Author: Gabby

Arsenal star Declan Rice has identified the player he considers the finest he has shared the pitch with since joining the club. The 27-year-old midfielder, who transferred from West Ham United, was asked to name the top talent among his Gunners colleagues.

Without hesitation, Rice singled out winger Bukayo Saka. In an interview with TNT Sports, Rice stated: “Any player? I’m going to have to say Saka.”

Rice and Saka also represent England together on the international stage. Saka, who missed the season finale against Crystal Palace due to injury, has been a consistent performer for Arsenal since breaking into the first team in 2018.

Antonio Conte, the former Chelsea boss, has urged the Italian Football Federation to pursue Pep Guardiola as the next manager of the national team following Guardiola’s departure from Manchester City. Conte made the suggestion after his own farewell match with Napoli, where he led the team to a 1-0 win over Udinese on Sunday, securing second place in Serie A—eleven points behind champions Inter Milan.

Conte’s name has been frequently linked with the Italy role, especially after the Azzurri failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. However, the 54-year-old tactician believes Guardiola would be the ideal candidate. “People are talking about this. I remember what I said before about the national team; I would also consider myself among the candidates. But there is still no president of the federation. Guardiola’s name has come up, but is the federation ready to hire a top coach? That brings both challenges and success. At this moment, nothing is certain. If they want a top coach, I recommend Guardiola—but do they have the resources?” Conte stated to the press.

Guardiola ended his decade-long tenure at Manchester City on Sunday, with a 2-1 home loss to Aston Villa as his final game. The Spanish manager has announced he will take a sabbatical from coaching, though he has accepted a global ambassadorial role with the City Football Group. “Now is the right time. I won’t miss it for a while, that’s for sure,” Guardiola remarked after the match.

Conte’s departure from Napoli was confirmed earlier on Sunday, following their runners-up finish. The ex-Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur manager has been widely tipped to return to international management, particularly with Italy still without a head coach after Gennaro Gattuso resigned last month. Conte previously led Italy to a respectable quarterfinal finish at Euro 2016 before leaving the role.

The speculation around Guardiola’s next move continues, with Conte’s endorsement adding weight to the possibility of the Catalan coach taking charge of the Azzurri. However, Guardiola’s sabbatical and ambassadorial duties may delay any immediate appointment.

Arsenal icon Ian Wright believes that Mikel Arteta is on the verge of overtaking Arsene Wenger as the most successful manager in the club’s history. The Gunners recently clinched their first Premier League title since 2004, ending a long drought and sparking celebrations. Wright argues that if Arteta can guide the team to Champions League glory, he will eclipse Wenger’s achievements.

On Sunday, Arsenal secured the league crown after Manchester City dropped points at Bournemouth. This spared the Gunners a tense final-day showdown, though they still defeated Crystal Palace 2-1 to finish with 85 points—seven clear of City. The focus now shifts to the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain, where Arsenal are considered underdogs.

Wenger’s tenure was marked by three league titles, seven FA Cups, and the legendary unbeaten 2003-04 season. However, he never won the Champions League, losing the 2006 final to Barcelona. Wright emphasized that this gap in Wenger’s legacy leaves room for Arteta to surpass him. ‘When you look at what Wenger did, it was incredible,’ Wright told Metro. ‘He kept us competing for the Champions League while dealing with stadium finances. But he couldn’t get us over the line in Europe. If Arteta wins the Champions League, he will have achieved something no one else has.’

Wright praised Arteta’s transformation of the squad since arriving as a coach from Manchester City. ‘He came in as a No. 2, changed everything, moved players in and out, and got everyone on board. Now he’s one step away from winning the Champions League—it’s unbelievable. He’ll be remembered as the best,’ Wright added.

Arsenal will parade the Premier League trophy on Monday before preparing for the Champions League final. A victory would cement Arteta’s status as the greatest manager in club history.

Gary Neville, the former Manchester United defender, has expressed concerns about the monumental task awaiting Xabi Alonso at Chelsea. The Blues endured a challenging campaign, culminating in a 2-1 defeat to Sunderland on the final day, which left them in 10th place in the Premier League standings and without European football for the upcoming season.

Interim boss Calum McFarlane took over after Liam Rosenior was dismissed last month, marking Chelsea’s third managerial change in a season that started with Enzo Maresca at the helm. Alonso, who signed a four-year contract last week, is set to officially take charge in July.

Speaking on his Sky Sports podcast, Neville highlighted the magnitude of the challenge facing the Spaniard. “We’ve been discussing the size of the job Roberto De Zerbi has at Spurs; Alonso faces a similar situation at Chelsea. He has been appointed as manager, but he might as well be manager, sporting director, and owner combined. It seems the club has handed him the keys and asked him to fix everything because Chelsea is in a mess—it’s been a truly disastrous season for them,” Neville stated.

Alonso’s previous managerial stint at Bayer Leverkusen was highly successful, leading the club to their first Bundesliga title by overcoming Bayern Munich. However, his time at Real Madrid ended prematurely after just seven months, leaving his overall credentials under scrutiny.

In the loss to Sunderland, Trai Hume gave the hosts a first-half lead, and Malo Gusto’s own goal extended the advantage after the break. Cole Palmer pulled one back for Chelsea, but a late red card to Wesley Fofana—the team’s eighth of the season—sealed their fate. Only 10 men finished the match as they failed to find an equalizer.

As domestic seasons wrap up across Europe, a total of 29 clubs have officially booked their tickets to the league phase of the 2026/2027 UEFA Champions League. Their qualification is determined by final league standings and the allocation slots granted by UEFA.

These 29 teams will be joined by seven more that will emerge from the qualifying rounds and play-offs, making up the full 36-team lineup for the revamped competition.

Below is the breakdown of already qualified clubs by country:

England (5): Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Aston Villa, Liverpool

Germany (4): Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, VfB Stuttgart

Spain (5): FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Villarreal, Real Betis

Italy (4): Inter Milan, Napoli, Roma, Como

France (3): Paris Saint-Germain, RC Lens, Lille OSC

Portugal (1): FC Porto

Netherlands (2): PSV Eindhoven, Feyenoord

Turkey (1): Galatasaray

Ukraine (1): Shakhtar Donetsk

This list reflects teams that have already guaranteed their place through league performance. The remaining slots will be contested in the qualifying rounds, which will determine the final participants for the 2026/2027 UCL league phase.

Pep Guardiola, the outgoing manager of Manchester City, has declared that the time is right for him to step away from the Premier League champions. The Spaniard oversaw his final match on Sunday, a 2-1 loss to Aston Villa at home in the Premier League.

The 55-year-old revealed that his immediate plans involve taking a break to recuperate and dedicate time to his family. He also expressed gratitude towards City’s leadership for respecting his choice to end his ten-year tenure.

“It feels like the appropriate moment. I certainly won’t miss it for some time,” Guardiola stated. “I firmly believe this decision is best for both the club and the squad. I appreciate that the administration acknowledged and accepted my reasoning.”

During his decade at the Etihad Stadium, Guardiola amassed an impressive trophy haul: six Premier League titles, one Champions League, three FA Cups, and five League Cups.

The dynamic Nigerian duo of Rinsola Babajide and Shukurat Oladipo have achieved a remarkable domestic double after their club AS Roma clinched the Coppa Italia Women title with a hard-fought victory over Juventus.

Manuela Giugliano emerged as the hero for the Giallorosse, scoring the decisive goal just ten minutes before the final whistle to secure the cup triumph.

Oladipo, who was recently honored as the best defender in the Serie A Femminile for the 2025/26 season, played the entire match, showcasing her defensive prowess throughout the contest.

Meanwhile, the versatile forward Babajide remained an unused substitute during the tightly contested final.

This Coppa Italia success adds to AS Roma’s earlier achievement of clinching the Serie A Femminile title earlier this month, completing a glorious double for the club.

Throughout the season, Oladipo made 31 appearances in all competitions, while Babajide contributed in 14 matches, scoring one goal and providing three assists.

Former Liverpool striker Michael Owen has voiced his belief that Jarrod Bowen of West Ham United is the standout candidate to fill the void left by Mohamed Salah at Anfield. Salah made his final appearance for the Reds in a 1-1 draw against Brentford, bringing his illustrious Liverpool tenure to a close.

Owen, speaking to Premier League Productions, acknowledged the peculiar circumstances surrounding Bowen’s potential departure, given West Ham’s relegation to the Championship. However, he argued that the winger’s quality demands a Premier League stage.

‘He’s been incredible,’ Owen said. ‘You’ve got a short career, and he simply has to be playing in the top flight. If an offer comes that’s genuinely compelling, I’ve been saying this for a long time – with Mo Salah gone, Bowen is the absolute perfect replacement for him at Liverpool.’

The endorsement from Owen, a former Ballon d’Or winner, adds weight to growing speculation linking Bowen with a move to Merseyside. With Salah’s departure now confirmed, Liverpool’s search for a marquee attacking signing appears to have a clear target.

The Hausa film industry has been dealt a heavy blow with the passing of veteran actress Wasila Isma’il, who lost her battle with a prolonged illness. She was 46 years old.

Her estranged spouse, Al-Amin Chiroma, broke the news on social media platforms on Sunday. He disclosed that she breathed her last at the FOMWAN Hospital situated in Kaduna.

Hailing from Kaduna, the actress became a household name in Kannywood circles, thanks largely to her role in the 1999 picture ‘Wasila’. The film, directed by Yakubu Lere and co-starring Ali Nuhu, catapulted her to fame.

Isma’il first stepped into the acting scene in 1998, making her debut in the production ‘Jinin Masoya’. She once opened up about her early career in an interview, shedding light on why the title of her breakout film was altered from ‘Jamila’ to ‘Wasila’. She expressed discomfort with the original name, fearing it might cast a negative light on her persona. The director accommodated her request for a change.

In the wake of her death, fans and fellow actors have flooded social networks with tributes, highlighting her immense impact on the growth of Kannywood.