Sports

Free-scoring Barca to test new Napoli chief

Published

3 months ago

February 21, 2024

Napoli’s grip on the scudetto has gone and Barcelona are all but out of sight in the fight to retain their LaLiga crown, so this last-16 tie in the Champions League is critical for both clubs.

Napoli go into it in the worse shape having failed to win four of their last five, a run which cost head coach Walter Mazzarri his job on Monday.

But there is also upheaval at the Camp Nou with Barca boss Xavi set to quit in the summer, and the form of the Catalan giants is far from convincing.

Team news

VIctor Osimhen could be back in contention for Napoli

Interim Napoli boss Francesco Calzona will have one full training session with his new team before taking on Barca.

Calzona preferred a 4-3-3 set-up with Slovakia, where he has been head coach since 2022.

Reports state star striker Victor Osimhen is available but not fully fit.

Joao Felix could make the bench for Barca, though Ferran Torres remains sidelined.

The stats

Napoli have failed to win eight of their last 11 matches. They have scored just one first-half goal in their last 11 Serie A matches.

The Italian champions conceded nine goals in the group stage – only PSV and RB Leipzig of the 16 qualifiers conceded more.

Barca have found the net in each of their last 20 competitive matches and scored at least twice in each of their last seven away games.

Seventeen-goal Robert Lewandowski has found the net in each of his last three matches.

Prediction

Inconsistent Barcelona have the firepower to trouble any side though recent performances hint at the best bet.

Two weeks ago they drew 3-3 with Granada in a game that was far too open and followed that up by needing an added-time penalty to win 2-1 at Celta.

They score goals, they concede them – their domestic league matches are going at 3.4 goals a game – and while that will always give them a puncher’s chance, it does make them vulnerable.

And Napoli, if they can get quality minutes out of Osimhen, a player they have missed sorely during the Africa Cup of Nations, can exploit vulnerabilities at the heart of Barcelona’s defence.

New Napoli boss Calzona has essentially got a free hit here and has to be positive if the Italians are to have any chance in the return at the Camp Nou. To that end, and given what we know about Xavi’s side, expect plenty of goals.

Sports

Barcelona optimistic of signing Nico Williams in the summer

Published

4 days ago

May 16, 2024

Melody 911FM

FC Barcelona is hopeful about their prospects of acquiring the skilled winger Nico Williams during the upcoming summer transfer period.

Footballghana has previously reported that the La Liga team is eyeing the Spanish forward with Ghanaian roots to bolster their lineup for the forthcoming season.

Recent updates from Spain suggest that Barcelona’s management is actively pursuing the transfer.

The club is confident in finalizing an agreement with Athletic Club to secure Nico Williams prior to the commencement of the next season.

At present, Nico Williams’ contract includes a release clause valued at €55 million, which FC Barcelona is positioned to activate.

The forward’s exceptional performance over the last year has established him as one of the standout forwards in European football.

During the 2023/24 Spanish La Liga campaign, Nico Williams has contributed four goals and 10 assists across 29 matches.

In addition to Barcelona, numerous leading clubs, including Liverpool, have shown interest in him.

Sports

Tariq Lamptey featured in Brighton’s defeat to Chelsea.

Published

4 days ago

May 16, 2024

Melody 911FM

The Electoral Commission (EC) has reassured the public that the missing Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) Kits cannot be utilised to access its system or data.

According to Dr Eric Bossman Asare, the BVRs, which include a laptop, are ineffective on their own and can only be activated by the EC.

Thus, they pose no threat to the integrity of elections, he stated.

Additionally, they cannot be used to register anyone during the ongoing limited voter registration exercise nor do they contain any sensitive data from the EC’s system, he said in an interview with JoyNews’ Evans Mensah.

Dr Bossman Asare stated, “The laptops on their own are insignificant. They are just like the laptops you use at your workplace. We’ve accounted for every single device that we’re going to be using.

“In 2020, when we did the registration, we bought 8,500 of the registration devices. We are not using all of them in this registration.”

“So that means the ones we are using now, we still have some there. So are you saying the EC will come and tell the Ghanaian people that five laptops are missing and we want to use those laptops to register people? Who in the EC is going to do that?” he quizzed.

Sports

Wollacott keeps clean sheet for Hibernian in 3-0 mauling of Motherwell

Published

4 days ago

May 16, 2024

Melody 911FM

Ghana international Jojo Wollacott delivered a fine performance for Hibernian on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, when the team secured a 3-0 victory over Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership.

The Black Stars goalkeeper was in the starting lineup for his team in their Week 37 fixture.

Guarding the goal for the hosts, Jojo Wollacott made several good saves and maintained a clean sheet at the end of the 90 minutes, helping his team clinch all three points.

Hibernian was ahead by two goals at halftime, thanks to strikes from Myziane Maolida and Martin Boyle.

After the break, Martin Boyle found the net again to complete his brace, sealing a significant win for Hibernian against Motherwell.

Wollacott’s performance in today’s game is particularly important ahead of the June international break.

He needed the playing time to secure a spot in the Ghana squad for the upcoming matches against Mali and the Central African Republic in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.