Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUARTER FINAL PAIRINGS.

Europa League semi-finals draw released [Full fixtures]


on
 March 19, 2021



The draw for this season’s UEFA Europa League semi-finals has been confirmed.

The draw, which was streamed on the UEFA website, was released on Friday afternoon in Nyon, Switzerland.

EPL: Tottenham to pay Mourinho £25m to leave


on
 March 20, 2021




It would cost Tottenham Hotspur £25 million to sack Jose Mourinho, as they would have to pay up the remaining two years of his contract, the UK Mirror reports.

Spurs chairman, Daniel Levy, is expected to give Mourinho a stay of execution to see if he can deliver their first trophy since 2008 in next month’s Carabao Cup final and a top-four finish.
But with fans openly revolting against the Portuguese’s defensive tactics after their shock Europa League exit at Dinamo Zagreb, he has almost run out of time.

Mourinho who earns in excess of £12m-a-year, gave his players the silent treatment after the stunning defeat in Croatia.

He claimed a change of attitude was required to save their season.
“I have this very bad feeling because maybe for some people, football is a job or a way to make money,” Mourinho said.

I will make the right changes at the right time – Abramovich warns Tuchel

on
 March 20, 2021




Chelsea owner, Roman Abramovich, has made it clear that his policy is to make managerial changes at the right time.

Abramovich stated this in a rare interview with Forbes Magazine.
The Russian billionaire risked the wrath of Blues’ fans when he sacked club legend, Frank Lampard in January.
But his replacement, Thomas Tuchel is unbeaten in his first 13 games, into the quarter-finals of the Champions League and preparing for Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final against Sheffield United.

Tuchel has reportedly been given a target to finish in the top four this season.

Real Madrid to pay ‘symbolic price’ to bring Ronaldo back from Juventus
on
 March 20, 2021




Real Madrid would only pay a “symbolic price” to bring Cristiano Ronaldo back from Juventus, according to Cuatro.

Ronaldo himself is also determined to re-sign for the LaLiga giants this summer and has reportedly instructed his agents to open talks with the LaLiga club.

Quote:Cristiano Ronaldo Named Serie A Player Of The Year Again

MILAN — Cristiano Ronaldo was named the Italian league player of the year on Friday for the second successive time.

Ronaldo won the prize in 2019 after his debut season at Juventus. The awards did not take place last year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Ronaldo scored 31 goals in 33 league matches last season and helped Juventus to a record-extending ninth successive Serie A title.

“At the beginning it was hard to play in empty stadiums, but the aim was to win, and we did it,” the 36-year-old Ronaldo said.

“I am happy and lucky. Persistence, confidence, work ethic, passion — those are all the secrets that allow me to keep playing. I feel motivated and you have to be every year, otherwise you won’t manage to win at 34, 35, 36 or 40 years old.”

Juventus forward Cristiana Girelli received the best female player award.

Atalanta’s Gian Piero Gasperini took home the coach prize and his side was team of the year. Atalanta finished third in Serie A for the second straight season and also reached the quarterfinals of the Champions League.

The Gran Gala del Calcio awards, which are voted for by a mix of footballers, coaches, referees and journalists, are normally presented at a glittering ceremony. Amid the ongoing pandemic, they were presented in a televised show.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/cristiano-ronaldo-named-serie-player-year/sn-amp/

Quote:AFCON Qualifiers: Musa, Troost-Ekong, Etebo, Aina, Ajayi, Onyekuru Arrive Camp 

Yes!!! We're in camp now...players and officials already breezing in. Early arrivals: @WTroostEkong @Aina2Ola @SemiAjayi & skipper @Ahmedmusa718 #SoarSuperEagles #Team9jaStrong

Our camp is swelling. @etebo_karo and @henryconyekuru have joined now. #SoarSuperEagles #Team9jaStrong

https://twitter.com/NGSuperEagles/status/1373733476994781184?s=19

The players are captain Ahmed Musa, William Troost-Ekong, Ola Aina, Semi Ajayi, Oghenekaro Etebo, and Henry Onyekuru.

The Super Eagles are camping in Eko Hotels, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The Eagles play Benin Republic on March 27 in Porto Novo, before hosting Lesotho three days later at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.

Nigeria lead Group L table of the qualifiers with eight points and at least a point from both games would seal their place at the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon next year.

Solskjaer sent sack warning after Man Utd crash out of FA Cup


on
 March 22, 2021




Former Liverpool midfielder, Danny Murphy, has warned Ole Gunnar Solskjaer he could be sacked as Manchester United, if he doesn’t win a trophy this season.

Solskjaer watched on as the Red Devils crashed out of the FA Cup on Sunday, thanks to a 3-1 defeat at Leicester City.
United have already been knocked out of the Champions League in the group stages this season and the Carabao Cup semi-finals by rivals Manchester City.

Murphy now feels Solskjaer keeping his job, might depend on him winning the Europa League.

'I can't apologise' - Chelsea icon, John Obi Mikel says he won't say sorry to ex- Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg over 2012 racism row







Former Nigerian international and Chelsea icon, John Obi Mikel has said he won't apologize to ex-Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg over the 2012 racism row.
 
In October 2012, Mikel's former team-mate Ramires claimed he heard Clattenburg say 'shut up you monkey' to Mikel in Chelsea's 3-2 defeat by Manchester United at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League. 
 

 
Because of the allegations, Clattenburg missed four weekends of Premier League matches before he was cleared by the Football Association, while the police also dropped their own inquiry. 
 
Chelsea accepted the findings and said the club regretted the impact the saga had on Clattenburg.
 
Speaking to The Athletic in a recent interview, Mikel said it's not in his place to apologise to Clattenburg because it was Ramires who made the claims to him. 
 

 
'In the heat of the game, players go through emotions,' Mikel said. 'Your colleague said they heard something, but they may not have heard right. Did he say it or not? I didn't know. 
 
'But if your colleague comes up to you, of course you're going to trust what they say, someone you see and speak to every day.
 
'So I can't apologise for something that my colleague said he (Clattenburg) did.'
 
Ramires was the only player on the pitch who claimed to have heard the abuse and the FA said that the complaint was made in good faith.
 

 
Mikel explained that after speaking to Ramires, he was left furious and went after Clattenburg in the tunnel at Stamford Bridge.
 
'I lost it. I was so angry,' Mikel said. 'We’d lost the game as well. There were a few decisions he’d given that cost us the game. Everything just boiled up. That was it. 
 
'I wanted to confront him, find out if he did say that word. I wasn’t really allowed to speak to him, he didn’t want to.
 
'It was crazy in the tunnel. I don’t think anyone at the club had seen me like that before. I had lots of people trying to hold me back… the players, the club. Everyone came out. It was a case of, "try and stop me". I wanted to break down that door to the referee’s room and ask him questions. I was livid.'
 
The FA investigation, upon clearing Clattenburg, charged Mikel with misconduct. He was banned for three matches and fined £60,000.
 
In a statement given after he was cleared, Clattenburg said: 'I am looking forward to putting this behind me and concentrating on refereeing in the Premier League and other competitions.
 
'The messages of encouragement from those inside and outside of the game have helped me through the most stressful time of my professional life.
 
'To know you were innocent of something but that there was the opportunity for it to wreck your career was truly frightening.'
 
Meanwhile, Mikel Obi currently plays for Championship side Stoke, who are 11th in the league. 

The super Eagles had their first training session at the teslim Balogun stadium on the 23th of March 2021.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjEh6TN6-L8


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4A-o4fxBnI

Nigeria's largest city Lagos will host a competitive men's senior football match for the first time in 20 years on 30 March.

The Super Eagles will take on Lesotho in their final 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at the Teslim Balogun stadium.
Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) officials say that the number of fans allowed in to the stadium to watch the match depends on the Confederation of African Football's Covid-19 protocols at the time.

The last competitive game Nigeria played in Lagos was a 1-0 Nations Cup qualifying win over Zambia in January 2001, while 10 years later there was a 2-1 friendly win over Sierra Leone at the Teslim Balogun venue.

March's game could see Lagos once again becoming a permanent home for the Super Eagles according to sports minister Sunday Dare who is keen to refurbish the dilapidated National Stadium in Lagos.
"This city is excited to host the country's first competitive fixture in 20 years in a place where the team rarely lose," chairman of the Lagos State Sports commission, Sola Aiyepeku, told BBC Sport Africa

"Everything is geared towards making Lagos the home base again, because there's a presence that this place has and demand that the fans have towards the opposition that puts them in fear.
"We want the Nigeria fear factor that this city has to return and put that in the hearts and souls of teams that come here."

The city is also confident that it can put in all the necessary measures for the game despite the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic.
"It's an unprecedented time to host the national team but wherever you go there is still the coronavirus, so it will definitely dampen probably the number of people," NFF vice president and Lagos FA boss Seyi Akinwunmi added.
"Despite the huge logistic problems that comes with these challenging times, Lagos state has proven that it can manage the pandemic more than most states in the country.
"The state has all the capacity, the hotels, state of the art ambulances, hospitals and everything which is an added reason for the country to come to Lagos.

"It's been a challenging year for the world in terms of football, but the country's most famous state is delighted to welcome the Eagles back home where they've enjoyed a remarkable success."

The Super Eagles have been playing their internationals around the country since the end of the 20th century when the cash-strapped Nigerian Football Association (now NFF) decided to approach cities interested in hosting international games.
Financial support, usually provided by the governors who host the national team in their states, saw the Eagles move around to Port Harcourt, Abuja, Kano, Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Delta State.

The Abuja and Lagos National Stadiums, as well as dozens of others that dot Nigerian cities, have become white elephants furthering emphasising a sad reminder of Nigeria's poor maintenance culture.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/africa/56069339