Impact of managerial change on season ambitions. All three of Real Madrid, Manchester United, and Chelsea won their first league games under their new managers on the back of chaotic days, but the outcome of the weekend games does not mean their season objectives haven’t been altered with the forced hand decisions. Back in the summer, when Xabi Alonso was confirmed as Real Madrid’s new boss, and Enzo Maresca led Chelsea to the Club World Cup title, only at Manchester United could anyone have believed a managerial change could occur mid-season, but all the glitters proved to be dust. Even…
Author: Kehinde-Hassan Afolabi
Xabi Alonso reportedly resigned as Real Madrid manager because the players, led by Kylian Mbappé, undermined his authority after the Spanish Super Cup final loss to Barcelona by refusing to give their Clasico rivals a guard of honour. This revelation has brought a lot of criticism for the players, especially from the Barcelona corner and neutrals, but Real Madrid faithfuls remain divided on the matter, as some see Xabi Alonso as clueless, while others join the non-Madridistas in calling Kylian Mbappé and co. classless. Yet as Real Madrid’s crisis deepens, it is more to Barcelona’s delight, and the fact that…
Arsenal extended their dominance over their London rivals on Wednesday night with a 3-2 victory at Stamford Bridge to establish a slender advantage ahead of their Carabao Cup semi-final second leg at the Emirates Stadium in a few weeks. Goals from Ben White, Viktor Gyokeres, and Martin Zubimendi proved too much for Alejandro Garnacho’s brace for the host, as Liam Rosenior joined a long list of Chelsea managers who failed to win their first home games in charge of the club. The result means Mikel Arteta’s team will reach the final if they avoid defeat in the second leg, where…
On a day when the goals dried up at the African Cup of Nations, Senegal and Morocco did just enough to secure their place in the final of the 2025 edition, having seen off Egypt and Nigeria, respectively. Although the goals didn’t flow in both semi-final games, the victories were well deserved as both teams dominated their opponent, especially in the game between Senegal and record champions Egypt. Senegal and Morocco reach AFCON 2025 final Sadio Mané sent Mo Salah out Sadio Mané scored the only goal of the two semi-finals combined in the 78th minute to conquer a resolute…
Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank has landed in hot waters in the wake of the clubs loss at Bournemouth, and surprisingly, not because of the defeat but a picture of him drinking with an Arsenal branded cup ahead of kickoff. Things are not getting any easy for the Danish manager following his move to North London in the summer with Tottenham setting a new club record for most home defeat in a single calendar year at the end of 2025 one of the many lows he has had to condone with on the job. The club has had an underwhelming…
AFCON 2025: It’s the battle of the best in the last four Senegal, Morocco, Nigeria, and Egypt secured their places in the semi-finals of the AFCON 2025 by extending their unbeaten run in the competition, after ousting their fellow heavyweight opponents in an all-star quarter-finals. The tournament continues in its predictable form as the top teams pursue their quest to be crowned champions of the 35th edition, securing victories over their rivals in their most significant tests so far. Here is how the four nations secured their places in the last four, from Senegal’s narrow win to Nigeria’s dominance of…
The giants of Africa continue to turn up in the Cup of Nations, but Mali beat the odds in one of the closest contests of the round of 16, in an otherwise predictable result, with Nigeria and Algeria extending their winning run. AFCON 2025 Round of 16 Highlights: Giants of Africa reign 10-man Mali sends Tunisia home Ten-man Mali produced a stunning upset to eliminate Tunisia from the Africa Cup of Nations, winning 3-2 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in Casablanca. Despite playing a significant portion of the match at a numerical disadvantage after Woyo Coulibaly was sent off…
By Kehinde-Hassan Afolabi Manchester United, like Chelsea, has parted company with the manager they wanted to build a dynasty with, returning to the phase they are known for, even though they desperately wanted a change. Not long ago, majority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe confirmed that Manchester United is committed to a three-year period for Ruben Amorim to prove his caliber, mirroring the time allowed for Arteta to overhaul Arsenal. “Ruben needs to demonstrate he is a great coach over three years. That’s where I would be—three years. Because football is not an overnight success. You also look at [Mikel] Arteta…
The Eagles of Mali booked their place in the last eight of the African Cup of Nations 2025, and their journey gets more extraordinary at every turn, making them a nightmare for the bookies. From ending Morocco’s dual run to securing qualification as Group A runner-up without winning a single game, their round of 16 clash with Tunisia looked like a lost cause, but they battled on and survived decimation. The likes of Lassine Sinayoko, Yves Bissouma, and goalkeeper Djigui Diara have been playing as two players rolled into one, to help the nation make up for the shortcomings of…
By Kehinde-Hassan Afolabi Rather than waiting for push to reach shove, Enzo Maresca seemingly triggered the fallout at Chelsea himself. Driven by the lure of a better opportunity, he exploited the board’s reputation to facilitate a move that all should view as an outright betrayal, though not many can see the light because he leaves not only with a checkmate, but also a check. The Italian won over the fans in West London with his sleek and free-flowing football, backed with quality nerve, especially when the odds are stacked, a quality that defined his best moments at Chelsea, and saw…