Celtic were out-gunned but not out-classed as they fell to a 3-1 defeat to Barcelona in Dublin.
The Spanish giants named a strong starting XI that included superstar frontmen Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.
And
while the Parkhead outfit were undone by strikes from Arda Turan and
Munir El Haddadi either side of Efe Ambrose's own goal, there was no
humiliation for Brendan Rodgers' team. Real Madrid rode a dominating first half performance to defeat Premier League side Chelsea3-2 in an International Champions Cup match on Saturday.
Marcelo
scored twice and Mariano Diaz added the third to stake Los Blancos to a
3-0 half-time lead. Real appeared to be cruising from there, but
Chelsea's Eden Hazard scored a pair of late goals to provide the final
scoreline.
Julian Green scored a first-half hat trick as Bayern Munich rolled over Inter Milan4-1 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The
United States international scored goals in the 7th, 30th and 35th
minutes to help the defending Bundesliga champs to a comfortable victory
over the overmatched Serie A side.
French star Franck Ribery
added a 13th-minute goal for Bayern on a dominant day for the Germans.
Mauro Icardi scored a late consolation goal for Inter. Liverpool broke down a stern AC Milan side, winning 2-0 thanks to strikes from Divock Origi and Roberto Firmino.
Jurgen Klopp's team started the game brightly, enjoying most of the possession against a compact and organised Milan.
But
there was a lack of end product to their build up and Milan goalkeeper
Gabriel had to wait until the 41st minute to be forced into any work.
A
stale game came to life following six changes for the Reds at the
break. In the 59th minute, Origi picked up the ball in inside the
penalty area and displayed wonderful feet to shift it on to his right
and curl into the bottom corner.
A second goal quickly followed as Sheyi Ojo's deflected shot made its way to the back post where Firmino was on hand to tap in. Leicester City were convincingly beaten 4-0 by French champions Paris Saint-Germain in Los Angeles.
PSG
totally outclassed the Foxes and although friendly results don't matter
the defeat will serve as a timely reminder to stay grounded ahead of
the new season.
PSG took the lead just before the half hour mark
from the penalty spot thanks to Edinson Cavani. Daniel Amartey, who
didn't look comfortable in defensive midfield, was guilty of bringing
down Jonathan Ikone.
Leicester conceded a second just before half
time as PSG out-Leicestered Leicester. Unai Emery's side looked
devastating on the counter-attack as the lively Ikone rounded off a
deflected Thomas Meunièr cross.
Another fluid counter attack
killed the game. Substitute Lucas Moura headed in Maxwell's cross and
just before full-time teenager Odsonne Edouard finished from close range
to wrap up an emphatic victory. Follow ESPN FC across social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp says that he's happy with how Liverpool is playing, but knows there's room for improvement.
Santa
Clara, Calif. -- Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp put Saturday's 2-0 win
over AC Milan down to the team's impressive performance rather than
individual ability.
The Reds ran out convincing winners at Levi's
Stadium in the International Champions Cup fixture with second-half
goals from Divock Origi and Roberto Firmino.
Origi broke the
deadlock against the Serie A outfit following a wonderful strike in the
58th minute, with the Belgian striker impressing in his first appearance
of the preseason.
However, Klopp insisted in a news conference
after the meeting with the Italian side that the victory came from
efforts by all those that featured.
"Everybody knows about the
potential of Divock Origi. I understand that after a game like this you
name single players," Klopp said.
"But
I think, especially tonight, it is not the night to talk about single
players. If you want to talk, then it's [about] the style of play, the
dominance we had, the passing.
"The situation we had in the first
half -- we played brilliant, we did the right thing, we did the right
thing, we passed all time until we were through. We created chances, we
didn't score -- that's right. Of course, you need a finish but that will
come 100 percent."
He added: "I said before the game that I'm
really happy about the opponents because Italian teams are always
organised and they make problems and you will always struggle with
different things in a game because it is not easy to play them.
"We
did really well and scored the goals and wonderful goals [and] had one
or two more chances. In the first half we had four or five big moments.
"Playing
dominant football like this and then reacting on balls we lose, like we
did in the counter-pressing situations -- that's the only moment where
there should be a little moment of hectic, all the rest should be calm
and dominant.
"I'm pleased with the performance of the whole team."
Meanwhile,
the Reds boss admitted that he is unsure on whether young winger Sheyi
Ojo will remain with the first-team squad this season or head out on
loan to gain regular action and experience. Jurgen Klopp hailed Liverpool's ability to win back the ball after they lost possession.The
19-year-old joined Klopp's team on the preseason tour immediately after
taking part in this summer's under-19 European Championships with
England.
"I don't know, we have to see," The German said. "He's a
wonderful player that's for sure. His future is 100 percent at
Liverpool. [But] the near future, we didn't make decisions. I don't
think we have to make decisions so early.
"We have time and we
have to use the time. We have already a few injuries, nor the biggest
but in the wrong positions, I would say. We have to be cool enough to
train and to make the boys as big as possible and Ojo is with us since
five days, he came to us direct from the tournament. We will see but his
future is at Liverpool." Glenn is ESPN FC's Liverpool correspondent. You can follow him on Twitter @GlennPrice94.
Zlatan
Ibrahimovic made a dream start to his Manchester United career by
scoring acrobatically in just the fourth-minute of his debut as they won
5-2 against Galatasaray in Gothenburg with Wayne Rooney netting twice.
United
had to recover from a 2-1 deficit at half-time but they out-played the
opposition in the second half with Antonio Valencia eventually setting
up three of the team's goals.
It meant that Ibrahimovic could
enjoy both his personal contribution and the end result, as he made a
glorious return to his homeland of Sweden.
United manager Jose
Mourinho again fielded a starting line-up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with
Ibrahimovic beginning as the advanced striker, Rooney behind him and
Anthony Martial wide left with Henrikh Mkhitaryan wide right.
After
all the hype surrounding Ibrahimovic and talk of 'Zlatan time' from the
club when promoting his move, a strong start to his career at the club
was just what he needed. Zlatan time in this match came when Valencia
delivered an impressive cross and Ibrahimovic met it with a scissor kick
that bounced and nestled into the net.
United carried on looking
the better side but a familiar problem from their days under former
manager Louis van Gaal - a vulnerability against set-pieces - reared its
head and allowed Galatasaray to equalise in the 25th minute. The free
kick was delivered from Wesley Sneijder and an unmarked Sinan Gumus
headed in.
Galatasaray were finding some more drive and David De
Gea was forced into two saves in quick succession, tipping over an
strike from Sneijder then palming away a header by Yasin Oztekin.
The
Turkish team still managed to snatch the lead before the break though,
as Bruma exchanged passes with Gumus then struck in a well-worked goal.
In
the second half, Rooney - who had struggled in the first period - was
the only one of the front four who were kept on the field, rather than
being substituted, and he quickly showed that he was in the mood to make
amends.
First, he touched in the equaliser from another Valencia cross.
It
was much better from United and a key to that was the impact made by
Marcus Rashford, who made a fine run and rounded goalkeeper Fernando
Muslera before being hauled down by the goalkeeper and winning the
penalty. Rooney had the courage to take the spot-kick and struck in to
give United a 3-2 lead.
United were overpowering their opponents
and added a fourth goal when Valencia delivered for Marouane Fellaini,
who scored with a looping header. Juan Mata then slid in to make it 5-2
after a smart passing move in the build-up, culminating in Michael
Carrick lofting the ball across for the Spaniard to finish.
ESPN FC's Paul Mariner once again sifts through transfer rumours as the deadline approaches.
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has confirmed that players
who are part of his plans are given game time during preseason.
The former Chelsea manager explained that those who are not in his
thinking would not be given a "single minute" of action. That could
worry the likes of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Adnan Januzaj, who did not
feature against Galatasaray.
Speaking to MUTV after the 5-2 win over Galatasaray in Gothenburg,
Mourinho was asked about players who came on and whether or not they had
demonstrated they are in his plans.
He replied: "Well, if they were not in my plans, I would not give them one single minute. I wouldn't keep them in my squad."
He added that players with a squad mentality would be valued,
explaining: "To be in the squad, you have to understand that the squad
is more important than the individual, the club is more important than
all of us."
Marcus Rashford became a regular starter under former manager Louis
van Gaal at the end of last season but, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and
Henrikh Mkhitaryan having arrived in attacking positions, the
18-year-old was a substitute against Galatasaray.
The England forward came on at half-time and was impressive, winning a
penalty, which was scored by Wayne Rooney to give United a 3-2 lead.
Rashford claimed that he is happy to see Ibrahimovic at United,
explaining: "It's been a massive help being with him, day in and day
out. There is a lot to learn from him and hopefully I can bring those
things to my game." Arindam is ESPN FC's Manchester United correspondent. Follow him @ARejSport
Pep Guardiola addresses Samir Nasri's weight concerns and their chase for John Stones.
They
are the ideas men but they are also the idealist and the pragmatist.
Pep Guardiola has been the most influential tactician of the last
decade. Antonio Conte was the most inspired at Euro 2016. The new
Manchester City manager innovates and experiments. His Chelsea
counterpart is more strategic and less romantic, designed with victory
in mind.
Guardiola has secured notable triumphs and won 73 percent
of his matches without it appearing his only objective. He has managed
arguably the greatest club side in history, the Barcelona group of
2009-12. Conte coached an Italy team widely described as its least
talented in half a century. They brilliantly dismembered Spain, whose
personnel and playing style are still testament to Guardiola's gameplan.
Now
they have both arrived in England with the added complication that if
Roman Abramovich had got his way, Guardiola would have been at Stamford
Bridge. Instead, masters of detail are rivals. Together, they ought to
raise the standards of the Premier League, making it tactically better
and, theoretically, leading to more games being decided in the dugout.
But
that poses the question as to how they'll achieve it. Will they use
blueprints developed in Barcelona, Munich and Turin, methods that worked
with Catalonia, Bavaria and Italy's finest? Or will they turn to
something both new to them and yet more familiar to both British
audiences and Premier League players? Guardiola and Conte have won plenty of trophies with their unique thinking. How will they fare in England?Both
Guardiola and Conte have argued that they are not inflexible
ideologues. Guardiola marked his unveiling at the Etihad Stadium by
presenting himself as an evolutionary, not a revolutionary. He stated he
was a humble figure who will adapt to the English game, someone who
needed to customise himself to the players at his disposal. There were,
he said, only "two or three things I will not change," principles he has
set in stone.
Guardiola also refuted Javier Mascherano's
suggestion that it takes a year to adapt to his brand of football. "That
is not true," he added. "What we want is so simple. What we want is so
simple: when the opponent has the ball, take it back as soon as
possible. When you have it, move it as much as possible and create as
many chances as possible."
If Guardiola has been brought in to
transform City, he has instead begun by portraying himself as the
continuity candidate. Beyond talk of deploying midfielder Fernandinho as
a centre-back and use of a back three for part of Thursday's 1-1 draw
with Borussia Dortmund, his most unconventional ideas -- the
3-diamond-3, 3-1-4-2, 3-3-3-1 or even 2-3-5 formations, all of which he
tested at Bayern Munich -- may be on the back-burner until he has first
brought a winning habit.
Unlike David Alaba and Rafinha, it's hard
to imagine the City full-backs thrust diagonally forward as wing-halves
to operate in front of the central defenders. Instead, their duties may
be familiar. Guardiola has spent much of his first two games favouring
the 4-2-3-1 formation Manuel Pellegrini employed for much of last
season.
The formation may be the same, however, but the
implementation will be different. At the end of Guardiola's first season
in Bavaria, the statisticians worked out that his Bayern's defensive
line was, on average, 45 yards from their own goal. In Jupp Heynckes'
final season, it had been 36 yards. The chances are that City will push
up further, necessitating Joe Hart to operate as more of a
sweeper-keeper in the style of Manuel Neuer or Victor Valdes.
Antonio Conte praised the spirit of his players following a hard fought 1-0 win over Liverpool.
As
his teams have always averaged at least 65 percent of possession and
City had the ball for 55.2 percent of their league games last season, it
is likely they will play a more possession-based game, probably with
Ilkay Gundogan operating as a pivote. More time will surely be
devoted to creating angles for a pass. Guardiola's willingness to adjust
to the culture of English football may also result in more traditional
tactics: his Bayern team were more direct than Barcelona, indeed
averaging the fifth-highest number of accurate long balls per game in
last season's Bundesliga (admittedly, they were runaway leaders in the
chart for short passes).
One change appears certain to be
accelerated but has already begun. Under Roberto Mancini, City's nominal
wide men, David Silva and Samir Nasri, came infield at every
opportunity. Under Pellegrini, Raheem Sterling offered more natural
width and Jesus Navas hugged the right touchline. Guardiola wants
wingers to make the pitch as wide as possible, at least until they enter
the final third so it creates more space in central positions. In
Nolito (already signed) and Leroy Sane (hopefully on the way), he should
have the players to do make the pitch as big as possible.
This
system hints at Silva playing infield, which highlights another
favourite tactic of Guardiola's: the false nine. Lionel Messi became the
most prolific ever but it was notable that with a genuine No. 9 at
Bayern, Robert Lewandowski, he used an orthodox striker. Sergio Aguero's
position seems safe, yet the intriguing element will be offered in his
absence: Silva, Sterling and Kevin de Bruyne in particular are potential
false nines in the City squad. Guardiola could also opt to use a
4-2-3-1 as Pellegrini did at the end of his reign, fielding two strikers
with Kelechi Iheanacho behind Aguero.
This last part is unlikely, and it's also an area where Conte and Guardiola differ.
The
Italian is set to pair centre-forwards at Chelsea, probably Diego Costa
and Michy Batshuayi. He often has done, whether with Bari, Juventus or
Italy. It is a break with Chelsea's past; for the past dozen years,
their default shape has been a one-striker system. Since the early weeks
of Jose Mourinho's first stint in charge, their only real (and
mismatched) partnership occurred when Abramovich bought Andriy
Shevchenko to partner Didier Drogba; even when the Ivorian and Nicolas
Anelka played together, it was usually with the Frenchman on the right.
No
side has won the English title while regularly selecting three
centre-backs since Arsenal in 1989 and while his Juventus and Italy
sides usually played 3-5-2, Conte now seems intent on preferring a 4-4-2
that can be described as 4-2-4; it was the formation he favoured at
Bari. Having largely eschewed wingers in the subsequent five years, he
will now select two. Conte called himself a "tailor" at his first press
conference at Stamford Bridge but is now "anglicising" himself,
tailoring his principles to his surroundings. "I adapt my idea of
football to my players, not adapt my players in my idea of football," he
told ESPN FC this week. Kante will have a key role to play in Conte's plans as he mulls over using two strikers.Conte's
system may prompt comparisons with the reigning champions, Leicester,
and not just because N'Golo Kante is a common denominator. Yet while
Claudio Ranieri has proved it is possible to prosper with what had
seemed a discredited tactic, Kante's energy can compensate for a
numerical disadvantage and the 4-4-2 offers a defensive structure, it
can limit a strategist's options.
Conte's Italy were wonderfully
flexible, adapting their shape anywhere from 3-3-4 in possession and
4-4-2 without the ball, but as an out-and-out formation it can be harder
to create overloads in midfield or get players in space between the
lines, whether vertical or horizontal. It was that, as much as anything
else, that enabled Italy to outwit and outmanoeuvre more talented teams
who used a specialist holding midfielder and roving box-to-box
midfielders. Conte may have restricted his options to be clever.
Perhaps
he is trying to be more English than the English; Guardiola, too, is
suggesting that his Dutch-influenced, Spanish passing game will be more
British than his previous teams. With only two central midfielders, it
is safe to assume Chelsea will have less possession than City. A shared
feature that should appeal to Premier League crowds should be their work
rate: Guardiola's pressing game requires it while Conte's Chelsea,
particularly in the absence of European football, ought to be fit enough
to outrun opponents.
ESPN's Steve Nicol reacts to Georginio Wijnaldum's move to Liverpool and discusses his possible role.
Liverpool
have done some shrewd business bringing in Georginio Wijnaldum, two of
his former Newcastle United coaches have revealed to ESPN FC.
The
Dutch international completed his move from Newcastle on Friday for a
reported fee of £25 million, penning a five-year deal with the Reds.
Wijnaldum departed the North East after one season, where his 11 goals
and five assists could not prevent Newcastle from relegation to the
Championship.
The 25-year-old made a move to the Premier League in
July 2015 from PSV Eindhoven for £14.5m, signing under then-manager
Steve McClaren.
McClaren, who also played against Wijnaldum when
managing FC Twente in the Eredivisie, believes the transfer will be good
for both parties and says that the all-purposeful midfielder can fit
anywhere into Jurgen Klopp's side.
"I think it's a fantastic move
for him," McClaren told ESPN FC. "I know him really well from my Holland
days when he was at PSV and I always kept my eye on him. I had an
opportunity to buy him and I had no hesitation because on the field he
can play in various positions, he works and can score goals -- a big
asset.
"In Newcastle, he played in midfield, he played a No. 10,
he played on right side and left side and he showed his versatility,
which was needed. He was a big, big player.
"I used to watch him
in Holland a lot when he was No. 10. He didn't adjust to that very well
in England and he played in central midfield. He's got to find a best
position. As he's getting older, he needs to establish a position.
"But
it's a great signing by Liverpool because Liverpool play in that
flexible way and [Klopp] wants players who have a high energy, can
press, can deal with the ball, can take the ball in tight situations
and, most of all, score and assist."
McClaren added: "He's fit,
flexible and mobile. I remember one or two goals where he made
unbelievable 80-yard sprints to get from one end into the other and in
the box.
"He
always arrives in the box at the right time and has that composure to
be able to finish the move, which not a lot of players have. There's
more to come -- he's just got to find the best position."
According
to Paul Simpson, McClaren's assistant coach during his time at the helm
of St. James' Park, the midfielder's leadership skills and attitude
were a big reason as to why Newcastle were so keen to make him the most
expensive signing of Mike Ashley's reign of the club.
"We could
see he was a leader of the team -- the top man for PSV in their
championship-winning season," Simpson said. "We just knew that we would
get assists from him, goals from him and that was the sort of thing that
stood out to us.
"We just thought he was a really creative player
who could stand up and grab a game by the scruff of the neck and try
and get wins for the team."
Simpson continued: "He can talk a
glass eye to sleep when it comes to talking about football. He's someone
who can recognise problems on the pitch. If he has the trust of players
around him, then he can actually solve any little issues on the pitch.
He can see if for himself and, if people are prepared to listen, I'm
quite sure he do that for Liverpool.
"I'm sure the experience of
Newcastle for a year would have stood him in good stead because, as a
young player, he probably hasn't experienced playing in a poor,
struggling side. He struggled a little bit with that and actually
standing up to the challenge and being the one who then went and took it
on.
"When he was right, he was a real standout player for us. A
game in particular that you look at, the Liverpool game at home when he
was outstanding and got a goal, he was that sort of player who could do
that and I think going into a good Liverpool side, he will stand out
even more." Glenn is ESPN FC's Liverpool correspondent. You can follow him on Twitter @GlennPrice94.
Former
Everton and Man Utd boss David Moyes has been named the new manager of
Sunderland. We take a look at the Scotsman's stats.
Sunderland have appointed David Moyes as their new manager on a four-year deal.
Moyes replaces Sam Allardyce who left the Black Cats to take charge of England.
The former Preston, Everton and Manchester United boss has been out of work since leaving Real Sociedad in November.
Upon his appointment, the Scot told Sunderland's official website: "I am delighted to have joined Sunderland. I am relishing the challenge and excited by the opportunity.
"I
have taken over a big British club, with a great support and I'm
looking forward to working in the Premier League again. I look forward
to continuing the good work done by Sam."
Sunderland chairman Ellis Short added that Moyes had been a long-term target for the club.
He said: "We are absolutely delighted to welcome David Moyes to Sunderland, who was by far and away our first choice.
"He
is a man whose football pedigree speaks for itself and is someone I
have long admired. I have spoken with him on many occasions and I have
always been hugely impressed. He was my number one managerial target for
the last five appointments, but his desire to honour existing contracts
meant we were not able to bring him to Sunderland previously. To be
able to finally welcome him as our manager is fantastic news for the
club."
It has been reported that Moyes was contacted soon after
Allardyce was interviewed by the Football Association about their
managerial vacancy.
Moyes will inherit a side that Allardyce kept
in the Premier League with a game to spare last season after failing to
win any of their opening nine fixtures of the campaign. However, they
were only beaten once, by eventual champions Leicester, in their final
11 games.
So far this summer Sunderland have not signed any new
players to the squad although Emanuele Giaccherini and Santiago Vergini
have been sold while Wes Brown, Steven Fletcher and Danny Graham were
released.
Moyes becomes Sunderland's sixth permanent manager since Steve Bruce's departure in November 2011. Follow ESPN FC across social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
ESPN FC's Steve Nicol and Raf Honigstein discuss Andre Gomes' surprise move to Barcelona.
There
can be no doubt that Barcelona are building a squad with half an eye
towards the future, but what will the consequences be on the present?
Late
on Thursday, after former Diario SPORT editor Joan Vehils had tweeted
that the club had signed Valencia midfielder Andre Gomes, a press
release was hastily put together confirming that the Portugal
international would be the fourth man to walk through the Camp Nou door this summer.
Barca, who have won the season's first Clasico by
beating Madrid in the transfer battle for Gomes, will pay €35 million
up front to Valencia, with another €20m potentially due in add-ons. Martin Montoya is expected to head in the other direction, too.
Gomes
follows Denis Suarez, Samuel Umtiti and Lucas Digne in making the
switch to Barca this summer. All four of them have one thing in common:
youth. All of them are 22 bar Digne, who turned 23 on July 20, and all
could potentially have long and prosperous careers in the Catalan
capital.
However, not all the signings make as much sense as the next one.
With the buyback cost at just over €3m, it would have been madness not to bring Suarez back from Villarreal, while Barca hope that France international Umtiti will be the centre-back stalwart they've craved for years.
Digne's
arrival did prompt some questions. Was a left-back really a priority
when right-back Dani Alves fled to Juventus earlier this summer? With
Adriano likely to leave, sporting director Robert Fernandez explained
that competition for Jordi Alba was important, adding that the right
side of defence is well covered in the form of Aleix Vidal and Sergi
Roberto.
Which brings us back to Gomes. Both Fernandez and Luis Enrique had openly spoken about
the need for the club to sign another forward, someone to occasionally
ease the burden on Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar.
And that was where the Catalan media had focused their attention -- would it be Luciano Vietto? Kevin Gameiro? Lucas Perez? Robin van Persie has even reportedly put himself forward for the role.
It
came as somewhat of a bolt from the blue, then, when the Gomes signing
was confirmed. That said, it wasn't a complete surprise; both Mundo
Deportivo and SPORT had featured the Portuguese on their covers as far
back as June, relaying details of Fernandez's talks with Valencia. But
those reports had tailed off, and it looked earlier this week as if
Madrid had moved into pole position.
There's
a long list of reasons why Barca would want Gomes; his explosiveness
from midfield should complement the way their style has evolved since
Luis Enrique was appointed.
One of his former managers at
Valencia, Gary Neville, felt he had potential to go on to be one of the
best midfielders in the world, explaining that he felt his best position
was on the left of a midfield three -- which is also where Andres
Iniesta and Denis Suarez prefer to play.
He's still rough around
the edges and often wasteful with his final ball, but when raw talent
like that is available, it makes sense that teams of the calibre of
Barca and Madrid act.
But Barca now have a problem. It's a problem
any manager, admittedly, would love to have, but one which Luis Enrique
is going to have to carefully manage.
With Gomes on board, he now
has 10 players who would classify their best position as midfield. Two
of them -- Javier Mascherano and Roberto -- will be used in defence, but
that still leaves eight men vying for three positions. Andre Gomes moves to Barcelona following a victorious Euro 2016 with Portugal.The
first thought which springs to mind is bad news for Arda Turan. The
Turkish international struggled in his first season with the club,
although his agent, Ahmet Bulut, has insisted he wants to stay.
If
an offer came in close to the €34m that was spent on him, though, the
player's opinion may not matter so much as he'd likely be ushered
towards the exit.
Ivan Rakitic, not Arda, has been the first player to come into the spotlight after the Gomes deal, though.
"I
think it's time to go," tweeted Miquel Sors, Rakitic's supposed agent,
after Barca completed their fourth purchase of the summer, before
following that up with a string of messages backtracking and clarifying this is not the end of Rakitic and Barca. However, later on Friday Rakitic did not look like a man on his way out and clarified that his only agent is Arturo Canales, effectively discrediting Sors' comment.
Nevertheless,
b then it was too late. The Catalan and Spanish press had already
picked up on it and gone big. It's a taste of what is set to come.
Sergio
Busquets, Denis Suarez and Iniesta should be safe, too. But will Luis
Enrique be able to find regular minutes for Sergi Samper, Rafinha and
Arda?
Something -- or someone, rather -- will have to give. Gomes'
arrival and Barca's planning for the future is going to cost someone
his present. Eight into three, even with rotations and a heavy schedule,
does not fit. Samuel Marsden covers FC Barcelona for ESPN FC. Twitter: @samuelmarsden.
Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki at Code of Conduct Tribunal
Ade Adesomoju, Abuja
A four-man team will today take over the
prosecution of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki; his deputy, Ike
Ekweremadu, and two others on charges of forgery of the Senate Standing
Orders used for the presiding officers’ elections of the 8th Senate in
June 2015.
The Federal Government, through the
office of the Attorney General of the Federation, had, on June 10,
preferred the charges against Saraki, Ekweremadu and a former Clerk to
the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasuwa, and his then deputy, Benedict
Efeturi.
The accused persons were subsequently,
on June 27, arraigned on two counts of criminal conspiracy and forgery
before Justice Yusuf Halilu of a Federal Capital Territory High Court in
Jabi, Abuja.
The Federal Government stated that the
offence of conspiracy is punishable under Section 97 (1) of the Penal
Code Act and offence of forgery with “fraudulent intent” punishable
under Section 364 of the same law.
The court had, after the accused persons
pleaded not guilty to the charges on June 27, fixed Monday (today) for
the commencement of trial.
But sources in the Federal Ministry of
Justice in Abuja confirmed to our correspondent on Sunday that a
four-man team would take over the prosecution of the accused persons
from the Director, Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed
Diri, as the case comes up today.
Our correspondent confirmed that the new
prosecution team was led by a former Attorney General of Kano State,
Mr. Aliyu Umar (SAN).
Born on June 16, 1952, Aliyu was a Director, Public Prosecutions in the Ministry of Justice of Kano State between 1986 and 1988.
The 64-year-old lawyer later served as the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of the state between 2003 and 2011.
Other members of the team are a
Lagos-based public interest litigation lawyer, Jiti Ogunye; Raphael
Origo, and a state counsel from the Federal Ministry of Justice, Yetunde
Adeola-Cole.
The case, scheduled for commencement of
trial today, may be stalled by logistics of handing over of the case by
the DPPF to the new set of prosecutors.
“I have no information about whether or
not the handover has taken place. But from experience, since the case is
coming up for the first time after the case was assigned to the new
team of prosecutors, it is not likely that any serious thing will take
place tomorrow (Monday),” a lawyer in the Federal Ministry of Justice
told our correspondent on condition of anonymity on Sunday.
The PUNCH had exclusively
reported on July 8, that a four-man team, whose members’ identities had
not been known, would take over the case today.
The Prof. Itse Sagay-led Presidential
Advisory Committee Against Corruption was involved in their training for
over one month in Abuja.
Our correspondent learnt on Sunday that
at least a lawyer from the Justice ministry was among the four lawyers
in each of the teams while the rest are private legal practitioners.
The PUNCH had reported that the
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr.
Abubakar Malami, deliberately assigned the forgery case to the special
prosecution team for “efficient prosecution and management of the case”.
It was learnt that the team was given
the liberty by the AGF to review the case-file “and make necessary
adjustment or amendments” where necessary to enhance the prospect of a
successful prosecution of the case.
According to sources, the Aliyu-led team
was also given the fiat by the AGF to handle any civil case that might
arise from the forgery of the Senate Standing Rules.
When asked by our correspondent, one of
the sources could not confirm whether the fiat given to the team covered
an ongoing civil case relating to the forgery of the Senate Standing
Orders before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The AGF is one of the defendants in the
case which was filed by a serving Senator, Gilbert Nnaji, who is seeking
an order of the court quashing the police report issued on the forgery
case.
There is another case relating to it
that was filed by five All Progressives Congress senators – Abu Ibrahim,
Kabir Marafa, Ajayi Boroffice, Olugbenga Ashafa and Suleiman Hunkuyi.
The AGF is not a party to the senators’ suit.
“I cannot confirm to you if the fiat
given to the prosecutors covers the pending civil case, but I can
confirm to you that they are asked to handle civil cases that may likely
arise from the case,” a source told our correspondent on Sunday.
None of the four prosecutors could be reached for their comments on Sunday.
Ogunye was unreachable when our correspondent tried to reach him through his telephone on Sunday.
When contacted on Sunday, Isah said he could not disclose the names of the prosecutors to whom the forgery case was assigned.
“Since the case is coming up in court tomorrow (Monday, today), I can only advise you to wait till tomorrow,” Isah said.
Antoine Griezmann won the Golden Boot award at Euro 2016 after
scoring six goals and notching two assists in 555 minutes of action for
hosts France. Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo and Griezmann's teammate
Olivier Giroud finished second and third, respectively.
However,
Griezmann, 25, and France lost 1-0 to Portugal in the final on Sunday,
and the striker said he couldn't celebrate the award at the moment
because of his disappointment at not helping his team to the title.
The
Atletico Madrid player had been one of the tournament's real star men,
but his two best chances versus Portugal did not find the back of the
net, leaving Griezmann to say he might celebrate the award at a later
time.
"It's
cruel and magnificent at the same time," Griezmann said. "We've lived
through some extraordinary moments, and the saddest moments as well. We
have to learn. But tonight we gave it all and we have no regrets. I'm
proud of the squad, proud of everybody. Now we have to come back
stronger.
"This time we didn't manage it, unlike against Germany.
It is a pity. We hit the post, I had chances as well and I almost
scored. The goalkeeper played well, too. It's frustrating, but we must
come back stronger."
When asked if he was proud to have won the
award, Griezmann said he couldn't focus on that so soon after the loss
and chose to keep his thoughts on the team for now.
"Maybe later I
can feel proud, but for now, it's about the group. I'm very
disappointed for my teammates. I really wanted to offer them this
trophy, but I couldn't score and I'm disappointed."
SAINT-DENIS, France -- Cristiano Ronaldo will have dreamed of this
moment for years. He has won almost everything there is to win for his
clubs, but he had never won anything for his nation. Even in his
strangest dreams, he could never have imagined that it would happen for
him this way.
This is not how Ronaldo wins. Ronaldo wins with well-struck shots,
hit with such ferocity -- or, on occasion, sublime subtlety like a
back-hell -- that crushes ordinary men like tin cans. He had never won
from the technical area, arms aloft, directing his players through the
last stages of a lung-busting cup final prior to Sunday.
A glimpse into the future? Ronaldo the manager? Probably not. He will
need neither the money nor the stress. But here he was, injured and
exhausted, channelling every thing he had, every last ounce of
personality and celebrity, all in the hope that it might make some kind
of difference on the pitch. And perhaps it did.
Asked afterward if he felt that this was the high point of his
career, he agreed. "I always say I win everything in terms of clubs,
then as individual, but I always say I never win something for
Portugal," he said. "But I win tonight. I'm so happy, it's a moment I
cannot describe.
"I'm so glad, it's something unbelievable in my career, something
that I deserve. Today I had bad luck because I had a small injury, but
my colleagues do it. They run, they fight, we played against everyone,
we played against 70,000 people in the stadium, nobody believed, but we
won."
It would have been a profound shame had Ronaldo's tournament ended,
as it seemed it might, with the sight of him being carried from the
pitch, his knee beyond immediate repair, his face streaked with tears.
For all that he can rile and annoy people, he is one of the greatest
footballers of his generation. He will be 33 when the next World Cup
rolls around, 35 for the next European Championship. This really was it.
If he had failed out on the turf, that would be fine. That would be
football. But to be neutralised by a crunching challenge before he'd
even had a chance to impose himself on the game, that just felt like
cruel fortune. He didn't want to go. He tried twice to continue, even as
the French fans jeered and howled. But eventually even he had to
relent. His race was run. On the pitch, at least.
"It was tough because we lost our main man," Pepe said. "We had all
our hopes in him because he's a player who can at any minute score a
goal, because we know his abilities, but when he said he couldn't go on,
I tried to tell my teammates that we have to win it for him, that we
were going to win it for him, that we were going to fight for him."
Ronaldo, knee strapped and training top on, reemerged at full-time as
his teammates slumped, drained and depleted on the turf. He strode
through their ranks like a king before a battle, a quiet word here, a
pat on the shoulder there. He did it again after the first period of
extra time, looking measured and composed.
But when Eder slammed home his 109th-minute winner, that composure
evaporated. Ronaldo celebrated alone on the sidelines, his hands over
his face as the entire bench raced onto the pitch to mob the goal
scorer. The tears flowed freely, the adrenaline coursing through the
Real Madrid man's veins. He couldn't sit down. He couldn't take his
place with the other players. He had to be there, on the touchline,
making an impact. Any kind of impact.
One member of the coaching staff tried to urge him back to the bench,
but with limited success. Like the moths that surrounded the Stade de
France floodlights in their thousands, Ronaldo was irresistibly drawn to
the action. In the end, the coaches left him alone, happy to let him
shuffle up and down the touchline, bellowing instructions at players who
were probably too tired to listen. And the clock ticked down.
Pepe, named man of the match, laughed when a journalist asked him how
he felt about his new "assistant manager," but he was diplomatic about
it.
"The gaffer is our leader," he said. "On the pitch, we're all
managers, because the gaffer lays down the tactics and on the pitch we
do our best, but in fact the older players are there to incentivise and
help younger ones." Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates winning his first international trophy as Portugal topped France 1-0 in the Euro 2016 final.
Seconds before the final whistle, Ronaldo grabbed coach Fernando
Santos and shook him vigorously. Santos looked awkward and uncertain.
Managers do not celebrate until everything is confirmed. But then
referee Mark Clattenburg blew his whistle and there was nothing left to
worry about.
"Our skipper, he had an immense effort," Santos said later. "We had
amazing team spirit, he had amazing team spirit. Twice he tried as much
as he could to get back on the pitch, but he couldn't do it. But being
there in the locker room, on the bench it was very important to us, the
way he reached the lads, incentivised them, he believed, like I
believed, that tonight was our night."
Again, the bench ran to the pitch to celebrate. Again, Ronaldo stood
alone for a moment, eyes wide and flushed in the face. He hugged a coach
and they fell to the floor, Ronaldo's shoulders heaving. And then he
was back on his feet. He limped out to the pitch, congratulated his
teammates one by one and because, even in the strangest dreams, some
variables will always remain the same, he peeled off his shirt.
This is the victory Ronaldo had craved for so long. The international
success that moves him, permanently if his retirement holds, ahead of
Lionel Messi: one medal to none. It is the culmination of a life spent
in constant pursuit of excellence. No, this is not how he would have
imagined it happening, but as he lifted the trophy above his head and
roared with delight, you suspect that he wasn't even remotely concerned.
Lami is more popular on social media
than on stage. She has been lucky to be invited to one or two not- so-
popular gigs but even her performance at such gigs, isn’t earthshaking
but almost boring.
The singer made her debut into the Nigerian music scene with the release of her debut album, Intuition, in November, 2009.
Some may excuse her since her songs are
mostly love songs and not dancehall; however, she has not been able to
repeat what she did with her ‘Know’song, which kind of topped charts for
a while. Some people feel that the song was acceptable because of MI’s
input (she featured him in the song).
She may have felt featuring another known person in another song would earn her some kudos in her career but then, the Kotobata, which featured Olamide, made little or no impact in her career.
Presh
Presh may be wondering which god he
offended; since he and his former Best Friend Forever (BFF), KC broke
up, Presh’s career has almost gone into oblivion.
As a group, their (KCPresh) career
wasn’t even fantastic as they didn’t have a great hit that could earn
them fantastic points even after they had won at the Nigerian Breweries
sponsored music reality show, Star Quest. However, they had performed
on stage for so many years (all thanks to Nigerian Breweries sponsored
concerts and gigs) with other A list international and Nigerian
musicians.
Interestingly, they broke up and KC started dishing out club bangers back to back while Presh is…just Presh.
When it looked as if his career was at a
zero level, Okwudili Umenyiora’s Eric Manny Records came to the rescue
and even went as far as ‘packaging’ Presh with exotic cars and other
incentives.
Presh tried… he actually tried to make a
comeback. His song, Say Dem, featuring Davido, could have earned him a
place but oops, Presh has yet to deliver songs his fans would die to
listen to.
2shotz
Once upon a time, 2shotz was the man of
the moment. That time is quickly fading in the minds of many; so many
people may not even recall what songs shot him to the limelight.
His song, ‘Superman,’ which was released
in 2012, would have put him back on track because it gained a lot of
public acceptance but that did not seem to be enough as he still wasn’t
able to top charts
Apart from allegedly battering his
girlfriend Beverly Osu and later on, his wife, and the stories making
headlines, nothing more has been heard from the talented guy who used to
make so many fans dance with the great songs he put out back then.
K Switch
Well, K Switch is popular; after all, he
is D’banj’s biological brother. But that may be the only gene they
share because musically, they are certainly world apart!
He was a member of the defunct Mo’hit group but even back then, K Switch was just there, he wasn’t so spectacular.
His peculiar style of music, which tilts
towards reggae, could have got him a breakthrough but the likes of
Patoranking (who sing similar genre) came on the scene and practically
chased him out of the league with their hit songs.
But K Switch could be pardoned a bit,
his ‘Obimo’, featuring D’banj may not have topped so many charts but it
is a good song. ‘His’, For Example featuring Olamide and Wizkid and
Jaburata could not be said to have done great.
Styl-Plus
Who remembers Styl-Plus again? This
group of boys held sway so many years ago and their song, Olufunmi, was a
big hit. Sadly, that was many, many years ago.
Back then, the lads stormed all the
happening gigs, jumping from one point of the stage to another and so
many fans, especially the females, went wild just at the sight of them.
They were even dubbed Nigeria’s Westlife.
In 2006 when they launched their album,
it was alleged that the star-studded event in Abuja and Lagos cost over
N10 million making it one of the most expensive album launch in Nigerian
history.
They may have felt they could do better
than they did in their first album as they released their sophomore
album, ‘Back and better’. But that effort wasn’t so good and that was
how the boys gradually faded.
Now, Styl Plus might need to reintroduce
themselves to a lot of people if they should make a comeback as so many
talents have come and overtaken them in the music business.
Sasha P
Thank God Sasha P got another calling.
Her musical career became practically dead and so many people felt that
in order to remain relevant, the one-time rap queen switched to clothing
and shoe business.
But there was a time the pretty babe was
a rap queen. Yes, Sasha ruled, at least the female musicians’ scene.
But it looked as if the babe couldn’t stand the competition when other
female singers came on the stage.
By the way, Sasha broke into the
Nigerian entertainment scene with the defunct hip-hop group, Trybesmen
in 1994 when the first members, Eldee, Kaboom and Freestyle, met in
Lagos. The group later broke up and everyone went their separate ways.
In 2002, she sang, ‘Oya’ and ‘Work’ it
but she did not gain prominence till she released ‘Emi le gan’, which
was widely accepted, ditto for her ‘Adara’, which she released in 2008.
In 2012, she sang, ‘Bad Girl P’ and the
babe decided to go back and face what may likely be a better career,
her clothing business.
Six newcomers have joined the Manchester United manager, Jose Mourinho as backroom staff.
According manutd.com, the
newcomers will join Mourinho in working with the first team and the
existing specialist departments at the Aon Training Complex.
Below are their pictures: assistant
manager, Rui Faria; coaches Silvino Louro, Ricardo Formosinho, Carlos
Lalin and Emilio Alvarez plus analyst Giovanni Cerra.
Mark Clattenburg has been named the referee for the UEFA Euro 2016
final between hosts France and Portugal, making him the first Englishman
to oversee a Euro final in 52 years.
The 41-year-old will be joined for Sunday’s game in Paris by fellow
Professional Game Match Official Limited assistants Simon Beck and Jake
Collin.
Anthony Taylor and Andre Marriner were selected as additional
assistants, while Viktor Kassai and Gyorgy Ring both from Hungary will
be the fourth official and assistant referee.
No Englishman has been chosen as referee for a UEFA European
Championship final since Arthur Ellis and Arthur Holland officiated the
first two finals in 1960 and 1964, respectively.
Sunday’s final will be Clattenburg’s fourth appointment of the
tournament, following Belgium v Italy, Czech Republic v Croatia and
Switzerland v Poland.
The appointment marks another milestone in the career of the former electrician who became an international referee in 2007.
Officiating Sunday’s final would mean Clattenburg had officiated three major finals in less than two months.
He was the referee for the FA Cup and Champions League final both in May.
A Spanish judge on Friday dropped a
fraud and corruption case against Brazilian superstar Neymar and his
father in relation to the player’s 2013 transfer to Barcelona.
The case had been brought by the
Brazilian investment fund DIS, former owners of the rights of the
player, now 24 and who moved to the Camp Nou from Santos in his
homeland.
DIS, which held 40 percent of Neymar’s
sporting rights when he played at Santos, had claimed it was cheated out
of its real share of the transfer due to parallel contracts that
Barcelona and Santos allegedly used to hide the true cost.
High Court judge Jose de la Mata ruled
that while the case “could have sporting, ethical and disciplinary
repercussions”, it “cannot be pursued in the criminal courts”, the court
said in a statement.
Neymar and his father, who acts as his
agent, and Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu and his predecessor
Sandro Rosell all denied any wrongdoing when they appeared in court in
February.
The ruling comes less than a month after
Barcelona accepted to pay a 5.5-million-euro ($6.2 million) fine over
the contested transfer in a deal with prosecutors that allowed the club
to avoid trial on tax evasion charges.
The agreement freed up Bartomeu and Rosell from possible criminal proceedings that could have seen them jailed.
Barcelona had originally published the
fee in the shady transfer as 57.1 million euros, with 40 million euros
of that given to the player’s family.
But Spanish authorities believe the true transfer figure was at least 83 million euros.
Santos, the Brazilian club of a young
Pele where Neymar started his career, received 17.1 million, 6.8 million
euros of which went to DIS.
But Spanish judicial authorities believe
another 26 million euros from the parallel contracts were shared
between Neymar, his family and Santos, with the DIS and the taxman
missing out on their cuts.
The judge said irregularities in
Neymar’s transfer were detected but it was an issue for a civil court,
not a criminal court to settle. He added that it was not up to him to
decide “if FIFA rules had been respected”
Neymar, widely regarded as one of the
finest talents in world football, last week signed a five-year contract
extension with Barcelona which includes a buy out clause of up to 250
million euros.
The player was already under contract
until 2018 with Barcelona and the deal will keep him at the Catalan side
until June 30, 2021.
The prolific Brazil striker has played
brilliantly for the Catalan club as part of a much feared attacking
trident alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.
He helped Barcelona win the Spanish
league last season for the second year in a row, narrowly beating their
fierce rivals Real Madrid.
But speculation had mounted around whether or not Neymar would extend his stay at the Camp Nou or make another lucrative move.
Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Manchester City had been named as possible suitors.
The scandal surrounding Neymar’s transfer prompted Rossell to resign as Barcelona president in January 2014.
The club and its players have been plagued by a series of legal woes.
A Barcelona court on Wednesday sentenced
Barcelona’s Argentine striker Lionel Messi and his father to 21 months
in jail for tax fraud although they are not expected to serve the term
as is common in Spain for sentences of less than two years for
non-violent crimes.
Messi’s Barcelona and Argentina teammate
Javier Mascherano was sentenced in December to a one-year suspended
sentence for tax fraud after he was found guilty of failing to pay 1.5
million in taxes for 2011 and 2012.
Adeniyi Johnson, actor and estranged
husband of Yoruba actress, Toyin Aimakhu, has said he has not made any
reconciliatory moves to get her ex back since the marriage broke up;
rather the reverse has been the case.
In an exclusive chat with Saturday
Beats, Niyi debunked the tale that he has been calling Toyin every time
in order to see if they could work on their marriage.
“This is a blatant lie! In fact, the
reverse is even the case. I can’t even remember the last time I spoke to
her; it probably was sometime last year. I have never called her since
this controversy started. But she has been the one calling me. I have a
lot of evidence to prove this.”
When asked if there are chances of them
reconciling, Niyi was not forthcoming with a response but rather chose
to say, “I would rather not talk about it. But I have to tell you that
in a few weeks, things will unfold.”
Meanwhile, few days ago, Niyi, in a press release, reacted to the story that he allegedly tried to poison his ex, Toyin.
Niyi in the release, said, “This report
is rather shocking and very untrue, but for those making this
allegation, I would like you to come forth with your medical report or
police report that ever mentioned she was poisoned while we were
together. I have not been with her for the past one year, where would I
have tried to poison her?”
Also, reacting to the controversy about
having a child with another lady, Sade, and neglecting her and her baby,
Niyi said it was totally untrue.
“This is the most interesting part; do
people have children and disclaim them? If yes, I am sorry to disappoint
you, I am a very responsible man. Sometimes in 2012, a lady known as
Sade posted a merged picture of herself, me and a baby girl, which I
quickly dismissed because I do not know her. In 2014, the picture came
up again and I tagged Toyin, her sister Ruth Aimakhu, my pastor and his
wife.
“I thought this was all over till I saw
different stories online about me neglecting Sade and her daughter. My
publicist and manager; Shawttynatt Media, was able to track down Sade
and got the facts you haven’t seen or heard. When the time is right, we
will publish these facts.
“Rumours have it that she had been
parading these pictures around locations and showing them to colleagues
and friends, even when she knows it is not true. It is visibly clear
that I do not have a baby mama or daughter anywhere,” he said
No fewer than 40 suspects have been
arrested in different parts of Ogun State by the police over the
killings carried out by cultists at Igode and Fakale communities, in
Sagamu Local Government Area of the state, on Wednesday.
The suspects were said to have been arrested in Sagamu, Ijebu Igbo, Emuren, and Ago Iwoye.
PUNCH Metro had reported that some Aye
cult members had laid siege to Igode and Fakale communities on
Wednesday, killing no fewer than 11 persons to commemorate the
anniversary.
It was reported that the cultists had gone for a rival group, Eiye Confraternity, but killed innocent residents in the melee.
They were said to have inscribed “7/7” on their victims’ heads as a sign of the celebration.
The masked hoodlums on motorcycles,
reportedly from Emuren, a neighbouring community, had killed three
welders returning from a worksite, before proceeding to Fakale, where
they opened fire on a crowd watching a football match at a viewing
centre.
Seven persons were killed in the process while four others were seriously injured and admitted to a hospital in Sagamu.
While returning to their base in Emuren,
the miscreants chased a man identified simply as Otamali to his
apartment in Igode, hacked him with cutlasses and shot him dead. They
also shattered windows of houses and vandalised cars.
In the wake of the attacks, many
residents had fled the affected communities out of fear while commercial
activities had been paralysed.
However, the head of Igode community, Chief Rafiu Disu, on Friday, told Saturday PUNCH that some dwellers had started returning as the security situation of the area had improved.
Disu added that some youths suspected to have perpetrated the crime had been arrested.
He said, “The presence of soldiers and
policemen in our community and Fakale is high now and now there is
relative peace. Some of the residents who had left have started coming
back. The police made some arrests yesterday (Thursday) evening.”
The scenes of the attacks
The state Police Public Relations
Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, said 17 out of the 40 suspects were arrested at
the Emuren axis and the remaining ones were nabbed at Ijebu Igbo and
Ago Iwoye.
Adejobi said the state command also got information that the Aye
Confraternity members were mobilising to storm Sagamu again on Friday
for another attack, but quickly the command instructed the Divisional
Police Officer in Sagamu and his men to mount security checkpoints on
the Sagamu-Ijebu Ode Highway.
He said the command also had a hint that
some traditional rulers in the affected communities were aiding and
promoting the cult groups, warning that any of them found culpable would
be dealt with according to the law.
He also said the command had zero tolerance for cultism and would do everything to nip their activities in the bud.
He said the cause of the fracas was the killing of a goat that a rival group was preparing for a festival.
He said, “On Wednesday, one of the cult
groups went to kill the goat meant for a celebration by a rival group
and the latter went back to attack them, but they did not get their
targets.
“In Emuren alone, we have three
suspects, they said one of them is a son to a chief, we are still
investigating. We have Faleke Sultan from another community. We went on
an all-round operation.
“In Emuren, which was the conflict theatre, we have Ismail Ali, Sodiq Ibrahim and Ahmed Rafiu.
“We are working on them and we are going
to subdue them, it is not only in this place; all together in the state
now we have arrested 40 suspects, spanning across Sagamu, Emuren, Ijebu
Igbo, and Ago Iwoye.
“In Ago-Iwoye, we have arrested 17 and
as I speak with you, we have information that they are coming again with
their new boss to attack Sagamu, the DPO of Sagamu is on the Expressway
now, they have blocked all the entrances into Sagamu.
“They want to cause problem and unrest
for us in Ogun State and we are going to tackle them. There are
allegations that some traditional chiefs are harbouring them and
promoting the cultists.
“We are going to spread the scope of our
investigation to unravel this and if it is true, any community leader
that is involved in promoting cultism will be dealt with according to
the Constitution. He will face the full wrath of the law.”
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Sixty-two-year-old Adejoke Olawepo, a
petty trader, almost died of shock as screams and claps went all around
her. Commuting all the way from Oyingbo to Sango, Ogun State to see her
daughter last Tuesday, she couldn’t understand why the train she was
travelling in suddenly refused to move again after dropping off some
passengers at Agege, a densely populated suburb within the Lagos
metropolis. The subtle screams and claps from people inside the train
who could see outside, aroused her curiosity. Leaning over a seat to
peep through the window beside her, the sexagenarian could not believe
the sight before her.
“I was afraid; I thought the train had
crushed somebody,” the elderly woman said during a conversation with our
correspondent. “But when I peeped through the window, I saw that it was
a young man kneeling and making gestures to a lady in front of him as
if he was proposing to her. They were right on the rail track, just a
few yards away from where the train stopped. I have never seen anything
like that in my life,” she said.
Lewis Omike and Ebi Boleigha, the pair
Olawepo came across, chose the Agege end of the rail line as part of a
series of photo sessions to usher in their wedding later this month.
Apart from the shot that has since gone viral, the soon-to-be-married
lovers also took amazing photographs on the Lekki Bridge and other
remarkable sites across Lagos.
Omike and Boleigha share a special moment on the rail track
In a chat with our correspondent earlier
in the week, Omike, the groom, said they decided to embark on such
unusual act to spice up their love affair and also be in tune with
modern trends.
He described the experience as simply exciting and unforgettable.
“We just wanted something special, me
and my fiancée,” Omike said. “Our love story is not what words can
describe in a few lines, so to express this feeling we chose to do
something really remarkable to make the days leading up to our wedding
interesting,” he continued. “The two of us came up with the entire
concept and in fact if not for the bad weather at the time, we could
have had more shots at other unusual places.
“On one of those days, we had to leave
the Island where we stay for the rail track around Agege just for that
particular shot. Though my fiancée was shy, for me it was a moment of
pure joy and excitement. A lot of people looked and waved at us while
some others clapped excitedly. Many of them urged me to hold on to her
very well and always ensure there was a smile on her face throughout our
lives. It is one of the moments I would cherish for the rest of my
life,” he said.
In the build up to their own wedding in
August 2016 in Abuja, the nation’s capital, Ndubuisi Obi and Jessica
Okoli have visited more than 10 different locations across the country
in an attempt to create the perfect pre-wedding photo.
A geologist and nurse respectively, the
pair have been to remote and popular locations alike in Northern and
Eastern Nigeria over the last two months since plans for the special
ceremony garnered momentum. Like many of their friends and young
relations, the two who have been lovers for around five years now,
consider taking amazing photographs especially at unusual places in the
days leading up to their big day as one of the most important part of
the entire event. The shot of Obi pushing a visibly excited Okoli seated
inside a canoe towards what looks like paradise has since got the
entire internet and social media buzzing. It has been a busy and
thrilling few weeks for the young lovers.
‘Bell and Pendarius: When love defies size
“Weddings are a once in a lifetime
event, so we believe that it must be as memorable as possible,” Obi said
during a telephone conversation with our correspondent. “Moreover, as
young people, we want to be in tune with latest trends as regards
wedding and other areas of life. We realised that engaging in a lot of
activities especially visiting different locations to take memorable
photographs is one special way of bonding and refreshing our love before
finally walking down the aisle. At the moment, we have visited at least
10 different sites in the Northern and Eastern parts of the country.
Before our wedding in August, we’ll surely be visiting other lovely
places to take amazing shots as well. For me, this is where the fun
really is,” he said.
An increasingly rising trend, the two
young couples are not the only ones now enacting some truly amazing and
sometimes bizarre scenes in different photographs in the country today –
they are only a fraction of the dozens who have since been bitten by
the bug. Determined to add colour to their wedding ceremony in the best
ways they can, embarking on all kinds of photo sessions have become a
common feature for many lovers these days. While some have been quite
scary, others have been splashed with humour, providing viewers with
moments of comic relief.
‘The hunt is over’
For example, photograph of a young man
whose hands and legs are bound while his lover standing next to him
holds a cutlass and a cardboard with the inscription ‘The hunt is over’,
has since become one of the most circulated images on the internet in
recent times. While some described it as bizarre, the couple and their
friends label it one of the most interesting parts of activities put in
place to usher in their big day later in the year.
In yet another unique and unusual shot, a
young lady was seen standing over the boot of a car where her lover
whose hands and legs are tied and mouth also covered, was inside. The
lady could be seen smiling like a warrior who had just conquered a
feisty battle.
A certain couple took their love affair
to another level when they decided to go back in time by appearing in a
secondary school uniform.
The unnamed pair, who are successful
professionals in their own right, could be seen totally loved up in the
various shots taken within a private school compound in Lagos while
students watched excitedly at the background.
‘He is mine for keeps’
In other attention-catching photographs,
young lovers on the verge of getting married who have embraced this
rising trend can be seen taking different shots inside commercial buses,
at open markets, busy roads and even underneath popular bridges across
the country while assuming all kinds of funny and sometimes scary
positions.
For instance, a man and his wife-to-be
were captured in one particular photograph doing push-ups on a road
while wearing a military vest. Another pair was seen carrying each other
on the back under a popular bridge in Lagos. A different set dressed up
in Indian attire, playing and dining inside a garden. The location and
expressions have indeed been endless.
Interestingly, the rising trend has not
been limited to Nigeria, in other parts of the world, amazing
pre-wedding photo shoots have become a common feature, too.
Images of a young man carrying his
‘massive’ lover have continued to leave many around the world looking
for new definitions of the word – love. The voluptuous lady identified
as Abena met her lover known as Prince at the University of Ghana
Hospital where she works as a nursing officer.
According to the medical worker, their
relationship started after a chance meeting when the man visited a sick
relative at the hospital.
Abena and Prince
“It all started a year and a half ago
when I was at work at the University of Ghana Hospital. Prince came to
visit a sick relative whilst I was doing my usual rounds as a nursing
officer. He approached me with a prescription for help and I assisted
him. He really appreciated everything I did for him that day. Soon we
became friends and it moved on and on and here I have my Prince
Charming,” Abena said.
Now married, they will remain popular with dozens around the world for their hilarious and brave pre-wedding photos.
But apart from intending couples, lovers
freshly married or those who have spent years as husband and wife, also
engage in various activities these days to further bring some sort of
excitement into their lives.
For example, a former Speaker of the Imo
State House of Assembly, Hon Ike C. Ibe, and his beautiful bride, Uche,
have continued to enjoy massive attention after photographs of them
buying roasted corn by the roadside just minutes after leaving their
wedding service earlier in July, surfaced on the internet.
Decked in a fitted navy blue jacket and a
glowing white wedding gown respectively with a black Sports Utility
Vehicle parked behind them, the newly married couple chose the unusual
location to add colour to their special day. They have received praises
from many quarters.
In faraway Louisiana, United States of
America, a couple celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary in one of
the most remarkable and hilarious ways.
A couple arriving their wedding in a tractor
In the photographs that have become a
big hit on the internet, the wife, Tynedria Meneweather Bell, could be
seen sleeping over and even carrying her husband, Pendarius, like a baby
on her back. Though funny to some, more than a few hailed the woman and
her husband for expressing their feelings for each other in such an
interesting way.
But beyond embarking on interesting and
beautiful photographs before and after their wedding ceremonies, many
intending couples now also adopt various means to make the occassion
very memorable.
Away from the tradition of arriving
wedding venues in posh and classy vehicles, some lovers, in an attempt
to be distinct, hit such places in tricycles, powerbikes, horses,
chariots, bicycles and even tractors these days. For them, such moves
are ways of making their ceremony quite remarkable and memorable.
In December 2015, Benjamin and Blessing
Okelue stunned many across Nigeria and beyond when they rode to their
wedding venue in Enugu in a power bike.
The couple were escorted by a handful of
bikers who doubled as groomsmen as they arrived and left the venue of
the ceremony for their base in Jos. It was indeed an interesting sight
to behold.
Also wanting to be distinct, Edo State
Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, and his beautiful bride, Iara, arrived their
wedding venue in 2015 inside a private chopper.
A sea of well wishers who had gathered
at the venue and expecting them to come in a long convoy of SUVs, were
however left stunned when the lovers defied tradition and touched down
in the ‘big bird’. The amazing sight certainly added colour to the
event.
Also, couples now choreograph and dance
to popular hits during their wedding ceremonies as a way of making the
occasion truly special. Sometimes circled by guests, the groom and bride
engage each other in a dance contest to the delight of all around.
Interestingly, while the new craze in
town has brought many couples tremendous joy and happiness, it has
equally left several others smiling as well. Photographers, make-up
artists, fashion stylists, wedding planners and several others providing
some of the essential services needed to make these occasions
colourful, have been raking in cool cash in the process.
Mr. and Mrs. Okelue: The power bike couple
“There is no week that I don’t make at
least N100, 000 from shooting pre-wedding photos for young couples,” a
photographer based in Surulere, Lagos, Frank Nwata, told Saturday PUNCH.
“This is aside the amount I usually charge for providing coverage for
the wedding proper,” he added. “To serve clients well especially getting
them a good location and different positions to assume in the photo is
not an easy task, it takes a lot of thinking and constant research to
come up with these ideas. But at the end of the day, it is always
fulfilling to see that your effort is able to put smiles on the faces of
people. For me, the experience has been good.”
Another photographer also making cool money from the growing trend, Abbey Da Great, told Saturday PUNCH that since intending couples started embracing the practice, business has become ‘sweeter’ for him.
According to him, he has also introduced
other related services like providing clients with costumes that fit a
particular location and the concept they have in mind.
“Our job as a result of new trends has
gone beyond just capturing people on camera. These days, you must be
able to provide clients with a lot of other added services so as to win
their trust and keep yourself in business.
“For instance, as part of my service to
clients, I now also provide costumes especially for pre-wedding photo
shoots when needed. Some customers want to appear in ancient Yoruba and
Fulani attire while others want to appear like hunters and also
footballers. I have all these different types of costumes with which I
am able to meet up the expectations of clients once they share their
idea with me. It has been quite rewarding I must confess,” he said.
Chief Executive Officer of Dunamis, a seasoned events planning outfit, Funbi Akinyosoye, told Saturday PUNCH that indeed weddings have gone beyond just having a man and woman exchange marital vows before a congregation.
These days, she said, weddings are
usually a loaded package involving a host of different but related
activities designed towards achieving a particular goal.
“Weddings are beyond what we used to
know them to be in the past,” she said. “Apart from pre-wedding photo
shoots, a lot of other activities also take place just to make it a
memorable one. But then everything depends on the theme for the wedding.
The clients might decide to go local or foreign; this will determine
the location and also costume to be used across the different stages. It
is a way of letting people have a feel of what the real wedding would
look like.
“In fact to serve our clients better
these days, we do wedding proposals where we sell ideas to them. The
response has been great. In fact these days couples now arrive at
reception venues in a huge balloon. Guests can only see them but are not
able to touch them until they come out of the balloon. It is usually a
beautiful sight to behold.
“As part of latest trends also, some
people are now even driven straight into the reception hall in lovely
vehicles. These are all ways couples now embrace to make their wedding
truly special. Everything depends on their budget and personality,” she
said.
Relationship and marriage counsellor,
Nike Olaniyan, sees the rising trend as a way of helping couples improve
on their love life.
According to her, coming up with
different ideas like taking unusual photographs and also arriving
wedding venues in tricycles, power bikes and even bicycles not only bond
lovers but also remind them that only happiness matters in marriage.
“I see the different things people do
before and immediately after marriage these days, for me it has a deeper
meaning than the humour many see from such. I believe that engaging in
some of these activities will not only boost their relationship but also
help them appreciate each other better.
“ No matter what some people may think, I
feel it is a healthy development that will bring about a lot of
understanding and appreciation in marriage,” she said.
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"It's
cruel and magnificent at the same time," Griezmann said. "We've lived
through some extraordinary moments, and the saddest moments as well. We
have to learn. But tonight we gave it all and we have no regrets. I'm
proud of the squad, proud of everybody. Now we have to come back
stronger.
