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 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.

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.

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.”

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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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.

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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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.

Former FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke has filed an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport against his 10-year ban from football, CAS has announced. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) says it could take several months to reach a verdict. Valcke was fired in January 2016 after being implicated in irregular World Cup ticket and broadcast rights sales, plus expenses abuses including personal use of private flights.

Arsenal and Chelsea have joined the queue of clubs keeping a check on Nigerian prospect Henry Onyekuru. The 19-year-old winger plays for Eupen in Belgium and was a target for Celtic in January who had a bid of £1million rejected. Onyekuru went AWOL for several days in the hope of pushing through a transfer to Glasgow but has since returned to action and has been given assurances he can leave in the summer. The Belgians though are looking for £6million with the fee key to Onyekuru being able to gain a work permit in the United Kingdom. Onyekuru has scored 12 goals in 26 games this season, including the winner against Gent earlier this month, when he impressed several watching scouts. Sevilla, Borussia Dortmund, Monchengladbach and Lille have also sent staff to check on his progress in recent weeks.

In a match played yesterday at King Power stadium that saw a resurgent Leicester City beat Liverpool 3 – 1, Nigeria and Leicester midfielder Wilfred Ndidi made five clearances, one interception and gained possession six times for Leicester. Ndidi also made 11 tackles during the game. Only former Leicester midfielder N’Golo Kante – now at Chelsea – has made more in a Premier League match this season (14 against Liverpool in January). No wonder the likes of Ghana’s Amartey has been confined to the bench since the arrival of Ndidi. Weldone Ndidi as you settle into your role at Leicester.

Togolese striker Francis Kone saved the life of goalkeeper Martin Berkovec, who nearly swallowed his tongue during a Czech league match. Slovacko’s Kone acted fast after Berkovec had collided with his Bohemians 1905 team-mate Daniel Krch. He used his fingers to move Berkovec’s tongue and stop him suffocating. Berkovec later wrote on Facebook: “I would like to thank Francis Kone for rescue and emergency… I’m glad for the relief and thanks again!!!”

A member of Ghana’s coaching staff at this year’s Africa Cup of Nations is staging a sit-in at a hotel in the capital Accra in a row over his salary. Nearly three weeks on from this year’s tournament in Gabon, all of the technical staff – bar Nations Cup coach Avram Grant – have still to be paid. “We don’t have the money,” a leading Ghana FA (GFA) official said. Assistant coach Gerard Nus is refusing to fly to his home nation Spain until the matter is addressed. It’s frustrating,” the Spaniard said.  “Like any human being, when you do work you want to get paid – I don’t think there’s anything strange in that. I’m just going to wait here until they come with a good solution. Local people tell me that if I leave without a payment, most likely I will never get paid. “It’s sad to hear that because basically all I’m claiming is the money I’ve been promised for the job done.”

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Manager Claudio Ranieri has been sacked by Leicester City, nine months after leading them to the Premier League title. The Foxes are one point above the relegation zone with 13 matches left. “The board reluctantly feels that a change of leadership, while admittedly painful, is necessary in the club’s greatest interest,” read a statement. Ranieri, 65, guided the Foxes to the title despite them being rated 5,000-1 shots at the start of the campaign. His departure comes less than 24 hours after a 2-1 defeat at Spanish side Sevilla in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie. The Foxes took the Premier League title by 10 points but have won just five top-flight games this season, and could become the first defending champions to be relegated since 1938. They have lost their past five league matches and are the only side in the top four English divisions without a league goal in 2017.

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The Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg has quit his job in England to take up a new position in Saudi Arabia, it has been announced. A statement from Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGGMOL) announced the decision of its highest-rated official, who was in charge of the finals of EURO 2016, the Champions League and FA Cup last season. “The PGMOL would like to wish Mark Clattenburg well as he prepares for his move to the Saudi Arabaian Football Federation,” the statement said. “Since joining the PGMO Select Group in 204, Mark developed into one of our top officials, refereeing at the highest level and setting standards for others to follow.

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Former Sunderland striker Asamoah Gyan is among more than 40 players to have been found guilty of having “unethical hair” under United Arab Emirates Football Association guidelines. The 31-year-old Ghanaian is on loan at Dubai-based Arabian Gulf League side Al Ahli from Shanghai SIPG. In 2012, Saudi Arabia goalkeeper Waleed Abdullah was told to cut his “un-Islamic” hair by the referee before playing for his club side Al Shabab. The Saudi rule bans mohawk-style cuts. Some Islamic teachings ban ‘Qaza’ hairstyles, which include mohawks, because only part of the head is shaved, leaving other parts unshaven.

Cameroon’s Africa Cup of Nations-winning squad have been given a special state reception by the country’s president Paul Biya. The Indomitable Lions, who lifted the trophy on Sunday after beating Egypt 2-1 in the final in Gabon, attended a ceremony in Yaounde on Wednesday. They presented the Nations Cup trophy to President Biya at Unity Palace. Later, they travelled in open-top vehicles through the streets of the capital to parade the trophy to fans. Cameroon’s players were given medals by the president, who said their victory should be celebrated by Cameroonians as one nation. At the end of the ceremony Cameroon First Lady Chantal Biya posed for a series of photos with the players – at one point she used Fabrice Ondoa’s phone to take a ‘selfie’ with them. Cameroon’s success in Gabon ended a 15-year wait to win the tournament again and gave them their fifth title. The country will host the next edition of the Nations Cup in 2019.

Bayern Munich captain Philipp Lahm will retire at the end of the season. The 33-year-old, who captained Germany to their 2014 World Cup victory, announced his decision after Bayern’s German Cup last-16 win over Wolfsburg. It was the defender’s 501st game for the Bundesliga leaders. “I can continue with my leadership style, giving my best every day, in every training, until the end of the season. I can keep doing it this season but not beyond,” he said. It means he will leave the German champions a year before his contract expires. “I’ve been considering it for more than the past year,” he added. “You have to keep testing yourself, you have to keep asking yourself ‘how is it’, day by day, week by week on the training pitch, what’s the feeling you have.” The Bayern youth product made his senior debut in 2002 and has won seven Bundesliga titles with the club, as well as the Champions League. He retired from international football after Germany’s triumph in Brazil in 2014.

Lionel Messi says he will be at Barcelona for “as long as they want me to be”. Barca have previously said the ability to offer the 29-year-old, their all-time top scorer, an improved contract will rest on their capacity to raise revenue from sponsorship deals and player sales. He is out of contract in 18 months’ time. Messi was asked by magazine Coach if he would consider a Premier League move, and he said: “I have always said that Barcelona has given me everything and I am here for as long as they want me to be.”

Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure has turned down a £430,000-a-week offer from China. Toure, 33, was the subject of interest from the Chinese Super League last summer. He decided against moving then and gave the same response when he was contacted again to say the offer remained open during the current transfer window, which closes on 31 January. The Ivorian’s contract at the Etihad expires in the summer. Toure’s future appeared in doubt when he was left out of the City squad by Pep Guardiola at the start of the season.

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