Three weeks on from suffering a 4-0 humiliation at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona still believe that a Champions League “miracle” is possible at the Camp Nou on Wednesday. Since that fateful night in Paris, Barcelona have regained both leadership of La Liga and their confidence ahead of the last 16, second leg.

And despite the news that Luis Enrique will no longer be their coach next season, Barca showed no negative effects as Lionel Messi led a 5-0 destruction of Celta Vigo on Saturday in arguably the club’s best performance of the season.

Asia demands more World Cup places

Asia wants a significant increase in its allocation of places in the 48-nation 2026 World Cup, the head of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said. Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa said Asia was counting on a fair distribution of 2026 World Cup slots, demanding a rise from its four guaranteed places to reflect its economic power and the popularity of football there.

Wizkid wins first iHeart Radio award

Afrobeat star, Ayo Balogun popularly known as ‘WizKid’ has bagged an iHeart Radio Award for his collaboration on ‘One dance’ with American rapper, Drake and singer, Kyla. The international award which is his first for the year comes weeks after he failed to clinch a Grammy award for the same song.

The song lost in the Album of the Year category at the Grammys 2017 for the album “Views”.

‘One dance,’ won Hip-Hop Song of the Year beating another Drake song ‘Controlla’, Desiigner’s ‘Panda’, Fat Joe and Remy Ma’s ‘All the way up’, and DJ Khaled’s ‘For free’ featuring Drake.

Fayose to Obasanjo: Return my N10m donation to your library project

Ado-Ekiti-The Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayo Fayose continued his verbal onslaught against former President Olusegun Obasanjo, on Monday, as he demanded immediate return of  his N10 million donation to his library project  with interest.

Fayose, who described the library project as one of the greatest fraud ever,  said  the 30 governors under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were compelled to donate N10m each in 2005 to the multibillion naira project. The was just as the PDP Southwest caucus passed a confidence of vote in the leadership of the Ahmed Makarfi-led caretaker committee, branding the Ali Modu Sheriff group as mere usurpers of the party’s structure.

Governors, cronies share chunk of loans – Shehu Sani

Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign and Local Departments, Senator Shehu Sani, has said that 80 percent of loans collected by state governments in Nigeria was shared among Governors, loyal politicians and other cronies.

Senator Sani, who represents Kaduna Central Senatorial District disclosed this on Sunday in Kaduna, while reacting to multiple complaints against late distribution of fertilizer by Amalgamated Farmers Forum.

Akeredolu bans logging in Ondo

Ondo state government has banned logging in forest reserves in the 18 local government areas. The State Governor, Chief Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, gave the order on Friday in Akure.

A statement by Mr Toyin Akinkuotu, the state Head of Service, said that the ban was with immediate effect. The governor also dissolved all taskforce on forestry and related matters.

Chelsea’s Conte brushes aside Inter talk

Antonio Conte

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has insisted he will honour his contract with the Premier League leaders after reports linking him with a move to Inter Milan.

Conte, previously impressive while in charge of Italy and Juventus, has guided the Blues into a 10-point lead at the top of the Premier League following a slump last season that saw them finish 10th.

However, this week saw reports suggesting he could return to Italy, where his wife and daughter have stayed while his daughter completes the current school year.