Football
Spanish born Carlos Kevin ready to pledge his international future to Nigeria
Spanish-born Nigerian forward, Carlos Kevin Omoruyi says he is open to representing Nigeria at the international level. Kevin who was born April 10, 2001, in Spain to a Nigerian father currently plays for newly promoted side Huesca and the forward is excited to start his new adventure in the Spanish top flight. While speaking on his international future, Kevin said he is father has the biggest influence on his career and he wants to make him proud by playing for Nigeria. “My father has been motivating me to be a great footballer and I want to make him proud by being a top player in LaLiga and would be proud to play for Nigeria if invited. Of course, If Nigeria invites me, I would be very happy to honour the invitation,” he said. Kevin also disclosed that he has a good relationship with ano...
Everton sign Abdoulaye Doucouré from Watford
Everton have confirmed the signing of Watford midfielder Abdoulaye Doucouré. The Frenchman joins the likes of Allan and James Rodriguez as summer recruits for Carlo Ancelotti’s side. The 27-year-old has signed on a three-year deal with an option for a fourth. 🇫🇷 | And another one… Bienvenue, @abdoudoucoure16! 🔵#BienvenueDoucouré pic.twitter.com/pHYJ0w2b86 — Everton (@Everton) September 8, 2020 “I have been waiting a long time to come here and now it has happened so I am very happy,” Doucoure told evertonfc.com. “I had some interest from other clubs but from the beginning when Everton showed an interest in me I told my agent to focus on Everton. “It was the only club I wanted to join. “Everton has a big history in English football and it is a good club for me to have...
Eberechi Eze makes PFA Championship Team of the Year
Crystal Palace new signing Eberechi Eze has been included in the PFA Championship Team of the Year. The PFA made the announcement which was published on their verified Twitter handle on Tuesday. Eze’s inclusion is due to his impressive performance for former club Queens Park Rangers last season. The 22-year-old scored 13 goals and provided eight assists in 45 Championship appearances for QPR. He was voted QPRs Players’ Player of the Year, the Supporters’ Player of the Year and the club Player of the Year. The PFA Championship Team of the Year was dominated by newly promoted Leeds United who have four players: Luke Ayling, Ben White, Liam Cooper and Kalvin Philips. Other players in the list are Brice Samba of Nottingham Forest, West Bromwich Albion’s Romaine Sawyers, Aleksandar Mitrovic and...
Victor Osimhen’s pre-season goals counts for nothing – Napoli coach
Napoli coach Gennaro Gattuso has praised Victor Osimhen for his recent form on front of goal, and has advised him to continue working hard. Osimhen has scored six goals in two pre season matches for Napoli in the last few days, with the latest hat-trick coming in 4 – 0 win over Teramo on Friday. The 21-year-old is expected to lead the line for Napoli when they begin their adventure in the forthcoming 2020-2021 Italian Serie A season. Gattuso is delighted with how the player has adapted to his new environment, but he insists the 21-year-old must keep improving, in order to be ready for the new season. “Osimhen is a quiet guy who has to work a lot. He has a lot of physicalities but he doesn’t have to be satisfied. The goals he scores right now don’t count for anything, but he fits in very we...
Paris Saint-Germain star tests positive for coronavirus
Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe has tested positive for coronavirus and has left the France national squad Mbappe has returned home and will not face Croatia on Tuesday night in the UEFA Nations League. He featured in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Sweden and scored the winning goal in that clash Mbappe is also set to miss PSG’s fixtures away to Lens on September 10 and at home to Marseille on September 13 according to Telefoot. A statement from the French FA told Goal. “The result of his Covid-19 test carried out by UEFA on Monday morning was found to be positive. He was placed away from the group after receiving the results, at the end of training, before going back to his own home in the evening. “Like the entire delegation, Kylian Mbappe had undergone a test prior to the games of th...
Premier League set to reject requests to postpone games due to Covid outbreaks
Premier League officials are set to reject requests to postpone games in the event of Covid outbreaks amongst top-flight sides, with clubs required to fulfil fixtures unless they have fewer than 14 players available. The 2020/21 season is set to begin this weekend with the division’s authorities determined to finish the rescheduled and congested campaign on time ahead of next summer’s European Championships, with clubs having been informed that fixtures will need to be fulfilled even in the event of significant coronavirus outbreaks amongst top-flight squads. According to the Mail, Premier League clubs will be required to fulfil fixtures unless they have less than 14 players available for selection, including U21 players, who they will be obliged to play in the event of such circumstances....
Plateau United coach seeks financial support to achieve Champions League Semi final target
Plateau United coach Abdu Maikaba has stated that they need the required support to meet the target of semi-finals of the 2020/2021 CAF Champions League. The former Akwa United coach admitted the 2017 NPFL champions will require even more backing and hard work to realize their last-four ambition in the competition – a feat which was last achieved by a Nigerian club – Sunshine Stars in 2012. “They (Plateau State Government) gave us enough support, but actually, we have to work very hard to achieve that target,” he said. “Getting to the semi-finals (of the CAF Champions League) is not an easy task, and we have to work very, very hard. We have to be given all the necessary support to get there. “In terms of personnel, like the replacement of players, I have to get the support to make the repl...
CAF shock over missing AFCON trophy
Confederation of African Football (CAF) has expressed shock after reports that the AFCON trophy is missing from the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) headquarters in Cairo, Egypt. On Friday former EFA vice-president Ahmed Shobier claimed that the AFCON trophy can not be found. The Pharoahs won the AFCON title in three consecutive editions in 2006, 2008 and 2010, hence awarded the trophy for keeps. However, the silverware that was achieved under the guidance of legendary coach Hassan Shehata has seemingly been stolen a decade on. And reacting to the development, CAF has stated they will render support to the EFA to recover the missing trophy. “CAF has learnt with shock reports of missing AFCON trophies from the Egyptian Football Association secretariat. “Our doors are open and the @EFA ca...
Barcelona prepare final offer to land Lautaro Martinez from Inter
Barcelona are preparing a final offer for Lautaro Martinez, with the beleaguered Blaugrana ready to test Inter’s resolve as they prepare for life without Luis Suarez at the head of their attack. New boss Ronald Koeman recently made it clear to the Uruguayan, despite him being close friends with wantaway Lionel Messi, that he would no longer be a key player for the Catalans and should attempt to find a new club. And although Lyon attacker Memphis Depay has been mooted as a potential successor due to his ties with Koeman, Goal reports that Lautaro remains at the top Barca’s wishlist, with the Argentine seen as a complete centre-forward in the precise mould the club are looking for. There are many complications in the way, however, the most notable of which being the fact that Suarez still ha...
Virus-hit club loses CAS appeal against UCL ouster
Slovan Bratislava lost its appeal Friday against exclusion from the Champions League by UEFA after players tested positive for COVID-19 in pre-game checks. The Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld UEFA’s ruling last week that ordered the Slovakian champion to forfeit a first qualifying round game in the Faeroe Islands without playing. Public authorities in the Faeroe Islands put two different squads of Slovan’s players into quarantine when a virus infection in each group was reported in tests required by UEFA. The game was postponed twice, then UEFA’s appeal panel awarded Faeroes champion KI Klaksvik a 3-0 win to advance to the next round. Slovan later said all 35 players tested negative on returning to Slovakia. Friday’s urgent ruling from a CAS judge – without yet specifying reasons – w...
Gennaro Gattuso: Victor Osimhen must keep working hard despite good start at Napoli
Napoli manager Gennaro Gattuso has demanded that Victor Osimhen stay grounded despite his impressive start to life at the club. Osimhen continued his impressive pre-season form for the Serie A club by netting a hat-trick in Friday’s 4-0 win against Teramo. The Nigeria international scored three goals and bagged an assist in Napoli’s first pre-season friendly against fourth division club L’Aquilla last week. The 21-year-old has now scored six goals in two appearances for the Blues. Gattuso however wants his new striker to keep working hard ahead of the new season. “Osimhen needs to keep working hard and never to be satisfied, these goals count for nothing,” Gattuso stated after the game. ”What’s important is that he’s already integrated into the group, joking and laughing with all his teamm...
Gareth Bale: Real Madrid blocked my return to Premier League
Gareth Bale has accused Real Madrid of making it “very difficult” to leave the Spanish club as the Wales forward looks to end his Bernabeu exile. Bale is out of favour with Real manager Zinedine Zidane and played just 48 minutes of Madrid’s 12 games when the Spanish season resumed after the coronavirus lockdown. Zidane, who has feuded with Bale throughout his two spells in charge, said the winger did not want to play in last season’s Champions League last-16 second-leg tie at Manchester City. Bale has two years left on his Real contract, but there appears little chance he will force his way into the manager’s plans. The 31-year-old almost joined Chinese Super League club Jiangsu Suning in 2019 before Real pulled the plug on the deal, a decision that still irks Bale. “I think the club needs...
