Decision
No sign of Sergio Ramos in Real Madrid shirt launch
Sergio Ramos was one of the noticeable face that didn’t appear in any of the photos of Real Madrid’s kit launch campaign for the 2021/22 season. MARCA has learned that he wasn’t present at the photo shoot for the new kit, which was launched by Real Madrid and Adidas this Tuesday. While it’s true that the entire squad doesn’t attend such photo shoots, Ramos has always been a central figure in such campaigns. It’s not known if this decision was the club’s or Ramos’ or a mutual one. It could also be the case that the photo shoot was held when Ramos was in isolation due to COVID-19, but Adidas always want as many stars as possible present and the dates would have been moved if there had been a desire for the captain to be present. It should also be pointed out that this has nothing to do with ...
Euro 2020: Gareth Southgate invites Bukayo Saka, 24 others
Gareth Southgate hit back at the critics after selecting Trent Alexander-Arnold for England’s Euro 2020 squad as the Three Lions boss admitted Harry Maguire is a doubt for the opener against Croatia. Alexander-Arnold had to endure a nervous wait before learning he had made the cut after spending much of the season out of favour with Southgate. The 22-year-old was left out of Southgate’s England squad for their World Cup qualifiers in March. But Alexander-Arnold’s strong end to the season with Liverpool convinced Southgate to restore the right-back to his squad. Alexander-Arnold responded to his selection by tweeting: “Always believe in yourself. Silence the doubters.” Irritated by the inaccurate pre-announcement reports that he would drop Alexander-Arnold, Southgate insisted he never lost ...
Ex-Fiorentina defender: Victor Osimhen will perform under new boss
Former Fiorentina defender, Vittorio Tosto, is convinced that Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen can power Napoli to glory under newly appointed manager Luciano Spalletti. Spalletti, a former Inter Milan coach, was named the boss of the Parthenopeans, days after Gennaro Gattuso left the role following a disappointing end to the campaign. Gattuso was a key factor behind Osimhen’s decision to quit Lille for the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona last summer, with the club parting with a club-record fee of over €70 million. But injuries and coronavirus-related problems limited the attacker to 30 games across all competitions. The Super Eagles forward managed to find the back of the net ten times and provided three assists as Napoli missed out on Champions League qualification on the final day of the ...
Russia calls U.S. decision to not rejoin Open Skies arms pact ‘a political mistake’
Russia on Friday called a U.S. decision to not rejoin the Open Skies arms control pact, which allows unarmed surveillance flights over member countries, a political mistake that strikes a sour note ahead of a summit, Russian news agencies reported. The United States told Russia on Thursday it would not rejoin the pact, which Washington left in November, accusing Russia of violating it, something Moscow denied. The original decision to quit the pact was taken by the administration of then U.S. president Donald Trump and Moscow had hoped that Joe Biden would reverse that decision. Sergei Ryabkov, Russia’s deputy foreign minister, was quoted by the RIA news agency on Friday as saying that Moscow was disappointed but not entirely surprised by Biden’s decision. “It certainly does not make us ha...
Edo election: Appeal Court upholds Governor Obaseki’s victory
The Court of Appeal, sitting in Benin, yesterday, upheld the ruling of the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal against the Action Democratic Party (ADP), and reaffirmed the victory of Governor Godwin Obaseki at the 2020 governorship election. Delivering the judgement in the case marked CA/B/EPT/GOV/01 & 1A/2021 Action Democratic Party & Anor v. INEC & 2Ors, the court held that Obaseki did not forge his certificates with which he contested the 2020 governorship election and dismissed the appeal filed by the ADP and its candidate. In another case marked /B/EPT/GOV/02/2021 Action Peoples Party (APP) Vs Godwin N. Obaseki & 2Ors., the Court unanimously upheld the Judgment of the Tribunal and dismissed the Appeal with costs assessed at N600,000 each, on two differe...
Antonio Conte leaves Inter Milan
Title winning Antonio Conte has parted ways with Inter Milan amidst rumors he’s set for a return to the Premier League. Conte who guided Inter to the Scudetto for the first time since 2010 has been embroiled in a dispute with the club’s owners following their decision to cut down the size of the squad. A statement on the club’s website reads, “Internazionale Milano can confirm that an agreement has been reached with Antonio Conte for the termination of his contract by mutual consent. The Club would like to thank Antonio for the extraordinary work that he has done, culminating in Inter’s 19th top-flight title. Antonio Conte will forever remain a part of our Club’s history.” There are, however, rumours that the former Chelsea boss is set for a return to England to manage Tottenham Hotspurs. ...
Super League: UEFA begins disciplinary proceedings against Barca, Real Madrid, Juventus
UEFA have announced that disciplinary proceedings have been opened against Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus for a potential violation of their legal framework. The decision comes following an investigation conducted by UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspectors in connection with the so-called Super League project, and further information will be made available in due course, according to their statement. The three are the last men standing in the Super League project. Initially there was 12 clubs involved; Atletico Madrid, Milan, Inter, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur were part of a shoddy launch. The six English clubs left first, with Atletico, Milan and Inter following shortly after. Madrid’s Florentino Perez and Juventus’ Andrea Agn...
South Sudan to return 72 000 coronavirus vaccines to Covax
South Sudan will return 72 000 doses of donated Covid-19 vaccines after concluding it cannot administer the jabs before they expire, a health ministry official told AFP on Tuesday. The country received 132 000 doses of the Oxford/Astrazeneca vaccine in late March from Covax, the global initiative to ensure lower-income countries receive jabs, but so far has administered less than 8 000 shots. The rollout has been hampered by vaccine hesitancy and major logistical hurdles in the vast and underdeveloped country of 12 million, which, apart from the pandemic, faces an emergency food crisis and widespread armed insecurity. “There’s a plan to deliver back 72 000 doses to Covax,” Angelo Goup Thon, the head of Covid-19 operations at the health ministry, told AFP. He said the decision was made late...
Ondo governor: No land in southern Nigeria will be ceded to invaders masquerading as herdsmen
The Ondo State Governor and Chairman of the Southern Governors Forum, Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has declared that “no inch of the space delineated and known, currently, as South West, and indeed the whole South, will be ceded to a band of invaders masquerading as herdsmen under any guise.” Akeredolu made the declaration in a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant Special Duties and Strategies, Dr Doyin Odebowale. The declaration was sequel to a statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, on the position of President Muhammadu Buhari, on the farmer-herder clashes and what was termed as “Deep Rooted Solutions to the herdsmen attacks”. Shehu had in the statement revealed the presidency’s position that ranching and revival...
Report: Lionel Messi accepts new Barcelona deal
Lionel Messi will stay at Barcelona. The official announcement will be treated as Barca’s big signing of the summer and the latest important media outlet to confirm the news is ‘BeIN Sports’. Journalist Achraf Ben Ayad, who follows Barca news very closely, says that Leo Messi has decided to stay. The Argentine missed the final game of the La Liga season and he did not train on Friday either with the club’s permission. The striker has taken holiday before going to Argentina to play in the Copa America. It seems like Leo Messi wants to decide on his future before the Copa America starts in June so the Argentinian’s new deal could be confirmed in the next two weeks. Leo Messi will have to accept a contract with a lowe salary than his current one due to Barca’s complicated financial situation....
South East group warns governors, others angling for vice presidency
As discussions surrounding the 2023 presidential election gathers pace, South East Governors and other politicians from the region have been warned against ‘angling for the position of Vice President’. The Association of South East Past Presidents-General, which gave the warning in Enugu at the weekend, said the zone would not accept any one reducing it to ‘second fiddle political status’ in 2023. At an official public presentation of the former Chief Judge of Anambra State, Justice Peter Umeadi, who is also a Professor of Law, the association said the general consensus by equity, justice and fair play was that the next President of the country should emerge from the South East. The former PGs, who lead the over 2000 Igbo communities in the past, stressed that with such understanding, it w...
Manchester United step up Kingsley Coman transfer bid
Getty Images Manchester United have reportedly told Kingsley Coman they are ready to pay him £200,000 a week after tax. The Bayern Munich star has two years left on his contract but is yet to agree terms over a new deal. Bild claim Coman, 24, earns £200k a week before tax but ‘would like to have it in net’. United have apparently ‘indicated’ to the Frenchman they are willing to meet his demands – and make him their joint fifth top earner. But there is no guarantee of a quick transfer as Bayern are in no rush to make a decision on his future. And the Bundesliga champions will be able to demand a hefty fee with Transfermarkt valuing him at £58.5million. United are in the market for a new winger with Jadon Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo both top targets. Coman has long been linked and could be ...
