Sports

The draw for this season’s Champions League Round of 16 has been completed on Friday. The standout tie will see Chelsea play Paris Saint-Germain in a repeat of last year’s Club World Cup final. Arsenal have been drawn against Bayer Leverkusen while Real Madrid take on Manchester City. All the fixtures will be played March 10-11 and March 17-18. FULL FIXTURES Sporting vs Bodo/Glimt Bayern Leverkusen vs Arsenal Real Madrid vs Manchester City Atalanta vs Bayern Munich PSG vs Chelsea Atletico Madrid vs Tottenham Newcastle vs Barcelona Galatasaray vs Liverpool

Manchester United F.C. are expected to pay up to £15.9 million in compensation to former manager Ruben Amorim and his coaching staff after his dismissal earlier this year, according to financial filings released in the United States. Amorim, 41, was sacked on January 5 after just 14 months in charge at Old Trafford. The Portuguese tactician left alongside five members of his backroom team, cutting short a tenure that initially showed promise but ultimately lacked consistency in the Premier League. Following his departure, Amorim reportedly held discussions with the club’s director of football, Jason Wilcox, and chief executive, Omar Berrada, which led to an initial settlement of £10 million. However, documents submitted to the New York Stock Exchange have now disclosed the broader...

Victor Osimhen has spoken candidly about Galatasaray’s possible opponents in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, revealing that a potential showdown with Liverpool F.C. would come with added intensity. Following Galatasaray’s dramatic play-off victory over Juventus F.C. to secure a place in the knockout stage, focus has now turned to Friday’s draw and the high-profile teams awaiting the Turkish champions. Among the potential opponents are Premier League sides Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur F.C., both regarded as formidable contenders. While Osimhen affirmed that Galatasaray are prepared to face any opponent, he admitted there are certain matchups he would prefer to avoid. “Honestly, meeting Liverpool now would feel like some sort of revenge,” the Nigerian forward said during a...

The head coach of the Super Eagles, Éric Chelle, has broken his silence on reports linking with the Marseille job. The 48-year-old was rumoured to be on the shortlist of Ligue 1 club, Marseille following the sacking of Italian gaffer, Roberto De Zerbi. Marseille appointed former Senegal international Habib Beye their new head coach last week. Chelle revealed that he did not have any personal contact with the Ligue 1 giants. “Yeah. At that moment, OM is looking for a coach. So my agency got in touch with the club to, I think, propose me. “And then after, well, I… and my agent, we didn’t do anything else,” Chelle told Histoires de foot Podcast. The Malian still has a year left on his contract with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

The family of Former Heavyweight boxing champion,  Anthony Joshua have pledged their full backing if the former heavyweight champion decides to step back into the ring. Joshua’s future has been uncertain following the tragic car accident in Nigeria that claimed the lives of his strength coach, Sina Ghami, and personal trainer, Latif “Latz” Ayodele. The boxer was hospitalized after the incident but was later discharged. Speaking in an interview with Punch, Joshua’s uncle, Ademola Joshua, said the family stands firmly behind whatever decision he makes regarding his career “We are proud of him, very proud,” he said. “The way we, the elderly, think is different from theirs, but it is entirely his decision. He makes the final call, and we respect whatever he chooses.” He a...

Manchester United legend, Gary Neville has cautioned the club against making Michael Carrick their next permanent manager, despite the team’s impressive revival under the former midfielder. Carrick, 44, stepped in following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim in January and has overseen a dramatic turnaround in fortunes. United have won five of their last six Premier League matches, reigniting their push for Champions League qualification. The run includes notable victories over title challengers Manchester City and Arsenal. Most recently, United secured a hard-fought 1-0 win over Everton at Hill Dickinson Stadium, with Benjamin Sesko coming off the bench to score the decisive goal and lift the club back into the top four. However, speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, Nevi...

Hansi Flick, head coach of FC Barcelona, has implemented a tough new disciplinary measure, introducing a €40,000 fine for any player who arrives late on matchday. The development was disclosed by forward Ferran Torres, underscoring the German tactician’s firm stance as Barcelona push for domestic success. Speaking on the Spanish television show El Hormiguero, Torres revealed, “Hansi Flick has updated the rules regarding lateness. If a player turns up late on matchday, they must pay a €40,000 fine.” The revelation was amplified by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano on 𝕏, sparking widespread discussion among fans. Barcelona currently lead La Liga, holding a one-point advantage over arch-rivals Real Madrid after a dominant 3-0 victory against Levante UD on Sunday. Off the pitch, t...

Police in the UK are investigating “abhorrent” racist abuse directed online at four Premier League footballers last weekend. Wolves striker Tolu Arokodare and Sunderland midfielder Romaine Mundle were the latest players to be targeted on Sunday. Chelsea’s Wesley Fofana and Burnley’s Hannibal Mejbri also suffered similar abuse on Saturday following a 1-1 draw between their clubs. Chief Constable Mark Roberts, the head of the UK Football Policing Unit (UKFPU), said Monday: “There is absolutely no place for racial abuse, either online or in person, and anyone who believes they can hide behind their keyboards should think again. “The UKFPU condemns this abhorrent behaviour and we will ensure that, through our dedicated team of officers, we do everything possible to identify those r...

Nigeria’s Super Falcons will arrive in Yaounde on Wednesday, February 25 ahead of their two friendly matches against Cameroon’s Indomitable Lionesses. Head coach, Justine Madugu will travel from Abuja with his assistants, home-based players Anderline Mgbechi and Fatima Oloko, and other backroom staff members. The foreign-based professionals are expected to join the team in Cameroon’s capital.  The first friendly is scheduled for Saturday, while the second encounter will take place next Tuesday. Both teams are preparing for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, set to kick off in Morocco next month. Nigeria are drawn in Group C alongside Malawi, Zambia, and Egypt. Cameroon, who began preparations last week, will compete in Group D with Ghana, Cape Verde, and Mali. 

Players who receive treatment for an injury could be forced to stay off the field for one minute under proposals from FIFA. The measure, driven by FIFA, is one of several changes aimed at protecting the rhythm of matches and reducing time lost to stoppages. The proposals will be presented to lawmakers at the annual general meeting of the International Football Association Board (IFAB), the governing body responsible for the Laws of the Game. At present, the rulebook does not fix a minimum period that an injured player must remain off the field after treatment. Domestic leagues have been left to interpret the issue themselves. In England, the Premier League introduced a 30-second waiting period at the start of the 2023-2024 campaign. FIFA, however, believes stronger action is ne...