the job done in the return leg on Tuesday, March 14.
At full-time on Wednesday, Guardiola gathered his players in a huddle to remind them they had plenty to be positive about.
“I said ‘why you have your heads down? Heads up, it was good’,” Guardiola said of that moment.
“Hopefully, in three weeks, we will arrive in good condition. We can do better. We have to adjust some things and find a way to go through.”
The struggling South African government has announced that it will assume nearly two-thirds of the $23 billion (£19 billion) total debt of the state power company.
This occurs at a time when malfunctions at Eskom’s power plants have caused unheard-of power outages that are harming the nation’s economy.
The national treasury’s decision should release funds for distribution, transmission, and maintenance.
This month,President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a state of disaster due to the energy crisis, enabling the government to take immediate action.
Eskom has been plagued by corruption and mismanagement. It has received more than $14 billion worth of bailouts since 2008.
The latest move by the government comes as the outgoing Eskom chief executive, who was due to exit the company next month, leaves with immediate effect.
The firm’s board resolved on Wednesday that Andre de Ruyter would not be required to serve the balance of his notice period.
In an interview with a local TV station on Monday, Mr De Ruyter questioned the government’s ability to deal with the corruption at the utility firm.
A Nigerian senatorial candidate was on Wednesday shot dead and his body burned by attackers while on his way from a campaign rally in the southern state of Enugu.
Three days prior to Saturday’s general elections, which are being hailed as the most competitive in 24 years, Labour Party member Oyibo Chukwu passed away.
Local media reports that his aides were also shot dead before their car was set on fire with their bodies inside.
“Our party members are being targeted for assassination by political parties that feel threatened by the rise of the Labour Party in the state and are afraid they may lose Saturday’s election,” said Chijioke Edeoga, a candidate for the governor’s seat in the state.
The Labour Party has not commented on the attack, but its presidential candidate,Peter Obi, has been urging supporters to vote “correctly, peacefully, and hopefully.”
Vice president of Equatorial Guinea,Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, has rejected a European Parliament resolution that blames Equatorial Guinean authorities for the death of opposition leader Julio Obama Mefuman.
“The government of Equatorial Guinea vehemently rejects and dismisses the unfounded accusations made by the European Parliament regarding the alleged human rights violations in our country, through its unfortunate resolution,” said Obiang Mangue, in a post on his Twitter account.
In a series of posts, Obiang Mangue, who is also the son of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, accused the European Parliament of resorting to a “colonial and paternalistic discourse” and of disparaging Equatoguinean institutions and its representatives.
Mr Mefuman, a Spanish national and member of the opposition Movement for the Liberation of the Third Republic of Equatorial Guinea (MLGE3R), was accused by the authorities of plotting to overthrow the government.
According to the MLGE3R, Mr Mefuman and three other dissidents were lured to South Sudan under false pretences and then forcibly flown to Equatorial Guinea where they were tortured over an alleged coup plot.
On 16 January, Equatorial Guinea’s Foreign Minister, Simeon Oyono, stated that Mr Mefuman had died in a hospital in the eastern town of Mongomo in Wele-Nzas province, as a result of an illness he had been suffering from.
Football Insider claims that Kylian Mbappe’s situation is being watched by Manchester United, Liverpool, and Chelsea.
The 24-year-old is allegedly dissatisfied at Paris Saint-Germain, and the Premier League trio is said to be aware that any potential deal will be difficult to execute.
The difficulties the triumvirate faces in trying to sign the forward this summer are highlighted by the French superstar’s contract with PSG, which runs through 2025, and his reported salary of more than £1.2 million per week.
The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner’s current deal at PSG expires in June, and he has not yet agreed to a new one. Inter Miami has been mentioned as a potential next stop for the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, who has also been linked with a return to Barcelona, even though talks over a new contract are believed to be ongoing.
Inter Miami manager Neville weighed in on what could the move mean for his club in an interview with The Athletic, stating: “I think it goes bigger than Inter Miami. I think it’s in MLS. It’s big for the MLS. I think this would be probably the biggest signing ever in American sports.”
Pressed on whether Inter Miami would be prepared for the media circus that follows Messi, Neville added: “The trees might have to be bigger (around the training ground.) The security might have to be tighter. The walk that the players have today over to that stadium; that might have to be different. The travel might be different. The hotels we stay in might have to be different. But really, that might be what we’re aspiring to be like anyways. It’s exciting, but I think it’d be a massive challenge.”
Messi is gradually getting back to his best at club level after guiding Argentina to their third global crown in Qatar. In his last outing with PSG against Lille, he scored a stunning free-kick in the 95th minute to maintain their five-point lead at the top of Ligue 1. However, Barca are said to be eager to bring Messi back to Camp Nou, and he is also being linked with a move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal on a mammoth $300 million (£247.4m) annual salary.
Josko Gvardiol, a sought-after player across Europe, increased his profile on Wednesday by scoring the equaliser in RB Leipzig’s 1-1 draw with Manchester City.
The 21-year-old centre back is under contract with Leipzig until 2027, but his contract reportedly includes a €110 million exit clause.
Following Wednesday’s game, Leipzig head coach Marco Rose was adamant that Gvardiol would play for the team again the following year.
Fabrizio Romano claims that Liverpool will try to improve their defensive options by bringing in Gvardiol.
The Croatian international has been targetted byChelsea, and he only enhanced his reputation during the 2022 World Cup. He has also been linked with City and Real Madrid.
Gvardiol has previously indicated he would love to join the Reds, potentially offering Jurgen Klopp’s side an edge in the race to sign him.
ROUND-UP
– Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United are all keeping tabs on Kylian Mbappe’s situation at Paris Saint-Germain, claims Football Insider. Speculation continues to swirl that Mbappe, who is contracted through the end of the 2024–25 season, is unhappy at PSG.
–Chelsea are interested in a move for Dinamo Moscow’s 19-year-old midfielder Arsen Zakharyan, according to CaughtOffside.
– According to Fichajes, Juventus is considering a move for Real Betis forward Borja Iglesias, amid concerns that Dusan Vlahovic may leave at the end of the season.
– Napoliwill challenge PSG in the race to sign Eintracht Frankfurt forward Randal Kolo Muani, according to CalcioMercato.
–Manchester Unitedare plotting a double swoop for Leicester City midfield duo James Maddison and Youri Tielemans, according to Football Transfers.
The 2023 African Games have been moved to 2024, according to the Local Organising Committee (LOC), which made the announcement at a press conference on Tuesday in Accra.
The rescheduled event’s dates were not specified by the committee. Initially, the games were slated to run from Friday, August 4, 2023, to Saturday, August 19, 2023.
Due to disagreements with the African Union over the marketing rights of the games, African sporting federations had threatened the games.
But after a new protocol agreement was signed last week in Addis Abeba on the sidelines of the AU Heads of State Summit, these problems were resolved.
Ghana has had difficulty getting the event’s necessary hosting facilities ready.
Construction works at the Borteyman Sports Complex, earmarked to host the swimming, boxing, and indoor sporting events, are notoriously behind schedule, while organizers also face a race against time to complete the University of Ghana Stadium.
Work on the games village has also faced complications from the University of Ghana academic calendar, with the continuous presence of students at the Diaspora Halls making it difficult for refurbishment works to progress at the required pace.
Paapa Kwesi Esson Arbuah, the CEO of Sekondi Hasaacas, has offered his perspective on how Ghanaian football can advance.
According to him, club administrators will play a significant part in the development of football in the nation.
He advised club administrators not to solicit donations from GFA presidential candidates prior to an election in a statement to Spemso FM.
“If clubs administrators want football to progress, they should not collect money from aspirants prior to an election,” Paapa Kwesi Esson Arbuah.
Ghana football has been on a drastic decline in the last few years.
While the Ghanaian top-flight league, the Ghana Premier League is not ranked among the best on the continent, there is a lack of recognition when it comes to global ranking.
Oftentimes, corruption has been tagged on the football administration with the FA administration in place at the moment often lambasted for the alleged running of the sport in the country.
Pep Guardiola hits back at speculation thatManchester City would easily defeat RB Leipzig following a discouraging 1-1 draw in their Champions League last-16 match.
Wednesday at the Red Bull Arena, Riyad Mahrez gave City a 27th-minute lead after City had completely dominated the first half of the first leg in Germany.
Guardiola’s visitors had the upper hand, but Leipzig rallied after the break, and Josko Gvardiol secured a point for Leipzig ahead of the rematch on March 14 at Etihad Stadium.
Guardiola refuted Marco Rose’s claim that a convincing victory at Leipzig was always likely despite the fact that his team is currently fifth in the Bundesliga and had failed to score in three previous Champions League quarterfinal matches.
The City manager told BT Sport: “People expect we are going to win 5-0, that’s not a reality. It is past the group stage in a very competitive competition and many important teams around.
“It is difficult, we knew this, our fourth game in 10 days, the away games, the travels and the people expect [wins]…
“I know we are a good team, and we continue to do good things. But people expect we come here and win 4 or 5-0, we are not able to do this.”
The opening 45 minutes were in stark contrast for what was to follow, with City boasting 74 per cent possession and only conceding one shot on target in the first half – a timid Timo Werner effort at Ederson.
Guardiola’s side managed just a 49.2 percent share of the ball in the second half, facing six shots, as substitute Benjamin Henrichs spurned a pair of glorious opportunities.
RB Leipzig 1-1 Man City: Man City looked comfortable at half-time, but a poor second half means that this #UCL tie is level heading into the second leg at the Etihad Stadium next month. pic.twitter.com/QyINoab9tr
Former Bayern Munich and Barcelona boss Guardiola insisted he was “happy” with the entire performance, however.
“They make a step forward, they pressed everyone high up, more problems in the build-up,” he said when asked about the second half.
“After the goal we conceded, we came back – we made a good last 15, 20 minutes. We had good chances, both sides in both halves, and now we go back to Manchester to decide it.”
Pressed on the drop in performance levels, a somewhat irked Guardiola added: “I’m happy for the whole game, not just the first half. What do you expect? We play a friendly game here?”
Despite Leipzig growing in confidence as the final whistle drew closer, Guardiola opted to make no substitutions throughout.
George Oppong Weah, the president of Liberia, has made a $10,000 donation to the family of the lateChristian Atsu, a former winger for Newcastle United and Chelsea.
Former Black Stars player Kwame Ayew made the donation on behalf of George Weah, the only African footballer to have won the Ballon d’Or award.
On February 22, 2023, Kwame Ayew made a donation on behalf of George Weah while accompanying some members of the Ghanaian Liberian Community to the home of Christian Atsu.
Christian Atsu’s body, which was found in the ruins after an earthquake in Turkey on February 6, arrived in Ghana in the wee hours of Sunday.
The 31-year-old got trapped in his destroyed apartment for over a week before he was found dead.
The family is yet to announce plans for the burial and funeral of the winger, who was crowned best player at the 2015 AFCON.
Gvardiol, a rumoured Chelsea target, helped Leipzig hold Manchester City to a 1-1 draw in their Champions League round of 16 match on Wednesday at Red Bull Arena.
After performing admirably at the World Cup alongside former Red Dejan Lovren, the Croatian defender also previously mentioned Liverpool as his “dream” destination.
But Rose insisted the 21-year-old will remain with Leipzig, despite a credible performance in a potential Premier League audition against Pep Guardiola’s side.
“Josko Gvardiol will be an RB Leipzig player next season as well,” he told TV 2 Sport after Leipzig’s first-leg clash with City.
“I am the coach, and I am asking for that. He is happy here. He said he wants to play in the Premier League, but he didn’t say when.
RB Leipzig 1-1 Man City: Man City looked comfortable at half-time, but a poor second half means that this #UCL tie is level heading into the second leg at the Etihad Stadium next month. pic.twitter.com/QyINoab9tr
Rose joked Gvardiol “should play basketball” after his towering headed equaliser in the 70th minute, though he was left unimpressed with Leipzig’s first-half showing.
Chelsea fans saying I’m the problem are wrong – Potter
“We should start to play and fight. It was a really difficult first half, 26 per cent possession isn’t enough,” Rose told BT Sport.
“We were too passive in every situation. They moved the ball and they moved us. We had no power.”
However, another impressive outing forGvardiol against one of Europe’s elite secured a share of the spoils and left it all to play for in the March 14 return leg at Etihad Stadium.
“The second half was totally different. Better late than never.”
Automatic participation spots have been given to the three host countries.
Along with Mexico and Canada, the men’s national team of the United States will automatically qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
In a joint North American bid, the three nations were successful in winning the right to host the World Cup. Although this is the first time FIFA has had to reserve three host bids, FIFA has historically granted host nations the right to compete in the World Cup without first participating in the customary qualification competitions.
The tournament is set to expand from 32 teams to 48 in 2026. Another three berths will be awarded to CONCACAF nations via qualifying.
FIFA released a statement Tuesday saying, “In addition, the FIFA Council confirmed that, in line with the long-standing tradition of having all hosts competing at the FIFA World Cup, as well as sporting and operational considerations, the hosts of the FIFA World Cup 2026, namely Canada, Mexico and the USA, will qualify automatically for the final round of the competition, with their slots, therefore, being deducted from the overall allocation of six assigned to CONCACAF.”
While the U.S. and Mexico tend to qualify for most World Cups, it was good news for Canada, whose men’s national team broke a 36-year drought between World Cup appearances when it qualified for Qatar in 2022. Canada lost all three of its group-stage matches.
The FIFA Council also determined its timetable for bidding for the right to host the 2030 World Cup, saying it will make its decision next year.
That meeting will be separate from FIFA’s meeting to select a host for the 2027 Women’s World Cup, which will be held first, earlier in 2024.
There are three confirmed bids for 2030 hosting duties: a South American joint bid featuring Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay and Chile; a Spain-Portugal joint bid that added war-torn Ukraine last year; and Morocco.
Home teams are anticipated to release the match rates by Friday, February 24, 2023, at the latest.
The MTN FA Cup Round of 16 games this weekend will be held at various venues, and theFA Cup Committee has announced that women and children under the age of 15 will be admitted free of charge.
Fans who do not fit into this category must, however, buy match tickets at very low prices at the match locations.
The GFA, for its part, has also urged clubs to create a fun atmosphere at their match locations prior to kickoff, during halftime, and following the games.
The matchrates are anticipated to be released by the home teams no later than Friday, February 24, 2023.
Romelu Lukaku, who came on as a substitute and scored the game’s winning goal late, helped Inter escape Porto with a 1-0 victory at San Siro in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 matchup.
The team of Simone Inzaghi appeared to be destined for a disappointing goalless draw, which might have given Porto the upper hand going into the return match, but Lukaku saved Inter.
The Nerazzurri had been wasteful during a tense first half, with Lautaro Martinez spurning a great opportunity and Alessandro Bastoni forcing Diogo Costa into a brilliant save.
They then struggled to make the most of their dominance in the second half but shortly after Porto midfielder Otavio was sent off, Lukaku turned home to score for the second time in less than a week.
Martinez would have been frustrated to miss the target with an unchallenged header from Federico Dimarco’s 13th-minute cross.
That chance punctuated the largely dull early exchanges but the contest showed signs of life in the final eight minutes of the half.
Marko Grujic’s fierce strike hit Andre Onana’s knee and Galeno nodded the follow-up wide, before a remarkable reflex save from Costa kept Bastoni’s header out.
Inter then owed a debt of gratitude to Onana just before the hour. He made a fine save to deny Zaidu Sanusi and then somehow kept Mehdi Taremi’s rebound out on the line with the Iranian seemingly destined to score.
Otavio’s dismissal for a lunge on Hakan Calhanoglu 12 minutes from time gave Inter a numerical advantage, and they duly made the most of it.
Substitute Lukaku headed Nicolo Barella’s cross against the post but was on hand to slam the rebound beyond Costa.
What does it mean? Inter go to Portugal with something to protect
This certainly was not a classic and Inter were underwhelming for much of the game. There would have been few arguments about a draw being a fair result.
But Inter finished the match really well and deserve praise for getting the win over the line when they had previously looked unconvincing.
There was a flashpoint in the first half when Onana and Edin Dzeko appeared to be engaged in a heated argument. While it was unclear what that was about, there was little about the goalkeeper’s performance that could be criticised.
He made four saves in total, but among them were the fine block from Grujic’s piledriver and the double stop to deny Sanusi and Taremi in the second half, the latter essentially denying Porto a certain goal.
Otavio’s petulance proves costly
There was no doubt about the booking for his second yellow as Otavio caught Calhanoglu with a nasty challenge.
However, that would not have led to a red had he not made the bizarre decision to rile Inter in the first half. The hosts had put the ball out of play to allow a player to get medical treatment — when Porto restarted with a throw-in, Otavio started darting towards the Inter goal when he knew the protocol was to give possession back.
A melee ensued and he was booked — he must feel a little silly now.
Key Opta Facts
Inter have won consecutive games in the knockout stages of the Champions League without conceding a goal (1-0 v Liverpool in March 2022 and 1-0 v Porto) – only under Jose Mourinho in 2009-10 had they previously won consecutive knockout stage matches without conceding (a run of three).
Porto have failed to progress from six of their previous seven knockout ties in the Champions League when losing the first leg, with their only progression coming against Roma in the round of 16 in 2018-19.
Inter have won three consecutive home games in the Champions League for the first time since November 2010 in a run of seven, during which time they lifted the trophy in the 2009-10 campaign.
Lukaku’s strike was the first winning goal scored by a substitute for Inter in a Champions League game since Giampaolo Pazzini in March 2012 (v Marseille, also in the round of 16).
Otavio’s dismissal was the 22nd red card Porto have been shown in the Champions League, with only Juventus (27) having been handed more. Otavio was the first Portuguese player to be sent off for Porto in the Champions League since Secretario in March 2002 (v Panathinaikos).
Neymar may not play against Bayern Munich for Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League due to ankle ligament damage.
On a stretcher, the 31-year-old was removed from the field during PSG’s thrilling 4-3 victory over Lille on Sunday.
Neymar scored PSG’s second goal after setting up Kylian Mbappe for the first, but he injured his right ankle in a collision with Benjamin André early in the second half.
Later, PSG declared that Neymar had sustained a sprain rather than a fracture.
On Tuesday, they announced further scans had indicated ligament damage, and Neymar must now wait until next week for a firmer timescale to be put on his recovery.
According to the United Kingdom’s National Health Service, the standard recovery time for such an injury is between six and eight weeks, which would rule him out of the second leg of PSG’s last-16 tie with Bayern on March 8.
17 – Neymar has delivered 17 assists to Kylian Mbappé in Ligue 1, the joint highest tally of assists from one player to another since Opta collect the data (2006/07), along with Angel Di Maria to Edinson Cavani. Bromance. #PSGLOSCpic.twitter.com/3mnpcwajw1
After taking over for Lloyd Pierce shortly after the All-Star break in the 2020–21 season, McMillan was gearing up for his second full season in charge, so Atlanta was expecting an exciting season.
The Hawks finished that season with a scorching 27-11 record under McMillan’s leadership, earning the fifth seed in the East and advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals after winning series against the Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks.
The following year, they made a step backwards, finishing eighth in the East and losing in the first round of the playoffs, and they kept going in the wrong direction this time around.
At least with last season’s disappointing end, the team could point to the fact that they had the league’s second-best offence in the regular season but were just weighed down by the fifth-worst defence.
Now the Hawks sit 16th in offence and 21st in defence, lacking any kind of identity.With the trade deadline having already passed, this is the group Atlanta will have to win with down the home stretch, and ultimately the franchise decided McMillan had run out of ideas on how to right the ship.
It was announced today that Nate McMillan has been relieved of his head coaching duties.https://t.co/Scq6G3Rg5W
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, assistant coach Joe Prunty will take over as interim head coach while they conduct a “wide-ranging” search for a permanent solution.
Wojnarowski claims the Hawks are looking for a coach who has shown an ability to develop players, produce a top-10 offense and defense, and take accountability.
He states former Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder is viewed as a top candidate, while The Athletic’s Shams Charania adds Milwaukee Bucks associate head coach Charles Lee – who spent four seasons as a Hawks assistant before following Mike Budenholzer to Milwaukee – is also a “serious candidate”.
Other names mentioned as potential hires were Golden State Warriors assistant and former Brooklyn Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson, Sacramento Kings assistant coach Jordi Fernandez, San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Mitch Johnson andG-League head coach Miles Simon.
Prior to this weekend’s derby match against Real Madrid,Atletico Madrid’s midfielder Rodrigo De Paul has been sidelined for an unknown period of time due to a thigh injury.
The Argentina international was taken off the field just before the hour mark of his team’s LaLiga victory over Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.
It is now known that De Paul, a member of La Albiceleste’s World Cup-winning team in Qatar 2022, had a thigh injury.
“Rodrigo De Paul is suffering from a thigh injury, according to the medical tests he has undergone after ending up with muscular problems in the match against Athletic Bilbao,” read an official statement.
“The midfielder will begin to receive physiotherapy sessions, rehabilitation training and is pending evolution.”
Though no timeframe has been given for De Paul’s potential return, Atletico will hope he is not sidelined for a prolonged period as Diego Simeone’s side fight for a top-four finish in LaLiga.
However, it would seem unlikely De Paul will be fit for Saturday’s trip to theSantiago Bernabeu.
Due to their outstanding accomplishments in 2022, the two renowned sports figures have both been nominated for the award.
While acknowledging his nomination, Nadal claimed in an Instagram post that Messi was more deserving of the prize.
“An honour to be nominated again for the Laureus Sportsman of the Year award… but this year, come on Lionel Messi, you deserve it,” wrote Nadal on Instagram.
Messi in response wrote: “That such a great sportsman like you thinks of me like that leaves me speechless.
“Thank you so much, Rafael Nadal; you too deserve everything for the way you compete every time you step on the court.”
“You are a winner; everyone [the nominees] deserves the Laureus Sport this year!”
Nadal has previously spoken about how happy he was to see Messi win the World Cup.
“That someone so great reaches the culmination with a title that was missing, of this calibre, with all that it means for Argentina, it seemed fair to me, I enjoyed it and I was moved,” he told AS in December.
“Without supporting Argentina, when Messi scored the third goal, tears came to my eyes because of the emotion of seeing someone so great achieve what they were missing and someone who had suffered so much to achieve it.”
Nadal and Messi have been nominated for the award alongside Kylian Mbappe, Max Verstappen, Armand Duplantis, and Steph Curry.
Nadal won Australian Open and French Open and finished 2022 as World number 2 while Messi’s landmark achievement was leading Argentina to win the World Cup.
Liverpool’s chances of reaching the quarterfinals of the Champions League are over after a shocking 5-2 home loss to Real Madrid.
The Reds watched a two-goal lead vanish in front of a boisterous home crowd as the defending champions went on the rampage.
Here, we examine the Merseysiders’ six worst losses at Anfield.
2010 Liverpool-Northampton draw (2-2 overall, 2-4 on penalties) This was one of Liverpool’s darkest days, even taking into account how awful Roy Hodgson’s miserable brief tenure at the club was.
Visitors Northampton, who are currently 17th in League Two, outplayed the hosts, who fielded a depleted team, and prevailed in this Carling Cup third-round match.
David Ngog thought he had saved the Merseysiders’ blushes when he notched a 116th-minute equaliser, before the Frenchman and teenage substitute Nathan Eccleston missed their penalties in the shootout.
Liverpool were knocked out of the Carling Cup by Northampton in 2010 Liverpool were knocked out of the Carling Cup by Northampton in 2010 Liverpool 0-6 Sunderland, 1930 Division One strugglers Sunderland arrived at Anfield but never looked back from Bobby Gurney opening the scoring in the first minute.
The former miner went on to score four and was disappointed he did not make it five after putting a close-range finish over the crossbar.
George Lawley and Albert Wood scored the others in a result that remains Liverpool’s heaviest home defeat.
Liverpool 3-6 Arsenal, 2007 Julio Baptista scored four goals to silence Anfield in 2007 Julio Baptista scored four goals to silence Anfield in 2007 Seventy-seven years later, Arsenal striker Julio Baptista repeated Gurney’s feat with two goals in each half of this Carling Cup quarterfinal.
The hosts were 4-1 down at the break thanks to other goals from Jeremie Aliadiere and Alex Song and only late consolations from Steven Gerrard and Sami Hyypia prevented a heavier loss.
A stunned boss Rafael Benitez said after the game: “It is a bad night for us and all we can say is sorry to the supporters.
“Now is not the time to point the finger or look to blame people. We win together and we lose together.”
Liverpool 0-0 Grimsby (1-2 aet), 2001 Grimsby recorded an extra-time victory over Liverpool in 2001 Grimsby recorded an extra-time victory over Liverpool in 2001 League Cup holders Liverpool were knocked out by Championship strugglers Grimsby thanks to former Evertonian Phil Jevons’ 30-yard strike seconds from the end of extra-time.
Gary McAllister’s 101st-minute penalty broke the deadlock but Marlon Broomes’ equaliser set up the visitors’ first win at the ground in 24 visits.
The shock result brought to an end Liverpool’s unbeaten run in cup competitions since January 2000, having secured a League Cup, FA Cup and UEFA Cup treble in the 2000-01 season.
Liverpool 0-1 Bristol City, 1994 With their first meeting at Ashton Gate ending in a 1-1 draw after an abandonment and rearrangement due to floodlight failure, Liverpool welcomed Bristol City to Anfield for a FA Cup third-round replay in 1994.
Brian Tinnion’s 66th-minute strike for the second-tier opposition not only knocked out a Reds team featuring the likes of John Barnes, Ian Rush, Steve McManaman and Jamie Redknapp but also prompted the resignation of manager Graeme Souness days later.
The game epitomised a difficult season for the Anfield faithful, with their team finishing eighth in the Premier League, their lowest league position since the 1962-63 campaign.
Brian Tinnion was Bristol City’s hero at Anfield in 1994 Brian Tinnion was Bristol City’s hero at Anfield in 1994 Liverpool 2-5 Real Madrid (2023) Fresh from 2-0 victories over Everton and Newcastle, Liverpool came into this Champions League last-16 tie buoyed by renewed optimism.
But braces from Vinicius Junior and Karim Benzema either side of Eder Militao’s goal resulted in a 5-2 scoreline and a humbling loss for the 2019 champions.
Christian Atsu was found dead on the morning of Saturday, February 18, 2022, at the site of his collapsed apartment after being trapped under the rubble for 12 days following the earthquake that hit parts of Turkey and Syria.
The demise of the player has led to many people revealing the good deeds of the player.
Popularly known as Sports Obama, the 2022 SWAG Journalist of the Year explained that the reason they didn’t publicise most of Christian Atsu’s charity works frequently was because the player told them not to make them public.
“People are asking why we didn’t talk about his charity works when he was alive. We would have loved to talk about it but when you do, he will text you and say, Alhaji me I don’t like that ohh. Lets keep it private.”
“What people are saying about him is nothing but the truth; he just wanted them to be private.” The last time he left Ghana, I saw him briefly a day before at the airport, and I was supposed to see him the day he was leaving on the 22nd of July 2022, but I forgot I had a meeting with him,” Saddick Adams said.
Christian Atsu also played in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil and four other African Cup of Nations tournaments. From 2012 to 2019, he made 65 appearances and scored nine goals for the Black Stars.
The knockout round of the 2022–23 Champions League tournament has begun, and the top teams in Europe are competing for a place in the quarterfinals.
Real Madrid advanced significantly to the round of eight with a 5-2 victory over Liverpool at Anfield, while Napoli, the undisputed Serie A champion, now leads by a score of 2-0 after defeating Eintracht Frankfurt.
To defeat Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea must overturn a 1-0 deficit, and Tottenham must do the same after losing to AC Milan.
In other matches, Bayern Munich will try to hold onto its 1-0 lead against Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg, and Benfica should eliminate Club Brugge with a two-goal cushion.
We tell you everything you need to know about the 2023 final as the teams strive to get one step closer to the prestigious continental trophy.
When is the 2023 Champions League final?
The 2023 Champions League final will take place on Saturday, June 10.
This date is later than last season’s showpiece, held on May 28, due to the change in the domestic football calendar thanks to the World Cup held last November and December in Qatar.
For supporters at the stadium, the game will kick off at 10 p.m. local time. For fans watching in the UK, the match will start at 8 p.m.
Where is the 2023 Champions League final?
Turkey will host the 2023 Champions League final, with the game held at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul.
The venue was opened in 2002, initially built for the country’s attempt to host the 2008 Olympics, which was ultimately awarded to Beijing, China.
Home to the Turkish national team, it will be the second time the ground has held the Champions League final, having been the location for the epic 2005 encounter between AC Milan and Liverpool.
Istanbul had been scheduled to host the 2020 showpiece, before the coronavirus pandemic resulted in the match being played at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon, Portugal.
Then in 2021, the marquee fixture was once again moved to Portugal, this time to the Estadio do Dragao in Porto.
According to UEFA, the stadium has a capacity of over 75,000 people and is named after Turkey’s first president, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
The most recent persons to pay a visit to the family of the late Christian Atsu are former Black Stars players Kwadwo Asamoah, Stephen Appiah, Derek Boateng, and Jerry Akaminko.
On February 22, 2023, during their visit, Kwadwo Asamoah, Stephen Appiah, Derek Boateng, and Jerry Akaminko gave gifts to the family of the deceased Ghanaian international.
The players also took turns signing the book of condolences opened at the family home in Accra for Christian Atsu.
Fiifi Tackie, a representative for the Ayew family, was with the ex-players.
The ex-players also made donations and commiserated with the family during their visit.
Christian Atsu’s body arrived in Ghana in the late hours of Sunday after it was recovered from the rubble following an earthquake in Turkey on February 6.
The 31-year-old got trapped in his destroyed apartment for over a week before he was found dead.
The family is yet to announce plans for the burial and funeral of the winger, who was crowned best player at the2015 AFCON.
Former Black Stars captainStephen Appiah is the most recent football celebrity to sign the book of condolences for the late Christian Atsu.
On February 22, 2023, Stephen Appiah paid a condolence call to Christian Atsu’s family and paid a visit to their home.
Following visits by Asamoah Gyan, Haminu Dramani, Baffour Gyan, Sulley Muntari, and Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu, Appiah paid the house in Ashaley Botwe, Accra, a day earlier.
In a previous interview with Dan Kwaku Yeboah TV, Stephen Appiah described how he met Atsu’s in the Black Stars camp.
Appiah also spoke about Christian Atsu’s best performance while wearing the national team uniform.
“During that period, he was on the left and one Agyepong guy was on the right, and the way he troubled the opponents, Partey scored three goals in that game.”
“I think that match made me appreciate him more. Before that match we did a team meeting and everyone expected me to speak but I refused because I was tensed,” he said.
“So later I met him on the corridor and I called him into my room for a discussion. I told him the match would depend on three players which includes him.
“After the match, the Congo coach came to me and asked who the player on the right wings was and I told him he is our Ghana Messi,” Appiah added.
Christian Atsu’s body was recovered from the rubble of a building he had been trapped in for over 12 days on Sunday, February 18, 2023.
Atsu, thus, became one of the over 40,000 lives that were consumed by the earthquake that hit parts of Turkey and Syria on February 6, 2023.
Following the arrival of the body on Sunday, February 19, the family has disclosed that a one-week ceremony for the late footballer will be held on March 4, 2023.
31-year-old Christian Atsu left behind a wife and three children who are all based in the United Kingdom.
Romelu Lukaku’s goal on Saturday helped Inter Milan defeat Udinese at the San Siro for the first time in 635 days.
The Belgian forward hasn’t been at his best since joining the Nerazzurri on loan from Chelsea in the summer of last year, but he’s been much sharper lately.
Although he scored from the penalty spot in the 3-1 victory, it may have given the powerhouse the confidence boost it needs to get back on track as Inter looks to close the gap on unstoppable leaders Napoli.
We highlight West London’s misunderstood man ahead of tonight’s Champions League matchup with Porto.
Comeback trail
Lukaku has dealt with a number of issues since his arrival back in Milan, but injuries have been his biggest hindrance in 2022-23.
In the current campaign, the 29-year-old has missed 92 days and 18 matches in all competitions thanks to a combination of hamstring, arm and knee issues.
And although he has struggled with niggles in the past, the 104-cap international has not been absent for as long as this before in his career — and it has had a profound impact on his form.
Saturday was only his second Serie A goal of the season, with his first coming on the opening weekend back in August.
Inter boss Simone Inzaghi said a few weeks ago that he is expecting a fully fit Lukaku back for their Champions League tie with Porto and it looks as though he may get his wish.
The ex-Premier League star has featured in seven of Inter’s last eight league matches and is starting to show signs of a return to his best.
Fighting for his place
Inter’s squad is full to the brim of incredible talent and Lukaku’s return does not guarantee him a spot in the starting XI.
Inzaghi has preferred to set up in a 3-5-2 for most of the season and, although the seasoned finisher is a big miss when unavailable, there were options waiting in the wings to replace him.
Both Edin Dzeko and Lautaro Martinez have done a stellar job in Lukaku’s absence, netting 20 times between them in Serie A, while the likes of Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Hakan Calhanoglu have also been popping up with goals.
During his best season, Chelsea’s £97million man grabbed 24 goals and 10 assists in the Italian first division, yet scored only eight times in the Premier League during the 2021-22 campaign.
He would do well to displace either Dzeko or Martinez permanently in the coming weeks, though his best form would give him a fighting chance.
Lukaku’s ability to score in a variety of ways gives him the edge over his 36-year-old team-mate Dzeko, who is giving Olivier Giroud a run for his money as the best Serie A player over 35 this year.
Desperate to stay
Lukaku left Stamford Bridge with a sour taste in his mouth, publicly stating his desire to return to Supercoppa Italiana winners Inter last summer.
The San Siro is where he has enjoyed the best spell of his career and despite being a valued member of the Premier League 100 club, his style of play is more suited to Italian football.
However, his situation remains one of the most complicated in Europe’s top five leagues.
As Chelsea paid such a handsome fee to bring Lukaku back to his former club only 18 months ago, they will unquestionably want to recoup some of that fortune — especially after their own excessive spending in January.
With a contract at Stamford Bridge that runs until 2026, Lukaku needs to resolve his future quickly ahead to avoid a potential recall.
The late Christian Atsu will be honoured by having his newly built grass pitch named after him, according to Abdul-Hayye Yartey, the owner of Cheetah FC.
Christian Atsu spent some of his youth career with Cheetah before moving to Portugal to play for FC Porto in the Portuguese top division.
In an interview, Yartey disclosed that he had intended to surprise the player by renaming the field in honour of Atsu, but the former Cheetah player’s passing prevented the plan from coming to fruition.
“I saw how happy he was (when Cheetah unveiled their Astroturf), and he actually granted me an interview when we were commissioning the Astroturf pitch.” I was hoping to surprise him with the grass pitch. Like, call him to come and say, “Hey, Christan, I’ve made a grass pitch and am going to name it after you.” “It’s quite unfortunate he couldn’t wait for that time, but still, we will name the pitch after him,” he said.
Atsu joined Cheetah FC from Gomoa Feyenoord before his departure to Europe in 2009.
During the off-season, he used to come to Cheetah to donate boots and other items to the club.
Cheetah, who have been focusing on academy football, are currently in Ghana’s third-tier league as they hope to progress to the topflight in a few years.
Christian Atsu was once hailed as a huge prospect who would go on to become a world-class athlete and one of Ghana’s greatest-ever football products, but he was unable to have the illustrious career that many had hoped for.
In his 12-year professional career, he represented ten different clubs in Europe, but only three trophies were awarded to him.
He made his Black Stars debut in June 2012 at the age of 20, and most Ghanaians were amazed by his left foot.
Atsu delighted the Baba Yara Stadium crowd with some quick dribbles before capping the evening with his first goal in a 7-0 victory. As soon as he made his debut, he was given the moniker “Ghana Messi.”
He had a high ceiling but never reached his full potential, which could have seen him play for top clubs and win more titles.
Atsu only played for notable teams but not many potential trophy-winning teams.
Christian Atsu joined FC Porto’s youth team in 2011 after playing for Ghana’s Cheetah Academy. He later got promoted and lasted for two seasons before landing his breakthrough move to Chelsea in 2013.
He signed a five-year contract with Chelsea but spent almost the entire time on loan at other clubs. He was loaned to Vitesse, Malaga, Bournemouth, Everton, and Newcastle United.
Newcastle secured the Ghanaian on a permanent deal in 2017 for £6.2 million from Chelsea. He spent four years at the club before joining Al-Raed as a free agent in 2021 and then to Hatayspor in 2022.
Throughout his club football career, he only won titles with Porto and Newcastle United.
In his international career, he scored 10 goals in 60 appearances. He came close to ending Ghana’s long trophy drought in 2015. Atsu was the Black Stars’ standout performer at the 2015 AFCON, where Ghana finished second runners-up.
Prior to their Europa League trip to Manchester United, Barcelona doesn’t need any extra motivation, according to Xavi, who thinks the chance to win atOld Trafford suffices.
After a thrilling 2-2 draw at Camp Nou last week, the two will face off in their knockout round play-off matchup’s second leg.
Xavi, who played for Barcelona and helped them defeat United in the Champions League final in both the 20
After a thrilling 2-2 draw at Camp Nou last week, the two will face off in the second leg of their knockout round play-off match.
The Barcelona team defeated United in the Champions League final in both the 20 and 21
In making the trip to England and Old Trafford specifically, Xavi believes it will be more than enough to inspire his players, regardless of the first-leg result.
“I have very good memories of the games I played in England, simply because it is so special to play there,” he told the Times. “It is the cradle of football.”
“The stadiums, the fans who do not stop cheering, everything has a very special flavour that is not seen anywhere else in the world.”
“So imagine, it is such a pleasure for me to go back to Old Trafford, one of the best stadiums and [one of the] biggest teams in the world.
“We are a brave team that likes to attack and always win. [This game] will not be an exception. It’s like a big Champions League game.
“For the fans, it’s a massively interesting match. For the players, [it is] one of those matches that everyone wants to play at least once in their life.”
Avram Grant, a former Black Stars coach, described how he begged the Israeli rescue team to find Christian Atsu among the rubble.
Avram Grant admitted that he became upset when he learned that a Ghanaian player was trapped in the Turkish earthquake.
He claimed that as soon as he learned that one of his former players, Chrisitan Atsu, was entombed in the debris, his anxiety intensified.
The former Chelsea manager claimed that he quickly alerted the Israeli search and rescue team sent to Turkey to help fetch Christian Atsu after getting in touch with Atsu’s manager as a result.
“I heard the news when it happened on day 1.” I think after the earthquake they said it was a player from Ghana, so I checked and people told me that it was Christian Atsu.
“I spoke to his agent, and we tried to find a way to help his rescue. The rescue team was from my country, so I sent them to check,” Avram Grant told George Addo Jnr.
Israel sent a delegation of more than 160 members of the Israel Defense Forces which included paramedics and Fire and Rescue Service officials, to Turkey to rescue people who had been trapped in the rubble.
The 68-year-old manager stated that he had a big sigh of relief following reports that Christian Atsu had been found, which turned out to be false.
“The news that maybe he was okay and they found him was not true, as you know, but we were so happy to hear it, and then day by day it became worse and worse until we found out,” Avram Grant said.
Grant disclosed that it was hard to deal with the news of Christian Atsu being found dead in the earthquake.
“It’s one of the saddest days that I had in my life you know. To hear that about Christian, 31 years old. Fantastic person — a good man — this is difficult. Difficult for me to speak about him now, he’s part of the past. It was really a shock, a big shock for me” he said.
Officers of the Israel Defense Forces who stepped in to provide assistance to Turkey were able to rescue 19 civilians from the rubble in Turkey.
Christian Atsu’s body was found 12 days after the earthquake occurred in Turkey on February 6, 2023. He was one of 40,642 people who lost their lives in the earthquake in Turkey.
Christian Atsu worked with Avram Grant in the Black Stars and was named to his squad for the 2015 AFCON, where hewon Player of the Tournament.
Before the start of the 2021/22 season, the Cameroonian forward signed a two-year contract with the Ghana Premier League team from Fortuna du Mfou.
Mbella established himself as a fan favourite after amassing 21 goals in his first season with the Porcupine Warriors.
His goals helped the team win the Premier League in 2021/22 under Prosper Nartey Ogum.
“I made a choice to leave Asante Kotoko after helping them win the league title and I do not regret any decision to leave the team,” he told Ghanasportspage.com.
“I’m a professional player and I stay focused to attain my goals in life. Currently, my focus is on Al Masry and to help the team win glories” he added.
The Cameroonian forward following his explosive performance in the Ghana Premier League joined Al Masry in the Egyptian League on a permanent deal worth $400,000.
Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah gave the Reds an electrifying start to the last-16 match with two quickfire goals, giving Los Blancos a lot of trouble early on.
But a brilliant performance from Vinicius Junior launched a powerful Real Madrid comeback.
All the records Real Madrid broke during Tuesday’s eventual 5-2 victory are examined at GOAL.
First visiting European team to score five at Anfield
Actually, Real Madrid became the first visiting club to put four goals past Liverpool at Anfield when Karim Benzema’s shot was deflected in off Joe Gomez, and then they added another for good measure with Benzema rounding Alisson and shooting into an open net.
It was also the second time this campaign that the Reds conceded at least four times in the Champions League after doing so against Napoli on September 7.
Benzema first to score six in European career vs Reds
With his brace at Anfield on Tuesday night, Benzema has now scored more goals against Liverpool in European Cup and Champions League history than any other player (6). He entered play level with Didier Drogba for the record.
Meanwhile, with his pair of strikes earlier in the game, team-mate Vinicius Junior is now in second place in that category (5).
Vinicius Junior youngest since Cruyff to score twice as Anfield visitor in Europe
Vinicius Junior broke Liverpool hearts last year with his winner in the Champions League final, and he hurt the Reds again in the first leg on Tuesday.
At 22 years old, he became the youngest player since Johan Cruyff to score at least twice as a visitor in a European match at Anfield.
Benzema equals Messi for consecutive UCLs scored in
The French forward was injured for much of the group stage, but after breaking through with his first goals of the European season, he has now netted in 18 consecutive Champions League campaigns.
That’s level with Lionel Messi for the all-time record.
Real Madrid first to turn two-goal deficit into three-goal UCL win
Carlo Ancelotti’s men, revered for their ability to stage dramatic comebacks, became the first team to win a Champions League match by three goals after trailing by at least two. The record applies to both home and away fixtures.
Their five goals came between the 21st and 67th minutes – a remarkable average of a goal every nine minutes.
Vinicius Junior second-youngest Madrid player to score in three straight UCL games
He added two goals on Tuesday after also scoring against Celtic and RB Leipzig, with his streak of three Champions League games in a row the best in Real Madrid history after Raul.
Folarin Balogun is currently on loan fromArsenal, and according to Reims president Jean-Pierre Caillot, it will be “impossible” to sign him to a permanent contract after his standout campaign.
With 15 goals in 23 appearances, 21-year-old Balogun is tied with Lille’s Jonathan David and Paris Saint-Kylian Germain’s Mbappe for the league’s most goals.
Although the young striker only scored three goals in 18 games while on loan at Championship team Middlesbrough this past season, Caillot told France Bleu that the club had been keeping an eye on Balogun for years.
“We almost signed him for the club a few years ago when he was unsure whether he would have his first professional contract at Arsenal,” he said. “We clung to it, we continued to be in contact with him [and] today he is here.
“Everyone discovers Folarin Balogun, who was an illustrious unknown for the supporters a year ago, just like Hugo Ekitike, just like Boulaye Dia. It’s all the strength of the recruitment cell to always have a new player to take on.”
When asked about the chances of keeping Balogun in Reims, Caillot was realistic, although hopeful of maybe one more season on loan in an environment where he is clearly thriving.
Rodgers won’t ‘beg’ Maddison to sign new contract
“I think [signing him permanently] is impossible,” he said. “The rules of the game are clear. These are boys that, when they join us, know that they’re here to improve and that it’s a step for them.
“So even if I’m not deciding for him, either Folarin will return to his club to have his chance, he’s loaned out, or he’s transferred to a very big club. He is a player who should go even higher.
“Obviously we’ll ask him if he feels good here, and at his club, but I think that now, he will need to take a step up.
“We are already working on life after Balogun, the day when he will leave our club. But if he and the club are open to another year at Reims, we’ll do everything to make it happen.”
Reims sit 10th on the table with a league-leading 13 draws in 23 matches.
Children from theBecky’s Foundation orphanage shed tears as they discussed the passing of their benefactor, Christian Atsu.
Atsu adopted the children through his ambassadorial position at Arms Around the Child, parented them, enrolled them in school, and occasionally gave them things and the support they needed.
The dejected kids could not control their tears as they talked about the unceasing support they received from Atsu, according to a report by GHOne.
One of the boys told the reporter that Atsu was their father, brother, and uncle and that he had given them hope; however, at the moment, they have lost all hope.
“Christian Atsu is like a father, an uncle, and a brother. In fact, he is our everything. He was our number one supporter, doing countless things. He was the one giving us hope. Getting us better education and a lot of support “But as I speak to you today, we are hopeless, and our heads are in our hands.”
One girl, full of tears and shaky voice, recounted the fun moments they had with Atsu, adding that she misses the former Newcastle United man.
“Every time he comes here, they organise a party for us.” Sometimes he sends us to Shoprite to enjoy ourselves. He said he is going to play football. I miss him so much.”
He not only supported kids but also offered a handout to people who are convicted and fined for petty crimes.
Christian Atsu together with The Crime Check Foundation in Ghana paid fines for petty criminals which resulted in incarceration and helped reintegrate the ex-convict into society.
He paid the fines of 130 petty offenders and championed the non-custodial sentencing bill.
Christian Atsu passed in Turkey after his body was recovered on February 18, 2023, lifeless following an earthquake in Hatay, on February 6, 2023.
The family of late football star Christian Atsu met with representatives from the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and the Sports Ministry to discuss the funeral rites for theBlack Stars player who died in the Turkey-Syria earthquake on February 6, 2023.
On Saturday, March 4, 2023, Atsu’s death will be observed for a week at his Accra-area home of origin. After lengthy discussions between the family, GFA, and Sports Ministry, the choice was made.
The GFA and the sports ministry representatives joined Evans Bobie, the deputy minister of sports, in sending condolences to Atsu’s family.
The 31-year-old footballer’s remains were taken to Ghana on February 19, 2023, from Turkey, where he died in a 7.8-magnitude earthquake that caused devastation and casualties.
Atsu’s lifeless body was recovered from the wreckage in Turkey after an 11-story building collapsed on him and others.
The late footballer had a successful career both with the national team and at club level. He played for several clubs, including Chelsea, FC Porto, Everton, and Newcastle United.
The football community, including the GFA and the Sports Ministry, have expressed their condolences to Atsu’s family and loved ones and have promised to support them in any way possible duringthis difficult time.
In memory of the late Christian Atsu, the Ghana Football Association is considering retiring the number 7 jersey from the Black Stars.
Following the devastating earthquake that struck the Turkish city of Hatay on February 6, 2023, Atsu passed away.
On February 18, 2023, the dead body of Atsu was discovered among the debris of his destroyed apartment.
Linford Boadu, who also serves as the Chairman of the Eastern Regional Football Association (RFA), hinted that the Ghana FA intended to retire the number 7 jersey in memory of Atsu in an interview with Koforidua-based Bryt FM.
“It’s a sad situation. I wasn’t expecting Atsu to be staying in that big apartment like that, I was expecting him to be staying in a single apartment but I think there wasn’t stability after joining the club in Turkey”
“It was difficult to believe anybody can survive after that 45 seconds earthquake but we were hoping to find Atsu alive until news broke he has been found dead. He served the nation wholeheartedly, and at the short ceremony in receiving the body of Atsu, the vice President, Dr Bawumia disclosed government will be involved in giving him a befitting burial. That is a big plus, to me, Atsu deserves a befitting burial looking at how he served the nation.
“The Executive council of the FA is thinking about of a lot of things; some thinks the number 7 jersey must be retired in honour of Atsu but there should be a meeting to decide.”
Atsu had been trapped under rubble for over 11 days before his passing, with the earthquake claiming the lives of over 45,000 people.
During his career, Atsu played 65 matches for Ghana, scoring nine goals. Two of his most famous goals came in the 2014 World Cup qualifier against Egypt and in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal clash against Guinea, where he scored an absolutely breathtaking goal.
He admits that he hasn’t spoken to the Blues’ top executives in a while.
Callum Hudson-Odoi discusses his status and future with Chelsea, the Premier League team he plays for, and Bayer Leverkusen, the team he is on loan from.
“I haven’t spoken to them much lately. I’m not there, so seeing all these players leave, there is nothing I can say or do,” he said.
“At the end of the day, I’m focused on the club here and trying to help as much as possible here. Whatever happens in the future, I don’t know. All I can do is focus on what’s going on here,” he added.
Callum Hudson-Odoi also stated that he is enjoying his newfound playing time in Germany.
“I wanted to come here and have minutes in my legs and make the most of football.” I think that’s what happened. Now I focus more on increasing numbers with more assists and creating more chances for the team. I’m definitely excited about the future,”
York ended a streak of five straight league losses, but they were forced to settle for a 1-1 tie with Boreham Wood at home.
York took the lead late in the first half thanks to a goal from Adam Crookes, but Boreham Wood quickly equalised through a goal from George Broadbent just before halftime.
When Will Evans’ shot in the 12th minute hit a post, the visitors came the closest to taking the lead, but they fell behind when they failed to block a long throw from York’s Mark Ellis, and Crookes tapped the ball in.
After York goalkeeper Ethan Ross saved Tyrone Marsh’s shot, Wood quickly countered, and Broadbent successfully finished after the ball rebounded into his path.
Danny Newton spurned a chance to snatch all three points for the visitors when through on goal in stoppage time, but he fired wide as Wood drew their fourth consecutive game.
Albion Rovers defeated Elgin 3-0 at home thanks to a second-half hat trick from Charlie Reilly, improving their chances of staying in Scottish League Two.
After a scoreless first half, Reilly scored twice, the second from the penalty spot, and Ayrton Sonkur added Albion’s third goal with a header.
Prior to the break, Max Wright’s header for Albion went over the crossbar, and Reilly’s goal from inside the box shortly after the restart gave them the lead.
After Elgin midfielder Evan Towler’s foul on Joe Bevan, Reilly doubled Albion’s lead from the spot, and Sonkur added a third goal with a header in the 64th minute.
Albion increased its lead over the bottom-dwelling Bonnyrigg Rose to four points, while Elgin only managed one league victory in 2023.
Desiree Ellis, the head coach of South Africa’s women’s national team, has responded to the passing ofGhanaian winger Christian Atsu.
She said that it is obvious that Ghana has lost a soldier who was loved by many people in her eulogy for the dead Black Stars forward.
“Our hearts go out to the families as well as to Ghana and Atsu’s family.” That’s the worst thing that you want to hear after so much time, but we pray for the families and pray that God gives them strength.
“And to Ghana, you have lost a soldier but know that he was loved by many,” the South Africa women’s national team coach said.
Christian Atsu passed away at the age of 31 after he was caught up in the wreckage of the Turkey earthquake.
Since he was confirmed dead on Saturday, people from around the world have extended their condolences to Ghana and the late player’s family.
Only 14 minutes into Tuesday’s thrilling first leg of the round of 16 match, Darwin Nunez’s exquisite flick and Mohamed Salah’s goal after a mistake by Thibaut Courtois gave the Reds a two-goal lead.
That turned out to be a false dawn as the champions came roaring back in a repeat of last year’s final. Vinicius pulled one back with a beautiful finish before Alisson made a costly error that allowed him to score twice in an exciting first half.
Eder Militao headed Madrid in front early in the second half before Benzema’s double gave Carlo Ancelotti’s ruthless side a commanding advantage to take back to the Spanish capital for the second leg on March 15.
Nunez produced a moment of magic in the fourth minute to put the hosts in front, meeting Salah’s whipped ball with an audacious right-foot flick that flashed past Courtois.
Chelsea fans saying I’m the problem are wrong. – Potter
Courtois endured a nightmare 10 minutes later, controlling a back pass onto his chest before the ball bounced off his knee to present Salah with a simple chance to double Liverpool’s lead.
Madrid looked like they did not know what had hit them, but Vinicius halved the deficit in the 21st minute by showing excellent close control in the box before bending a sumptuous right-foot finish into the bottom corner.
The winger was celebrating in front of The Kop again nine minutes before the break after Alisson’s terrible attempted pass struck his Brazil team-mate and looped into the net.
Madrid lost David Alaba to injury during a pulsating first half which they would have ended with a lead had Andy Robertson not shown great awareness to deny Rodrygo a tap-in.
Los Blancos were in front two minutes into the second half, though, when an unmarked Militao capitalised on terrible defending to head in the influential Luka Modric’s free-kick.
An evening that had started well then took another turn for the worse for Liverpool, with Benzema’s shot striking Joe Gomez and giving a wrong-footed Alisson no chance.
Liverpool were opened up again after 67 minutes, Modric and Vinicius combining before Benzema sat Alisson down and demonstrated great composure to finish with his left foot.
What does it mean? Masterful Madrid stun fragile Reds
Liverpool could hardly have had a better start, but they were taught at harsh lesson by the newly crowned Club World Cup winners and paid the price for being so vulnerable at the back.
Los Blancos beat Jurgen Klopp’s side 1-0 in the 2022 Champions League final at Parc des Princes and blew them away as Liverpool became the first team in the history of the competition to lose by a three-goal margin after being 2-0 up.
Liverpool had never conceded four goals at home in Europe, let alone five, and are in great danger of missing out on Champions League football next season given they are eighth in the Premier League.
He and Benzema both took their goal tallies for the season to 18 and must be rubbing their hands together at the prospect of facing the Reds again after tearing them apart on Merseyside with Modric pulling the strings behind them.
Salah’s record strike in vain
Salah became Liverpool’s record goalscorer in Europe with 42 when he was on target early on.
He will be in no mood to celebrate breaking Steven Gerrard’s record after 14-time European champions Madrid rocked the Reds in devastating fashion.
Key Opta Facts
– Liverpool conceded five goals in a European game at Anfield for the first time, while it was just third time this century they shipped five or more goals in a home game in all competitions, also doing so in January 2007 (6-3 defeat to Arsenal) and October 2019 (5-5 draw with Arsenal).
– Real Madrid are the first team in Champions League history to come from two goals down and win by a three-goal margin.
– This was only the fourth time a Jurgen Klopp side conceded five or goals in a home game in all competitions, after Mainz in 2006 (6-1 v Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga), Borussia Dortmund in 2009 (5-1 v Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga) and Liverpool in 2019 (5-5 v Arsenal).
– Darwin Nunez’s opener (three minutes 10 seconds) was Liverpool’s earliest ever Champions League goal at Anfield.
What’s next?
Klopp’s side travel to Crystal Palace for aPremier League encounter on Saturday, when Los Blancos face Atletico Madrid at home in a LaLiga derby.
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