Sports

Outrage As Serie A Twitter Crowns Kvaratskhelia King Ahead Of Osimhen

Published

2 years ago

May 7, 2023

Fans have held nothing back in showing their displeasure with Serie A Twitter account for crowning Khvicha Kvaratskhelia as the king in Napoli ahead of Victor Osimhen.

The verified account on Saturday posted an image that depicted Napoli and football legend Diego Maradona crowning Kvaratskhelia who was seated in a royal-like chair with the Scudetto trophy flanked on his left.

The controversial graphic got a lot of fans, mostly Nigerians, agitated for what many alleged as racial discrimination given how instrumental Osimhen was to Napoli clinching the Serie A title after three decades.

Osimhen scored the goal that drew Napoli level against Udinese on Thursday, thus sealing the Scudetto for the Partenopei since the 1989/90 season.

During the campaign, the Nigerian scored 22 goals and provided four assists in 29 league games to help the team maintain a 16-point lead with five games to go.

The 24-year-old also broke records set by Samuel Eto’o for most goals scored by an African in a single season and that by George Weah for most goals scored by an African in Italy.

Reacting to the post, fans called out the admins of the Twitter account for wrong decision, dishing out statistics that place Osimhen above the Georgian winger.

UEFA-accredited, Paris-based Nigerian journalist @ojbsports wrote:

”I hope this isn’t a subtle racism. I expect @sscnapoli to make the needful correction of the error made by @SerieA_EN by giving @victorosimhen9, the true king of Napoli his deserved honour. Osimhen scored 22goals and assisted 4 in Serie A for Napoli.. (without penalty). Kvaratskhelia scored 12 and contributed 10 assists for Napoli.”

@santi_billi wrote: “Rubbish even Kvara knows Osimehn is King.”

@teejaybaba: “I hope @victorosimhen9 leaves your st%%pd club. He literally carried your club all the way to the tittle but then you just have to be sensls and racist.”

@Views09: “Osimhen is the league’s top scorer and above all scored the goal that won Napoli the Scudetto after 33 years of waiting…you all are so racists so much that it stinks..I hope he leaves that sh*t league!!..RACISTS!!!”

@47Kasz: “What is this form of racism???osimhen single handledly did this and you are putting the glory on kvara??”

Very Italian thing to do

Sports

Liverpool Confirm Nunez’s £46.2M Move To Al-Hilal

Published

21 hours ago

August 9, 2025

Editor

Liverpool sold striker Darwin Nunez to Saudi side Al-Hilal, both clubs confirmed on Saturday, in a move that could allow the Premier League champions to make a fresh bid for Newcastle’s Alexander Isak.

Nunez joined the Reds for an initial 75 million euros ($87 million, £65 million) from Benfica three years ago but has failed to live up to that price tag.

The Uruguayan scored 40 goals in 143 appearances but slipped down the pecking order at Anfield under both Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot.

According to reports in the British media, Al-Hilal will pay an initial 53 million euros for the 26-year-old.

“Al-Hilal Club Company is pleased to announce the signing of Uruguayan striker Darwin Nunez from Liverpool FC on a three-year contract,” Al-Hilal said in a statement.

Nunez was likely to play even less this season after Liverpool signed Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz as part of a 300 million euro spending spree that also includes full-backs Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong.

However, the club could still break the British transfer record by signing Isak.

Liverpool reportedly had a first bid of £110 million rejected, with Newcastle demanding a fee of up to £150 million for the Swedish striker.

The sale of Nunez would take Liverpool’s income for transfer sales this window to nearly 200 million euros after the departures of Luis Diaz, Jarell Quansah, Caoimhin Kelleher, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Tyler Morton.

Nunez is the latest big name to join Al-Hilal, who shocked Manchester City to reach the quarter-finals of the recent Club World Cup.

Coached by former Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi, the Saudi club’s squad includes Portuguese internationals Ruben Neves and Joao Cancelo, Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly, and former Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic.

AFP

Sports

Messi Ruled Out Of Miami’s MLS Clash With Orlando

Published

21 hours ago

August 9, 2025

Editor

Lionel Messi will miss Inter Miami’s Major League soccer clash with Florida rivals, Orlando, on Sunday as he continues to recover from a “minor” muscle injury, coach Javier Mascherano said Saturday.

“No, Leo will not be available tomorrow,” Mascherano said. “He is fine, but obviously it would be crazy to risk taking him to Orlando because of all that is ahead.

“We are optimistic that he will soon return with us.”

After the Florida Derby clash with Orlando, Inter will host the LA Galaxy on August 16 and three days later they play a Leagues Cup quarter-final against Mexico’s Tigres UANL.

Messi, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, missed the club’s last Leagues Cup group stage match after suffering the “minor muscle injury” in his upper right leg in Miami’s win over Necaxa on August 2.

Inter are currently fifth in the MLS Eastern Conference, eight points behind leaders Philadelphia and a point ahead of Orlando with three matches in hand.

Despite the setback for Messi, Miami have been buoyed by the arrival of his Argentine compatriot Rodrigo De Paul, who scored his first goal for the Herons in a 3-1 victory over Pumas UNAM that clinched their Leagues Cup quarter-final berth.

AFP

Sports

PSG Complete Signing Of French Goalkeeper Chevalier For $46.6m

Published

22 hours ago

August 9, 2025

Editor

Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday signed French goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier from Lille for a reported 40 million euros ($46.6 million).

“Paris Saint-Germain are delighted to welcome Lucas Chevalier into our family,” club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi said on the club’s website, which added that the 23-year-old had signed until 2030.

“I’m a kid who is living his dream,” Chevalier said.

Chevalier has been a member of several France squads but has yet to win a senior cap.

He shone as Lille reached the last 16 of last season’s Champions League, particularly in a 1-0 win at home over Real Madrid and a 3-1 victory away to Atletico Madrid.

PSG, meanwhile, won the Champions League, Ligue 1 and French Cup with Italian star Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal, backed up by Russian Matvey Safonov and Spaniard Arnau Tenas who are still in the squad.

Chevalier is the second goalkeeper the club have signed this summer, after Italian-Brazilian teenager Renato Marin.

Sources close to the club said PSG sporting director Luis Campos had assured Chevalier he would be first-choice goalkeeper.

Chevalier is expected to be available as early as Wednesday when PSG face Tottenham in the European Super Cup in Udine, Italy.

AFP