Sports

By Muhammadu Sabiu
 
Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior will henceforth be wearing the number 7 jersey, shortly after the departure of Eden Hazard, whose jersey used to carry the number.
 
Before now, the Brazilian international’s jersey was number 20.
 
In a Facebook post via its official handle, Real Madrid uploaded a picture of the player wearing the number 7 jersey, attaching the post with an inscription signifying a change from “20 to 7”.
 
Recall that Eden Hazard had, in the last two seasons, had difficult and bad moments as his fame and performance were below average, leading Carlo Ancelotti, the Real Madrid manager, to bench him almost throughout the season.
 
Apart from Hazard, Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio also left for Al-Ittihad and Paris Saint-Germain, respectively.
 
However, in another development, the club has been able to complete a deal with Borussia Dortmund to bring in Jude Bellingham.
 
Also, Madrid’s loanee at Inter Milan, Brahimi Diaz, has been brought back by the Spanish giants.

By Muhammadu Sabiu  

Argentina captain Lionel Messi has joined an American side, Inter Miami, after parting ways with the French club, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). 

According to Fabrizio Romano, Messi will make an announcement about the new club he has joined in a few hours. 

Reporting on his official Facebook page today, Romano wrote, “Lionel Messi to Inter Miami, here we go! The decision has been made and it will be announced by Leo in the next hours. 

“Messi will play in MLS next season. No more chances for Barcelona despite trying to make it happen.” 

Recall that before this year’s Ligue 1 campaign came to an end, it was already announced that Messi would not continue at PSG. 

There were speculations that the 7-time Ballon d’Or winner would return to his former side, Barca, but the deal wasn’t sealed by the two parties.

By Muhammadu Sabiu
 
Iconic Swedish international Zlatan Ibrahimovic announced his retirement from football after a very long career.
 
He started his senior career at Malmo FF in 1999 after subsequently going to Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, AC Milan, PSG, and others.
 
Fabrizio Romano, via his social media handle, said, “Zlatan Ibrahimović has now decided to retire from professional football with immediate effect”.
 
Zlatan finally retired at AC Milan in the midst of the club’s fans waving good-bye at him.

By Aliyu Yakubu Yusuf

For the past 10 years, Bayern Munich have enjoyed a complete monopoly on the Bundesliga title. They often won it at a canter with no legitimate threat from any of the other German league big guns like Dortmund, Leverkusen and Leipzig. That’s why when Bayern lost their penultimate game at home to Leipzig, an unexpected door was opened for Dortmund to pip Bayern to the title. 

It’s human nature to always side with the underdog. That’s why almost all neutral football fans rallied around Dortmund to get the job done at home to ninth-placed Mainz. However, Dortmund’s players didn’t read the script. They contrived to miss chance after chance and conceded two goals at the other end in the first half that, extinguished their title ambition. Even Bayern players can’t believe their luck at full-time. In short, Dortmund managed to hand over the Bundesliga title back to Bayern on a platter of gold. 

Dortmund players were crestfallen at full-time. They were well aware of the fact that this is their lifetime opportunity to slap Bayern’s painful dominance of the Bundesliga. And they bottled it. 

Spare a thought for the legendary Marco Reus. This is a player who sacrificed winning titles elsewhere in favour of loyalty to his boyhood club, and all he got was an absolute spanking from the club he snubbed several times. This is a player who missed the World Cup triumph in 2014 through injury, only for him to watch his beloved Germany triumph at the Maracana in the showpiece event. Surely he deserved to end his career with a flourish. 

It will take ages (perhaps another decade) for Bayern Munich to have another poor season for other Bundesliga clubs to have a sniff at the title. Bayern are head and shoulders above all the other clubs in terms of history, prestige, revenue, worldwide support, you name it. I think it is going to take a monumental collapse from Bayern and an out-of-the-world season from Dortmund and co before a different name is inscribed on the Bundesliga title.

By Aliyu Yakubu Yusuf 

Racism in football has been a problem that refuses to go away. Football is often rightly described as the beautiful game. However, the persistent problem of racism has been a blight on this enduring beauty. Despite the fact that numerous campaigns (such as “Say No To Racism” and “Black Lives Matter” etc.) sponsored by FIFA and other regional football associations, racism has seemingly been kryptonite for the footballing establishments. 

I firmly believe that FIFA, UEFA, the media and most fans in Europe and America are not sincere about fighting racism. All these campaigns against racism are merely lip service that will never bring an end to this menace. Vinicius Junior is just the latest case that opens a fresh can of worms in a long list of racism storms that rocked the football world. 

When the trio of Saka, Sancho and Rashford missed crucial penalties in England’s Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy, they were racially abused online by their own fans. Even Real Madrid fans are also guilty of racism towards black players from other clubs and their players. When FIFA released the votes for the last Ballon d’Or, and it appeared that Real Madrid’s Austria captain, David Alaba, had voted for Lionel Messi as his first pick ahead of his teammate Karim Benzema, Real Madrid fans racially abused him online. And he was forced to apologise. And these are the same people that are up in arms “protecting” Vinicius. If this is not hypocrisy, I don’t know what is. 

Heck! Even fans at various French clubs were reported to have racially abused black players. And this is a country whose national team is simply an amalgam of players from their former African colonies. Imagine! 

Racism is here to stay as long as the powers that be are not serious about tackling it. FIFA has a three-step process for dealing with racism during matches. First, the referee should stop the game and announces that racist chants are going on and should stop. Then, if the chants continue, the referee should apply the second stage, which is to instruct the players to go back to the dressing room and wait. After a while, the referee should ask the players to resume on the pitch and restart the game. Finally, if the chants continue, the referee should apply the third process, which is to stop the game entirely and award the three points to the opponents. 

However, instead of making it mandatory for all regional football unions to adopt this process, FIFA only “recommend” it. Everyone knows that the only way to stop racism once and for all is to enforce this law. When clubs realise that some unscrupulous elements within their fanbase are making them lose points unnecessarily, they will fish out these “fans” and give them lifetime bans from stadiums. 

The question is, ‘Do black lives really matter’?

Aliyu Yakubu Yusuf wrote from Bayero University, Kano. He can be reached via aliyuyy@gmail.com.

By Aliyu Yakubu Yusuf

At the beginning of every league season in Europe, football pundits look at the strengths and weaknesses of every team and make predictions on what they think will be the outcome and the position of every team at the end of the season. These pundits predict the likely winners of the league, the top 4 places, the relegated teams, the top scorer, the best player, the best goalkeeper, the best young player, the dark horses and so on.

I have followed these predictions on nearly all the major British tabloids like BBC, Daily Mail, GiveMeSports, Telegraph, Guardian, Athletic, etc. I did not come across a single pundit that predicted Arsenal to finish in the top 3 in the EPL. Most pundits earmarked Arsenal for the sixth position below Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester United. In fact, some pundits went as far as predicting Arsenal to finish in the seventh spot below Newcastle United.

Looking at Arsenal’s title challenge from this context, it can be argued that Arsenal have punched well above their weight. By finishing second in the league, the Gunners have overachieved relative to everyone’s expectations at the beginning of the season. I have no doubt that most Arsenal fans who are now disgruntled would have indeed accepted the second position gleefully were it offered at the beginning of the season.

Arsenal’s squad is full of players in their mid or early twenties. Most of these players have never experienced a title race in their careers. The current disappointment may serve as a learning curve for Arsenal players. With Saka, Jesus, Odegaard, Martinelli, White, Ramsdale, Saliba, White, Smith-Rowe, and Gabriel approaching their primes, the future certainly looks bright in the red half of North London. A glass half full.

For the 36 weeks so far played in the EPL, Arsenal led the table for 29 weeks. In other words, the Gunners sat at the top of the table for more than 90% person of the matches played. And having led the EPL table for so long, it must be quite disheartening for the Gooners to lose the title in this disappointing fashion.

At a time, Arsenal appeared to be running away with the EPL trophy. However, most Arsenal fans will remember when their team seemed not to put a foot wrong when everything Mikel Arteta touched turned into gold. Thus, it must be heart-breaking to “bottle” everything when victory looks so tantalisingly close.

This season represents a golden opportunity for Arsenal to slap their 19-year wait for the EPL title. Considering their lofty standards, Manchester City were relatively poor for most of the season. Save for the last two months, Liverpool were having one of their worst seasons in recent memory. Chelsea were having a season from hell. Manchester United were in their usual shambles, though the coming of Erik Ten Hag has brought some semblance of calm. Spurs are just…well, ‘spursy’.

Looking at the whole picture, most of the EPL big boys were largely underwhelming for most of the season. It is difficult to imagine Liverpool and Chelsea having another miserable campaign next season for the Gunners to capitalise on. Therefore, this might just be a good opportunity missed. As I said earlier, most of Arsenal’s crop of young players have performed tremendously this season. This may spell trouble for the Gooners in the near or distant future.

Arsenal have grown a reputation of selling their best players just when they appear to hit their peak. Players like Fabregas, Nasri, Van Persie, Adebayor, Hleb, Toure etc., were all forced to leave Arsenal to realise their dreams of winning the big trophies. Will the current Arsenal players resist the temptation if (or when) big boys come calling? The vultures come circling. And this may well be another Groundhog Day for Arsenal. A glass half empty.

Aliyu wrote from Kano. He can be reached via aliyuyy@gmail.com.

By Aliyu Yakubu Yusuf

Real Madrid and Manchester City played quite an entertaining one-all draw at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu. The much went as much as I expected it, with Manchester City dominating the possession, trying to dictate the tempo of the game and Real Madrid pressing the City players, trying to disrupt their rhythm and attacking at full pace through the electric Vinicius Jnr and the young prodigy, Rodrygo Goes.

That was the pattern for much of the game. Real Madrid will be a bit disappointed for not registering a win (no matter how slender) ahead of the second leg next week. Of course, it’s easy to criticise Guardiola for settling for a draw. But come on! We are talking about a FIRST LEG of a UEFA Champions League semi-final. Do you seriously expect any serious coach to attack Real Madrid all guns blazing and risk getting hammered via counter attack?

True, Manchester City players looked tired and disjointed in the closing stages of the game. I expected Guardiola to introduce Mahrez, Alvarez and/or Foden in place of largely ineffectual Bernardo and Grealish. But do I think I know better than Pep Guardiola?

This game can still go either way. Expect that when you are playing against Real Madrid in the UCL. However, from the result of the first leg, Manchester City will be the happier side. They played largely well below their capabilities (thanks to Real Madrid’s game plan and management) and still came out of the mighty Santiago Bernabeu unscathed.

On for the second leg!

Aliyu Yakubu Yusuf wrote from Kano and can be reached via aliyuyy@gmail.com.

By Muhammadu Sabiu
 
Paris Saint-Germain have reportedly suspended Lionel Messi with immediate effect following his unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia this week.
 
According to veteran football journalist Fabrizio Romano, the suspension begins now and will take effect for the next two weeks.
 
This means that the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner will not play for the French side if things go as planned.
 
“Leo Messi’s side now still waiting on the official communication from PSG in order to clarify the situation,” Fabrizio Romano wrote on his official Facebook page.

By ImamMalik Abdullahi Kaga

“From the small island of Madeira to the bright lights of Manchester, Cristiano Ronaldo’s journey was one of hard work and relentless dedication” — Peter Drury.

“Madiera, Manchester, Madrid, Turin and Manchester again” — Peter Drury.

Cristiano Ronaldo needs no introduction in the footballing world and beyond. He is one of the greatest football players in history and a complete inspiration for millions worldwide. But many people need to learn the story behind Ronaldo’s rise to success.

Born in Funchal, Madeira, a remote island in Portugal, Ronaldo grew up impoverished. His family was not wealthy; his father worked as a kit man at a local football club. Yet, despite his challenges, Ronaldo’s passion for the game was strong, and he started playing football at a tender age.

After showcasing promise as a young player, Ronaldo joined the youth academy of a local club, Andorinha, when he was only eight years old. Even as a young player, he showed promise, and at the age of 12, he caught the eye of a scout from Sporting CP, one of Portugal’s top clubs. But convincing his family to let him go was difficult, and his father encouraged him to train harder and pursue his passion.

At Sporting, Ronaldo worked very hard to turn his dreams comes reality, and soon he became a star player. He debuted in the Sporting first team when he was a teenager, precisely 17 years old, and his performances caught the eye of scouts from some of Europe’s biggest clubs. Eventually, in 2003, he signed for Manchester United, one of the biggest clubs in the world at the time he signed for them where he made his footballing Godfather– Sir Alex Ferguson.

Ronaldo’s time at Manchester United was a turning point in his career. Although his first season was tough, he improved every year, and his talent and hard work were soon impossible to ignore. He played a crucial role in helping Manchester United win three Premier League titles, one FA Cup, and one UEFA Champions League trophy.

Ronaldo signed for Real Madrid for a world-record transfer fee of €94 million in 2009. But despite the astronomical transfer fee, Ronaldo’s performances continued to improve, and he emerged as one of the best players in the world. He won four UEFA Champions League titles and two La Liga titles with Real Madrid. He became one of the club’s greatest players in history before he departed to the Italian giant, Juventus.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s move to Juventus in 2018 surprised many football fans, as he was widely regarded as the face of Real Madrid. However, he quickly proved his worth at Juventus, becoming the talisman for the team as they won their eighth consecutive Serie A title.

In his first season at the club, Ronaldo scored 28 goals in all competitions, and his performances helped Juventus reach the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League. Despite a disappointing exit from the competition, Ronaldo’s impact on the team was evident as they continued to dominate domestically. He has since become a fan favourite, and his incredible work ethic and dedication to the sport have earned him the respect and admiration of fans across the globe.

In 2021, Cristiano Ronaldo returned to his former club, Manchester United, after spending several years with Real Madrid and Juventus. The announcement of his return to Old Trafford was met with waves of excitement from United fans, who remembered the impact he made during his first stint with the club. Ronaldo’s arrival brought a sense of renewed optimism to United, and many believed that he would be the key to helping the team win their first Premier League title since 2013.

Ronaldo’s return to Old Trafford was nothing short of spectacular. In his first game back, he scored two goals against Newcastle United, and his performances throughout the season were consistently excellent. However, United’s decision to sell him to Al-Hilal, a Saudi Arabian team, after the 2022 World Cup shocked many fans, who believed that the club should have done everything possible to keep him.

Ronaldo’s transfer to Al Nasar marked the end of an era for Manchester United. Although many fans were disappointed to see him leave, they knew that it was a decision that he had made for personal reasons, and they wished him all the best in his future endeavours. Despite his departure, Ronaldo’s legacy at Old Trafford will live on, and his return to the club will always be remembered as one of the most exciting moments in United’s history.

Today, Ronaldo is a global icon, a game legend, and a role model for millions of people worldwide. He has worked hard to overcome life’s challenges, and his dedication and hard work have paid off. His journey from poverty to sporting superstardom inspires all who aspire to greatness.

In conclusion, Cristiano Ronaldo’s story is a story of passion, talent, determination, and hard work. It is a story that teaches us that success is possible if we believe in ourselves and are willing to work hard to achieve our dreams. Cristiano Ronaldo’s journey from poverty to the world’s biggest sports star is remarkable, and his legacy will continue to inspire generations.

Imammalik Abdullahi Kaga writes from Borno State University.

By Muhammadu Sabiu 

Bayern Munich have suspended Sadio Mané after he punched his teammate Leroy Sane.

Following Bayern’s 3-0 loss to Manchester City on Tuesday night, Mane and Sane got into an argument in the dressing room.

The Senegalese international confronted Sane after the game because he was upset with how Sane treated him on the pitch.

He lost his cool and hit Sane in the face, leaving him with a bloody lip.

The suspension, according to reports, is until further notice.