Sports

Napoli Gets New Boss

Published

3 years ago

June 15, 2023

Rudi Garcia said on Thursday he was “as motivated as ever” after the Frenchman was named coach of runaway Italian champions Napoli.

Ex-Roma boss Garcia, 59, takes over from Luciano Spalletti who left his position after guiding the southern club to their first Scudetto in 33 years.

Garcia was sacked by Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr in April with the Saudi Arabian side second in the table just months after the five-time Ballon d’Or winner joined in a deal worth tens of millions of dollars.

“What a pleasure to take on the Napoli project. What a pleasure to return to Italy,” Garcia said on Twitter.

“I am as motivated and as ambitious as I have ever been,” he added.

Earlier, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis confirmed Garcia’s arrival before the club announced the news on social media.

“I have the pleasure of announcing that, after having met and spent time with him during the last 10 days, Mr. Rudi Garcia will be the new coach of Napoli,” De Laurentiis said on Twitter.

“A sincere welcome to him and a big good luck!” he added.

Fluent Italian speaker Garcia won the French double with Lille in 2011, before guiding Roma to Champions League qualification in 2014 and 2015.

He has also coached Marseille and Lyon in his homeland.

Italian media had reported that former Barcelona and Spain coach Luis Enrique was the favourite to replace Spalletti and ex-Paris Saint-Germain boss Christophe Galtier was also linked with the job.

Napoli keen on keeping Osimhen
De Laurentiis had said he had a shortlist of 40 names to succeed the colourful Spalletti.

Garcia will have big boots to fill by following 64-year-old Spalletti, the oldest coach to win the Scudetto and the man who led Napoli to the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time.

The Italian has departed Naples for a return to his Tuscan vineyard on gardening leave with sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli having also vacated his position.

One of Garcia’s main tasks will be trying to keep the title-winning outfit together as they repeated Diego Maradona’s feats in 1990.

Napoli repeated Diego Maradona’s feats in 1990 by winning the league. One of Garcia’s main tasks will be trying to keep the title-winning squad together.

South Korea’s Kim Min-Jae, whose superb season at centre-back quickly made fans forget Kalidou Koulibaly, has a 50 million euro ($54 million) release clause and Manchester United and Bayern Munich are reportedly eyeing his signature.

Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen is also a target after netting 30 goals in all competitions including the strike at Udinese which sealed the Scudetto with five matches left in the league campaign.

Osimhen has admitted he is interested in playing in the Premier League.

However, Garcia can count on working with Georgia wing wizard Khvicha Kvaratskhelia as his contract runs to 2027.
AFP

Sports

AFCON 2025: Lookman Scores Winner As Super Eagles Start Campaign With 2–1 Victory Over Tanzania

Published

3 days ago

December 23, 2025

Editor

Ademola Lookman scored what proved to be the decisive goal as Nigeria beat Tanzania 2-1 in their opening game at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

The Super Eagles came into the match as heavy favourites to win and dominated the opening exchanges.

After coming close a few times, the three-time champions took the lead through Semi Ajayi.

The ball was recycled following a corner-kick, before Alex Iwobi crossed it into the area for Ajayi to head home.

Tanzania equalized after Charles M’Mombwa found himself unmarked inside the area.

But two minutes later, Nigeria struck the winner through Lookman, who took a few touches and finished with his left foot.

Sports

JUST IN: Dembélé Named FIFA Best Men’s Player, Bonmatí Wins Women’s Award

Published

1 week ago

December 16, 2025

Editor

Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembélé has been awarded the FIFA Best Men’s Player for 2025, following a season in which he contributed significantly to both his club and the France national team.

Dembélé, known for his pace, creativity, and goal-scoring ability, played a central role in Paris Saint-Germain’s campaigns across domestic and European competitions. His performances for the national team also helped France secure notable results in international fixtures.

Speaking on the recognition, Dembélé said, “It is a great honour to receive this award. I could not have achieved this without my teammates at PSG and in the national team, whose support has been invaluable.”

In the women’s category, Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmatí was named FIFA Best Women’s Player for 2025. Bonmatí was influential in Barcelona’s domestic and European campaigns, providing leadership, vision, and creativity in midfield. She also played a key role in Spain’s international successes.

“This award reflects the hard work of my teammates and coaches,” Bonmatí said. “I am grateful for their guidance and support throughout the season.”

The announcements reaffirm FIFA’s recognition of individual excellence in football while highlighting the contributions of players to both club and country.

Sports

Court Fixes Date To Hear Sala Compensation Dispute

Published

3 weeks ago

December 9, 2025

Editor

A commercial court examining the long-running dispute between Cardiff City and French club Nantes over compensation for the death of Emiliano Sala in a plane crash said Monday it would give its decision on March 30 next year.

Sala, a 28-year-old Argentine striker, died when the light aircraft taking him to the Welsh capital came down in the English Channel on January 21, 2019, two days after he had signed for the then-Premier League side. He and pilot David Ibbotson were killed.

The Welsh club took the case to the Nantes commercial court in 2023 to claim compensation for loss of income and other damages suffered by the club as a result of the player’s death.

Following an analysis conducted by an expert appointed by Cardiff City, the club estimated their losses at over 120 million euros ($139.5 million). Lawyers for both clubs made their cases at Monday’s hearing.

The Welsh club argue that Nantes, through their intermediary, agent Willie McKay, were the organisers of the private flight on which the footballer was travelling and that, if the transfer was effective at the time of the accident according to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), it is the organisation of this flight that is at issue.

Cardiff City’s lawyer, Olivier Loizon, told the court Monday, Willie McKay “could not have been unaware of the illegality of the flight”, and argued that the agent had acted with “negligence”.

“Whatever the ultimate cause of the accident, (Sala) should not have been on the flight,” he added.

Nantes’ lawyer, Jerome Marsaudon, insisted Monday the only agent authorised by the club in connection with the transfer was Mark McKay, the son of Willie McKay.

The elder McKay “was simply helping his son, given his extensive experience”, the lawyer said.

“It is sad to see that Cardiff have exploited this tragedy and turned it into a genuine legal farce,” he added. “Nothing in this case justifies holding FC Nantes liable.”

Prior to the start of the hearing, a Nantes representative said the club “have no doubt that Cardiff’s claims will be rejected outright, just like all the others”.

In another case related to the dispute between the two clubs, CAS ruled in 2022 that Sala’s transfer had definitely been finalised at the time of his death.

In 2023, world football’s governing body FIFA ordered Cardiff to pay Nantes the balance of Sala’s transfer fee, which at the time amounted to just over 11 million euros out of a total of 17 million euros.