La Liga
RITA CHIKWELU JOINS OSHOALA IN SPAIN
Experienced Nigeria midfielder Rita Chikwelu has become the latest in an ever-increasing number of African players to join the Spanish Women’s League.
The 31-year-old has joined Madrid CFF on a six-month deal after a decade in Sweden, where she scored 60 goals, with Umea IK and Kristianstad.
She joins compatriot Chidinma Okeke at the Spanish Primera Iberdrola side.
“This is a different and competitive league, as a footballer you want to test yourself around the best players,” she told BBC Sport.
“The Spanish league is an interesting place for African players and I believe this will continue to help develop our players’ game and their profile.”
Chikwelu helped Nigeria to success at the 2016 and 2018 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations tournaments.
She also played a key role at last year’s Women’s World Cup as the West Africans reached the knockout stage for the first time since 1999.
Another compatriot, the four-time African footballer of the year winner, Asisat Oshoala is the biggest African name in the 16-team league with FC Barcelona.
Christopher Atkins of RWMG Sports Management believes African players are now attracted to new options as more women’s leagues become professional.
The more traditional choices were the USA and Scandinavia, who were among the first to offer professional deals for women, with China, France and England following suit.
“The Spanish league is fast becoming one of, if not the most attractive destination for African players,” Atkins, much of whose work is in the Asian market, told BBC Sport.
“The successes of Asisat Oshoala and (Zambian) Barbra Banda in particular have given inspiration to others and La Liga are doing a great job of boosting the profile of the league.”
Many African players have enjoyed huge financial incentives in China and savoured the competitive nature with its top clubs always on the hunt for new players.
But the fast-growing Spanish league also presents African players with a good platform to parade their skills.
“The clubs are excellent when it comes to looking after the players and making them feel at home,” Atkins added.
African players in the Spanish Women’s league:
- Barcelona – Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria)
- CD Tacon – Osinachi Ohale (Nigeria)
- EdF Logrono – Ida Guehai (Ivory Coast), Barbra Banda (Zambia), Grace Asantewaa (Ghana) Dorine Chuigoue and Jade Boho (both Equatorial Guinea)
- Madrid CFF – Rita Chikwelu and Chidinma Okeke (Both Nigeria)
- Rayo Vallecano Femenino – Priscilla Okyere (Ghana)
- Real Betis Feminas – Michaela Abam (Cameroon) Alice Ogebe (Nigeria)
- Sevilla FC – Toni Payne (Nigeria)
- Sporting de Huelva – Peace Efih (Nigeria) Princella Adubea (Ghana) Fatuomata Kanteh [Gambia/Spanish]
- Tenerife – Rassia Feudjio (Cameroon)
- UD Granadilla Tenerife – Ange N’Guessan (Ivory Coast) Raissa Feudijoat (Cameroon)
- Valencia – Zenatha Goeieman (Namibia)
Barcelona turned the Clasico into a coronation on Sunday, swatting aside Real Madrid 2-0 at a roaring Camp Nou to claim their 29th LaLiga title.
Hansi Flick’s side moved to an unassailable 91 points, 14 clear of second-placed Real with three games remaining.
The triumph capped a dominant campaign in which they lost only four league matches. Villarreal are third on 69 points.
Real arrived needing victory to keep their wafer-thin title hopes alive, but Marcus Rashford crushed those aspirations just nine minutes into the game.
Antonio Rudiger fouled Ferran Torres just outside the box, and Rashford bent a superb free kick into Thibaut Courtois’ top-left corner, giving Barcelona the early lead and sending the home crowd into raptures.
Nine minutes later, Barcelona doubled the lead. Fermin Lopez crossed into the area, and Dani Olmo produced a clever backheel that sent the ball into the path of Torres, who rifled a fierce strike into the top corner.
The win completed back-to-back league titles for Flick, who also delivered the LaLiga and Copa del Rey double in his first season last year.
Both sides were heavily depleted. Barcelona were without Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and Jules Kounde from the starting lineup.
Real’s list of missing players was longer, with Eder Militao, Dani Carvajal, Ferland Mendy, Arda Guler and Rodrygo all absent. Federico Valverde also missed out after suffering a head injury following a midweek changing-room fight with team-mate Aurelien Tchouameni, with both players fined 500,000 euros over the incident.
Kylian Mbappe did not travel because of a leg muscle injury, forcing manager Alvaro Arbeloa to start Vinicius Jr alongside academy striker Gonzalo, with Jude Bellingham and Brahim Diaz pushing forward in support.
Real threatened through Vinicius and Gonzalo before halftime, but Barcelona carried the greater menace. Courtois kept the visitors alive with fine saves from Torres and Rashford before the interval.
Barcelona continued to press after the break, Rashford repeatedly tormenting left back Fran Garcia down the right, while Courtois produced another sharp stop with his left foot to deny Torres from point-blank range in the 56th minute.
Bellingham had a goal ruled out for offside in the 62nd minute, and Joan Garcia was quick to deny Vinicius in a one-on-one, preventing the Brazilian from lifting the ball over him.
Real kept probing late on, but there was little bite in their attack, and Barcelona calmly saw out the win before the title celebrations began.
“This title is even more special because we won it at home against Real Madrid. Now it’s time to enjoy it with the fans,” Frenkie de Jong told Spanish broadcaster Movistar Plus.
“Every title has to be celebrated in style. Especially LaLiga, which is a year-long competition. We’ve clearly been the best in Spain.”
-Reuters
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Real Zaragoza goalkeeper Esteban Andrada was sent off for punching Huesca captain Jorge Pulido in a fiery Spanish second division clash on Sunday that descended into a mass brawl, with Huesca keeper Dani Jimenez dismissed for punching Andrada.
Zaragoza’s Dani Tasende was also dismissed after a VAR review of the brawl.
With tensions simmering in a relegation scrap, Argentine Andrada lost his composure moments before the final whistle. Ignoring the run of play, he approached Pulido and struck him in the face with his right hand, sparking chaotic scenes eight minutes into stoppage time.
It was an ugly flashpoint in a match already short on finesse and heavy on nerves, and could carry serious consequences for the goalkeeper.
Huesca manager Jose Luis did not attempt to defend the scenes.
“It’s hard to explain; I think it’s a complete loss of control. I can put myself in their shoes, given what was at stake and all. But it’s unjustifiable. It’s just that I don’t know what to do or how to stop it; a brawl breaks out,” he said.
“It’s ugly; this was supposed to be a celebration of Aragonese football. I’d like people to talk about the match, even though it was ugly, with little play but a lot of hard work.”
Oscar Sielva’s goal secured a 1-0 win for Huesca, lifting them to 36 points in 19th place, while Zaragoza remain second-bottom on 35.
-Reuters
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Joan Laporta has been re-elected as Barcelona president after winning over 68 percent of the vote and will begin his second consecutive term, and fourth overall, from July 1, the club said on Sunday.
The 63-year-old took office in March 2021 and stepped down last month in line with club statutes in order to seek re-election.
Laporta described the election as a “celebration of democracy and civic responsibility” and said the tasks ahead included finishing work on the Camp Nou and strengthening the men’s team.
-Reuters
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