Sports

28, May 2024

FECAFOOT Crisis: Confusion as players receive invites to different camps ahead of qualifiers ⁰

The players of the Cameroonian national football team have been left in a state of confusion after receiving invites to two different locations ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in June.

The Samuel Eto-led federation is yet to accept the appointment of Marc Brys as head coach of the Indomitable Lions following the Sports Ministry’s decision to name the Belgian without consulting FECAFOOT.

This has led to a misunderstanding between the two entities that sent letters to players to report to different venues as preparations begin for the World Cup qualifiers.

According to 13 Football, the Sports Ministry chose the Ngoa Ekelle Military Stadium for training while FECAFOOT opted for the Mundi Complex.

FECAFOOT’s coordinator sent messages to players to report at the Mundi Complex this week.

Meanwhile, a second letter was also sent to the team by the Sports Ministry’s representative Benjamin Banlog to meet at another venue.

This has led to disarray as the players who arrived in Cameroon at the end of their European campaign are yet to report to a specified camp.

The power struggle in Cameroonian football arose after the government decided to appoint the next coach following the departure of Rigobert Song, who was widely regarded as an Eto appointment due to their relationship as former teammates.

Before the appointment of the former Royal Antwerp gaffer, FECAFOOT and the Sports Ministry had agreed to work together to find a new coach.

However, a unilateral decision from the government led to the arrival of Brys, who was handed a two-and-a-half-year deal.

Cameroon will face Cape Verde and Angola during the June international break, as reported by Afrique Sports.

Eto’o absent at Marc Brys’ unveiling

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that the FECAFOOT boss Samuel Eto’o was not present at the unveiling of new Indomitable Lions coach, Marc Brys.

The Belgium trainer arrived in Yaoundé on Monday to sign a two-and-a-half-year contract with the five-time African champions.

At a brief meeting held by Cameroon’s Sports Minister, Narcisse Mouelle Kombi, Brys and his technical team were tasked to qualify the country to the 2026 World Cup and also ensure a successful Africa Cup of Nations in 2025.

Source: Sportsbrief

24, May 2024

Andre Onana says it took him six months to feel good at Manchester United ⁰

Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana says it took him six months “to feel good” at Old Trafford.

United paid £47.2m to sign Onana from Inter Milan in July as replacement for four-time club player of the year David de Gea.

However, despite lofty expectations on his arrival, the Cameroon international was chipped from 50 yards on his Old Trafford debut against Lens and then made a series of errors that contributed to the club’s poor Premier League form and Champions League group-stage elimination.

Onana’s performances didn’t improve significantly until after he returned from the Africa Cup of Nations in February and while he has made the odd mistake, he is now regarded as one of the more reliable members of manager Erik ten Hag’s squad as they head into Saturday’s FA Cup final against rivals Manchester City (15:00 BST).

“I arrived as the best goalkeeper in the world and ‘boom’ it went down. It was like ‘what happened?’,” said the 28-year-old.

“But that is how difficult football is sometimes. It depends if you want to stay down there or stand up and fight. I know what I did to arrive here. I know who I am. I decided to stand up and fight.”

Manchester United keeper, Andre Onana reflects on season and career

Onana cites the example of team-mate Marcus Rashford for why players need to avoid the extremes of judgement.

Rashford scored a career-high 30 goals last season. This term, he has managed eight and didn’t even make England boss Gareth Southgate’s provisional 33-man European Championship squad, let alone the final cut.

“We are talking about the same player,” said Onana. “So now he’s a bad player? No. You can have a bad season or a bad start but the most important thing is how you end.

“Rashy, for me, is one of the best players in the world. But he is facing difficulty. It’s not only him and me but the whole club.

“But he will come back. I know my killer will score some important goals for us. Hopefully against City he will score two and we win the FA Cup.”

‘I don’t mind facing 20 or 30 shots’

Man United keeper Andre Onana — Image caption,United faced the second-highest number of shots of any Premier League team this season (667) – and Onana’s 149 saves in 38 games was the highest in the league. His saves to shots ratio of 71.6% was the sixth highest in the division.

The wariness among some United fans about a second consecutive FA Cup final showdown with Manchester City comes from the sheer number of chances their side allows.

There was a seven-game streak between March and April where the opposition had a minimum of 20 shots per match on Onana’s goal.

When they last played City in March, they had three shots to their opponents’ 27 in a 3-1 defeat.

Onana feels this is purely as a consequence of the changes Ten Hag has had to make to his defence.

The partnership between Casemiro and Lisandro Martinez that started at Brighton on 19 May was the 15th different central defensive combination United have deployed this term. No partnership has started more than four consecutive games.

“I don’t mind facing 20 or 30 shots,” said Onana. “I am very happy with what my team-mates are doing because a lot of them make sacrifices for the team.

“It would be nice to have everyone back but what can we do? Hide? We are a big club. We have to go on the front foot and deal with difficulties. I am positive. I know things will get better. If not today, tomorrow.”

‘Ten Hag big enough to back himself’

Onana does not take too much notice of the overwhelming odds in favour of City repeating their triumph of 12 months ago, when United conceded after 12 seconds, the fastest goal in FA Cup final history.

He was part of the Inter Milan side who made life exceptionally difficult for City in last season’s Champions League final and were the better team in periods before eventually losing to Rodri’s decisive strike.

Saturday is clearly a game of huge significance for Ten Hag, whose United future remains open to question.

Onana knows the Dutchman well, having worked with him at Ajax for five years before both left in the same summer, with Ten Hag joining United as he left for Italy.

“I’m not here to back him because he’s big enough to back himself,” said Onana. “But he’s a really good guy, a positive coach and tactically he is good.

“If he had all his squad together, it would probably be different for him, for us, the club and the fans.

“We know how good City are. They are the best team at the moment and we lost twice to them already.

“But we are motivated. Beating them wouldn’t make it a successful season. Playing for this club, I don’t think winning the FA Cup is enough.

“But it would make things look better. We go there to win.”

Source: BBC

24, May 2024

Football: Ranieri bids tearful farewell to Cagliari with last-gasp Fiorentina defeat ⁰

Claudio Ranieri waved goodbye to Cagliari and brought the curtain down on a near four-decade club coaching career with Thursday’s 3-2 defeat to Fiorentina cruelly inflicted in the 13th minute of added time.

Arthur stroked home Fiorentina’s winning goal from the penalty spot after Luca Beltran earned the away side, who trailed 2-1 in the 85th minute, a soft spot-kick given after a long VAR check.

Fiorentina won and ensured European football with the last kick of Ranieri’s last match in charge of Cagliari, ahead of next week’s Europa Conference League final with Olympiakos.

Former Premier League winner Ranieri has now effectively retired even if he admitted in an interview with Sky in Italy that he would be interested in a national team job.

However Thursday’s defeat made little difference to Ranieri or Cagliari as last weekend he saved from relegation the same club he brought up from Serie B last season and with whom he rose to prominence in the late 1980s.

Ranieri began his managerial career in amateur football in 1986 but turned heads by guiding Cagliari to Serie A with two successive promotions in 1989 and 1990.

“What we managed to do, we did together,” said Ranieri in a short post-match speech on the pitch.

“I asked for your help a year and a half ago because only with you could we do what we did.”

Ranieri welled up on the sidelines ahead of kick-off as fans chanted his name and a standing ovation rolled around the stands, while a banner was unfurled which read “Eternal gratitude to a great man”.

And afterwards he hugged his players and family in front of a crowd which roared in appreciation of one of Italian football’s most beloved figures.

The 72-year-old said that his decision to quit had been made with a “heavy heart”, worrying that he would tarnish two brilliant spells nearly 40 years apart with Cagliari by staying on.

Ranieri had offered to quit following just three points from the first nine matches of the season.

Life lessons

But the club and players convinced him to stay and survival was dedicated to Ranieri, who has been frequently hailed by his team as an inspiration.

“He’s taught us things that are valuable not just on the pitch, but in life in general,” said Gianluca Lapadula to DAZN pre-match.

“If you don’t fight for your teammate, the man next to you, you’ll never go anywhere.”

Ranieri is most famous for winning the Premier League with Leicester City in 2016 but is a popular figure at a host of clubs even if he has only won a handful of major honours in his career.

An Italian Cup with Fiorentina and three trophies with Valencia go alongside his heart-warming English championship win eight years ago.

Ranieri brought Gianfranco Zola through to replace Diego Maradona at Napoli in the early 1990s and then coached the Sardinia native, by that time an Italy international, a decade later at Chelsea.

He managed Chelsea with the London outfit on the verge of bankruptcy and took them to the Champions League in 2003, after which the Blues were taken over by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich.

Ranieri then reached the semi-finals of Europe’s top club competition the following year before being replaced by Jose Mourinho.

He did battle with Mourinho while in charge of his boyhood team Roma in 2009/2010, at the helm as the capital club came close to snatching the Serie A title from eventual treble-winners Inter Milan on the final day of the season.

And Cagliari will stay in Serie A for at least one more season thanks to Ranieri who ended an eventful career back where it really started 36 years ago.

Source: AFP

23, May 2024

Football: Bayern Munich on verge of naming Kompany as coach ⁰

Bayern Munich are close to completing a shock move for Burnley boss Vincent Kompany to replace Thomas Tuchel as coach, German and English media reported on Wednesday.

According to German tabloid Bild and network Sky, along with English newspaper The Guardian, the Belgian has reached an agreement in principle with Bayern.

As a result, the German club is now working on a compensation package for Burnley, where Kompany still has four years on his contract.

Burnley have just been relegated from the Premier League after only one season in the English top flight.

Bayern agreed to part ways with Tuchel in February after falling behind eventual champions Bayer Leverkusen in the title race.

Kompany is the latest candidate in a long list linked to Bayern.

Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso, Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann and Austria manager Ralf Rangnick all reportedly turned down Bayern’s interest.

Bayern then attempted to hold onto Tuchel, who led them to a Champions League semi-final loss to Real Madrid. Tuchel, however, said the parties “could not reach an agreement” on him staying in the Bavarian capital.

Kompany has Bundesliga experience, having played at Hamburg before joining Manchester City.

He took the reins of Burnley in 2022, taking them to the Premier League as second-division champions a season later.

Kompany however could not keep Burnley in the top division, with the club relegated in 19th place in the 20-team league.

Source: AFP

23, May 2024

Football: Atalanta wins UEFA Europa League after beating Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 ⁰

Ademola Lookman scored a stunning hat-trick as Atalanta ended Bayer Leverkusen’s 51-match unbeaten run to win the Europa League final 3-0 on Wednesday and claim their first trophy for 61 years.

Lookman became the first player to score a hat-trick in a European final since 1975 to secure Atalanta’s first ever continental trophy.

“One of the best nights of my life. Amazing performance from the team,” said Lookman.

“We’ve got to celebrate, we made history tonight.”

The side from Bergamo have long lived in the shadow of nearby giants AC and Inter Milan.

However, they have enjoyed a golden era under Gian Piero Gasperini, reaching the Champions League on four occasions, and now have silverware to show for it.

Leverkusen have made a habit of late fightbacks in their remarkable run to winning a first ever Bundesliga title without tasting defeat.

But this time they failed to dig themselves out of a hole created by a slow start.

“It’s a shame that the time it didn’t work out for us was in a final,” said Leverkusen midfielder Granit Xhaka.

“It’s bitter, definitely, we lost a final today but we go on and we’ll make up for it on Saturday (in the German Cup final).

Atalanta’s more purposeful play in the opening stages was rewarded after just 12 minutes.

Davide Zappacosta got to the by-line and Lookman caught Exequiel Palacios napping to fire into the top corner at the back post.

The Nigerian has at times endured a nomadic career, bouncing around the lower reaches of the Premier League on loan spells at Fulham and Leicester after being discarded by RB Leipzig.

But Lookman has found a home in Bergamo, where he will now forever be a hero.

Drained Leverkusen

The 26-year-old’s second goal was fit to win any final as he nutmegged Xhaka before curling a powerful shot into the far corner.

Leverkusen’s flying full-backs have been at the heart of their stunning season and should have got them back in the game either side of half-time.

Alex Grimaldo fired tamely into the arms of Juan Musso before Jeremie Frimpong blazed over with the goal gaping.

Leverkusen were also denied a lifeline when Gianluca Scamacca was lucky to escape with a yellow card for wild challenge on Florian Wirtz.

For the fourth time in seven Europa League knockout matches, Xabi Alonso’s men found themselves 2-0 down.

Alonso has enjoyed a rapid rise to become one of Europe’s hottest coaching properties.

The Spaniard has rejected the advances of former clubs Liverpool and Bayern Munich to remain at the BayArena next season.

However, Alonso’s decision to start without a recognised striker did not work and he threw on Victor Boniface at half-time to give his side a focal point up front.

The damage, though, was already done as the German champions looked a side drained by their record run across three competitions.

Atalanta were happy to soak up the Leverkusen pressure after the break and hit on the counter-attack.

The final blow was another fabulous finish from Lookman as he skipped past Edmond Tapsoba and this time blasted into the top corner on his weaker left foot.

Atalanta had lost all three of their previous finals under Gasperini, most recently in last week’s Coppa Italia defeat to Juventus.

But this time they were not to be denied their shot at history as they were roared across the finishing line by the thousands clad in blue and black that had made the trip from northern Italy to the Irish capital.

In doing so they became the first Italian side to win the competition since Parma lifted the UEFA Cup in 1999.

Source: AFP

22, May 2024

FECAFOOT Affair: Eto’o’s technical staff suspended! ⁰

In yet another twist in the convoluted saga surrounding the coaching staff of the Cameroon national team, the team appointed by Samuel Eto’o, in lieu of the one designated by the supervising ministry, has been suspended.

This latest development comes after the technical staff chosen by Samuel Eto’o, the president of the Cameroonian Football Federation (Fécafoot), was sidelined by the Conciliation and Arbitration Chamber of the National Olympic and Sports Committee of Cameroon. This action follows requests from the Association of Amateur Football Clubs of Cameroon (ACFAC) and the Professional Football League of Cameroon (LFPC).

“In accordance with Article 36, paragraphs 1, 2, and 3 of the Statutes and Regulations of Procedures of the Chamber, orders the immediate suspension of the effects of (…) decision AP008/FECAFOOT/PDT/56/2024 appointing members of the technical, medical, and administrative staff of the Cameroon men’s national ‘A’ football team until further notice,” reads a statement.

Eto’o Once Again in a Tight Spot

This decision comes after the former number 9 of the Indomitable Lions was seen on Monday alongside the head of state, Paul Biya, during the national celebration, seemingly endorsing the presidential choice in favor of Eto’o’s staff. Consequently, the former Barcelona star finds himself in hot water. Even though this suspension appears to be a temporary measure pending further examination, it remains unclear who will emerge victorious between Eto’o and the ministry.

As a reminder, the Fécafoot-appointed coaching staff includes assistants Ndtoungou Mpile and David Pagou, Carlos Kameni (goalkeeping coach), Benoit Angbwa (national team coordinator), physician Fotso, and press officer Thierry Ndoh. These individuals are supposed to replace François Omam-Biyik and Cyprian Besong Ashu (assistant coaches), Alioum Boukar, Benjamin Banlock, William Ngatchou Djomo, Germain Noël Essengue, and team manager Dany Nounkeu, respectively.

Source: Afriquesports

22, May 2024

Football: Pochettino leaves Chelsea after one season ⁰

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has left the club by mutual consent after one season at Stamford Bridge.

Pochettino, 52, took charge of Chelsea on 1 July, signing a two-year contract with the option of a further 12 months.

The Argentine was under pressure after an underwhelming first half of the season but a run of five successive wins to end the season ensured they finished sixth in the Premier League.

Chelsea were also runners-up in the Carabao Cup and reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

“Thank you to the Chelsea ownership group and sporting directors for the opportunity,” Pochettino said.

“The club is now well positioned to keep moving forward in the Premier League and Europe in the years to come.”

Chelsea will now search for a successor and have expressed recent interest in Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna, Sporting’s Ruben Amorim and Burnley’s Vincent Kompany.

BBC Sport understands Chelsea are unlikely to go for Leicester City manager Enzo Maresca, a former assistant coach with Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. A return for former managers Jose Mourinho or Thomas Tuchel is not on the cards as the club targets a young head coach.

Pochettino was Chelsea’s sixth permanent manager in five years, following the sacking of Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter, which led to Frank Lampard taking charge on a temporary basis at the end of the 2022-23 season.

“On behalf of everyone at Chelsea, we would like to express our gratitude to Mauricio for his service this season,” sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley said.

“He will be welcome back to Stamford Bridge any time and we wish him all the very best in his future coaching career.”

Coaches Jesus Perez, Miguel d’Agostino, Toni Jimenez and Sebastiano Pochettino have also left.

Source: BBC

15, May 2024

FECAFOOT and lucrative appointments: it’s not over till it’s over ⁰

The President of the Cameroon Football Federation has maintained only the Belgian coach Marc Brys as head coach of the Indomitable Lions.

FECAFOOT boss Samuel Eto’o reached the decision at the end of a meeting with members of the Emergency Committee of the Cameroon Football Federation that held on May 8 2024.

Apart from the most important position on the staff where FECAFOOT retained the Belgian technician Marc Brys, appointed on April 2, 2024 by the Minister of Sport, President Eto’o swept aside all the other officials appointed by the member of the CPDM government.

Former Indomitable Lions legends Omam Biyick and Alioum Boukar were all replaced as deputies by Coach Martin Ndtoungou Mpile and Idris Carlos Kameni, the 2000 Olympic champion.

The most powerful position which is that of national team coordinator was given to Benoît Angbwa, while the Minister for Sport had appointed Didier Benjamin Banlock, a former associate of President Samuel Eto’o to the post. The two men have been at daggers-drawn positions ever since the Qatar FIFA World Cup.

Cameroon Concord News understands FIFA played a role in bringing together the factions by invoking the collaboration agreement between FECAFOOT and the Ministry of Sport for the management of the Indomitable Lions that has been in place for over 9 years.

FIFA reportedly insisted that articles 9 and 13 of the agreement must be respected. Article 9 stipulates that members of the Indomitable Lions’ staff are recruited either by FECAFOOT or on secondment from the State. Article 13 says that FECAFOOT and the Ministry of Sport are committed to the serene and concerted management of football in a spirit of dialogue, solidarity and patriotism.

On the basis of these two articles, FIFA invited the two parties to sit down around a table and engage in dialogue to resolve their differences, pending the revision of this disputed agreement as soon as possible.

But without any consultation, FECAFOOT appointed the Indomitable Lions staff on May 8. The nation is now curious to know the reaction of the Minister of Sport, who declared on April 2 that he had acted on the instructions of the President of the Republic.

By Rita Akana

15, May 2024

Football: Aston Villa reach Champions League for first time ⁰

Aston Villa have qualified for the Champions League for the first time after top-four rivals Tottenham Hotspur lost to Manchester City on Tuesday.

Tottenham had been the only team who could have overtaken Villa into fourth before Tuesday, but are now five points behind Unai Emery’s side with one game remaining.

Villa have not reached Uefa’s premier club competition since it rebranded from the European Cup to the Champions League in 1991-92.

They last played in the European Cup 41 years ago in 1982-83 having won the competition the season before.

Villa did finish second and fourth in the Premier League in 1992-93 and 1995-96 respectively, but in both those seasons only first was good enough to reach the Champions League.

Source: BBC

13, May 2024

Football: Mbappe’s final PSG home game ends in defeat as he bids farewell to fans ⁰

Kylian Mbappe scored on his final home appearance as a Paris Saint-Germain player on Sunday but the French champions suffered a surprise 3-1 defeat against Toulouse on the night they picked up the Ligue 1 championship trophy.

Mbappe confirmed in a video posted on social media on Friday that he would be leaving PSG when his contract expires at the end of the season, ending a seven-year association with the club.

Real Madrid is expected to be the next destination for a player whose departure from Paris had been an open secret since February, when he privately informed the club of his intention to move on.

Mbappe wore the captain’s armband and opened the scoring early on against Toulouse to take his tally for the season to 44 goals goals in all competitions.

However, Thijs Dallinga quickly equalised for the visitors against a PSG side which showed 10 changes to the team knocked out of the Champions League by Borussia Dortmund in the semi-finals in midweek, with Mbappe the only player to keep his place.

Yann Gboho put Toulouse ahead with a brilliant strike in the second half, and Frank Magri wrapped up the win in stoppage time as PSG suffered just their second Ligue 1 loss this season, and their first in 27 games since September.

Mbappe has now scored 256 times for PSG, a club-record tally, since signing from Monaco in 2017 in a deal worth 180 million euros ($194 million).

His tally of 191 goals in France’s top flight — including 16 with Monaco at the beginning of his career — puts him in seventh place in the all-time list. Coach Luis Enrique described the 25-year-old as “a club legend” when he spoke to media on the eve of the game.

Jeers

PSG had indicated that celebrations after Sunday’s match would be dedicated to their title triumph, rather than any specific tribute to Mbappe himself.

There were even some jeers from the crowd for the striker when the teams were read out before the game, although a huge display was unfurled before kick-off at one end of the stadium depicting Mbappe in a trademark pose with his arms folded.

The Qatar-owned club had already wrapped up a record-extending 12th French title, and 10th in the last 12 years, before hosting a Toulouse side who were themselves safe from any lingering threat of relegation.

PSG’s Champions League disappointment means Mbappe will leave the club without ever having got his hands on European football’s greatest prize.

With Mbappe, PSG were runners-up in 2020 and have since reached the last four on two further occasions, but the France captain will now hope to finally get his hands on the trophy at his next club.

PSG can still finish the season by completing a clean sweep of domestic honours, as they face Lyon in the French Cup final in Lyon on May 25.

As well as Ligue 1, they have also already won the Champions Trophy, France’s equivalent of a Super Cup.

Luis Enrique’s team will complete their league campaign with a visit to Nice on Wednesday before going to Metz on the final day of the season next Sunday.

Source: AFP