Sports
CAF Champions League: Pillars Targets More Upsets, Crown
Kano Pillars created a major upset when they eliminated six-time champions Al-Ahly of Egypt in this year’s CAF Champions League, and their Ghanaian coach Malik Jabir has predicted they will cause a bigger shock by winning the entire competition.
“Our target is the ultimate and we believe we are capable. As first timers, it looks impossible, and we will prove our doubters wrong,” Jabir said in an interview published by CAF online.
“For the club, it is the first time, but for me, I have been there on many occasions as a coach with Asante Kotoko. I was a member of technical team when Asante Kotoko won their second title in 1983 and was in charge when they lost to Zamalek on penalties ten years later in the final. I hope my great knowledge and experience will be crucial to Kano Pillars.
“Of the clubs in our group, which of them can boast of a player of the calibre of Mohamed Aboutrika of Al-Ahly? My players are inexperienced yet they eliminated the most experienced side in the competition.”
Jabir insisted that their giant-killing feat against Ahly will now not work against them.
“All the attention will be on us and we are not perturbed. We will prove to all that our victory over Ahly was no fluke and we are ready to conquer all,” he declared.
The Pillars coach said his team may not have star players but they play for each other.
“We have no big names in our team. It is a young team and they play as a unit,” he disclosed.
“One area of concern is the attack, and we hope to work on that before the group stage begins. We create many chances but convert only a few, and this was evident in the narrow scorelines during the previous rounds. With defence, there is little to do and our hope is to get a full house for the second round.”
Pillars begin the group phase of Africa’s richest club competition this weekend with an away trip to Zambia’s Zesco United. Sudanese clubs Al Hilal and El Merreikh are the other teams in their group.
Olofinjana (14) in action for Nigeria
The Kenya Football Federation (FKF) has launched an investigation into allegations that goalkeeper Patrick Matasi has been involved in match manipulation.
The 37-year-old, who plays for Kenyan Premier League club Kakamega Homeboyz, has won over 30 international caps.
His most recent appearance for the Harambee Stars came in October last year, in a qualifier for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
An undated video posted online appears to show Matasi agreeing a deal to influence the outcome of a league game.
“I have spoken to him. He was also shocked at what he was seeing in the video and he told me he doesn’t know about match-fixing,” Homeboyz owner Cleophas Shimanyula told Tidesports source .
The FKF said it would work with world governing body Fifa, the Confederation of African Football and other “relevant authorities” during its investigation.
“We reaffirm our zero-tolerance policy on match manipulation and are committed to safeguarding the credibility of our competitions,” a statement added.
“This investigation will adhere to FKF’s anti-match manipulation regulations and Fifa guidelines, ensuring a fair, transparent, and thorough process.
“The rights of the player and his club will be respected, and appropriate action will be taken based on the findings.”
Shimanyula backed Matasi, pointing to the fact the veteran has kept three clean sheets in as many games since joining the club a month ago.
“When we watched this video, we found that Matasi has not wronged the club,” he said.
“In a video there can misinterpretations and false narratives and we cannot trust everything.
“He will keep playing for us because there’s no wrongdoing on his part as far as we are concerned – unless there’s evidence or the FKF writes to us to say they are suspecting the player of some wrongdoing.
“He is innocent until proven guilty and then we will act.”
The FKF has called on anyone with credible information to assist its investigation, with any reports to be handled with strict confidentiality.
Shimanyula also challenged the Kenyan footballing community to provide evidence against Matasi.
“Kakamega Homeboyz is against any form of match manipulation,” he said.
Uefa has opened an investigation into allegations of indecent conduct by four Real Madrid players during their Champions League last-16 win against Atletico Madrid.
Antonio Rudiger, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Dani Ceballos allegedly made gestures towards the home fans after Real Madrid beat their city rivals on penalties to book their place in the quarter-finals.
TV pictures showed German defender Rudiger appearing to make a throat-slitting motion, apparently towards the crowd after the shootout victory, while Mbappe was shown seemingly making a crotch-grabbing gesture.
Spanish media said Atletico reported the actions to Uefa last week.
The players could be at risk of suspension but there is no guarantee the case will be heard before their quarter-final with Arsenal. The first leg for that tie is at Emirates Stadium on 8 April and the return leg a week later.
In a statement, Uefa said: “[An] ethics and disciplinary inspector has been appointed to investigate allegations of indecent conduct” made by the four Real Madrid players.
“Further information regarding this matter will be made available in due course.”
The Premier League has announced it will have two transfer windows this summer to allow Manchester City and Chelsea to sign players before the Club World Cup.
The window will open between Sunday, 1 June and Tuesday, 10 June, then close for five days before running again from Monday, 16 June until Monday, 1 September.
This summer features the first expanded Fifa Club World Cup, which involves 32 teams and adopts the format of the regular World Cup of the past few years.
Chelsea and Manchester City are the Premier League teams in the tournament which takes place in the United States from Sunday, 15 June.
But the Premier League can only have 12 weeks of a summer window – hence the five-day break in order to run it until 1 September.
Fifa has allowed new players to be registered for the Club World Cup from 1-10 June, and again from 27 June-3 July for the knockout stage.
This is happening firstly, to bring order to the global registration system, world governing body Fifa only permits the transfer window in any individual country to be open for 16 weeks in any calendar year.
In Europe, precedent dictates four of those weeks are for the winter window, leaving 12 in the summer. In 2024, the Premier League transfer window opened on 14 June and closed on 30 August.