Sport
Alkorta Tells Vinicius to Be Careful with Perez in Contract Talks or End up Like Ramos
Former Real Madrid star Rafael Alkorta has cautioned Vinicius Jr. to tread carefully in his contract talks with club president Florentino Perez, warning that the Brazilian risks facing the same fate as Sergio Ramos.
Alkorta pointed out that Ramos, despite being a club legend, saw his contract offer withdrawn in 2023 after tense negotiations with Perez. He stressed that challenging the Madrid president in such matters is a dangerous path.
“Trying to push Florentino too far can backfire. We saw it with Ramos,” Alkorta said, adding that disputes of this kind are “poisonous” because Perez, while affectionate, never hesitates to make ruthless decisions when necessary.
The ex-defender also suggested that Vinicius has struggled to find his rhythm since being moved from his natural left-wing role to a central position under Carlo Ancelotti, a tactical shift made to accommodate Kylian Mbappe.
“Since leaving the left side, he hasn’t looked the same. Playing alongside Mbappe has taken its toll,” Alkorta remarked, urging the young forward to be cautious both on and off the pitch.
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.”
Davido Fulfils ₦20 Million Promise to Carter Efe After Record-Breaking Stream
Super Eagles Star Calvin Bassey Opens Up on Nearly Walking Away from Football
