Saturday 26 December, 2015:
Stoke vs Man Utd 1:45pm
Aston Villa vs West Ham 4pm
Bournemouth vs Crystal Palace 4pm
Chelsea vs Watford 4pm
Liverpool vs Leicester 4pm
Man City vs Sunderland 4pm
Swansea vs West Brom 4pm
Tottenham vs Norwich 4pm
Newcastle vs Everton 6:30pm
Southampton vs Arsenal 8:45pm
Super Eagles and Chelsea midfielder, Mikel Obi posted a picture of himself and his lovely twins waiting for Christmas dinner while watching cartoon.
The League Management Company will stage the annual Super Four tournament to usher in the new football season from January 11 to 15, 2016. However, a venue for the invitational tourney has yet to be decided. Nigeria champions Enyimba, runners-up Warri Wolves, third-placed Nasarawa United and Akwa United, who won the Confederation Cup, will feature in the competition which is aimed at preparing the clubs for their continental engagements next year.
It’s that season we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. May the Joy and Peace of our Lord reign in your life and that of your loved ones this Christmas and always. Seasons Greetings from us to YOU. We’ll play a bit Santa throughout the day for our Naija readers! You can see our guy here is tying Naija flag on the neck…lol.
The father of Liverpool target Marko Grujic says he is resisting a move to Anfield, despite the clubs agreeing a £5million transfer. Goran Grujic believes his son has been forced out of Red Star Belgrade as the Serbian club need the money and is refusing to allow the transfer to go through. Red Star have accepted Liverpool’s offer, which included loaning the player back until the end of the season for a return fee of £730,000.
Everton are in discussions with a United States-led consortium about a potential £200m takeover. The group, led by former owner of the San Diego Padres baseball team John Jay Moores and fellow entrepreneur Charles Noell, have been in talks with Toffees owner Bill Kenwright in recent months. Moores and Noell have previously been interested in investing in Swansea. The consortium is expected to perform due diligence on Everton’s accounts over the next few weeks. The Toffees have declined to comment on the latest interest – but there have been several parties pondering a deal to buy the Premier League club this year.
Under-pressure Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal answered only three questions before walking out of a news conference on Wednesday. The 64-year-old Dutchman was unhappy at being asked about his future following speculation that he could be sacked. The media briefing, ahead of Saturday’s game at Stoke, lasted only five minutes before Van Gaal’s departure. The former Netherlands boss said he had only turned up to speak to journalists because of Premier League rules. As he left, he told the reporters: “I wish you a merry Christmas and maybe also a happy new year when I see you. Enjoy the wine and a mince pie. Goodbye.” United are without a win in six games, having lost their last three matches to Wolfsburg, Bournemouth and Norwich.
Former Wigan and Cote d’Ivoire defender Steve Gohouri is still missing, 11 days after he was last seen. A spokesman for fourth-tier TSV Steinbach said that they have not heard from the 34-year-old since he attended his German club’s Christmas party on 11 December after which he was due to head to see his family in Paris. The club said the Ivory Coast embassy in Germany has been in touch as well to ask for updates. Steinbach are currently on their winter break and so Gohouri has not missed any training or matches with the squad due back on 6 January.
West Brom forwards James McClean and Salomon Rondon have been suspended for three matches by the Football Association. The pair were sent off during Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat by Bournemouth in the Premier League, Irish international McClean for serious foul play and Venezuelan Rondon for violent conduct. McClean and Rondon will miss Saturday’s match at Swansea City, the home game with Newcastle United on Monday and a visit from Stoke City on 2 January.
Basil Giwa, a Nigerian referee collapsed and died during South West fitness test in Ibadan, Oyo state. May his soul rest in peace.
Embattled FIFA president Sepp Blatter has been stripped of the honorary degree he received from Leicester’s De Montfort University. The Swiss received the honour 10 years ago, but the British higher education establishment revealed that it took the step of removing his title two months ago. A spokesperson for De Montfort University said: “The university has long been concerned by the nature of the allegations, had been closely monitoring events at FIFA, and in October formally withdrew the honorary doctorate in Arts and Humanities awarded to Mr Blatter in 2005.”
Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois says new manager Guus Hiddink can get the Blues back up the table. Chelsea lie 15th and sacked manager Jose Mourinho last week. But Courtois told the club’s website: “Hiddink was here before, he did very well and I think he’s a very good manager. “Hopefully together we can climb back up the table and we’re looking forward to starting working with him. “We know we have to react, we’ve started well and have to move forward. Whatever has happened stays in the past and now we want to work hard with the new manager to get a good result against Watford.”
Former boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. posted this on Instagram, a shot of him lying on a blanket of cash. Is this really role model like?
Spain coach Vicente del Bosque plans to retire after next summer’s Euro 2016 finals in France. Former Real Madrid manager Del Bosque, 64, guided Spain to victory at both the 2010 World Cup and the Euro 2012 finals. “My retirement is close. If everything goes according to plan it [Euro 2016] will be the end,” he said. “I am a man of the Federation and I have to speak to them before taking a final decision.” Spain are two-time defending champions having also won Euro 2008 under the late Luis Aragones, Del Bosque’s predecessor. They could become the most successful side in European Championship history if they can win the title for a third consecutive time, and fourth overall, in France next year.
FIFA presidential candidate Tokyo Sexwale has appeared before a US grand jury in New York as part of an on-going investigation into World Cup bribes. He was questioned in relation to an alleged $10m corrupt payment from South Africa to ex-FIFA vice president Jack Warner. Sexwale appeared as a potential witness at the FBI’s request on December 17. He was a member of the bid board that successfully campaigned for his home country to host the 2010 World Cup. A US criminal indictment claims the money was paid to Warner via a FIFA account, disguised as football development cash, in order to secure votes for South Africa’s bid. A grand jury is empowered under US law to investigate potential criminal conduct and determines whether criminal charges should be brought. Sexwale is one of five candidates in the running for the Fifa presidency, with the election taking place on 26 February.
FIFA has confirmed that both Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini have been banned from all football-related activities for eight years with immediate effect. In a statement, FIFA confirmed that “The proceedings against Mr Blatter primarily related to a payment of CHF 2,000,000 transferred in February 2011 from FIFA to Mr Platini. “Mr Blatter, in his position as President of FIFA, authorised the payment to Mr Platini which had no legal basis in the written agreement signed between both officials on 25 August 1999. “Neither in his written statement nor in his personal hearing was Mr Blatter able to demonstrate another legal basis for this payment. His assertion of an oral agreement was determined as not convincing and was rejected by the chamber.” The FIFA ethics committee found Blatter and Platini had demonstrated an “abusive execution” of their positions. “I will fight for me and for FIFA,” Blatter, 79, said at a news conference. Swiss Blatter and 60-year-old Frenchman Platini have also been fined $40,000 and $80,000 respectively. Both men continue to deny wrongdoing and a spokesman for Blatter confirmed he will appeal against the ban and is prepared to take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne. Platini is expected to do the same. FIFA boss since 1998, Blatter had already announced he was quitting with a presidential election in February. Platini was tipped as a future leader of football’s world governing body and is a three-time European Footballer of the Year. He is also a former captain of France and has been in charge of UEFA – European football’s governing body – since 2007.
Gareth Bale took home the match ball after his four-goal display in Real Madrid’s 10-2 win over Rayo Vallecano and put it on top of his Christmas tree. The Wales forward tweeted to say it was the “perfect Christmas present”.
Gareth Bale scored four goals as Real Madrid hit nine-man Rayo Vallecano for double figures in a remarkable game. Real trailed before Tito’s red card – Danilo putting the hosts ahead before headers from Antonio Amaya and Jozabed. Bale levelled with a header before Raul Baena was sent off in conceding a penalty which Cristiano Ronaldo scored. As the game opened up, Bale added three more, Ronaldo scored a second and Karim Benzema netted a hat-trick – including number 10. Real boss Rafael Benitez has been under pressure after losing three of their last five La Liga games. But it remains to be seen if the farcical circumstances of their win over neighbours Rayo will ease much of that, as they were playing poorly before the sendings off. It was the first time they hit double figures in a La Liga match since 1960, when they beat Elche 11-2. Real remain two points off leaders Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, who both have a game in hand.
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