Nigeria Premier League

Osasuna cleared to play in Conference League playoff round

Osasuna have won their battle to be admitted into the UEFA Conference League, after they took their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Pamplona will be a happy place this week after Los Rojillo emitted a statement confirming that they had been given permission by UEFA to play the Conference League next season.

UEFA had initially suspended the club from European competition for a year following match-fixing that occurred in 2013 and 2014. At the time Osasuna were the ones that reported the incident to the authorities, and in the Spanish justice system, they were declared a victim of the match-fixing, with the individual directors involved the perpetrators.

After taking the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Osasuna did not say that ruling was given, but rather that UEFA had concluded, as the authorities in Spain had, that in light of new evidence provided by the club, they were victims of the crime too.

This will be a major relief for Osasuna, who had described it as great injustice, while Sporting Director Braulio Vazquez had said it left him questioning his faith in football. They felt that they were being robbed of a reward that they had earned on the pitch.

Their statement continued on to say that they would accept a punishment imposed by UEFA for taking the case through the ordinary justice system, but that it would not impact their participation in the competition. They will now attend the play-off draw on the 7th of August with the rest of the teams.

Athletic Club are set to miss out as a result. Los Leones, who had finished 8th and just behind Los Rojillo, would have taken their place had the case been upheld, but will now have to reshuffle their plans too.

Nigeria Premier League

Ogunmodede reflects on Emo Stars’ win over Abia Warriors

Emo Stars technical adviser Daniel Ogunmodede admitted his side was fortunate to secure a 3-2 victory over Abia Warriors in Ikenne on Wednesday.

Abia Warriors took a 2-0 lead in the first half, with goals from Ayodele Eziekel and Anthony Ijoma. However, Emo Stars responded with three goals from Olamilekan Adebayo, Jabbar Malik, and Franck Mawuena to clinch the win.

Ogunmodede acknowledged that his team had underestimated their opponents but managed to turn things around. “The game was tense and shocking in the first half on our home ground. Not every time you will be lucky against a great team we played against,” he said in the post-match interview.

“We underestimated the qualities of our opponent, and we were punished for it. But luckily, we identified the problem and readjusted to get the victory.”

Emo Stars will now aim to build on this win as they continue their campaign

Nigeria Premier League

Kano Pillars eye maximum points in midweek showdown with Ikorodu City

Kano Pillars are determined to secure all three points in their upcoming fixture against Ikorodu City in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

The Sai Masu Gida will face Ikorodu City at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos on Wednesday.

Usman Abdallah’s side is upbeat and focused ahead of the match, with the players in high spirits.

“Done and dusted with the shake-ups ahead of our NPFL25 Matchday 21 clash against Ikorodu City this Wednesday at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Lagos,” Kano Pillars wrote on X.

“The boys are in high spirits and determined to secure maximum points as we aim to continue our impressive run this season.”

Kano Pillars currently sit in eighth place on the league table with 28 points.

Nigeria Premier League

Brown Ideye criticizes NPFL standards, calls for major improvements

Enyimba striker Brown Ideye has expressed dissatisfaction with the current state of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), stating that significant improvements are needed to elevate its standard.

Ideye, who rejoined the league in December 2024 after signing for Enyimba, has made appearances in both NPFL and CAF Confederation Cup matches, scoring two goals so far.

Sharing his thoughts following Enyimba’s 2-0 defeat to Kwara United in a rescheduled matchday 16 fixture in Ilorin, Ideye voiced concerns about the league’s challenges.

“The system is getting worse; the league is not improving. I feel like we have a long way to go,” Ideye remarked during an interview.

Despite enjoying his time at Enyimba, the former West Brom striker emphasized that much remains to be addressed in the league.

“My time at Enyimba has been wonderful, but there are a lot of things in the league that need improvement and haven’t changed yet,” he added.

On the poor performances of Nigerian clubs in CAF competitions, Ideye highlighted critical areas requiring attention.

“In terms of traveling, feeding, hotel accommodations, and player relaxation — it’s all bad. Nigerians are not ready for continental competitions. We need to put our house in order before going there, instead of embarrassing ourselves.”