Category: Sport

 

Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, has expressed sorrow over members of the Kano State contingent who died in a road crash while returning from the just-concluded National Sports Festival held in Ogun State.

 

The accident, which occurred on Saturday at Gadar Yankifi in Garun Mallam Local Government Area, claimed the lives of several athletes, coaches, and officials, just a few kilometres from Kano metropolis.

 

In a condolence message posted on his official Facebook page on Saturday, Barau described the incident as heartbreaking and prayed for divine mercy on the deceased and speedy recovery for those injured.

 

“I just received the sad news of the accident involving members of the Kano State contingent returning from the just-concluded National Sports Festival in Ogun State.

 

“May Allah SWT grant all those who lost their lives Jannatul Firdaus and quicken the recovery of the injured,” the Deputy Senate President wrote.

He extended his condolences to the bereaved families, the Kano State Government, the state’s sports community, and the entire people of the state.

 

The late athletes were part of the state’s delegation to the national event, representing Kano in various sporting competitions.

 

The senator’s message adds to the wave of condolences from across the country following the tragic loss, which Governor Abba Yusuf earlier described as a “dark moment” for the state.

 

The state government has since declared Monday, June 2, 2025, a work-free day in honour of the deceased.

 

The National Association of Nigerian Students has expressed condolences to the government of Kano State and the families of the 21 athletes who lost their lives in an auto crash at Gadar Yankifi in the Garun Malam Local Government Area of the state.

 

PUNCH Online reports that the athletes were returning from the just concluded National Sports Festival held in Ogun State before the unfortunate accident on Saturday.

 

The Federal Road Safety Corps in the state confirmed that 21 members of the contingent lost their lives while 11 others sustained varying degrees of injuries.

 

Following the incident, President Bola Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the Nigerian Governors Forum, among others, have expressed their condolences to the family, friends and the Kano State Government over the incident.

 

NANS, in a statement by its National Public Relations Officer, Samson Adeyemi, on Saturday, described the incident as devastating and a loss to the student community.

 

He said, “This heartbreaking incident has cast a shadow of grief over the entire nation, particularly the youth and sports communities, as we mourn the untimely demise of these talented individuals who dedicated their lives to representing their state and uplifting the spirit of unity through sports.

“We extend our heartfelt sympathies to His Excellency, the Governor of Kano State, the Kano State Sports Council, and the entire people of Kano at this difficult time.

 

“The loss of these bright stars is not only a loss to their immediate families but to the nation as a whole.”

 

He concluded by urging the Federal and state governments to put measures in place to prevent future occurrences of such incidents.

 

“Furthermore, we urge both state and federal governments to prioritise the safety and welfare of athletes and citizens during travel to and from national events.

 

“A thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding this accident must be carried out to prevent future occurrences,” Adeyemi concluded.

 

Ruben Amorim said Friday he believes captain Bruno Fernandes wants to stay at Manchester United amid speculation about a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia.

 

Fernandes started United’s match against Hong Kong as they came from behind to win 3-1, with teenage substitute Chido Obi scoring twice.

 

Manager Amorim, who took over from Erik ten Hag during the season but led United to a dismal 15th-placed finish in the Premier League, has plenty to ponder during the post-season break.

 

Foremost among his concerns is the future of key man Fernandes, who is reportedly weighing up a big-money move to Al Hilal.

 

Asked after the victory if that was the 30-year-old Fernandes’s last appearance in a United shirt, Amorim replied: “I don’t think so, I don’t know for sure, but I don’t think so.

 

“He sees us taking some actions and to change all the things … I think he wants to stay.”

 

Amorim added of his fellow Portuguese: “I talk with him, I explained some things and I just have that feeling when you talk to someone, I think you have that feeling if he wants to stay.”

 

Beaten and booed off in Malaysia on Wednesday, United were underwhelming in the first half of their second post-season friendly as they brought the curtain down on a poor campaign.

 

Having fallen behind to a soft Hong Kong goal, Obi struck with a smart turn and finish five minutes after the break and again with a glancing header on 82 minutes.

 

Ayden Heaven scored with a late header as United ended their Asia trip on a winning note.

Portugal international Fernandes had a bright first half at the 40,000-capacity Hong Kong Stadium, which was about 85 percent full, before going off.

 

Argentine winger Alejandro Garnacho also started despite appearing to be heading towards the Old Trafford exit.

 

Casemiro and Rasmus Hojlund were the other regulars to feature from the off in southern China, where light rain all afternoon and evening made for a slick surface.

 

Fernandes and Garnacho caught the eye in the first half against a Hong Kong team ranked 153rd in the world, but it was the hosts who took the lead in the 19th minute with their first attack.

It was a mistake from United’s stand-in goalkeeper Tom Heaton, who allowed a decent but saveable effort from Brazil-born Juninho to fly off him into the net.

 

Amorim stood with his hands on his hips.

 

As the rain came down and the wind picked up, Fernandes should have scored when clean through but opted for a Hollywood finish and was denied.

 

Winger Amad Diallo, who made an obscene gesture to fans in Kuala Lumpur after suffering personal abuse, came on with Obi for the second half as Amorim made wholesale changes.

 

AFP

 

Liverpool FC have announced the signing of Dutch international, Jeremie Frimpong, from Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen.

 

The 24-year-old right-sided player completed his move to Anfield on Friday after passing a medical and signing a long-term contract at the AXA Training Centre.

 

Speaking to Liverpool media following the completion of the deal, Frimpong expressed his enthusiasm about joining the Reds.

 

He said, “It went quite easy. Liverpool came and said they had interest, and obviously for me it was a no-brainer.

 

“For me, it was like, ‘Whatever you guys do, just get this done’, [speaking to] my agents: ‘Just get this done.’

 

“Liverpool fans, I’m going to give my all, my energy, my work-rate and hopefully we can win together, we celebrate together, get everything together,” he added. “I’m just excited to be here.

 

“Thank you guys for accepting me and I won’t let you guys down and I’ll give you the energy that you guys want.”

 

Frimpong joins Liverpool after four-and-a-half seasons with Bayer Leverkusen, during which he made 190 appearances, scoring 30 goals and providing 44 assists.

 

He was instrumental in the club’s historic 2023-24 campaign that saw them win both the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal, going unbeaten in domestic competitions and setting a record 51-match unbeaten run that ended in the Europa League final.

Individually, Frimpong was named in the Bundesliga Team of the Season for two consecutive years – 2022-23 and 2023-24.

 

Born in Amsterdam, Frimpong began his football journey in Manchester City’s youth academy before moving to Celtic in 2019. During his 18-month stint in Scotland, he won three major honours before transferring to Leverkusen.

 

On the international stage, he made his debut for the Netherlands in October 2023 and has earned 12 caps, scoring once.

 

Frimpong also shared his excitement about playing under Liverpool’s new manager, Arne Slot.

 

“I spoke to the manager a few times. He sounds very positive. He says I can bring a lot of energy and my qualities, my speed.

“Especially when a manager is talking positively about you, it gives you very good confidence that he believes in you. I’ve had good conversations with him.

 

“I’m really excited [to work with Arne Slot]. Even when I was at [the] national team, some of the Feyenoord boys would tell me about him and be like, ‘He’s the best coach I’ve ever had.’ Things like this. So, I’ve always heard good things about the coach. Now he’s going to be my coach, so I’m excited for that,” he revealed.

 

Frimpong’s official squad number at Liverpool will be announced later this summer.

 

The UEFA Referees Committee named Romania’s István Kovács as the referee for the 2025 UEFA Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan, set for Saturday at the Munich Football Arena.

 

The match, kicking off at 21:00 CET, pits PSG’s quest for their first Champions League title against Inter’s bid for a fourth, and Kovács’ appointment brings both experience and scrutiny to the spotlight.

 

The 40-year-old, an international referee since 2010, will officiate his third UEFA club competition final, having previously taken charge of the 2024 UEFA Europa League final between Atalanta and Bayer Leverkusen in Dublin and the 2022 UEFA Europa Conference League final between Roma and Feyenoord in Tirana.

 

István Kovács has officiated seven Champions League matches this season, including the round of 16 second leg between Liverpool and PSG, where his performance was praised for its control.

 

The refereeing team for the final on Saturday includes an all-Romanian trio on the field, with Kovács joined by assistants Mihai Marica and Ferencz Tunyogi.

 

Portugal’s Joao Pedro Silva Pinheiro will serve as the fourth official, with Bruno Miguel Alves Jesus as the reserve assistant referee.

The video assistant referee team features Dennis Johan Higler from the Netherlands, supported by Romania’s Catalin Sorin Popa and Paulus van Boekel, also from the Netherlands.

 

Kovács’ selection has stirred some discussion due to past controversies.

 

During UEFA Euro 2024, his handling of the Czechia-Turkey match drew criticism, with some fans’ posts on X noting disputes over few of his decisions.

 

Additionally, his appointment over Polish referee Szymon Marciniak, who was a frontrunner but sidelined after a contentious performance in the Inter-Barcelona semifinal, has fuelled debate.

 

Barcelona’s complaints, including a formal request by midfielder Pedri for an investigation into Marciniak’s calls, led UEFA to prioritise Kovács to maintain the competition’s integrity, according to Tribuna.com.

 

Real Madrid have officially announced the signing of England international Trent Alexander-Arnold from Liverpool on a six-year contract.

 

The agreement, reached between both clubs, will see the 26-year-old defender remain with the Spanish side from June 1, 2025, to June 30, 2031.

 

In an official statement released by the club on Frivia via its site, Real Madrid confirmed, “Real Madrid C.F. and Liverpool FC have reached an agreement for Trent Alexander-Arnold, who will be linked to our club for the next six seasons.”

 

Alexander-Arnold arrives at the Santiago Bernabéu after a highly successful spell with Liverpool, where he won nine major trophies. His honours with the Reds include one UEFA Champions League, one FIFA Club World Cup, one UEFA Super Cup, two Premier League titles, one FA Cup, two EFL Cups, and one FA Community Shield.

A product of Liverpool’s academy, Alexander-Arnold has spent his entire professional career at Anfield. He made his senior debut for the England national team in 2018 and has represented the Three Lions at the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups, as well as the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament.

 

On the individual front, he has been recognised globally for his performances. He was named in the FIFA FIFPro World 11 in 2020, included twice in the UEFA Champions League Team of the Season (2018/19 and 2021/22), and selected three times in the Premier League Team of the Season (2018/19, 2019/20, and 2021/22).

 

In addition, he was voted the Premier League’s Young Player of the Season for 2019/20.

 

Alexander-Arnold is expected to feature for Real Madrid in the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup, which will be held in the United States beginning June 14.

 

Chelsea are on the verge of completing a deal for highly rated forward Liam Delap, with final details of a long-term contract being wrapped up between the club and the player’s representatives.

 

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano in a post on Thursday, Chelsea are prepared to activate Delap’s £30 million release clause, with formal communication from the club now the only step remaining in sealing the transfer.

 

The influence of new head coach Enzo Maresca, as well as the prospect of UEFA Champions League football next season, are said to have played a decisive role in Delap’s decision to join the Stamford Bridge outfit.

Romano wrote, “Chelsea are closing in on Liam Delap deal as details of the long term contract are being completed with his agents. Enzo Maresca appreciation + UCL football made the difference as Chelsea are set to activate £30m release clause. #CFC just wait for formal communication now.”

 

Earlier, he reported, “Chelsea are prepared to seal Liam Delap deal soon after positive talks with the striker again this week. Delap gives his preference to Chelsea project and is now expected to follow with formal steps, including £30m release clause to be triggered. Deal underway.”

 

 

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim said Thursday that his players cannot “hide” after a dismal season hit a fresh low when they were booed off following a friendly defeat in Malaysia.

 

United finished 15th in the Premier League and failed to win a trophy, then immediately jetted out Sunday for lucrative friendlies in Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong.

 

But if his squad were hoping for some respite in Asia, they did not get it, suffering a 1-0 defeat to a Southeast Asian XI in the Malaysian capital on Wednesday.

 

United’s players trudged off with boos ringing in their ears and now face Hong Kong’s representative team in another friendly on Friday.

 

“We’ve had the season that we had and it’s not easy to face the fans around the world, so it’s a moment that is hard for us and we want to finish the season,” Amorim said of the tour at the end of a long and poor campaign.

 

“But at the same time, we want to give something to the fans. We are travelling, we don’t have time to adapt, we don’t have so much time to have contact with the fans and give everything they deserve.

 

“But it’s clear that we cannot hide… if there is one thing that is really important in this club, it’s that we need to face our fans in this moment and give something to our fans around the world.”

 

Amorim, who took over from Erik ten Hag during the season but failed to spark an improvement in performances, said his side of first-teamers and youngsters was “not really focused” on Wednesday’s loss.

“Everybody can feel it. But I understand the fans (booing), I understand the players, and you also understand that we want to give something to the fans, but it’s hard in this moment,” he said.

 

The 40-year-old Portuguese said he had learned that being Manchester United manager meant being “more than a coach.”

 

“You have to improve as a person, you have to improve as a leader. Sometimes after the games you see I am frustrated, I am trying to control that.

 

“When you have results, you can manage everything so much easier,” he added.

 

Heavy rain lashed the 40,000-capacity Hong Kong Stadium on the eve of the game and Amorim will be desperate not to have any fresh injuries to finish off the campaign.

 

“The weather looks like Manchester so we feel at home,” Amorim joked.

“If we are professional and we focus on the game it is the best way to protect our players from injuries,” he added.