Transfer Talk: Barca to offer Coutinho or Dembele for Neymar?

The Premier League transfer window is open. You can click here to review all the latest transfers and keep up to date with all the latest gossip below. When does the window open in Europe? | QUIZ: Which club should you join? TOP STORY: Neymar to return as Barca offer stars in exchange Neymar is set for a sensational return to the Camp Nou, according to the Daily Record, with the Catalan club offering either Philippe Coutinho or Ousmane Dembele in part exchange. TRANSFERS Transfer grades: Rating every major signing from Europe Why were Chelsea given a transfer ban? FC Exclusives - Conte wants Lukaku at Inter - City talks for Bayern-linked Sane - Hazard edging closer to Madrid move - Man United drop Sancho interest - United make move for Longstaff Barca sold Neymar to PSG...

Toe Poke Daily: Obama's message for Messi - 'Few people achieve great things on their own'

Ahead of the Champions League final in Madrid, Stewart Robson picks whether he'd prefer Tottenham's Mauricio Pochettino or Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp as his manager. Hugo Lloris reflected on Spurs' historic comeback against Ajax and said that all the credit belongs to Mauricio Pochettino and his coaching staff. Stewart Robson examines how Liverpool can fill the void left by Naby Keita after Jurgen Klopp confirmed the midfielder will miss the UCL final due to injury. The FC crew discuss what Harry Kane's role should be for Tottenham in the Champions League final, having just rejoined training this week. The Toe Poke Daily is here every day to bring you all the weirdest stories, quirkiest viral content and top trolling that the internet has to offer, all in one place. Jump to: Man gets 54k Whatsapps after Carragher tweets his number | Arsenal fan's Baku hotel nightmare | Dream job alert! Football Manager game testers wanted Barack Obama just happened to be in South America when he brought up Lionel Messi. There aren't many people who are in a position to offer advice to Lionel Messi, but the Barcelona superstar has now received a pointer from one of the few men who...

LIVE Transfer Talk: Barca to offer Coutinho or Dembele for Neymar

The Premier League transfer window is open. You can click here to review all the latest transfers and keep up to date with all the latest gossip below. When does the window open in Europe? | QUIZ: Which club should you join? TOP STORY: Neymar to return as Barca offer stars in exchange Neymar is set for a sensational return to the Camp Nou, according to the Daily Record, with the Catalan club offering either Philippe Coutinho or Ousmane Dembele in part exchange. TRANSFERS Transfer grades: Rating every major signing from Europe Why were Chelsea given a transfer ban? FC Exclusives - City talks for Bayern-linked Sane - Man United want big Lukaku fee - Hazard edging closer to Madrid move - Man United drop Sancho interest - United make move for Longstaff Barca sold Neymar to PSG...

Transfer Talk: Barca to offer Coutinho, Dembele for Neymar

After being stripped of Brazil's captaincy, Stewart Robson feels Neymar is far too selfish and "a showman" to ever have been named captain. Domestic ID: The Premier League transfer window is open. You can click here to review all the latest transfers and keep up to date with all the latest gossip below. Transfer window grades | When does the window open in Europe? | QUIZ: Which club should you join? TOP STORY: Neymar to return as Barca offer stars in exchange Neymar is set for a sensational return to the Nou Camp, according to the Daily Record, with the Catalan club offering either Philippe Coutinho or Ousmane Dembele in part...

Valverde didn't ask for this underachieving Barcelona, the board gave it to him

Alejandro Moreno feels Barcelona should have decided to move on from coach Ernesto Valverde even before their lacklustre defeat in the Copa del Rey. Gab Marcotti feels Ernesto Valverde's inability to adjust his side when the opposition catches Barcelona off guard should be a cause for concern. It's a dark irony that the first player Ernesto Valverde asked his board to buy him when he took over at Barcelona two seasons ago was Dani Parejo. The point isn't an opportunistic one. It's not to say, "... and if they'd listened to him, then Saturday's Copa del Rey final would have turned out differently ..." The point, as the shrill Greek chorus of voices musters itself to apoplexy and the metaphorical bloodlust that is football's guillotine mob drowns out reason, is the kind of football...

Konrad De La Fuente is thriving for U.S. U20s. Will Barcelona's first-team squad be next?

De La Fuente has been thriving for the U.S. U20 side as a winger, starring in its 2-0 defeat of Nigeria on Monday night. BARCELONA, Spain -- You can take the boy out of the United States, but you can't take the United States out of the boy. Konrad De La Fuente, born in 2001, has spent seven years living in Barcelona, but it's LeBron James, not Lionel Messi, whom he looks to for inspiration as he tries to make it at one of the world's biggest soccer clubs. Before LeBron, though, there was Ronaldinho. De La Fuente was born in Miami to Haitian parents but spent his childhood in Florida idolising the Brazilian playmaker....

Konrad De La Fuente is thriving for U.S. U-20s. Will Barcelona's first-team squad be next?

De La Fuente has been thriving for the U.S. U-20 side as a winger, starring in their 2-0 defeat of Nigeria on Monday night. BARCELONA, Spain -- You can take the boy out of the United States but you can't take the United States out of the boy. Konrad de la Fuente, born in 2001, has spent seven years living in Barcelona but it's Lebron James, not Lionel Messi, whom he looks to for inspiration as he tries to make it at one of the world's biggest soccer clubs. Before Lebron, though, there was Ronaldinho. De la Fuente was born in Miami to Haitian parents but spent his childhood in Florida idolising the Brazilian playmaker....

Lionel Messi beats Kylian Mbappe to season-long Player Power Rankings crown

Barcelona's Lionel Messi was awarded the Creu du Sant Jordi, an award given to an individual who has served Catalonia in defense of its identity, either civically or culturally. We kicked off the 2018-19 Player Power Rankings campaign nine long months ago, with some famous faces coming in and out of our top 10 all season, and some surprise entrants making their presences felt. With the domestic calendars now all wrapped up, we looked back on a season's worth of Player Power Rankings to bring you our year-end top 10. (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')); Let us know what you think of the countdown by commenting on Twitter using #ESPNFCrankings.

Barcelona's Copa failure prompts the question: Is Ernesto Valverde the right manager? PLUS: Praising Atalanta

After another action-packed weekend in soccer, Gab Marcotti reflects on the big talking points in his latest edition of Monday Musings. Jump to: Is Valverde safe at Barca? | Inter secure top four | Bayern should give Kovac more time | Praise for Atalanta | Man City address their critics | And finally... Bas Dost Is Valverde safe at Barcelona? Barcelona winning the Double this season would have felt anti-climactic to many, which is more than understandable. Having endured the horrors of Anfield...

Valverde must take blame for Barcelona's Copa del Rey humiliation

Valencia denied Lionel Messi and Barcelona a fifth straight Copa del Rey victory with a thrilling 2-1 win in Seville. SEVILLE, Spain -- Barcelona missed the chance to end the season with the double as they went down to a surprise 2-1 defeat against Valencia in the Copa del Rey final on Saturday at the Benito Villamarin. The result will lead to more questions about Ernesto Valverde's future, despite the backing he received from Lionel Messi and other players ahead of this game. Valencia raced into a two-goal lead in the first half through strikes from Kevin Gameiro and Rodrigo, while Barca rallied after the break...

LIVE Transfer Talk: Chelsea 'to accept £130m from Madrid' for Hazard

ESPN FC's Alejandro Moreno assesses the big summer transfer rumours, including Paul Pogba joining Zinedine Zidane and Leroy Sane parting ways with Pep Guardiola. The Premier League transfer window is open. You can click here to review all the latest transfers and keep up to date with all the latest gossip below. Transfer window grades | When does the window open in Europe? | QUIZ: Which club should you join? TOP STORY: Chelsea to accept £130m from Real Madrid for Hazard It looks like the Eden Hazard saga is coming to a close with Sky Sports reporting Chelsea are prepared to accept Real Madrid's £130 million offer for the Belgium...

Transfer Talk: Everton want £100m for United, Barca target Richarlison

ESPN FC's Alejandro Moreno assesses the big summer transfer rumours, including Paul Pogba joining Zinedine Zidane and Leroy Sane parting ways with Pep Guardiola. The Premier League transfer window is open. You can click here to review all the latest transfers and keep up to date with all the latest gossip below. Transfer window grades | When does the window open in Europe? | QUIZ: Which club should you join? TOP STORY: Everton demand huge Richarlison sum Should Richarlison leave Everton this summer, he will not be doing so on the cheap, as Marco Silva's side are expected to ask for £100 million for the Brazilian, according to The...

Copa del Rey final: What's at stake for Barcelona, Messi, Valverde and Valencia?

ESPN FC's Sid Lowe shares his thoughts on how Barcelona should proceed with Ernesto Valverde as his UCL failures continue to overshadow his tenure. Spanish champions Barcelona clash with Valencia in the Copa del Rey final in Seville on Saturday (live on ESPN3, ESPN Deportes at 2:30 p.m.). Sid Lowe tells you all you need to know... A little bit of history... and politics Spain's oldest competition, the "Campeonato nacional de Espana", started as a five-team tournament held at the Estadio del Hipodromo to mark the coronation of Alfonso XIII in May 1902. The 1902 trophy is not included in the official records, but the occasion was the start...

6 trapped, 2 rescued as 4-storey building collapses in Onitsha

Two persons have been rescued while six others are still trapped in the debris of a four-storey building which collapsed at No. 7 Ezenwa St., Onitsha in Anambra on Wednesday.

According to NAN, eight persons were involved in the ongoing building construction when the incident occurred at about 2pm.

An eye witness said those trapped were workers and the site engineer.

“They were working at the site when suddenly we heard a loud sound which happened to be the building that collapsed.

“People came to rescue two person but six others are still buried in the debris,” the source said, urging the state government to come with heavy equipment to rescue others.

The Divisional Police Officer for Onitsha Central Police Station, Mr Ifeanyi Iburu led a team of security operatives to ensure adequate security of lives and property.

Personnel from the Nigerian Red Cross, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps as well as sympathizers were part of those attempting to rescue the remaining six.

Confirming the incident, the state Chairman, Nigerian Red Cross Society, Prof. Peter Katchy said the rescued victims had been rushed to the hospital for medical attention.

“One of the persons rescued by Red Cross is at the intensive care at Holy Rosary Hospital Waterside, Onitsha, while another is at General Hospital Onitsha.

“Four are still trapped under the debris of the collapsed building including the Site Engineer,” he said.

He noted that an excavator and some earth moving vehicles were expected to assist in the rescue mission.

LIVE Transfer Talk: Manchester United ready raid for Barcelona's Rakitic

The Premier League transfer window is open. You can click here to review all the latest transfers and keep up to date with all the latest gossip below. Transfer window grades | When does the window open in Europe? | QUIZ: Which club should you join? TOP STORY: Man United ready Rakitic raid The Daily Record reports that Manchester United are working on a deal to bring Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic to Old Trafford. The Croatian's future in Spain has come under question...

Transfer Talk: Manchester United ready raid for Barcelona's Rakitic

The Premier League transfer window is open. You can click here to review all the latest transfers and keep up to date with all the latest gossip below. Transfer window grades | When does the window open in Europe? | QUIZ: Which club should you join? TOP STORY: Man United ready Rakitic raid The Daily Record reports that Manchester United are working on a deal to bring Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic to Old Trafford. The Croatian's future in Spain has come under question following Barca's signing...

Kidnappers demands N22m ransom for abducted twins, 1 other

Two persons on a journey, said to be twins have reportedly been kidnapped at a spot in Ekiti State.

Eaelier on Saturday, May 18, 2019, the General Secretary of the Alumni Association of Christ School, Ado Ekiti, Mr Ayo Oladele, was also said to have been kidnapped in Ekiti.

The Public Relations Officer of the Ekiti State Police Command, DSP. Caleb Ikechukwu, who confirmed the incidents in Ado Ekiti on Monday said the cases had been reported to the police.

He said that police operatives were doing their best to rescue the abducted people.

“The command is aware of the kidnap incidents along that route. We have deployed our resources particularly our personnel to be on the trail of these evil doers.

“We are doing our best to ensure that we locate them and set them free. Our concern is to free them and also arrest the evil men and bring them to justice.

“Even if the families failed to tell us, we still must be seen as doing our work, since the police is already aware of the incidents,” the spokesman said.

The abducted twins, said to be based in Ibadan, were allegedly abducted at a notorious path along the Aramoko-Erio-Efon Alaaye Road in Ekiti.

The twins were identified as Kehinde Olowoafara and Taiwo Olowoafara.

A family source said the abductors of the twins, had already reached out to the family, demanding six million each for the duo to be released.

ALSO READ: 29,723 Nigerians overstayed visas in US in 2018 as Trump wields hammer

Oladele’s family on their part said that the kidnappers were demanding N10 million for their son to be set free.

The Ekiti government last year enlisted the services of soldiers and deployed them on the notorious route when cases of kidnapping became rampant on the road. 

Tinubu meets Buhari in Makkah, urge elders to avoid inflammatory statements

Barcelona's Messi an 8/10 with brace to reach 50 goals once again

Two goals from Lionel Messi got him to 50 in all competitions for the sixth time in his career, but Barcelona ended the season with a draw at Eibar. Lionel Messi scored twice as Spanish champions Barcelona ended the La Liga season with a 2-2 draw at Eibar on Sunday. Ernesto Valverde's side ended the campaign 11 clear of their nearest challengers, Atletico Madrid, in a season marred by a shocking Champions League exit to Liverpool in the semifinals that took some of the gloss off their runaway league title win. Positives There was nothing for either team to play for on the pitch but Messi is still in a race for the European Golden Shoe. His...

LIVE Transfer Talk: Real Madrid make first approach for Liverpool's Mohamed Salah

The FC crew speculate on whether Barcelona or PSG are front-runners to land Antoine Griezmann after the Atleti star announced he'll depart this summer. The Premier League transfer window is open. You can click here to review all the latest transfers and keep up to date with all the latest gossip below. Transfer window grades | When does the window open in Europe? | QUIZ: Which club should you join? TOP STORY: Real begin pursuit of Salah Real Madrid's desire to bring Eden Hazard to the Santiago Bernabeu is well documented, but the Daily Mail says there's another Premier League attacker who's in the La Liga club's sights: Mohamed...

Transfer Talk: Real Madrid make first approach for Liverpool's Mohamed Salah

The FC crew speculate on whether Barcelona or PSG are front-runners to land Antoine Griezmann after the Atleti star announced he'll depart this summer. The Premier League transfer window is open. You can click here to review all the latest transfers and keep up to date with all the latest gossip below. Transfer window grades | When does the window open in Europe? | QUIZ: Which club should you join? TOP STORY: Real begin pursuit of Salah Real Madrid's desire to bring Eden Hazard to the Santiago Bernabeu is well documented, but the Daily Mail says there's another Premier League attacker that's in the La Liga club's sights: Mohamed...

Barcelona keep or dump: Who should play alongside Lionel Messi next season?

But for the madness at Anfield in the Champions League semifinal, Barcelona might still be on track for a Treble. It's worth remembering this when assessing the squad and what the club might do this summer. Instead, they've won La Liga and face Valencia in the Copa del Rey final, but Ernesto Valverde's future is still far from secure. We have analyzed the squad based on the premise that he stays: obviously, should he be replaced by a very different manager, the club's strategy might be very different...

Griezmann can pick his club but Barcelona have Messi as bait

The FC crew speculate whether Barcelona or PSG are front-runners to land Antoine Griezmann after the Atleti star announced he'll depart this summer. Antoine Griezmann will have plenty of suitors now he's announced his departure from Atletico Madrid this summer: Manchester United tried hard to sign him in 2017 but need him now more than ever, while he would amplify the trophy chances of PSG, Juventus, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid without any question. Even if you are cynical about a guy who drew out the "is he or isn't he?" saga for an eternity a year ago before using the daft "The Decision" video to announce that he wasn't going anywhere, you...

Griezmann will attract best in Europe but Barcelona have Lionel Messi

The FC crew speculate whether Barcelona or PSG are front-runners to land Antoine Griezmann after the Atleti star announced he'll depart this summer. Antoine Griezmann will have plenty of suitors now he's announced his departure from Atletico Madrid this summer: Manchester United tried hard to sign him in 2017 but need him now more than ever, while he would amplify the trophy chances of PSG, Juventus, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid without any question. Even if you are cynical about a guy who drew out the "is he or isn't he?" saga for an eternity a year ago before using the daft "The Decision" video to announce that he wasn't going anywhere, you...

400 level UNN student commits suicide — PPRO

A 400-level student of the Department of English and Literary Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), identified as Chukwuemeka Akachi, on Monday allegedly committed suicide, the police have confirmed.

Mr Ebere Amaraizu, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Enugu state, who confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday, describing it as “pathetic and unfortunate.

Amaraizu said: “The suicide of a UNN 400 level student of the Department of English and Literary Studies on Monday is pathetic and unfortunate.

“Police will investigate circumstances surrounding the suicide.”

An eyewitness account said that Akachi went to an uncompleted building on Sullivan Road, Nsukka, where he drank two bottles of “Sniper’, an insecticide, and slipped into coma.

He said that the deceased was discovered by some passersby, who reportedly saw him in a state of coma.

He said that the people, mainly students, raised alarm before he was rushed to UNN Federal Medical Centre.

It was further learnt that he was later moved to University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku Ozalla Enugu, where he was confirmed dead by doctors on duty.

According to the eyewitness, Akachi posted a suicide note on his Facebook wall shortly before he committed suicide, as follows:

“Forgive me. In case you are the one who found the body, I am really sorry. It had to be someone you know.

“I have chosen Jo Nketaih’s poem as my suicide note: “They said you came looking for me. I don’t drown, I was the water,

“Where do atheists go when they die! Lol. Amen.”

Also, Akachi was said to have posted on his Facebook on May 12 that “My mental health has been on life support for a while now. Thanks to those who call. Text. Visit.

“Speak to me. May we always remember. May we never forget. You May have added a few hours, months or days to my time here. But you know life support is expensive right?

“Thank you for trying. Amen.”

A senior security personnel in UNN Security Department, who pleaded anonymity, also confirmed the incident, adding that the report was brought to them on Monday morning.

ALSO READ: Do not resist arrest even if illegal, Police warn Nigerians

“But on Monday he drank Sniper and was rushed to UNN Medical Centre first, but was later moved to UNTH Enugu, where he was confirmed dead." 

He said this was not the first time Akachi wanted to commit suicide, adding that on two occasions, he had drunk kerosene and petrol to kill himself but was rescued.

Transfer window: Rabiot leads top free agents in the summer

Clubs missed their last chance to get some cash for one of their out-of-contract players in January, so here's who will be available on a free transfer in summer 2019 if they don't put pen to paper soon, with the help of Transfermarkt. MAN CITY: No more captain fantastic? Vincent Kompany: How do you replace the impact of a captain, leader and legend like Kompany? You can't really. The 32-year-old should really get a new one-year deal. LIVERPOOL: A striking decision Daniel Sturridge: Once a seriously...

Transfer window: Adrien Rabiot leads top free agents in the summer

Clubs missed their last chance to get some cash for one of their out-of-contract players in January, so here's who will be available on a free transfer in summer 2019 if they don't put pen to paper soon, with the help of Transfermarkt. MAN CITY: No more captain fantastic? Vincent Kompany: How do you replace the impact of a captain, leader and legend like Kompany? You can't really. The 32-year-old should really get a new one-year deal. LIVERPOOL: A striking decision Daniel Sturridge: Once a seriously...

NAF arrest man for impersonation in Badagry

Ramadan: Buhari breaks fast with ministers, heads of security agencies, others in Aso Rock

Vidal 7/10, Messi 6/10 as Barca bounce back vs. Getafe

Shaka Hislop makes his picks on the penultimate week on the La Liga season and discusses whether Barcelona can lift the spirit of the club after midweek's disaster. BARCELONA, Spain - A goal from Arturo Vidal and an own goal were enough for Barcelona to beat Getafe 2-0 at Camp Nou on Sunday as the recovery process for their Champions League collapse at Liverpool began. Vidal bundled home from close range in the first half and Lionel Messi forced what wound up being a late own goal for the second as the Spanish champions extended their lead at the top of the table to 11 points with just one game to go. Positives Ernesto Valverde said it was important to...

LIVE Transfer Talk: De Ligt to Barca could stall over ¬14m agent fee for Raiola

Ross Dyer and Steve Nicol share their thoughts on the latest transfer rumours, including who's in and who's out at Manchester United. ESPN FC's Steve Nicol believes Tottenham's defense will be more of a problem for Liverpool than Ajax's would have been in the Champions League final. Steve Nicol and Shaka Hislop examine where things went wrong for Ajax, pointing out the instances in which their inexperience cost them against Tottenham. With the transfer window for Europe's biggest clubs set to open soon -- find out when the Premier League transfer window opens -- rest assured that Transfer Talk is scouring the world's media and setting correspondents loose to see what is on the agenda. You can click here to review all the latest transfers. TOP STORY: Barca's De Ligt deal hits agent commission hitch Matthijs de Ligt's impending move from Ajax to Barcelona is on hold due to concerns raised by agent Mino Raiola over how much commission...

Transfer Talk: De Ligt to Barca could stall over ¬14m agent fee for Raiola

ESPN FC's Steve Nicol believes Tottenham's defense will be more of a problem for Liverpool than Ajax's would have been in the Champions League final. Steve Nicol and Shaka Hislop examine where things went wrong for Ajax, pointing out the instances in which their inexperience cost them against Tottenham. With the transfer window for Europe's biggest clubs set to open soon -- find out when the Premier League transfer window opens -- rest assured that Transfer Talk is scouring the world's media and setting correspondents loose to see what is on the agenda. You can click here to review all the latest transfers. TOP STORY: Barca's De Ligt deal hits agent commission hitch TRANSFERS ESPN's step-by-step guide to a transfer Why were Chelsea given a transfer ban? FC Exclusives - Pogba wants to leave Man United - United to turn to Maguire again - Barca still a way off De Ligt deal - James keen to leave Bayern - City scrap Chilwell plans Matthijs de Ligt's impending move from Ajax to Barcelona is on hold due to concerns raised by agent Mino Raiola over how much commission...

Power Rankings: Liverpool leapfrog Barcelona into lead, Tottenham second

Steve Nicol says he feels guilty for doubting Liverpool could pull off a comeback against Barcelona and reach the Champions League final. Steve Nicol and Shaka Hislop examine where things went wrong for Ajax, pointing out the instances in which their inexperience cost them against Tottenham. ESPN FC's Shaka Hislop weighs up who will stay and who will go at Barcelona following their UEFA Champions League exit against Liverpool. Sensational comebacks are reflected at the top of Shaka's latest Top 10, which is led by the participants in an all-English Champions League final. (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: Atletico Madrid Agree? Disagree? Let us know, and watch Shaka defend his picks on ESPN FC TV, which airs daily on ESPN+.

UCL, bloody hell - When first-leg wins aren't enough

Well, that was ludicrous. And brilliant. Liverpool overcame a 0-3 first-leg deficit against Barcelona to win 4-0 in front of a boisterous Anfield crowd, while Tottenham rallied from 0-2 down in the first half of the second leg (0-3 on aggregate) to score three second-half goals and stun a packed Amsterdam Arena.  As we look forward to a final few saw coming, here are the best numbers from the madness of the last two days.  1 Ajax picked the worst possible time for an unlikely collapse...

Ajax's Onana should reject Barcelona overtures - Bell

Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana should bide his time before considering a return to Barcelona, according to former Cameroon stopper Joseph-Antoine Bell. The current Indomitable Lions No. 1 has caught the eye for the Dutch giants this season, despite the Amsterdam side's spectacular defeat at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday night, sending the English side to the Champions League final. Onana's form has prompted reported interest from several European giants, notably Barcelona, where the 23-year-old...

Barcelona, Valverde didn't learn from Roma shock last season. Then it happened again vs. Liverpool. Why?

Maybe as a kid you didn't see the point in history class, reading up on all those men (and yeah, they were probably mostly men) of yesteryear, with their outdated ideas and senseless battles won and lost. Maybe you failed to see how events from centuries ago have any relevance to the here and now. And maybe that's why some annoyed teacher or parent quoted the philosopher George Santayana to you: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Ernesto Valverde was likely never...

Barcelona, Valverde didn't learn from Roma shock last season. Then it happened again vs. Liverpool. Why?

Maybe as a kid you didn't see the point in History class, reading up on all those men (and yeah, they were probably mostly men) of yesteryear, with their outdated ideas and senseless battles won and lost. Maybe you failed to see how events from centuries ago have any relevance to the here and now. And maybe that's why some annoyed teacher or parent quoted the philosopher George Santayana to you: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Ernesto Valverde was likely never...

Barcelona were the 'dopes' in stunning Champions League loss at Liverpool

The FC crew dissect the midfield and attacking issues that cost Barcelona a 3-0 lead against Liverpool and a place in the Champions League final. Steve Nicol says he feels guilty for doubting Liverpool could pull off a comeback against Barcelona and reach the Champions League final. To begin properly, we have to start at the end. In getting to the heart of Barcelona's inability -- again -- to protect a three-goal lead, we have to start with Liverpool's fourth. Bear with me. Long ago, Liverpool had a boot room at their training ground. It was the place, literally, where the squad's football boots were stored. But because it was informal, warm, more communal than the manager's office, the Reds' coaching staff used to meet there. Legend has it that it was the kingdom of...

Liverpool's comeback tops any magic historic Anfield has ever seen

Steve Nicol says he feels guilty for doubting Liverpool could pull off a comeback against Barcelona and reach the Champions League final. The FC crew dissect the midfield and attacking issues that cost Barcelona a 3-0 lead against Liverpool and a place in the Champions League final. LIVERPOOL, England -- Jurgen Klopp hinted that he didn't believe Liverpool could pull off a Champions League miracle against Barcelona, admitting Monday that "beautiful failure" was perhaps the best his team could hope for against the Spanish champions. Come on, Jurgen, you need to have more faith. Your players have shown they are capable of anything, but nothing can match this: a 4-0 rout of Barcelona when every odd was stacked against them. Trailing 3-0 from the semifinal first leg in the Camp...

Jordi Alba 3/10 as errors start Barca's collapse vs. Liverpool

Jordi Alba's mistakes resulted in Liverpool's first two goals in their Champions League win over Barcelona. LIVERPOOL, England -- Barcelona contrived to throw away a three-goal first-leg lead in the Champions League semifinals for the second season in a row as they were thumped 4-0 by Liverpool at Anfield on Tuesday night. Divock Origi's early goal laid the foundation for another famous European night on Merseyside as Liverpool fought back from last week's 3-0 loss at Camp Nou to reach a second consecutive Champions League final. Substitute Georginio Wijnaldum added two more after the break to bring...

Liverpool's comeback vs. Barca will be remembered as Anfield's most magical European night ever

Steve Nicol says he feels guilty for doubting Liverpool could pull off a comeback against Barcelona and reach the Champions League final. The FC crew dissect the midfield and attacking issues that cost Barcelona a 3-0 lead against Liverpool and a place in the Champions League final. LIVERPOOL, England -- Jurgen Klopp even hinted that he didn't believe Liverpool could pull off a Champions League miracle against Barcelona, admitting on Monday that "beautiful failure" was perhaps the best his team could hope for against the Spanish champions. Come on, Jurgen, you need to have more faith. Your players have shown they are capable of anything, but nothing can match this: a 4-0 rout of Barcelona when every odd was stacked against them. Trailing 3-0 from the semifinal first leg...

2 ‘Yahoo boys’ jailed 1 year without option of fine

A Kwara State High Court seating in Ilorin on Tuesday, May 7, 2019 sentenced two convicted Internet fraudsters, Mustapha Sulaiman and Paul Chimezie, to one year in jail without an option of fine.

The Court's Justice M. Abdulgafar convicted the accused following plea bargain agreements entered with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) by the convicts.

Prosecuting Counsel, Andrew Akoja, had earlier urged the court to convict and sentence the defendants based on the plea bargain agreement.

“My Lord, the defendants were charged before this court on offences bordering on internet fraud, I urged your Lordship to convict and sentence them accordingly,”Akoja said.

Justice Abdulgafar held in his judgement that the sentence should commenced in February 2019 when the convicts were first detained.

ALSO READ: Car in reverse mode knocks down 4-year-old boy

According to NAN, Sulaiman and Chimezie were arrested by the EFCC sometimes in February for using different email addresses and pictures of white women, in an attempt to defraud.

Jordi Alba 3/10 as his mistakes start Barca's collapse vs. Liverpool

Jordi Alba's mistakes resulted in Liverpool's first two goals in their Champions League win over Barcelona. LIVERPOOL, England -- Barcelona contrived to throw away a three-goal first-leg lead in the Champions League semifinals for the second season in a row as they were thumped 4-0 by Liverpool at Anfield on Tuesday night. Divock Origi's early goal laid the foundations for another famous European night on Merseyside as Liverpool fought back from last week's 3-0 loss at Camp Nou to reach a second consecutive Champions League final. Substitute Georginio Wijnaldum added two more after the break to bring...

Philippe Coutinho left Anfield a superstar, but returns with Barcelona a lost soul

ESPN FC's Sid Lowe feels Lionel Messi's strong message against jeers of Barcelona's Philippe Coutinho could do a load of good for his confidence. Steve Nicol, Craig Burley and Alejandro Moreno talk Coutinho's struggles at Barcelona as the former Liverpool man was subjected to jeers by his own fans on Wednesday. Philippe Coutinho could be forgiven for taking a plaintive look around Anfield on his return on Tuesday night -- even if, as looks probable, it is his Barcelona who make it through to the final of the Champions League at the expense of his old club Liverpool. In the Portuguese of his native Brazil, there is an apt expression for the position in which Coutinho finds himself: "He was happy and he didn't know it." Sure, Coutinho was to some extent happy at Liverpool. So far, it is the club where he...

48 inmates have been ordains as evangelists in Jos Prison

48 inmates of the Jos Prison were ordained by the Prison Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) as evangelists on Monday, May 5, 2019.

It was made known in a statement by the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Plateau Command of the Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS), ASP Martha Banda in Jos.

The graduation which took place on Monday, according to PRO, was part of the command’s 2019 Prison Journey Programme aimed at strengthening the spiritual lives of the inmates with a view of reuniting them with God.

Banda said there were 46 males and two females graduands who participated in the programme that lasted for 12 weeks.

She also quoted the PFN coordinator in Plateau, Pastor Elijah Ojewande, as saying that more than 1,633 prisoners had graduated from the programme since its birth in 2004.

She said Ojewande urged the graduating prisoners to abide by what they were thought during the programme and be good ambassadors of the fellowship.

ALSO READ: EFCC launches fresh investigation against Saraki

The PRO said Mr. Samuel Aguda, NPS commander in Plateau congratulated the graduands and admonished them to hold on to the tenets of the fellowship.

Lionel Messi is Barcelona's diva in the best possible sense of the word

Messi broke Liverpool's hearts in the Champions League semifinal, first leg, as though it was simple. To him, it probably was. Watch out for Lionel Messi's final goal. You'll see it in a high-pressure match where he's already scored once or twice; when it arrives, you'll notice that this goal is far more spectacular than the ones that came before it. Witness, for example, the first leg of this season's Barcelona's UEFA Champions League semifinal against Liverpool, in which Messi found the net twice last week. His first strike was a routine affair, following up to tap in a Luis Suarez shot that had fallen kindly to him...

Champions League semifinals, Leg 2: predictions and key battles

This is it: there's one game to go before the Champions League final. Who will advance to meet on June 1 in Madrid? Do Liverpool have a miracle in them vs. Lionel Messi and Barcelona? Will Ajax or Tottenham advance?  Here's everything you need to know, from the superheroes and the sidekicks who can decide the ties to the keys for victory. Liverpool vs. Barcelona FIRST LEG SCORE: Barcelona 3, Liverpool 0 WHEN: Tuesday, May 7, 3 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. BST WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THE FIRST...

LIVE Transfer Talk: Barcelona plan shock move for Arsenal's Alexandre Lacazette

Paul Mariner takes a whirl at the latest transfer rater and takes on the rumours surrounding Gareth Bale, Mesut Ozil and Edinson Cavani all set to leave this summer. With the transfer window for Europe's biggest clubs set to open soon -- find out exactly when the Premier League transfer window opens -- rest assured that Transfer Talk is scouring the world's media and setting correspondents loose to see what is on the agenda. You can click here to review all the latest transfers. TOP STORY: Barcelona eye shock swoop for Lacazette Spanish giants Barcelona have set their sights on a stunning move for Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette, according to reports in...

Transfer Talk: Barcelona plan shock move for Arsenal's Alexandre Lacazette

Paul Mariner takes a whirl at the latest transfer rater and takes on the rumours surrounding Gareth Bale, Mesut Ozil and Edinson Cavani all set to leave this summer. With the transfer window for Europe's biggest clubs set to open soon -- find out exactly when the Premier League transfer window opens -- rest assured that Transfer Talk is scouring the world's media and setting correspondents loose to see what is on the agenda. You can click here to review all the latest transfers. Barcelona eye shock swoop for Lacazette Spanish giants Barcelona have set their sights on a stunning move for Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette, according to reports in the Express. The...

Boateng gets 4/10 as he and heavily rotated Barca fail to create in loss to Celta

Kevin-Prince Boateng was among a number of fringe players to struggle in Barcelona's loss to Celta Vigo. Second-half goals from Maxi Gomez and Iago Aspas helped Celta Vigo beat an unrecognisable Barcelona side 2-0 on Saturday in La Liga. After wrapping up the league title last weekend, Barca coach Ernesto Valverde made 11 changes to the team that beat Liverpool in the Champions League in midweek with Tuesday's semifinal second leg at Anfield in mind. Celta took full advantage of those changes to ease themselves closer to safety at the bottom of the table. Gomez broke the deadlock in the 67th minute...

Arturo Vidal is more than a wild haircut or bold tattoos: he's the 'pure fire' Barcelona and Chile need

When Arturo Vidal was very small, his mother rescued him and his siblings from the family's burning home. His father, who had been kicked out, was the one who started the fire. Like the uncle who died of hypothermia out on the street one night, his dad was an alcoholic. The family lived in a small wooden home in the neighbourhood of San Joaquin, Chile, and his mum washed floors. Arturo promised to get her out of there and wouldn't stop until he did. He didn't even stop when he did, in fact. They...

Power Rankings: Barcelona continue to lead; Liverpool, Spurs drop

The ESPN FC panel don't have a bad word to say about Liverpool's performance but are in awe of the way Lionel Messi almost single-handedly beat them back. 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 newly-crowned Spanish champions are still No. 1, but there is movement below as two English clubs drop and Ajax climb again. (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, Borussia Dortmund Agree? Disagree? Let us know, and watch Shaka defend his picks on ESPN FC TV, which airs daily on ESPN+.

Liverpool made Lionel Messi angry and paid the price as Barcelona take charge

Join the Exploding Heads as they reflect back at April's highlights, including Chris Hughton's April Fools' fallout, Tottenham's new stadium tilting London and more. The best way to deal with Lionel Messi is to treat him like football's version of the Incredible Hulk: Don't make him angry and you might just be spared an ordeal of pain and humiliation. Liverpool midfielder James Milner did not get the memo, judging by his crude first-half barge on the home side's No. 10 during Barcelona's 3-0 Champions League semifinal first-leg win Wednesday at the Nou Camp, and it is fair to say that the Premier League side went on to reap a whirlwind of two-goal Messi's annoyance. "In...

Messi delivered magic for Barcelona but Liverpool had no plan for Alba; Ajax present beats Ajax past

Barcelona take a commanding 3-0 lead into the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against Liverpool after a dominant performance at home. Donny van der Beek scored the lone goal as Ajax topped Spurs 1-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final. The ESPN FC panel don't have a bad word to say about Liverpool's performance but are in awe of the way Lionel Messi almost single-handedly beat them back. Steve Nicol, Craig Burley and Alejandro Moreno talk Coutinho's struggles at Barcelona as the former Liverpool man was subjected to jeers by his own fans on Wednesday. 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 FC's crew agree that an off-the-pace midfield was a bigger worry for Tottenham than missing key players in their loss to Ajax. The Exploding Heads introduce UEFA's newest product, Vlarsses, clear and obvious greatness at the low cost of your enjoyment. The week's two Champions League semifinal first legs were very different matches, but both offered plenty of tactical intrigue. Here's a key tactical talking point from each. Barcelona 3-0 Liverpool: Left-backs make inroads On one hand, this home win was all about Lionel Messi. But in a tactical sense, Liverpool managed to deny him space effectively: He found himself in the right position for a fortunate rebound in front of an open goal, and then curled in yet another majestic free kick. On...

Liverpool made Lionel Messi angry and paid the price

Join the Exploding Heads as they reflect back at April's highlights, including Chris Hughton's April Fools' fallout, Tottenham's new stadium tilting London and more. The best way to deal with Lionel Messi is to treat him like football's version of The Incredible Hulk: Don't make him angry and you might just be spared an ordeal of pain and humiliation. Liverpool midfielder James Milner did not get the memo, judging by his crude first-half barge on the home side's No. 10 during Barcelona's 3-0 Champions League semifinal first-leg win at the Nou Camp, and it is fair to say that the Premier League side went on to reap a whirlwind of two-goal Messi's annoyance. "In...

Messi amazes, Ter Stegen stands tall as Barca halfway through to Champions League final

BARCELONA, Spain -- Lionel Messi scored twice to bring up 600 club goals as Barcelona beat Liverpool 3-0 to move into a commanding position in their Champions League semi-final tie. Luis Suarez gave Barca a first-half lead against his former club when he turned home a brilliant Jordi Alba cross. Liverpool had chances to level, with James Milner and Mohamed Salah both bringing the best out of Marc-Andre ter Stegen, but the Premier League side had no answer for Messi once he got going. Messi doubled...

LIVE 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 Tuesday in a 1-0 victory against Tottenham in the first leg of the Champions League semifinal, and the Mirror is reporting...