Nigeria Premier League

Champions League: Xavi names Barca killer squad for Royal Antwerp

Ahead of their maiden UEFA Champions League game of the 2023/24 season tomorrow against Royal Antwerp, Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez has released the squad list that will be at his disposal.

And, despite Ronald Araujo having returned to group training today, the Uruguayan international does not make the cut for the squad.

Instead, all signs point towards him returning to the team against Celta Vigo later this week.

Meanwhile, Xavi will also continue to be without Pedri, who is injured, but Fermin Lopez returns to the call after missing the weekend La Liga match due to suspension.

All the new signings – Ilkay Gundogan, Inigo Martinez, Oriol Romeu, Joao Cancelo, and Joao Felix, make it to the squad list and will be in line to make their Champions League debuts for Barcelona against the Belgian champions.

Academy starlets Marc Casado, Lamine Yamal, and Ander Astralaga are also on the list, but Unai Hernandez, who was in the squad for the Real Betis clash, misses out.

Nigeria Premier League

Kano Pillars Chairman praises players despite loss to Remo Stars

Kano Pillars chairman Alhaji Ali Muhammad Umar has commended his team despite their 2-1 defeat to Remo Stars in Ikenne on Sunday.

Speaking to the club’s media, Umar expressed pride in the players’ performance and praised their dominance throughout the match.

“I must commend the players and the technical crew for the way they approached the game. From the first whistle to the end of regulation time, they played with passion and dominated the match,” Umar stated.

He acknowledged the unpredictable nature of football, attributing the loss to bad luck.

“Sometimes, football can be cruel, and we were just unlucky not to secure all three points. We must build on this performance. The season is still ongoing, and I believe with more effort, we will achieve our objectives,” he added.

Kano Pillars are set to face rivals Katsina United in a rescheduled matchday 20 encounter at the Sani Abacha Stadium on Wednesday.

Nigeria Premier League

Brown Ideye Set to Return for Enyimba After Injury Layoff

Former Super Eagles forward, Brown Ideye, is set to make his return for Enyimba in their upcoming league game following a brief injury layoff.

The 36-year-old striker has missed Enyimba’s last two league matches due to a minor injury. Enyimba’s media officer, David Orji, confirmed that Ideye has resumed personal training in preparation for his return to action.

“Ideye is back in training after sustaining a minor injury and should be fully fit soon,” Orji stated.

Ideye has made four league appearances for Enyimba, scoring once. Enyimba will host league leaders Remo Stars in a week 24 fixture in Aba on Sunday, as they aim to improve their standing from the eighth position in the league table, where they currently have 31 points.

Nigeria Premier League

Mangut Blames Pitch Condition for Plateau United’s Draw Against Niger Tornadoes

Plateau United’s technical adviser, Mbwas Mangut, has pointed to the poor condition of the playing surface at Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna as a factor in his team’s 1-1 draw with Niger Tornadoes.

In a post-match interview, Mangut acknowledged the impact of the pitch on his team’s performance, though he expressed satisfaction with the result.

“We are happy with the one point; we came with the mindset to see if we can get the maximum points,” he said.

“You could see the condition of the ground; it didn’t allow us to express ourselves the way we used to play.”

Mangut reassured fans, saying, “With what we are doing, every fan should be patient. I believe that at the end of the day, this team will definitely be where they belong. There are so many factors that will take us to that level, and we are working on that.”

With the draw, Plateau United moved up to 15th position on the table.