Author: Nurudeen Obalola
By Kayode John German coach, Bruno Labbadia, has dropped a cryptic hint that suggests a possible agreement with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to become the new Super Eagles coach. In a post on his Instagram handle on Wednesday, Labbadia wrote: “New chapter”, adding the Nigerian flag. This comes after the initial effort by the NFF to bring him as a replacement for Finidi George, who resigned as Eagles coach in June, failed. The football federation had announced Labbadia as the substantive coach on August 27, days to Nigeria’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against the Republic of…
Roma have sacked manager Daniele de Rossi just four matches into the new Serie A season. Roma, who hired De Rossi to replace Jose Mourinho at the Stadio Olimpico in January, have been unable to win any of their Serie A matches this season, drawing three and losing at home to Empoli last month. Roma are currently 16th in the Serie A standings following their 1-1 draw at Genoa on Sunday. A club statement read: “The club’s decision is taken in the interest of the team, to be able to promptly resume the desired path at a time when the…
By Kayode John AC Milan contacted Napoli over interest in Super Eagles striker, Victor Osimhen, during the summer transfer window, Area Napoli reported on Wednesday. Osimhen was linked with several clubs but he eventually joined Turkish giants, Galatasaray, on loan from Napoli. Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, Saudi Peofessional Football League side, Al Ahli, were all said to be interested in the 25-year-old. Despite the decision by Napoli not to sell Osimhen to any club in Serie A, Milan were said to have communicated their interest to the 2022/2023 Serie A champions. “Milan, on the initiative of Zalatan Ibrahimovic, director of the…
Former Manchester United forward Anthony Martial will make £7.5million including bonuses over three years at new club AEK Athens, it has been claimed. Martial completed his move to the Greek club on Wednesday as a free agent, after spending nine years at Manchester United. French forward Martial, 28, left United when his contract expired in June. He had played more than 300 times for the Premier League club since joining in 2015, scoring 90 goals in total. His deal in Greece represents a pay cut compared to his hefty wages at Old Trafford. However, by AEK’s own standards, the pay-packet…
Salvatore ‘Toto’ Schillaci, the Italian star of the 1990 World Cup, has passed away at the age of 59 following a battle with colon cancer. He was confirmed dead on Wednesday. Schillaci had been diagnosed with colon cancer back in 2022, revealing his illness a year later in January 2023. He had been admitted to hospital on September 7 and had reportedly been in a stable condition. Schillaci was best known to the international community for his starring role in the 1990 World Cup, where he finished as the tournament’s top goalscorer with six goals. Starring alongside Roberto Baggio and later Gianluca…
By Nurudeen Obalola Manchester United produced the widest margin win in the Carabao Cup third round on Tuesday night, thrashing third-tier Barnsley 7-0. In another fixture full of goals of another kind, Fulham, with Super Eagles midfielder Alex Iwobi involved, were knocked out by Preston North End after a record penalty shootout. Despite making eight changes to the side that beat Southampton 3-0 in the Premier League on Saturday, Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United were much too strong at Old Trafford for the League One visitors. Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Christian Eriksen scored two goals each, while Antony added…
A Liverpool fan in Italy to watch his team play in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday night has died after a collision with a vehicle as he crossed a road. Philip Joseph Dooley, 51, from Liverpool, died after the accident near Bergamo airport in the early hours of Tuesday, Merseyside police said. Two men who witnessed the incident are helping Italian police with their investigation. Merseyside police are also assisting authorities in Italy. The lifelong Liverpool fan had travelled to Italy for Tuesday’s game against Milan, according to Liverpool FC. Representatives from both teams placed flowers on Dooley’s seat at…
By Kayode John Super Eagles winger Samuel Chukwueze was an unused substitute on Tuesday as AC Milan were beaten 3-1 at San Siro by Liverpool on the opening night of the UEFA Champions League. Liverpool bounced back from Saturday’s home defeat to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League to ease past Milan at San Siro, with defenders Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk on the scoresheet. The Reds overturned Christian Pulisic’s third-minute opener for the Serie A giants, and Dominik Szoboszlai’s first club goal since March secured the result in the second half. In Germany, Harry Kane headlined Bayern Munich’s…
Antony Taylor will not referee any English Premier League matches this weekend after officiating Chelsea’s feisty win at Bournemouth. Taylor was in charge of Chelsea’s 1-0 win at Bournemouth last Saturday, in a match where he handed out a record 14 yellow cards. Consequently, he would not officiate any English top-flight games this weekend. According to The Guardian, Taylor was subjected to abuse on social media, in the wake of the Chelsea match. The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) said on Tuesday that Taylor would be a fourth official in Southampton’s home game against Ipswich Town on Saturday, and…
By Kayode John Super Eagles defender, Bright Osayi-Samuel, is back in training with Fenerbahce after being injured for a month Osayi-Samuel last featured for the Turkish side in the 2-2 draw away at Goztepe on August 17. The Nigeria international has missed the club’s last three league matches against Rizespor, Alanyaspor and Kasimpasa due to the setback. Osayi-Samuel posted a picture on X on Tuesday showing him shows the 26-year-old with the ball in a training session. Osayi-Samuel’s recovery comes just in time before Fenerbahce host champions Galatasaray in a Turkish Super Lig clash this weekend. The versatile defender missed…