IN UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE
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Nervy Nottingham Forest has edged past Fenerbahce to reach the last sixteen of the Europa League.
Kerem Akturkoglu’s double, including a second-half penalty, put the hosts in danger of blowing their three-nil first-leg lead.
Callum Hudson-Odoi’s strike eased fears of complete collapse as Vitor Pereira’s side progressed despite a sloppy and tentative performance.
They will face FC Midtjylland, who beat them in October to spark Ange Postecoglou’s downfall, or Real Betis – against whom Forest drew two-all in Spain during the league phase.
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Celtic has pulled off a shock but impressive with a one-nil victory against Stuttgart for their first win on German soil, but it was not enough to avoid dropping out of the Europa League knockout play-offs.
Luke McCowan scored after just 28 seconds to give the much-changed visitors a glimmer of hope following last week’s four-one defeat.
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Crystal Palace has proved too strong for Bosnian side Zrinjski to move into the last sixteen of the Conference League.
The Eagles, competing in their first season of European football after winning the FA Cup in 2024-25, had drawn one-all in last week’s away leg in Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Maxence Lacroix and Evann Guessand scored a goal each for Crystal Palace to make it a two-nil win over Zrinjski.
Palace will now play either German side Mainz or Larnaca from Cyprus in the two-legged tie, with the first game at Selhurst Park on Thursday, 12th March.
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Bayer Leverkusen coach, Kasper Hjulmand has explained why he would prefer to face Arsenal than Bayern Munich in the Champions League last-16.
Leverkusen booked their place in the next stage after eliminating Olympiacos two-nil on aggregate.
Hjulmand said he would welcome a tie against Arsenal to avoid another domestic showdown.
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Tottenham interim manager, Igor Tudor says ensuring the club avoid relegation is the toughest challenge of his career.
Spurs sit 16th in the Premier League with 29 points just four clear of the drop zone with eleven matches remaining following Sunday’s four-one home defeat by north London rivals Arsenal.
Reports estimate Spurs would face a collapse of about two hundred and sixty million pounds in annual revenue if they were to fall into the Championship.
Tudor, who was appointed this month after the departure of Thomas Frank, has previously been in charge at Juventus, Lazio, Marseille, Galatasaray and Udinese among others.
But with just two home league wins this season, Tudor, described their task as being, in sporting terms, a question of life or death.
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Brentford head coach, Keith Andrews has signed a new contract with the club, running until 2032.
The Irishman has impressed since stepping up from his role as set-piece coach to replace Thomas Frank in June, with the Bees sitting seventh in the Premier League and eyeing European qualification for the first time in their history.
Andrews said he felt as though he needed to earn his stripes after following on from Frank’s successful seven-year tenure in west London, during which the club were promoted to the Premier League.
The club’s director of football, Phil Giles, added that Andrews has proven to be a really good fit for the club after an outstanding first season at the helm.
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Wolves manager Rob Edwards and Sunderland counterpart Regis le Bris have condemned the racist abuse their players suffered last weekend.
Edwards said Super Eagles star Tolu Arokodare was upset and angry with the racist abuse targeted at him.
He stated that Arokodare has every right to be emotional about the situation and that the club has rallied around him.
Sunderland’s English winger Mundle was also targeted with online racist abuse following his substitute appearance in Sunday’s three-one home defeat by Fulham.
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Manchester United midfielder, Casemiro has disclosed that France legend Zinedine Zidane was his hero growing up.
The Brazilian reflected on his early football education, admitting that watching elite players on television shaped his ambitions long before he became one of Europe’s most accomplished midfielders.
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Former West Ham striker, Michail Antonio is set to sign a short-term deal with Qatar’s Al-Sailiya before his return to club football following a near-fatal car crash.
Antonio had been training with Charlton Athletic and held exploratory talks with the Championship club over a pay-as-you-play deal.
The 35-year-old is poised to sign for Qatari Stars League club Al-Sailiya until the end of their season, which has six games left.
His move to the Middle East is advanced with confirmation expected in the coming days.
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Leicester City manager, Gary Rowett says he has not had to clear the air with the team’s hierarchy about criticism he aimed their way just weeks before his appointment.
The 51-year-old was working as a Sky Sports pundit earlier in February when he blamed very poor management on the Foxes’ fall from winning the Premier League title in 2016 to battling to avoid relegation to League One a decade later.
Rowett has since guided the Foxes to morale-boosting back-to-back away draws in his first two matches, the results have not been enough to propel them out of the relegation zone.
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Arsenal women forward, Olivia Smith has withdrawn from the Canada squad for the SheBelieves Cup because of concussion.
The 21-year-old was involved in a clash of heads early in the second half during the Gunners’ three-nil victory over Bristol City in the Women’s FA Cup.
She was carried off the pitch on a stretcher, having been fitted with a neck brace, after a lengthy pause in play.
Canada are scheduled to play Colombia, the United States and Argentina in the SheBelieves Cup during the international break in March.
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The Premier League will launch its own streaming service in Singapore next season and is looking to see how it could be replicated all around the world.
The Netflix-style app, which will be named Premier League Plus, will allow users to watch all three hundred and eighty matches of the season, and other content.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters announced the service, previously mooted as “Premflix”, at the Financial Times Business of Football Summit in London and said it followed a very long, considered process.
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Fans of the Premier League’s six wealthiest clubs are paying an average of seventy-four pounds per ticket for each match they attend, while ticket revenues are soaring.
The Uefa European club finance and investment landscape report shows that Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham earned an average of nineteen percent more money from selling tickets for home matches in 2025 than in 2024.
Among Premier League clubs, Arsenal made the most per fan, per match, earning an average of eighty-nine pounds per ticket.
The biggest increase in ticket income was earned by Liverpool, who made twenty-seven percent more than the previous year, for a total of one hundred twenty million pounds.
The figures include matches in all European and domestic competitions and comprise the average price for general admission and hospitality tickets.
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IN NIGERIA
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Super Eagles head coach, Éric Chelle has responded to recent speculation linking him with the Olympic Marseille managerial position.
Chelle revealed that his agent proposed him to the Ligue 1 giants, but he did not have any personal contact with the club.
He was appointed Super Eagles head coach on a two-year contract in January 2025.
The Malian guided the Super Eagles to third position at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
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Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle says his demand for an increase in salary is aimed at improving his working conditions, while dismissing claims that he is threatening to quit his role with the Nigeria Football Federation over the new terms.
In a recently leaked document, Chelle tabled new terms before the NFF, including an increase in his monthly salary from $50,000 to $130,000, which would also cover his assistants.
Ottawa Rapid midfielder Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene has expressed her delight after earning a recall to the Super Falcons.
Okobi said she was grateful for the opportunity to represent the country again.
Okobi was a surprise inclusion in Nigeria’s squad for the upcoming friendlies against the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon.
The 32-year-old last featured for the Super Falcons at the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
The former Levante star also took a break from football due to pregnancy and childbirth.
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Head Coach of Barau FC, Rabiu Tata says his promise of taking the club out of relegation remains on course despite their one-nil defeat to Rivers United.
Tata, who masterminded the club’s success in the 2024/2025 Nigeria National League Super 8 Play-Offs, said the loss to Rivers United ended his seven-game unbeaten run since returning to the club’s coaching job.
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Nigeria international and Galatasaray striker, Victor Osimhen has been included in the UEFA Champions League Team of the Week.
UEFA announced Osimhen among the best eleven players of the playoffs second leg, on their Champions League X handle.
Osimhen’s inclusion is as a result of his impressive performance for Galatasaray in their playoff clash with Juventus.
Other top stars who also made the Team of the Week are Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak, Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni, Sandro Tonali of Newcastle United and Osimhen’s former Napoli teammate Kvicha Kvaratskhelia.
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Super Eagles star, Raphael Onyedika has been nominated for Club Brugge’s Player of the Month for February.
Onyedika will battle four other players; Joel Ordonez, Nicolò Tresoldi, Aleksandar Stankovic, and Mamadou Diakhon for the individual accolade.
The defensive midfielder made five appearances across all competitions for Club Brugge in the month under review.
The 24-year-old caught the eye with his impressive performance in the first leg of Brugge’s UEFA Champions League playoff tie against Atletico Madrid.
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The countdown is on for the commencement of the 2026 South-South Female Cricket League, which will be played from 3rd to 8th March across three centres.
The league forms part of a busy calendar year for the Nigeria Cricket Federation, as most women’s national team players are expected to return to the Female Yellow Greens camp for this year’s NCF T20I tournament after the six-day league.
Nine clubs, including 2024 winners Idia Royals, Adolor Amazons, Emotan Queens Cricket Club and Ekpoma Supernova Cricket Club, all from Edo State, will feature in the competition.
Wrexham goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo has been cleared by FIFA to represent Nigeria.
The 24-year-old is now eligible for selection ahead of the March international window, where the Super Eagles will compete in a four-nation invitational tournament in Amman, Jordan.
Nigeria face Iran on 27th March before taking on hosts Jordan four days later at the Amman International Stadium.
The team is expected to open camp on 24th March.
Okonkwo’s clearance comes amid uncertainty surrounding first-choice goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, who is currently without a club.
Former Nigeria player and 2019 Africa Women in Badminton Award winner, Oby Solaja, has been returned for another four-year tenure in the Badminton Federation of Nigeria, reaffirming her enduring influence in the sport’s development.
Solaja’s re-election came during the BFN zonal election held in Enugu, where she emerged as the representative for the South East zone.
Delegates affirmed her return in recognition of what officials described as her meritorious contributions to grassroots badminton development across the region.
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OTHER LEAGUES
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Real Madrid has launched an investigation after a supporter allegedly performed a Nazi salute before the club’s Champions League win against Benfica.
Prior to the kick-off at the Bernabeu, a fan appeared to make the fascist gesture as the television cameras panned around the eighty-three thousand-seater stadium.
The Spanish club said they have asked its disciplinary committee to initiate an immediate expulsion procedure for the fan.
The club condemned the type of gesture and expression that incites violence and hatred in sports and society.
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Al-Nassr forward Cristiano Ronaldo has become co-owner of Spanish second division side Almeria by acquiring a twenty-five percent share in the club.
The 41-year-old has bought his stake in Almeria, who are owned by a Saudi Arabian investment consortium led by Mohammed Al-Khereiji, through his recently formed CR7 Sports Investments company.
While the financial details have not been disclosed, Ronaldo said he was looking forward to working with the leadership team to support the next phase of the club’s growth.
The Portugal international added that it has been a long-held ambition of him to contribute to football, beyond the pitch.
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OTHER SPORTS
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In Basketball: Orlando Magic guard Desmond Bane was fined $25,000 on Thursday for forcefully throwing the game ball into the stands at the end of his team’s 110-109 road win against the Los Angeles Lakers.
After LeBron James missed a turnaround three-point attempt at the buzzer on Tuesday, Bane hurled the ball to the far end of the court, where it deflected off the shot clock and hit spectators seated along the baseline.
Bane, 27, has averaged 20.2 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists over 57 games (all starts) in his first season with the Magic, who acquired him last June in a blockbuster trade with the Memphis Grizzlies.
Earlier Thursday, the NBA issued an identical fine to Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards for the same offense. Edwards’ throw from the far foul line at the beginning of halftime appeared to strike a security official in the head.
In Boxing; Boxing legend Ruben “The Conquistador” Castillo has passed away at 68 after a courageous battle with cancer.
Castillo enjoyed a legendary professional career, finishing with an extremely impressive record of 67 wins, 10 losses, and two draws.
He began a remarkable 43-0, before finally losing to Alexis Arguello while fighting for the WBC super featherweight title in 1980.
The Texan fought several boxing legends during his career, including the likes of Julio Cesar Chavez, Salvador Sanchez, and Juan Laporte.
British number three Katie Boulter has secured her seventh consecutive win on the WTA Tour as Camila Osorio retired during their second-round match at the Merida Open.
Boulter, who won the Ostrava Open this month, had taken the first set 6-3 in Mexico when Colombian Osorio called for the physio and decided not to continue.
World number 69 Boulter will face Italian top seed Jasmine Paolini or Australian Priscilla Hon in the quarter-finals on Friday.
Indian Wells, the third WTA 1000 tournament of the year, begins on 4th March in California.
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In Cricket, Defending champions India kept their T20 World Cup semi-final hopes alive and eliminated opponents Zimbabwe with a 72-run victory in Chennai.
Having previously gone unbeaten in the group stage, Zimbabwe leaked more than 250 runs for the second consecutive match in the Super 8s as India piled on 256-4.
It is the second highest total in T20 World Cup history behind Sri Lanka’s 260-6 against Kenya in the inaugural event in 2007.
Now level on two points with West Indies, India know victory over the two-time champions in Kolkata on Sunday will secure their spot in the last four.
South Africa, who beat West Indies by nine wickets to maintain their perfect record at this tournament, join England in qualifying for the semi-finals with a game to spare.
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In Rugby, A radical new structure for English rugby is expected to be rubber-stamped at a Rugby Football Union council meeting on Friday.
The Prem would separate from the rest of the pyramid, with traditional promotion and relegation immediately scrapped.
Instead the Prem will look to expand from 10 teams to 12 teams by 2030, with further expansion possible if ambitious clubs meet criteria on and off the field.
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In Cycling, Scottish track cyclist Neil Fachie says the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow would be a great way to go out after being drawn back in to compete in a sport he thought he had left behind.
The 19-time world champion and Paralympic Games gold medallist will represent Team Scotland for the fourth time at this summer’s event.
It is a return to top level competition for the 41-year-old, who seemed to have called time on his life on two wheels after winning a silver medal at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris.
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TODAY’S FIXTURES
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IN ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Wolves vs Aston Villa
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SOCCER ACTION CONTINUES THIS WEEKEND
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IN ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
ON SATURDAY
AFC Bournemouth vs Sunderland
Burnley vs Brentford
Liverpool vs West Ham United
Newcastle United vs Everton
Leeds United vs Manchester City
ON SUNDAY
Brighton vs Nottingham Forest
Fulham vs Tottenham Hotspur
Manchester United vs Crystal Palace
Arsenal vs Chelsea
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IN SPANISH LA LIGA
ON SATURDAY
Rayo Vallecano vs Athletic Club
Barcelona vs Villarreal
Mallorca vs Real Sociedad
Real Oviedo vs Atletico Madrid
ON SUNDAY
Elche vs Espanyol
Valencia vs Osasuna
Real Betis vs Sevilla
Girona vs Celta Vigo
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IN ITALIAN SERIE A
ON SATURDAY
Como vs Lecce
Hellas
Verona vs Napoli
Inter Milan vs Genoa
ON SUNDAY
Cremonese vs AC Milan
Sassuolo vs Atalanta
Torino vs Lazio
Roma vs Juventus
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
Adversity causes some men to break; others to break records…words from William Arthur Ward
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