Sports
Expert Blasts LMC Over N100m Demand From Clubs
A sports administrator,
Silas Agara, has faulted the demand by the League Management Committee (LMC) that each premier league club provide a N100 million bank guarantee for the new season.
Agara, who is the Special Adviser on Sports Development to Nasarawa State’s Governor, Tanko Al-Makura, said the demand could cripple the clubs’ participation in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
“The demand is very wrong because state governments are not making profit from the clubs. Rather, they are spending good money to run the clubs.
“How many states can effectively provide that money? We can’t compare what we are doing in the Nigerian Premier League with what is happening in the English Premier League (EPL),’’ he said.
Agara, a former Nasarawa State Sports Commissioner, said Nasarawa United Football Club of Lafia for example, which is one of NPFL’s 20 clubs, could find it difficult to meet LMC’s demand.
He said clubs in the EPL, which he said the LMC were trying to copy, have very many opportunities to make money, unlike their NPFL counterparts.
“There are lots of commercial rights in the English Premier League which a club can make profits from. A club can recoup its money even before the end of the season.
“But how many clubs in Nigeria today can come and tell you that they make N100,000 from gate-takings from one match?” Agara said.
He said EPL clubs even spend money to buy their jerseys for some of their sponsors to print their logos on them.
Agara pointed out that a lot of issues needed to be sorted out before such ideas could work in the country.
The LMC had said the new league season might not start unless the clubs meet some conditions.
These conditions include the provision of a bank guarantee of N100 million.
LMC had said only the clubs which meet the N100 million bank guarantee demand and the FIFA club licensing criteria would be allowed to participate in the 2013/2014 Glo Premier League.
The league organising body had given the clubs a December 31, 2013 deadline.
Sports
Inter Best Juventus To Maintain Serie A Lead
Andrea Cambiaso scored at both ends during the first half of Saturday’s Derby d’Italia, before Pierre Kalulu’s red card forced Juventus to play the entire second half a man light.
Substitute Francesco Pio Esposito got Inter back in front with a bullet header, then Manuel Locatelli’s pinpoint finish looked to have salvaged a point for the Bianconeri, before Zielinski struck on the cusp of stoppage time.
Juventus made the brighter start, but they were masters of their own downfall in the 17th minute, when Cambiaso deflected Luis Henrique’s cross beyond Michele Di Gregorio.
Cambiaso atoned within nine minutes, catching Henrique on his heels when Weston McKennie’s cross squirmed through to the back post and applying a side-footed finish.
But after Bremer cleared Zielinski’s dinked effort off the line, Juve’s hopes were damaged when Kalulu received his second yellow card for a 42nd-minute pull on Alessandro Bastoni, though the Inter centre-back appeared to go down theatrically.
Di Gregorio made a remarkable stop to thwart Hakan Calhanoglu, but as Juventus dropped ever deeper, they were punished when substitute Esposito guided Federico Dimarco’s searching cross into the far corner with 76 minutes on the clock.
It looked like Inter would have to settle for a point when Locatelli whipped a wonderful finish into the bottom-left corner in the 83rd minute, but Zielinski had the final say as his 20-yard drive fizzed through Locatelli’s legs and beat Di Gregorio.
Sports
Szoboszlai’s Real Madrid Dream Sparks Concern At Liverpool
A cloud of uncertainty has settled over Liverpool after comments from Hungary head coach Marco Rossi reignited speculation about Dominik Szoboszlai and Real Madrid.
Rossi, who has worked closely with Szoboszlai since his teenage years, revealed that the midfielder’s lifelong ambition is to play for the Spanish giants.
“Because of the very close and direct relationship I’ve had with Dominik since he was a child, Real Madrid has always been his dream,” Rossi said.
For a Liverpool side building around Szoboszlai as a centerpiece of Arne Slot’s project, those words landed hard.
Within hours of Rossi’s remarks, Szoboszlai interacted on social media with two Real Madrid players, applauding posts from Vinicius Junior and Trent Alexander-Arnold following Madrid’s win over Real Sociedad.
His reaction to Vinicius’ post drew particular attention. The exchange with Alexander-Arnold, his former Liverpool teammate, was seen as less surprising.
Still, in the hyper-connected world of elite soccer, even a digital thumbs-up can carry weight. On Merseyside, fans and pundits quickly began dissecting the meaning behind the interactions.
Szoboszlai, Hungary’s captain, has become one of Liverpool’s most influential players. That status is precisely why Rossi’s comments triggered such an intense reaction in England.
The midfielder had just delivered on the field as well, scoring in Liverpool’s 3-0 FA Cup fourth-round victory over Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield.
After the match, Mohamed Salah heaped praise on his teammate, calling Szoboszlai “the best player in the world.” Slot struck a slightly more measured tone but echoed the sentiment.
“I think there are many elite players in the world, but I definitely agree with Mo that he is one of them,” Slot said. “He is very important for us.”
Szoboszlai is under contract at Liverpool through 2028. However, the club is reportedly eager to open extension talks in the coming months to secure his long-term future.
The player himself addressed the situation recently with notable candor.
“There’s nothing yet, to be honest. Nothing from now on. It’s not in my hands. That’s how it works,” he said. “There’s no progress, but if the right offer comes, we’ll see.”
He was equally clear about his affection for Liverpool.
“We’ll see what happens. Hopefully everyone will be happy in the end. Of course I want to stay. I like the city, I like the club, I like playing with these guys. I love Anfield, I love the fans. Let’s see what the future brings. It’s not my fault. I’d love to stay. We’ll see.”
Inter’s dramatic victory boosted their lead over rivals AC Milan to eight points, ahead of the Rossoneri hosting Como on Wednesday. Juventus, meanwhile, could drop out of the top four as Roma visited Napoli last night.
The last four Serie A matches between Inter and Juventus have produced a total of 21 goals (an average of 5.25 per game), compared to just nine in the previous six (1.5 per game).
Cambiaso became the first player in Derby d’Italia history to score and put through his own net in the same match between these old rivals, but it was Zielinski’s fifth Serie A goal of the season that proved decisive.
Inter will argue they were deserved victors after amassing 21 shots and 1.88 expected goals (xG), while Luciano Spalletti’s visitors mustered 10 shots and 0.92 xG – though the Bianconeri actually attempted six of their shots while down a man in the second half.
Sports
Wolves Beat Man Utd Conquerors
Premier League strugglers Wolves overcame resolute Grimsby Town in challenging conditions at Blundell Park to reach the FA Cup fifth round at the expense of the side that eliminated Manchester United in the last round.
Santiago Bueno scored from Wolves’ only shot on target with an hour played, diverting Joao Gomes’ cross past goalkeeper Jackson Smith with his thigh to end the League Two club’s resistance.
Unrelenting rainfall caused heavy ground underfoot and one penalty area in particular- that of Grimsby’s Smith in the first half – was already a quagmire before kick-off.
Charles Vernam shot narrowly wide from the edge of the box with just 43 seconds on the clock as Grimsby sought to catch their top-flight visitors cold.
Wolves had to wait until the 17th minute for their first opportunity of note, forward Tolu Arokodare firing over with a first-time attempt.
The white paint of the pitch markings soon blended and blurred with the mud as the surface rapidly deteriorated, and both sides struggled to stitch together cohesive attacks as passes travelled unpredictably across the sodden ground.
-
Sports2 days ago2026 WC: Nigeria, DR Congo Awaits FIFA Verdict Today
-
Environment2 days agoOxfam, partners celebrate 5 years of climate governance programmes in Nigeria
-
Politics2 days ago
ADC, PDP, LP Missing As INEC Set For By- Elections In Rivers
-
Politics2 days ago
FG’s Economic Policies Not Working – APC Chieftain
-
Politics2 days ago2027: Diri Unveils RHA LG Coordinators, APC Congress Panel
-
Politics2 days agoReps To Meet,’Morrow Over INEC’s 2027 Election Timetable
-
Politics2 days agoGroup Continues Push For Real Time Election Results Transmission
-
Sports2 days ago
Sunderland Overcome Oxford Challenge
