FULL REACTION: ERIC CHELLE’S EMOTIONAL SPEECH AFTER NIGERIA’S DRAMATIC VICTORY OVER EGYPT
Nigeria clinches record 9th bronze! Analyse the tactical masterclass that saw the Super Eagles overcome Egypt in Casablanca.
Nigeria coach Eric Chelle couldn’t hide his pride after the Super Eagles clinched third place at the Africa Cup of Nations, beating Egypt on penalties at Mohammed V Stadium in Morocco.
The match ended goalless, so it all came down to a shootout. Stanley Nwabali turned into the hero, saving two penalties — stopping efforts from Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush. After that, Akor Adams, Moses Simon, Alex Iwobi, and Ademola Lookman all made their spot kicks to seal a 4-2 win. Nigeria did have a shaky start when Fisayo Dele-Bashiru missed the opening penalty, but Nwabali’s big saves flipped the momentum. Lookman then slotted in the winning penalty, and that was that—Nigeria grabbed the bronze.
Chelle spoke with real emotion after the game. “Honestly, I’m incredibly proud of these players,” he said. “Coaching isn’t easy. There were moments I felt disappointed — not because the players let me down, but because they left everything on the pitch. They worked themselves to exhaustion. Today, I just feel pride.”
He went on, “Being the coach of Nigeria is an honour. This group gave everything, not just tonight, but over the last two months and throughout a full year of hard work. None of their success happened by luck. There’s been so much effort behind the scenes.”
Chelle also talked about the challenge of building a team. “It’s never simple to create a strong group. You have to handle so many personalities, stay patient, and keep calm. The players responded to that. They gave everything — for me, for the coaching staff, for the country. I respect all of them, and I’m so proud of what they’ve achieved.”
Looking ahead, Chelle doesn’t see this as the end but the beginning of something bigger. “This win isn’t just about tonight. It’s a step forward for the future of Nigerian football. We’ll use this as the foundation for what comes next. We tried different approaches and learnt from every situation — some things worked, some didn’t. That’s how teams grow. What matters is that this group has character, commitment, and a strong future.”
On the other side, Egypt’s coach Hossam Hassan stayed positive, even though his team fell short. He said he was proud of his players’ fight and spirit throughout this year’s AFCON.
“It was a tight game against a strong Nigerian side,” Hassan said. “Both teams stayed disciplined and organised. We controlled some parts of the match, but games like this come down to small details. Penalties decided it today.”
He continued, “My players showed a lot of character and discipline. I’m satisfied with their performance and proud of their commitment. Penalty shootouts are just part of football. Sometimes they go your way, sometimes they don’t. You have to accept it and keep going.”
AFCON wraps up on Saturday, with hosts Morocco facing Senegal in the final at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
THE NAPOLI TRAP: MAPPING THE €70M PENALTY CLAUSE BLOCKING OSIMHEN’S ITALIAN RETURN
Victor Osimhen transfer update: Discover why a return to Italy is "impossible" and how Chelsea could fund his massive salary.
Victor Osimhen only joined Galatasaray last summer, but the transfer rumours just won’t let up. Chelsea have chased him for ages, and now people keep linking him with another big move.
Galatasaray didn’t just make noise last year; they shook Turkish football. They went all out in the transfer market, spending like never before and forcing bitter rivals Fenerbahçe to open their own wallets wide.
They smashed their old transfer record (which was €18 million) by paying €75 million for Osimhen alone. Then they brought in Wilfried Singo for €31 million and Ugurcan Cakir for €27.5 million. Ismaila Jakobs and Przemyslaw Frankowski joined as well, costing another €8 million and €7 million. The whole spree? €148.5 million. And that’s not even counting the huge wages for these guys and for free agents like Leroy Sane and Ilkay Gundogan. Meanwhile, Galatasaray only brought in €18 million from player sales.
So yeah, people are starting to wonder if this is sustainable. Telegrafi ran the numbers and tried to calm everyone down, suggesting the spending isn’t as reckless as it looks.
Is Galatasaray going to have to sell Osimhen? The club pulled in roughly €275 million in revenue last season and might hit €350 million this year. That’s solid for any club, even compared to Europe’s biggest.
Their Champions League run, knocking out Juventus and reaching the round of 16, already earned them about €40 million, and that’s not including TV money and other perks from the tournament.
Add it all up, and Galatasaray’s assets are worth a net €143 million. They’re also fully compliant with UEFA’s Squad Cost Ratio rule, mostly because they’re spreading out the cost of those big transfer fees.
Still, Turkish football has a rough history with money. Plenty of clubs have crashed and burned, so fans are nervous about Galatasaray spending so much so fast.
And with Osimhen, people are doubting he’ll stick around. His wages alone, €15 million a season, are a heavy load for any Turkish club. Rumour has it he’s even missed a couple of pay cheques. Honestly, that’s not unheard of. Alvaro Morata called Galatasaray out for not paying up last summer. But with Osimhen, it’s just speculation for now.
Despite all that, the chatter about Osimhen leaving is only getting louder. He’s been talking up Juventus recently, a club that tried to sign him last summer. Napoli blocked that move; they didn’t want to sell to a Serie A rival.
To stop any quick return to Italy, Napoli added a penalty clause when they sold Osimhen to Gala. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, if Galatasaray sells him back to Serie A in 2026, they owe Napoli another €70 million. In 2027, it drops to €50 million.
That clause only runs for two years, but with Serie A clubs struggling for cash, paying €100 million-plus for Osimhen (once you add his wages and the penalty) just isn’t realistic. Juventus or anyone else in Italy? Out of the question, at least for now.
So, if Galatasaray has to sell Osimhen, whether for money or other reasons, the Premier League seems like the most likely landing spot. He’s already turned down moves to Saudi Arabia. The guy wants to stay in Europe.
PSG looked at him, but their new salary cap rules make a deal tough. Same story with Chelsea in the past; they just didn’t want to cover his pay cheque. Still, Chelsea keeps coming up in the rumours, and some fans want the club to rethink their transfer plans and bring in proven winners to help guide Liam Rosenior’s young squad.
Osimhen would cost a fortune, no question. But he’s exactly the kind of player Chelsea needs.
THREE GAMES LEFT? WHY ANTOINE GRIEZMANN’S ATLéTICO CAREER COULD END ON MARCH 7TH
Griezmann to Orlando City: Discover the verbal agreement allowing a free transfer and the latest on the Tottenham UCL draw.
Diego Simeone admits he really doesn't know if Antoine Griezmann will stick around at Atlético Madrid until the end of the season, as the French forward’s talks with Orlando City heat up.
Earlier this week, ESPN reported that Griezmann is deep in negotiations with the MLS club, even though his contract with Atlético runs until 2027. Sources say both sides want to get the deal done now, and things are moving fast.
Griezmann isn’t just another player for Atlético; he’s their all-time top scorer and still one of their most important guys on the pitch. He’s already played 22 La Liga games this season, and the team’s got some serious matches coming up, including a Copa del Rey semifinal second leg against Barcelona on Tuesday.
Simeone, speaking earlier in the week, said Griezmann has earned the right to choose what comes next after everything he’s given the club.
“I already said it the other day,” Simeone told reporters on Friday before Atlético’s game at Oviedo. “I’m not going to keep repeating myself. We honestly don’t know what’s going to happen. Everyone knows how much Antoine means to us.”
Friday’s Champions League draw threw Atlético up against Tottenham, with the first leg in Madrid on March 10 or 11 and the return in London a week later.
After the draw, Atlético’s director of football, Mateu Alemany, tried to shut down the rumours. “Antoine has this season and two more years on his contract. He’s totally focused on what’s ahead. He’s playing great. Right now, we’re counting on him for tomorrow, for Tuesday, and for the Champions League. Everything else is just talk.”
But sources tell ESPN that Griezmann might actually leave sooner, with a possible farewell at home against his old club, Real Sociedad, on March 7.
If that happens, Griezmann would have just three more games in red and white: Oviedo on Saturday, Barcelona on Tuesday, and then Real Sociedad.
“We’re talking with Antoine,” Simeone said. “He knows what he means to us. There’s no need to pressure him. We just have to focus on what’s in front of us: Oviedo, Barcelona, Real Sociedad, and Tottenham. Big games.”
MLS’s transfer window closes on March 26 and then opens again in July.
Right now, all sides are working out the final details of the transfer, according to ESPN’s sources.
Simeone would have liked Griezmann to finish out the LaLiga season, then leave in the summer, but there’s a verbal agreement in place. Atlético promised Griezmann he could go for free whenever he decided it was time.
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