January
Antoine Griezmann ‘a caricature of himself’ in toxic Barcelona environment – former coach
Antoine Griezmann has become “a caricature of himself” at Barcelona, where his former Real Sociedad boss, Martin Lasarte, feels a toxic environment is taking its toll. Quique Setien has named Griezmann on the bench for three of Barca’s past four games, including important meetings with top-four hopefuls Sevilla and Atletico Madrid. The World Cup winner was not sent on until the 90th minute against Atletico on Tuesday, with Ansu Fati introduced ahead of him in the 2-2 draw at Camp Nou. Barca will fall four points behind Real Madrid with five games remaining if La Liga’s leaders beat Getafe on Thursday, with reports suggesting Setien has lost the backing of his players. Martin Lasarte, who handed Griezmann his professional debut as an 18-year-old in the Segunda Division with La Real, believe...
Diego Simeone hails Yannick Carrasco’s impact in Barcelona draw
Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone has singled out midfielder Yannick Carrasco for praise, following their 2-2 La Liga draw at Barcelona. The Belgian international caused problems for Quique Setien’s side right from kick off at the Camp Nou, with the home defence struggling to contain him. He won a 14th minute penalty following a foul by Arturo Vidal, with Saul Niguez converting, after a retake was ordered following Diego Costa’s miss. The former AS Monaco star continued to pose a threat after the break, winning a second spot kick just after the hour mark, and Simeone was impressed at full time. “Carrasco did a good job tonight. He has found it difficult since coming back, and he put in a huge effort here,” he told a post match interview with Marca. “He played a decisive role tonight. Agai...
FIRS generates N66 billion from stamp duties
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has generated the sum of N66 billion from stamp duties between January and May. The FIRS Director, Communications and Liaison Department, Abdullahi Ahmad, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday. Ahmad said the Executive Chairman of FIRS, Muhammad Nami, disclosed this at the inauguration of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Audit and Recovery of Back Years Stamp Duties and the unveiling of the FIRS Adhesive Stamp in Abuja. Mr Nami said the money realised in the first five months of the year from stamp duties represented about 1,000 per cent increase. He stated that the increment was unprecedented when compared to six billion naira collected from January to May 2019. The FIRS boss attributed this increase to the dynamism triggered by Fin...
CAF cancels 2020 AWCON, keeps mum on qualifiers
Getty Images Apparently not ready to risk the lives of players, officials and other stakeholders during the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, the Executive Committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Tuesday cancelled the 2020 African Women’s Cup of Nations (AWCON). This was one of the many crucial decisions taken by the Executive Committee headed by CAF President, Ahmad Ahmad during a video-conference Executive Meeting held Tuesday, June 30, 2020. The Committee which also discussed the future of competitions and other related issues following the disruption of football activities across the world including Africa by the COVID-19 pandemic opted to cancel the 2020 AWCON. “Due to challenging conditions, the 2020 edition of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations has been cancelled”,...
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer: Odion Ighalo brilliant on and off the pitch
Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has praised Odion Ighalo since he arrived from Shanghai Shenhua. United’s loan star has shown why the club extended his deal until January 2021. Ighalo got another goal in a tense 2-1 win over Norwich City in the FA Cup quarter finals. United now face Chelsea in the semis. “Keeping Ighalo was important to me and we worked hard to do it,” said Solskjaer to reporters after the Norwich game. “I think Odion knows how much we value him in and around the dressing room and of course on the pitch.” Solskjaer added: “He’s a goalscorer, a poacher, strong, we can play the ball into him like we did on the winning goal, where he showed and Paul [Pogba] found him. “He’s performing well but it also gives me the chance to rotate with Marcus [Rashford], Anthony [...
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer: Odion Ighalo brilliant on and off the pitch
Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has praised Odion Ighalo since he arrived from Shanghai Shenhua. United’s loan star has shown why the club extended his deal until January 2021. Ighalo got another goal in a tense 2-1 win over Norwich City in the FA Cup quarter finals. United now face Chelsea in the semis. “Keeping Ighalo was important to me and we worked hard to do it,” said Solskjaer to reporters after the Norwich game. “I think Odion knows how much we value him in and around the dressing room and of course on the pitch.” Solskjaer added: “He’s a goalscorer, a poacher, strong, we can play the ball into him like we did on the winning goal, where he showed and Paul [Pogba] found him. “He’s performing well but it also gives me the chance to rotate with Marcus [Rashford], Anthony [...
Osinachi Ohale bids farewell to CD Tacon ahead of rumoured Serie A move
Osinachi Ohale has appreciated Spanish side Club Deportivo (CD) Tacon ahead of a rumoured move to Serie A this summer. The Nigeria international spent the 2019-20 season at the Spanish Primera Iberdrola outfit and made 15 appearances, scoring twice in the process for David Aznar’s side since joining last September. Of her two goals, the first came in Tacon’s 5-1 thrashing of Toni Payne’s Sevilla on January 4 and the second in a 4-3 win over rivals Madrid CFF in a local derby in the capital four weeks later. And following the league cancellation in May, which saw her side finish 10th this season – with 23 points from 21 matches – the 28-year-old has thanked the entire club setup. “Hi everyone. It is time to announce that I will be leaving CD Tacon when my contract expires at the end of the ...
Peter Schmeichel labels Odion Ighalo a positive surpise at Manchester United
Manchester United legend Peter Schmeichel says Odion Ighalo has been a revelation at the club and one of the most positive surprises ever. The Nigeria forward joined the Red Devils on loan from Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua in January and has performed admirably for the Premier League side. The 31-year-old has scored four goals in nine appearances for the club. The former Watford striker will stay with United until January 2021 after his loan deal was extended last May. “I think he (Ighalo) has been one of the most positive surprises ever,” Schmeichel said. “He has been a revelation at the club and everybody has come to like him.” Ighalo was in action for United in Friday’s 1-1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur. He replaced Anthony Martial in the 78th minute of the encounter. Get...
Olivier Giroud explains decision to extend Chelsea stay
Getty Images Olivier Giroud has opened up on his decision to extend his stay at Chelsea, outlining his plans to “keep winning trophies” and show Frank Lampard “he can count on me”. Giroud completed a surprise move to Chelsea from Arsenal back in January 2018, and has since scored 21 goals in 76 outings for the club across all competitions. The World Cup winner played a key role in the Blues’ run to glory in the Europa League last season, but fell down the squad pecking order after Lampard was drafted in to replace Maurizio Sarri in the Stamford Bridge hot seat. Tammy Abraham has served as Chelsea’s first-choice centre-forward throughout the 2019-20 campaign, with Giroud restricted to just nine Premier League appearances in total. The 33-year-old was tipped to leave the club in January amid...
Marcus Rashford reacts to Odion Ighalo’s contract extension
English striker Marcus Rashford has congratulations Odion Ighalo following his contract extension with Manchester United. Ighalo was signed on loan from Shanghai Shenhua back in January after Rashford sustained an injury that ruled him out of action for three months. The six-month loan initially expired on May 31, but United decided to retain the services of the former Super Eagles striker for another six months and he now remains at Old Trafford until January 2021. Rashford who couldn’t hide his excitement after Manchester United announced the new agreement on their website took to his social media handle to congratulate his teammate. “Congrats @ighalojude 👏🏾♥️” Rashford wrote on Twitter. Ighalo who has scored four goals in eight matches for the club will be ...
Lagos to decamp pipeline explosion victims from relief camp
The Lagos State Government says it set to decamp the Abule-Egba pipeline explosion victims from the Igando Relief camp on June 30. Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the Director-General of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Lagos on Saturday. Oke-Osanyintolu said the state government had been supporting the rehabilitation of victims since January when the explosion occurred. He said that the government would be closing the camp effective June 30. According to him, LASEMA had worked with multiple agencies to ensure the safety and security of the 300 victims, including 40 infants and 30 children in many ways. He said the government has been feeding and accommodating victims and providing transport and educational support for school-...
Forbes removes Kylie Jenner from billionaires list
Kylie Jenner has been removed from the list of billionaires by Forbes on Friday. The Reality Tv star, Make-up business mogul, and influencer has been accused by Forbes of inflating the size of her business and success. Forbes on its website has reported that Kylie has been lying about company figures and forging tax returns’ to reach the billionaire status. They accused the family of creating a ‘web of lies’. Kylie Cosmetics is “significantly smaller, and less profitable than the family has spent years leading the cosmetics industry and media outlets to believe,” Forbes has reported after seeing filings released by publicly traded Coty over the past six months. The Make-up mogul in November 2019 sold 51 per cent of her Kylie Cosmetics to beauty giant Coty in a deal valued at $1.2 billion i...
