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I WILL BE HERE, 100 PER CENT FOR MAN CITY, DESPITE UEFA BAN, SAYS PEP GUARDIOLA

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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says he is “100 per cent” sure he will stay at the club despite the two-year ban from European football handed out by UEFA for serious breaches of Financial Fair Play rules.

There has been speculation over the Spaniard’s future, given his side could be barred from competing in the next two Champions League campaigns but Guardiola, whose contract runs until June 2021, was quick to dismiss such talk.

“Why should I leave? I said a month ago, I love this club, I like to be here. Why should I leave?,” he told Sky Sports after his team’s 2-0 win over West Ham United in the Premier League on Wednesday (Feb 19).

“If they don’t sack me, I will stay here 100 per cent, more than ever.

“First, because I want to stay. It’s something special, more than the contract I have. I said before, I say now, I want to stay and help the club and maintain this level as long as possible.”

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City are appealing against the ban to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland and the club’s hierarchy have insisted they have done no wrong and will prevail.

“We spoke with the players, in the next three months we will focus on what we have to do and after we will see the sentence. Personally, I will be here,” Guardiola told reporters.

“It is so sensitive with the legal (aspect) that I am not the person to talk about that,” he said, when asked about the case.

“I know a little bit the reasons why and I support the club 100 per cent. I trust what they told me and that is what I can say.

“When someone believes he is right, he is going to fight to the end and that is what we are going to do. It is an incredible thing to fight for our people who support this club and we are going to do it. As a club, a team, we are going to do it.”

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Guardiola has won two Premier League titles at City. His side are in the last 16 of the Champions League and lie second in the domestic standings, 22 points behind Liverpool.

The former Barcelona manager said he had discussed with his players the right approach to take to the rest of the campaign, in light of the legal moves.

“We have a deal, we are professional on the pitch. What happened off the pitch, we cannot say, we cannot do much,” Guardiola said.

“So we talked about what we were going to do until the end of the season, what we have to do, especially for the people who love this club. There are many, and that is going to happen, so (we) play our games as best as possible.”

-Reuters

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Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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African football legends, Adebayor and Aubameyang condemn Libya’s treatment of Super Eagles

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Two former African Footballers of the Year, Emmanuel Adebayo of Togo and Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang of Gabon have condemned the actions of the Libyan authorities who subjected the Super Eagles of Nigeria to inhumane treatment at the Al Abaq Airport Adebayor was the African Footballer of the Year in 2008 while Aubameyang won the 2015 edition.

Local authorities left the Nigerian contingents unattended for more than 15 hours after they arrived on Sunday night.

Players were seen sleeping on the bench, and the team’s doctors raised concerns over their health ahead of the match.

Adebayor, a legend of African football and Arsenal wrote on X-platform:

“Nigerian Super Eagles were stranded at a Libyan airport, locked in without food, wi-fi, or a place to sleep after their flight was diverted.

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“This type of behaviour is unacceptable for the progress of African football. No team should face such treatment. We stand with Nigeria’s Super Eagles.

“Respect and fair play must come first on and off the field.”

His Gabonese counterpart, Aubameyang who also played for Arsenal that the Libyan action should not happen in 2024. He wrote on X:

“Anyway that is not possible in 2024 acting like that.”

In a related development, the cheerleader of Nigerian football, Dr. Raufu Ladipo told Sports Village Square: “It is a big shame that an African country will treat our Super Eagles this way. It is barbaric. If they could do this to our team,

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“One could imagine what they would have done to members of the supporters club . It is high time CAF and indeed, FIFA takes a very serious look and takes a decision that will serve as deterrent to forestall future occurrence.”

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Ahead of Nigeria-Libya match: Some kidnapped journalists regain freedom

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An unspecified number of Nigerian journalists travelling to Uyo for Friday’s Nigeria versus Libya’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match have been rescued.

This is contained in a press release by the Sports Writers’ Association of Nigeria (SWAN) on Thursday. The association commended the Nigerian security forces for their efforts in the rescue operation.
From the press release, it was gathered that the media men were abducted within the  Anambra and Imo states axis.

”SWAN therefore commends the security operatives, particularly the Nigerian Army and Police for their prompt action which ensured that up to six of the held Sports Journalists regained their freedom with efforts to get the remaining person freed”, reads the SWAN statement.

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Klopp becomes Red Bull global soccer chief in first job after Liverpool

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Liverpool v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - May 19, 2024 Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp reacts as he gives a speech after his last match as Liverpool manager REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo

German coach Juergen Klopp has been appointed head of global soccer for Red Bull, owners of several clubs including RB Leipzig and New York Red Bulls, the company said on Wednesday, in his first job since leaving Liverpool earlier this year.

Klopp, who ended his successful nine-year stint with Liverpool at the end of last season, will be starting on January 1, 2025.

“After almost 25 years on the sideline, I could not be more excited to get involved in a project like this,” Klopp, who also coached Mainz 05 and Borussia Dortmund, said in a statement.

“The role may have changed but my passion for football and the people who make the game what it is has not.”

The 57-year-old joined Liverpool in October 2015 and won the Champions League, their first English League title since 1990, the Club World Cup, FA Cup, League Cup and Super Cup, as well as the Community Shield during his time in charge.

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Klopp, who also led Dortmund to two Bundesliga titles, a German Cup and a Champions League final in 2013, had announced in January he would be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season.

Klopp will not be involved in the day-to-day operations of the Red Bull-owned clubs in Germany, United States, Brazil and Austria, the company said.

“He will provide strategic vision, supporting individual sporting directors in advancing the Red Bull philosophy,” Red Bull said.

Klopp will also support the organisation’s global scouting operation, and contribute to the training and development of coaches.

“I see my role primarily as a mentor for the coaches and management of the Red Bull clubs but ultimately I am one part of an organisation that is unique, innovative and forward looking. As I said, this could not excite me more,” Klopp said.

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Some German media reported his Red Bull contract included an exit clause for the post of Germany national team coach.

Klopp has long been linked to that job, especially after his successful stint at Liverpool and with Germany struggling to make an impact on the international stage in the past decade.

-Reuters

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