The Youth Panorama

Chelsea's Fernando Torres offers a muted celebration after scoring the first goal of the match against his old club, Atlético Madrid. Photograph: John Sibley/Action Images Once again there was the sight of a manager running along the touchline at Stamford Bridge, screaming to the skies and letting out all the euphoria. Except this time José Mourinho was back in the dugout, hands pushed into the pockets of his overcoat and knowing there will be no place for Chelsea in the final at Estádio da Luz on 24 May. His team chose a bad day to lose their defensive resilience and Atlético were ruthless in the way they took advantage to recover from the opening goal being scored by Fernando Torres, their old favourite, and put in place Mourinho's heaviest ever defeat at this ground. Adrián's equaliser changed the entire complexion of the game just before half-time. Diego Costa's penalty put La Liga's champions-in-waiting in command aft...

  Chelsea big four stars Petr Cech, John Terry, Eden Hazard and Samuel Eto’o have today all returned to training ahead of their crucial Champions League semi-final second leg against Atletico Madrid Tomorrow. Manager Jose Mourinho had said that Cech won't be available again this season after dislocating his shoulder in the first leg. Cech had been subbed off for second keeper Mark Schwarzer , who also played against Liverpool. Cech today participated in the open training session today, the whole team trained at Chelsea’s Cobham training ground. Captain John Terry was also available despite Mourinho saying he will be out till May 24. Winger Hazard and forward Eto'o where also available for today's training. READ MORE:  http://news.naij.com/65476.html

Diego Simeone said Atlético Madrid had confidence but would have to put in 'an enormous effort' to beat Chelsea. Photograph: Matt Dunham/AP Diego Simeone has admitted grudging admiration for the stifling tactics employed by José Mourinho against Atlético Madrid and in the impressive Premier League victory at Liverpool, with the Spanish club's coach insisting all that ultimately matters is securing victory. The La Liga leaders were held to a goalless draw at Vicente Calderón last Tuesday in their first appearance in a semi-final of the European Cup since 1974. The contest was dour with both teams' forte an ability to soak up pressure before striking on the counterattack. Atlético expect more of the same at Stamford Bridge in Wednesday's return. Yet Simeone expressed surprise at the criticism to which Chelsea have been subjected for their approach to the past two contests at such a critical stage of the campaign. "I'm...

Special Adviser (Political), Alhaji Ahmed A. Gulak position has been terminated by President Goodluck Jonathan. The president wished him well in his future endeavors but did not reveal why Gulak had been laid off. The president also praised and thanked Gulak for his hardwork in the present administration and wished him well in all his future endeavors. This was revealed by the President’s spokesman, Reuben Abati through his twitter acount. READ MORE:  http://news.naij.com/65477.html

Sergio Ramos heads Real Madrid into the lead against Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-final second leg. Photograph: Adam Pretty/Bongarts/Getty At long last, Real Madrid can almost touch La Décima . This was an occasion when the they had been confronted by tension, the weight of history, curses and a Bayern Munich team who were supposed to pass them to death. Yet Carlo Ancelotti, Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos and, yes, Gareth Bale, sliced through it all with a performance of such swashbuckling brilliance that Bayern were reduced to a directionless mess. It was in 2002 that Zinedine Zidane sculpted the volley against Bayer Leverkusen at Hampden Park to help Madrid to their ninth European Cup. The wait for the 10th has pushed the boundaries even of obsession. The narrative for Madrid has taken in too much semi-final heartache and too many managers sacked. Yet they boldly wrote their own script in Bavaria, one marked by a tactical maste...

The Minister of Petroleum Resources Deziani Allison-Madueke may face arrest in case she fails to appear on Monday, April 28, before the Committee on Public Accounts to account for the private jets.  It was gathered by Daily Independent from its source on Sunday. It would be recalled that Allison-Madueke is accused by federal lawmakers of squandering N10 billion to charter and maintain private jet for her personal use. Although the jet (and then another one) was uncovered two months ago, since then the minister and NNPC management have shunned the queries by the House of Representatives and have not provided the required documents on the transactions. One of the committee members told Daily Independent: "Even if need, we will issue warrant of arrest on those involved, nobody is above the law of the land."

The schoolgirls abducted by the Boko Haram reportedly have been seen today, April 28, in South Borno, in the Gwoza-Bama axis. The 200 missing girls have been hustled around in about seven buses. The information about abducted GGSS (Governmental Girls' Secondary School) female students was provided by active citizens in Maiduguri. And a non-governmental organization (NGO) fighting for civil right, led by Dr Peregrino Brimah, disclosed this information to the press. The organization urgently call on the security agencies to go in pursuit and asks Goodluck Jonathan administration to approve immediately the formal request of the thousands of Civilian-JTF members and several thousand ready-volunteer youth around the nation for the permission to bear arms as civilian army patriots to seek, capture and eradicate Boko Haram terrorists and release all abductees and forced conscripts. Yesterday, April 27, security sources stated that the military has already identifie...

Jose Mourinho was left to reflect on another mighty big-game performance from his players this afternoon following our 2-0 win at Anfield. The Portuguese said he thought the best team won on Merseyside against a side that had emerged victorious in their 11 previous Premier League matches. A tightly-contested first half looked as though it would be ending goalless until Demba Ba capitalised on a slip by Liverpool's skipper Steven Gerrard and calmly slotted the ball beyond Simon Mignolet. Though Liverpool dominated possession after the interval - knowing a point would keep the destiny of the title in their own hands - they were unable to find a way through a resolute Chelsea rearguard which included full debutant Tomas Kalas . We had looked dangerous on the counter throughout and one such lightening break deep into injury time enabled Willian to walk the ball into the net after he had picked up a square pass from Fernando Torres . The three points were ours, wi...

Manchester City's Yaya Touré celebrates scoring his side's second goal against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters All the defiant chest-thumping in Chelsea celebration and gnashed frustration on the Kop had inevitably drawn the focus but, by the final whistle here, arguably the weekend's most ominous statement of intent had been delivered in a corner of south London. Manchester City are still third in the table, peering up at the teams who collided at Anfield, but the title is theirs to lose. This victory was efficient in its delivery but menacing in its timing. Crystal Palace's resurgence over an immaculate month of results, five wins having carried them into mid-table and guaranteed a longer stay at this level, had left the fixture appearing awkward though, in overcoming their hosts so comfortably, City merely reminded the division of their underlying qualities. They were expansive in flashes to ...

Demba Ba scores for Chelsea after a mistake by Liverpool's Steven Gerrard, left, in the Premier League game at Anfield. Photograph: Peter Powell/EPA When it was all finished, with Steven Gerrard ruminating on a mistake that threatens to stick to his conscience like superglue, Brendan Rodgers could not disguise his disdain. "There were probably two buses parked today instead of one," he said. Chelsea, he said, had been time-wasting from the first minute, defending with 10 players on the 18-yard line. Liverpool's manager smiled and stabbed. It was not difficult to coach a team to be that negative, he added. No doubt there will be plenty who share his dislike of the way Chelsea set about to smother this game. Their tactics were cynical, calculated and often maddening. They were also, ultimately, spot on and that really was the bottom line...

Over the course of the next five days, we face crucial matches in both the Barclays Premier League and Champions League, and Jose Mourinho has been speaking about trying to balance team selection with so much at stake in the two games. First up for the Blues, tomorrow afternoon, is a trip to Anfield, where Mourinho's side will attempt to reduce the five-point gap which currently exists between the two sides. We then play the second leg of our Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid, with the tie delicately poised, at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday. A combination of injuries and suspensions has already deprived the manager of certain players within his squad, and with the Champions League now our main priority, he simply cannot afford to lose any more players ahead of the meeting with Atletico. 'I lost the goalkeeper, John Terry, Hazard, Mikel, Lampard,' he said. 'Do you think if I lose one more player I have any chance to try to play...

"The Story Continues" was the banner headline on Manchester United's match-day programme alongside a picture of Ryan Giggs, the club attempting to put some positive spin on a week of turmoil. The worry for United supporters is how long the story will continue, with Sir Alex Ferguson giving his backing to Giggs even as rumours spread through Manchester that Louis van Gaal is now the chosen one and that a deal with the Holland coach may already have been agreed. At least this was a positive chapter, with Giggs receiving a tremendous ovation from the crowd as he made the touchline walk in club suit and tie. There was even a chant of "Attack, attack, attack" from the Stretford End as the game kicked off as if in anticipation of the shackles of unadventurous football being thrown off, plus any number of favourite hymns to Giggs and Paul Scholes. Then Jonny Howson stuck the ball into David de Gea's net right unde...

Jose Mourinho reported in his pre-match press conference that John Terry, Samuel Eto'o and Eden Hazard have not recovered from their respective injuries and will therefore not be available for selection for Sunday's game at Liverpool. Eto'o has a minor knee irritation and missed our game with Atletico on Tuesday, during which Terry picked up an ankle injury. Hazard has been out since 8 April and our manager gave an update on the trio. 'All of them are injured,' said Mourinho. 'John doesn't make this weekend and I don't think he can make next week, but let's wait. There is no chance for Sunday and a little one for Wednesday. 'Hazard is out for Sunday, and I think he is out for Wednesday, but let's wait.' There wasn't a spare seat in the house for the press conference, with the journalists that had packed out the club's media conference room at Cobham keen to hear what side Mourinho would be selecting for t...

Manuel Pellegrini, right, and Chelsea's José Mourinho have a history of a war of words but the Manchester City manager is now avoiding that. Photograph: Peter Powell/EPA The Manchester City manager, Manuel Pellegrini, insists he is not concerned about the possibility of Chelsea fielding a weakened team against title rivals Liverpool on Sunday. The match at Anfield is crucial in the title race, with all three clubs still in with a chance, but José Mourinho is considering fielding a weaker Chelsea team to prioritise next week's Champions League semi-final second leg with Atlético Madrid. That would also damage City's chances of being crowned champions as Pellegrini's side need to rely on Liverpool losing one of their remaining three games to have a chance. Pellegrini, though, brushed aside such a prospect, saying City ju...

Barcelona's former coach Tito Vilanova who has died at the age of 45. Photograph: Manu Fernandez/AP Tito Vilanova, the coach who succeeded Pep Guardiola at Barcelona and won the Spanish league title in his only season in charge, died on Friday after a long battle with throat cancer. He was 45. Vilanova, who has battled a recurring tumour in a saliva gland, was admitted to a Barcelona hospital last week. He reportedly had emergency surgery on Thursday. "It is with sadness that Barcelona must announce that Francesc 'Tito' Vilanova has died today at the age of 45," the club said on their website. "The death of our former coach occurred this afternoon when he could not overcome this disease which he had battled since 2011." Vilanova first became ill in November 2011, while an assistant to Guardiola, and took a leave of absence after undergoing surgery. The soft-spoken Vilanova returned and took over from Guardiola t...

Ryan Giggs would thrive because he 'knows what's needed to be a Manchester United player,' said Sir Alex Ferguson. Photograph: John Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images Sir Alex Ferguson believes Ryan Giggs should become the next permanent Manchester United manager despite the club viewing the 40-year-old as lacking the requisite experience to become David Moyes's long-term successor. Giggs was given the role on an interim basis on Tuesday after the sacking of Moyes. While the Welshman was happy to accept the job for only the last four matches of the season, Giggs is open to being the long-term No1. Despite Ferguson's backing of Moyes proving a dire miscalculation after the Scot lasted only 10 months of a six-year contract, the 71-year-old has no doubts that Giggs can succeed in the post. "I think that he [Giggs] is...

As the search for the 234 abducted school girls continues, parents have raised the alarm that their children may be forced into marriage with the kidnappers, This Day reports. Female students of the Government Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State have been abducted by the suspected Boko Haram members last Monday. Today their parents said they had reason to believe that their daughters are in the process of being forcefully married. "We heard they have segregated the girls into two, the matured ones and those who seem little," one of the parents who called in from Chibok said. "The matured ones we learnt they will be moving into a different camp and would be forcefully married while we do not know the fate of those they believe are immature."  It is not clear, however, where the parents acquired the information from. They also said that the government should stop giving promises and take drastic measures to rescue the girls. Some parents previously c...

Cameroon, Chad and Niger are concerned with the possibility of Nigeria's insurgency spilling over the borders into their lands. There is evidence that Boko Haram insurgents are recruiting new fighters in the neighbouring countries. In Cameroon, Nigerian terrorist sect members operate in the Far North Region , where they are known as just another religious group. The recruiters freely preach to Cameroonian youths, promising money for joining. There are similar ethnic communities in said Cameroon's region and northeastern Nigeria. Many people have relations on either side of the border, which makes undetected cross-border movement easy. In Niger, situation is similar. On either side of Komadougou Yobe River, a natural border between the two countries, people have had strong connections since the ancient times. Over 50,000 Nigerians have now crossed into Niger, fleeing the relentless violence in their native country. Nigerians also come to Niger by Lake Chad...

Adnan Januzaj has opted to play for Belgium despite being eligible for several other countries. Photograph: Michael Regan/Getty Images The debate over Adnan Januzaj's international future appears to have been settled after Belgium coach Marc Wilmots took to Twitter to announce the Manchester United forward has committed himself to the Red Devils. The 19-year-old – who was born in Brussels to Kosovar-Albanian parents – is eligible to play for up to five countries, with Turkey and England also believed to have registered an interest. However with Belgium preparing to take part in their first World Cup Finals since 2002, Wilmost has confirmed that Januzaj will be avaialble for selection in Brazil. "I have received official confirmation that Adnan Januzaj will play for the Belgium national team for the rest of his career! This is great news and I am delighted that such a talented player is available for selection @belreddevils," Wilmots wrot...

David Moyes said taking over at Manchester United was "inevitably going to be a significant challenge". Photograph: Tom Jenkins David Moyes has taken a parting shot at Manchester United's players by stating the squad requires "fundamental rebuilding", while the League Managers Association chief executive, Richard Bevan, has claimed the manager's sacking was done unprofessionally. Moyes was told he would be removed early on Tuesday morning at United's Carrington training complex. Yet he believes he was treated in a shabby manner as news of his probable removal broke in the media on Monday afternoon. Moyes chose to focus on the failings of the squad and it was notable no thanks were offered to the players. "To have been appointed as manager of Manchester United, one of the biggest football clubs in the world, was and remains something of which I will always be incredibly proud," Moyes said. "Taking...

Grieving parents of the abducted 234 female students of Government Girls’ Secondary School, (GGSS), Chibok in Borno State took the initiative in the search for their own kids. Soldiers and vigilantes are still hunting for the Islamist fighters holding the schoolgirls hostage The parents, who wished to remain anonymous, claimed that they had received threats from Boko Haram members with their willingness to kill them and their children if they continue the search for the abducted students. Speaking on the Hausa Service of the Voice of America, monitored in Kaduna on Tuesday, they said that at least 100 okada riders (commercial motorcyclists) were hired by parents to intensify their search but without succes. According to the girls who escaped the captivity, the Islamists took the hostages to Borno’s Sambisa Forest area, but the okada riders who scoured the forest far and wide claimed that they could not find their children. It was also reported the reason that made the ...

  According to Sahara Reporters, Northern governors are to meet on Thursday, April 24, to address a number of issues plaguing Nigeria, such as insecurity and the crisis between northern herdsmen and farmers. Members of the Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) will sit down with the Miyetti Allah Fulani Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria to find solutions to the constant crises between Fulani herdsmen and farmers in the region. The Forum will also discuss the concerns raised by Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State about the insurgency in the North. Various parts of Nigeria have been targeted several times in the past week by Boko Haram insurgents. About 80 people were killed and scores sustained injuries when a powerful explosion shook a busy bus station in Nyanya, Abuja's suburb, while over 200 school girls were kidnapped in the town of Chibok in Borno state. READ MORE:  http://news.naij.com/65005.html

Chelsea's goalkeeper, Petr Cech, leaves the field after suffering an injury to his shoulder in the 18th minute in Madrid. Photograph: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images There is no point in dressing it up as something it was not. At this rarefied level it was unusual to see such a lack of vibrant football, or so many occasions when passes were misplaced and two sides played with so little penetration. The setting was wonderful, in one of Madrid's great venues, with the Almudena cathedral as the backdrop. The din was as good as it gets in Spain. It is just a shame the two sides produced such a stodgy game for the size of the occasion. Chelsea, however, will not be too concerned if this draw is added to the list of games that is used to knock José Mourinho's ploys of conservatism. Nobody should be greatly surprised by their spoiling tactics and there is something to be said, once again, for their competitive courage. Petr Cech was forced off...

David Moyes has been sacked by Manchester United after just 10 months in charge and replaced by Ryan Giggs who has been put in charge temporarily until the end of the season. Giggs, 40, has been combining playing with studying for his Pro-Licence, learning at the feet of the manager for the majority of his career at United, Sir Alex Fergsuon. The Welsh winger and Moyes are believed not to have seen eye to eye over the past season although the club was at pains to deny the rumourUnited released a short statement at 8.30am on Tuesday morning saying: "Manchester United has announced that David Moyes has left the club. The club would like to place on record its thanks for the hard work, honesty and integrity he brought to the role." Giggs will now be in charge for the last four games of the season, beginning with Norwich at home in the 5.30pm kick-off on Saturday, followed by home games against Sunderland and Hull and finishing away to Southampton. Moyes drove into...

A face in the crowd at Goodison Park signals that the end is nigh for David Moyes. Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images David Moyes will be sacked as Manchester United's manager with the owners, the Glazer family, and Ed Woodward, the vice-president, in discussions over when to end the Scot's reign. United's 2-0 defeat at Everton on Sunday was the latest evidence to the executive that Moyes is the wrong man to lead the club and it is now only a matter of time before the decision is taken. Should he go before the end of the season, which appears likely, United may put Ryan Giggs in temporary charge. The 40-year-old, who is player-coach, would command the instant respect of the squad and would consider taking up the role, even if only temporary. The Holland coach, Louis van Gaal, Borussia Dortmund's Jürgen Klopp, Diego Simeone of Atlético Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain's Laurent Blanc will all be discussed as the next potential perma...