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Former Manchester United defender, Rio Ferdinand, has identified the two fixtures that will cost Arsenal the Premier League title.
With seven matches left, the Gunners can go back to the top of the table with a win over Aston Villa on Sunday.
But Ferdinand believes that Mikel Arteta’s men will suffer two more defeats before the season’s end, which will eventually cost them the title in the process.
While predicting the run-in for TNT Sport, Ferdinand tipped Arsenal to lose 2-1 away at North London rivals Tottenham, before falling to another defeat against United at Old Trafford in the penultimate game of the campaign.
According to him, Erik ten Hag’s side will run out 3-2 winners against Arteta’s men.
Brazil and AC Milan legend KaKa’s ex-wife, Caroline Celico, has revealed that she divorced him because he was “too perfect” for her.
Kaka, 41, married his childhood sweetheart Celico in 2005 before they divorced in 2015, spending ten years in their marriage together.
The divorced couple had two children together, but Celico was not happy and has now revealed she felt something was missing.
“Kaka never betrayed me, he treated me well, he gave me a wonderful family, but I was not happy, something was missing,” she was quoted on The Sun.
“The problem was, he was too perfect for me,” Celico declared.
Celico, a Brazilian socialite, joined Kaka’s church after they married and later became an Evangelical pastor but quit in 2010.
The 36-year-old later married Eduardo Scarpa Julião in 2021 and the couple are now expecting their first child.
Kaka also found love again with partner Carolina Dias whom he started dating in 2017.
He had a decorated career which saw him win nine major trophies, including the World Cup with Brazil in Korea/Japan 2002 and the FiFA Confederations Cup in 2005 and 2009.
He also won Serie A and the Champions League with AC Milan, as well as La Liga with Real Madrid.
Kaka was also named FIFA World Player of the Year and Ballon d’Or both in 2007.
Tim Simpson, the manager of Nigerian-born Australian UFC fighter, Israel Adesanya, said his client is disappointed not to be a part of the star-studded UFC 300 event.
Israel Adesanya returned from his almost six-month break from the UFC recently and declared his attention to feature in the UFC 300. Then, his target was to challenge middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis for the title.
Adesanya almost got the deal but Plessis pulled out from the fight which ought to take place at the UFC 300 which is scheduled for today, April 13.
The South African fighter said he pulled out from the fight because he hasn’t fully recovered from the injuries he sustained in a successful bout with Sean Strickland at UFC 297 in January.
Afterward, Israel Adesanya couldn’t find an alternative fighter to battle with leaving him out of the UFC 300 roster.
Adesanya’s manager said the Nigerian-born fighter is not happy over the development but noted that his client is open to fighting du Plessis on the upcoming UFC 305 card on August 17 in Perth, Australia.
“Israel was very upset that he didn’t do it (at UFC 300),” Simpson said on The MMA Hour.
“I believe Dricus was not ready. I think he had some sort of procedure after the last fight. Again, this is what’s been put publicly by Israel and (coach) Eugene (Bareman). But yeah, he really, really wanted it. He was upset, he wanted to be here and do it, he really, really wanted to do it. He loves big moments, the title fight coming back. I was texting (UFC executive) Hunter (Campbell) and couldn’t get it done on Dricus’ side, but Izzy was ready to go.”
Wembley Stadium looks set to host the all-British heavyweight clash between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
The long-awaited bout looks set to go ahead if Fury wins against Oleksandr Usyk on May 18 in Riyadh.
And Fury’s co-promoter Bob Arum is confident that London rather than Saudi Arabia will play host to the super fight.
He said: “The Saudis also, with having all this money, who can dictate the place, are very intelligent and they would, I think, like nothing more than to do that fight in Wembley with 95,000 people where they were the promoters.
“I think that would do more for their image than doing that fight – Fury and Joshua – in Saudi. But that’s up to them. That’s what I feel in talking to them briefly about the future.”
Joshua still might have a wait to finally fight Fury with the latter potentially facing a double header against his Ukrainian opponent.
“Looking at Tyson Fury, if he beats Usyk and fights Usyk again and beats him and then does a massive fight hopefully in the UK at Wembley Stadium,” he told Sky Sports, “that would really put an exclamation point to his great career.
“But let’s not put the cart before the horse. May 18 is an awfully competitive, really competitive heavyweight championship fight for all the marbles. He will give Tyson Fury everything Tyson can handle.
“I really believe from the reports I get that Tyson has really buckled down and is training very, very hard for this.”
Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, has admitted his team cannot afford to drop more points in the Premier League title race.
The champions are looking to win the trophy for an unprecedented fourth consecutive season.
However, they are currently in third place, behind rivals Arsenal and Liverpool on the table.
City will play Luton Town first, before Liverpool host Crystal Palace and Aston Villa travel to Arsenal on Sunday.
“The Premier League is so important. I expect a game similar to the Premier League when we won 2-1 at the end of the FA Cup. We have to be ready.
“We’re fighting for the title, we cannot drop points,” Guardiola told reporters today.
[DailyPost]
A former boss of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Amaju Pinnick believes ex-Super Eagles star George Finidi has all it takes to coach the senior male national team.
Finidi was in charge of the Super Eagles in their last two games following the departure of Jose Peseiro as the team gaffer after leading Nigeria to a second-place finish at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire.
The NFF is in search of Peseiro’s replacement, Pinnick who is the immediate past president of the football body is backing Finidi for the top job.
“I’m not an authority on this because I don’t know. But what I know is that some coaches were shortlisted, some applied and, somebody asked me a question, if I were to subscribe to a local coach and I corrected him right away that I don’t believe in the word local. They are indigenous coaches and if I were to subscribe to anyone at the moment, because of the smooth transition from Peseiro, I should say Finidi George, and I don’t have any regrets about it,” he said in an interview with Channels Television
“If it was Amuneke that was there during this transition, I would have said Amuneke because they had the same gifts, they played the same level, they won the same tournament, you know. But the difference between Amuneke and Finidi is a Finidi as a coach, came down to Nigeria and coached a local club, one of our indigenous clubs and he also won the league with this in the club. I brought him on as one of the assistant coaches.
“And when he was interviewed, you could see his humility and modesty in him. And if you see controversy among some of his colleagues, you will never hear anything about Finidi being a player’s agent, Finidi collecting money from this.
“No, he’s somebody that is primed and really and truly wants to work.”
Super Eagles forward; Ademola Lookman has said that his game style has been patterned after Senegalese forward, Sadio Mane.
Lookman played for Charlton Athletic, Everton, RB Leipzig, Fulham and Leicester City before moving to Serie A side Atalanta.
The Nigeria international joined Atalanta for a fee in the region of nine million euros paid to Leipzig at the start of the 2022-2023 season.
The winger has scored 24 goals and made 12 assists from 65 all-competition appearances.
The former England youth teamer has now revealed that his game is shaped on former Liverpool star Sadio Mane.
“The guy who I always looked at the most would have to be Sadio Mane,” Lookman told The Athletic.
“Looking at his threat in the box, his threat in those little tight spaces, his movement — I have watched a lot of his game in particular.
“I watch my clips back, and it’s nice to be able to see your performance from a different perspective.
“It gives you more belief in knowing that you’re getting better and developing in certain areas.”
Nigerian football star, Victor Osimhen could be heading to Ligue 1 champions, Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season.
Osimhen, one of the most sought after strikers in football at the moment is wanted by Premier League giants, Chelsea and Arsenal.
But PSG are close to wrapping up a deal with Napoli for the talismanic forward, according to Caught Offside.
The French club are rumored to be willing to pay Osimhen’s entire release clause, which is estimated to be worth €120m.
In addition, they are eager to extend an offer of a four-year contract to the striker, who will make €13m a season at PSG.
Chelsea, unlike PSG, are not in a position to pay Osimhen’s entire release clause due to their financial state.
Osimhen, aged 25, has scored 14 goals in 26 appearances across all competitions for Napoli this season.
Super Falcons captain, Rasheedat Ajibade has debunked claims the side adopted a defensive approach in their clash against South Africa in Pretoria on Tuesday.
Randy Waldrum’s side held the Banyana Banyana to a 0-0 draw in the second leg of the 2024 Olympic Games fourth round qualifying tie.
The result ensured their passage to Paris 2024 following a 1-0 aggregate win
Ajibade, who scored the decisive goal in the first leg, claimed the Super Falcons played to win in South Africa.
“We didn’t hold back, we wanted to score goals,” the Atletico Madrid forward told reporters.
“We respect South Africa, but we wanted to play the way we played in the first leg at home in Abuja.”
[DailyPost]
Athletics has become the first sport to offer prize money to Olympic champions, announcing that the 48 gold medallists in Paris this year will earn $50,000 each to end a 128-year tradition.
Although the concept of purely amateur competition has long since disappeared from the modern Olympics with athletes often receiving payments from sponsors and professionals taking part for years, the World Athletics (WA) decision is a major shift.
WA President, Sebastian Coe, said there had been no discussion with the International Olympic Committee, only that his organisation had given the IOC a heads-up shortly before announcing the $2.4 million prize pot.
“While it is impossible to put a marketable value on winning an Olympic medal, or on the commitment and focus it takes to even represent your country at an Olympic Games, it is important we make sure some of the revenues generated by our athletes are directly returned to those who make the Games the global spectacle that it is,” Coe told reporters.
“I don’t believe this is remotely at variance with the concept that the IOC often talks about, which is recognising the efforts that our competitors make for the overall success of the Games.”
Norway’s Olympic 400m hurdles champion Karsten Warholm welcomed the news.
“I think it’s good so I want to salute them for it,” Warholm said in an interview. “It doesn’t change my motivation to win because for the Olympics I’m not in it for the money. The gold medal is worth a lot more to me personally.”
The IOC said it was up to each International Federation (IF) and National Olympic Committee (NOC) to determine how to best serve their athletes and the development of their sports.
“The IOC redistributes 90% of all its income, in particular to the NOCs and IFs. This means that, every day, the equivalent of $4.2 million goes to help athletes and sports organisations at all levels around the world,” the ruling body said.
A total of $540 million was allocated to the 28 sports at the Tokyo Games, with World Athletics receiving the most at $40 million.
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Paris Saint-Germain boss, Luis Enrique has reflected on their 3-2 defeat to Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie on Wednesday.
Raphinha opened the scoring at the Parc des Princes, but the hosts went in front thanks to goals from Ousmane Dembele and Vitinha.
Barca levelled the game through another Raphinha goal, before Andreas Christensen headed in the winner.
Enrique, speaking to TNT Sports, said: “It was a pity because I think we started the match properly and in a good mood. Disappointing after we conceded the goal.
“Second half started in the best way but suddenly we suffered the second goal. We created some chances but for us it’s a pity.
“There’s still the spirit to go to Barcelona and try to win.
“Sometimes you have to change things and it happens just when we draw the match, we created more chances. The team was at a high level at that moment. But they are a good team.”
World No 1 Novak Djokovic made an emphatic start at the Monte Carlo Masters with a 6-1 6-2 win over Russia’s Roman Safiullin to ease into the third round in a rain-delayed day three on Tuesday.
Djokovic, who pulled out of the recent Miami Open as he tries to balance his schedule, looked fresh as he broke Safiullin’s serve three times in the opening set and a further two breaks in the second was enough to seal the win.
“I think even the games that I lost I had break points in those games. It is a really great first match at the start of the clay season,” he said.
On Sunday, Djokovic overtook Roger Federer as the oldest No 1 ranked singles player in ATP rankings history, at 36 years and 321 days.
“I met (Rohan) Bopanna yesterday, who is the oldest doubles No 1 in history. He said we had a combined age of 80, but he does contribute to the 80 more than I do,” Djokovic joked.
Musetti defeated Djokovic at the third round stage last year.
“Last year as well, I started off well at this tournament and the second match I lost, so I hope to maintain this rhythm,” Djokovic added.
German fifth seed Alexander Zverev made light work of his second round match, defeating Sebastian Ofner 6-3 6-4.
[DailyTrust]
Mikel Arteta has warned Arsenal to learn from their costly mistakes in Tuesday’s dramatic 2-2 draw against Bayern Munich if they want to reach the Champions League semi-finals.
Arteta’s side ensured their quarter-final clash remains finely balanced thanks to Leandro Trossard’s late equaliser in the first leg at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal’s old tormentor-in-chief Harry Kane had ignored a hostile reception from Gunners fans to mark his return to north London with the ice-cool penalty that put Bayern 2-1 up in the first half.
Former Tottenham striker Kane’s sixth career goal at the Emirates came after ex-Arsenal winger Serge Gnabry cancelled out Bukayo Saka’s early opener for the Gunners.
It was a frustrating evening for Arsenal, who looked hesitant at times in their first Champions League quarter-final since 2010.
The Premier League leaders have been in red-hot form in 2024, while Bayern have stumbled through a crisis-torn campaign.
But Arsenal’s status as favourites to advance to the last four was undone by some uncharacteristically sloppy defending.
Arteta urged his players to use the experience as a valuable tool to make amends in the second leg in Munich on April 17.
“We will go again in Munich. We are alive. The game became difficult and they understand they have to step up the level,” he said.
“We have made some mistakes today. Lets learn from it. These players have been unbelievable. It’s part of football. Lets support them.
“I sense the belief there. We are going to go to Munich and have a chance to win it. We’re going to be better in certain areas and that’s how we are going to prepare it.”
Arteta admitted Bayern’s impressive first half had rattled his team, but he was impressed with the way they regained their composure after the interval.
– ‘Crazy situation’ –
“The second goal created some insecurity in the team but after we reacted well. It’s easy to throw your toys away when things don’t go right,” he said.
“The subs, especially Leandro and Gabriel (Jesus), made a huge impact with their body language and the initiative they took to make things happen.”
Saka was convinced he should have been awarded a penalty in the final seconds when Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer appeared to make contact with the Arsenal winger.
But replays suggested Saka had initiated the contact and Arteta refused to be drawn on the controversy, saying only that he “hadn’t seen the image again” and “can’t change” the decision.
Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel bemoaned a separate penalty incident that didn’t go his side’s way.
Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes inexplicably picked up the ball following a David Raya goal-kick in the 66th minute.
Yet Swedish referee Glenn Nyberg opted against awarding a spot-kick.
“I know it was a crazy situation. They put the ball down, he whistles and the defender takes the ball with his hands,” Tuchel said.
“What makes us really angry is the explanation on the pitch. He told our players it was a ‘kid’s mistake’ and he won’t give a penalty for that in a Champions League quarter-final.
“It’s a horrible explanation. Kid’s mistake, adult’s mistake, whatever. We feel angry because it was a huge decision against us.”
A crucial miss by Leroy Sane — who allowed Ben White to get back to tackle him after he ran clear on goal — stopped the six-time European champions going 3-1 up in the first half.
But after a traumatic season that leaves Bayern almost certain to surrender the Bundesliga title to Bayer Leverkusen, Tuchel could have few complaints about his side’s battling display.
“It wasn’t easy, especially after we conceded early. The Arsenal fans were incredible, they pushed them. We scored with our first attack and the body language and confidence changed.
“There are no away goals anymore. We are happy with what we showed and we start from 0-0 next week.
“Next week we will have the decision. It is only half-time.”
[Vanguard]
The Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) has announced the appointment of match officials for football events of the 2024 Olympic Games.
FIFA listed 12 match officials from Africa with none from Nigeria making the cut.
The African referees for the tournament include Beida Dahane from Mauritania, Ismail Mahmood Ali from Sudan and Karboubi Bouchra from Morocco.
Meanwhile, assistant referees from Africa include Ahmed Liban Abdoulrazack from Djibouti, Chikotesha Diana from Zambia, Jermouni Fatiha from Morocco, Noupue Elvis from Cameroon, Santos Jerson Emiliano Dos from Angola and Yiembe Stephen from Kenya.
In the video match officials category, Ashour Mahmoud from Egypt and Benbraham Lahlou from Algeria will were selected.
Additionally, Nabadda Shamirah from Uganda will provide support as part of the match officials.
[DailyPost]