Barcelona are reportedly plotting a transfer raid on Manchester City for Erling Haaland in 2025, with the Liga giants eager to see Xavi stay put. Back in January, Blaugrana legend Xavi stated his intention to step down as manager at Camp Nou when the 2023-24 campaign comes to a close. Barca have since reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League and closed the gap on Clasico rivals Real Madrid in the Liga title race, leading to suggestions that Xavi could be talked into staying put. Barca believe that ambition in the recruitment market will help them to convince their current head coach that…
Author: GuruTrends
BALTIMORE — The WJZ First Alert Weather Team continues ALERT DAYS for today and Wednesday for the potential of heavy rain and strong thunderstorms. We’ll see some breaks in between the rounds of heavy rain and storms, so the weather won’t be raining the entire time. When storms do roll through the area they will have the potential to produce heavy rain, localized flooding, lightning, thunder, and small hail. Rain is now spreading across most of the state, excluding southern Maryland. Give yourself extra travel time this morning as visibility will be low and roads will be wet. Some heavier thunderstorms…
The hotel bed that Cristiano Ronaldo slept in during Portugal’s visit to Slovenia is to be sold at auction, with the bidding being opened at €5,000. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner formed part of the Portuguese squad that stayed at the Grand Plaza Hotel during a visit to Ljubljana. While he probably got a good night’s sleep in lavish surroundings, his mood was soured when suffering a shock 2-0 defeat in Stozice. Local supporters struggled to catch a glimpse of Ronaldo away from the field, despite descending on Brno airport and the hotel in which Portugal stayed, with the all-time great…
GOAL brings you the leading goal scorers in the MLS as the race for the Golden Boot is on! The 2024 MLS campaign kicked off in sublime fashion with all the American sides vying to kickstart their respective campaigns on a high. The extravagant festival of American soccer has produced some jaw-dropping goals and mouth-watering moments as viewers once again brace themselves for a feisty MLS Golden Boot race with Inter Miami reuniting the Barcelona duo of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez. The Argentine and Uruguayan duo of Messi and Suarez will be aiming to replicate their days in La…
The Association of Bureaux de Change Operators of Nigeria has said that the recovery of the naira has led to a relative decrease in the prices of goods and services in the country. The president of the association, Aminu Gwadebe, said this in a statement issued on Saturday. He hailed the decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria to allow Bureaux de Change to operate in the foreign currency market, adding that it was a major factor in the recovery of the naira. The CBN banned the operations of BDCs in July 2001 as part of measures to stabilise the…
There was palpable tension in some parts of Lagos on Monday as a number of fuel stations were shut over supply disruptions. When The PUNCH visited Ikotun, Akonwonjo Egbeda, Igando axis, it was observed that many fuel outlets were shut. Our correspondents observed that Mobil filling stations along the Ikotun-Idimu road and the Odo-Eran axis of the Isheri-Igando road were dispending fuel. It was also observed that the two Mobil fuel stations had long queues. Along the Egbeda-Akowonjo axis, our correspondents observed that only an outlet belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited located on Akowonjo road was dispensing as of…
Barcelona star Pedri says Lionel Messi is “without doubt” ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo in the GOAT debate, despite the Portuguese being “great as well”. Two iconic figures of the modern era have spent their respective careers battling with one another for the right to be considered the best player on the planet, and potentially the greatest of all-time. Messi now has eight Ballons d’Or on his roll of honour, compared to Ronaldo’s five, but both have countless records and major trophies to their name. Pedri, who worked alongside Messi at Camp Nou prior to the Argentine’s move to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021,…
In this article, we delve into the top 10 most expensive football stadiums in the world Football stadiums transcend beyond mere playing fields. These architectural behemoths are testaments to the sport’s global appeal. Here, we unveil the top 10 most expensive football stadiums in the world, architectural wonders that redefine the experience of the beautiful game: Topping the list of the most expensive football stadium is Allegiant Stadium, a shining gem in the desert city of Las Vegas. Home to the Las Vegas Raiders, this state-of-the-art facility boasts a jaw-dropping price tag of over $1.9 billion. With its sleek design and cutting-edge…
Marco Materazzi revealed that he never crossed paths with Zinedine Zidane again after the infamous headbutt incident during the 2006 World Cup final. WHAT HAPPENED? Former Italy defender Materazzi was involved in a heated altercation with Zidane, which culminated in the French star headbutting him and subsequently receiving a red card. Following the incident, Italy went on to claim victory in the final after edging a penalty shootout, with the match finishing 1-1 after extra time. In an interview with The Times, Materazzi expressed his regret and insisted that he does not want the incident to remain the most distinctive moment…
WIDESPREAD bush burning for the new farming season in the predominantly riverine Bayelsa State is causing health complications for residents, who have complained about clogging smoke in the atmosphere, and pollution of the environment. A concerned resident, Clarkson Amaebi, said: “This is disturbing, especially with the choking smoke in the air and its implication on human health and the environment. “”The heavy dust in the air and smoke from rampant bush burning have severely limited visibility, even on land not to talk of the riverine enclave. “Travelling by boat this time of the year is risky because of the heavy…
The Oranje fell at the round of 16 stage three years ago, but have the tools to go further this time around The Netherlands won’t be among the favourites to win Euro 2024, but they should be considered dark horses under Ronald Koeman, who guided them to second in their qualifying group behind France. Koeman inherited a talented squad from Louis van Gaal after their impressive run to the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals, and will be confident of making an even bigger splash in Germany this summer. The Oranje have certainly come a long way since their shock last-16 defeat…
The Zamfara State Police Command said bandits attacked and killed a man identified as Ashiru Nagoma and abducted his wife and neighbour in Buluku, an outskirt of Gusau Local Government Area of the state. The spokesperson for the command, ASP Yazid Abubakar, confirmed to PUNCH Online on Tuesday. This was coming on the heels of the post on X (formerly Twitter) made by a Maiduguri-based security expert, Zagazola Makama, who raised an alarm that bandits sneaked into Gusau town to abduct several worshippers in a mosque while observing midnight prayers around 2 am. “Sad. In the early morning of Tuesday…
A fire outbreak that began in the early hours of Tuesday engulfed several shops at Owode Market in Offa, Kwara State. A video of the incident seen by SaharaReporters captured the moment some of the shop owners were mourning as they watched their property destroyed by the fire. “This fire is too much. This is not caused by electricity. Maybe some people were cooking and the fire started from there because this fire is much,” one of the traders said in the video. A source from the town on Tuesday morning said the fire was eventually quenched by personnel of…
Millions of observers will watch next month’s American solar eclipse from the ground. But a few lucky Nasa flight crews will get a much closer view. When a total solar eclipse crosses North America on Monday 8 April, an estimated 31 million people will be in its path – watching. Many more are likely to travel for the event, which will be visible across large swathes of the US and Mexico. All the best planning in the world can be scuppered by weather, however, as anyone who remembers the August 1999 eclipse in the UK will tell you, when clouds blotted out the show.…
Super Falcons star, Jennifer Echegini, is excited after scoring a hat-trick — the first of her professional career — in Juventus’ 4-0 win over Fiorentina in the Serie A Femminile TIM, PUNCH Sports Extra reports. The 23-year-old’s stellar performance at the Stadio Comunale Vittorio Pozzo Lamarmora in Biella propelled Juventus to their first victory since a 4-1 triumph over Napoli on February 18. Echegini, who joined the Black and Whites from Florida State Seminoles in January, has now scored eight goals in as many games for the Serie A giants, making her the league’s second top scorer, just a goal behind…
The UK and US have signed a landmark deal to work together on testing advanced artificial intelligence (AI). The agreement signed on Monday says both countries will work together on developing “robust” methods for evaluating the safety of AI tools and the systems that underpin them. It is the first bilateral agreement of its kind. UK tech minister Michelle Donelan said it is “the defining technology challenge of our generation”. “We have always been clear that ensuring the safe development of AI is a shared global issue,” she said. “Only by working together can we address the technology’s risks head…
Former Nigeria youth international, Nnamdi Ofoborh, is thrilled to have returned to football action after spending three years on the sidelines due to a heart problem, PUNCH Sports Extra reports. The former Glasgow Rangers midfielder made his first appearance for English fourth division side Swindon Town last Friday when he replaced Ricky Aguair with five minutes left to play in their 2-1 win over Nott County. He also made his first start on Monday playing for 57 minutes before being substituted for George McEachran in Swindon Town’s 3-1 loss away at Sutton United as he looks to get his career back up and…
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards say seven officers have been killed in an Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate building in Syria’s capital, Damascus. Brig-Gen Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a senior commander of the elite Quds Force, and Brig-Gen Mohammad Hadi Haji-Rahimi, his deputy, were named among the dead. Iran and Syria’s governments condemned the attack, which destroyed a building next door to the Iranian embassy. The Israeli military said it did not comment on foreign media reports. However, it has acknowledged carrying out hundreds of strikes in recent years on targets in Syria that it says are linked to Iran and allied…
Light welterweight boxer, Adeyemi ‘Spirit’ Adekanla, insists he will snatch the West African Boxing Union title from current champion, Segun ‘War’ Adeyemi when they clash at GOtv Boxing Night 31 May 1. The 10-round title fight is one of the seven bouts scheduled for the boxing event at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Indoor Sports Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos. Speaking about his preparation for the fight, ‘Spirit’ said he aimed to keep his unbeaten record by claiming the WABU title. “I am preparing really hard for this fight. It is my turn to have the WABU title, so no more ‘War’.…
The Kano State Police Command has apprehended a 25-year-old man, Abba Ibrahim, for allegedly stabbing 22-year-old Zaharadeen Iliyasi in the neck with a knife, leading to his death. The spokesperson for the command, SP Abdullahi Kiyawa, released a statement on Monday detailing the incident. According to the statement, upon receiving reports of the stabbing, the state Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Gumel, swiftly ordered the blocking of all entry and exit points in Kano to prevent the suspect from escaping. The statement reads: “On March 29, 2024, at about 10:30 pm, a distress call was received reporting a disagreement between two friends at Chiranci Dorayi…