GLOBAL ASSOCIATION NEWS
The International Federation of Professional Footballers FIFPRO, says Football needs to do more to protect players against “dangerous levels of fixture congestion.
A report by the players’ union found that nearly half the players at last year’s World Cup experienced extreme or increased mental fatigue.
Players had little time to prepare or recover from the first mid-season World Cup in Qatar, which began in November.
Fifpro added that new Champions League and Club World Cup formats could pose a further threat to player wellbeing.
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Senegalese Football Federation says it has suspended domestic football until further notice because of deadly protests in the West African nation sparked by the prosecution of an opposition leader.
The move comes amid tensions in Senegal following last week’s sentencing of Ousmane Sonko to two years in prison.
Police said the death toll since Thursday had risen to sixteen, making the protests among the deadliest in recent decades, as two members of the security forces were among those killed.
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NIGERIA
Enyimba head coach, Finidi George says he remains the first assistant to Super Eagles head coach, Jose Peseiro.
There were rumours that he has been shown the exit door by the Nigeria Football Federation.
Finidi, who was absent in the Super Eagles’ last outings against Guinea-Bissau, stated that he is still with the national team.
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Rivers United goalkeeper Victor Sochima has expressed disappointment in his side’s performance against Lobi Stars.
The title holders played out a barren draw against Sunshine Stars in their Nigeria Premier League Super Six playoffs tie.
Sochima said the team missed out on a chance to move to the summit.
Rivers United will battle Bendel Insurance in the matchday four fixture on Friday
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Enyimba captain Chukwuemeka Obioma has admitted that the Aba giants are envious of Bendel Insurance’s unbeaten run.
The eight-time Nigeria Premier League champions failed to end Bendel Insurance’s unbeaten record after they were held to a one-all draw.
Bendel Insurance remains unbeaten in twenty-one league games this season, the longest streak in the history of the Nigerian top flight.
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Flying Eagles have arrived in the country following their participation at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Argentina The players and their officials flew into Abuja on Thursday afternoon via Ethiopian Airlines.
The Flying Eagles were eliminated from the competition by South Korea.
Ladan Bosso’s side lost the quarterfinal tie one-nil, as they won two and lost two of their four games in the competition.
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The Leone Stars of Sierra Leone have started preparations for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixture against the Super Eagles of Nigeria.
John Keister’s men had their first training session ahead of the game at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Stadium, Monrovia on Thursday.
Sierra Leone occupy third position in Group A of the qualifiers with four points from three games while the Super Eagles top the standings with nine points from the same number of matches.
Meanwhile, Sierra Leone head coach, John Keister, claimed his players would not be intimidated by the Super Eagles’ pedigree.
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Nigerian international, Paul Onuachu has been linked with a move away from Southampton.
Onuachu joined the Saints from Belgian Pro League outfit KRC Genk in January.
The Super Eagles player made eleven appearances for the South Coast club, failing to register a goal.
The forward is now expected to move elsewhere following Southampton’s relegation from the Premier League.
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ENGLAND
The English Football League has brought in new disqualifying conditions to toughen the rules of its owners’ and directors’ test.
Clubs voted to approve the regulation changes on Thursday, which include banning individuals who are subject to sanctions.
The EFL will also prohibit state-owned enterprises from sanctioned countries.
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Manchester City have touched down in Istanbul ahead of their Champions League final showdown against Inter Milan on Saturday.
Pep Guardiola’s side arrived in Turkey on Thursday on-board their private club plane and were greeted by supporters and tournament representatives.
City are striving to become only the second team in English football history to secure the fabled treble consisting of the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League.
Meanwhile, Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola will become the first manager in history to win the Treble twice if his side beat Inter Milan to lift the Champions League trophy on Saturday.
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Liverpool have completed a thirty-five million pounds deal to sign midfielder Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton on a five-year contract.
The fee could rise to fifty-five million pounds for the Argentina playmaker, who helped Brighton finish sixth in the Premier League this season to qualify for Europe for the first time.
Alexis Mac Allister scored twenty goals in one hundred and twelve appearances for the Seagulls and helped Argentina win the 2022 World Cup.
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The streets of east London were a sea of claret and blue on Thursday as thousands gathered for the West Ham trophy parade after their Europa Conference League victory.
The parade started at the Champions Statue, which depicts the club’s 1966 World Cup winners – in Barking and slowly made its way to Stratford Town Hall.
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Also, West Ham Chairman, David Sullivan says captain Declan Rice has probably played his last game for the team after being “promised” he could leave this summer.
The England midfielder has been heavily linked with a move away from London Stadium.
Rice became only the third West Ham captain to lift a trophy for the club, following in the footsteps of the great Bobby Moore, who lifted the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1965, and club legend Billy Bonds, who led the Hammers to the FA Cup in 1975 and 1980.
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Manchester United are considering sending Mason Greenwood out on loan for the whole of next season.
The club’s internal investigation into the striker, who saw charges of attempted rape, controlling and coercive behaviour and assault discontinued in February, remains ongoing.
Officials are looking into a move that would see the player head abroad for up to a year, as Italy, Spain and Turkey are thought to be the three likeliest options.
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Chelsea midfielder, Mateo Kovacic has agreed personal terms with Manchester City.
The Croatia international is out of contract next year and Chelsea are keen to offload players who have twelve months remaining on their deal instead of seeing them leave on a free transfer next summer.
Manchester City were given permission by Chelsea to hold talks with Kovacic over a move.
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Crystal Palace have confirmed Colombia international Jefferson Lerma will join as a free agent first July when his contract with Bournemouth expires.
Lerma, penned a three-year contract at Selhurst Park.
The midfielder started thirty-seven Premier League games for Bournemouth in 2022-23, scoring five goals.
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Former Chelsea left-back Emerson Palmieri became the first player in football history to win all five UEFA competitions.
Palmieri achieved the feat after winning the Europa Conference League with West Ham United on Wednesday in Prague.
Palmieri won the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Champions League in 2019 and 2021, he also won the UEFA Super Cup in 2021 during his time at Chelsea.
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Liverpool have paid a reported thirteen million pounds to buy back their old Melwood training ground for the women’s team.
The team sold the ground in 2019 to housing developer Torus and moved to a new training site in Kirkby in 2020.
The club will also use Melwood for the girls’ academy and community projects.
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OTHER SPORTS
In Tennis; Czech player Karolina Muchova became one of the lowest ranked players to reach the French Open women’s final as she edged a thriller against Belarusian second seed Aryna Sabalenka.
Ranked 43rd in the world, Muchova won 7-6 (7-5) 6-7 (5-7) 7-5 after saving a match point at 5-2 in the decider.
Muchova, will play Polish top seed Iga Swiatek in Saturday’s final.
Defending champion Swiatek, 22, won 6-2 7-6 (9-7) against Brazilian 14th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia later on Thursday.
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From the moment the French Open draw was made almost a fortnight ago, the tennis world licked its lips at the prospect of one blockbuster match.
The countdown towards Serbia’s Novak Djokovic, the 22-time Grand Slam champion, against Spanish world number one Carlos Alcaraz was on.
On Friday, the two men – at opposite ends of their careers but in the same stunning form – finally go head-to-head at a Grand Slam when they meet in the Roland Garros semi-finals.
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In Golf; Rory McIlroy said he and Justin Rose agreed not to speak about the PGA Tour and DP World Tour’s LIV Golf merger as they teed off at the Canadian Open.
It is the first tournament since the shock merger was announced on Tuesday.
McIlroy and Rose both snubbed joining LIV Golf, which is funded by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
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In Athletics; Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson says she is ready to begin her outdoor season with a “bang” at the Paris Diamond League.
The Olympic and world silver medallist will race over 800m at Charlety Stadium on Friday, 10 weeks before the start of the World Championships. Hodgkinson, comfortably retained her European indoor title in March during an impressive winter season.
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OTHER LEAGUES
Inter Milan goalkeeper, Andre Onana has challenged Manchester City to prove they are the world’s best team in Saturday’s Champions League final.
Manchester City are overwhelming favourites to overcome Inter Milan in Istanbul and claim the trophy for the first time, sealing an historic treble in the process.
Yet Onana has turned up the heat on City by pointing out they have yet to deliver on this stage.
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Fiorentina President, Rocco Commisso says West Ham treated Fiorentina like “animals” in their Europa Conference League final success.
Striker Luca Jovic had to come off at half-time with a broken nose, while left-back Cristiano Biraghi was left with a bloodied face after being hit by an object thrown from the crowd.
Fiorentina said this unacceptable behaviour obviously affected the performance of the footballer and his team-mates, who had their attention drawn away from footballing matters by the threats to their own safety.
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Barcelona manager, Xavi Hernandez, says he is not angry with Lionel Messi deciding to join Inter Miami instead of returning to the Nou Camp.
Messi will sign for the Major League Soccer side as a free agent after leaving Paris Saint-Germain.
Barcelona had been in talks with their former captain over a sensational return but Xavi said he understands why Messi chose to leave European football.
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Al-Nassr striker, Cristiano Ronaldo has said “the best are welcome in Saudi Arabia.”
Ronaldo was responding to questions about Lionel Messi deciding to move to Inter Miami instead of the Middle East.
Messi also turned his back on his former club, Barcelona, for a new adventure in the Major League Soccer MLS.
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Former Democratic Republic of Congo captain Gaby Zakuani has been appointed assistant manager of the national under-twenty side.
Zakuani won twenty-nine international caps and played in three Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.
The former centre-back said is looking forward to playing a role in shaping the future of our beautiful country.
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SOCEER ACTION CONTINUES THIS WEEKEND.
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CHAMPIONS LEAGUE – FINAL
Manchester City vs Inter Milan
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FIFA UNDER-20 WORLD CUP –
IN the third place play-off
Israel VS Korea Republic
IN the final match
Uruguay VS Italy
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