Sports

*'I Cannot Shake Hand Of Someone Israelis Brought To Whitewash Their Fascism And Genocide' The depth of animosity between Palestinians and Israelis visibly ate into football yesterday as an attempt by FIFA president Gianni Infantino to get representatives of both feuding entities to shake hands at a global football forum, fell flat. Infantino confirmed his intention to stand for re-election for a third full term next year after an attempt to orchestrate a handshake between both delegates at the FIFA congress backfired. The Palestinian Football Federation president, Jibril Rajoub, refused to stand alongside Israel FA vice-president, Basim Sheikh Suliman, in…

*She's Now Face Of Nigeria's Diplomatic Architecture *Sola Enikanolaiye Is New Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Another promotion has come the way of Ambassador Bianca Odinakachukwu Olivia Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, as President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday elevated her to Minister of Foreign Affairs. This followed the recent resignation of the Minister, Yusuf Tuggar, to run for elective office in 2027. For 57-year-old Bianca, the former Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria, ex-Miss Africa, and ex-Miss Intercontinental, the latest step-up in her diplomatic career is the crowning glory of a journey that has seen her become Nigeria's…

It was a see-saw tie on Wednesday night. And if it lacked the beauty of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) versus Bayern Munich in the other Champions League semi-final, first-leg from Tuesday night, it still had drama; knife-edge tension. It was a tale of three penalties, two scored, one by either team; the award of the last one rescinded amid wild scenes. That had stood to give Arsenal the opportunity to take a 2-1 lead to London next Tuesday. In the event, the referee, Danny Makkelie went to the pitchside screen and ruled that David Hancko’s contact on the Arsenal substitute, Eberechi…

*Kick-off: 8pm Nigeria Time Ahead of today's UEFA Champions League semi-final matchup between hosts Atletico Madrid and Arsenal, there is the perception among many fans that the English side have, for years now, been the nearly-men of Premiership, nay European, football. But the current Premiership leaders have promised to turn the tide using this match at the Riyadh Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid with a performance for the ages. However, there is a weather warning in place for Madrid, with an electrical storm and heavy rain forecast. It stands to affect the game and a pitch at the Metropolitano Stadium that…

*For Biggest Fight In British Boxing History Anthony Joshua is to face Tyson Fury later this year after promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed a deal to stage the biggest fight in British boxing history has been signed. Joshua will face Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on 25 July as a warm-up for his long-awaited showdown with Fury, which is expected to take place in November and be shown on Netflix. “Signed, sealed, delivered! AJ v Fury is on!” Hearn said on Instagram. “The biggest piece of business we’ve ever done but more importantly the one we’ve always wanted.…

*16 May Is D-Day Out of chaos comes trophies. It shouldn’t be so, but it’s been the Chelsea way for more than 20 years now: no matter how shambolic everything seems behind the scenes, no matter how many managers they burn through, no matter how scattergun the transfer policy, no matter how much discontent seeps from the dressing room, somehow they spend enough to keep on winning trophies. Since Roman Abramovich took over the club in 2003, Chelsea have had 20 permanent managers (including two longish-term interims, and three who had two stints in charge) and won 20 trophies (Community…

By Nick Ames and Matt Hughes Domestic leagues would be limited to staging one game a season in foreign countries under FIFA proposals that significantly raise the bar for controversial “international matches” to be approved. A new protocol, developed by a FIFA working group set up almost two years ago, would bring in clearer regulations to police the divisive issue and introduce strict limits. In addition to each league being permitted to relocate one top-division game, it is understood host countries would be allowed to stage a maximum of five matches affiliated to another league each season. La Liga and…

Eberechi Eze Could Help Arsenal Sustain Title Hopes Eberechi Eze impressed when he made a rare start on the left of Arsenal’s attack against Manchester City last weekend, even if it was surprising to see the England forward taken off in the 74th minute as Mikel Arteta’s side chased an equaliser. That was the longest he and Martin Ødegaard have been on the pitch at the same time for a Premier League game. With Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli out of form, Eze could be handed another opportunity in that position against Newcastle on Saturday (25 April) as Arsenal try…

*Chelsea, A Machine For Firing Coaches Aside the dent on his curriculum vitae (CV) with his sack as Chelsea head coach, Liam Rosenior, 41, smiles home with a huge compensation package. Rosenior was relieved of his appointment yesterday by the management of the English Premier League (EPL) club following a poor run of results --a tide he failed to stem. Since 1912, the Blues had not lost five straight matches without scoring (something that happened under Rosenior), and the dressing room was clearly against the English coach, who arrived at Stamford Bridge last January after the controversial departure of Enzo…

Finally, finally, finally… Manchester City lead the English Premier League (EPL) for the first time since the opening week last year, so the title is now a riveting five-game shootout with Arsenal. The Gunners were top for 200 consecutive days until Erling Haaland’s first-half goal ended the run and proved the difference against Burnley, who have gone straight down to the Championship. Relegated. Mikel Arteta’s team may take encouragement from how City faded after Haaland’s strike but Guardiola is expert in marshalling his squad and after naming 10 of the 11 who started against Arsenal, is certain to make more…