Sports
Alexandre Lacazette relishing competition from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang ahead of Arsenal’s new season
The writing looked to be on the wall for Alexandre Lacazette when Arsene Wenger shelled out £57.5million to sign Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for Arsenal in January.
Lacazette had scored just eight Premier League goals in the first half of the season and one in 12 in all competitions in the weeks which preceded Aubameyang’s arrival from Borussia Dortmund.
It appeared the flamboyant Gabonese hitman was a direct replacement for a player who had cost a then club record £46.5m from Lyon only seven months earlier. Not least because it was no secret that Wenger had wanted Aubameyang for some time.
Lacazette’s situation wasn’t helped by a knee injury sustained soon after Aubameyang’s arrival that ruled him out for over a month.
And with Aubameyang scoring three goals in six games the future looked even bleaker.
But then Lacazette returned with a goal against Stoke in April — Aubameyang scored the other two in a 3-0 win — and two more in the following game, a 4-1 Europa League victory over CSKA Moscow.And with the pair forming a promising partnership, Lacazette finished the season with 17 goals.
Now he is hoping new boss Unai Emery continues to keep faith in the partnership which, alongside Henrikh Mkhitaryan, sets up a tasty front three. Lacazette said:
“I never said Aubameyang’s arrival was bad for me, only people in the press said it was bad.
“I was happy because I knew I could play with him. I didn’t see him as a rival, but as a team-mate, so since the beginning I was happy about his signature.
“Of course, it’s good that we have a good relationship off the pitch.
“If people are good off the pitch, on the pitch it will be easier to play. When I didn’t score, of course I was frustrated. But last season has finished, it’s the past.
“I’ve learned from this and now I am happy to start a new season.
“Now I know all of my team-mates, I know the club, I know how English football is.
“It’s totally different, but now I’m more ready. Power is the main difference here, it’s more powerful in England.
“Referees are less strict than in France, teams like to play low and in counter-attack and defenders in general are stronger than in France.” In January, Wenger said those powerful defenders and the fact that there was no winter break made life hard for Lacazette in his first season.
The then Arsenal boss pointed to Alvaro Morata’s struggles at Chelsea. Morata has since revealed that he changed his hair, his car and his boots to try to break his bad spell.
Lacazette stuck to more standard practices.
The Arsenal man added: “Arsene talked to me a lot, I watched videos, I trained more. Sometimes you can do everything but it’s only about a little bit of luck.
“I know it was my first season so I can’t be too hard on myself. It was okay.
“I don’t care how people judge me, I know if I stay in Arsenal the club is happy and my team-mates as well.
“This is the most important thing.”
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed the appointment of German tactician Bruno Labbadia as the new Head Coach of Nigeria’s Senior Men’s National Team, the Super Eagles.
This development was announced by the NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, in the early hours of Tuesday, following the approval of the NFF Executive Committee based on a recommendation from its Technical and Development Sub-Committee. Labbadia’s appointment takes immediate effect.
Born on 8th February 1966 in Darmstadt, Germany, Labbadia enjoyed a distinguished playing career, earning two caps for the German national team. His club career included stints at prominent clubs such as Darmstadt 98, Hamburger SV, FC Kaiserslautern, Bayern Munich, FC Cologne, Werder Bremen, Arminia Bielefeld, and Karlsruher SC. Notably, he won the Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich in 1994.
Labbadia’s coaching career has seen him manage top-tier clubs such as Hertha Berlin, VfB Stuttgart, VfL Wolfsburg, Hamburger SV, and Bayer Leverkusen, among others. He holds a UEFA Pro License and is well-regarded for his tactical acumen.
With his appointment, Labbadia becomes the sixth German to lead the Super Eagles, following in the footsteps of Karl-Heinz Marotzke, Gottlieb Göller, Manfred Höner, Berti Vogts, and Gernot Rohr. Höner notably guided the Super Eagles to a runner-up finish at the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations, while Rohr qualified Nigeria for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Labbadia’s immediate task is to prepare the Super Eagles for their upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying matches.
Nigeria will face Benin Republic on Saturday, 7th September in Uyo, and Rwanda on Tuesday, 10th September in Kigali. The team will also play four additional qualifying matches in October and November as they aim to secure a spot in the 2025 AFCON, scheduled to be held from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.
The Super Eagles, placed in Group D, will face familiar foes Benin Republic, who recently defeated Nigeria in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The draw for the AFCON qualifiers, held in Johannesburg, South Africa, last month, also sees Nigeria taking on Libya and Rwanda, both of whom are also part of the Super Eagles’ group for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers set to be hosted in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Labbadia’s appointment comes at a crucial time as the Super Eagles look to regain their dominance on the African continent and secure qualification for both the AFCON and the World Cup.
Finidi George has stepped into a new role as the technical manager for NPFL side, Rivers United, following his resignation as coach of the Super Eagles.
During his brief tenure with the Eagles, George’s 1-1 draw against South Africa in Uyo and a 2-1 loss to Benin Republic in Abidjan cast doubts on Nigeria’s World Cup qualification, prompting calls from fans for his dismissal.
South Africa vs Nigeria: Why we failed to defeat Super Eagles – Percy Tau
Nevertheless, Rivers United, the 2021-22 champions, expressed optimism in a statement on Wednesday via their official handle about having the former Eagles international manage their team.
“Finidi brings a wealth of experience and expertise to our team, having had a distinguished playing career spanning over fifteen years,” the statement read.
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Dr. Okey Kpalukwu, General Manager of Rivers United FC, welcomed George, stating, “We are delighted to have Finidi George join our team. His appointment marks a new chapter in our club’s history, and we are committed to working together to achieve success.”
Expressing his gratitude to the club, an elated George remarked, “I am honored to have this opportunity, and I thank the Sports Commissioner, the General Manager, and the supporters for their confidence in me. I am committed to working hard and making the team win.”
Inter Milan were taken over by US fund Oaktree on Wednesday after the Serie A champions’ outgoing owners Suning missed a deadline to repay a debt worth hundred of millions of euros.
In a statement, Oaktree announced they had “assumed control” of Inter after the non-repayment of a “three-year loan to Inter Milan’s holding companies that matured on 21 May 2024 with a total balance due of approximately 395 million euros ($428 million)”.
Chinese conglomerate Suning have relinquished control of Inter to Oaktree three days after the team were officially crowned Italian champions for the 20th time.
Suning borrowed 275 million euros at over 12 percent interest three years ago to pay staff and players as the Covid-19 pandemic ravaged the finances of clubs across Europe, putting up their controlling stake in the club as collateral.
“Oaktree is dedicated to achieving the best outcome for the long-term prosperity of Inter Milan, with an initial focus on operational and financial stability for the Club and its stakeholders,” Oaktree continued.
Inter became a powerful force at home and abroad after Suning acquired the club in 2016, with seven trophies including two Serie A titles and two European finals.
Simone Inzaghi’s team cruised to this year’s championship, winning the Scudetto with five matches remaining by beating AC Milan in a thrilling local derby.
Oaktree, which manages $192 billion in assets, said they are “committed to working closely with Inter Milan’s current management team, partners, the league and governing bodies to ensure the Club is positioned for success on and off the pitch”.
Inter ended up in the hands of Oaktree in a manner similar to the way another US fund, Elliott Management, took control of their local rivals Milan in 2018.
Elliott became Milan’s owners when Chinese businessman Li Yonghong was unable to repay a loan he had taken out when he bought the club from the late Silvio Berlusconi’s Fininvest the previous year.
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