Transfer Talk: Barcelona and Man United to battle for Ajax's De Ligt

Gab Marcotti was more impressed with Ajax's maturity and ability to manage a 1-0 result away from home than with their attacking prowess. The transfer window for Europe's biggest clubs is closed, but you can click here to review all the deals. Transfer Talk will continue to scour the world's media and set correspondents loose to see what's on the agenda for the summer. TOP STORY: Matthijs to see De Ligt and lead mass exodus It was another successful evening at the office for Ajax after they kept a clean sheet in a 1-0 win against Tottenham in the first leg of the Champions League semifinal, and the Mirror is reporting all that success...

8 injured as another building collapse in Ibadan

A two-storey building under construction have collapsed and injured eight persons in Ibadan, on Tuesday, April 30, 2019.

Accordng to NAN, building located on Eleyele road in Jericho area of Ibadan collapsed at about 4.pm.

Speaking with NAN, one of the bricklayers at the site, Mr Kazeem Adebayo, said concrete casting on a portion of the building had started when it gave way.

Adebayo said that a portion of the building began to give way at about 3.30 pm and the attention of the site engineer was drawn to the development.

He alleged that the engineer ordered them to continue work only for the building to collapse shortly afterwards, injuring those working close to the collapsed portion.

An official of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Dada Abinmbola, told NAN that nobody died in the incident while the injured had been taken to Jericho Specialist Hospital for treatment.

Mr Olatunji Bolu, a representative of the Architect Registration Council of Nigeria, said the body was still investigating the cause of the incident while the outcome would be made public.

NAN reports that the task force of the Oyo State Bureau of Physical Planning and Development Control had already sealed the building while security agents were sighted keeping vigil at the site.

It would be recalled that a two-storey building had collapsed in the Sogoye area Ibadan on March 15.

Barcelona cult figure 'The Observer' finally opens up on Mourinho's infamous eye poke on Tito Vilanova

Barcelona employee Francesc Satorra achieved global fame after witnessing the ugly incident. The name of Barcelona club suit Francesc Satorra may not be familiar to you, but you'll almost certainly recognise him. Satorra, better known as "The Observer," has retired after 41 years at Barcelona, finally freeing him up to talk about the incident which helped give him fame and cult status: Jose Mourinho's eye poke on Tito Vilanova. Satorra spent four decades at Camp Nou, where he was in charge of matchday logistics. He would oversee that the players could enter and leave the stadium without...

Police arrest alleged serial killer with 38 victims in Edo

Champions League semifinals, leg 1: predictions and key battles

The Champions League returns and with just four teams left, the path to glory is wide open. Any of remaining sides has a chance but equally, question marks surrounding their challenge. Can Liverpool crack Lionel Messi & Co. to deny their Treble push? And which of the "underdogs" will prevail in the other semifinal? Here's everything you need to know, from the superheroes and the sidekicks who can decide the ties to the keys for victory. Jump to: Tottenham-Ajax  | Liverpool-Barcelona Ajax...

Barcelona can thank Messi for latest title but Valverde also a hero. PLUS: Breaking down Man United-Chelsea

After another action-packed weekend in soccer, Gab Marcotti reflects on the big talking points in his latest edition of Monday Musings. Jump to: Valverde's magic | Top four race | Dortmund's derby woe | New low for PSG, Neymar | Aguero the hero | Inter vs. Juve | Allegri loses his cool | Bayern aren't champs yet | Real in summer mode | Arsenal lose again | Milan in trouble? What a job Valverde's done at Barcelona The fact that there was a sense of inevitability to it -- the gap at the top...

If Barcelona don't improve, Liverpool will be the Kryptonite to their Superman

ESPN FC's Sid Lowe makes the case that Liverpool's attacking prowess could have the potential to overwhelm Barcelona in the Champions League semis. The ESPN FC panel says Lionel Messi alone makes Barcelona favourites over Liverpool. Are the Reds good enough to stop him? Across the 43-year history of their rivalry, Barcelona have never knocked Liverpool out of Europe, never defeated the Reds at the Camp Nou. Four home matches: two defeats, two draws, one solitary goal scored -- 12 years ago, by Deco. It's an angry blemish scarring an otherwise superb European record from a club that, like Liverpool, is pursuing its sixth Champions League trophy. And the harsh truth, amid the champagne and backslapping of their La Liga title win on Saturday, is that if Barcelona...

Lionel Messi cameo sees Barcelona to victory and back-to-back La Liga titles

Barcelona players celebrate with Lionel Messi after he scored a league-tile-clinching goal against Levante. BARCELONA, Spain -- Lionel Messi came off the bench to score the only goal of the game as Barcelona sealed their 26th La Liga title with three games to spare in a 1-0 win against Levante. Messi started as a substitute with Wednesday's Champions League game against Liverpool in mind but emerged at half-time to score his 34th league goal of the season in the 62nd minute. Barca endured some nervous minutes late on, with Levante striking the post, but held on to the three points as they sealed back-to-back...

Transfer Talk: Man United want Tottenham's Eriksen as rebuild begins

Alejandro Moreno breaks down the latest transfer rumours as the summer transfer window edges closer and closer. Alejandro Moreno and Alexis Nunes predict the results of the most important matches of week 36 of the English Premier League. ESPN FC's Shaka Hislop says that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's recent comments and Manchester United's poor run of form proves he's unfit to be manager. The transfer window for Europe's biggest clubs is closed, but you can click here to review all the deals. Transfer Talk will continue to scour the world's media and set correspondents loose to see what's on the agenda for the summer. TOP STORY: United want Eriksen as rebuild begins As speculation grows about who might arrive at Manchester United in this summer, the London Evening Standard reports that United have put Spurs playmaker Christian Eriksen at the heart of their rebuilding plans, while...

LIVE Transfer Talk: Man United want Tottenham's Eriksen as rebuild begins

Alejandro Moreno breaks down the latest transfer rumours as the summer transfer window edges closer and closer. Alejandro Moreno and Alexis Nunes predict the results of the most important matches of week 36 of the English Premier League. ESPN FC's Shaka Hislop says that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's recent comments and Manchester United's poor run of form proves he's unfit to be manager. The transfer window for Europe's biggest clubs is closed, but you can click here to review all the deals. Transfer Talk will continue to scour the world's media and set correspondents loose to see what's on the agenda for the summer. TOP STORY: United want Eriksen as rebuild begins As speculation grows about who might arrive at Manchester United in this summer, the London Evening Standard reports that United have put Spurs playmaker Christian Eriksen at the heart of their rebuilding plans, while...

LIVE Transfer Talk: Barcelona plot £100m swoop for Man United's Rashford

Alejandro Moreno breaks down the latest transfer rumours as the summer transfer window edges closer and closer. ESPN FC's Shaka Hislop says that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's recent comments and Manchester United's poor run of form proves he's unfit to be manager. The transfer window for Europe's biggest clubs is closed, but you can click here to review all the deals. Transfer Talk will continue to scour the world's media and set correspondents loose to see what's on the agenda for the summer. TOP STORY: Barca planning Rash purchase? The Sun reports that Barcelona are planning a £100 million swoop for Manchester United's Marcus Rashford. England forward Rashford is reportedly unwilling to sign a new deal, with his contract up in summer 2020,...

Transfer Talk: Barcelona plot £100m swoop for Man Utd's Rashford

Alejandro Moreno breaks down the latest transfer rumours as the summer transfer window edges closer and closer. ESPN FC's Shaka Hislop says that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's recent comments and Manchester United's poor run of form proves he's unfit to be manager. The transfer window for Europe's biggest clubs is closed, but you can click here to review all the deals. Transfer Talk will continue to scour the world's media and set correspondents loose to see what's on the agenda for the summer. Barca planning a Rash purchase? The Sun report that Barcelona are plotting a £100 million swoop for Manchester United's Marcus Rashford in a bid to capitalise on the current chaos at the club. The England star is unwilling to sign a new deal with his contract...

Power Rankings: Barcelona hold firm at No. 1, Liverpool second

ESPN FC's Sid Lowe makes the case that Liverpool's attacking prowess could have the potential to overwhelm Barcelona in the Champions League semis. The ESPN FC panel says Lionel Messi alone makes Barcelona favourites over Liverpool. Are the Reds good enough to stop him? Barcelona are chasing a treble and two wins last week mean they stay atop Shaka Hislop's Top 10. At the other end, there are three new entries. (function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(d.getElementById(id))return;js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src='https://embed.playbuzz.com/sdk.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}(document,'script','playbuzz-sdk')); Dropping out: Arsenal, Chelsea, Istanbul Basaksehir Agree? Disagree? Let us know, and watch Shaka defend his picks on ESPN FC TV, which airs daily on ESPN+.

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Carles Alena scores, Arturo Vidal dominates as Barca beat Alaves, inch closer to title

Barcelona are just one victory away from their eighth La Liga title in the last 11 years after winning 2-0 away at Alaves on Tuesday. Carles Alena opened the scoring after the break with a calm finish from inside the box and Luis Suarez doubled Barca's lead shortly after from the penalty spot. Barca could be seal the title as early Wednesday if Atletico Madrid lose to Valencia. If not, they could be crowned champions by beating Levante at the Camp Nou on Saturday.  (function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(d.getElementById(id))return;js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src='https://embed.playbuzz.com/sdk.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}(document,'script','playbuzz-sdk')); Positives Given there's...

UN agency sympathises with families of slain aid workers

Police arrests 5 during clash between rival gangs at Aguda in Lagos

Numbers: Ronaldo makes history as Juventus win 8th straight Serie A title

Juventus created history with an eighth successive Serie A title, clinched by a 2-1 win against Fiorentina. Along the way, Cristiano Ronaldo carved himself a little slice of history. In France, a Kylian Mbappe hat-trick helped PSG seal their eighth Ligue 1 title with a 3-1 stroll against Monaco. In Spain, Barcelona continued their relentless march to a 26th La Liga title with a 2-1 win over Real Sociedad, maintaining their nine-point lead over Atletico Madrid. Below those two, Zinedine Zidane's...

Jordi Alba, Clement Lenglet 8/10 as Barcelona do enough to beat Real Sociedad

Defenders Clement Lenglet and Jordi Alba were the unlikely heroes as Barcelona beat Real Sociedad 2-1 at Camp Nou to move within two wins of the Liga title. Lenglet headed home an Ousmane Dembele corner on the stroke of half-time to open the scoring, but La Real levelled after the break through Juanmi. However, Barca responded one minute later when, having been found by Lionel Messi, Alba cut onto his right foot and drilled into the bottom corner. Positives Performances do not completely go out...

Power Rankings: Barcelona, Liverpool remain on top; Ajax climb, Juventus fall

ESPN FC's Sid Lowe makes the case that Liverpool's attacking prowess could have the potential to overwhelm Barcelona in the Champions League semis. ESPN FC's Craig Burley believes Tottenham and Ajax will be the tie of the round, after both sides reached the semifinals in dramatic fashion. The ESPN FC panel say Lionel Messi alone makes Barcelona favourites over Liverpool. Are the Reds good enough to stop him? ESPN FC's Craig Burley believes Manchester United got a dose of reality following their three-goal defeat in Barcelona. ESPN FC's Craig Burley credits Ajax for teaching Juventus a footballing lesson over two legs in their Champions League quarterfinal tie. The Champions League semifinalists occupy the top four spots, while Juve's bad week is reflected by their tumble. Plus, Arsenal and Chelsea are in! (function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(d.getElementById(id))return;js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src='https://embed.playbuzz.com/sdk.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}(document,'script','playbuzz-sdk')); Dropping out: Paris Saint-Germain, Benfica Agree? Disagree? Let us know, and watch Shaka defend his picks on ESPN FC TV, which airs daily on ESPN+.

UEFA Champions League final four: Why Barca, Liverpool, Spurs and Ajax will or won't win it all this season

It's a cliche because it's true. With just 270 minutes (plus extra time) left to play, anyone can win the Champions League. Liverpool were in the final just a year ago and Barcelona were the last team not named Real Madrid to actually win it. Ajax and Tottenham look like the longshots but have earned their places by taking down Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid, Manchester City and Juventus in the past two rounds. Plus, thanks to the fact that the quarterfinal and semifinal draws were made at the...

Interview with Lionel Messi at age 13 goes viral: The Bible, 'Baby's Day Out,' Chicken with sauce

Ajax reached their first UCL semifinal in more than 20 years by beating Juventus, while Barcelona proved too much for Man United. ESPN FC's Craig Burley believes Manchester United got a dose of reality following their three-goal defeat in Barcelona. We're accustomed to seeing Lionel Messi steal the headlines, most recently with his two goals in Barcelona's 3-0 win over Manchester United in the Champions League on Tuesday, for his magic on the pitch. But he was already attracting media in his native Rosario 19 years ago. A questionnaire that the future Argentina captain answered for newspaper La Capital has been unearthed by Twitter user @ARGIsabella and has gone viral. In it, a 13-year-old Messi reveals his favourite things, his outlook on...

Messi's genius is enough for Barcelona to win the Champions League

BARCELONA, Spain -- It is six years since a team without Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo won the Championsthe League and, if you conducted a straw poll of the Manchester United team torn apart by Barcelona's magician in the Nou Camp during a 3-0 quarterfinal second-leg defeat on Tuesday night, few responses would suggest the sequence will end this season. Ronaldo, courtesy of Ajax's stunning victory against Juventus, will not be in Madrid for the final on June 1, but Messi, who netted twice in...

Transfer Talk: Barcelona make Man United's Rashford top target

The transfer window for Europe's biggest clubs is closed, but you can click here to review all the deals. Transfer Talk will continue to scour the world's media and set correspondents loose to see what's on the agenda for the summer. Jump to: Ajax ace to Prem? | Juve after 'new Ronaldo'  TOP STORY: Barca target stunning Rashford swoop Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford has emerged as a top transfer target for Spanish giants Barcelona, according to reports in The Mirror. TRANSFERS ESPN's step-by-step guide to a transfer Why were Chelsea given a transfer ban? FC Exclusives - Chelsea track Paranaense's Guimaraes - United plan summer overhaul - Real's Varane considering future - Barca after €300m in sales - United eye Saul, City want Rodri Barca...

Lionel Messi 9/10, Philippe Coutinho 8/10 as Barca sweep past Man United in Champions League

Alejandro Moreno delves into all the hurdles Barcelona will have to cross to have a chance at landing Manchester United's Marcus Rashford. BARCELONA, Spain -- Lionel Messi scored twice in four first-half minutes as Barcelona beat Manchester United 3-0 at Camp Nou to make the Champions League semifinals on Tuesday. Philippe Coutinho added a stunning third in the second half as Barca eased past the Premier League side 4-0 on aggregate to keep their treble dream alive. United started well, hitting the bar inside a minute through Marcus Rashford, but they were soon put to the sword by Messi. The Argentine scored a brilliant opener form...

Wife arrested for allegedly poisoning husband in Kano

LIVE: Transfer Talk: Barcelona make Man United's Rashford top target

The transfer window for Europe's biggest clubs is closed, but you can click here to review all the deals. Transfer Talk will continue to scour the world's media and set correspondents loose to see what's on the agenda for the summer. Jump to: Ajax ace to Prem? | Juve after 'new Ronaldo'  TOP STORY: Barca target stunning Rashford swoop Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford has emerged as a top transfer target for Spanish giants Barcelona, according to reports in The Mirror. TRANSFERS ESPN's step-by-step guide to a transfer Why were Chelsea given a transfer ban? FC Exclusives - Chelsea track Paranaense's Guimaraes - United plan summer overhaul - Real's Varane considering future - Barca after €300m in sales - United eye Saul, City want Rodri Barca...

Barcelona must tune out the noise, high expectations as they close on historic third Treble

ESPN FC's Craig Burley and Mark Donaldson square off in predicting who will advance to the Champions League semifinals. Stevie Nicol questions if Lionel Messi has had to carry more of the load for Barca than in previous years due to lack of a supporting cast. It's both startling, and somewhat unfair, the degree to which Barcelona are treading along a knife edge tonight at the Camp Nou. If they eliminate Manchester United from the Champions League, whether by hook, by crook, a goalless draw or a champagne-fest of scintillating, inspired football, they will be about three good performances away from their third trophy Treble. That their opponents on Tuesday night happen to be Manchester United, led now by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, their mythical added-time...

Champions League quarterfinal second legs: Predictions and key battles

Barcelona will take a one-goal advantage back to the Camp Nou, while Cristiano Ronaldo scored on his return in a 1-1 draw with Ajax. Tottenham stole a late winner despite losing Harry Kane to injury, while Liverpool outmatched Porto at Anfield. Craig Burley doesn't see a way back for Manchester United, even though they limited Barcelona to just one goal at Old Trafford. Our ESPN FC crew discuss whether Ajax can knock off another European giant away from home following their 1-1 draw with Juventus at home. Last week's first legs in the four Champions League quarterfinals offered up a contrasting of games that all entertained in their own way and, crucially, kept the ties alive into their respective second legs. Can Manchester United come back to upset Barcelona? Will Cristiano Ronaldo deliver yet more heroics for Juventus? Can Liverpool hang on at Porto? Will Manchester City thrash Tottenham? We get you ready for the second legs. Jump to: Juve-Ajax | Porto-Liverpool | Man City vs. Tottenham Barcelona...

Weekend numbers: Paul Pogba's best-ever season, Raheem Sterling's magic touch

The race for the 2018-19 Premier League crown promises to go down to the proverbial wire. A Raheem Sterling brace set up Manchester City's 3-1 win over Crystal Palace, Liverpool responded with a thrilling 2-0 defeat of Chelsea at Anfield. Brilliant stuff. Lower down in the table, Manchester United eked out a 2-1 win over West Ham United at Old Trafford to stay in contention for a top four spot.  Meanwhile, across continental Europe, two giants of the game squandered chances to seal their respective...

Dembele returns, youngsters Wague and Puig impress in goalless draw

Chances were few and far between for Barcelona as they were held goalless by La Liga cellar dwellers Huesca. Against Huesca, Ousmane Dembele made his first appearance after a month out with a torn muscle.  Barcelona were held to a goalless draw at Huesca on Saturday after making 10 changes to the side which beat Manchester United in midweek. Ernesto Valverde took advantage of his side's 11-point lead at the top of La Liga to rest everyone except goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen ahead of Tuesday's Champions League quarterfinal second leg against United at Camp Nou. Ousmane Dembele came close to finding the breakthrough but he was foiled by Roberto Santamaria in the first half and Malcom hit...

Power Rankings: Barcelona No. 1; Liverpool, Juventus climb; Man City drop

Craig Burley doesn't see a way back for Manchester United, even though they limited Barcelona to just one goal at Old Trafford. Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has told ESPN FC in an exclusive interview that he wants Lionel Messi to remain linked to the club forever. The leaders claim another week on top, but there is movement down below as a pair of Premier League clubs, plus the Italian champions, move up. (function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(d.getElementById(id))return;js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src='https://embed.playbuzz.com/sdk.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}(document,'script','playbuzz-sdk')); Dropping out:  Agree? Disagree? Let us know, and watch Shaka defend his picks on ESPN FC TV, which airs daily on ESPN+.

Solskjaer formation fail, Guardiola's strange changes among UCL first-leg talking points

Barcelona will take a one-goal advantage back to the Camp Nou, while Cristiano Ronaldo scored on his return in a 1-1 draw with Ajax. Tottenham stole a late winner despite losing Harry Kane to injury, while Liverpool outmatched Porto at Anfield. Craig Burley doesn't see a way back for Manchester United, even though they limited Barcelona to just one goal at Old Trafford. Our ESPN FC crew discuss whether Ajax can knock off another European giant away from home following their 1-1 draw with Juventus at home. Steve Nicol believes Jurgen Klopp has no choice but to start Mohamed Salah despite his continued struggles in Liverpool's win over Porto. While Harry Kane's injury is a major concern for Tottenham, Craig Burley says it could also be a curveball for Pep Guardiola and Manchester City. The Champions League quarterfinals produced four patient but entertaining first legs that ended with four different scorelines: 1-0, 2-0, 1-1, 0-1. Here are four talking points from the four contests played this week... Tottenham 1-0 Manchester City: Guardiola's UCL approach prompts more questions We're no longer surprised when Pep Guardiola names a starting XI that doesn't quite make sense on paper -- but too often in Champions League away legs, it doesn't make sense on the pitch either. On Tuesday,...

Man United have the team to turn around tie at Barca -- but it doesn't include Lukaku

MANCHESTER, England -- It is often in the most testing circumstances that you find out the most about a player and whether he is really the man who can make a difference when it matters, so Manchester United's 1-0 Champions League defeat against Barcelona at Old Trafford on Wednesday can only be regarded as a bad night for Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian forward's agent, Federico Pastorello, you may have noticed recently, has left the door open to a move away from United for his client this summer...

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Gerard Pique immense, Lionel Messi rather quiet as Barca take slim lead back to Camp Nou

MANCHESTER, England -- Luke Shaw's first-half own goal handed Barcelona the advantage over Manchester United in their Champions League quarterfinal as the Catalans won 1-0 at Old Trafford on Wednesday. Shaw turned Luis Suarez's header into his own net early in the first half after Lionel Messi had teed up the Uruguayan at the far post. The goal stood after a review from VAR to check if there had been an offside in the build-up. David De Gea made a good save from Philippe Coutinho to stop Barca...

Otedola, celebrities congratulate Dangote on 62nd birthday

Business tycoon, Femi Otedola and notable Nigerian celebrities took to their instagram handles to celebrate with billionaire Aliko Dangote as he marks his 62nd birthday.

Otedola did not only wish Dangote a happy birthday, he described him as `the greatest man that has come out of Africa.’

Read more:

“Happy birthday to my brother, mentor, and best friend. Greatest man that has come out of Africa… F.Ote.”

Meanwhile, notable Nigerian celebrities have also taken to various social media platform to celebrate with the business tycoon on his birthday.

Paul Okoye, also took to his instagram handle, iamkingrudy to wish Dangote a happy birthday.

“Happy massive birthday to my big oga#chairman Aliko Dangote" More blessing.

Similarly, his twin Petersquare said,“ Happy birthday to my mentor and uncle. Wishing many happy returns to the person who taught me how to pursue my goals".

“Uncle Aliko you have been a great inspiration to me and I wish you a happy birthday, sir.”

Comedian, Bovi on his instagram handle, officialbovi said,“ Happy birthday to my best friend and fellow billionaire, Alhaji Aliko Dangote. I remember when we took this picture 4 years ago, you advised me to go public with my company.

“ So I sold shares on the mic and like they say, the rest is history.’’

On his part, veteran comedian, Ali Baba, also posted on his instagram handle, alibabagcfr also wished Dangote a happy birthday, saying, “Happy birthday @aliko_dangotegcon. #fromFoorToForbes.

Dangote was named as the Forbes Africa Person of the Year 2014 .

He is currently worth was U.S $10.7 billion.

Barcelona's resilience and late goals should have Man United worried in UCL

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer tells ESPN FC's Rob Dawson he models his management style on Sir Alex Ferguson, including his famed 'hairdryer' treatment. Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has told ESPN FC in an exclusive interview that he wants Lionel Messi to remain linked to the club forever. I suppose if you had to pick one man in the entire world who doesn't need any reminder of the value and impact of late goals, it'd probably be Ole Gunnar Solskjaer -- particularly a couple of days after he revisited the Camp Nou for the first time since his historic Treble-winning goal there in 1999. For Manchester United fans, it was their all-time miracle moment, but for us neutrals in the stadium it was no less incredible. I was working in the Camp Nou, sat a couple of rows behind Charlie...

Transfer Talk: Barcelona scouting Wolves' teen Portuguese sensation Ruben Vinagre

ESPN FC's Sid Lowe comes on the show to reveal the truth behind Barcelona's reported €300m fire sale this summer. The transfer window for Europe's biggest clubs is closed, but click here for all the deals. Transfer Talk will continue to scour the world's media and set correspondents loose to see what's on the agenda for the summer. TOP STORY: Barca eye Wolves' Portuguese wonderkid TRANSFERS ESPN's step-by-step guide to a transfer Why were Chelsea given a transfer ban? FC Exclusives - Chelsea track Paranaense's Guimaraes - United plan summer overhaul - Real's Varane considering future - Barca after €300m in sales - United eye Saul, City want Rodri Wolves may have lost their FA Cup semifinal against Watford at Wembley on Sunday, but Barcelona won't be deterred in chasing one of Nuno Espirito Santo's top prospects. The Spanish giants have sent an army of scouts to watch...

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Barcelona all but clinch La Liga vs. Atletico. PLUS: Bayern rout Dortmund, Man City's Quadruple odds increase

Craig Burley and Alejandro Moreno unleash on Borussia Dortmund after a 5-0 loss at Bayern Munich that sent their rivals top in the Bundesliga. Luis Suarez and Barcelona all but put the title race to bed with a late win over Atletico, one that seemed inevitable. After another action-packed weekend in soccer, Gab Marcotti reflects on the big talking points in his latest edition of Monday Musings. Jump to: Bayern rout Dortmund | Man City's Quadruple | Milan-Juve fallout | Arsenal woe | Bravo, Benzema | Rabiot drama at PSG | Watford, Wolves dazzle It was the last roll of the dice in terms of La Liga's title race and there were no surprises. Or, rather, the surprise was how, playing with 10 men for more than an hour, Atletico Madrid showed that...

Weekend numbers: Lionel Messi 335, Mo Salah 50, Lewandowski 200

Manchester City's pursuit of an unprecedented quadruple is entering its final leg -- they strolled to a 1-0 win over Brighton to book a place in the FA Cup final. Joining them there are Watford, who staged a remarkable comeback from 2-0 down to win their semifinal against Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-2 in extra time. In the Premier League, Liverpool fought back from a goal down to beat Southampton away, and moved two points clear at the top. Meanwhile, Arsenal's quest for a top four spot...

Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez star late on as Barcelona top 10-man Atletico Madrid

BARCELONA, Spain -- Late goals from Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi saw Barcelona beat 10-man Atletico Madrid 2-0 on Saturday as they opened up an 11-point lead at the top of La Liga with just seven games to go. Diego Costa saw red in the first half for something he said to referee Gil Manzano but Atletico managed to frustrate Barca at Camp Nou until the 85th minute. Diego Simeone's side couldn't hold out until the end, though, and Barca finally broke through when Suarez curled past Jan...

Griezmann rejected Barca once but as Atletico's season slips away, he has another decision to make

ESPN FC's Ale Moreno breaks down the latest transfer rumblings, including: Antoine Griezmann, Hirving Lozano and many more. Antoine Griezmann wanted to sit at Lionel Messi's table but not play in his team. Well, he did. And then he didn't. And then he did again. And, in the end, he didn't, only maybe that wasn't the end? It seemed to be all over but less than a year later, the question has been asked again, the issue raised once more. Confused? Not half as confused as he was. "Was"? Is? In June 2018, the France international decided that he was going to stay at Atletico Madrid rather than join Barcelona, turning down...

Power Rankings: Barcelona stay top ahead of Man City, Liverpool

Steve Nicol and Shaka Hislop contextualize Lionel Messi's dominance after the Barcelona star reached 40 goals for the 10th straight season. There is no change at top end of Shaka's latest countdown after winning weeks for the leaders, but further down there are three new entries. (function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(d.getElementById(id))return;js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src='https://embed.playbuzz.com/sdk.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}(document,'script','playbuzz-sdk')); Dropping out: Tottenham, Man United, Napoli. Agree? Disagree? Let us know, and watch Shaka defend his picks on ESPN FC TV, which airs daily on ESPN+.

Is the Philippe Coutinho era at Barcelona nearing an end? What happened to the ¬160 million man?

BARCELONA, Spain -- There's a joke among local residents in Castelldefels, a town squashed between the sea and the mountains outside of Barcelona, that Philippe Coutinho's home is a jinx. Cesc Fabregas bought it months before being sold to Chelsea. Thomas Vermaelen's stay there coincided with lengthy spells on the sideline with injuries. Andre Gomes then moved in after joining Barcelona from Valencia for nearly €40 million but the Portuguese midfielder never found his feet at Camp Nou, admitting...

2 suspects in connection with the kidnap, murder of Enugu Catholic Priest has been arrested

The Enugu Police Command have arrested two suspects in connection with the kidnap and murder of a Catholic Rev. Clement Ugwu in Obinofia Ndiuno community in the state.

Ugwu, who is the Parish Priest of St. Marks Catholic Church, Obinofia Ndiuno, Ezeagu Local Government Area, was abducted after being shot by the assailants in the church premises on Wednesday, March 13, 2019 at about 9 p.m.

His decomposing body was later found in a bush in the area on March 20.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Ebere Amaraizu, said in a statement on Wednesday that the two suspects were arrested in a hide-out in Area 1 Garki, Abuja, on Thursday, March 28, 2019 after days of being trailed.

Both suspects gave their names as Sunday Chibuko, 32, of Umunna Ndiagu in Ezeagu and Benjamin Osogwu, 28, native of Obollo Eke in Udenu Local Government Area.

Ebere said the operation was carried out through an intelligent information received by the operatives of the command.

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It has also been assured that the remaining members of the gang will soon be arrested as the suspects are currently helping the command in its investigation.

Messi to the rescue again, off the bench, as Barcelona rally for wild 4-4 draw at Villarreal

Messi scored a stunning free kick in the 90th minute and then helped Barca come from 4-2 down to get a point. Barcelona threw away a two-goal lead and then came back from two goals down to eventually draw 4-4 with Villarreal in an incredible game at the Estadio de la Ceramica on Tuesday. Early efforts from Philippe Coutinho and Malcom looked to have Barca on track for three points before the home side produced a stunning fight back. Samuel Chukwueze pulled a goal back before the break and Karl Toko Ekambi levelled the scores up in the second half. Villarreal then took the lead through Vicente Iborra...

2 suspected arms manufacturers in Benue arrested by the military

Is the Philippe Coutinho era at Barcelona nearing an end? What happened to the $170 million man?

BARCELONA, Spain -- There's a joke among local residents in Castelldefels, a town squashed between the sea and the mountains outside of Barcelona, that Philippe Coutinho's home is a jinx. Cesc Fabregas bought it months before being sold to Chelsea. Thomas Vermaelen's stay there coincided with lengthy spells on the sideline with injuries. Andre Gomes then moved in after joining Barcelona from Valencia for nearly €40 million but the Portuguese midfielder never found his feet at Camp Nou, admitting...

Is the Philippe Coutinho era nearing an end at Barcelona? What happened to the $170 million man?

BARCELONA, Spain -- There's a joke among local residents in Castelldefels, a town squashed between the sea and the mountains outside of Barcelona, that Philippe Coutinho's home is a jinx. Cesc Fabregas bought it months before being sold to Chelsea. Thomas Vermaelen's stay there coincided with lengthy spells on the sideline with injuries. Andre Gomes then moved in after joining Barcelona from Valencia for nearly €40 million but the Portuguese midfielder never found his feet at Camp Nou,...

Weekend numbers: Jadon Sancho overtakes Lionel Messi; Christian Eriksen equals David Beckham

The return of club football coincided with the real Lionel Messi standing up, inspiring Barcelona to a 2-0 win over Espanyol with a brace, maintaining a 10-point gap at the top of the table. Zinedine Zidane's Real Madrid were almost embarrassed by bottom-placed Huesca, Karim Benzema's 89th-minute goal saw them pinch it 3-2. Liverpool opened up a two-point lead at the top of the Premier League with a last-gasp 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur. Manchester City, though, do have a game in hand...

Weekend numbers: Lionel Messi's world, last-minute Liverpool

Messi has scored at least 40 goals in each of his last 10 seasons for Barcelona. What a weekend of football, eh? The return of club football coincided with the real Lionel Messi standing up as the little Argentine inspired Barcelona to a 2-0 win over Espanyol with a brace, maintaining a 10-point gap at the top of the table. Zinedine Zidane's Real Madrid were almost embarrassed by bottom-placed Huesca, but an 89th-minute Karim Benzema goal saw them pinch it 3-2. Liverpool opened up a two-point lead at the top of the Premier League with a last-gasp 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur....