Author: Timi-Zacchaeus Oluwaferanmi

Just months after a promising revamp, Juventus finds itself mired in familiar struggles, sparking questions about whether the club’s bold overhaul has truly delivered. Sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli promised a fresh start this season, ushering in young talent and a new coach, Thiago Motta, to reinvigorate the Old Lady. An aggressive transfer window saw nearly €200m spent on midfield talents like Teun Koopmeiners and Douglas Luiz. Early results were encouraging, with emphatic wins and a stylish, attacking identity emerging. Yet 15 games into Serie A, Juventus sits sixth, unbeaten but winless in recent weeks. Seven draws in nine games have…

Tottenham Hotspur defender Cristian Romero has publicly criticized the club’s board for insufficient investment in the squad following a 4-3 defeat to Chelsea, a match in which Spurs squandered a 2-0 lead. The loss, their latest in a challenging season, leaves Tottenham in 11th place in the Premier League after 15 games. Speaking to Telemundo Deportes, the Argentine World Cup winner did not hold back in assessing the club’s shortcomings. “Manchester City competes every year, Liverpool strengthens its squad, Chelsea keeps investing—those are the models to imitate,” said Romero. “Hopefully, the board realizes something is going wrong because this is…

Five England stars have been included in the FIFPRO Women’s World XI, highlighting the growing global recognition of the Lionesses’ talent. Chelsea defender Lucy Bronze makes history by earning her seventh selection, equaling the record held by France’s Wendie Renard. Bronze’s move from Barcelona to Chelsea last summer has solidified her reputation as one of the best defenders in women’s football. Joining Bronze in the prestigious XI are Alex Greenwood (Manchester City), Mary Earps (Manchester United/Paris Saint-Germain), Keira Walsh (Barcelona), and Lauren James (Chelsea). Global Diversity in the Team The World XI features players from five nations, demonstrating the international…

David Coote, a 42-year-old Premier League referee, has been dismissed by the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) after a comprehensive investigation into allegations surrounding his conduct. Coote, who first officiated in the Premier League in 2018, was suspended on November 11 following the emergence of a video allegedly showing him making derogatory comments about Liverpool FC and their former manager Jürgen Klopp. This video referred to a contentious match between Liverpool and Burnley in 2020, which ended in a 1-1 draw. Klopp criticized Coote post-match for what he perceived as leniency toward Burnley’s physical challenges. Two days after Coote’s…

Atlético Madrid mounted a thrilling comeback to defeat Sevilla 4-3 in a dramatic La Liga clash at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano. The home side, trailing 3-1 with an hour gone, showcased resilience and determination to secure a vital victory, with Antoine Griezmann playing the role of hero by scoring twice, including a sensational stoppage-time winner. The match began with early excitement, as Atlético took the lead in the 10th minute through Rodrigo de Paul’s powerful shot from the edge of the box. However, Sevilla responded almost immediately, leveling the score just two minutes later when Dodi Lukebakio slalomed past Julian…

As Jamie Vardy approaches his 38th birthday, many expected his pace to slow. However, under Leicester City’s new boss, Ruud van Nistelrooy, the Foxes captain is showing signs of reinvigoration. In a dramatic 2-2 draw with Brighton on Saturday, Vardy showcased his trademark composure and leadership. With just four minutes left, Leicester was trailing 2-0 to the Seagulls. But Vardy, never one to shy away from the spotlight, halved the deficit with a clinical finish. Then, in the dying seconds of added time, he turned provider, setting up Bobby De Cordova-Reid to slot home the equalizer. Van Nistelrooy, a former…

Two former Premier League players have spoken about their growing fears of long-term health impacts from years of heading footballs, as concerns over brain injuries in the sport continue to mount. Former England defender Gary Pallister revealed that debilitating migraines plagued him throughout his career, while ex-Newcastle and Manchester City player Steve Howey has undergone scans revealing cognitive decline. Pallister: “The pain was sickening” Pallister, who won four Premier League titles with Manchester United, described migraines that began at age 17, causing blurred vision, tingling sensations, and violent headaches that left him unable to train for days. “I would throw…

West Ham’s Julen Lopetegui and Wolves’ Gary O’Neil face mounting pressure as their teams prepare for Monday’s Premier League showdown, dubbed “El Sackico” by fans. Both managers are among the favorites to lose their jobs, with recent poor performances fueling speculation. Lopetegui’s Struggles to Replace Moyes Julen Lopetegui’s tenure at West Ham has been fraught since he replaced David Moyes in July. The Spaniard, tasked with elevating the team beyond Moyes’ defensive style, has seen inconsistent results, leaving West Ham in 14th place with just four wins. Recent losses to Arsenal (5-2) and Leicester (3-1) have highlighted the Hammers’ lack…

Lewis Hamilton said he was happy his time with Mercedes “finished on a high” after what he described as “a really turbulent year”. The seven-time champion brought to an end his 12 years with Mercedes with a fourth-place finish after starting 16th on the grid in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. “It has been probably the longest year of my life, knowing from the beginning I was leaving,” Hamilton said. “It’s like a relationship that you’ve told whoever the counterpart is you’re leaving but you’re living together for a year. Lots of ups and downs but we finished on a…

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca hailed his team’s resilience after a thrilling 4-3 comeback victory over Tottenham on Sunday but admitted the Blues remain unprepared to challenge for the Premier League title. The dramatic win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium saw Chelsea overturn a two-goal deficit, with Marc Cucurella’s early slip-ups gifting Spurs an initial lead. Maresca, appointed in the summer, acknowledged the team’s progress but tempered expectations. “We are ahead of my expectation in terms of how we play on and off the ball, and the results,” said Maresca. “But we are far from being ready. Arsenal, [Manchester] City, and…