GLOBAL ASSOCIATION NEWS
UEFA will wait for reports from match officials and delegates before deciding whether to take action against Roma manager Jose Mourinho for his foul-mouthed rant at referee Anthony Taylor after the Europa League final.
Mourinho criticised Taylor in his news briefing after Roma's penalty shootout defeat by Sevilla in Budapest.
Taylor issued yellow cards to thirteen players, the most bookings in a Europa League game.
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Meanwhile, Professional Game Match Officials Limited, says it is appalled by the "unjustified and abhorrent" abuse directed at Anthony Taylor in Budapest Airport following Europa League final.
The Englishman had officiated the game, where Sevilla beat Roma on penalties after a one-all draw.
Taylor and his family were then shouted at by angry fans at the airport.
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Head of International Chess Federation, FIDE, delegation to resolve crises rocking the South African Chess Federation, Olalekan Adeyemi, has described the task as huge but surmountable.
Adeyemi, who is a former President, Nigerian Chess Federation, and current Vice-Preisdent, FIDE, said he and his team are expected to conduct transparent elections, under FIDE leadership and solve other urgent issues, in the interest of the federation and the chess community in South Africa.
Describing the tasks ahead as herculean, Adeyemi said it was high time all issues got resolved and the players received new lease of life.
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NIGERIA
The Leone Stars of Sierra Leone will host Super Eagles at the Samuel Kayon Doe Stadium, Monrovia eighteenth June.
The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying tie will be played at a neutral venue following the failure of the Sierra Leone Football Federation to present a suitable stadium in the country.
The Leone Stars played their previous two home games in the qualifiers at a neutral stadium.
Super Eagles top Group A of the qualifiers with nine points and need just a point from the game to secure a place in Cote d'Ivoire 2023.
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Flying Eagles head coach, Ladan Bosso says the team is determined to win a first title at the FIFA Under-twenty World Cup.
Nigeria have made it to the competition's final twice in the past.
After securing a place in the quarter-finals at the ongoing Under-twenty World Cup against hosts Argentina, Bosso said he and his players want to win the trophy for President Bola Tinubu.
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The Nigeria Football Coaches Association, has commended the head coach of Flying Eagles, Ladan Bosso, the team and the back room staff on their two-nil victory over Argentina.
Its Acting President, Isiaka Salami, commended the team for their display of hard work and determination in the round of 16 matches.
Meanwhile, Nigerian football fans have commended the stellar performance of the Flying Eagles against hosts Argentina at the 2023 FIFA Under-twenty World Cup.
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Enugu Rangers and Bendel Insurance will clash in the final of the 2023 Nigeria Federation Cup after both teams win their semi-final games on Thursday.
Rangers defeated Plateau United one-nil at the Otunba Dipo Dina Stadium, Ijebu Ode.
At the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, Lagos, Bendel Insurance defeated Warri Wolves three-two on penalties.
Bendel Insurance remain unbeaten in all competitions this season.
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Naija Super 8 organisers, Flykite Productions, have announced that North-Central teams, Lobi Stars of Makurdi and City FC of Abuja, will slug it out in the opening fixture of the Naija Super 8 play-offs at Eket Township Stadium, twenty-third June.
3SC of Ibadan will go head-to-head with Remo Stars for the ticket to represent the South-West geo-political zone.
Yobe Stars will be in action against Gombe United FC of Gombe for the chance to represent the North-East geo-political zone, it will also see a clash between two Enyimba of Aba and Heartland of Owerri.
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Following unsuccessful outings in recent table tennis competitions, Nigeria's Aruna Quadri has dropped four spots in the latest world rankings for the month of May.
Though Quadri maintains top spot in Africa, he dropped from twelveth position to sixteenth in the latest ranking, which was released after he accumulated only three hundred and ninety-five points during the month under review.
The 2022 African champion recorded three hundred and fifty points at the 2023 ITTF-Africa Cup, in Nairobi Kenya and earned forty-five points at the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships in Durban, South Africa where he failed to reach the quarter-finals.
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ENGLAND
Arsenal legend, Paul Merson, has predicted that Manchester United can hurt Manchester City when both teams clash in the FA Cup final this weekend.
Manchester United will clash with Manchester City in the FA Cup final on Saturday at Wembley Stadium.
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Manchester City striker, Erling Haaland says he "will do everything" to help the club to a historic Treble.
City have won this season's Premier League and can add to that if they beat Manchester United in the FA Cup final on Saturday and Inter Milan in the Champions League final on ten June.
Manchester United won each of those trophies in 1999 and are the only English club to have done such a Treble.
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Everton have decided not to take up a four point five million pounds option to turn defender Conor Coady's season-long loan move from Wolves into a permanent switch.
Coady made twenty-five appearances for the Toffees and scored two goals.
The England international started for Everton when they beat Bournemouth one-nil on the final day of the season to secure their top-flight status.
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Chelsea have issued a hands off warning after Brighton made a thirty million pounds approach for Levi Colwill.
The Seagulls are understood to have made an offer for the brilliant young centre back who has spent the season on loan at the Amex stadium.
Chelsea have knocked it back and remain adamant Colwill is not for sale and they have no intention of entertaining any offers after Brighton firmed up their interest.
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Tottenham would have finished seventeenth without Harry Kane's goals with only Manchester City sensation Erling Haaland matching the England captain for influence this season.
Kane scored thirty league goals in 2022-23, earning Tottenham twenty-four points and vastly improving their league placing to eighth.
Without his interventions, the team would have collected thirty-four points instead of sixty, putting them just above the relegation zone.
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Manchester United manager, Erik ten Hag has held multiple video calls with Rasmus Hojlund, as he steps up his interest in the Atalanta forward.
The Dutchman is keen to add to his front line in the coming months to ease the burden on Marcus Rashford next season.
He identified Harry Kane as his first-choice target, but Tottenham are adamant that they will not be selling their star striker to the Red Devils, and would prefer to lose him for free next summer.
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Roberto Firmino has labelled his eight years at Liverpool as the 'honour of his life' after calling time on his Anfield career.
Firmino arrived on Merseyside as a relatively unknown quantity when he joined from Hoffenheim in 2015, but went on to play a starring role for the club to become a fans' favourite.
The Brazilian forward scored one hundred and eleven goals in three hundred and sixty-two appearances for the club, winning every major trophy available, and was given a huge reception by supporters after his final game at Anfield last month.
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Arsenal still have the edge over Bayern Munich in the race to sign Declan Rice, with the midfielder preferring to stay in London rather than relocate to Bavaria.
The West Ham star is being hotly-pursued by a number of elite sides, including Chelsea and Manchester United, but the Gunners have long been the front runners for Rice's signature.
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West Ham defender, Kurt Zouma says times have been tough for both him and his family after a video of him kicking and slapping his cat went viral last year.
Footage emerged in February 2022 of Zouma and his brother Yoan abusing a cat in his kitchen, which eventually led to the pair being prosecuted by the RSPCA.
The Frenchman pleaded guilty to two counts under the Animal Welfare Act when he appeared at Thames Magistrates' Court in east London back in May last year.
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Sam Allardyce has fired back at Roy Keane after he said the Leeds boss would not manage in the Championship because of his 'ego'.
Leeds were relegated from the Premier League following a four-one defeat to Tottenham on the final day of the season.
Allardyce, who joined Leeds at the start of May, was only contracted until the summer and there is uncertainty whether he will still be manager at Elland Road by the time they begin their Championship campaign.
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Meanwhile, Leeds United chairman, Andrea Radrizzani has offered to use Elland Road as collateral to secure a twenty-six million pounds bank loan to complete his company's purchase of Italian club Sampdoria.
Under an agreement in principle co-signed by Radrizzani, the stadium would have served as security so his Aser company and bidding partner Gestio Capital could borrow twenty-five point eight million pounds from Italian bank Banca Sistema.
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Talented Liverpool youngster Lewis Koumas is at the centre of a tug-of-war between England and Wales over which country he should represent.
Koumas is wanted by Wales under-nineteen for their two games against Sweden in June but England have also taken note of the young forward and asked about his availability for their under-eighteen internationals against Norway and Australia in Lisbon.
The Anfield prospect joined Liverpool at the age of eleven and signed his first professional contract in January after his seventeenth birthday.
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Chelsea forward Lauren James has signed a new four-year deal with the Women's Super League champions.
England international James, joined the Blues from Manchester United in 2021 and her new contract extends her stay until 2027.
She made eighteen appearances and scored five goals this season, helping the Blues to their fourth successive title.
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OTHER SPORTS
In Cricket; Stuart Broad pressed his case for inclusion in the first Ashes Test by taking five wickets as England dominated Ireland on the first of the four-day Test at Lord's.
Broad claimed 5-51 and was supported by 3-35 from left-arm spinner Jack Leach in Ireland's 172 all out.
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In Tennis; Fourth seed Casper Ruud moved into the French Open third round with a four-set victory over Italy's Giulio Zeppieri.
The Norwegian, 24, was in control early on and after being forced into a fourth set, he rallied to secure a 6-3 6-2 4-6 7-5 win.
Ruud is chasing a first Grand Slam title after losing in the finals at the US Open and Roland Garros last year.
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Defending champion Iga Swiatek and Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina underlined their title credentials with straight-set wins at the French Open.
Polish world number one Swiatek, seeking a third title in four years at Roland Garros, defeated American Claire Liu 6-4 6-0 to reach the third round.
She will play China's Wang Xiyu next.
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In Rugby; Cardiff prop Rhys Carre has been released from Wales' World Cup training squad having "failed to meet individual performance targets".
Carre, 25, was named in Warren Gatland's 54-man party in early May.
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OTHER LEAGUES
Roma manager, Jose Mourinho has defended the actions of his players after a bad-tempered Europa League final defeat to Sevilla.
The Portuguese saw his side fall to a four-one penalty shoot-out loss after the sides were deadlocked at one-all at the end of extra-time.
Mourinho, who will serve a touchline ban in Serie A this weekend after collecting five yellow cards during the season, was incensed by a number of decisions by referee Anthony Taylor.
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Paris Saint-Germain manager Christophe Galtier, says Lionel Messi will play his final game for the team against Clermont on Saturday.
The Argentina forward would leave when his contract ends this summer.
Messi, who joined on a free transfer from Barcelona in July 2021, helped PSG win two successive Ligue 1 titles.
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Al-Nassr forward Cristiano Ronaldo says the Saudi Pro League can become a "top-five league in the world" if they can attract more big-name players.
Lionel Messi, Karim Benzema and Luka Modric have been linked with moves to Saudi Arabia and Ronaldo said they are "very welcome" to join him.
Ronaldo has a contract to 2025 and added he "will continue here" next season.
Meanwhile, Saudi Minister of Sports, Abdulaziz Al-Faisal, said Saudi Arabian clubs are working to sign Paris Saint-Germain's Lionel Messi and Real Madrid's Karim Benzema.
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Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper, Sergio Rico is in a 'stable condition' but remains in intensive care after suffering serious head injuries in a horse riding accident.
Rico was making a horseback pilgrimage journey to Huelva, near his home city of Seville in Spain, when he was knocked off the animal.
He was transported by helicopter to the Virgen del Rocio University Hospital in Seville, who issued an update on his condition on Thursday.
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Real Madrid are considering a summer move for Kai Havertz as Chelsea look to cut their squad this summer.
Los Blancos president Florentino Perez and head coach Carlo Ancelotti sat down for crisis talks in the aftermath of their bruising four-nil Champions League semi-final defeat to Manchester City.
The pair were said to have discussed future plans that included transfer incomings and earmarked the Chelsea forward as 'one of those strikers who could fit in.'
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Celtic manager, Ange Postecoglou says reported interest from Tottenham "does not register" with him as he prepares for the Scottish Cup final.
Some media outlets said Tottenham are preparing to move for the Australian after Celtic's meeting with Inverness Caledonian Thistle on Saturday.
Postecoglou insisted the latest reports have not changed his thinking.
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Bayern Munich could lose three of their attackers during the summer transfer window, with the Bundesliga champions set to entertain offers for Serge Gnabry, Leroy Sane, and Sadio Mane.
Despite lifting the Bundesliga trophy for the eleventh consecutive season on Saturday, the Bavarian giants have had a torrid 2022-23 campaign, and are preparing for a root-and-branch overhaul.
Former head coach Julian Nagelsmann was sacked in March after dividing the dressing room and underperforming against the club's ultra-high standards, but the appointment of Thomas Tuchel failed to save their German Cup or Champions League campaigns.
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Major League Soccer side Inter Miami have sacked coach Phil Neville with the club bottom of the Eastern Conference after fifteen games.
Wednesday's one-nil loss at home to the New York Red Bulls was their ten defeat in their past thirteen league games.
Neville, was appointed in January 2021 and helped Inter reach the MLS Cup play-offs in 2022.
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Bayern Munich have signed captain Magdalena Eriksson and forward Pernille Harder from Women's Super League champions Chelsea on three-year deals.
The contracts of Sweden defender, Eriksson, and Denmark's Harder, were set to expire this summer.
Eriksson made one hundred and eighty-three appearances and won eleven trophies for the Blues after joining from Swedish side Linkopings in 2017.
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Uncapped Peterborough midfielder Jack Taylor has been called up to the Republic of Ireland squad for the upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers against Greece and Gibraltar.
Taylor, played for the Republic Under-twenty-one and earns his spot after helping Peterborough reach the League One play-off semi-final.
Alan Browne and Jeff Hendrick have both made the squad after injury concerns.
The team will travel to Turkey next week for a nine-day training camp in Antalya before the Greece game in Athens.
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TODAY'S FIXTURES
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ITALIAN SERIE A
Sassuolo vs Fiorentina
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SOCCER ACTION CONTINUES THIS WEEKEND
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THE FA CUP - FINAL
Manchester City vs Manchester United
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ITALIAN SERIE A
Torino vs Inter Milan
Cremonese vs Salernitana
Empoli vs Lazio
ON SUNDAY
Napoli vs Sampdoria
Atalanta vs Monza
Lecce vs Bologna
AC Milan vs Hellas Verona
Roma vs Spezia
Udinese vs Juventus
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SCOTTISH CUP - FINAL
Celtic vs Inverness Caledonian Thistle
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WOMEN'S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - FINAL
Barcelona Femenino vs VfL Wolfsburg Ladies
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IN FIFA UNDER-TWENTY WORLD CUP - QUARTER-FINALS
ON SATURDAY
Israel vs Brazil
Colombia vs Italy
ON SUNDAY
Korea Republic vs Nigeria
USA vs Uruguay
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IN SPANISH LA LIGA
Mallorca vs Rayo Vallecano
Osasuna vs Girona
Real Madrid vs Athletic Bilbao
Real Sociedad vs Sevilla
Villarreal vs Atlético Madrid
Celta Vigo vs Barcelona
Elche vs Cádiz
Espanyol vs AlmerÃa
Real Betis vs Valencia
Real Valladolid vs Getafe
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