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EPL Teams Stumble In Champions League, Slot And Guardiola Urge Composure.
Managers across the Premier League have called for calm after English clubs endured a challenging week in the UEFA Champions League round-of-16 first-leg matches.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
None of the six English sides recorded a win, sparking debate about whether the Premier League’s status as Europe’s top competition is being questioned.
Arne Slot, whose Liverpool FC lost 1-0 away to Galatasaray SK, said it was too early to draw broad conclusions.
“To jump to a conclusion after just one matchday is a very small sample size, and that’s never the smartest thing to do,” Slot said. “Maybe after next week, we will see a completely different picture.
“In general, it’s not ideal for English clubs not to have a winter break. I’m not saying this is why all the teams lost. Why the losses? Because in the last 16 of Europe, you’re facing very strong sides. And four of the five other English teams played away from home, which is always a challenge. To immediately conclude it’s about the winter break or the Premier League’s level would be premature.”
Other results included Arsenal drawing 1-1 at Bayer Leverkusen, and Newcastle United holding Barcelona to the same scoreline at St James’ Park.
London rivals had a tougher week: Chelsea were defeated 5-2 by Paris Saint-Germain, while Tottenham Hotspur suffered a similar 5-2 loss at Atlético Madrid.
Defending European champions Manchester City also face a tough task after a 3-0 defeat at Real Madrid. Manager Pep Guardiola stressed that these results should not be seen as a reflection of English football’s quality.
“Before, we were considered the best league in the world. After this week, some might question that,” Guardiola said. “But I’m confident we are an incredible league. In one or two matches, anything can happen. Other leagues are strong too—look at Bodo/Glimt in Norway, beating Sporting, Inter Milan, and even us. Every team is tough and well-prepared.”
City’s defeat adds to a difficult history against Real Madrid in Europe, with the Spanish club having eliminated Guardiola’s side four times in knockout rounds.
Despite the disappointing first-leg results, history suggests English clubs can still recover. In the 2022-23 season, no Premier League team won their round-of-16 first-leg matches, yet both Chelsea and Manchester City advanced to the quarter-finals.
Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, says the state has mapped out 22,435 hectares of degraded land for restoration under the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project using modern geospatial mapping technology.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
He said the initiative is part of efforts to strengthen climate resilience, tackle environmental degradation, and promote sustainable land use in the state.
Speaking at the ACReSAL mid-term review meeting in Kaduna through the Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Abubakar Buba, the governor explained that the use of geospatial tools has made it possible to accurately identify affected areas for targeted intervention.
He added that the project is not only focused on land recovery but also on boosting agricultural output and improving livelihoods in affected communities.
Sani also noted that the state is supporting the programme with empowerment initiatives, including training over 500 women, youths, and school feeding vendors in biomass briquette production.
According to him, the effort is already helping to reduce dependence on firewood while creating alternative sources of income for beneficiaries.
President Tinubu has given full backing for the implementation of the ₦68.32 trillion 2026 budget after signing the Appropriation Bill passed by the National Assembly into law.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
He also approved an amendment extending the lifespan of the 2025 budget from March 31 to June 30, 2026, to ensure completion of ongoing capital projects nationwide.
Under the 2026 fiscal plan, ₦4.799 trillion is set aside for statutory transfers, ₦15.8 trillion for debt servicing, ₦15.4 trillion for recurrent spending, while ₦32.2 trillion goes to capital projects—about half of the total budget.
The focus, according to the administration, is on infrastructure development, security, and growth-driven investments aimed at improving living standards.
Speaking on the development, presidential aide Bayo Onanuga said the extension of the 2025 budget will help ensure full use of allocated funds, especially for major ongoing projects.
Tinubu directed all ministries, departments, and agencies to ensure transparency, discipline, and value-for-money in implementing the budget, while praising the National Assembly for its swift passage of the bill.
He also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to economic reforms, revenue growth, job creation, and social welfare improvements.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State has described moves to prosecute former Senate President Bukola Saraki and former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed over alleged culpable homicide as an attempt to reopen the 2018 Offa robbery tragedy for political purposes.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
In a statement on Friday, the party’s spokesperson, Olusegun Adewara, said the development is a disturbing and dangerous politicisation of a case they claim has already been addressed through judicial processes.
He warned against dragging the state into fresh tension, accusing the state government of attempting to revive old allegations for political advantage.
Adewara said the PDP would not remain silent while what he called “political narratives” are used to influence public perception around a tragic incident that claimed multiple lives in Offa in 2018.
He also urged residents, especially affected families, not to allow their pain to be used for political gains, insisting it is unjust to associate Saraki with the crime.
The party further alleged that the move is aimed at distracting attention from governance challenges in the state.
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