Sports
Davide Astori honoured by Fiorentina in first clash since tragic passing
FIORENTINA players wore shirts bearing Davide Astori’s name and number in the warm-up for their first match since their former skipper’s tragic passing.
Benevento are the visitors for an emotional affair at the Artemio Franchi, with an eerie silence greeting the players as they emerged for the match.
The players held a huge banner bearing the words “Captain forever” before kick-off.
Many fans turned up ahead of time to pay their respects to their former captain and idol, while players from both sides lined up arm-in-arm in an emotional tribute.
Benevento’s official match pendant had the words “Ciao Davide 13” attached to it.
While announcing the line-up, the stadium announcer, said: “At 13, our captain forever: Davide Astori.”
Fiorentina boss Stefano Pioli named Milan Baldelj as captain for the match.
Riccardo Saponara, whose heartfelt tribute to his form
Meanwhile, Davide astori’s replacement for Fiorentina Vitor Hugo scored his first-ever goal for the club in their first match since the tragic passing of their former captain.
Tributes were paid before the contest and play was stopped on 13 minutes so fans and players could applaud the ex-Italy international.
Then, eight minutes later, Hugo headed home Riccardo Saponara’s corner to open the scoring.
Players were met with an eerie silence as an emotional crowd remember Astori. The sound from players shaking hands could be heard, despite the sellout crowd.
Banners in memory of Astori were scattered amongst the crowd, while the players held up their own tribute to their former captain.
While the stadium announcer named him in the starting line-up for the day, insisting he would always be their captain.
Fiorentina boss Stefano Pioli, who was moved to tears before kick-off, was looking for the victory which would temporarily move his side up to ninth place.
The opening goal arrived on 25 minutes as Hugo headed home Riccardo Saponara’s corner.
Benevento, who are rock bottom on ten points, were in search of their first-ever away point in Serie A and looked dangerous whenever they went forward.
La Viola goalkeeper Marco Sportiello was forced into a number of smart saves.
But the home side should have been further ahead before half-time as Giovanni Simeone — son of Atletico Madrid boss Diego — missed a number of chances.
Milan Baldelj, who wore Astori’s captain’s armband, almost settled the game in the final minute when his thunderous effort rattled the post.
Marco Benassi really should have scored from the rebound as he skied over and allowed Benevento one last chance.
But they couldn’t capitalise and Fiorentina held on for a victory, as Benevento’s slim hopes of staying up are almost extinguished.
Players form both sides failed to hide their emotions after the final whistle as several fell to the ground in floods of tears as they remember their tragic former team-mate.
While Baldelj symbolically held up the captain’s armband to the crowd.
It was an emotional occasion and fitting tribute which showed just how much of an imprint Astori left on his Fiorentina team-mates.
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.
Kanu advocates for establishment of standard soccer academies
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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