Former Nigeria U23 coach Samson Siasia has made a shocking allegation, claiming that John Mikel Obi’s agent offered him a €50,000 (₦76.7 million) bribe to secure the midfielder’s place in Nigeria’s 2008 Olympic squad.Siasia Speaks OutIn an interview with Elegbete TV, Siasia revealed that Mikel, who was struggling for playing time at Chelsea at the time, declined an invitation to join the team during the final Olympic qualification round.> “Mikel wasn’t playing regularly at Chelsea then—he was mostly on the bench,” Siasia said. “I asked him to come support us in our final qualifier against Ghana, but he said he…
Author: Oluwaseun samuel
LaLiga president Javier Tebas has issued a stark warning to Barcelona, stating that the club is currently unable to register Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams. Barcelona are reportedly looking to activate Williams’ release clause this summer. However, according to Tebas, their financial situation prevents them from registering the Spain international. The Catalan giants are already engaged in ongoing discussions with LaLiga over the registrations of players like Dani Olmo and Pau Victor. Despite these efforts, Tebas insists the club has yet to comply with LaLiga’s financial requirements — specifically the 1:1 spending rule. Speaking at an event organized by the…
Jude and Jobe Bellingham will miss the chance to play against each other in the 2025 Club World Cup quarter-finals due to a suspension. Jobe, who recently joined Borussia Dortmund, received a yellow card during their 2-1 victory over Monterrey on Wednesday morning. The booking means the 19-year-old will be suspended for Dortmund’s quarter-final clash against Real Madrid, where he could have faced his older brother Jude for the first time in their professional careers. In the match against Monterrey, Serhou Guirassy netted a quickfire brace within 10 minutes to give Dortmund an early lead. Although Germán Berterame pulled one…
The Spanish LaLiga has officially released the full fixture list for the 2025/2026 season, with action set to begin on Friday, August 15, and run through to Sunday, May 24, 2026. Real Madrid will begin their campaign at home against Osasuna at the Santiago Bernabéu, while reigning champions Barcelona will travel to face Mallorca. Atlético Madrid are also on the road, taking on Espanyol, as Athletic Club welcome Sevilla to San Mamés. LaLiga 2025/2026 Matchday One Fixtures: Note: The fixture “Valencia vs Osasuna” appears to be a duplicate or mistake, as Osasuna are already scheduled to face Real Madrid.
The quarter-final matchups for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup have been officially confirmed following the conclusion of the Round of 16 ties on Wednesday morning.Real Madrid will face Borussia Dortmund in a highly anticipated clash for a place in the semi-finals. Los Blancos booked their spot with a narrow 1-0 win over Juventus, thanks to a 54th-minute strike from Gonzalo Garcia.Dortmund secured their place with a 2-1 victory over Monterrey, with Serhou Guirassy scoring twice in the first half to seal the win.Brazilian side Fluminense will go up against Al-Hilal, who caused an upset by eliminating Manchester City.Elsewhere, Bayern…
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has shared his thoughts following their dramatic 4-3 loss to Al-Hilal in the Club World Cup Round of 16. City took an early lead through Bernardo Silva in the ninth minute, but goals from Marcos Leonardo and Malcom turned the game in Al-Hilal’s favour. Erling Haaland pulled City level in the 55th minute, only for Kalidou Koulibaly to restore the Saudi side’s lead in extra time with a header from Rúben Neves’ corner. Phil Foden responded with another equaliser, but Leonardo struck again in the 112th minute to seal a memorable win for Simone Inzaghi’s…
The Club World Cup will see a new champion this year after Manchester City were knocked out in a stunning upset by Al-Hilal in the last 16. The Saudi Pro League side claimed a dramatic 4-3 win after extra time in the early hours of Tuesday. City made another fast start, with Bernardo Silva scoring inside 10 minutes. But just 44 seconds into the second half, Marcos Leonardo equalised, and Malcom put Al-Hilal ahead in the 52nd minute. Erling Haaland responded almost immediately to make it 2-2, sending the match into extra time. Kalidou Koulibaly appeared to seal it for…
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says he wasn’t surprised by Jurgen Klopp’s harsh criticism of the expanded FIFA Club World Cup, which the former Liverpool boss called “the worst idea ever implemented.” Klopp had slammed the tournament’s new 32-team format, arguing that it leaves no time for players to recover ahead of the new season. Responding to Klopp’s remarks ahead of City’s Round of 16 clash with Al-Hilal, Guardiola said (via @TouchlineX): “We’ve fought together many times, especially on calendar issues and pushing for better quality.” “When players and managers get proper rest, the quality of football improves.” “I wasn’t…
Legendary former Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger has admitted he was surprised by Cesc Fabregas’ swift rise in management, praising the former midfielder’s early success in the dugout. Fabregas retired from professional football in July 2023, having enjoyed a glittering career that included Premier League, FA Cup, and LaLiga titles, along with a World Cup win in 2010. He quickly transitioned into coaching, taking charge of Como’s U-19 team after earning his coaching badges. Following the dismissal of Moreno Longo in November 2023, Fabregas was promoted to interim head coach of the first team and later appointed permanently after impressing in…
Thomas Partey will leave Arsenal this summer after failing to reach an agreement on a contract extension with the club. Despite months of negotiations, both parties were unable to find common ground, and the Ghanaian midfielder is now expected to depart as a free agent in early July, according to The Athletic via Sportal. Partey’s exit comes as part of a wider midfield overhaul at Arsenal, following the departure of Jorginho and the arrivals of Declan Rice and Kai Havertz. The 30-year-old joined the Gunners in 2020 from Atlético Madrid in a €50 million deal and will now be on…