Sports

Haaland Set To Reign Over Europe As Man City Eye Historic Treble

Published

4 months ago

June 8, 2023

Editor

Erling Haaland has been backed to dominate the Champions League for years to come as the record-breaking Manchester City striker aims to fire his side to treble glory in Saturday’s final against Inter Milan.

Haaland has taken the Premier League by storm in his first season, scoring 52 goals in all competitions since signing from Borussia Dortmund.

The 22-year-old fuelled City’s successful bid to overhaul Arsenal in the title race before Pep Guardiola’s side completed the second leg of the treble with their FA Cup final victory against Manchester United last Saturday.

City are firm favourites to win the Champions League for the first time when they face Inter in Istanbul this weekend.

That would make City only the second English club after Manchester United in 1999 to lift the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup in the same season.

Yet, ominously for defenders across Europe, Haaland believes he can only get better as he spends more time in Guardiola’s unique system.

“I’ve been developing in a really positive way and that’s important for me because I’m still really young,” he said.

“I’m 22, I’ve got a long career ahead of me and I still have to develop. That’s also something I was thinking of over one year ago when I was thinking about my next move.”

It is a view shared by Inter striker Romelu Lukaku, who knows all about the ups and downs of life in the Premier League.

Former Manchester United and Everton striker Lukaku, currently on loan at Inter from Chelsea, is a huge fan of Haaland, whose physical approach mirrors the Belgian’s own style of play.

He expects the Norwegian to establish himself as the world’s most feared forward alongside Paris Saint Germain’s Kylian Mbappe.

“I think he will dominate, with Mbappe, world football for the next 10 years,” Lukaku told CNN.

“They will be fighting from the new generation. They will really take over from Messi and Ronaldo in the next two years.”

– ‘One more’ –

The awe-inspiring statistics of Haaland’s first season with City are enough to give Inter boss Simone Inzaghi sleepless nights.

Haaland’s 36 Premier League goals set a record for single season in the competition.

Haaland’s 12 goals in 10 Champions League appearances so far this season played a huge role in City’s progress to only their second final in Europe’s elite club competition.

He is the first player to be voted Premier League Player and Young Player of the Year in the same season and was also named the Football Writers’ Association (FWA) men’s footballer of the year.

It has been a life-changing year for Haaland, who said: “I’m 196cm tall and have got long blond hair so wherever I go people are going to see me. So that’s how my life is.

“What can I do? There’s nothing I can do, that’s my life. I just have to try to enjoy it as much as I can. Try to relax when I’m home with good people around me, that’s really important.”

It is hard to imagine now, but there was a brief period earlier this year when some critics suggested City were worse off with Haaland.

After winning the title without a recognised striker in the previous two seasons, City had fallen behind Premier League pace-setters Arsenal as Haaland occasionally looked isolated up front.

He has silenced those doubters in emphatic fashion, but Inter will have noted he goes into the final with only one goal in his last seven games.

Haaland’s current four-match goalless run is his longest in a City shirt, and he hasn’t gone as many games without scoring since April 2021.

Yet Haaland had a warning for Inter just seconds after the final whistle blew following the FA Cup final.

While hugging Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva on the Wembley pitch, Haaland exhorted his City team-mates to make one last push in Istanbul.

“Come on, one more,” he roared while pumping his fist.

Few would be surprised if the intensely driven Haaland ends his drought by scoring the goal that makes history for City.

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Sports

Israel Adesanya Faces Three Months Jail Term

Published

3 hours ago

September 25, 2023

Editor

Former UFC middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya, has pleaded guilty to drunk-driving charges in his home country of New Zealand.

The incident took place on August 19, when Adesanya was pulled over and found with 87 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood in his system. The legal limit in New Zealand is 50 milligrams.

Adesanya was returning from dinner with friends when he ‘encountered a Random Breath Testing unit’ in Auckland, his team told ESPN.

He could face up to a $2,680 fine and/or three months in jail, according to ESPN.

‘I want to apologize to the community, my family and my team for the decision I made to get behind the wheel after drinking at a dinner,’ Adesanya said in a statement provided to ESPN.

‘I am disappointed with my decision to drive, it was wrong. I know that people might follow me and I want them to know I do not think this behavior is acceptable.’

Kanye West and Bianca Censori cause a frenzy in Florence as rapper directs his wife to pose in front of excited locals (photos)

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Sports

Osimhen Misses Penalty In Napoli’s Goalless Draw With Bologna

Published

1 day ago

September 24, 2023

Editor

Napoli’s underwhelming start to the season persisted after a missed penalty by Victor Osimhen condemned the Serie A champions to a 0-0 draw at Bologna on Sunday.

The Nigerian striker fired his penalty wide of the target in the 72nd minute after Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s deflected cross had struck the arm of substitute Riccardo Calafiori.

After a run of two wins, a defeat and two draws, the champions are languishing in seventh place in the standings and trail leaders Inter Milan by seven points. Bologna are 11th with six points.

Napoli manager Rudi Garcia tried to remain positive despite the result.

“The negative element is the result, but the performance was good, especially in the first half,” he told newsmen.

“We had some tactics that worked but are not entirely happy because there is no victory.”

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Sports

NYG: Ekiti Governor Recalls Sports Council Boss Over Athletes’ Poor Kitting

Published

1 day ago

September 24, 2023

Editor

Ekiti Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has recalled the General Manager of Ekiti State Sports Council, Adekunle Adeyemi, from the ongoing 7th National Youth Games in Asaba, Delta, over the athletes’ poor kitting.

Adeyemi’s recall was announced on Sunday through a statement signed by the State Commissioner for Information, Taiwo Olatunbosun in Ado Ekiti.

The statement directed the GM to immediately account for the poor kitting of the state’s athletes at the opening session of the competition.

It described the development as unfortunate, adding that the state will take full responsibility of the regrettable incident.

“The directive followed the shabby appearance of the state contingent at the march-past event during the opening ceremony of the National Youths Games.

“Adeyemi is expected to explain circumstances leading to the shabby kitting of the state athletes at the opening session, which photograph is circulating online.

“He was directed to hand over to the next most senior official at the games and return home immediately.

“The official who will act as head of the delegation is to oversee the welfare and wellbeing of the athletes at the competition,” the statement read.

The commissioner said that the state government made adequate provisions for the team’s participation at the games.

He restated the commitment of Oyebanji administration to providing platforms for Ekiti youths to exhibit their God-given talents in line with its youth development and job creation agenda.

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