Category sport-news

Hansi Flick, the coach for Barcelona, said that keeping the Spanish Super Cup this week would help his team’s other goals this year.

In a semifinal match at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah Sports City stadium on Wednesday, the record 15-time champions take on Athletic Bilbao.

The first victory of Flick’s reign, followed by victories in La Liga and the Copa del Rey, came last year when Barca won the competition as the first leg of a domestic treble.

Former Bayern Munich coach Flick praised the tournament as being “a little bit different” from the equivalent competition in Germany.

“We had a lot of energy for the rest of the season thanks to winning the Super Cup last year,” said one participant.

Barcelona are favorites to win the Super Cup and lead La Liga after nine straight victories in the top flight, despite significant questions still lingering about their defense.

Late goals and a sensational performance from stopper Joan Garcia earned the Catalans a 2-0 victory in a tense derby on Saturday despite being outplayed by neighboring Espanyol.

Read more about the Super Eagles’ 4-0 victory over Mozambique in the AFCON quarterfinals.

Flick urged his team to perform better at the back if they wanted to win the sixth tournament held in Saudi Arabia.

“We have to work on our things because it won’t be an easy match (if) we make the same mistakes as on Saturday,” Flick said.

We must play much better in the defense, stay connected as a unit, and do the same for the defense, as I did on Saturday.

Cancelo incoming, &nbsp

After a protracted mental health break, central defender Ronald Araujo may return to action this week.

Following a red card in Barcelona’s 3-0 Champions League defeat by Chelsea in November, the Uruguayan was given a month’s worth of leave.

We haven’t decided how to proceed with this training (session), so we will see it today and I will want to speak with him.

“It takes time, so I’m thinking we might change something if he feels ready for tomorrow,” he said. “Also, it’s not our plan at this time.

Flick confirmed that Barcelona are close to signing Joao Cancelo from Al-Hilal until the end of the season, but the deal is still pending.

“With Joao, maybe he can give us more options as full-back, both sides in the offence, good quality, but (as far as I know, it’s not done,” Flick said.

Cancelo signed for Barcelona from Manchester City on loan during the 2023-2024 season.

Athletic, who is eighth in La Liga, won the Super Cup three times before losing to Barcelona in the final in 2021.

Better records are only Barcelona and Real Madrid, who have won 13 games. Real Madrid’s Xabi Alonso will face Atletico Madrid in the other Super Cup semi-final on Thursday.

The Nigerian condition is a curious one. We possess an unparalleled talent for snatching profound discourse from the jaws of simple, unambiguous joy. Take, for instance, yesterday.

Our Super Eagles delivered a masterclass, a commanding 4–0 victory over Mozambique to soar into the AFCON quarter-finals.

It was a performance of grit, flair, and decisive finishing. Yet, before the final whistle had finished echoing, the national conversation had been hijacked. The triumph was relegated to a sidebar.

What Was The Main Event?

For Nigerians, it was a fleeting, fever-pitch spat between Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman.

Let us not mince words: Osimhen’s behaviour was poor. In the 63rd minute, with Nigeria already 3–0 up and himself on the cusp of a hat-trick, he felt Lookman should have squared the ball.

His reaction: a volcanic eruption of shouts and gestures, needing restraint from Wilfred Ndidi, his captain and even a Mozambican player, was the very picture of petulance. To publicly rebuke a teammate, to snipe and point, is conduct unbecoming of a star who carries the weight of the country on his shoulders.

It creates a visual, a snippet of discord that feeds a ravenous media beast. He followed it by asking to be substituted and sitting apart, a sulk that completed an immature picture. An apology to the squad is not up for debate; it is compulsory.

READ ALSO: ‘He Is My Brother’: Lookman Downplays Altercation With Osimhen During Mozambique Match

But herein lies the Nigerian paradox: our reaction to the wrongdoing has become a greater spectacle, and arguably a greater folly, than the act itself. We have spiralled from criticising a moment of hot-headed passion into a full-blown moral inquisition.

A government official felt compelled to label him a man of “big talent, but poor character,” a statement as profound as it is pointless. The court of public opinion has tried and sentenced him for crimes against team spirit.

This collective hand-wringing assumes the dressing room is in tatters, ignoring the most pertinent voices: those of the men who were actually on the pitch.

Consider Lookman, the supposed victim. He has shown more sense than a timeline full of pundits. When asked, he dismissed the drama with a shrug. “I don’t really think that’s really important, the team won 4–0,” he said, before calling Osimhen “our number one guy” and “my brother.”

Captain Wilfred Ndidi called it a “competitive mindset.” The people in the arena have moved on. Why are we, in the bleachers, still holding a séance for a conflict that has already been buried?

Our obsession is rooted in a deep-seated, almost generational trauma. The conversation around it immediately spirals into a comparison with the silent, corrosive cancers of teams past.

We speak in hushed tones about the 1994 squad, where legends like Keshi were accused not of shouting, but of freezing teammates out — a quiet, brutal ostracisation that I believe cost us a World Cup quarter-final.

This history makes us pathologically afraid of hidden divisions.

From my point of view, in a twisted way, Osimhen’s open fury is almost reassuring; it is a problem the coach can see and address. It’s the messy, public catharsis versus a silent, smiling poison.

We are arguing about which kind of dysfunction we prefer, a debate that itself is a symptom of our anxiety.

READ ALSO: Osimhen’s Spat With Lookman Won’t Disrupt Super Eagles’ Rhythm At AFCON 2025 — Ibitoye

The crux of the matter is this: we are punishing visible passion more severely than we ever would concealed malice. Osimhen’s crime is that his frustration, his desperate, all-consuming hunger to score and win, spilled out for the cameras to see.

This is the same fuel that, months ago, saw him publicly apologise to the country for a missed penalty, then redeem himself with a heroic extra-time brace. The fire that warms can also scorch. The real question is not about this one spark, but whether the hearth is still sound.

And the evidence suggests it is. Lookman provided two assists for Osimhen in the same match. They have celebrated goals in each other’s arms. This is the functional reality, the professional understanding that outweighs a momentary fraying of tempers.

While we are busy composing think-pieces on leadership and ego, former players like the Headmaster, Mutiu Adepoju, are wisely focusing on the “dominant, improving form.”

The lesson from those who have worn the shirt is clear: win football matches. Resolve your issues behind closed doors. The trophy is the only discourse that matters.

Osimhen must apologise. He must channel that formidable fire with more wisdom. But Nigeria must also grow up. We must learn the difference between a storm in a teacup and a ship actually sinking.

Baba Eagles have just navigated their most convincing performance in years. Instead of feverishly scanning the decks for leaks, maybe we should just help them steer towards the title. Their job is to win. Ours, for once, should be just to let them.

Toyin Ibitoye, the ex-Super Eagles media officer, advised Nigeria to stay focused despite their 4-0 victory over Mozambique at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

“You can only face the opponent’s team,” he said. Some people think that being successful in a competition does not automatically mean you are the best. On Tuesday’s edition of Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Ibitoye remarked, “You are just lucky to beat all the teams that have been placed ahead of you.” &nbsp,

The following game is “your most significant game.” You think about the upcoming game ahead of you, not yourself. On the breakfast program, he said, “That’s the most important game for you to play.”

Read more about the Super Eagles’ 4-0 victory over Mozambique and their AFCON quarterfinals here.

Victor Osimhen scored twice, Ademola Lookman scored once, and Akor Adams scored once more to place Nigeria in the top eight.

The Super Eagles, who are currently scoring 12 goals in their first 12 games under the direction of Coach Eric Chelle, have not lost a game so far.

With only four goals scored from Nigeria, Monday’s victory over the Mambas is its biggest win of the AFCON.

With the Mozambicans out, Nigeria’s focus shifts to the quarter-finals, where they will face Algeria or DR Congo. On Tuesday, that match will be played.

Which one of them emerges from today’s game, according to Ibitoye, will be a respectable opponent and will merit the full attention.

Coincidentally, the Super Eagles have a history between both sides. In the AFCON semi-finale in 2019, Nigeria fell to Algeria. In the final match of the African Play-Off for the 2026 World Cup, the Leopards of DR Congo defeated Nigeria.

Chelsea, the triumphant of the Premier League, announced on Tuesday that Liam Rosenior would succeed Enzo Maresca as head coach of Strasbourg.

The Englishman, who has a contract until 2032, described himself as “extremely humbled and honored to be appointed” in a club statement.

[READ ALSO]: Manchester United: Potential Alternatives to Amorim Sacking for Old Trafford

He continued, “This club has a special spirit and a long history of winning trophies.” In order to keep winning trophies, my job is to preserve that identity and build a team that embodies these values in every game we compete against.

Rosenior, 41, stated earlier on Tuesday that Chelsea was “an opportunity I cannot turn down.”

Chelsea ranks fifth in the table under Rosenior.

Ademola Lookman, the Super Eagles’ forward, downplayed the incident, which occurred during Nigeria’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), claiming it was just about “football” and wasn’t anything personal. &nbsp,

No, I have not yet seen him, according to [Osimhen]. Nothing occurred. Simply put, the pitch was a discussion. After the game, the Atalanta man who scored twice as the Super Eagles defeated the Mambas 4-0 declared, “That’s it.”

“It’s just football,” he said. Football always plays. Lookman, the 2024 African Player of the Year winner, declared to reporters in Fez that he is “my brother.

During the Round of 16 match on Monday, the Galatasaray man and Lookman exchanged words.

Read more about the Super Eagles’ 4-0 victory over Mozambique in the AFCON quarterfinals.

Even though the three-time African champions were already 3-0 up, Osimhen was furious that Lookman had not given the ball to him despite being better positioned to score.

Osimhen was reportedly remarked to his Lookman, who had given him an assist during the game, that “it is a team game.”

After the final whistle, Osimhen was later subdued and plunged into the tunnel, raising questions about how he and other players were connected.

Many fans have criticized the 27-year-old’s reaction to the Mozambique match, which has continued to elicit debate about his relationship with his teammates.

The Super Eagles ate the Mambas while Osimhen scored twice, Lookman received one, and the Super Eagles recorded their biggest win of the 2025 AFCON.

Lookman received the man of the match award, his second of the season, deservedly.

He is already in the lead in the tournament in terms of goals and assists. The winger has so far in three games scored three goals and added four assists.

Algeria or the Democratic Republic of Congo will host Nigeria’s next AFCON match. On Tuesday, the two teams will meet to discuss a spot in the quarter-finals.

The Super Eagles’ participation in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will not be affected by Victor Osimhen’s feud with Ademola Lookman, according to Toyin Ibitoye, a former team media officer.

In the second half of Nigeria’s 4-0 victory over Mozambique in the final 16 tie at the AFCON on Monday, Osimhen confronted Lookman. &nbsp,

The Atalanta winger was criticized for not passing the ball to him in a promising area as Galatasaray’s man and 2023 African Player of the Year. At the end of the tunnel, Osimhen demanded that he be subbed right away and hurried into the tunnel. &nbsp,

Ibitoye, however, claims that the team’s officials will handle the situation without incident. &nbsp,

Read more about the Super Eagles’ 4-0 victory over Mozambique and their AFCON quarterfinals here.

Because this is a tournament setting, “we will handle the situation.” Nothing could obstruct the team’s built-in rhythm. &nbsp,

They understand him, so I’m certain that the problem has been resolved. According to Ibitoye, this is not the first time this tournament is taking place. &nbsp,

You can recall the first game when he and the assistant referee exchanged words and said, “Now I’ve scored a good goal, let’s see if you can disallow this.” You can also recall him conversing with the Tunisian bench and other things. However, Victor for you.

“That situation needs to be better managed, but it will be resolved.” They’ll probably laugh at it because I know these boys very well.

A tale of two peoples’ relationship crumbled between Lookman and Osimhen. They initially appeared to be a heaven-made partnership, torn apart the Mozambican defense. &nbsp,

Lookman provided the assist for the opening goal for Nigeria. In the wet pitch, Osimhen and the winger slid together, beaming with joy. Many teams would envious of the chemistry there. &nbsp,

The forward pair, however, bucked with themselves moments later. Lookman yelled at him incredulously because he hadn’t given him a pass, so Obsimhen became furious. &nbsp,

Osimhen left the team right away after the match and snubbed the post-game media appearances despite being subbed off. &nbsp,

Football fans and analysts expressed concern about the development. However, Ibitoye claims that the Super Eagles frequently engage in self-indulgence. &nbsp,

Chukwueze and Bassey are known for carrying over what transpired at Fulham when Bassey was unable to pass the ball and instead ballooned it, and Chukwueze said, “You ballooned it like an amateur player,” he said. &nbsp,