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Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus strike against Napoli

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Manchester City got what they wanted from this game, a victory. That’s nine points out of nine in Group F, which means they have done many of the hard yards of qualification before the clocks have even gone back.

This was a good Napoli team they beat here, too. Top of Serie A, they had scored almost as many goals as City prior to this meeting. The scores were 37 to 34.

But the fact that margin had increased only from three to four goals at the end of this game relayed the fact that Pep Guardiola and his gilded team did not, for once, have everything their own way.

It was, on reflection, a very strange game of football but certainly a good one. For the first 25 minutes City were majestic. Two goals up after only 13 minutes, they threatened to sweep Napoli away on a familiar tide of sky blue energy.

Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus scored early and they were familiar goals, created with such deftness and expertise that the actual scoring was the easy bit.

There could have been more, too. David Silva missed a good chance while Kevin De Bruyne hit the bar and Sterling was denied a second by the width of the goal line.

But as time wore on, Napoli regrouped and found territory and confidence, while City lost both. Dries Mertens saw a penalty saved by City goalkeeper Ederson late in the first half but Amadou Diawara did not miss his spot kick when presented with the opportunity with 18 minutes left.

After that, City were hanging on and had Napoli breached them for a second time nobody could really have said they didn’t deserve it.

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So this turned out to be a night when we saw a spell of the new City, breathless and inspiring, but also an unexpected dose of old City as well.

For the neutral — and indeed their Premier League rivals —this was perhaps no bad thing. Nobody wants a perfect football team, after all. Where is the fun in that?

As for the City coach, it merely presents Guardiola with the first hint of a puzzle this season. Everything had looked so easy prior to this. Even a recent afternoon at champions Chelsea had proved straightforward.

But here the Catalan saw his team show a little of the fallibility that so dogged them at times last season.

At half-time De Bruyne, Silva and Fernandinho bickered as they left the field. Later, Fernandinho and Fabian Delph got in a tangle and presented Marek Hamsik with an open goal. Somehow, John Stones blocked.

So it was a night of pluses in terms of the result and some of the early football and a minus for what happened subsequently. Early on, City were as hypnotically good as they had been in demolishing Stoke City here at the weekend. Guardiola fielded the same starting 11 and his players flew from the traps breathing fire.

It’s funny how confidence breeds football such as this. The likes of Sterling — five goals in seven games beforehand — and De Bruyne had an air of utter certainty about their football and it was terrific to watch.

It took City only nine minutes to score and the pattern was familiar. A crossfield pass from Fernandinho found Leroy Sane and when he released Silva to the byline, the low cross was converted by Sterling after Kyle Walker’s first effort had been blocked. City were swarming all over Napoli and an avalanche of goals seemed likely.

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Italian coach Maurizio Sarri had sprayed Guardiola with compliments beforehand, asking that his team suffer a quick death if indeed a kill it was to be.

By the quarter hour, he looked as though he may get his wish. Napoli defender Raul Albiol headed a centre straight to De Bruyne and when the Belgian crossed low the same player could not intercept and Jesus swept home at the far post.

It was easy for City and embarrassing for an Italian team that arrived with such a reputation.

De Bruyne then hit the bar from 25 yards and Sterling was denied by a combination of keeper Pepe Reina and defender Kalidou Koulibaly as the ball briefly came to rest right on the line.

Another goal at that point and this contest was over. But Napoli, driven on by their exasperated coach, slowly began to find themselves and they had already threatened when Walker climbed over Albiol in the 38th minute to concede a penalty.

Centre forward Mertens struck it reasonably well but Ederson was bright enough to delay his dive a fraction and save with his legs.

With their lead in tact at the break, that should have been enough for City. A really top draw European team would have been able to come out and close this game down.

But City couldn’t do it. They tried to reassert themselves with an increase in tempo but they only grew uncertain at the back. Not surprisingly, Napoli targeted stand-in full back Delph and he had his moments of nervousness.

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But the second penalty of the night came from the other side as Faouzi Ghoulam drove hard at Fernandinho and the retreating Brazilian brought him down. Diawara’s kick was placed well and this time Ederson could not save.

Napoli were back in the game and nobody would have been surprised had an equaliser come in the remaining 18 minutes.

So a night that began gleefully and expressively ended with something of a reality check for City. It may not be a bad thing. And, anyway, they won. Again.

 

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Osimhen Crowned 2023 CAF Footballer of the Year

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Victor Osimhen has been named the 2023 African Footballer of the Year, cementing his status as one of the world’s top players.

Osimhen surpassed competition from Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi and Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah for the prestigious award.

The Super Eagles forward concluded a remarkable year in the imperial Moroccan city of Marakesh, ending Nigeria’s 24-year wait for Africa’s top individual prize, last won by legendary Kanu Nwankwo in 1999.

During the event, Osimhen expressed gratitude, acknowledging the impact of Nigerian legend Emmanuel Amuneke, who coached him at the U-17 level, and the support from fans and fellow players.

“It’s a dream come true for me. I want to thank everyone who has seen me through life’s journey, in achieving my dreams and goals. I appreciate Nigerians and Africa for their unwavering support and encouragement,” he said.

Osimhen recognised the influence of Emmanuel Adebayo, Solomon Kalu, and other African legends, expressing gratitude to his role model, Didier Drogba.

The award reflects Osimhen’s outstanding performances with Napoli, where he played a pivotal role in their Serie A title run, scoring 26 league goals and becoming the first African to win the top scorer award, breaking George Weah’s record in the Italian top-flight.”

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Lionel Messi Secures Historic 8th Ballon d’Or Triumph

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Lionel Messi, the renowned Argentine football icon, clinched the coveted 2023 Ballon d’Or, setting a new record for the 2022 World Cup champion.

In a glamorous event held in Paris, Messi, who now plays for Inter Miami, received the prestigious award on Monday night. This achievement is widely seen as a well-deserved recognition for his pivotal role in guiding the Abiscelete to World Cup victory in the previous year.

Aged 36, Messi succeeded Karim Benzema as the recipient of this award, which acknowledges his exceptional performances during the last season when he inspired Argentina to triumph at the World Cup.

His remarkable displays in Qatar, where he led his nation to a historic victory, enabled him to surpass strong competition, notably from Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland. Haaland secured the second spot in the final voting, with Mbappe finishing third and Kevin De Bruyne taking fourth place.

Messi, a former Barcelona superstar, left an indelible mark at the World Cup, scoring seven crucial goals. His exceptional performance led to him being named the tournament’s best player, especially after Argentina’s victory over France in the final.

While Messi’s World Cup heroics were undeniable, his final season with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) was relatively lackluster. Subsequently, he made a move to Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.

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His former PSG teammate, Mbappe, made a strong case for the Ballon d’Or with his outstanding World Cup performance, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with eight goals, including a memorable hat-trick in the final for France.

Norwegian striker Erling Haaland had a remarkable season, scoring an incredible 52 goals in 53 games for Manchester City. This stellar performance played a pivotal role in helping Pep Guardiola’s team secure a historic treble in the English Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League.

Both Haaland and De Bruyne were nominated for the Ballon d’Or from their exceptional contributions to the success of Manchester City.

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“B Sample Reveals Presence of Testosterone in Pogba’s Test Results”

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Juventus and France midfielder Paul Pogba’s ‘B’ sample has confirmed the presence of testosterone, a source close to the case told AFP on Friday.

The 30-year-old former Manchester United player, a World Cup winner in 2018, faces a ban of up to four years.

The original test by the Italian anti-doping agency (Nado) showed the presence of testosterone metabolites.

On Friday, Pogba learned that the analysis of his B sample, carried out on the previous day, had produced the same result.

The player’s entourage declined to comment.

Under the World Anti-Doping Code, Pogba is liable to a four-year suspension, which could be halved if he proves that he was not at fault.

The ban could even be limited to a few months if the use of the substance took place “out of competition and is not related to his level of performance”.

Pogba’s representatives said last month that the testosterone came from a food supplement prescribed by a doctor he consulted in the United States.

Testosterone promotes muscle development.

Contacted by AFP, Nado was unable to confirm this information “due to a decision by the Italian privacy authority”.

Pogba has seven days to submit his defence to Italy’s National Anti-Doping Tribunal, which will investigate his case and request a sanction, a process that could take several weeks.

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In addition to the proceedings of the Italian sports justice system, a judicial investigation will be opened by the Turin public prosecutor’s office, as doping is a criminal offence in Italy.

Since the announcement of his positive test, Pogba has been unable to train with Juventus, the club to which he returned in July 2022 after six seasons with United.

The announcement came shortly before Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri’s press conference on the eve of the Turin derby against Torino, at which he simply said he was “sorry for Paul”.

Contacted by AFP, the club, which has also suspended payment of his estimated annual salary of 8 million euros (8.4 million dollars), did not respond.

Pogba started the season attempting to bounce back from string of injuries last season and from summer surgery.

His sample was reportedly taken at his club’s opening match of the Serie A season, a win at Udinese on August 20, during which he was an unused substitute.

After the first sample tested positive on September 11,  Pogba’s agent Rafaela Pimenta said she was “awaiting the second sample and cannot have an opinion before the results”.

“What is certain is that Paul Pogba never wanted to break a rule,” she added.

 

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