Sports
Mesut Ozil set for first game at Newcastle since joining Arsenal five years ago under New coach Unai Emery
Mesut Ozil will play his first game at Newcastle this weekend over five years after joining Arsenal — with Unai Emery expecting an extra-special performance from his star midfielder.
Despite joining in summer 2013, playmaker Ozil has never played at St James’ Park because of a mixture of his injuries, being rested and the Magpies spending the 2016-17 season in the Championship.
But new Gunners boss Emery believes he will be all the sharper for a two-week rest, having quit playing for Germany following this summer’s World Cup.
Emery said: “The players are used to playing in the international break, in important matches. So if they stop doing that, I think it is good for them to focus only on their club. For Mesut, it was important to focus every day with us, as well as having a relaxing three days off last weekend.
“The reason we are working with our players is to ensure they arrive in Newcastle in the best condition. That’s the same for Mesut.
“He is working well. He is OK. When I look at him I can see his focus is totally here. We get on very well. I have a very good relationship with him and professionally I push Mesut to improve, so he can play at his best on the pitch.”
Ozil has been in the spotlight after a stop-start beginning to Emery’s debut season, but the £350,000-a-week star is under pressure to start delivering.
The former Sevilla and Paris Saint-Germain boss is in no doubt the German can either play in the No.10 role or do a job out wide.
“In his career, he played like a No.10 and on the right, coming in. Here he has played both,” said Emery.
“Mesut is very convinced about that in my conversations with him. I usually give players the position they feel best in. Mesut can play these two positions. I want to give him the opportunity to do his best, to make decisive passes, to do more in and around the opposition box, and to score.
“He is feeling like I am feeling. He can improve, he can do more. In this process, we will work, we will help him, we will give him the chance to show his quality in matches.”
Emery admitted he does not know whether chief executive Ivan Gazidis is leaving to join AC Milan, having been made a big-money offer to join the Italian giants.
“First of all, every conversation with him is speaking about us and about our work here every day. I don’t know any other news from him,” said Emery, who was appointed by Gazidis this summer.
“Every conversation with me is about Arsenal. About our performance. About our ideas. Our process. We did not speak about his future. That’s a question for him.”
Former Arsenal star, Jack Wilshere, has sent a message to the Gunners ahead of their UEFA Champions League final with Paris Saint-Germain.
Arsenal will take on the French Ligue 1 giants in the Champions League final this year in Budapest on Saturday evening.
Mikel Arteta’s side had lost 3-1 on aggregate against PSG in the Champions League semi-final stage last year.
Speaking on TNT Sports (via GOAL), Wilshere remembered Arsenal about their last year’s defeat to PSG and urged them to use it as a revenge to get a win against Luis Enrique’s side when both sides meet again this weekend.
“Now that the Premier League is over the line, I know that the Premier League was the one. I know that Mikel wanted that. I know that the boys wanted that,” Wilshere said.
“Now you have to go through some tough times and learn from it. I hope that the Champions League semi-final [PSG 3-1 Arsenal] last year hurt them enough that they can go on and use that [against PSG].
“I think when you are on the pitch, and you are playing against your direct opponent, you learn so much about them. And to face them next year, they will be better for that.”
Captain of the Super Falcons, Rasheedat Ajibade, has said the team is determined to become the best women’s football team in the world.
Ajibade spoke yesterday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, during a reception hosted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in honour of the Falcons following their victory at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
The Nigerian ladies clinched their 10th continental title after a hard-fought campaign, further cementing their status as Africa’s most successful women’s team.
Ajibade, in an emotional speech, said the team’s goal goes beyond continental glory.
“We’re not content to rest on our laurels. Our vision is bold. We want to become the best women’s football team in the world,” the Atletico Madrid star said.
She described herself as “a proud daughter of Nigeria” and paid tribute to the dreams of young girls across the country who look up to the team.
“This victory is not just a trophy. It is a testament to the unyielding spirit of Nigeria. It is a celebration of every young girl in our villages, towns, and cities who dares to dream,” she said.
Ajibade, who spoke on behalf of the team, coaches, and technical crew, thanked the Federal Government for its support and appealed for continued investment in women’s football.
President Tinubu, in his address, conferred national honours of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) on all 24 players and the 11-member technical crew.
The President also approved the allocation of three-bedroom apartments to each team member under the Renewed Hope Housing Scheme and a cash reward of the naira equivalent of $100,000 for each player, while members of the technical team received $50,000 each.
He praised the Falcons for lifting the nation’s spirit and inspiring unity through their performance.
“You have inspired millions, especially young girls who now see proof that their dreams are valid and achievable,” Tinubu said.
“You have inspired me too. You represent the hope of today, tomorrow, and the day after. You ignited that hope. And we will continue to encourage you and the next generation.”
The President said the Falcons’ WAFCON victory was not just a sporting feat but a symbol of the courage, discipline and resilience that define Nigerians.
“Your victory represents more than a sporting accomplishment. It is a triumph of courage, determination, discipline, and consistency,” he said.
The reception was attended by top government officials, sports administrators, and stakeholders in the football community.
A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, has congratulated the Super Falcons on their historic 3-2 comeback victory over hosts Morocco in the final of the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations on Saturday.
The Falcons, who came from two goals down to seal the win in Rabat, clinched their 10th WAFCON title—further cementing their status as the most successful team in the history of the competition. Reacting to the victory, Oseni described the performance as “a warrior’s triumph that speaks volumes about the indomitable Nigerian spirit.”
In a statement issued by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele in Ibadan, the lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency said the team’s resilience should serve as a symbol of hope and unity for the entire nation. “They refused to surrender. That comeback from two goals down defines who we are as Nigerians—strong, focused, and unstoppable when united,” he said.
The Falcons had gone behind in the 13th minute when Morocco’s Ghizlane Chebbak capitalised on a loose ball to fire past goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie. The hosts doubled their lead through Sanaâ Mssoudy before halftime, putting Nigeria on the back foot before the break.
However, second-half goals from Esther Okoronkwo, Folashade Ijamilusi, and Jennifer Echegini turned the game on its head, securing victory for Coach Justin Madugu’s side and avenging their 2024 semi-final loss to the North Africans. Oseni also hailed Madugu’s tactical brilliance, describing him as “the architect of a new chapter in women’s football in Nigeria.”
The lawmaker who also chairs the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) joined other national figures, including President Bola Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, in celebrating the Falcons. The President had earlier taken to his verified social media accounts to praise the team’s performance, declaring, “Mission X: Complete!” while Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos, described it as a flawless display of Nigerian spirit.
Oseni urged the Falcons not to rest on their laurels but to build on the momentum ahead of their title defence and the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. “This is just the beginning. You have inspired millions of girls across the continent. Keep flying the flag and keep making Nigeria proud,” he added.
He also called on sports authorities and private stakeholders to invest more in women’s football, noting that the team’s success was proof of the untapped potential in the sector. “We have global stars in the making. Now is the time to give them the platform and support they truly deserve,” the lawmaker submitted.
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