Sports
Leicester 2-0 Chelsea: Lampard’s job on the line as Foxes go top of EPL
Chelsea suffered a fifth defeat in eight league games against Leicester to leave Coach Frank Lampard on the brink.
Leicester City moved into first place in the Premier League on Tuesday with a convincing 2-0 win over a struggling Chelsea side at King Power Stadium.
According to CBS Sport, the Foxes made the Blues pay for their errors and scored both goals in the first half to blow the doors off the match and continue Chelsea’s miserable run of form.
Frank Lampard’s side have lost five of their last eight league matches and finished the day in eighth place.
Chelsea had the majority of possession but could not break down an inspired Leicester defence, led by youngster Wesley Fofana, who gave the visiting attack all they could handle under the wind and rain.
The Blues were the most threatening on set pieces, twice getting good looks on corner kicks, while Timo Werner put away a late free kick cross that was ruled offside.
It was Wilfred Ndidi’s wonderful strike at the top of the box that resulted in the winner just six minutes in, with his rocket shot kissing off the left post and leaving every Chelsea player frozen.
James Maddison then took advantage of a sleeping Reece James to make it 2-0 in the 41st minute, securing an insurance goal that they didn’t even need in the end.
The Foxes are now seven matches unbeaten in all competitions.
Leicester were exceptional and deserved the result
Brendan Rodgers, for the first time in 16 tries, finally got a win against Chelsea as his side took it to them, exploiting space to get players in deep. Frankly, the Blues were lucky the scoreline wasn’t much worse.
With Chelsea’s defensce in disarray, the Foxes were able to play balls to the far side and have enough room to make something of it, especially on the second goal.
In the end, it was the lack of shape and execution defensively and really not creating enough quality chances in the final third, finishing with an expected goals of 0.74.
Jamie Vardy missed a couple of chances to pile on the humiliation. It mattered little, though, as Brendan Rodgers’ men surged to the top of the Premier League table.
Timo Werner thought he had set up a dramatic late finale, only for his goal to be disallowed.
Chelsea fans need not rely on their horoscopes to predict that this could spell bad news for Lampard.
In fact, prior to kick-off, talkSPORT reported that he could be sacked if they lost at the King Power Stadium.
Roman Abramovich may have a very difficult decision to make in the coming days, says givemesport.com.
Sports
Real Madrid demand referee change, could boycott Copa Del Rey final
Real Madrid demand referee change, could boycott Copa Del Rey final
Real Madrid refused to partake in planned Copa del Rey final related activities on Friday because they were angry at complaints made by the match officials earlier in the day, the club told media in Seville.
The referee for Saturday’s match against rivals Barcelona, Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea, welled up when speaking about pressure officials have faced from Real Madrid TV this season.
Spanish champions Real Madrid boycotted the press conference, the open training in front of media, the traditional presidents’ dinner and a pre-match photo-call.
“Real Madrid told the RFEF they will not take part in the press conference or the official training session looking forward to the (final),” said the Spanish football federation.
This week the club’s television channel launched a new video attacking the referee for the final, something they have done to various officials this season.
Los Blancos also published an open letter in February claiming Spanish refereeing was “rigged” and “completely discredited”.
Real Madrid have form when it comes to boycotts: in October they stayed away from the Ballon d’Or ceremony because their winger Vinicius Junior was not named the best player in the world.
“Real Madrid does not go where it is not respected,” the club said at the time.
De Burgos Bengoetxea had spoken about the effect criticism from Real Madrid’s television channel was having on his family life.
“When a child of yours goes to school and there are kids telling him that his father is a ‘thief’ and comes home crying, it’s totally messed up,” De Burgos Bengoetxea told a news conference.
“What I do is try to educate my son, to say that his father is honest, above all honest, who can make mistakes, like any sportsperson,” he continued, becoming emotional.
Real Madrid demand referee change, could boycott Copa Del Rey final
Sports
Pep Guardiola, wife to ‘give marriage a second chance’ after Barcelona reconciliation meeting
Pep Guardiola, wife to ‘give marriage a second chance’ after Barcelona reconciliation meeting
Pep Guardiola and his wife Cristina Serra are reportedly trying to reconcile their marriage, after the Man City boss spent three days with her in Barcelona over Easter.
Guardiola and Serra, a fashion entrepreneur, met back in 1994 and married in 2014.
News of their shock split became public in January, with reports the following month that the couple had begun divorce proceedings.
According to Catalan newspaper El Nacional, Guardiola and Serra are reportedly prepared to ‘give each other another chance’ and state that ‘all is not lost in their marriage.’
The report claims the Man City boss had returned to Barcelona over Easter and stayed in the family’s mansion in the city.
Previous reports have claimed Guardiola’s unexpected decision last November to renew his contract with the Premier League club for another two years had been a key factor in the split.
Pep Guardiola reportedly made a commitment to Cristina Serra in a bid to save their marriage
Guardiola’s decision to sign an two-year deal at Man City reportedly contributed to the split
Guardiola reportedly spent three days in Barcelona over Easter in a bid to reconcile with Serra
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Serra returned to Barcelona with their youngest child in 2019 to focus on her business interests and was reportedly to have decided to split with Guardiola after learning of his decision to stay in the UK until 2027.
The latest report claims Guardiola has pledge to visit Barcelona once a week, then leave again due to his role as Man City head coach.
Maria Lapiedra, who is married to Barcelona based journalist Gustavo Gonzalez, told the outlet that Guardiola had made the commitment to prevent the couple going weeks without seeing each other.
The report also claims both Guardiola and Serra continue to wear their wedding rings, an apparent display that the couple of 30 years are seeking to reconcile.
Guardiola and Serra married in an intimate ceremony on the outskirts of Barcelona in 2014 but decided to part ways in December.
The couple, who met in 1994, had been living apart for more than five years after Serra moved back to Barcelona with one of their three daughters, Valentina, 17, while Guardiola remained in Manchester.
They have two other children together: Maria, 24 and Marius, 22.
Guardiola and Serra had remained a couple despite not living in the same city and have regularly been pictured together in the years since.
Serra, who had been with Guardiola for 30 years, had been living away from her husband
Guardiola reportedly made the commitment to fly back to Barcelona once a week to see Serra
Spanish outlet Sport reported earlier this year that the decision to end their marriage was made in December, with only members of their inner circle aware of the split. Their trusted friends and family have also been told not to disclose any further information, according to the publication.
Serra decided to leave Manchester in 2019 to help oversee the fashion company owned by her family, Serra Claret, which stocks several brands the City manager is often seen wearing.
Guardiola and Serra met while the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss was modelling for designer Antonio Miro in the shop in the Spanish city.
They began a long-distance relationship when Guardiola was a footballer, before they bought a home together in Barcelona. The couple later moved to Germany when Guardiola was manager of Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich.
Pep Guardiola, wife to ‘give marriage a second chance’ after Barcelona reconciliation meeting
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Sports
Flying Eagles beat Egypt 2-1 in U-20 AFCON warm-up
Flying Eagles beat Egypt 2-1 in U-20 AFCON warm-up
Nigeria’s U-20 national team, the Flying Eagles, defeated their Egyptian counterparts 2-1 in a friendly match on Tuesday in Cairo, ahead of the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the tournament will take place in Egypt from April 27 to May 18.
Kparobo Arierhi gave Nigeria the lead in the 10th minute after receiving a fine pass from Bidemi Amole and coolly slotting it home.
Egypt equalised in the 65th minute through Ahmed Kaabaka, but Nigeria regained the lead in the 83rd minute when Precious Benjamin scored from the penalty spot.
The penalty came after Divine Oliseh was fouled in the box.
The win is a big boost for Nigeria, who arrived in Egypt on Sunday for the 17th U-20 AFCON.
Nigeria, the seven-time champions, is in Group B and will play its first match against Tunisia on Thursday. It will also face Morocco and Kenya in the group stage.
NAN reports that the top four teams from the tournament will qualify to represent Africa at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Chile slated for Sept. 27 to October 19. (NAN)
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