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TOTTENHAM EUROPA LEAGUE CAMPAIGN BEGINS IN BULGARIA

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Tottenham Hotspur will face a trip to Bulgaria in the Europa League second qualifying round in September after being paired with Lokomotiv Plovdiv in Monday’s draw.

The tie will be played on Thursday, 17 September, five days after Jose Mourinho’s side kick off their Premier League campaign at home to Everton. They are due to play away at Southampton on Sunday, 20 September.

Lokomotiv qualified for the Europa League by winning the Bulgarian Cup for the second year running. Spurs qualified by coming sixth in the Premier League.

Meanwhile, League of Ireland side Shamrock Rovers have been handed a glamour tie at home to seven-time former European champions AC Milan in Dublin.

Steven Gerrard’s Rangers have been drawn away at Lincoln Red Imps of Gibraltar, the minnows who beat Celtic 1-0 at home in a Champions League qualifier in 2016 before losing the return in Glasgow.

After being knocked out of this season’s Champions League at home by Ferencvaros in the second qualifying round last week, Celtic will enter the Europa League in the third qualifying round, the draw for which takes place today.

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Complications caused by the coronavirus pandemic mean that all qualifying ties are being played as one-off matches at the home of the first team drawn from the hat, rather than over two legs.

All European ties are going ahead behind closed doors.

The delayed 2019-20 Europa League was only completed on 21 August, with Sevilla beating Inter Milan in the final behind closed doors in Cologne to win the trophy for the sixth time in 15 years.

In a separate draw, KF Tirana of Albania and Ludogorets of Bulgaria were given byes into the play-off round

Ties to be played on September 17 with winners advancing to third qualifying round

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Ties will be played as one-off straight knockout matches, rather than over two legs, because of the complications caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The first-named clubs are at home.

UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE SECOND QUALIFYING ROUND DRAW:

  • Hammarby (SWE) v Lech Poznan (POL)

  • Maccabi Haifa (ISR) or FK Zeljeznicar (BIH) v Kairat Almaty (KAZ)
  • B36 Torshavn (FRO) v The New Saints (WAL)
  • TSC Backa Topola (SRB) v FCSB (ROU)
  • Progres Niederkorn (LUX) v Willem II (NED)
  • Sfintul Gheorghe Suruceni (MDA) v Partizan Belgrade (SRB)
  • Lokomotiv Plovdiv (BUL) v Tottenham Hotspur (ENG)
  • Budapest Honved (HUN) v Malmo (SWE)
  • Lincoln Red Imps (GIB) v Rangers (SCO)
  • KF Renova (MKD) v Hajduk Split (CRO)
  • Dunajska Streda (SVK) v Jablonec (CZE)
  • Shamrock Rovers (IRL) v AC Milan (ITA)
  • Kaysar Kyzylorda (KAZ) v APOEL (CYP)
  • Lokomotiv Tbilisi (GEO) v Dynamo Moscow (RUS)
  • Coleraine (NIR) v Motherwell (SCO)
  • KF Teuta (ALB) v Granada (ESP)
  • Viking Stavanger (NOR) v Aberdeen (SCO)
  • CSKA Sofia (BUL) v BATE Borisov (BLR)
  • KF Laci (ALB) v Hapoel Beer-Sheva (ISR)
  • FK Ventspils (LAT) v Rosenborg (NOR)
  • Servette (SUI) v Reims (FRA)
  • Olimpija Ljubljana (SLO) v HSK Zrinjski (BIH)
  • Piast Gliwice (POL) v Prolactal Hartberg (AUT)
  • Hibernians (MLT) v Fehervar (HUN)
  • Nomme Kalju (EST) or NS Mura (SLO) v AGF Aarhus (DEN)
  • Neftci PFK (AZE) v Galatasaray (TUR)
  • IFK Gothenburg (SWE) v FC Copenhagen (DEN)
  • OFI Crete (GRE) v Apollon Limassol (CYP)
  • Bala Town (WAL) v Standard Liege (BEL)
  • FC Botosani (ROU) v KF Shkendija (MKD)
  • Aris Thessaloniki (GRE) v Kolos Kovalivka (UKR)
  • FK Riteriai (LTU) v Slovan Liberec (CZE)
  • Borac Banja Luka (BIH) v Rio Ave (POR)
  • FK Kukesi (ALB) v VfL Wolfsburg (GER)
  • NK Osijek (CRO) v FC Basel (SUI)
  • Bodo/Glimt (NOR) v Zalgiris Vilnius (LTU)
  • Inter Club d’Escaldes (AND) v Dundalk (IRL)
  • KuPS Kuopio (FIN) v Slovan Bratislava (SVK)
  • Linfield (NIR) v Floriana (MLT)
  • Riga FC (LAT) v SS Tre Fiori (SMR)
  • Djurgardens (SWE) v Europa FC (GIB)
  • Flora Tallinn (EST) v KR Reykjavik (ISL)
  • FK Sileks (MKD) v KF Drita (KOS)
  • FC Astana (KAZ) v FK Buducnost Podgorica (MNE)
  • Ararat-Armenia (ARM) v CS Fola Esch (LUX)
  • Connah’s Quay Nomads (WAL) v Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO) 

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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