Archive | March 2017

Hazard claims February goal of the month….

Eden Hazard scores

Chelsea’s Eden Hazard wins the Goal of the Month for February for that mazy dribble and fine finish in the 3-1 win against Arsenal at Stamford Bridge. “It is one of the best Premier League goals I have scored,” the 26-year-old Belgian says.

Guardiola wins manager of the month award….

Pep Guardiola's City have won all three of their Premier League games in Feb

Manchester City were unbeaten last month, winning all three of their Premier League games – with eight goals in the process – and Pep Guardiola can add the Manager of the Month award for February to his large list of honours.

Kane wins Player of the Month….


          Congratulations, @HKane! The @premierleague player of the month for February. #COYS #OneOfOurOwn

Tottenham hot-shot Harry Kane scored two hat-tricks in February and he has been handed the Player of the Month award, the fourth time he has won the prize and the third Spurs player to claim it this season.

Barca make the earth move….

Barcelona fans

It was some game at the Nou Camp the other night, when Barcelona overturned a 4-0 first-leg deficit to bundle PSG out of the Champions League 6-5 on aggregate and the celebrations from their fans registered on the Richter scale. The celebrations were recorded on the famous measurement used to record earthquakes at the Jaume Almera Institute of Earth Sciences, which is 500 metres away from the stadium.  Barcelona’s second and third goals nudged the centre’s recordings slightly before the match-winning goal measured one on the Richter scale – making it a microearthquake.

Tyrone Mings to serve five-match ban….

Tyrone Mings and Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Bournemouth defender Tyrone Mings will serve a five-match ban for violent conduct after a Football Association panel ruled he deliberately stood on the head of Manchester United’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The 23-year-old landed with his studs on the forward’s head during Saturday’s fiery 1-1 draw at Old Trafford. Ibrahimovic elbowed Mings shortly after, and accepted a three-match ban. Bournemouth said they are “extremely disappointed” with the FA’s decision. Speaking after Saturday’s match, Mings denied any intent. He said: “It was a good battle, you know exactly what you are going to get playing against him [Ibrahimovic]. There will be things highlighted more than others, but I enjoyed it.” Mings will miss Bournemouth’s next five league fixtures but is due to return for the match at Tottenham on Saturday, 15 April.

Barcelona does the almost impossible come back….

Luis Enrique

Barcelona made Champions League history by becoming the first team to overturn a first-leg 4-0 deficit as they knocked out Paris St-Germain to reach the quarter-finals for the 10th successive season. The Spanish champions were 5-3 down on aggregate in the 88th minute, but scored three goals in the final seven minutes in one of the greatest European ties of all time. Neymar’s free-kick and penalty followed by Sergi Roberto’s 95th-minute winner sealed victory on an incredible night at the Nou Camp. Barcelona had led 2-0 at the break courtesy of Luis Suarez’s header after just three minutes and Layvin Kurzawa’s own goal.

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Ranieri turns down Wolfsburg job….

Former Leicester City boss Claudio Ranieri

Former Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri reportedly turned down an offer from Wolfsburg to become their new manager. Ranieri, who was controversially sacked after leading the club to the Premier League title last season, was approached by the German side, but was said to be not interested in taking on a new post so soon after leaving the champions. Wolfsburg were on the hunt for a new manager after they sacked Valerien Ismael with the Bundesliga outfit loitering just above the relegation zone following a series of poor results. Ismael’s final game in charge was a 2-1 home defeat to fellow strugglers Werder Bremen on February 24 and their search for a replacement tied in with Ranieri’s sacking. It is believed the 65-year-old Italian was unwilling to move straight into a new role following the disappointment of being sacked by Leicester City.

Ibrahimovic banned for three games….

Bournemouth defender Tyrone Mings (left) and Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has accepted a three-match ban for violent conduct for elbowing Bournemouth’s Tyrone Mings during Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Old Trafford. The Manchester United striker will miss Monday’s FA Cup quarter-final at Chelsea and Premier League games against Middlesbrough and West Brom. Mings was also charged with violent conduct by the Football Association. But Bournemouth have said they will appeal against the defender’s charge. Ibrahimovic, who is United’s leading scorer this season with 26 goals, is eligible to play in the Europa League tie against Rostov in Russia on Thursday. He is due to return in the Premier League against Everton on 4 April.

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Serena Williams pulls out of Indian Wells with injury….

Serena Williams won her 23rd Grand Slam at this year's Australian Open - an Open era record

World number one Serena Williams says a knee injury has forced her to pull out of this week’s BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells. Williams, 35, said she will also miss the Miami Open later this month. The American, who won an Open era record 23rd Grand Slam at the Australian Open earlier this year, said: “I have not been able to train due to my knees.” She added she would return “as soon as I can”. Indian Wells organisers said a revised draw would be issued later. Williams only returned to the Californian tournament in 2015 after a 14-year boycott following claims she had suffered racist abuse at the venue. Her withdrawal means Germany’s Angelique Kerber is set to replace her as world number one.

Ibrahimovic and Mings charged with violent conduct by English FA….

Bournemouth defender Tyrone Mings (left) and Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Manchester United’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Bournemouth defender Tyrone Mings have been charged with violent conduct by the Football Association. The pair clashed during the 1-1 draw between their sides on Saturday when Mings, 23, landed on the United forward’s head with his studs. Moments later, Ibrahimovic caught Mings in the face with his elbow at a corner. Both players have until 7 pm Nigerian time on Tuesday (today) to reply to the charge. “The players were involved in two separate incidents in or around the 44th minute which were not seen by the match officials at the time but caught on video,” said an FA statement.

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Bayer Leverkusen name Tayfun Korkut as manager until end of season….

Bayer Leverkusen's new head coach Tayfun Korkut poses for photographers with chief executive Michael Schade and sports director Rudi Voller

Bayer Leverkusen have named Tayfun Korkut as their head coach until the end of the season, after sacking Roger Schmidt. Schmidt lost his job after four defeats in six Bundesliga games, ending with a 6-2 loss to Borussia Dortmund. Ex-Hannover boss Korkut, 42, was named Kaiserslautern boss last summer but resigned after only six months. Leverkusen are 10th in the league and trail Atletico Madrid 4-2 in their Champions League last-16 tie.

Olympiakos sack manager despite leading Greek Superleague….

Paulo Bento

Greek side Olympiakos have dismissed former Portugal coach Paulo Bento, despite leading the Superleague by seven points. Bento’s sacking after seven months in the job, came after Olympiakos’ third straight league defeat on Sunday opened the door for second-placed Panionios, who have a game in hand. The 47-year-old was Olympiakos’ second manager this season. Victor Sanchez was sacked in August after two games and less than two months in charge, following the club’s exit from the Champions League in the third qualifying round. Bento, who led his country at the 2014 World Cup, lost four out of 23 league matches. But winning the league is what is expected at Olympiakos – they have been champions in all but two seasons since 2000. Bento leaves a team still in the hunt for three trophies. They have a last-16 tie against Turkish side Besiktas in the Europa League and are also in the Greek Cup semi-finals.

Nkoulou withdraws from Cameroon duty….

Nicolas Nkoulou scores with a header in the 2017 Nations Cup final against Egypt

Africa Cup of Nations-winning Cameroon defender Nicolas Nkoulou is taking a break from international football. The 26-year-old scored in the Nations Cup final with a powerful header, helping his side to beat Egypt 2-1. Nkoulou has made 74 appearances for the Indomitable Lions and is a former captain of the team. “After winning the Africa Cup of Nations, I have a sense of having accomplished my duty for country,” he told the Foot Mercato website. “Since the beginning of my career, defending the colours of my country has always guided my steps. This mission has always constituted a motivating factor and one of my priorities. “This decision has been difficult to take and I considered the advantages and disadvantages before arriving at a conclusion.” However, he hinted he would return to the national team, adding: “A lion never dies.”

Luis Enrique to step down as Barcelona coach at end of season….

Luis Enrique

Barcelona boss Luis Enrique will step down at the end of the season, saying he needs to “rest”. The 46-year-old, in his third season in charge of Barca, was speaking after their 6-1 win over Sporting Gijon. He won the Champions League as part of the treble in his first year and led them to a domestic double last season. But they are on the verge of elimination from the Champions League after losing 4-0 to Paris St-Germain in the last-16 first leg. “It is a difficult, measured and well thought-out decision and I think I have to be loyal to what I think,” said Enrique, who will leave at the end of his contract this summer. “I would like to thank the club for the confidence they have shown in me. It’s been three unforgettable years.

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Victor Moses extends Chelsea contract….

Victor Moses

Chelsea wing-back Victor Moses has signed a two-year contract extension to commit himself to Stamford Bridge until 2021. There feelers the new contract will see Moses earning £75,000 per week.  Moses, 26, who spent the previous three seasons on loan at Liverpool, Stoke and West Ham respectively, has become a regular under manager Antonio Conte. “I feel very excited,” said Nigeria international Moses. “I’m enjoying my football and we have a good manager here that has given every single one of us confidence.” Moses, who signed from Wigan for a reported £9m in August 2012, has played 28 times, scoring four goals for the Blues this season. He has started every Premier League game since being deployed as a right wing-back in a 3-4-3 formation in a 2-0 win away to Hull on 1 October. Chelsea have won 16 out of 19 league games since that victory and are 10 points clear at the top of the table.

Nigeria release squad for Senegal and Burkina Faso friendlies….

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), has released a 25-man squad for this month’s friendly matches against Senegal and Burkina Faso. John Mikel Obi, Brown Ideye and Odion Ighalo were not included, to allow them settle properly at their new clubs in the Chinese Super League. Nigeria face Senegal on March 23 before taking on Burkina Faso four days later at the Hive, home ground of Barnet Football Club.

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Chisom Egbuchulam joins Swedes BK Hacken on loan….

Chisom Egbuchulam

Nigeria forward Chisom Egbuchulam has joined Swedish club BK Hacken on a season-long loan from Enugu Rangers. He has the option of a three-year permanent move to the 2016 Swedish Cup champions. The 25-year scored 16 goals and made 11 assists last season to help Rangers win the Nigerian league and claim a Champions League spot. “Moving to Europe is a big dream come true for me,” Egbuchulam said. “I thank God for the opportunity and BK Hacken for the platform to play in European football.” Egbuchulam’s impressive form in the domestic league led to an international call-up from Nigeria manager Gernot Rohr for the 2018 World Cup qualifier against Zambia in October.