Sport

Lionel Messi will decide his future this week – Barcelona manager, Xavi reveals

Published

4 months ago

June 2, 2023

Barcelona manager Xavi has revealed Lionel Messi will decide on his future next week amid a possible return back to the club.

Messi left Barca to join PSG in 2021 and spent two years in Paris, but boss Christophe Galtier confirmed on Thursday that the 35-year-old would leave the club.

The Argentine World Cup winner has been linked with a move to Inter Miami, who are reportedly willing to sign him as a free agent before loaning him to Barca for 18 months.

Now the Barcelona boss has told Mundo Deportivo that Messi will make his mind up in the coming seven days and there’s nothing stopping a move back to LaLiga .

Xavi said: ‘He will decide next week and now there are 200 hypotheses. In the end he will decide his future and here he has the doors open, there is no more debate.

‘If it is the coach who has to give the OK to come, he has the OK at 100%.’

When asked about what role Xavi views Messi in, the 43-year-old said: ‘Well, in many positions he can adapt inside, he can play as a winger, he can play as a midfielder, he can play as a false nine, where he has played all his life.

‘In the end, you have to find a natural habitat to enhance all your game, but I do see that it can help us a lot, I think we lack that talent in the last third and Leo always gives it to you.’

Messi wants to make a sensational return to the Catalan giants but the club are locked in a battle with LaLiga to see if a move is financially viable.

Messi’s only concrete offer as of yet is from Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal, with the Riyadh-based team offering a two-year deal worth towards £2billion.

Sport

16th INAC: Indian instructor educates Nigerians on benefits of Yoga

Published

3 weeks ago

September 8, 2023

Desmond Ukafor

The Indian High Commission in Nigeria on Friday in Abuja urged Nigerians to embrace Yoga as a means of exercise for their overall well-being..

Diptiranjan Mohanty, Teacher of Indian Culture, High Commission of India in Abuja, gave the advice during the 16th International Arts and Craft Expo (INAC).

Mohanty, who demonstrated the exercise , said that Yoga is an aspect of Indian culture known to reduce stress, anxiety as well as improve brain function.
He said that practicing Yoga also improves cardiovascular function, quality of sleep, bone health and reduces inflammation.

“Yoga is part of our culture, we want our Nigerian friends and people across the globe to practise it as a lifestyle.
“It improves body flexibility and balance.

“Yoga is known to harmonise the mind, body and soul, and it is a method to detoxify theo body and make a healthy mind and a happy soul,” he said.

Mohanty said that Nigerians who were interested in learning how to practice yoga could attend free classes for the execise at the Indian High Commission in Abuja.

According to him, this is held Monday to Friday, from 4.00p.m. to 7.00p.
He said that India was at the expo to showcase its arts and crafts like Saree fabric, Masala Chai (indian tea), locally prepared to reduce high blood pressure and cholesterol.

In the course of the expo, delegates from Taraba, Kaduna, Borno, Katsina, Ogun and Rivers states presented colourful dance performances.

Ogun and Rivers as well as Cuba presented cuisines peculiar to their culture, which delegates from other nations savoured.

Sport

UEFA to raise payments for clubs not in European competition

Published

3 weeks ago

September 7, 2023

Fellow Press

Clubs that fail to qualify for UEFA’s competitions are set to receive a greater share of revenue from the European governing body from next season.
The arrangement is under a new distribution model announced on Wednesday by UEFA.
UEFA and the European Club Association (ECA) signed a renewed working agreement until 2030 which will “bolster long-term stability and sustainable growth in European club football,” the governing body said in a statement.

The change will be effective from the start of the 2024-25 season, coinciding with a new format in UEFA’s Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League.

Under the new model for the 2024-2027 cycle, seven per cent of the revenue UEFA earns from the three competitions will be distributed to clubs not competing in them, up from four per cent.

The European Leagues Association, which represents professional soccer leagues in Europe, said the change would result in 308 million euros ($330.02 million) being shared among non-participating clubs, up from the current 175 million euros.

“Today’s announcement … will help all clubs across Europe to safeguard their competitiveness on and off the pitch while keeping investing in youth and talent development,” it said in a statement.

UEFA said further details of the new system would be unveiled at a later date.