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Barcelona Claims La Liga Title After Winning Espanyol

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Barcelona has won La Liga for the first time since 2019 by winning Espanyol 4-2 on Sunday, wrestling the title back from rivals Real Madrid.

The Catalan giants clinched their 27th Spanish championship at the home of their neighbours, with scenes turning ugly at full time as celebrating Barcelona players were chased from the field by pitch invaders.

Robert Lewandowski struck twice for Barcelona, along with goals for Alejandro Balde and Jules Kounde, while Javi Puado and Joselu pulled two back late on for the hosts.

Barcelona’s players leave the pitch in a hurry as Espanyol fans invade the pitch after the Spanish league football match between RCD Espanyol and FC Barcelona at the RCDE Stadium in Cornella de Llobregat on May 14, 2023.

Barcelona have endured a troubled period on and off the pitch in recent years but their triumph signals significant improvement, with coach Xavi Hernandez winning his first major trophy since taking over in November 2021.

President Joan Laporta’s rebuild was widely criticised last summer in light of the club’s perilous financial situation.

Barcelona’s players celebrate winning their 27th Spanish league championship after the Spanish league football match between RCD Espanyol and FC Barcelona at the RCDE Stadium in Cornella de Llobregat on May 14, 2023.

Early Champions League elimination was a blow, but the club won the Spanish Super Cup in January, before sealing La Liga glory with four games to spare.

“It’s a magnificent feeling, (of) work well done,” Xavi told Movistar.

“Ten months of work and sacrifice. The fans deserve it, the club, it gives us stability and security that things are being done well.

“We sealed La Liga with a fantastic game, we were brilliant.”

Xavi did not spring any surprises with his line-up and Barcelona’s first team took to the pitch with one goal firmly in mind, the end finally in sight.

Barcelona’s players celebrate winning their 27th Spanish league championship after the Spanish league football match between RCD Espanyol and FC Barcelona at the RCDE Stadium in Cornella de Llobregat on May 14, 2023.

They conjured an electric display, one of their finest this season, to seal their triumph and leave their city rivals 19th, four points from safety with four matches remaining.

Barcelona broke the deadlock after 11 minutes with a well-worked goal, finished off by Lewandowski for his 20th of the season in La Liga.

Ronald Araujo played an inch perfect long pass for left-back Balde, who blazed past Espanyol defender Oscar Gil and crossed for Lewandowski to bundle home from close range.

Gil was beaten by Balde again for the second goal, this time scored by the young left-back after Pedri darted to the byline and scooped an inviting cross to the back post.

Barcelona’s players celebrate winning their 27th Spanish league championship after the Spanish league football match between RCD Espanyol and FC Barcelona at the RCDE Stadium in Cornella de Llobregat on May 14, 2023.

It was Balde’s first goal for Barcelona, capping a superb breakthrough season for the youngster, who has phased veteran defender Jordi Alba out of the side.

Espanyol goalkeeper Fernando Pacheco tipped away a Lewandowski effort as Barcelona poured forward, with the hosts battling not to be blown away.

 ‘Can’t lack respect’

It worked for a while, but visitors grabbed the third before half-time when Raphinha put the ball on a plate for Lewandowski to roll home.

The Polish striker’s arrival from Bayern Munich was a key part of last summer’s rebuild and despite a dip in the second half of the season, has paid the Catalans back in goals.

Barcelona’s Polish forward Robert Lewandowski celebrates scoring his team’s third goal during the Spanish league football match between RCD Espanyol and FC Barcelona at the RCDE Stadium in Cornella de Llobregat on May 14, 2023.

Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen made a sublime save to deny former team-mate Martin Braithwaite from close range in stoppage time at the end of the first period.

Kounde headed home the fourth early in the second half from Frenkie de Jong’s perfect chipped pass as Espanyol’s defence crumbled yet again.

Barcelona’s French defender Jules Kounde (L) celebrates scoring his team’s fourth goal during the Spanish league football match between RCD Espanyol and FC Barcelona at the RCDE Stadium in Cornella de Llobregat on May 14, 2023.

Some Espanyol fans headed for the exits early while others demanded the board resign, including aiming one unsavoury chant at the club’s Chinese owners.

Ter Stegen denied Puado when through on goal, determined to earn a La Liga record-equalling 26th clean sheet of the season in the top flight.

However moments later the Espanyol forward found himself through on goal once more and this time scored with a sublime lob — small consolation in the face of Espanyol’s defeat and Barcelona’s glory.

Joselu pulled another goal back in stoppage time, but it was too little, too late.

Xavi’s side celebrated at full-time, to the anger of Espanyol fans, who invaded the pitch, with Barcelona players sprinting down the tunnel to escape.

“The celebration is normal, but I know we’re not at home and we can’t lack respect,” added Xavi.

“I know it’s difficult to control but I told them the best thing would be to get inside now.”

AFP

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Nigerian coach sells Osimhen’s boots

The Super Eagles striker last wore the boots when he scored a hat-trick for Nigeria in the last 2026 World Cup qualifying series against the Benin Republic.

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Assistant coach of Solution FC – an Anambra-based Nigeria National League side – Olisa Ezeasor has sold the pair of boots gifted to him by Super Eagles striker, Victor Osimhen.

He put the boots up for sale at N1m, barely two months after he was gifted them by Osimhen.

The Super Eagles striker last wore the boots when he scored a hat-trick for Nigeria in the last 2026 World Cup qualifying series against the Benin Republic.

The PUNCH reported that Eseasor sold the boots to a football administrator, Fola Olatunji-David, for an undisclosed fee.

According to him, he needed the money for business.

“Officially putting this boot up for sale. Price: One million naira only. Size: 44/45. Money needed to support my personal business,” Eseasor posted on Saturday.

On Sunday, he returned with an update on the sale and also announced a giveaway of N250,000 from the proceeds.

“Update: Boot bold. Purchased by Fola Olatunji-David.

Price: undisclosed.“In order to give back to my mutual community, who have been active under my posts since my small fame in this space, I’ll be doing a giveaway worth N250,000. N10,000 for 25 persons. Follow my account, on my post notification, and comment done with a screenshot of my post notification on. I’ll select winners from the comments. Entries start now.”

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Mikel Obi ready to reset Nigerian football governance

“If you want us going forward, you must make sure things are done properly. Get the right people, people that have the same direction and thought, so when the players come back home to play, there is a good environment for them to play and perform.”

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Image credit : arise.tv

Former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel has announced his interest in taking a leadership role within the Nigeria Football Federation, stressing that he would only step into such a position if it operates without corruption

.Mikel’s comments follow Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, a setback he believes highlights deeper structural problems within Nigerian football.

The 37 year old said the issues extend beyond the pitch and require a complete reset driven by integrity and accountability.

Mikel, who has long been vocal about his commitment to national service, said he has always prioritised Nigeria throughout his football career.

“One thing I have always done since my early days is fought for the country. I don’t know how many players have done that like I have, through the U17, U20, the senior national team.”

“Years of sacrifice. I have never for once said no to my country.”

He added that he remains ready to contribute, but only under the right conditions.

“When I know I can give my opinion and help, I will always be ready. But again, I won’t have corruption tied to me. I am never going to do that if I am going to say yes.

“If you want us going forward, you must make sure things are done properly. Get the right people, people that have the same direction and thought, so when the players come back home to play, there is a good environment for them to play and perform.”

Beyond his playing career, Mikel has gained administrative experience. In July 2023, he was appointed Honorary Adviser on Sports in Plateau State by Governor Caleb Mutfwang, where he has contributed to sports development and strategic planning.

His leadership role, combined with his global football profile, has led many observers to view him as a potential reformist figure who could help reset Nigerian football governance.

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Former Falcons coach Waldrum questions NFF on FIFA’s $960,000 “Where’s that money?

Waldrum said that corruption is never questioned in Nigeria, unlike in the US, where people will seek to know how public funds are spent.

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Randy Waldrum, former head coach of the Super Falcons, has questioned the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) over $960,000 it allegedly got from FIFA in preparation for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

In a viral video on X, Waldrum said that a FIFA insider informed him that every nation that participated in the competition was given money to prepare their squad.

The NFF is claimed to have received roughly N1.4 billion in Naira in October 2022 to support the team.

The former coach lamented that despite receiving the huge sum of money, the NFF could not even put the team in camp before the World Cup and could not afford business-class tickets for the team.

Waldrum said that corruption is never questioned in Nigeria, unlike in the US, where people will seek to know how public funds are spent.

The coach also said that the NFF could only allow him to work with just seven staff, despite that it was FIFA that paid for the bonuses of the technical staff, adding that he was at the tournament without an analyst and not even a scout.

“I have a real close contact here in the US that is very connected with some of the board at FIFA.

“This person told me that in October, every country was given $960,000 from FIFA to prepare for the World cup, where is that money,” Waldrum said.

” If Nigeria got that money why didn’t we have a camp in November? We went to Japan, we flew in and played the game and went home.

“We wasted the last five days of that window to train.“So, all these questions I have is where is this money?

And the other thing I found out through my FIFA connections is that if countries don’t have the money to buy business class tickets for everybody, FIFA will fund the money and buy those tickets and just deduct it from the monies you get from FIFA after the World Cup.

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