Sports
Chelsea, Not Title Contenders – Mourinho
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho still insists that his side is not serious title contenders, despite inflicting a first Premier League home defeat of the season on Manchester City on Monday.
Branislav Ivanovic gave the Blues a 1-0 win to put them two points behind leaders Arsenal and level with City, but Mourinho said both rivals have a better chance of finishing top.
“The title race is between two horses and a little horse that needs milk and needs to learn how to jump,” he said. “Maybe next season we can race.”
Victory at Etihad Stadium meant Chelsea became the first team to do the double over Manchester City in the Premier League since Everton in 2010-11.
It was a deserved result for the visitors, who hit the woodwork three times in the match as they continually caught out Manuel Pellegrini’s side on the counter-attack.
However, despite the impressive performance and result, Mourinho refuses to state publicly that his side is capable of beating Arsenal and City to the title this season.
“I don’t agree we are title contenders,” said the 51-year-old Portuguese. “We are a team in evolution but this is the kind of performance that helps a team grow up a little tactically and mentally. It was fantastic.
“We have beaten the best team, Manchester City, twice but they are the best team. I am not saying we are better than them but today we were the best team.
“We do better in these big games because we love it. We love the big games and when you love it maybe you feel an extra motivation.”
He added it was not Chelsea’s “objective” to win the league, adding: “Our objective is to build the team.
“I want to start the next pre-season and say this season we are going to win the league. This season, I can’t.”
Mourinho also revealed the final words of inspiration to his team before they took to the field at Etihad Stadium came from masseur Billy McCulloch rather than the manager himself.
“He was screaming at them in Scottish. I didn’t understand a word,” said Mourinho. “The players were clapping so I thought ‘OK, that’s good’. I’m serious.”
Basketball players in action during a national event in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, recently.
In a statement released by the league, the competition is scheduled to take place from Friday, June 5 to Sunday, June 14, 2026, with six clubs set to battle for the league title at the end of the 2025/26 season.
NWFL Chief Operating Officer, Modupe Shabi, said the choice of Port Harcourt reflects the Rivers State Government’s continued support for women’s football and its successful hosting of the league’s Annual General Assembly last year.
The Super Six tournament will feature the top three teams from Group A and Group B of the regular season competing in a round-robin format, with each club playing five matches over nine days.
Qualified teams for the competition include defending champions Bayelsa Queens, Edo Queens, Rivers Angels, Robo Queens, Nasarawa Amazons, and debutants Abia Angels.
The NWFL Premiership has produced four different winners in the last five editions, with Rivers Angels winning in 2021, Bayelsa Queens claiming the title in 2022 and 2025, Delta Queens triumphing in 2023, and Edo Queens emerging champions in 2024.
The league also urged participating clubs to comply with all competition regulations and directives ahead of the championship. The Super Six will determine Nigeria’s representative for the WAFU-B qualifiers for a place at the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League and ultimately the 2027 FIFA Women’s Champions Cup.
Teams are expected to arrive on Friday, June 5, when the draw ceremony and pre-match meeting will also take place. Matchdays are scheduled for June 6, 8, 10, 12, and 14, with rest days in between before the tournament concludes with the trophy presentation ceremony.
