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  • OFFICIAL: Barcelona appoint Hansi Flick as new manager

    OFFICIAL: Barcelona appoint Hansi Flick as new manager

    Barcelona have officially signed Hansi Flick as their new manager for the next two years, replacing Xavi Hernandez.

    The announcement was made on Wednesday, following confirmation from Vice-President Rafa Yuste on Tuesday.

    The delay in announcing Flick’s appointment was attributed to finalizing the severance details with outgoing manager Xavi Hernandez.

    Meanwhile, Xavi, who waived the €11-12 million owed for his final year, will reclaim the €2.5 million he paid to join from Al-Sadd. His staff will also retain their fees in their redundancy package.

    Official: Barcelona appoint Hansi Flick as new manager
    Hansi Flick signs as new Barca manager – Getty image

    Flick’s appointment is a critical decision for President Joan Laporta.

    According to Diario AS, if Flick fails, it could jeopardize Laporta’s position ahead of the 2026 elections.

    On the other hand, a successful stint could bolster Laporta’s bid for a fourth term at the club.

    Sporting Director Deco’s future is also tied to the team’s performance this summer.

  • Sonia Bompastor appointed new Chelsea Women’s manager after Emma Hayes exit

    Sonia Bompastor appointed new Chelsea Women’s manager after Emma Hayes exit

    Chelsea have officially announced Sonia Bompastor as the new head coach of their women’s team, replacing Emma Hayes.

    Her job is effective from the start of the 2024/25 season.

    Bompastor, who has spent three successful seasons managing Lyon, will take over from Hayes, who departed after nearly 12 years at the club.

    The 43-year-old boasts a fine resume, having being capped 156 times by the French national team before retiring in 2013 to take up a coaching position with Lyon’s Academy.

    Just in: Sonia Bompastor appointed new Chelsea women’s manager after Emma Hayes exit
    Bompastor boasts of a Champions League title with Lyon women – Getty image

    In April 2021, she became the club’s first team head coach and has enjoyed much success during her time in the role, winning the Division 1 Feminine title in the last three seasons.

    She led Lyon to a league and European double during her first full season in charge, becoming the first person to win the UEFA Women’s Champions League as both a player and a head coach.

    Bompastor expressed her excitement about the new role, stating: “I am incredibly grateful to join Chelsea Football Club.

    “It is an institution in English football. I will give my all to this new project to meet the ambitions of the club, the staff, and the players.

    “I hope to live up to Emma’s legacy and continue the work that has been done in recent years. Let the adventure begin,” she added.

  • Cristiano Ronaldo Is The Highest Paid Athlete In The World

    Cristiano Ronaldo Is The Highest Paid Athlete In The World

    Footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo is at the top of Forbes’ list of highest-paid athletes for the fourth time in his career.

    Ronaldo’s on-field income amounted to $200 million, while he also recorded $60 million in off-field earnings.

    Spanish golfer Jon Rahm occupies the second spot following his sensational switch to Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf, which would see the world No. 5 paid at least $300 million.

    Apart from that guarantee, Rahm has earned $218 million.

    Third on the list is Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi, whose move to the Major Soccer League, MLS, earned him $135 million.

    The 36-year-old has earned $65 million in on-field earnings and $70 million off-field, thanks to deals with big brands like Adidas and Apple.

    Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James is fourth at $128.2 million, while fellow NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo ($111 million) of the Milwaukee Bucks rounds off the top five.

    Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe has dropped to sixth ($110 million).

    His former PSG teammate, Neymar, who now plays for Al Hilal, is seventh ($108 million) despite sitting out the majority of the season with a torn ACL.

  • Brazil To Host 2027 World Cup

    Brazil To Host 2027 World Cup

    The Women’s World Cup will take place in South America for the first time after Brazil was chosen to host the 2027 edition at a FIFA congress Friday.

    After the success of Australia and New Zealand last year, FIFA members picked Brazil over a European bid in a push to expand women’s football to new continents.

    Delegates meeting in Bangkok voted by 119 votes to 78 to send the 10th Women’s World Cup to the land of samba football, beating a joint bid from Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.

    The decision sparked celebrations from the Brazilian bid team.

    Brazilian Football Confederation President Ednaldo Rodrigues hailed it as a “victory for Latin American football and for women’s football in Latin America”.

    Brazil, home of women’s football great Marta, scored higher than its European rival in FIFA’s evaluation report.

  • Nigerian man challenges Anthony Joshua to boxing match, vows to knock him out in 2nd round

    Nigerian man challenges Anthony Joshua to boxing match, vows to knock him out in 2nd round

    Nigerian man has challenged British professional boxer Anthony Joshua to a boxing match, vowing to put him down in the second round and asking him to fix a date and time for the said match after he has accepted the challenge.

    In a fresh video circulating on popular social media platforms, the man, shirtless and flexing his muscles, delivers a message to Joshua:

    Nigerian man challenges Anthony Joshua to boxing match, vows to knock him out in 2nd round.
    Nigerian man challenges Anthony Joshua to boxing match.

    His message reads: “Joshua, I’m still waiting for you. I believe that my message has reached you. Just give me the date, and I’ll show you. As FBI, I will put you down in two rounds, in the second round, I’m gonna put you down.”

    After making his statement, he proceeds to train with tires, punching them, lifting them, and performing various other exercises to demonstrate his readiness.

    His statement has attracted the attention of many social media users, who have flooded the comment section of the post with their thoughts.

    See some reactions below:

    @LawrenceOkoroPG: “He thinks AJ fights because he’s angry with his opponents? He should get a promoter that can offer AJ $25million for the fight, then he can send AJ the invitation. But if he thinks he wants to get AJ into a ring by punching tyres and wrestling with a bag on the floor, then his brain should be accessed.”

    @xuckk: “Ngannou had tougher trainings … yet he fell. Skills over power cos Joshua would move your hairline further away from your face.”

    @Tobi_goldd: “When Portable gets back from his US visit, we will consider this fight.. For now, he need to fight his landlord.”

    @kings_4you: “Someone that will be rushed to hospital in the first round. You think professional heavy weight boxing is that gidigbo they do on the street.”

    @i_jandor: “Make them check this man well, him dey kolo… Him think say Joshua na local boxer… How much u won pay am.”

     

  • Pioli — Why Chukwueze can’t bench Pulisic

    Pioli — Why Chukwueze can’t bench Pulisic

    AC Milan manager Stefano Pioli has explained why Nigeria forward Samuel Chukwueze isn’t preferred to Christian Pulisic in the starting lineup for most of the season, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

    According to Pioli, Pulisic has become impossible to drop despite the calls for more game time for Chukwueze at the Americans’s expense.

    Over the weekend, Pulisic was included from the off once again in a meeting with Juventus and was only replaced by Chukwueze with seven minutes left on the clock, with either player not able to make a telling contribution in a 0-0 draw.

    Pioli has explained why he will not be changing his plans, telling DAZN that he will keep faith in his current system.

    “I liked Pulisic instead. Chukwueze is also fine, but at the moment I won’t give up an extra midfielder to play with four attacking players, and therefore Chukwuze is the one sacrificed the most at the moment.”

    Pulisic has posted personal-best figures during his debut campaign at San Siro, with 13 goals recorded across all competitions.

    The America international has started 40 of the 46 games that he has appeared in this season, earning plenty of plaudits along the way.

    Meanwhile, Chukwueze has been included from the off in just 13 of his 48 outings, with both men having moved to Milan in the summer of 2023.

    In terms of goals, Chukwueze has one goal and two assists in 22 appearances in Serie A, while he also scored twice in four UEFA Champions League games before they were eliminated in the group stages.

    The Nigerian endured a tough time at the club after returning 2023 Africa Cup of  Nations duty with Nigeria, but once he got the chance, he began to impress and eased the pressure with his first Serie A goal in their 3-1 win over Hellas Verona in March.

    The former Villarreal star scored with a superb volley five minutes after coming on for Noah Okafor in the 75th minute of the game.

    Reacting to his first Serie A goal, Chukwueze told DAZN, “I’m really happy. I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time. These first few months were not easy, but I’ve continued to work hard.

    “It was important to win, and I want to keep scoring to help the team. I must continue working hard because they signed me to score goals. I trust the coach and his plans for me. I just need to remain focused and continue working hard.”

    With four games to go in the current season, the 24-year-old will hope to keep up his hard work in the summer and prepare for his second season with the Italian giants.

    Chukwueze joined Milan during the 2023 summer transfer window for a deal worth €20 million plus some substantial bonuses, which made him the most expensive signing of a window that saw 10 players join the San Siro outfit.

     

     

  • Lookman, The EPL ‘flop’ turns Serie A star

    Lookman, The EPL ‘flop’ turns Serie A star

    Nigerian forward, Ademola Lookman, is fast becoming one of the top players in the Italian Serie A with his consistent eye-catching performances for Atalanta, which has seen him score 21 goals and provide 14 assists between last season, when he joined, and now, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

    On Sunday, the 26-year-old provided two assists in their 2-1 win at Monza, to add to his growing tally among providers in Serie A.

    According to OPTA, a sports data brand, Lookman is the fifth player to score more than 20 goals and deliver more than 10 assists since the start of last season in Serie A, after Napoli’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, AC Milan’s Raphael Leão, Paulo Dybala of Roma and Milan’s Olivier Giroud.

    Two seasons ago, at 24, the Nigerian forward wasn’t considered good enough in England, having played for five teams in England and Germany, in order to find his feet. In 2017, he moved from Charlton Athletic to Everton, where he only managed four goals in 48 appearances. He was then sold to RB Leipzig in Germany, where he scored five goals in 24 appearances, before the German club sent him back on loan to England with Fulham and Leicester City.

    At Fulham, he managed four goals in 35 appearances while his stint at Leicester saw him score eight times in 42 games.

    Across the two seasons in Italy, Lookman has scored 21 goals and provided 14 assists. While OPTA’s data showed 11 assists, the Nigerian has 14 (eight in 2022/23 and six so far in 2023/24), as recorded by Transfermarkt, a website which keeps the stats of players performances.

    In total, he has made 35-goal contributions for Atalanta between last season and now, placing him fifth behind Dybala (39), Giroud (39), Leao (41) and Kvaratskhelia (42).

    Aside from placing him among the high performers in Seria A, the numbers also show how the player, who couldn’t stamp his authority at three clubs in the English Premier League, has adapted in the Italian topflight.

    Lookman, a graduate of Charlton Athletic Academy, joined Atalanta on a four-year contract for a reported €15m from Leipzig and long-serving academy director at Charlton Athletic, Steve Avory, couldn’t be prouder of the Nigerian when he broke out in the Serie A last season.

    “It hasn’t surprised me that he has coped with all of the different club environments he has been to. Because he is a young man who seems to just take things in his stride so well,” Avory said in a documentary.

    “We are talking about a young man here who is playing at the top level. He truly has made it. We want and hope that he continues doing that for good years to come.”

    His form at Atalanta has seen them through to the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa League, where they play French side Marseille, and the Coppa Italia, which will see them face Fiorentina on Wednesday (today).

    “We all see Lookman‘s potential and speed, but we must admit that he once didn’t play so offensively,” Atalanta coach Gian Gasperini said per Pazzi di Fanta.

    “He used to score six or seven goals a year, while now he is quick, good at dribbling and even strong with his head. I encourage him because now and then, he hides from the game, but I believe that when he approaches the area, he can become a reference player for our team.”

    Now valued at €30m, Lookman’s contract with Atalanta expires in 2026 and talks about a return to England for him remains to be seen.

    Atalanta are currently sixth in Serie A, and with six games left till the end of the season, they have a huge chance of claiming a UEFA Champions League slot next season as  well.

     

     

     

  • Nigerians who lit up Europe with goals, assists

    Nigerians who lit up Europe with goals, assists

    With the 2023/24 season reaching its climax, PUNCH Sports Extra takes a look at Nigerian players who have had 10 or more goal contributions for their various clubs. While some of them have led their clubs to memorable triumphs, others are battling g to survive and maintain their status, writes EBENEZER BAJELA

    Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen)

    Without any doubt, Boniface has been Nigeria’s best player globally this season.

    The 23-year-old has been in devastating form for Bayer Leverkusen, guiding the Die Werkself to their first-ever league title in their 120-year history.

    Despite missing more than three months of action after suffering an abductor injury, no Nigerian has more goal contribution than the Akure-born striker. His 28-goal contribution (18 goals and 10 assists) already puts him in the race for the CAF 2024 Men’s Player of The Year award.

    Having sealed the German league title, Boniface and his teammates are still in the running for the German Cup and Europa League titles and remain the only unbeaten team in Europe.

    Cyriel Dessers (Rangers)

    Surprisingly, Dessers ranks second on the list of Nigerian players with the highest number of goal contributions.

    The 29-year-old took time to win over the highly vociferous Rangers fans after his summer move from Cremonese in Italy, but there will be few doubters left after his clinical double against Hearts on Sunday helped fire his side to the final of the Scottish Cup to set up a mouth-watering clash with eternal rivals Celtic United.

    In his first 20 games for Rangers, the 29-year-old managed to find the back of the net on three occasions but has been able to turn the tide since the start of the year.

    With 19 goals and eight assists, Dessers boasts the second-best goal contributions by any Nigerian player abroad.

    Victor Osimhen (Napoli)

    While it may not be his best season going by his standards, Osimhen remains one of the most prolific forwards in Europe.

    The 25-year-old’s season has been plagued by a series of injuries and international commitment, still, the Super Eagles striker has managed to contribute 15 goals and four assists, a total of 19-goal contributions so far this season.

    Osimhen was in devastating form in the 2022/23 season, scoring 26 goals in 32 Serie A games and 31 goals across all competitions to help Napoli claim the league title for the first time in 33 years and while they may have lost the league title to Inter Milan this season, the Nigerian is joint-third on the scorers chart in the Serie A.

    Only Lautaro Martinez (23) and Dusan Vlahovic (16) have scored more goals than Osimhen in the Italian topflight league this season.

    Ademola Lookman (Atalanta)

    One of the standout performers in the Serie A so far this season, Lookman has 15-goal contribution for Atalanta as they continue their quest to book a place in Europe next season.

    The former Leicester City man has been consistent since making a move to Italy two seasons ago and has established himself as one of the top players in the Italian Serie A.

    Despite playing just 2,157 minutes from a possible 3,150 minutes across 35 matches, the 26-year-old has scored nine goals and provided six assists.

    After providing two assists in Atalanta’s 2-1 win over Monza on Sunday, Lookman became just the fifth player to score more than 20 goals and deliver more than 10 assists since the start of last season in Serie A, after Napoli’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, AC Milan’s Raphael Leão, Paulo Dybala of Roma and Milan’s Olivier Giroud.

    It’s definitely the best season of  his career after he was snubbed by several English clubs and Germans Leipzig. However, Atalanta snatched their raw diamond and turned him to a precious gem.

    Tolu Arokodare (Genk)

    In what has been a relatively poor season for Genk, Arokodare has been one of the shining lights for the club so far in the Belgium Jupiler Pro League.

    The 1.97m tall striker has hit the back of the net on 14 occasions with three assists.

    While the goals seems to have dried up for the Genk forward, having managed just two goals in his last 10 matches, he remains one of the country’s top performers in goal conversion.

    Terem Moffi (Nice)

    With his 12-goal contribution from 25 games, Moffi has proven to be one of the most prolific strikers in the French Ligue1.

    The 23-year-old has scored 10 goals in Ligue 1 and is joint-seventh in the scorers’ charts with Kylian Mbappe the leading scorer with 24 goals.

    With eight matches to the end of the season, Moffi stands a chance of finishing among the top three goal-scorers in the league if his form in the last few weeks, where he scored four goals in six games, is anything to go by.

    Peter Olayinka (Red Star Belgrade)

    While he hasn’t scored in other competitions, Olayinka has been prolific in the Serbian topflight, hitting target with relative ease — his 12-goal contribution in 29 matches are a testament to that.

    Despite operating as a left winger, the 28-year-old ranks joint sixth top scorer in the Super Liga Srbije, having scored eight goals plus four assists for Red Star and is one of the club’s most outstanding players so far this season.

    Samuel Omorodion (Alaves)

    Apart from Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham, striker Omorodion is the only other player to score against Barcelona in their two LaLiga clashes this season, which underlines his knack for the big occasion.

    The Super Eagles-eligible forward boasts the record for the fastest goal scored in the Spanish topflight league this season, finding the back of the net against the Catalans just 27 seconds after kick-off.

    While the Melilla-born forward, 19, failed to score in his last six games, the bright start to the season means his 10-goal contribution (nine goals and an assist) still places him among the top performers for Alaves with parent club Atletico Madrid ready to recall him back to the team ahead of next season. If he scores 10 goals in the league, he’ll become the first Nigerian to achieve the feat in the Spanish topflight.

     OTHERS

    Also worthy of mention are Taiwo Awoniyi, Kelechi Iheanacho, Elijah Adebayo and Moses Simon.

    The quartet has nine-goal contributions each but has seen their contributions thwarted due to varying injuries.

    Both Awoniyi and Adebayo have scored nine goals each for Nottingham Forest and Luton Town respectively but have been out for a while due to injuries. Iheanacho has six goals and three assists but has barely featured for the Foxes having played less than 90 minutes of football in their last 19 games.

    Simon has been ruled out for the rest of the season but his three goals and six assists earned him a mention among the top performers.

     

     

  • Onakoya — I sneezed blood two days before chess marathon began

    Onakoya — I sneezed blood two days before chess marathon began

    In another revealing detail about his health, Tunde Onakoya, the new Guinness World Record holder for the longest chess marathon, has disclosed that he “sneezed blood and coughed violently” and almost called off his record-breaking chess marathon campaign, The PUNCH reports.

    Onakoya’s quest to break the 58-hour Guinness World Record for the longest unbeaten chess marathon began Wednesday, April 17 at 10am in Times Square, New York and ended at about 12:40am (04:40GMT) on Saturday after the Nigerian reached the 60-hour mark.

    Gift of Chess, a New York-based non-profit organisation with a mission to distribute chess sets around the world, last Thursday stated that the Nigerian chess master experienced intense vomiting and stomach pain while the chess marathon was ongoing but refused to quit.

    In his first tweet after setting the new Guinness World Record, the Chess-in-Slums founder confirmed that he suffered food poisoning during his record-breaking chess marathon campaign.

    On Wednesday, Onakoya gave more details about his health condition before the marathon began, saying he almost gave up the idea but for his promise to kids back home.

    “I have struggled to find the right words to capture all of the emotions I’ve felt in the last couple of days – it is indeed one of those weeks when decades happened,” he wrote on his LinkedIn profile.

    “I had woken up in the middle of the night some two weeks ago, cancelled my flight back home and decided to pursue this crazy idea of breaking the world record right in the heart of Times Square. It was basically attempting the impossible due to time constraints, but we made it work and got all the necessary permissions as our will was far greater than any resistance we faced.

    “But two days before the record attempt, my health failed me. It was so bad I had started sneezing blood, and coughing violently.

    “I was on the verge of calling it off but I had promised the children back home that I was going to make them proud and come back to them with tales of triumph. After all, I had taught them that it was possible to do great things from a small place against all odds.”

    Onakoya added, “On the day of the attempt, I still wasn’t feeling well but I dressed up and walked down to Times Square to see that Nigerians had turned up in numbers with Flags and flowers in hand to cheer me on. With tears in my eyes, I walked up to the chess board and did it afraid, unwell, uncertain but with a resolute mind.

    “After 60 hours of mental torture, we set a new record for the longest chess marathon in the world. We pushed human limitations and gave the world something new to believe in.

    “But my greatest joy wasn’t just breaking the record, it was in the little moments we shared with everyone that was present and the wave of support back home in Nigeria. I experienced human love and kindness in its purest form. People travelled from all over the world to come sit with us in the cold as we sparred for several hours.”

    Onakoya also thanked everyone who showed support during his record-breaking campaign.

    “To everyone who supported our vision, donated to our cause and stood by us – this record is yours as much as it is mine. Together we have done something truly extraordinary. Thank you.

    “As I sit here on my flight back home, my heart is full and I can’t wait to tell the children their dreams are valid as well.

    “Well done Tunde – The one who gives the forgotten little children big caps to wear, now the world will see them through your light.”

    Onakoya arrived in Lagos on Wednesday to a heroic welcome at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.

    The Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, received Onakoya at the Government House in Ikeja on Wednesday.

    Sanwo-Olu described Onakoya as an embodiment of “the spirit of Lagos.”

    “Powerful visions birth movements that change lives. Today, we welcome back @Tunde_OD , our chess champion, to Lagos,” he wrote on X.

     

     

  • Klopp — Liverpool need Arsenal, Man City crisis to win Premier League

    Klopp — Liverpool need Arsenal, Man City crisis to win Premier League

    Liverpool boss, Jurgen Klopp has said the club need a collapse from Arsenal and Manchester City to win the Premier League after a shock 2-0 defeat at Everton on Wednesday.

    Klopp tasted defeat in front of a crowd in the Merseyside derby for the first time to leave the Reds’ title hopes hanging by a thread.

    Liverpool trail Arsenal by three points with four matches remaining and are just one point clear of City, who have two games in hand.

    “You can read the table. We need a crisis at City and Arsenal and we need to win football games,” said Klopp, who is nearing the end of his tenure at Anfield.

    The German had enjoyed a dominant record over Everton with only one previous defeat in 18 games, but his final taste of the Merseyside derby was a bitter one.

    “It was not the most inspired performance,” added Klopp.

    “I really feel for the people, I’m really sorry for that. People have told me before about records in the derby. It feels really different (to have lost).

    “It was unnecessary but it happened.”

    A run of four wins in nine games has seen Klopp’s men crash out of the Europa League and FA Cup as well as falling off the pace at the top of the Premier League.

    Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk called on the players not to let Klopp’s farewell fizzle out with a whimper.

    “I think everyone has to look in the mirror and look at their performance and if they’ve given everything. Do they really want to win the league?

    “We weren’t good enough. We all have to do much better. We can’t let the season go out like tonight. We have to do much better in every sense,” Van Dijk said.

    AFP