Sports
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang trains with his Arsenal team-mates for first time ahead of Everton match despite his illness
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang linked up with his new Arsenal team-mates on the training ground for the first time on Friday, ahead of the Gunners’ weekend clash with Everton.
The Gabon international, who Arsenal signed for £56million on deadline day, trained by himself at London Colney on Thursday, in a bid to get match fit for Saturday’s fixture.
Aubameyang could make his debut for the north London club against the Toffees, and link up with his former Dortmund team-mate Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
Ahead of the match, here are five questions that need to be answered.
1. Will Aubameyang be playing on Saturday?
We’ll start with the elephant in the room; will Arsenal’s new £56million signing make his debut at the Emirates, and perhaps more importantly, will he hit the ground running?
The fact the Gabon striker hit the training ground all by himself on Thursday, before doing it all again with his team-mates on Friday, suggests he will definitely be playing for the Gunners on Saturday.
But Wenger threw this into doubt in his press conference, when he announced that the player has been suffering with illness.
“Certainly Mkhitaryan will start,” said Wenger on Friday. “That’s a possibility, yes. Aubameyang, I have to assess how he is physically today and how well he feels.
“He had sickness, a fever. He couldn’t train a lot, he started yesterday. He was still not completely well so I have to assess and see with the medical department how well and how fit he can be.”
Whether he will start – or come off the bench – on Saturday remains a mystery, but it seems that regardless of what fate has in store for the 28-year-old, he is desperate to play.
2. Will Mkhitaryan and Aubameyang rekindle a partnership?
Another big question that Arsenal will be hoping is the case; will Mkhitaryan and Aubameyang get on like they did all those years ago at Dortmund?
Things have changed since then, of course, but there is no denying that the duo struck up a partnership in Germany, that worked to the Bundesliga giants’ favour on more than one occasion.
When asked the killer question on Friday, Wenger said: “I hope so, yes. They know each other well. We are an offensive team, hopefully they can recreate that understanding.”
Back in the 2015-2016 season Aubameyang found the back of the net 39 times while Mkhitaryan, who usually played a little deeper, scored 23.
If the duo can get anywhere near these figures at Arsenal then Gunners fans are in for a few treats from here until the end of the season.
One potential issue is that both players – who you’d think will be regulars in the first team – are attack-minded, which could leave Arsenal short at the back.
Speaking about this on Sky Sports, Gary Neville said: “Those four are so attacking I can’t think of a defensive mind among them. I watched Mkhitaryan at United, he doesn’t defend.
“Ozil, when he wants to he can, but he doesn’t really want to put it in defensively. They’re going to leave huge spaces.
“The situation poses Wenger a problem he will have to try and resolve on the training pitch. That is the problem – how do you fit all four in the same team?
“I’m not quite sure that will happen. It doesn’t look like a natural fit, so Arsene Wenger has got some big challenges on the training field to make those four into a unit that works.”
3. What does the future hold for Lacazette?
The France international promised the world when Arsenal spent £52million on him in the summer, making him the most expensive purchase in their history.
But just a few months later and Wenger – who of course was forced to react to losing Alexis Sanchez – delved into the transfer market once again and spent even more on Aubameyang.
The two players are similar in that they’re out-and-out forwards with plenty of pace and – when in form – have the ability to score goals for fun.
So you’d think Wenger will be looking to play one over the other, which doesn’t look good for the 26-year-old former Lyon forward.
What’s more Wenger refused to give the Frenchman any clarity over his future at the club in his Friday press conference, telling the media: “I don’t reassure people. We are in a competitive world.
“We have also chosen a job where there is competition, you have to fight for your place.”
4. What can we expect from Ozil?
For so long Mesut Ozil’s future has been up in the air; will he sign a new contract at Arsenal, will he return to Spain, will he join Manchester United?
The German put all the speculation, rumour, and nonsense to bed this week when he penned a new £350,000-a-week contract at the Emirates – much to the delight of Gunners supporters.
The deal will see him remain an Arsenal player until 2021, and means that the Gunners will enjoy the playmaker in his prime years.
So what now? Well, the German has previously been accused of ‘being lazy’ or ‘going missing’ in big games, which was used as apparent evidence that his mind was elsewhere and that he was going to leave.
This notion can no longer be thrown about, meaning fans will expect better and more consistent performances from the German.
Not only this but because he’s now being paid £350,000-a-week – making him the highest paid player at the club by some margin – the board will expect the same.
Wenger confirmed the pressure to perform is now definitely on Ozil’s shoulder on Friday, saying: “Many predicted he wouldn’t commit and not sign.
“It is good news for us – if you can keep a player of that calibre is of course good news.
“He has committed his future to the club at a period where we are in a tricky period. [Now] we expect him to take responsibility to lead the club to success.”
5. Will Cech bounce back against Everton?
The goalkeeper, who hasn’t been in the best of form for a while now, had a game to forget in Arsenal’s embarrassing 3-1 defeat to Swansea City last time out.
Against the Swans, Nacho Monreal threw the ball back to Shkodran Mustafi, who laid it back to a hurried Cech in the Arsenal goal.
The shot-stopper could only scuff his clearance though, and a grateful Jordan Ayew prodded the loose ball into the net.
To make matters worse, Arsenal have since been linked with a move for Atletico Madrid keeper Jan Oblak.
The Slovenian is widely regarded to be one of the best shot-stoppers in the world, and would command a hefty transfer fee.
But the Gunners have proved this January that they’re now willing to spend cash on transfer fees and pay large wages.
Cech needs to bounce back against Everton for the sake of his future at the club, or he might just find himself on the scrapheap come June.
Sports
German Coach, Labbadia Named New Head Coach of Super Eagles
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.
Sports
Finidi George Appointed as Technical Manager for Rivers United
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.
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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.”
Sports
US Fund Oaktree ‘Takes Over Ownership’ Of Inter Milan
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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