The Full quarter final #UCLdraw has been released and we must say, they are epic clashes.
Spanish club, Atletico Madrid will face reigning Champions of England, Leicester. Two European heavyweights, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid met in 10 knockout ties, and won five each. Borussia Dortmund will take on Monaco while La Liga giants, Barcelona will battle with out with Juventus.
Interesting ties.
Ahmad Ahmad is the new CAF president
Ahmad Ahmad of Madagascar has emerged the President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
He beat Issa Hayatou who presided over Africa’s football ruling body for 29 years. While Ahmad garnered a total of 34 votes, the Cameroonian pulled 20 votes at an election which took place today at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Ahmad, the head of Madagascan Football Association ousted Hayatou who was running for the 8th term in office.
Hayatou’s loss will see him leave his positions as president in Africa, FIFA vice president and a member of its ruling council. Those positions will be taken over by the President
Messi raises awareness to end conflict in Syria
Barcelona FC star, Lionel Messi is heartbroken by the plight of Syrians and has taken to his social media account to call the world’s attention to the crisis in the Middle East.
The Argentine who has over 88 million fans on Facebook implored the world to call for the end of conflict in the region.
“A war day is too much. The children of Syria have been subjected to violence and cruelty for SIX years in a conflict that holds them hostage. As a father and as a UNICEF’s Ambassador I am heartbroken. Add your voice to UNICEF to demand the end of the war.” He wrote
Real Madrid to open their first soccer school in England.
Top Spanish club, Real Madrid have disclosed their plans to open their first soccer school in the British Isles. This project is a part of a partnership with a school in Croydon, South London.
The Real Madrid Foundation said in a statement, ‘The aim of the project is to support children and young people by offering them activities to develop their skills, both in sports and relational and social integration.” The school will be targeted at economically and socially disadvantaged youths between the ages of eight and 11
The project is a partnership between the Foundation, The Cedars and Football for Unity, a non-profit pro-football organisation, as well as the Kinetic Foundation, a Croydon sports charity. The school will be opened by Club legend, Emilio Butragueno on March 22.
Michael Essien joins Indonesian club, Persib Bandung
Ex Chelsea and Ghana midfielder, Michael Essien has joined Indonesian club, Persib Bandung on a one year deal. Essien, who also had spells in Real Madrid and AC Milan had been a free agent since leaving Greek club Panathinaikos at the end of last season.
The 34-year told the club’s website: “Thank you for bringing me here. I’m excited and want to give my best.”
Teddy Tjahyono, a member of the club’s management, added: “The reason to bring Michael Essien is in order to increase the value of competition in Indonesia. Opening the door to the other world players to strengthen the team in Indonesia. The process to bring in players to this part of the world is quite difficult. It took months to negotiate.”
Petition to replay Barca & PSG match gets over 100, 000 signatures.
Would you love to see a replay of the Barca/PSG match?
A petition demanding the replay of the Barcelona Vs PSG UEFA Champions League last 16 tie has been launched on change.org and it has garnered more than 100, 000 signatures. Recall that the Catalans overturned their 4-0 deficit in the first leg and won the match 6-1 at the Camp Nou on Wednesday night.
The petition was launched by a very irate Real Madrid fan named Luis Melendo Olmendo.
Melendo who criticized the referee, Deniz Aytekin for being partial cited arbitration errors in the match.
He opined that Luis Suarez’s goal in the third minute was offside, while a penalty should have been awarded against Mascherano in the 11th minute. He claimed Gerard Pique should have been sent off in the 23rd minute and that PSG’s Edinson Cavani didn’t deserve the yellow card awarded to him, he said Pique should have been the recipient. He also faulted the three minutes extra time in the first half.
He maintained that the 48th minute penalty awarded to Barca courtesy of Neymar was a deliberate simulation by the Brazilian and that that he ought to have been sent off at the 64th minute for aggression. He added that PSG deserved a penalty when Mascherano brought down Angel Di Maria, the five minutes added time was too much and lastly, Suarez should have been sent off for diving again.
Second clásico outside Spain to hold on 29 July
Barcelona will play against Real Madrid in Miami during the club’s pre-season preparations in the United States on 29 July, 2016. Barça’s Vice-President for Marketing and Communications, Manel Arroyo has revealed. The match which will be a part of the 2017 International Champions Cup will hold at the Hard Rock Stadium. The announcement of the match was also attended by former player Hristo Stoichkov on behalf of Barça, and the Director of Institutional Relations Emilio Butragueño and former player and ambassador Roberto Carlos on behalf of Real Madrid.
This will be the second Clásico to be played outside of Spain after the one that was played in Barquisimeto (Venezuela) on 30 May 1982 during a friendly tournament in Venezuela. The tip to the United States is a part of the club’s strategic plan and its global expansion.
“I would like to thank Stephen Ross and Relevent Sports for this fantastic opportunity, not only for our club but for the footballing family. I think today we are writing a crucial chapter in football’s history in the United States as this match will be a big opportunity to promote the game in this country. This is something we are hoping to achieve at FC Barcelona and the recent opening of our New York office is testament to The match on the 29th is not only a friendly, it is much more than that: it is a game which is always passionate and one which all fans will be able to enjoy, especially here in Miami.” Arroyo said in a statement.
Source
Arsenal fans get in here! Arsenal chairman breaks silence on Wenger’s future.
Arsenal fans, your campaign to remove Arsene Wenger from the Emirates Stadium hot seat has been well understood.
Arsenal chairman Sir Chips Keswick has released a statement about the future of the Frenchman, in the wake of Arsenal’s exit from the Champions League last 16 exit. The Gunners lost 10-2 on aggregate to Bayern Munich, sparking outrage from club supporters.
Keswick said, “We are fully aware of the attention currently focused on the club and understand the debate.
“We respect that fans are entitled to their different individual opinions but we will always run this great football club with its best long-term interests at heart. Arsène has a contract until the end of the season.
“Any decisions will be made by us mutually and communicated at the right time in the right way.”
It is not unlikely that the club is shopping for a replacement.
Xabi Alonso to retire from professional football at the end of the season.
Spain and Bayern Munich midfielder, Xabi Alonso has announced that he will retire from professional football at the end of the season. His illustrious career which spans 18 years has seen him win 2 UCL trophies, 2 Euro, 2 Bundesliga, 1 World Cup, 1 FA Cup and 1 Laliga trophy. In the EPL for Liverpool, the 35 year-old played 143 matches, scored 14 goals and gave 17 assists.
Lived it. Loved it.
Farewell beautiful game. pic.twitter.com/1aSN7GGNzZ
— Xabi Alonso (@XabiAlonso) March 9, 2017
Alonso kicked off his career at Real Sociedad, he moved to Liverpool in August 2004 for 10.5 million pounds, had a spell in Real Madrid in the start of the 2009/2010 season in a deal worth around £30 million. After five seasons at the club, he was signed by German Bundesliga club Bayern Munich on a two-year contract. Alonso retired from international football on 27 August 2014. His 114 caps make him the fifth-most capped player in the nation’s history.
Additional information by Wikipedia
Stephanie Linus named UNFPA Regional Ambassador for West and Central Africa
UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, appointed Nigerian actress and activist, Stephanie Linus as the UNFPA Regional Ambassador for West and Central Africa.
A Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) of Nigeria, a national award bestowed on outstanding citizens by the President of Nigeria, Mrs. Linus is an award-winning actress and activist, who is passionate about women’s rights and health. She is the executive producer of the movie – “DRY”, that tells a true-life story of a 10-year-old girl who was a child bride and who died early due to pregnancy-related complications, specifically fistula. Through her foundation,
“Extended Hands”, Mrs. Linus has done extensive work in the field of fistula, which earned her the Miriam Makeba Award for Excellence in 2007, and the Beyond the Tears Humanitarian Award.
“It is my aspiration that access to reproductive health care for women and girls, especially family planning, will be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for,” said Ms. Linus. “Fought for, not just because of equality, but because we are tired of women dying while giving birth, tired of teenage girls dropping out of school because they got pregnant too early, tired
of women not having a choice to decide if, when and how many children they wish to have. I know I am tired of this. This is why I feel honoured to partner with UNFPA and to use my network to make these issues widely known.”
“For UNFPA, improving the health and status of women and girls remains a priority, and we will continue to accelerate efforts, by building strategic partnerships to scale-up successful interventions that put young people first” said Mabingue Ngom, the Regional Director of West and Central Africa. “Our ultimate aim is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled”.
As Regional Ambassador, Mrs. Linus will help advocate and raise awareness on these issues, whilst encouraging policies and laws that protect the rights and dignity of the girl child, and the critical investments needed for young people to fulfill their potential and for Africa to reap its demographic dividend.