Sports
Last ever Champions League group stage starts as Man City defend title

Manchester City begin their defense of the Champions League on Tuesday when the group stage kicks off in the last season in its current format as Europe’s elite club competition gets ready for a radical change.
Unveiled by UEFA in 2021 at the height of the crisis which saw a group of 12 clubs announce a breakaway Super League before promptly abandoning the project, the new-look Champions League will begin next year.
It will see the number of clubs involved in the competition proper increase from 32 to 36, with all participants going into a single league in which teams will play eight games — up from the current six — in what is known as the “Swiss system”.
This is therefore the last campaign, after two decades, in which the Champions League will begin with a group stage featuring eight sections of four teams, with the top two in each advancing to the last 16.
“We are convinced that the format chosen strikes the right balance and that it will improve competitive balance,” said Aleksander Ceferin, the president of European football’s governing body, when the changes to the Champions League were confirmed in May last year.
The format that is on its way out was brought in for the 2003/04 season, ending an experiment with a second group stage.
In terms of symmetry and simplicity, it cannot be bettered, with half the teams advancing from the group stage to the last 16.
But this is an era in which major clubs and international competitions keep expanding. In addition, there has been a recognition that the Champions League group stage has gone somewhat stale.
Growing gulf
The financial gulf between the continent’s most powerful clubs and the rest is growing all the time, accentuated in particular by the decision to award a portion of prize money based on the position of teams in UEFA’s club ranking.
That means the team placed at number one gets over 36 million euros ($38.4m) just for being the top-ranked side, with the amount dropping progressively so the lowest-ranked team receives only just over one million euros.
Even at this elite level, there are plenty of teams who are doing little more than make up the numbers, albeit while being handsomely rewarded.
It is hard to imagine Swiss side Young Boys or Serbia’s Red Star Belgrade making a big impact alongside Pep Guardiola’s City and RB Leipzig in Group G.
The city should stroll through to the last 16, racking up goals in the process, and they begin as favorites to retain a trophy they won in June by beating Inter Milan 1-0 in the final in Istanbul.
That success saw City finally win the competition they had been chasing since the Abu Dhabi-led takeover of 2008 that transformed the club.
“This project is to want more, more ambition,” said Spanish midfielder Rodri after scoring the winner for City in last season’s final.
So who can stop them?
It surely will not be the champions of Switzerland or Serbia, or a Leipzig team who lost their star defender, Josko Gvardiol, to City during the close season.
Record 14-time winners Real Madrid are always contenders in the Champions League, although Carlo Ancelotti’s team find themselves in a difficult group alongside Napoli, Braga and newcomers Union Berlin.
Bayern Munich has reinforced in attack with the signing of Harry Kane, while Paris Saint-Germain has lost Neymar and Lionel Messi but kept Kylian Mbappe and strengthened around him.
Both of their seasons will be defined, as ever, by their performances in the Champions League.
Arsenal will hope to make an impression on their return to the Champions League for the first time since 2016/17, while Saudi ownership has propelled Newcastle United back into the competition after two decades away.
However, they find themselves in a section along with PSG, AC Milan, and Borussia Dortmund.
UEFA might have been less inclined to change the format of the Champions League format if their competition featured groups like that more often.
“It’s hard and challenging but I think there’s some great European games for us to experience and great places to visit for our supporters,” said the Newcastle manager Eddie Howe after the draw.
His team begins away to seven-time European champions Milan on Tuesday.
Sports
FULL LIST: What Will Happen If Jonathan Wins In 2027

As ex-President Goodluck Jonathan enters the race for the 2027 election, the political atmosphere is increasingly charged with speculation regarding the possibility of Jonathan winning the race.
Should Jonathan eventually win the election, Nigerian citizens could experience another change of government in many sectors. Click link to continue reading.
Sports
EXPOSED: Osimhen fakes injury for Nigeria – Asamoah Gyan

Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen is facing fresh controversy after a Ghanaian player accused him of faking an injury to minimize his playing time with the Nigerian national team.
Asamoah Gyan, a former Ghanaian striker, made this accusation after Osimhen missed Nigeria’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against South Africa on Tuesday. Click link to continue reading.
Osimhen had previously returned to Galatasaray following a leg injury sustained during the Super Eagles’ 1-0 victory over Rwanda in a World Cup qualifier last weekend.
Consequently, the 26-year-old did not participate in Nigeria’s 1-1 draw with Bafana Bafana on Tuesday evening at the Free State Stadium.
Galatasaray later issued a statement asserting that Osimhen had suffered an ankle ligament injury.
However, Gyan is skeptical about the legitimacy of the injury.
He said, “I know these tricks. Someone might have said to Osimhen, ‘Look, we invested a lot of money in you. The Champions League is coming up. We’re not keen on you going to Africa, but go there, play a little, then get injured and act like it’s serious. The next day, you’ll be back in Türkiye.’” Gyan was quoted by habersarikirmizias saying.
Sports
Oborevwori urges NSC to curb age cheating as 9th NYG ends in Asaba

Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, has charged the National Sports Commission (NSC) to urgently address the growing problem of age cheating at editions of the National Youth Games (NYG) to safeguard its credibility and ensure fairness.
Oborevwori made the call on Saturday at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, during the closing ceremony of the 9th edition of the Games, which he described as a festival of unity, discipline and excellence.
“What began days ago with great excitement has now come to a glorious conclusion. Today, we celebrate not only the medal winners but also the triumph of sportsmanship and national pride that this festival of youth has demonstrated,” the governor said.
He commended the athletes for their resilience, stressing that whether they won medals or not, they had inspired the nation through their courage and determination.
While praising Team Delta for sustaining its tradition of sporting excellence, he said the Games also provided a platform for discovering new talents from across the country.
The governor, however, lamented that the continued practice of states fielding over-aged athletes undermined the vision of the games.
He urged the NSC to urgently introduce stricter measures to restore integrity and ensure the event remains a true nursery of young talents.
Oborevwori expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu, the NSC, the Local Organizing Committee (LOC), coaches, officials, and volunteers for their roles in ensuring a smooth and successful outing.
He also thanked the visitors for making Asaba their home during the period the Games lasted, assuring them of Delta’s readiness to host the 10th edition of the Games in 2026, in line with the agreement that gave the state hosting rights for four consecutive editions.
“On behalf of the Government and people of Delta State, I congratulate every participant and wish you safe travels back to your various destinations,” he concluded.
In his remarks, Chairman of the NSC, Mallam Shehu Dikko, represented by Chief Amaka Asiofu, Director of Grassroots Sports and General Coordinator of the Games, described the Asaba edition as “an incredible experience, marked by fair competition, determination, exciting adventures, and inspirational sportsmanship.”
He praised the Delta State Government for its robust sports development system, noting that the Games had once again provided Nigeria with a fresh pool of athletes who would eventually replace aging national players across various sports.
He assured that the Commission would continue to implement policies to nurture the talents while promoting a sports economic ecosystem that will add value to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Dikko also expressed profound gratitude to Governor Oborevwori, the Federal Government, participating states, sponsors, and stakeholders for their contributions to the success of the Games, while lauding President Tinubu for his unwavering support for sports development under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
In his own remarks, Chairman of the Delta State Sports Commission, Mr Onoriode Oborevwori, said the Games had showcased not only the competitive spirit of Nigerian athletes, but also the values of friendship, resilience, and cooperation.
He thanked the NSC, organizers, and stakeholders for their commitment and called for continued collaboration to drive development and excellence in sports.
Meanwhile, in the final medal table, Lagos State emerged overall winners for the first time, with a total of 110 medals comprising 52 gold, 32 silver, and 26 bronze. Delta State finished second with 114 medals (37 gold, 38 silver, and 39 bronze), while Edo State came third with 79 medals (33 gold, 18 silver, and 28 bronze).
Overall, 33 states won medals at the Games, with a combined total of 802 medals, comprising 246 gold, 236 silver, and 320 bronze.
Sports
Why I dumped Nigeria for Turkey – Favour Ofili breaks silence, mentions AFN, NOC in hard decision

Favour Ofili, a talented track and field athlete known for her impressive performances in the 100m, 150m, and 200m sprints, announced on Monday that she has officially changed her nationality from Nigeria to Turkey.
The 22-year-old athlete made her announcement through a thoughtful post on her X handle, expressing the significance of this pivotal moment in her career.
Speculation about Ofili’s switch had been circulating since July when it became clear that she was considering a move to the European country, a decision driven by her ongoing struggles with the Nigerian athletics authorities.
A particularly distressing episode occurred during her attempt to compete at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where she was unable to participate due to Nigerian Olympic authorities failing to inform her about the essential drug-testing requirements needed for eligibility.
Compounding her frustrations, another administrative error from the Athletics Federation of Nigeria thwarted her aspirations of representing her country in the 100m event at the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics; they failed to submit her name by the required deadline.
In her heartfelt series of tweets, Ofili revealed that her journey had been marred by a pattern of negligence and miscommunication, leading her to make the difficult but decisive choice to switch her allegiance in hopes of a brighter and more supportive athletic future in Turkey.
“Wrapping up my 2025 season has been a whirlwind of new experiences and big decisions. Racing back-to-back across amazing cities and learning from the best has been incredible,” she wrote.
“As some of you have heard, I’m also starting a new chapter representing Turkey.
“I am proud to have represented Nigeria for many years in a highly successful way! Having won SIX gold medals, TWO silver medals and TWO bronze medals in championship meets and a 200 meter Olympic finalist while experiencing the biggest disappointment from AFN and NOC towards me. Negligence towards me in Olympic (Tokyo/Paris). I have made this decision.”
The 2022 Commonwealth Games silver medalist also said financial incentive was not behind her decision to switch allegiance to Turkey.
“While that means sitting out this year’s championship in Tokyo, this change comes from the heart, not from financial motives. I’m truly grateful to have discovered a new home in Turkey,” she added.
Ofili joins the list of high-profile former Nigerian athletes Gloria Alozie and Francis Obikwelu who abandoned Nigerian colours for Spain and Portugal respectively in the 2000s.
Sports
‘He Needs Spiritual War’ – Fresh Prophecy On Victor Boniface Revealed

In a significant turn of events, Victor Boniface, the talented 24-year-old striker for the Super Eagles, has been left in limbo after his highly anticipated transfer to the esteemed Italian club AC Milan fell through at the last moment.
The aspiring forward had returned to training with high hopes, only to face disappointment when the Serie A giants officially withdrew their interest due to unexpected complications that arose during his medical examinations.
The failed deal has left Boniface visibly upset, as many had regarded this transfer as a pivotal moment in his burgeoning career....Click link for details
Sports
Donel Deal: Liverpool sign Alexander Isak for £130m British-record transfer

Liverpool have reached agreement on a British-record deal to sign striker Alexander Isak from Newcastle United, according to ESPN.
Premier League champions say they have had a £125 million ($170m) bid accepted to sign the Sweden international, though Newcastle sources state the deal is worth £130m. Click to continue reading
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