Category: Sports

At least four Premier League teams have confirmed their Champions League qualification.

This follows Aston Villa’s 4-2 win over Liverpool on Friday night.

Ollie Watkins scored twice, while John McGinn produced a spectacular late effort as Unai Emery’s men outclassed the current champions.

The result takes them to 62 points, two more than Liverpool, with one game left.

They will now join Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United in booking their places in the league phase of next season’s Champions League.

Interestingly, Villa will face Freiburg in the Europa League final next Wednesday.

A victory in that game would have handed the Midlands team automatic qualification for the Champions League. But in that case, the team that finishes in sixth place in the Premier League will qualify.

EPL: 4 teams confirmed for Champions League after Aston Villa thrash Liverpool

Former England forward, Jay Bothroyd, has tipped Arsenal to win the Premier League title.

The Gunners are two points clear of Manchester City with two fixtures left.

Bothroyd, speaking on Sky Sports, expects Mikel Arteta’s men to complete the job.

He however does not believe Arsenal will do the double, when they face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final.

“Premier League, yes. My percentage right now is 95%,” Bothroyd said.

“But the Champions League will be a tough one. If Arsenal play at their best, they will win the game.

“However, it is hard to look at PSG’s team as a whole, who got a clean sheet against Bayern Munich in the last game.

“When you look at Dembele, Kvaratskhelia and Doue, the way they press, they can make you scared. Apart from the workrate, they also have the quality.

“That is why it’s hard for me to say Arsenal will win the Champions League.”

EPL: They are 95% to clinch it – Jay Bothroyd predicts title winners

Abia Angels goalkeeper, Fatima Oloko has expressed confidence in her team to make a positive impact at the 2025-26 Nigeria Women Football League, NWFL, Super Six playoff tournament.

The Umuahia-based club alongside Robo Queens and Nasarawa Amazons qualified from the NWFL Conference B for the competition.

Rivers Angels, Edo Queens and defending champions Bayelsa Queens qualified from Conference A.

Oloko said that the team will approach each game at the tournament with purpose and determination.

“We are getting ready for the Super Six tournament,” Oloko stated to the media after the completion of the regular season.

“We were not favourites to qualify. We are going to go there and give our best.

“We will play each games as if it is the last so what ever comes out of it we will take it.”

NWFL: Abia Angels goalkeeper Oloko confident ahead of Super Six playoff

Brentford defender Michael Kayode has declared his intention to represent Italy at the senior level.

Kayode was born in Borgomanero, Italy, to Nigerian parents.

Though the right-back has represented Italy at the youth level, he is still eligible to play for Nigeria at the senior level.

The former Fiorentina players stated that he can’t wait to make his maiden appearance for the Azzurri.

“I will always give priority to Italy: even at youth level, I grew up wearing the Azzurri shirt,” Kayode told Tuttosport.

“I hope to achieve this dream as soon as possible, but I have no doubt about which path to choose.”

Kayode is expected to be included in Italy’s squad for the international friendlies against Luxembourg and Greece in June.

Super Eagles: Brentford defender snubs Nigeria for Italy

Nigeria’s Falconets have been drawn in Group F of the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup with Spain, China and New Caledonia.

The draw ceremony for the 12th edition of the biennial competition took place in Lodz, Poland, on Friday.

The Falconets will be aiming to win the tournament for the first time after coming second twice in the past.

Nigeria have never missed a single edition of the competition.

Matches will be contested across four host cities: Bielsko-Biała, Katowice, Lodz and Sosnowiec.

The tournament will be  held in Poland from 5 to 27 September, 2026.

U-20 WWC: Falconets to face Spain, China, New Caledonia in Group F

Manchester United midfielder, Bruno Fernandes, has expressed his disappointment at seeing Declan Rice join Arsenal.

Fernandes acknowledged that he felt ‘really sad’ about Manchester United’s failure to secure Declan Rice before his transfer to Arsenal.

United had been contenders to acquire Rice prior to his decision to move to Arsenal in a £105 million deal from West Ham in 2023.

Rice has emerged as one of Arsenal’s key players this season as Mikel Arteta’s team approaches the club’s first Premier League title since 2004, while they also have the opportunity for a double as they face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final on May 30.

On the other hand, Fernandes has once again been a pivotal player for United this season, currently boasting 19 assists for the campaign, just one short of the all-time record jointly held by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.

Last week, Fernandes was awarded the Football Writers’ Association’s men’s Footballer of the Year award, narrowly surpassing Rice by just 28 votes.

In an interview with the FWA, Fernandes praised Rice and disclosed that he still maintains contact with the Arsenal midfielder after they trained together in Portugal three years ago.

“To be honest, I admire him [Rice] a lot, first of all as a person because I knew him from the Algarve when we were training together and everything,’ Fernandes stated in an interview with Joel Beya for the FWA.

“Of course, I was already aware of him from West Ham, and we all recognized the qualities he possessed. I have always believed that Rice was a player suited to play for Manchester United.

“I was uncertain if it was the right opportunity or chance for him to join Manchester United, but I have always thought he would be an ideal fit for our club, not only for the player he is but also for the person he is and the professionalism he demonstrated to me along with his personality.”

EPL: ‘I admire him a lot, sad Man United didn’t sign him’ – Fernandes on Arsenal star

Fulham head coach Marco Silva has confirmed Alex Iwobi is in contention to face Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Molineux on Sunday.

Iwobi sustained a hamstring injury in Fulham’s 0-0 draw against Brentford last month.

The midfielder has missed the Whites last three league games due to the setback.

In his absence, Fulham recorded one win, and two defeats.

Silva confirmed the Nigeria international is back in full training, and is available to face the Old Gold.

“Alex (Iwobi) is back in contention for  the game. Last week, he did some training sessions with us. And this week, throughout, he’s been working with us. It’s been a good week for him,” the gaffer told a press conference on Friday.

EPL: Iwobi available for Wolves clash — Silva

Manchester City ace, Bernardo Silva, has identified two key factors that affected his side’s push for the Premier League title this season.

The Portuguese admitted that the Cityzens would have won the title if Pep Guardiola’s side were not in a transitional season and if they didn’t make so many mistakes.

“I do believe our main rivals were Liverpool by far,” Silva said in an interview with The Athletic.

“I know if we were not in a transitional season and if we didn’t make so many mistakes, we would have won this league.

“I don’t say we would have won easily, but we would have won this league. So it’s quite frustrating.”

Man City currently sit two points behind Arsenal on the Premier League table with just two matches remaining to conclude the season.

EPL: ‘Man City would’ve won league’ — Silva blames two key factors

Manchester United captain, Bruno Fernandes, has admitted Declan Rice’s move from West Ham to Arsenal left him “sad”.

Rice became the most expensive player in the Gunners’ history after they agreed a £105m deal for him in 2023.

The England midfielder has gone on to become a key member of Mikel Arteta’s team.

However, before leaving the Hammers, Rice was a player in demand with United and Manchester City, which were believed to be keen.

“Obviously, I knew him already from West Ham and we all knew the qualities he had, and I have always said that I thought Rice was a player to play for Man United.

“I was really sad when he chose to go to Arsenal, I don’t know if there was the opportunity or the chance to come to Manchester United, but I always thought that he would be the perfect fit for our club,” Fernandes said on JoelBeya TV.

EPL: I was sad when Declan Rice chose Arsenal – Bruno Fernandes

Benfica manager, Jose Mourinho, has revealed that he turned down the chance to discuss a new contract with the club this week.

According to Mourinho, the fresh terms were put on the table this week.

However, the 63-year-old has claimed it is the wrong time to negotiate with the Portuguese club.

Mourinho, who is expected to leave for Real Madrid in the summer, has now said he will make a definitive decision next week.

He told reporters: “Yes, on Wednesday I received a contract extension offer from Benfica.

“The offer was given to my agent, but I didn’t want to see it, find out about it or consider it.

“I’ll only do that from Sunday onwards; I’d say on Sunday.”

There will be Champions League football on the line when Benfica face Estoril this weekend.

Mourinho rejects fresh contract, reveals when he will decide on Real Madrid job