Sport
Arteta Confirms Ødegaard Will Remain Arsenal Captain Despite Recent Struggles
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has addressed the ongoing rumors surrounding Martin Ødegaard’s captaincy, making it clear that the Norwegian midfielder will not be stripped of the armband. Speculation had surfaced following a string of disappointing performances from the team, including their Champions League exit. Despite this, The Athletic reports that these rumors are unfounded, and Ødegaard is set to retain the captain’s role for next season.
After a knee injury sidelined him for almost three months, Ødegaard’s form has dipped, with only one Premier League goal since the start of the year. His impact was also lacking during Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final tie against Paris Saint-Germain, where the Gunners lost 1-0 in both legs.
Despite calls from pundit Mark Lawrenson for Arteta to consider handing the captaincy to Declan Rice, Arsenal is reportedly confident that Ødegaard will remain as captain when the new season begins. The 24-year-old was appointed captain in 2022 after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette’s departures.
Super Eagles defender Calvin Bassey has opened up about a difficult period in his career, revealing that he almost stepped away from football.
Speaking during a recent interview, Bassey shared that he once made a personal promise to himself to quit pursuing football professionally if he failed to secure a spot at a professional club.
“I remember being 15 and going into my final year, and I told myself that if I didn’t get into a professional club, I would quit football. It was that simple,” he said.
“I would just stop pursuing it seriously and only play for fun. Thank God I eventually got a club, because I honestly don’t know where I would be otherwise.”
It has been reported that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) fined Egypt $5,000 following their clash with Zimbabwe for failing to manage post-match media obligations.
It was noted that after the match, the Egyptian players ignored the media. This action was said to be a violation of CAF’s media regulations, which led to the fine being imposed.
Head of the Super Eagles, Eric Chelle, shared that the big-name players on the team are not happy about being benched.
He recalled when he took out Samuel Chukwueze during the match against Tanzania.
“Yes, of course, we’ve in this team a lot of big names. They are competitors; they aren’t happy when they go to the bench,” Chelle said at his post-match interview.”
“My job is to make choices, and we’re playing a 4-4-2 diamond, and at this moment I feel we have to protect the wing.”
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Super Eagles Star Calvin Bassey Opens Up on Nearly Walking Away from Football
