Sports

The 26 African players who have won the UEFA Champions League

1, June 2021

The 26 African players who have won the UEFA Champions League 0

Aside the FIFA World Cup, the UEFA Champions League (UCL) is by far the most prestigious football competition across the world – by virtue of its popularity and reach.

The pool of players participating means that an there is always a medley of playesr from across all continents represented on the field.

This adds to the UCL vibe as people across the world support nationals from their country who play in the league.

On May 29, 2021, the final of the 2020 / 2021 edition of the UCL took place in Porto with Manchester City facing Chelsea.

The African interests were squarely in Algeria (Riyad Mahrez of City) and Senegal and Morocco (Edouard Mendy and Hakim Ziyech respectively of Chelsea).

In the end, Mendy in the Chelsea goal kept out Mahrez and all of City’s attacking power to ensure that Thomas Tuchel’s side emerged victorious – winning their second UCL. Ziyech on the other hand played a less prominent role in the win.

Below is a list of winners (countries, clubs and season)

26 – Hakim Ziyech (Morocco) : Chelsea FC, 2020 – 2021

25 – Edouard Mendy (Senegal) : Chelsea FC, 2020 – 2021

24 – Naby Keita (Guinea) : Liverpool FC, 2018 – 2019

23 – Mohamed Salah (Egypt) : Liverpool FC, 2018 – 2019

22 – Sadio Mane (Senegal) : Liverpool FC, 2018 – 2019

21 – Joel Matip (Cameroon) : Liverpool FC, 2018 – 2019

20 – Achraf Hakimi (Morocco) : Real Madrid FC, 2017-2018

19 – Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast) : Chelsea FC, 2011-2012

18 – Salomon Kalou (Ivory Coast) : Chelsea FC, 2011-2012

17 – Michael Essien (Ghana) : Chelsea FC, 2011-2012

16 – John Obi Mikel (Nigeria) : Chelsea FC, 2011-2012

15 – McDonald Mariga (Kenya) : Inter Milan 2009 – 2010

14 – Sulley Muntari (Ghana) : Inter Milan, 2009-2010

13 – Seydou Keita (Mali) : FC Barcelona, 2008-2009, 2010-2011

12 – Yaya Touré (Côte d’Ivoire) : FC Barcelona, 2008-2009

11 – Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon) – FC Barcelona, 2005-2006, 2008-2009, Inter Milan, 2009-2010

10 – Djimi Traoré (Mali) : Liverpool FC, 2004-2005

9 – Benni McCarthy (South Africa) : FC Porto, 2003-2004

8 – Samuel Kuffour (Ghana) : FC Bayern Munich 2000-2001

7 – Geremi Njitap (Cameroon) – Real madrid, 1999 -2000, 2001 -2002

6 – Ibrahim Tanko (Ghana) : Borussia Dortmund 1996-1997

5 – Nwankwo Kanu (Nigeria) : Ajax, 1994-1995

4 – Finidi George (Nigeria) : Ajax, 1994-1995

3 – Abedi Pelé (Ghana) : Olympique de Marseille, 1992-1993

2 – Rabah Madjer (Algeria) : FC Porto, 1986-1987

1 – Bruce Grobbelaar (Zimbabwe) : Liverpool FC, 1983-1984

Culled from Ghanaweb

Football: Chelsea has now completed a treble of victories over Manchester City

29, May 2021

Football: Chelsea has now completed a treble of victories over Manchester City 0

A self-confessed admirer of Pep Guardiola, Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel got the better of his mentor as the Blues kept Manchester City waiting for Champions League glory by winning Saturday’s final 1-0.

Victory in Porto rounded off a rollercoaster five months for the German, who was sacked by Paris Saint-Germain on Christmas Eve and handed the chance to revive Chelsea’s fortunes less than a month later.

Chelsea were languishing ninth in the Premier League table at the time with owner Roman Abramovich seeing little return on his £220 million ($312 million) outlay on new players last summer under Frank Lampard.

Kai Havertz was the most expensive purchase of that splurge after his £71 million move from Bayer Leverkusen.

Getting the best out of Havertz was one of Tuchel’s major tasks and the 21-year-old came good on the biggest stage of all with the only goal three minutes before half-time.

Unlike Guardiola, Tuchel did not have a glittering playing career. A series of knee injuries forced him to retire at 25 and take up a job as a waiter, while he began his coaching career in the youth ranks of Stuttgart.

From afar he watched and was inspired as Guardiola won 14 trophies in four years at Barcelona before joining him in Germany where they battled for Bundesliga supremacy in charge of Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich.

During Tuchel’s first meeting with Guardiola the two football obsessives talked long into the night using glasses and salt and pepper shakers to mimic formations.

“It’s easier to demonstrate a position or defending a position or building some gaps you can play through, and it’s easier to do this when you have some glasses and salt and pepper on the table,” Tuchel said this week.

“I was such a huge admirer of Pep when he was a player and then when he became a coach it was like learning on the job for me. I was an academy coach and then in the Bundesliga with Mainz, but I don’t think I missed a game because there was so much to learn.

“There was a lot of tactical talking and discussions and it was so interesting to hear his beliefs, his self-confidence and also the doubts in what he’s doing.”

The Catalan’s confidence will be shaken when he comes face-to-face with Tuchel again in the Premier League next season.

Tuchel did not win any of the first five clashes between the pair during his time at Mainz and Dortmund against Guardiola’s dominant Bayern side.

But he has now won three in the past six weeks as Chelsea completed a treble of victories over the English champions after wins in the FA Cup semi-final and Premier League.

– Tactical battle –

Guardiola spoke glowingly ahead of the game on how Tuchel has revived Chelsea’s fortunes by changing to a 3-4-3 formation that denied City’s abundance of creative midfielders space between the lines.

That allowed Tuchel to arguably win the tactical battle before a ball had even been kicked.

Often accused of overly tinkering with his line-ups when the pressure is ramped up in the final stages of the Champions League, Guardiola’s bold call to start without a recognised holding midfielder backfired.

Tuchel was dismissed by PSG despite leading the French giants to their own first Champions League final in August.

That time he had to suffer the pain of a 1-0 defeat to Bayern Munich, but his desire not to leave Portugal empty-handed again was in evidence as he prowled the touchline, constantly cajoling his players and whipping up the Chelsea fans into a frenzy.

The travelling support from London were among a 14,000 crowd that contributed hugely to the spectacle after almost a full season of European football behind closed doors.

Chelsea fans showed they have not forgotten the club’s all-time record goalscorer with cries of “super Frank” in honour of Lampard’s part in getting the Blues into the top four last season to qualify, and through the group stages before his dismissal.

But this was Tuchel’s triumph.

Source: AFP

Chelsea beat Manchester City 1-0 to win Champions League

29, May 2021

Chelsea beat Manchester City 1-0 to win Champions League 0

Chelsea’s Kai Havertz repaid some of his huge transfer fee as his first-half goal sealed a 1-0 win for his side over Manchester City in the Champions League final on Saturday.

The German youngster, Chelsea’s record signing, latched on to Mason Mount’s pass and evaded City keeper Ederson before rolling the ball into an empty net in the 42nd minute.

Premier League champions City were favourites ahead of the final but suffered a desperately disappointing night in Porto in what was their first Champions League final.

Pep Guardiola’s side were never allowed to play their normal fluent game and could not respond as a disciplined Chelsea sealed a second Champions League triumph.

Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel won the tactical battle against his City counterpart Guardiola and his side could have won by more had Timo Werner converted two gilt-edged chances.

City laboured after the break searching for openings and their cause was not helped when playmaker Kevin de Bruyne went off injured after a clash of heads.

Chelsea survived seven minutes of stoppage time with Riyad Mahrez going agonisingly close for City before the celebrations from Chelsea’s travelling fans could begin.

Source: REUTERS

Football: Neymar says Nike claim of split over sex assault probe an ‘absurd lie’

29, May 2021

Football: Neymar says Nike claim of split over sex assault probe an ‘absurd lie’ 0

Neymar said Friday that Nike’s claim it parted ways with him last year because he refused to cooperate with its internal investigation into an employee’s accusation he sexually assaulted her was an “absurd lie”.

“(To) state that my contract was terminated because I did not contribute in good faith to an investigation, is an absurd lie,” the Brazil and Paris Saint-Germain star said in a statement on Instagram.

“I was not given the opportunity to defend myself. I was not given the opportunity to know who this person was that was allegedly offended. I don’t even know her. I’ve never had any kind of relationship or approach with this person.”

The statement came a day after Nike said it had ended its sponsorship deal with Neymar over the alleged 2016 incident – which was reported to the company in 2018 – and his failure to cooperate with its internal investigation.

Nike did not give a reason when it terminated the deal in August 2020.

The company had sponsored Neymar, 29, since he was a 13-year-old prodigy.

The superstar is now a poster boy for Puma. His deal with the German sportswear giant was announced in September 2020.

‘They did nothing’

The Nike employee accused Neymar of trying to force her to perform oral sex on him in a New York hotel room during a promotional trip for a new line of sneakers, according to the Wall Street Journal, which first broke the story.

Neymar denied the accusation, and said the US sportswear giant had nevertheless continued sending him on promotional tours.

“In 2017 I traveled again to the USA for another advertising campaign, with the same people, and nothing was told to me, nothing changed!” he wrote.

“In 2017, 2018, 2019 we made trips, advertising campaigns, countless shooting sections. And they told me nothing. Such a serious matter and they did nothing.”

In a previous statement, Neymar said he and Nike had split for commercial reasons.

The player’s father accused the company of “blackmail.”

“It’s all very strange” that the accusation only came to light years later, after Neymar left Nike, he told Brazil’s Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper.

Tarnished star

Nike said in a statement it was prepared to investigate in 2018 when the woman first came forward, but “respected the employee’s initial desire to keep this matter confidential and avoid an investigation.”

The firm therefore didn’t share information with law enforcement or any other third party until 2019, when she expressed an interest in pursuing the matter.

Neymar is the world’s most expensive footballer. He left Barcelona for PSG in 2017 for a record transfer fee of 222 million euros ($270 million).

With his on-pitch exploits and huge following on social media, Neymar is one of the biggest names in sports.

But his shine has often been tarnished.

His image as an eternal spoiled child was revived late last year by rumors of a giant year-end party he organized in his native Brazil in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

A young woman also filed a complaint against him for rape in 2019.

He vehemently denied the accusation, and the case was eventually dropped.

Source: AFP

Football: Edouard Mendy is first Senegalese goalkeeper in Champions League final

29, May 2021

Football: Edouard Mendy is first Senegalese goalkeeper in Champions League final 0

In 2015, Senegalese Edouard Mendy was in Le Havre, northern France, desperate to find a professional club. Six years later, he could be the first African goalkeeper to play in a Champions League final.

He is poised to follow in the footsteps of the heroic Zimbabwean goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar, two times finalist in the European Champions Cup with Liverpool FC in the 80s’.

The Senegalese international goalkeeper, who has kept 24 clean sheets this season, becomes a master of his future when he will appear in Porto on Saturday for his first Champions League final against Manchester City.

It will be the crowning achievement of a journey entangled with difficulties for the 29-year-old goalkeeper, who had a promising start.

Born near Le Havre, he became a goalkeeper at the age of 10 years in his neighborhood and was quickly spotted by HAC Academy.

“He had a certain talent, explosiveness, a character that allowed him to have a certain presence in the goal but also in attitude even as a discreet boy,” Michel Courel, his former coach at the HAC Academy said. “He was very diligent and very serious and was a very motivated kid”, he added.

Mendy has been a key player in Chelsea’s squad this season, with 16 clean sheets in 31 EPL games.

The Senegalese goalkeeper has also shined in Chelsea’s UEFA Champions League run, making sure no shot went past him in 8 out of 11 European games.

He hadn’t even been the first-choice goalkeeper there – he spent much of his time on the bench – and he struggled to find another club, repeatedly let down by an agent who was unable to find Mendy a new team in France or in the third tier of England, as promised.

The phone call that changed everything came in 2015 when he was offered a trial at Marseille to become the southern team’s fourth-choice goalkeeper. His pregnant girlfriend stayed in Le Havre.

“When I went down there, it was a case of just giving my absolute everything to get the opportunity to join that club,” Mendy said.

Although he wasn’t the first choice at Marseille, his career was back up and running. He moved to Reims in France’s second division in 2016 and then to Rennes in 2019.

After one season, he had done enough to convince Chelsea’s technical director, Petr Cech – a former player for Rennes and then Chelsea – to bring him to England.

“Now it is up to me to repay their interest in me.”

He has made a good start. Tall and good with the ball at his feet, Mendy already looks a massive upgrade on the erratic Kepa. Crucially, Chelsea’s defenders appear more at ease with Mendy behind them.

Mendy will look to make it three shutouts in three games when Chelsea visits Manchester United on Saturday for the standout match of the Premier League’s sixth round.

Source: Africa News

Football: Nike says it dumped Neymar over his refusal to cooperate with sex assault probe

28, May 2021

Football: Nike says it dumped Neymar over his refusal to cooperate with sex assault probe 0

Nike said Thursday it parted ways with Neymar last year after the superstar Brazil attacker “refused to cooperate in a good faith investigation” as the company probed an employee’s claim that he sexually assaulted her.

The apparel giant said in a statement that its investigation into the alleged 2016 incident — which was reported to the company in 2018 — was inconclusive.

“No single set of facts emerged that would enable us to speak substantively on the matter,” the company said.

In a Wall Street Journal article reporting the assault allegation, a spokeswoman for Neymar said the player denies the claim.

“Neymar Jr. will vigorously defend himself against these baseless attacks in case any claim is presented, which did not happen so far,” she said in a statement, adding that Nike and Neymar split for commercial reasons.

 Nike said otherwise in its statement.

“It would be inappropriate for Nike to make an accusatory statement without being able to provide supporting facts,” the company said, but added: “Nike ended its relationship with the athlete because he refused to cooperate in a good faith investigation of credible allegations of wrongdoing by an employee.”

The Wall Street Journal reported, citing documents and unnamed people, that Nike hired lawyers at Cooley LLP to conduct an investigation starting in 2019 and decided to stop featuring Neymar in marketing during the probe.

In its statement, the company said it was prepared to investigate in 2018 when the woman first came forward, but “respected the employee’s initial desire to keep this matter confidential and avoid an investigation.”

The firm therefore didn’t share information with law enforcement or any other third party until 2019, when she expressed an interest in pursuing the matter.

“We continue to respect the confidentiality of the employee and also recognize that this has been a long and difficult experience for her,” Nike said.

Neymar’s spokeswoman told the Wall Street Journal that the two parties had been in talks since 2019.

“It is very strange a case that was supposed to have happened in 2016, with allegations by a Nike employee, come to light only at that moment,” she told the newspaper.

Neymar’s father accused Nike of “blackmail.”

“We were surprised by something that happened in 2016,” the senior Neymar told Brazil’s Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper. “It’s all very strange now. Neymar doesn’t even know this girl, of course this came from Nike after we left.”

Nike did not give a reason when it terminated its contract with Neymar at the end of August 2020. The company had sponsored Neymar, 29, since he was a 13-year-old prodigy.

The superstar announced in September 2020 that he had signed an endorsement deal with Puma to become the German sportswear giant’s new poster boy.

Earlier this month, Neymar signed a contract extension with French champions Paris Saint-Germain that will keep him with the club until the end of the 2024-2025 season.

The Brazilian said he had “grown as a person, as a human being” since joining the club in 2017 from Barcelona for 222 million euros ($270 million) in what remains the most expensive transfer in history.

Neymar has claimed three Ligue 1 titles and two French Cups with PSG, although he has also provoked hostility from fans by saying he wanted to return to Barcelona.

His image as an eternal spoiled child was revived late last year by rumors, which he did not deny, of a giant year-end party he organized in his homeland in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

A young woman also filed a complaint against him for rape in 2019 — a case he vehemently denied and that was eventually dropped.

Source: AFP

Zidane resigns as Real Madrid coach

27, May 2021

Zidane resigns as Real Madrid coach 0

Zinedine Zidane resigned as Real Madrid manager with immediate effect, the Spanish club said Thursday, just days after the club were beaten to the La Liga title by Atletico Madrid.

The Frenchman’s departure came at the end of a disappointing campaign for the 13-time European champions, who also lost to Chelsea in the Champions League semi-finals as they failed to win a trophy for the first time in 11 seasons.

“Real Madrid announces that Zinedine Zidane has decided to bring an end to his current spell as coach of our club,” said a Real Madrid statement.

“Now’s the time to respect his decision and show our respect and gratitude for his professionalism, dedication and passion in the last few years and for what he represents for Real Madrid.

“Zidane is one of Real Madrid’s all-time greats and his legend goes beyond what he has done as a coach and player for our club. He knows that he is always in the heart of the club’s supporters and that Real Madrid will always be his home.”

Zidane had a contract through June 2022.

He left the club for the first time after leading Madrid to one of its most successful runs from 2016-2018, with three consecutive Champions League titles. In his two years and five months in charge, Madrid won a total of nine trophies, including two Club World Cups, two UEFA Super Cups, one Spanish league and one Spanish Super Cup.

He only won the league title once and a Spanish Super Cup in his second stint.

ZIdane quit the first time less than a week after leading the team to its third straight Champions League title, saying it was time for a change and that he didn’t see it clearly that the club would keep winning with him in charge.

He had been dismissing talks about his future recently, saying that he would discuss it with the club. He said he believed that Madrid could do well without him as coach.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and REUTERS)

Football: Rashford racially abused online following Man Utd Europa defeat

27, May 2021

Football: Rashford racially abused online following Man Utd Europa defeat 0

Marcus Rashford says he was racially abused on social media following Manchester United’s defeat in the Europa League final.

The 23-year-old, who has previously been a victim of online attacks, said he had received “at least 70 racial slurs” following United’s penalty shootout loss to Villarreal in Gdansk on Wednesday.

United, who lost 11-10 on penalties, later tweeted to say their players had been subjected to “disgraceful racist abuse”.

“At least 70 racial slurs on my social accounts counted so far,” Rashford wrote on Twitter. “For those working to make me feel any worse than I already do, good luck trying.

“I’m more outraged that one of the abusers that left a mountain of monkey emojis in my DM is a maths teacher with an open profile. He teaches children!! And knows that he can freely racially abuse without consequence…”

Last month English football, along with other sporting bodies, united for a four-day social media boycott to urge the companies to take a stronger stance over racial abuse.

Speaking before the latest incidents of abuse, England boss Gareth Southgate praised the job players had done in highlighting the issue.

“I do think there has been progress over the last year on the issue of racism because social media is just in general a poor reflection of what happens through society,” he told the BBC.

“But the reality is if it wasn’t social media these situations are happening on our streets at certain times.

“(The players) have used their voice in a very positive manner, in particularly the last 12 months. We have to keep fighting racism.”

Source: AFP

Former Formula One racing boss Max Mosley dies at 81

25, May 2021

Former Formula One racing boss Max Mosley dies at 81 0

Max Mosley, the former head of Formula One’s governing body, has died at the age of 81 after suffering from cancer, his family said on Monday.

“The family of Max Mosley can confirm that he died last night after a long battle with cancer. They ask to be allowed to grieve in private,” a family statement said.

His old friend and ally in the world of motor sport Bernie Ecclestone paid tribute.

“We were like brothers for 50 odd years,” Ecclestone, 90, told Reuters by telephone from Ibiza. “Better he’s gone than suffer the way he was suffering.”

The youngest son of Oswald Mosley, the leader of the British fascist movement in the 1930s, Mosley was a racing driver, team owner and lawyer before becoming president of the International Automobile Federation (FIA) in 1993.

He won a high-profile privacy case against the News of the World newspaper in 2008 after it said he had taken part in a “sick Nazi orgy”.

He later gave financial backing to the court costs of claimants in newspaper phone hacking cases.

The Oxford-educated Mosley and Ecclestone, who was the son of a trawlerman, forged a close alliance.

Together they formed a double act in running the sport as it grew from amateurish beginnings into a $1 billion business, while also pushing through much-needed safety measures.

“We had differences of opinions but we could talk to each other about them and sort them out, whatever they were,” said Ecclestone.

“He was a very straightforward guy, Max. Did a lot for the sport, did a lot for the general industry to make sure people were complying with the right regulations when they built road cars,” he said.

“If he thought something needed to be done, and someone needed to be punished, Max was the guy to do it.”

Such punishment famously included a $100 million fine for McLaren, who also lost all their constructors’ championship points, in a 2007 spying controversy involving Ferrari data.

Source: REUTERS

Football: Aguero close to Barcelona deal, says Man City boss Guardiola

24, May 2021

Football: Aguero close to Barcelona deal, says Man City boss Guardiola 0

Sergio Aguero is close to agreeing a move to Barcelona that would unite him with fellow Argentine superstar Lionel Messi, according to Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.

City’s record goalscorer, who has spent a decade at the Etihad, scored a quickfire double in the champions’ 5-0 win over Everton in his final Premier League appearance for the club on Sunday.

The goals took his Premier League tally to 184 — the most by any player for a single club.

The 32-year-old forward is set to leave the Etihad as a free agent after Saturday’s Champions League final against Chelsea.

“Maybe I reveal a secret,” Guardiola told the BBC. “Maybe he is close to agreeing a deal for the club of my heart — for Barcelona.

“He is going to be playing alongside the best player of all time, Messi.”

If the move goes ahead it would be Aguero’s second spell in Spain — he made his name at Atletico Madrid before the move to Manchester in 2011.

Aguero’s final season at City was dogged by injury and a coronavirus infection but Guardiola believes the striker has a lot to offer the Catalan giants.

Barcelona had a disappointing season, finishing third in La Liga and falling in the last 16 of the Champions League.

“I’m pretty sure he is going to enjoy,” said Guardiola. “And maybe Barcelona are stronger and stronger with him on the pitch.”

Source: AFP

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