SPORTS

Manchester United are heavy favourites to win the Europa League final. Jose Mourinho’s team have been fancied for the competition since the start; in contrast, even the Dutch journalists who follow Ajax regularly admitted at a prematch news conference last week they are surprised Peter Bosz’s side have made it to Stockholm. All the pressure is on United. There is ...

A 21-month jail term handed down last year to Barcelona and Argentina footballer Lionel Messi has been confirmed by Spain’s Supreme Court, but he is unlikely to go to prison. Messi and his father Jorge, who manages his finances, were both convicted in 2016 of defrauding Spain of €4.1m (£3.5m; $4.6m) in taxes. Jorge Messi’s jail term was reduced because ...

West Ham are set for another fight with Marseille as the French giants are bent on capturing another of the English side’s top stars, Andre Ayew, in a bumper £30m raid. The Hammers are bracing themselves for the bumper offer from the financially-revived French side just four months after Marseille raided the London side for their best player. Agents close ...

Newcastle United have confirmed the permanent signing of Christian Atsu from Chelsea. The 25-year-old Ghana international spent last season on loan at St. James’ Park, making 32 league appearances and scoring five goals as Rafa Benítez’s side lifted the Sky Bet Championship title. The Magpies have now exercised an option to sign him for an undisclosed fee and the winger ...

Cleveland Cavaliers moved one victory away from setting up a repeat of the 2015 and 2016 NBA Finals with a 112-99 win over Boston Celtics. The Cavs now lead 3-1 in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals. Golden State Warriors have already completed a 4-0 sweep over San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference finals. They were crowned NBA champions in ...

Manchester United’s Europa League final match against Ajax in Stockholm next week is worth a combined £60.5 million to the club and its players. A report in The Times indicates that United’s playing staff could bank “the biggest players’ bonus pool in history” if they’re successful at the match on Wednesday May 24. This is because the Europa League winners ...

Coach Paa Kwesi Fabin has named his starting eleven for Ghana’ s U-17 final semi-final match against Niger in Port Gentil. The national U-17 team have qualified to the FIFA U-17 World Cup in India later this year after winning their 2017 African U-17 championship opening group games against Cameroon and Gabon. The team travelled to Libreville on Thursday for ...

President of the Ghana Football Association, Kwesi Nyantakyi has warned the Black Starlets against complacency ahead of their semi final clash against Niger today. Ghana is yet to concede a goal at the competition after scoring nine goals from three games. But Nyantakyi believes with a fair knowledge of the Nigeriens as a result of a back to back defeat ...

The Europa League final between Manchester United and Ajax will not be the same following the deadly terror attack in Manchester, the Dutch club’s coach Peter Bosz said on Tuesday. “What happened in Manchester is something that we all feel at Ajax,” Bosz told his pre-match press conference at Stockholm’s Friends Arena. “On behalf of the players and the staff, ...

Real Madrid have reached an agreement with Brazilian side Flamengo to sign 16-year old forward Vinicius Junior in July 2018, the two clubs announced on Tuesday. “Real Madrid and Flamengo have reached a deal for the transfer of Vinicius Junior from July 2018,” a statement published on the Flamengo site said. Madrid said the pacy striker will remain at Flamengo ...