Sports
Ancelotti Puts Trust In Mikel
Things are getting better and better for Nigeria international midfielder John Mikel Obi.
Just days after signing a new five-year contract with Chelsea, new coach Carlo Ancelotti has made it clear Mikel will not only be an integral part of his plans for the new campaign, but will, in fact, be the heartbeat in his new tactical deployment.
“I have a lot of trust in Mikel. I think he can be the playmaker of this team. He is a young player, but has great quality, both technical and tactical.
“For the present and for the future he is a very important player for us. We are very happy he has signed a new contract and I hope that he stays at Chelsea for a lot of years. I would like that he puts in his great quality for the team,” Ancelotti said.
It is the kind of praise that pushes a player to give more than his all, especially for a coach who has won the top prizes in club football. Mikel is no exception and says he is honoured to be the recipient of such high praise.
“He was a great player himself and it is a great honour that he sees something in me. He says I am a player with great qualities, but thinks I can be even better. It is going to take a bit of time, but I am going to work very close with him to make it happen.”
Ancelotti says the Nigerian still needs to add a few more qualities to his game. It is something the Nigerian star is looking forward to with some relish.
“He likes the fact I am strong and can play with the ball, but says that I still need to add more things to my game – if I do that then he thinks I’m going to be fantastic. Hopefully things are going to go well and he will bring out the best in me.
“I have worked with him for two weeks and we are trying to get to know the formation he wants to play. Before the season starts we are all going to be mentally focused and we’re going to get the system right. The team wants to win titles and this is why he is here.”
Mikel has picked up two FA Cup winners’ medals and one in the League Cup in his time with Chelsea, but the Champions League continues to be a burning ambition.
“The manager has won it twice as a player and as a manager and I really envy him for that. We have come close so many times and I think that is why the club has brought him here, to take us to that final step.
“I haven’t talked to him yet about what it’s like to win the Champions League, but I hope he will have a big impact on my career. The way he has come in and the ideas he has as to how to set the team up, I think we can win everything.”
Sports
Kenya Keeper Under Investigation For Match-Fixing
The Kenya Football Federation (FKF) has launched an investigation into allegations that goalkeeper Patrick Matasi has been involved in match manipulation.
The 37-year-old, who plays for Kenyan Premier League club Kakamega Homeboyz, has won over 30 international caps.
His most recent appearance for the Harambee Stars came in October last year, in a qualifier for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
An undated video posted online appears to show Matasi agreeing a deal to influence the outcome of a league game.
“I have spoken to him. He was also shocked at what he was seeing in the video and he told me he doesn’t know about match-fixing,” Homeboyz owner Cleophas Shimanyula told Tidesports source .
The FKF said it would work with world governing body Fifa, the Confederation of African Football and other “relevant authorities” during its investigation.
“We reaffirm our zero-tolerance policy on match manipulation and are committed to safeguarding the credibility of our competitions,” a statement added.
“This investigation will adhere to FKF’s anti-match manipulation regulations and Fifa guidelines, ensuring a fair, transparent, and thorough process.
“The rights of the player and his club will be respected, and appropriate action will be taken based on the findings.”
Shimanyula backed Matasi, pointing to the fact the veteran has kept three clean sheets in as many games since joining the club a month ago.
“When we watched this video, we found that Matasi has not wronged the club,” he said.
“In a video there can misinterpretations and false narratives and we cannot trust everything.
“He will keep playing for us because there’s no wrongdoing on his part as far as we are concerned – unless there’s evidence or the FKF writes to us to say they are suspecting the player of some wrongdoing.
“He is innocent until proven guilty and then we will act.”
The FKF has called on anyone with credible information to assist its investigation, with any reports to be handled with strict confidentiality.
Shimanyula also challenged the Kenyan footballing community to provide evidence against Matasi.
“Kakamega Homeboyz is against any form of match manipulation,” he said.
Sports
UEFA Probes Real Players Over Indecent Conduct
Uefa has opened an investigation into allegations of indecent conduct by four Real Madrid players during their Champions League last-16 win against Atletico Madrid.
Antonio Rudiger, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Dani Ceballos allegedly made gestures towards the home fans after Real Madrid beat their city rivals on penalties to book their place in the quarter-finals.
TV pictures showed German defender Rudiger appearing to make a throat-slitting motion, apparently towards the crowd after the shootout victory, while Mbappe was shown seemingly making a crotch-grabbing gesture.
Spanish media said Atletico reported the actions to Uefa last week.
The players could be at risk of suspension but there is no guarantee the case will be heard before their quarter-final with Arsenal. The first leg for that tie is at Emirates Stadium on 8 April and the return leg a week later.
In a statement, Uefa said: “[An] ethics and disciplinary inspector has been appointed to investigate allegations of indecent conduct” made by the four Real Madrid players.
“Further information regarding this matter will be made available in due course.”
Sports
EPL To Have Two Transfer Windows
The Premier League has announced it will have two transfer windows this summer to allow Manchester City and Chelsea to sign players before the Club World Cup.
The window will open between Sunday, 1 June and Tuesday, 10 June, then close for five days before running again from Monday, 16 June until Monday, 1 September.
This summer features the first expanded Fifa Club World Cup, which involves 32 teams and adopts the format of the regular World Cup of the past few years.
Chelsea and Manchester City are the Premier League teams in the tournament which takes place in the United States from Sunday, 15 June.
But the Premier League can only have 12 weeks of a summer window – hence the five-day break in order to run it until 1 September.
Fifa has allowed new players to be registered for the Club World Cup from 1-10 June, and again from 27 June-3 July for the knockout stage.
This is happening firstly, to bring order to the global registration system, world governing body Fifa only permits the transfer window in any individual country to be open for 16 weeks in any calendar year.
In Europe, precedent dictates four of those weeks are for the winter window, leaving 12 in the summer. In 2024, the Premier League transfer window opened on 14 June and closed on 30 August.
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