Author: Timi-Zacchaeus Oluwaferanmi

Real Madrid have become the first football club to surpass €1bn in annual revenue, as revealed in Deloitte’s Money League report. The Spanish giants recorded revenue of €1.05bn (£883m) for the 2023-24 season, during which they clinched the La Liga and Champions League titles. This milestone secures their top spot in the rankings, with Manchester City (€826m/£708m) and Paris St-Germain (€796m/£681m) following in second and third, respectively. Record-Breaking Revenues The top 20 clubs collectively generated £9.47bn, a 6% increase from the previous year. Matchday revenues were the fastest-growing segment, rising by 11% to £1.77bn, driven by stadium renovations, higher ticket…

Chidera Ejuke has expressed his excitement after making his long-awaited return to the pitch following a significant hamstring injury that sidelined him for approximately three months. The 27-year-old Nigerian winger, who sustained the injury during Sevilla’s La Liga clash with Barcelona last October, was forced to watch from the sidelines as he worked tirelessly to recover. Ejuke marked his return to competitive action in Sevilla’s hard-fought 2-1 victory over Girona last weekend. The talented winger came on in the final stages of the match, playing for eight minutes and contributing to the team’s effort as they secured all three points.…

AS Monaco are reportedly interested in signing Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi on a six-month loan with an option to buy. The 28-year-old defensive midfielder, who has been a key figure for Leicester City since joining from KRC Genk in 2017, was close to leaving the club last summer after his contract expired. However, after negotiations with then-manager Steve Cooper, Ndidi signed a new three-year deal to stay at the King Power Stadium. Despite this, AS Monaco have identified Ndidi as one of their main targets for the final days of the transfer window. Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed the…

Atlético Madrid staged a thrilling comeback to beat Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 in a dramatic Champions League clash at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, despite playing with 10 men for over an hour. Former Manchester City star Julián Álvarez was the hero for Atlético, scoring twice, including a 90th-minute winner that secured a crucial three points for Diego Simeone’s side. The match started poorly for the hosts when Pablo Barrios was sent off in the 25th minute for a reckless challenge on Nordi Mukiele. Leverkusen capitalized on their numerical advantage just before halftime, with Piero Hincapié heading in from Mukiele’s cross to…

Aston Villa missed the chance to secure early progression to the Champions League knockouts, falling 1-0 to Monaco at Stade Louis II. The game’s decisive moment came in the eighth minute when Wilfried Singo headed home after Emiliano Martinez parried Thilo Kehrer’s initial effort. Despite Monaco’s recent struggles, the hosts displayed composure and energy, keeping Villa at bay. Villa had opportunities to equalize, with Radoslaw Majecki denying both Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins before halftime. However, the visitors’ lack of precision and fluidity in attack left them frustrated. Monaco had a second goal disallowed for offside early in the second…

Liverpool continued their unbeaten streak in this season’s Champions League with a 2-1 victory over Lille at Anfield, sealing their place in the competition’s last 16. Mohamed Salah opened the scoring in the 34th minute, netting his 50th European goal for the Reds. The Egyptian forward latched onto a sublime through ball from Curtis Jones and chipped past Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier to give Liverpool the lead. Despite Lille’s impressive 21-match unbeaten run across all competitions, their resilience was tested further when Aïssa Mandi received a second yellow card for tripping Luis Díaz in the 59th minute, leaving the visitors…

Nathan Tella opened his account for the season in dramatic fashion as Bayer Leverkusen edged Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in an exhilarating Bundesliga clash on Friday night. Playing at Signal Iduna Park, the visitors secured a crucial victory that reinforces their title credentials. Tella, who joined Leverkusen from Southampton in 2023, netted his first goal of the season in his 12th league appearance, ending a frustrating drought. Leverkusen’s attacking quality was on full display as they outmaneuvered a resilient Dortmund side. Despite Dortmund’s best efforts, including a late push for an equalizer, the defending Bundesliga champions held firm to claim all…

William Troost-Ekong played a pivotal role in Al Kholood’s thrilling 3-2 victory over Al Ettifaq in the Saudi Professional League on Friday. With the match seemingly destined for a 2-2 draw, Troost-Ekong provided a pinpoint assist in the 10th minute of stoppage time, allowing Myziane Maolida to score the decisive winner. It was Troost-Ekong’s first assist in 14 league appearances this season. Maolida had earlier put Al Kholood ahead in the 54th minute after Jackson Muleka’s opener was canceled out by former Liverpool star Georginio Wijnaldum. The victory lifts Al Kholood to 13th place in the league table with 13…

Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick has shared the emotional toll of losing his home in the devastating LA wildfires. Redick’s residence in Pacific Palisades, one of the worst-hit areas in the city’s history, was destroyed on Tuesday. Speaking about the loss, Redick said, “Everything we own that was important to us over 20 years as a couple and 10 years of parenting was in that house. You can’t replace some things.” Redick, who joined the Lakers in June after a 15-year NBA playing career, revealed that his wife and two sons were away when the fire consumed their…

Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo has addressed the future of defender Ola Aina, who is entering the final months of his contract with the club. Santo confirmed that Aina, along with other players in similar contract situations, remains fully focused on the team’s current objectives and upcoming matches. “Aina is not distracted by his contract,” Santo told reporters. “What I see is that all the players, including Aina, are happy and focused on their work. We hope everything reaches good terms.” Alongside Aina, Forest is in talks with Chris Wood, Morgan Gibbs-White, and Murillo regarding contract extensions. Despite the…