Author: Timi-Zacchaeus Oluwaferanmi

Saka Feels Mentally Refreshed After Injury as Arsenal Prepare for Real Madrid Showdown Arsenal star Bukayo Saka has described his recent injury layoff as a much-needed mental reset ahead of the Gunners’ Champions League quarter-final clash with Real Madrid. The 23-year-old winger, who returned to action last week after 101 days out with a hamstring injury, says the break allowed him to reset after five intense years of non-stop football. “It was really tough initially,” Saka said. “But once the surgery was successful, I focused on coming back stronger. Mentally, it was really good for me. I got to do…

Liverpool’s historic unbeaten run has finally come to an end, but despite a 3-1 defeat at Fulham, their quest for a record-equalling 20th top-flight title remains very much on track. With just seven matches left to play, the Reds need a maximum of 11 points to secure the Premier League crown, which could be wrapped up as early as April 20 if results fall in their favor. Under head coach Arne Slot, Liverpool have dominated the league this season, leading second-placed Arsenal by a comfortable 11 points. Slot acknowledged that the defensive errors that led to their first away defeat…

Surprise turned to frustration as Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea side were held to a goalless draw by Brentford on Sunday — a result that extended their winless away run to eight matches and left fans questioning their manager’s bold selection choices. With Champions League qualification hanging in the balance, Maresca opted to rest key figures including Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson, Marc Cucurella, and Pedro Neto. In their place came Malo Gusto, Christopher Nkunku, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, and Noni Madueke — a quartet that struggled to impose themselves. Chelsea’s lack of firepower in the first half was glaring, registering just one shot on…

Southampton’s painful Premier League campaign has come to a premature but unsurprising end, with a 3-1 defeat at Tottenham confirming their relegation — a full seven matches before the season’s end. In doing so, the Saints have etched an unfortunate place in Premier League history: no team has ever been relegated this early. And now, with just 10 points from 31 games, they are in danger of surpassing Derby County’s infamous 2007-08 campaign as the worst in top-flight history. Manager Ivan Juric, who arrived in December to steady a sinking ship, now finds his own future uncertain. “We’ll see what…

Max Verstappen delivered a clinical and captivating performance at the Japanese Grand Prix, fending off the faster McLarens to claim his fourth consecutive victory at Suzuka — in what may go down as one of the finest weekends of his Formula 1 career. While McLaren had the faster car over race distance, it was Verstappen’s stunning pole lap on Saturday — a near-perfect effort described as “insane” by his engineer and “magical” by Fernando Alonso — that laid the groundwork for a victory carved from sheer brilliance and tactical precision. Starting ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris by just 0.012 seconds,…

Old Trafford witnessed a subdued Manchester derby as Manchester United and Manchester City battled to an uneventful 0-0 draw, a result that reflected the struggles of both sides in a season marred by inconsistency and unmet expectations. Played out in front of a packed crowd of 73,738, the match lacked the drama and flair historically associated with one of English football’s fiercest rivalries. With both teams needing a win for vastly different reasons — United to climb out of mid-table obscurity and City to secure a vital Champions League spot — neither side managed to find the quality needed in…

Real Madrid’s La Liga title hopes took a major blow as Hugo Duro’s stoppage-time header handed Valencia a dramatic 2-1 victory at the Santiago Bernabéu. With the clock ticking into the 95th minute, Rafa Mir delivered a pinpoint cross that Duro headed past Madrid goalkeeper Fran Gonzalez to secure a memorable win for the visitors. Valencia had taken the lead in the 15th minute when Mouctar Diakhaby rose above the defence to nod home André Almeida’s cross. Madrid, despite dominating possession, struggled to break through until after the break. Vinícius Júnior atoned for his earlier penalty miss, sending a powerful…

Formula 1 organisers are counting on overnight rain to resolve a series of grass fires that have plagued the Japanese Grand Prix weekend at Suzuka. The dry grass lining the 3.6-mile circuit has ignited on multiple occasions during the weekend’s sessions, triggering five red flag stoppages — including one during Saturday’s qualifying session. Track marshals were seen using buckets and even improvised tools like upside-down traffic cones to water the grass in an attempt to prevent further incidents. With rain forecast in the early hours of Sunday, officials are hopeful the weather will naturally reduce fire risk before the race…

Fenerbahce manager José Mourinho has received a three-match suspension and a fine after an altercation with Galatasaray boss Okan Buruk in the aftermath of a fiery Turkish Cup clash. The incident occurred at the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium on Wednesday, shortly after Galatasaray’s 2-1 victory. Footage shows Mourinho approaching Buruk from behind and appearing to pinch his nose, prompting the Galatasaray coach to dramatically fall to the ground holding his face. The Professional Football Disciplinary Board (PFDK) described the action as “provoked” by Buruk’s alleged gestures and behavior. While Mourinho was fined 292,500 Turkish Lira (around £5,955), the board confirmed that…

Barcelona extended their lead at the top of La Liga to four points despite being held to a 1-1 draw by Real Betis at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys. Hansi Flick’s side started brightly, with Gavi opening the scoring in the 7th minute after a slick one-touch move involving Ferran Torres. The 20-year-old midfielder tucked away his third goal of the season with a composed finish from a tight angle. However, Barcelona’s lead lasted just 10 minutes. Real Betis responded quickly, as Brazilian defender Natan powered home a header from Giovani Lo Celso’s corner to level the score at 1-1.…