IN UEFA CHAMPION LEAGUE
Arsenal star Bukayo Saka scored a goal and missed a penalty as the team held off Real Madrid to reach the Champions League semi-finals in an incident-packed match at the Bernabeu.
Arsenal had a three-nil aggregate lead to defend after their superb victory in the first leg and they were given the chance to silence the noisy home support when they were awarded a 13th-minute penalty.
Saka and Gabriel Martinelli scored a goal for Arsenal, while Real Madrid’s only goal was scored by Vinicius Junior.
It is just the third time Arsenal have reached the semi-final stage of the Champions League and they willl face Paris Saint-Germain in the last four.
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Inter Milan has booked its place in the Champions League semi-finals with a two-all draw against Bayern Munich at San Siro Stadium.
The Italian champions led two-one from the first leg but their advantage was wiped out by Harry Kane’s crisp, low strike early in the second half.
Lautaro Martinez and Benjamin Pavard scored a goal each for Inter Milan, while Bayern Munich’s two goals were scored by Harry Kane and Eric Dier.
Despite the late scare, it is Inter who progress to face Barcelona in a tantalising last-four tie.
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Newcastle United has roared to third place in the Premier League and closer to Champions League qualification with a crushing five-nil victory over Crystal Palace at St James’ Park.
Still without manager Eddie Howe, who continues to recover from pneumonia, the Magpies delivered a ruthless first-half display to race to a four-nil lead and deal another blow to the Eagles’ own hopes of playing in Europe next season.
Jacob Murphy, Harvey Barnes, Fabian Schar, and Alexander Isak scored a goal each for Newcastle and with an own goal from Marc Guehi.
The success was Newcastle’s biggest of the season and moved them two points clear of Nottingham Forest and four behind second-placed Arsenal with six games left.
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Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim says the team’s goalkeeper Andre Onana will be recalled for the side’s Europa League quarter-final second leg against Lyon.
The Cameroon international was left out of United’s squad for the four-one defeat by Newcastle in the Premier League, with Turkey international Altay Bayindir deputising.
Amorim said Onana, a forty-four million pounds signing in 2023, deserves to return to the starting eleven.
Amorim was joined at his news briefing by defender Harry Maguire, who backed Onana to recover his form.
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Meanwhile, Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim wants Rory McIlroy to bring a winning feeling to Old Trafford following his Masters golf triumph.
United supporter McIlroy said after he won a career grand slam at Augusta National that he would take his Green Jacket awarded to every winner of the Masters to the stadium “if it can inspire some better play.
The Red Devils are 14th in the Premier League after a disappointing season in which Amorim has struggled to revive their fortunes.
In a message on Manchester United’s official X account, Amorim said he would welcome the 35-year-old Northern Irishman’s presence at a fixture in the near future.
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Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou says he does not know whether he will remain the team’s head coach beyond the end of the season.
The Australian’s position is under mounting uncertainty following a disappointing domestic season that leaves the club 15th in the Premier League, while they were eliminated from the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.
Spurs face Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany on Thursday in the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final which is evenly poised at one-all draw.
Postecoglou’s side have lost seventeen Premier League games out of thirty-two this season.
Tottenham will be without captain Son Heung-min for the quarter-final because of a foot injury.
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Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has urged fans to trust him, saying the team is improving under his leadership.
The Italian, saw his team jeered by some fans while they were losing at home to Ipswich in a game where they eventually came back to draw two-all draw.
After the match, the coach accused supporters of creating an environment that forced the team to lose its way amid criticism of his tactics, style of play and insistence to play out from the back.
With a top-five finish now needed to reach Europe’s top competition, Maresca sought to further defend his record as Chelsea manager so far.
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Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold has returned to training before their Premier League fixture with Leicester City on Sunday.
The 26-year-old England international has been absent since he sustained an ankle injury in Liverpool’s Champions League last-16 defeat by Paris Saint-Germain in March.
Alexander-Arnold’s return from injury comes as uncertainty over his future at Anfield continues.
Premier League leaders Liverpool is currently thirteen points clear of second-placed Arsenal with six matches of the season remaining.
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England women will play Jamaica at Leicester’s King Power Stadium in their final friendly before Euro 2025.
It is the first time the nations have faced each other, and will take place on Sunday, 29th June.
England begin the defence of their Euros title against France on 5th July, with the tournament being hosted in Switzerland.
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IN NIGERIA
The National Sports Commission is pleased with Ogun state’s readiness for the 22nd edition of the National Sports Festival branded as Gateway Games 2024, which is set to take place from 16th to 30th May, 2025.
Its Director General, Bukola Olopade, who also serves as the Chairman of the main organising committee made the remarks while leading a joint team of members to inspect facilities designated for the Games.
Olopade said the stadium’s 360-degree environment was equipped with world-class cameras capable of providing real-time images of activities.
The facility inspection also coincided with the official unveiling of the Festival Logo, theme song, and mascot, with the Ogun State Government assuring everyone of hosting a top-tier event.
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Kwara United has booked a place in the quarter-final of the President Federation Cup following a comfortable three-nil victory over Nigeria National League, NNL, outfit, Solution FC.
Junior Aimufua, Kabir Mohammed and Ismaila Gata scored a goal each for Kwara United.
Also, Nasarawa United defeated Bayelsa United five-three on penalties after the match ended in a one-all draw in regulation time.
Ikorodu City beat Beyond Limits two-nil in a South West derby.
The Oga Boys will lock horns with NNL outfit, Wikki Tourists in quarter-final.
Wikki Tourists booked a place in the last eight after edging past Warri Wolves four-three on penalities.
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Four-time champions Enyimba has been eliminated from the 2025 President Federation Cup by Abakaliki FC.
Abakaliki FC won the Round of 16 encounter played at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba two-nil.
They will face Nasarawa United in the quarter-final.
Rangers recorded a one-nil victory over Bendel Insurance, as Godwin Obaje netted the winning goal for the Flying Antelopes from the penalty spot.
The Coal City club will confront Plateau United in the next round.
Akwa United defeated Inter Lagos one-nil with Chisom Orji firing home the winning goal.
Kennedy Boboye’s men will keep a date with Kwara United in the last eight.
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Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has urged Udinese players to finish the Serie A season on a high.
Okoye stated that the team’s goal was to maintain 10th place.
Udinese is currently in 11th place in the league table with forty points.
Enugu Rangers booked their place in the 2024/25 President Federation Cup quarter‑finals with a hard‑fought 1– 0 victory over former champions Bendel Insurance at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos on Wednesday.
The decisive moment arrived deep into first‑half stoppage time when Rangers were awarded a penalty following a foul in the box.
Godwin Obaje stepped up confidently in the fifth minute of added time, sending Joshua Baba the wrong way in what will also send the Benin Arsenals home.
Rangers enjoyed the better of the early exchanges but struggled to carve out clear chances, as Insurance’s defence remained resolute.
Obaje’s spot‑kick just before the interval proved enough to separate the sides, despite Insurance probing for an equaliser after the break.
Besiktas icon Sergen Yalçın believes Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen will not leave Galatasaray at the end of the season.
The Nigerian international has been heavily linked with a move to top European clubs this summer.
Galatasaray is still making an effort to convince Osimhen to remain with the Turkish giant.
Tickets for the high-profile Unity Cup semi-final between Nigeria and Ghana have officially gone on general sale, with prices reaching as high as N532,038 for premium seating at the Gtech Community Stadium in West London.
The Super Eagles, through an official announcement on X, confirmed that ticket sales are now open for the Afro-Caribbean Invitational Tournament, which will feature Nigeria, Ghana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.
Branded as “The Unity Cup: The Best in the West,” the tournament is scheduled to take place during the final week of May 2025.
Four Nigerian boxers are flying the nation’s flag high as they prepare to compete at the inaugural WBC Riyadh Season Boxing Grand Prix in Saudi Arabia.
The prestigious tournament runs from 17th to 20th April, 2025, at the BLVD City Global Theater in Riyadh, drawing 128 fighters from over 40 countries.
This is the first-ever WBC Grand Prix, featuring four weight categories: featherweight, super-lightweight, middleweight, and heavyweight.
Nigeria’s presence marks a major step forward for the nation’s boxing reputation and showcases the rising talents in the sport.
Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna was the last African to exit the 2025 ITTF World Cup in Macao, China, as the continent’s campaign came to a disappointing end following group stage eliminations for all representatives.
The second-ranked African player fell in straight sets to Sweden’s Anton Kallberg, who delivered a clinical 4–0 (14–12, 13–11, 11–9, 11–2) win to advance from Stage 1 with a perfect record of eight victories.
Kallberg, a quarter finalist in last year’s edition, kept the Nigerian at bay with a mix of sharp topspin strokes and calculated positioning that limited Aruna’s forehand impact.
The National Sports Commission has commended Team Nigeria’s outstanding performance at the recently concluded ITTF World Para Future tournament in Amman, Jordan, where the nation displayed its prowess in para table tennis by finishing among the top three teams globally.
Over the three-day championship, which took place from 13th to 15th April, Nigeria amassed a remarkable haul of five gold, seven silver, and two bronze medals.
Competing against powerhouses such as Germany, Iran, and host nation Jordan, Nigeria stood tall as one of only three African nations in attendance, alongside Egypt and South Africa.
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OTHER LEAGUES
Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe will be available for the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona later this month after receiving a one-match ban for his sending off against Alaves.
The France captain was shown a straight red card during Madrid’s one-nil La Liga win for a lunge on Alaves midfielder Antonio Blanco.
The referee’s report stated Mbappe was sent off for violent conduct, which results in a punishment of between one to three matches.
A three-match ban would have seen Mbappe miss the Copa del Rey final against their El Clasico rivals on 26th April.
But a commission decided on the most lenient punishment of a one-match ban, which was aided by the referee’s report that Mbappe was disputing the ball.
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Barcelona women defender Mapi Leon has been banned for two Liga F matches following an incident with Espanyol defender Daniela Caracas in February.
The Spain international was accused of violating the privacy of Colombia defender Caracas on 10th February after appearing to touch her in the groin area while Espanyol defended a corner kick.
Espanyol expressed their total discontent and condemnation of the incident after a video of the clip went viral on social media.
She served the first match of the suspension last weekend against Atletico Madrid and will miss Barcelona’s next league game against Real Madrid.
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Argentina President Javier Milei has expressed deep admiration for Lionel Messi, describing him as the Greatest Footballer of all time ahead of Diego Maradona.
President Milei said he was a long-time supporter of the Inter Miami star, even during periods when the media harshly criticised him.
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Morocco coach Wahid Regragui has disclosed that he tried everything possible to convince the Barcelona star, Lamine Yamal to represent the Atlas Lions at the international level.
Yamal is now well-established with Spain, winning the Euros last summer.
Regragui said he spoke with Yamal, his family and his lawyer but chose to represent Spain.
The South American proposal for the 2030 World Cup to feature 64 teams has received a serious blow with CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani rejecting the idea.
The opposition of Montagliani, who heads the confederation for the 41 member associations in North and Central America and the Caribbean, follows similar stances taken by UEFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
Gabon international Aaron Boupendza has died at the age of twenty-eight after reportedly falling from a building in China.
The forward featured for his country at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Cameroon and won a total of thirty-five caps for the Panthers.
He had joined Chinese club Zhejiang FC, based in the city of Hangzhou, from Romanian outfit Rapid Bucharest in January.
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OTHER SPORTS
In Cricket, Delhi Capitals beat Rajasthan Royals after the first super over of the 2025 IPL to go top of the table.
With 12 needed from the super over, Tristan Stubbs whacked Sandeep Sharma’s fourth ball for six to seal the victory.
Rajasthan were guilty of wasting one delivery of Mitchell Starc’s preceding over, as only two wickets are allowed per super over and Riyan Parag and Yashasvi Jaiswal were both run out.
Delhi have now won five of their first six matches while struggling Rajasthan have lost five of their seven.
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In Rugby, Centre Jade Shekells will earn her first start for England as one of nine changes made by John Mitchell for Saturday’s Women’s Six Nations match against Scotland in Leicester.
Gloucester-Hartpury’s Shekells, was part of the GB Sevens squad at last year’s Olympics in Paris and made her Red Roses debut off the bench against Italy in round one.
Former England captain Marlie Packer, who is one try away from 50 for her country, also has not featured since the opening-round win over Italy in York and returns to start at open-side flanker.
Zoe Aldcroft replaced Packer as England captain in January and remains the only Red Roses player to start every game this championship after being named at blind-side flanker.
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TODAY’S FIXTURES
IN UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE – QUARTER-FINALS
Athletic Club vs Rangers k
Eintracht Frankfurt vs Tottenham Hotspur
Lazio vs Bodø / Glimt
Manchester United vs Olympique Lyonnais
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IN UEFA CONFERENCE LEAGUE- QUARTER-FINALS
Fiorentina vs Celje
Jagiellonia Białystok vs Real Betis
Chelsea vs Legia Warszawa
Rapid Vienna vs Djurgården
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
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