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Didier Drogba beats Zlatan Ibrahimovic as best Ligue 1 striker in last two decades
Former Marseille and Guingamp star Didier Drogba has been crowned Ligue 1’s greatest striker of the past 20 years, ahead of PSG legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Drogba was recognised by Ligue 1 on Saturday after collecting 51 per cent of the 40,094 votes cast by fans on social media. He spent two-and-a-half years in the French top-flight and played for Guingamp between 2001 and 2003 before moving to Marseille where he spent a season. The two-time African Player of the Year scored 39 goals in 81 Ligue 1 games – 20 goals at Guingamp and 19 efforts at Marseille while Ibrahimovic scored 113 goals in 122 Ligue 1 matches between 2012 and 2016 at PSG. On his run to the final stage, Drogba saw off competition from Fernando Morientes, Alexander Frei, Karim Benzema and Pauleta. The former Ivory Coast forw...
Real Madrid star set to shun a move to Chelsea
Real Madrid star Lucas Vazquez is set to snub a move to Chelsea as he aimed to remain at Santiago Bernabeu despite lack of regular action under the guidance of Zinedine Zidane. The 28-year-old star has struggled for regular action this season having just started just six La Liga matches and contributing to just three goals in all competitions. Chelsea is keen on signing the former Real Madrid academy product and the winger is also keen on a move to Premier League and Real Madrid has made him available for transfer this summer. However, the report in Mundo Deportivo, the attacker could stay in Madrid this summer. The report claims that Los Blancos boss Zinedine Zidane is an admirer of the club’s academy product, who has made over 200 appearances for his current side in all competitions. Vaz...
Another Premier League player tests positive for novel coronavirus
A third first-team player from Brighton & Hove Albion tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday, the Premier League club’s chief executive Paul Barber has confirmed. Two Brighton players had contracted the novel coronavirus in March and April and the latest positive result could cast doubts on the Premier League’s plans to resume the season that has been suspended due to the pandemic. Clubs are due to meet on Monday to further discuss “Project Restart” which envisages a return to play in June once given the green light from government, with the remaining 92 matches held behind closed doors at neutral venues. “It is a concern. Unfortunately we’ve had a third player test positive yesterday,” Barber told Sky Sports on Sunday. “So despite all of the measures that we’ve been taking over the ...
Mabel Madojiemu rues schools athletics cancellation
Former Nigerian women 400m great, Mabel Madojiemu, has lamented the cancellation of the 2020 Schools athletics championships originally billed for May 15 in Benin City, Edo State. The championships, which is solely sponsored by the Princess Mabel Madojiemu Athletics Foundation, was well on its way to make it’s second edition with the young athletes looking forward to participating, but the event became another victim of the worldwide sports postponements due to the Coronavirus pandemic. “Just like the young athletes, I’m sad that we are not going to have the Schools Athletics Competition as scheduled,” said Madojiemu. “We were good to go, and were looking to give the kids a treat, most especially with the National Sports Festival which would have been hosted in Benin by Edo State. It was o...
EFCC: Lockdown won’t abort cases against ex-first lady, former governors, others
The lockdown arising from coronavirus appears to have slowed down the fight against corrupt practices in the country for close to six weeks. Meanwhile, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, says there is no cause for alarm as it will ensure that none of its ongoing investigations and cases in court will be aborted. The Commission is certain that as the federal and state governments begin to reopen the economy, it will ramp up legal actions to bring the suspects of financial crimes to account for their actions. “These suspects will unfailingly have their days in court,” EFCC Acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, declared. Documents reviewed by newsmen indicate that the Commission has its hands full of cases awaiting resolution in court, while some cases being investigated are ripe en...
Kylian Mbappe wants to share Ligue 1 golden boot with Wissam Yedder
Ligue 1 Golden Boot winner Kylian Mbappe has said the award should be shared between him and Monaco’s Wissam Ben Yedder as both finished on 18 goals this season. The Paris Saint Germain striker was deemed the sole top scorer on Thursday after the league was ended prematurely as he had more goals from open play. Three of Ben Yedder’s goals came from penalties. Taking to Twitter, Mbappe thanked fans for their messages of support but said that his international teammate should also have received an award. “Thank you for all your messages. I think that Wissam also deserves a trophy, like the Premier League did last season, to reward his year,” he tweeted. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane were all awarded the 2018-19 Golden Boot in the Premier League for finishing the sea...
Arsenal’s Bernd Leno names Alisson Becker as Premier League’s best goalkeeper
Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno says his Liverpool counterpart Alisson Becker is the best in the Premier League. The Brazilian has made a huge impression at Anfield since his record-breaking £65 million ($85m) move from Roma two years ago. Taking over from Loris Karius following his disastrous performance in the 2018 Champions League final, Alisson has helped transform Liverpool’s back line. Jurgen Klopp’s side have only conceded 21 goals in 29 league games this season, with Leicester and Sheffield United the only other sides to manage fewer than 30. Asked by Soccer AM who was the best keeper in the Premier League, Leno had no doubt. “For me it’s clear, it’s Alisson,” the German said. “He’s good at everything and his stats are also very good. “He’s played a number of big games for Liverpool ...
Jesper Gronkjaer: Hakim Ziyech will succeed in Premier League with Chelsea
Jesper Gronkjaer is backing Hakim Ziyech to succeed after his £37 million ($43m) move from Ajax to Chelsea. The Blues completed a deal in late February and the 27-year-old is set to link up with his new team-mates on July 1, with the Eredivisie season cancelled amid the coronavirus outbreak. Ziyech will join a group including Filipe Luis, Bertrand Traore, Mario Melchiot, Winston Bogarde and Gronkjaer himself in making the switch to Stamford Bridge having played at the Amsterdam ArenA. Moving to the Premier League will prove a step up for Ziyech and Gronkjaer believes he is the star player from the Dutch side’s run to the Champions League semi-finals in 2018. “Ziyech was the one who has caught my eye over the past two seasons even though he wasn’t produced by Ajax’s academy,” Gronkjaer told...
Post-coronavirus economy will be tech driven – Kwara governor
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Saturday said that the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the country to come to terms with the reality of migrating to a full IT driven economy. The governor made the call when he joined the government-backed virtual digital training for youths in the state amid a call on participants to compete to evolve with homegrown technological solutions to local problems. At least 3,195 young people are involved in the digital training which is supported by the Grow with Google and Wootlab Foundation. Called K-Power, the initiative is a component of the four-layer state social investment programme. AbdulRazaq said the lockdown arising from the COVID-19 pandemic again confirmed that the country must come to term with deploying technology in all facets of life...
Ex-QPR Star Taraabt Backs Eze To Lead Club To Premier League
Former Queens Park Rangers star Adel Taraabt says he hopes England-born Nigerian midfielder Eberechi Eze will lead the London club back to the Premier League. Eze has been impressive for Queens Park Rangers this season which has seen him been linked with a host of Premier League sides. The 21-year-old has scored 12 goals made eight assists in 39 games in all competitions so far this season for Mark Warburton side. And the 30-year-old Moroccan international, who now plays for Benfica in the Portuguese top flight urged Eze not to lose focus. “I watch him and think he has big potential,” Taarabt told the club website. “I enjoy watching him – he’s physically strong, has a good touch, can score goals. I see him and hope he will one day take QPR to the Premier League – I think he has that abilit...
