Sport
“Ademola Lookman Deserves It” – Cédric Bakambu Backs Nigerian Star for CAF Award
Real Betis forward, Cédric Bakambu, has thrown his support behind Nigerian star Ademola Lookman for the 2024 CAF Men’s Player of the Year award.
Lookman’s stellar performances for both his club, Atalanta, and the Nigerian national team have placed him among the top contenders for the prestigious title.
Bakambu, a 33-year-old Congolese international, expressed his belief that Lookman has demonstrated the quality and consistency needed to follow in the footsteps of fellow Nigerian, Victor Osimhen, who won the award in 2023.
Speaking during an interview with Sporty Show, Bakambu acknowledged the fierce competition but remained firm in his choice.
“It’s tough because Mohamed Salah is in great form right now.
But if I had to pick, in my opinion, I’d go with Lookman, the Atalanta player,” Bakambu said.
“He truly deserves it. He’s had an incredible year, but we’ll see what happens.”
Lookman, who joined Atalanta in 2022, has had a breakout year in 2024.
His pivotal role in Atalanta’s Europa League triumph and his consistent performances in Serie A have earned him widespread praise.
He also shined for Nigeria during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, where his goals and attacking flair helped the Super Eagles reach the final.
Meanwhile, the competition for the CAF award remains fierce, with Salah, the Egyptian forward for Liverpool, also having a strong case for the title due to his relentless goal-scoring form.
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim responded to Gary Neville’s criticism following his team’s goalless draw with Manchester City at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Although Manchester City dominated possession, neither side seemed particularly eager to claim all three points, resulting in a disappointing 0-0 draw.
Neville, a Manchester United legend, expressed his frustration with the performance, criticizing both teams for their lack of spontaneity and overemphasis on tactical shape. On Sky Sports, he commented, “They’re all so obsessed with shape… nothing off-the-cuff is happening in lots of games… This has got to stop…”
When asked about Neville’s remarks in a post-match interview, Amorim gave a calm response, saying, “I understand. I understand that Gary Neville is critical of everything!”
The draw left Manchester City in fifth place, still behind Chelsea, who also played out a 0-0 draw with Brentford earlier in the day. Meanwhile, United remained in 13th place, with 38 points from 31 matches, with just seven games remaining in the season.
Former English Referee Mike Dean reacts to Arsenal’s penalty in the Premier league match against Everton.
Speaking to the press, the former referee shares his thoughts on the penalty given to Arsenal.
“There’s a bit of contact outside and there’s a little bit of contact inside. I think it’s a soft one. It’s probably not wrong, but it’s a soft one.”
“I don’t know why Lewis-Skelly doesn’t go to attack it… Harrison gets the wrong side of him. I think this is awfully soft, but it’s gone to VAR…
“I can see why it was given in real time. But watching it again, there’s hardly a touch.”
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has explained his decision to leave Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson out of the starting lineup for Sunday’s match against Brentford. Fans were surprised when the team sheets were released and both players were named on the bench.
Maresca made several changes from the side that won 1-0 against Tottenham on Thursday, including leaving out Pedro Neto, Marc Cucurella, and Levi Colwill, likely to manage player fatigue with the upcoming Conference League quarter-final first leg against Legia Warszawa in mind.
“It’s part of the game plan. I believe the players starting today are the right choices for this match,” Maresca said in his post-match comments to the BBC.
Chelsea is aiming for a win to boost their chances of climbing back into the top four spots in the league.
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