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First La Liga Madrid derbi of 2018/19 comes as title race takes early exciting twist

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The first La Liga Madrid derbi of 2018/19 takes place on Saturday evening with things suddenly looking very exciting and unexpected at the top of the table.

Real Madrid coach Julen Lopetegui’s injury-hit team must regroup following a first defeat of the season at Sevilla on Wednesday, while Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone’s side go to the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu after scoring five goals and taking six points in their last two LaLiga outings.

Saturday’s other showpiece game sees leaders Barcelona, rocking after picking up just one point from their last two games, hosting an Athletic Bilbao side who also lost their unbeaten LaLiga record midweek.

LaLiga’s gameweek seven begins Friday night when Rayo Vallecano will aim for their first home win of 2018/19 against an Espanyol team who have just one point on their travels so far.

Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off is Real Sociedad at home to Valencia – with the Txuri-Urdin similarly aiming for an opening three points at their newlook Anoeta stadium, and Los Che yet to win away from their own supporters.

Later on Saturday, Eibar will be aiming for a third straight home victory at Ipurua against a freescoring Sevilla side who shocked Real Madrid 3-0 on Wednesday evening and have 10 goals in two LaLiga games outside the Andalusian capital so far this season.

Sunday’s early game sees new boys Huesca looking to get their first ever LaLiga season back on an upward curve, taking on a Girona team already looking established at this level after just 13 months in the top division.

Another newly promoted outfit Valladolid are next in action at Villarreal, with the Blanquivioletas [White and Violets] impressively unbeaten in their three away games so far, while the Yellow Submarine have surprisingly yet to win in front of their own fans at the Estadio de la Ceramica.

Levante supporters will also be hopeful of cheering a first 2018/19 three points at the Ciutat de Valencia later on Sunday, with visitors Alaves travelling confidently having won both of their last two on the road to push the Basques towards the top of the early LaLiga standings.

Having had a rollercoaster start to the new season Real Betis fans will be hopeful of a comfortable victory against Leganes, who are sure to travel in good cheer following their surprise 2-1 win against Barca on Wednesday evening.

Monday evening’s game has high flying Galicians Celta Vigo aiming to continue their unbeaten start at home, while visitors Getafe will not be fearful having drawn on three of their last four visits to Balaidos.

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Robinho To Serve A 9 Year Jail Term Over Gang Rape

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Former Manchester City and Real Madrid striker Robinho will reportedly serve a nine-year jail sentence for gang rape – Imposed on him by an Italian court — in Brazil, judges in Brasilia has ruled.

The 40-year-old was found guilty in Italy in 2017 and according to Globo, Brazil’s Superior Court of Justice (BSCJ), made the ruling on Wednesday, March 20, 2024.

The former Premier League player, whose real name is Robson De Souza, was one of six men who were found guilty of a§§aulting an Albanian woman in an Italian nightclub in January 2013.

In January 2022, the Supreme Court in Rome dismissed his final appeal against the conviction, according to the report.

Robinho claims he is innocent and has been living in Brazil for the past seven years. It came after nine of the court’s 15 ministers had voted in favour of the decision to incarcerate the footballer in Brazil.

Globo also claims that the ex-footballer, who also spent time at AC Milan and Real Madrid, will now be arrested in Santos, where he currently resides.

Robinho, who was 28 and was playing for AC Milan at the time, admitted during his appeal to having ‘contact’ with the woman, but the Brazilian insisted it was consensual.

The Milan Court of Appeals found Robinho had ‘belittled’ and ‘br¥tally h¥miliated’ the victim as it upheld his original sentence in December 2020.

Intercepted phone calls between the Brazilian and those allegedly involved in the assault were used as key evidence in his initial conviction.

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Former Tennis Champion, Tania Okpala Returns To Tennis After Rehabilitation

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Anambra State Governor, Charles Soludo, has revealed that former tennis champion, Tania Okpala, has resumed playing on the courts.

This development follows Soludo’s assurance that she would undergo rehabilitation after a video surfaced online showing her in distress on the streets of Awka, pleading for assistance.

In an update on his social media handle on Thursday, Soludo expressed his satisfaction with Okpala’s return, stating, “Tania Okpala is back on the courts!

“A few months ago, social media was flooded with a viral video showing Ms. Tania in a distressing state on the streets of Awka. I am pleased to report that we have successfully restored Tania to her winning ways.”

Okpala, who hails from Anambra and has a Belarusian mother, represented Nigeria in the 1990s.

Here are pictures of her in the tennis court.

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AFCON: Victor Osimhen Now Cleared To Join The Other Super Eagles Ahead Of Tomorrow’s Game

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Good News has it that Victor Osimhen has finally joined the Super Eagles Nigeria team in Bouake, Ivory Coast.

He has been given the clear from the medical team on the abdominal discomfort issue. Earlier it was reported that the player could not join the rest of the team who flew to Ivory Coast ahead of Tomorrow’s football match against South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.

He’s fully fit and ready to play in the Semifinals against South Africa tomorrow.

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