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Osimhen Is World’s Best Striker – Super Eagles Defender, Troost-Ekong Declares

Victor Osimhen has been declared as the world’s best striker.
Super Eagles assistant captain, William Troost-Ekong gave the rating following Osimhen’s impressive performance for Napoli this season.
The 24-year-old striker has been in top form this season and has scored an astonishing 19 goals in 22 league games.
Speaking to DAZN during the broadcast ‘Tutti Bravi dal Sofa’ on Sunday, former Napoli defender Faouzi Ghoulam believed the Nigerian forward was not yet at the level of Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema and Manchester City’s Erling Haaland.
“Today, the best striker is (Karim) Benzema, but then there’s (Erling) Haaland, who is scoring a lot of goals. He’s a phenomenon in the penalty area,” he said.
However, Troost-Ekong said Osimhen is the finest striker in the world.
“Osimhen is probably the best striker in the world right now. I am happy for him because he has overcome difficult moments,” he was quoted as saying by Sports Italia.
The 29-year-old, who joined Salernitana on loan from Watford, also talked about the future of the forward following links to Manchester United in the Premier League.
He added, “It’s a very important year for him, he can win the Scudetto, and then he’ll be able to think about the future.”
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Prosecutors to go after Barcelona over payments to official of referees committee

Prosecutors have formally accused La Liga giant, Barcelona of corruption over alleged payments to a company that belonged to Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, a former Vice President of Spain’s referees’ committee, for several years.

Prosecutors will now be pursuing a case against Barcelona after the official announcement on Friday, March 10.

This is coming weeks after it was reported that Barca paid Negreira and a company he owns 8.4m euros (£7.4m) between 2001 and 2018. While Barcelona had claimed they were only interested in referee scouting reports, their sporting integrity has also been called into question.

Former Presidents of the Spanish football club, Josep Maria Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell are also targeted in the case.

The public prosecutor’s office said in a statement;

“FC Barcelona obtained and maintained a strictly confidential verbal agreement with Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira so that, in his capacity as vice-president of the technical arbitral committee (CTA) and in exchange for money, the latter carries out actions tending to benefit FC Barcelona in decisions by the referees.”

Despite the club’s stance, revelations that Negreira offered to “help with VAR” suggests that there could be more for prosecutors to investigate. If found guilty, Barcelona could face sporting sanctions.

Barcelona coach Xavi, who won eight La Liga titles with them as a player between 1998 and 2015, has said he had no knowledge of the payments and never had the feeling his team had any advantage.

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Europa League Highest Goal Scorers, Most Assists This Season

This week’s UEFA Europa League round of 16 second-leg fixtures have been concluded on Thursday night with players banging in goals.

Below are the leading top scorers and assists in the Europe second top-flight competition so far.

Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford is currently the joint-top scorer in the Europa League.

The England international scored a goal in Man United’s Europa League 4-1 win over Real Betis on Thursday night at Old Trafford.

Top scorers in the 2022/2023 Europa League so far:

5 goals – Marcus Rashford (Man United) and Victor Boniface (Union Saint-Gilloise)

4 goals – Vitinha (Braga), Wissam Ben Yedder (Monaco), Robin Knocke (Union Berlin), Santiago Gimenez (Feyenoord) and Ángel Di María (Juventus)

Most assists in 2022/2023 Europa League:

5 assists – Evander (Midtjylland)

4 assists – Anastasios Bakasetas (Trabzonspor)

3 assists – Ludovic Blas (Nantes), Bruno Fernandes (Man United), Cody Gakpo (PSV), Amine Gouiri (Rennes, Loïc Lapoussin (Union Saint-Gilloise), Juan Miranda (Real Betis), Lorenzo Pellegrini (Roma) and Diego Rossi (Fenerbahçe).

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Osimhen Wins Serie A Player Of The Month Award For February

Super Eagles and Napoli striker, Victor Osimhen has won the Serie A Player of the Month Award for February.
The award was given to him by the Italian Footballers Association (AIC).
“Osimhen has been named Player of the Month…Congratulations, Victor!” Napoli Tweeted on Wednesday.
The 24-year-old Nigerian also won the Serie A Player and Goal of the Month award for January.
In February, Osimhen scored four goals in four league appearances for Serie A leaders Napoli.
The player of the month award is coming on the heels of the 2022 Best Foreign Athlete award he won. Makesense Media reports,
He recently bagged the Emerging Player of the Year Award at the 2022 Globe Awards and the 2021/2022 Serie A Young Player of the Year Award.
Osimhen is the top scorer in the Italian Serie A with 19 goals from 21 league appearances.
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Wout Werghost scores his first goal at Old Trafford

It was quite an emotional moment for Dutch footballer and Manchester United star, Wout Weghorst after he scored his first goal at Old Trafford on Thursday, March 9.

Wout Weghorst struggled to hold back the tears as he ended his Manchester United goal drought against Real Betis in a Europa match on Thursday.

The Dutchman’s 82nd-minute effort made it 4-1 on the night to cap off an impressive comeback from Erik ten Hag’s side who suffered a 7-0 defeat to Liverpool last weekend.

It’s only Weghorst’s second goal for United and it came after his pre-match decision to touch the “This is Anfield” sign angered many Red Devils’ supporters.

Weghorst had claimed he was just attempting to “wind up” international team-mate Virgil van Dijk by stopping the Liverpool defender from getting his fingers on the famous sign.

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Joao Felix corrects reporter on how to pronounce his name

Chelsea football star, Joao Felix has revealed how to pronounce his name properly.

The Portuguese star who moved to Stamford Bridge in January on loan from Atletico Madrid, gave the correction during a press conference.

Speaking ahead of Chelsea’s crucial meeting with Dortmund at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night after a 1-0 defeat in the first leg, Felix was asked by a journalist how to correctly say his name.

Many English and Spanish fans incorrectly pronounce his name ‘Jow Fee-lix’ but the star revealed that it’s actually “Je-wow Feh-lix”.

“Everyone says ‘Fee-lix’, even in Spain, just in Portugal they say my correct name. I don’t know why, I don’t think it’s too hard,” Felix said.

When asked if the mispronunciation annoys him, Felix said: “Nah! I don’t care.”

Felix became the fourth most expensive footballer of all time when Atletico Madrid signed him from Benfica for £113m in 2019, but the youngster struggled for consistent form in the Spanish capital.

He had a rocky relationship with fiery Atletico manager Diego Simeone and so it was decided it would suit all parties if he went out on loan.

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Gary Neville claims Bruno Fernandes was asking to be subbed off at 6-0 down to Liverpool

Football legend turned pundit and commentator, Gary Neville has hit out at Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes for reportedly being annoyed at not being substituted during their 7-0 loss to Liverpool.

After trailing 1-0 before half time following a Cody Gakpo opener, the Red Devils were blown away in the second half with Jurgen Klopp’s side hitting an extra six.

Gakpo got another with Mo Salah and Darwin Nunez getting a brace each before Roberto Firmino who will leave Anfield at the end of the season, bagged the seventh of the evening.

After Salah became Liverpool’s all-time leading Premier League goalscorer in the 83rd minute when he tapped home from close range to make it 6-0, co-commentator Gary Neville spotted something going on.

Neville suggested that a frustrated Fernandes was struggling to hide his discontent at being left on the pitch as Anthony Elanga replaced Marcus Rashford in the final minutes.

He said;

“Bruno Fernandes is stood in the centre circle with his arms raised saying ‘why is it me not coming off?’

“Honestly, I have to say some of his behaviour in the second half has been a disgrace. I’ve had enough of him throwing his arms about, not running about. That wasn’t a captain’s performance by him.”

Fellow pundit and former Man Utd team-mate Keane said:

“Fernandes’ body language today was disgraceful. Players will no doubt feel ashamed. They went missing in the second half.

“But I have to say Liverpool were absolutely amazing. Their energy, decision-making… Liverpool were back to their very, very best.”

Sky cameras failed to show his so-called outburst but footage from the stands has since emerged showing the Portuguese midfielder’s reaction.

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I’m surprised to see this – Erik Ten Hag reacts to 7-0 defeat to Liverpool

Manchester United coach Erik ten Hag has given a scathing assessment of his team’s pitiful performance against Liverpool which led to a 7-0 defeat.

Addressing reporters after the match, Ten Hag said he was disappointed with the way his players reacted to conceding two goals so soon after the break. He added that he couldn’t recognize the team throughout the match.

The Dutch coach said;

“It’s 3-0, as a team you stick together. We didn’t do that. I’m surprised to see this from our team, I don’t think it’s us, I don’t think it’s Manchester United.”

Ten Hag also averred that the Manchester United side which played against Liverpool were “unprofessional”. He added;

“After halftime, so quickly we gave the game away. We made bad decisions on the ball, how we anticipate, how we concede the goal. The third [goal] was a counter and we were so unprofessional with our decisions, running away, giving the space away, not tracking back.”

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This was a disastrous moment for us — De Gea speaks after heavy defeat to Liverpool

Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea has described their 7-0 loss to Liverpool on Sunday, March 5, as a “disastrous moment”.

Manchester United held their own for much of the first-half against Liverpool, only to see Cody Gakpo break the deadlock in the 43rd minute. The Red Devils then suffered the most dramatic of second-half collapses as the likes of Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Roberto Firmino got in on the act.

The 7-0 defeat became the Red Devils’ heaviest defeat in 92 years. They also suffered 7-0 losses to Wolves in December 1931, Aston Villa in December 1930 and Blackburn Rovers in April 1926.

Reacting to the defeat, De Gea said in a statement;

“I know these message don’t sit well on such a day. This was a disastrous moment for us and these results shouldn’t happen, especially with the journey we are all on. We have a duty to this club, a responsibility to represent the badge but we have many opportunities to look ahead, many games coming fast and we have to lock our focus on these.”

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Manchester United get their worst defeat in 92 years following 7-0 defeat to Liverpool

Manchester United have gotten their heaviest defeat since Boxing Day 1931 after being defeated 7-0 by Liverpool today, March 5.

Gakpo put the Reds in front moments before half-time, cutting in from the left and curling into the far corner of David de Gea’s net. United needed a response at the start of the second half, but instead it was the host who struck quickly as Darwin Nunez scored a scrappy second.

Just as the visitors prepared to mount a comeback, it was three as Gakpo’s deft finish rounded off a fluid counter-attack. It was already a hammering, but two goals from Mohamed Salah and another goal from Nunez put the cherry on top of the cake before Roberto Firmino added a seventh.

It is Liverpool’s biggest ever win against United, breaking a record which had stood for more than a century. Liverpool beat United 7-1 on October 12, 1895, but now there is a new high point.

It is  also the first time the Red Devils have lost by seven goals in any competition since that loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers more than 90 years ago.

While Salah’s first goal in the match placed him level with club legend Robbie Fowler in the record scorer list, he went on to break record when he scored again to take his tally up to 129.

Salah has now scored 11 goals across his last six appearances against the Old Trafford club as he struck twice in a historic 7-0 win at Anfield.

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