Author: Timi-Zacchaeus Oluwaferanmi

Florian Wirtz arrived at Anfield this summer in a blaze of anticipation, hailed as one of Europe’s brightest young attacking talents and signed for a staggering £116m. Yet, after nine appearances in red, Liverpool fans and pundits alike are beginning to ask the same question: why hasn’t the German prodigy clicked yet? Wirtz’s early form has been described as underwhelming. He is yet to score a goal for Liverpool and his only assist came in the Community Shield defeat to Crystal Palace. Former England striker Wayne Rooney went so far as to claim that the 22-year-old “damages the balance” of…

Former Super Eagles striker Brown Ideye has warned that Nigeria’s hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup remain precarious, despite a recent points deduction handed to South Africa by FIFA. The ex-international, who was part of Nigeria’s 2013 Africa Cup of Nations-winning squad, expressed his concerns on social media, noting that qualification is now out of the Super Eagles’ direct control. South Africa’s setback Nigeria’s fortunes appeared to improve earlier this week when FIFA confirmed that South Africa had fielded an ineligible player during their 2-0 victory over Lesotho in March. Midfielder Teboho Mokoena was suspended after accumulating…

Barcelona starlet Lamine Yamal has been ruled out of Spain’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers after aggravating a groin injury, deepening a growing club-versus-country row over the teenager’s workload. The 18-year-old winger, who has already established himself as one of Europe’s brightest prospects, will miss around two to three weeks of action, according to Barcelona. That timeframe excludes him from Spain’s matches against Georgia and Bulgaria next week and sidelines him from Barça’s La Liga clash with Sevilla this weekend. Injury setback Yamal initially suffered the groin problem while on international duty in September, missing four games for Barcelona as a…

Nottingham Forest’s board have offered Ange Postecoglou their public backing, but the Australian coach knows Sunday’s Premier League clash against Newcastle United could be pivotal for his future. The 60-year-old has endured a difficult start to life at the City Ground, failing to win any of his first six matches in charge across all competitions. Forest’s 3-2 Europa League defeat to Danish side Midtjylland on Thursday brought frustration from supporters, with chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” echoing around the stands. Yet, despite growing discontent from sections of the fanbase, Forest’s hierarchy are urging patience. Insiders at the…

Jude Bellingham has been named England Men’s Player of the Year for the 2024-25 campaign, capping another milestone season in what is already proving to be an extraordinary career for the 22-year-old midfielder. The Real Madrid star finished ahead of Declan Rice and Harry Kane in the supporters’ vote, further underlining his growing influence on the international stage. It marks the first time he has received the honour, and he becomes just the second player in history to win it while representing a club outside of England, following Owen Hargreaves’ success in 2006 during his Bayern Munich days. Impact on…

As planning intensifies for the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup across the United States, Canada and Mexico, kick-off times are becoming a growing point of contention. FIFA officials are expected to schedule matches involving Europe’s leading nations after midnight UK time, in a bid to protect players from the extreme heat that plagued this summer’s Club World Cup. During that tournament in the United States, players and managers repeatedly raised concerns about soaring pitch-side temperatures. Matches in Los Angeles, played under blistering midday sun, saw Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique lament the near-40 degree heat, while Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández…

Paris Saint-Germain produced a statement victory in the Champions League as Gonçalo Ramos’ dramatic 90th-minute winner sealed a 2-1 triumph over Barcelona at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys. It was the first time an away team had ever scored a last-minute winner in European competition against Barcelona, and it underlined PSG’s intent to defend the treble they captured last season. Early Promise for Barcelona Barcelona started brightly, fuelled by the pace of Marcus Rashford and the trickery of 16-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal. The home crowd was rewarded after 19 minutes when Rashford burst down the left and delivered a superb…

Arsenal maintained their perfect start to the Champions League league phase with a 2-0 victory over Olympiakos at the Emirates Stadium, as Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka delivered decisive goals in a controlled performance. The Gunners, who opened their campaign with a win over Athletic Club, made it two wins from two thanks to another influential display from Martinelli and the returning brilliance of captain Martin Ødegaard. Early Breakthrough Mikel Arteta’s men struck early, capitalising on their attacking intent from the outset. New striker Viktor Gyökeres bulldozed his way through the Olympiakos defence in the 12th minute, and though his…

Manchester City were held to a 2-2 draw by Monaco in the UEFA Champions League league stage at Stade Louis-II, as Eric Dier’s last-minute penalty cancelled out Erling Haaland’s first-half double.

The Champions League continues to serve up drama on and off the pitch as three English sides — Liverpool, Chelsea, and Tottenham — prepare for crucial group-stage ties on a night that also sees Jose Mourinho return to Stamford Bridge with Benfica. For Liverpool, the trip to Istanbul to face Galatasaray comes under the shadow of a hostile atmosphere, with the Türk Telekom Arena infamously dubbed “hell” for visiting teams. Jürgen Klopp’s side are looking to recover from an inconsistent start to the European campaign, but the team news brought surprises: both Mohamed Salah and Alexander Isak were named on…