Author: Timi-Zacchaeus Oluwaferanmi

Ivory Coast have announced their 26-man squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, marking the dramatic return of Wilfried Zaha while leaving out breakout 2023 star Simon Adingra in one of the headline decisions by head coach Emerse Fae. The Elephants, defending champions after their remarkable triumph on home soil two years ago, will head to Morocco with a blend of experience, Premier League presence and emerging talent. Zaha’s inclusion stands out most—his first call-up in nearly two years. The 33-year-old has rediscovered form this season with Charlotte FC in Major League Soccer while on loan from Turkish giants…

Barcelona returned to Champions League action at the newly reopened Spotify Camp Nou in dramatic fashion, coming from behind to defeat Eintracht Frankfurt 2–1 thanks to a second-half brace from defender Jules Kounde. It was the club’s first Champions League match at their iconic home ground in more than three years, and their fourth consecutive victory there since reopening last month. The night began nervously for Hansi Flick’s side, who entered the fixture needing points to stay firmly in contention for a top-eight finish and automatic qualification to the last 16. Frankfurt, despite recent domestic struggles including a bruising 6–0…

Bayern Munich overturned a second-half deficit to claim a 3–1 victory over Sporting CP in the Champions League, with 17-year-old Lennart Karl once again at the heart of the comeback. The teenager, enjoying a breakthrough season of remarkable confidence and consistency, scored for the third consecutive Champions League match to help steer Bayern level on points with Arsenal at the top of the league phase. Sporting stunned the Allianz Arena shortly after the interval when Bayern’s own Joshua Kimmich inadvertently diverted Ivan Fresneda’s driven cross into his own net. It was a cruel moment for the midfielder, who had tracked…

Liverpool claimed a vital Champions League victory at the San Siro as Dominik Szoboszlai’s 88th-minute penalty secured a 1-0 win over Inter Milan on a tense night overshadowed by off-field drama surrounding Mohamed Salah. Arne Slot’s side, bruised by a turbulent fortnight and a run of nine defeats in 12, delivered a dogged and disciplined performance to climb into the top eight of the league phase. Much of the pre-match narrative centred on Salah’s exclusion from the squad. The Egyptian forward remained in Liverpool after publicly accusing the club of having “thrown him under the bus”, adding to the scrutiny…

The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) has formally requested that FIFA cancel planned LGBTQ+ “Pride Match” celebrations set to take place during Egypt’s 2026 World Cup fixture against Iran in Seattle. The match, scheduled for 26 June at Lumen Field, falls during Seattle’s annual Pride celebrations and two days before the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, a landmark event in LGBTQ+ rights history. Seattle’s local organising committee had previously announced that the match would include celebrations highlighting and supporting the LGBTQ+ community. However, these plans were made long before the World Cup draw or the identification of the teams that would…

Nigeria may face a major goalkeeping dilemma ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, with first-choice goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali now doubtful for the tournament after suffering ankle and hand injuries. Reports indicate the Chippa United shot-stopper picked up the problems during last month’s 2026 World Cup playoffs in Morocco and has not featured for his club since returning. Chippa United manager Vusumuzi Vilakazi confirmed concerns over Nwabali’s fitness but insisted the player remains determined to prove his readiness. “I don’t think he will make it, but when I was talking to him, he was confident that he will recover…

Liverpool have omitted Mohamed Salah from their travelling squad for Tuesday’s Champions League showdown against Inter Milan, a decision that marks the most dramatic moment yet in the growing rift between the club and their all-time Premier League top scorer. The club acted after Salah’s explosive post-match interview on Saturday, in which he claimed he had been “thrown under the bus” and admitted his relationship with head coach Arne Slot had broken down. According to club sources, the call to temporarily remove him from selection was made with Slot’s full agreement and is seen as the best way to defuse…

Manchester United powered into the Premier League’s top six with a commanding 4-1 win at Molineux, piling further misery on bottom-placed Wolves, who slumped to an eighth consecutive defeat and edged closer to what already feels like inevitable relegation. Bruno Fernandes struck twice, while Bryan Mbeumo and Mason Mount added goals in a dominant second-half display that exposed Wolves’ fragility, lack of confidence and inability to withstand sustained pressure. Jean-Ricner Bellegarde briefly dragged the hosts level on the stroke of half-time, but Rob Edwards’ side were overwhelmed after the interval as the gulf in quality, belief and execution became impossible…

Xabi Alonso faces a decisive moment in his Real Madrid tenure as pressure mounts ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League showdown with Manchester City. After Sunday’s 2-0 loss to Celta Vigo at the Bernabéu, patience among fans, players and the club’s hierarchy has worn thin. The boos that echoed through the stadium were followed by an emergency meeting among senior decision-makers, leaving Alonso’s prospects of surviving the storm increasingly bleak. Madrid’s season has unravelled alarmingly. Four points behind Barcelona, with just one win in their past five league games, the momentum that carried Alonso through a 13-in-14 winning run earlier in…

Liverpool manager Arne Slot insists he is “not weak” as he tries to steady the club amid Mohamed Salah’s explosive public criticism and unexpected exclusion from the squad for Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Inter Milan. The 33-year-old winger was omitted after an interview in which he claimed Liverpool had “thrown [him] under the bus” and suggested his relationship with Slot had collapsed. The comments—rare in their directness from a player long viewed as a model professional—have sent shockwaves through the club and dominated the build-up to a crucial European fixture. Speaking at San Siro on Monday evening, Slot cut…