Category: Entertainment

The 2025/26 Europa League campaign concluded with Aston Villa’s dominant 3-0 victory over Freiburg in the final held in Turkey. Following the match, UEFA’s Technical Observer Group announced the official Team of the Season, highlighting standout performers across the tournament.

Unsurprisingly, the champions Aston Villa lead with four representatives in the star-studded lineup. Goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez earns his place after a string of crucial saves throughout the competition. The midfield is bolstered by John McGinn and Morgan Rogers, while Emiliano Buendía features among the forwards.

Freiburg, the runners-up, contribute two players: defender Matthias Ginter and midfielder Maximilian Eggestein. Braga’s Victor Gómez, Nottingham Forest’s Morato and forward Igor Jesus, Celta’s Oscar Mingueza, and Real Betis’s Antony complete the list.

The selection recognizes individual excellence across the season, with Aston Villa’s triumph underlining their collective strength.

Former Super Eagles midfielder Sunday Oliseh has shared his forecast on how long Jose Mourinho will remain at Real Madrid during his anticipated second stint. According to Oliseh, the Portuguese tactician is unlikely to last beyond three years at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Mourinho is set to return to the LaLiga giants this summer, leaving his current role at Benfica. The 63-year-old is expected to sign a three-year contract with Los Blancos.

Quoted by Soccernet, Oliseh pointed out a recurring pattern in Mourinho’s career: a burnout typically occurs around the third year. He cited examples from the manager’s tenures at Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, where similar declines happened.

Oliseh remarked, “Sadly, there’s the third-year burnout, like at Manchester United and Spurs. Mourinho needs external enemies to thrive, and when he has none, he looks inside.” The Nigerian legend suggests that without a clear adversary, the coach tends to turn his focus inward, which often leads to friction within the squad.

Newcastle United icon Alan Shearer has shared his thoughts on which English players might be left out of Thomas Tuchel’s squad for the upcoming World Cup. Among those he believes could miss out is Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly, despite the youngster scoring the first goal of Tuchel’s tenure against Albania.

Lewis-Skelly’s playing time at Arsenal has fluctuated this season, leading to his exclusion from recent international camps. However, a late-season resurgence under Mikel Arteta saw him shift into central midfield alongside Declan Rice, showcasing his versatility. Yet Shearer doubts this will be enough to earn him a spot on the plane.

Speaking to Metro, Shearer analyzed the left-back competition, noting that Tuchel has used Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall there. He predicts two of the three—Nico O’Reilly, Livramento, or Hall—will make the cut. Regarding Lewis-Skelly, Shearer stated, “He hasn’t played much this season; despite his recent strong performances in midfield, I don’t think it’s enough to secure a place.”

Another likely omission is Manchester United defender Harry Maguire, who has voiced concerns about being left out. Shearer suggested that Dan Burn’s familiarity with Tuchel from recent camps might give him an edge over Maguire. He also listed Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi, and John Stones as certain inclusions, leaving Maguire and Burn to battle for the remaining defensive spot.

Reports also suggest that high-profile names like Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, and Morgan Gibbs-White may be absent from the squad, adding to the surprises expected when Tuchel announces his final selection.

Former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson has shared his thoughts on how incoming Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso might approach his new role. Merson suggests that if the Blues secure a spot in next season’s Europa Conference League, Alonso could use the competition to experiment with tactics and evaluate his squad depth.

In his column for Sportskeeda, Merson highlighted that the Conference League offers a low-pressure environment where Alonso can try out different formations and give playing time to fringe players. “The Conference League will give Xabi Alonso the chance to improvise stuff,” Merson wrote. “He can use that competition to find out more about his squad. For a new manager at a big club, that is an asset.”

Alonso was recently appointed as Chelsea’s head coach and will officially take over after the current season concludes. The Blues are currently battling for a European spot, and Merson believes the Conference League could be pivotal for Alonso’s early tenure. Merson’s prediction comes ahead of Chelsea’s final Premier League match of the season against Sunderland on Sunday.

Nigerian music star Mr Eazi and his wife, Temi Otedola, have revealed that they are expecting their first baby together. The couple shared the heartwarming news on Thursday through a joint Instagram post, featuring clips and photos from a baby shower that highlighted Temi’s growing baby bump.

Their announcement quickly went viral, amassing nearly half a million likes and over thirty thousand comments within just a few hours. In the caption, Temi quoted a Bible verse from Jeremiah, expressing her faith in God’s divine plan and protection for their unborn child.

Among the flood of congratulatory messages, Temi’s sister, DJ Cuppy, joyfully exclaimed that she is about to become an aunt. Other notable figures from the entertainment industry, including Cute Abiola, Toke Makinwa, Enioluwa Adeoluwa, Veekee James, Banky W, Falz, Bisola Aiyeola, Aisha Lawal, Jide Awobona, Toyin Adewale, Chizzy Alichi, Moyo Lawal, Kiekie, and Broda Shaggi, also sent their best wishes.

Frank Edoho, the well-known Nigerian media personality, has initiated legal proceedings against his estranged wife, Sandra Edoho, as their marital dispute escalates. This move comes after Sandra was accused of having an affair with musician Chike, which allegedly led to their separation.

In response to a leaked voice conversation between Sandra and Chike, she previously denied the infidelity claims and instead accused Frank of being a deadbeat, alleging he cheated on her with multiple celebrities under the guise of helping them secure endorsement deals. She also leveled accusations of physical abuse and claimed Frank sold one of her properties to fund his lavish lifestyle and pay for dates with other women.

Frank addressed the situation on Thursday via an Instagram statement, declining to respond to the allegations publicly. He confirmed that he has filed a lawsuit and that an investigation is ongoing. “These issues are now the subject of ongoing legal and investigative processes before courts and relevant authorities,” he stated, adding that it would be inappropriate to comment further on the grave allegations against him at this time.

Meremu Okara, the technical adviser of Bayelsa United, has voiced his deep dissatisfaction following the club’s relegation from the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL). The experienced tactician expressed his sadness over the team’s failure to maintain their top-flight status, acknowledging that the outcome was disheartening for everyone associated with the club.

The Prosperity Boys have already been confirmed as one of the two teams to drop to the second division, alongside Wikki Tourists. With the season drawing to a close, two additional sides will eventually join them after this weekend’s final round of matches, making the relegation battle intensely competitive.

Okara pointed to a variety of factors that led to the team’s poor finish to the season, though he declined to single out specific issues. In a candid interview with Frontpage Sport, he stated, “Honestly, we are not happy. It’s a sad experience to be relegated, and no one enjoys it.” He further noted that the management, players, and coaching staff are all united in their disappointment over the outcome.

Despite their imminent drop, Bayelsa United still have one more fixture to play, facing Kwara United at home in their final NPFL match this weekend. Okara hopes the team can at least end the campaign on a positive note, even though they have already been consigned to the lower division.

Ranchers Bees have solidified their defense by securing the services of Sulaiman Umar Gamagira with a fresh two-year contract extension. The new deal will keep the defender at the Kaduna-based club through the 2028 season, as confirmed by the team on Wednesday.

Gamagira emerged as a standout performer for Ranchers Bees during the previous campaign, playing a pivotal role in the squad’s promotion to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL). His consistent displays were instrumental in the club’s successful push for top-flight status.

The club finished as second runners-up in the 2025-26 Nigeria National League (NNL) Super Four playoff tournament, with Gamagira’s contributions proving vital throughout the competition. His impressive form did not go unnoticed, earning him a call-up to the Flying Eagles for the WAFU B championship.

This contract extension underscores Ranchers Bees’ commitment to retaining key talent as they prepare for life in the NPFL. Gamagira’s continued presence is expected to bolster the team’s defensive capabilities in the upcoming season.

Gary Lineker, the former England international, has delivered his forecast for the upcoming Champions League final, suggesting that Arsenal will be considered the underdogs despite their recent Premier League success.

During his appearance on the Rest Is Football podcast, Lineker expressed that the Gunners will enter the match as “second favourites” when they face PSG in Budapest on May 30.

“I still believe they are second favourites, because Paris Saint-Germain are an exceptionally strong team,” Lineker stated.

“But if any side can defeat them, it’s probably Arsenal. And what an incredible double that would be for them.”

Lineker’s view aligns with that of Jamie Carragher, who also sees PSG as the stronger team. Nevertheless, Carragher has acknowledged that Arsenal possess the best chance among contenders to upset the reigning champions.

Mikel Arteta has finally delivered the Premier League crown to Arsenal after more than two decades of waiting. The Gunners boss addressed his squad at a title celebration, calling them the true champions of England.

Arteta’s side secured the league title this week after Manchester City’s 1-1 draw with Bournemouth. The Spanish coach was not present at the training ground for the match; instead, he watched the decisive result at home with his family.

Later that evening, Arteta joined the festivities at the Tape nightclub in Soho, where the party stretched into the early morning hours. Two 16-year-old talents, Marli Salmon and Max Dowman, were also part of the celebration.

Taking the microphone, Arteta delivered a characteristically passionate speech, praising his players for their hard work and dedication throughout the season. The triumph marks the club’s first league title in 22 years and cements Arteta’s legacy as the manager who ended the drought.