Sports
Arteta Maintains Belief In Arsenal’s Potential To Secure The League Title
Mikel Arteta, the manager of Arsenal, remains optimistic about his team’s chances in the Premier League title race, emphasizing that there is still a mathematical possibility for them to clinch the trophy.
Throughout the season, the Gunners had consistently held the top position in the league, aiming to break their 19-year drought and secure the championship.
In the face of relentless pressure from Manchester City, who have achieved an impressive 11-game winning streak, Arsenal has struggled in recent months.
Mikel Arteta’s team, unfortunately, has experienced a downturn in form, managing to secure victories in only two out of their last seven matches.
Arteta told Sky Sports “We have to apologise because the performance we had in the second-half is not acceptable.
“Mathematically (winning the league) it’s still possible and this is football but today it is impossible to be thinking about it. We have to first digest the result, the performance that we had in the second half, and understand why and have a very different reaction in the next game.”
In the upcoming match between Arsenal and Nottingham Forest on Saturday, a loss for Arsenal would result in Manchester City clinching the title for the fifth time in six seasons and securing a third consecutive title.
Even if Arsenal manages to respond positively with a victory at Forest, City can still secure the title by winning their match against Chelsea on May 21 or by earning three points in their remaining fixtures against Brighton and Brentford.
It is worth noting that Arsenal’s involvement in the title race has exceeded expectations, and their achievement of securing Champions League qualification for the first time in seven seasons is commendable.
According to Arteta, Arsenal’s inability to bounce back after conceding Julio Enciso’s header early in the second half serves as a warning sign for the team as they look ahead to the next season.
In the closing stages of the match, Deniz Undav and Pervis Estupinan further compounded Arsenal’s disappointment by adding to their lead, intensifying the agony for the Gunners. Brighton’s victory in that match marked a significant milestone for the club, as it propelled them closer to securing European qualification for the first time in their history.
Arteta added “We concede a goal and from there the team had no reaction. When you give away the silly goal we gave away, the second one, the team collapsed and had no answers. If the team is able to do that there is something we have to address.”
Martin Odegaard, the captain of Arsenal, has acknowledged that the title race is essentially concluded
He said “Yeah it feels like that. It is going to be very difficult now we have to be honest. It is tough to take.
“It is not a good feeling at the moment. The way we played, particularly in the second half, I don’t know what happened to be honest. It feels like there is no hope now.”
Despite their late collapse, Odegaard insisted his young teammates had been mentally tough enough for the pressure of the title race.
He said “We wanted to come here and continue like we have in the last two games, get a good result and keep pushing. It is a big disappointment.
“In the first half we did a lot of good things and had moments to create big chances but we gave them more and more momentum in the second half.
“I don’t think mentality was an issue. We were good going into the game but in the game was a different story and we have to accept it and learn from it.” he added.
Team Nigeria delivered a remarkable display at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, producing a world record, a historic gold medal and a hard-fought bronze to underline the country’s growing dominance in athletics.
Leading the charge was para-athlete Goodness Nwachukwu, who successfully defended her women’s F42 discus throw title in spectacular fashion by setting a new world record of 39.66 metres with her final throw.
ALSO READ: FIFA in Turmoil as Senior Adviser Steps Down Over Controversial World Cup Deal
The 27-year-old surpassed her previous world record by more than three metres to register her fourth career world record and add another Commonwealth gold medal to her impressive collection.
Wales’ Funmi Oduwaiye settled for silver with a throw of 38.52 metres, while Bree Cronin claimed bronze after recording 36.00 metres.
Reacting to her achievement, an emotional Nwachukwu said, “I feel like I am on top of the world. I feel so great. I feel so wow, I was like, ‘Ah, what?’ and I started shouting.”
She also expressed gratitude to Nigerians for their unwavering support, adding, “I love you all and I can’t wait to see you. Love you.”
Nigeria’s celebrations continued in the men’s shot put, where Chukwuebuka Enekwechi made history by becoming the first Nigerian to win Commonwealth Games gold in the event.
The African record holder secured victory with a throw of 21.07 metres, improving on the silver medal he won at the 2018 Commonwealth Games while erasing the disappointment of his fourth-place finish in Birmingham four years ago.
Defending champion Tom Walsh of New Zealand claimed silver with a throw of 21.03 metres, while England’s Scott Lincoln finished with bronze after throwing 20.99 metres.
Meanwhile, world record holder Tobi Amusan displayed determination in the women’s 100m hurdles, clocking 12.60 seconds to claim bronze and extend her Commonwealth Games medal streak to three consecutive editions.
Although she narrowly missed out on a third successive Commonwealth title, Amusan revealed after the race that she had been hampered by a knee injury sustained during Team Nigeria’s training camp in Aberdeen.
The outstanding performances by Nwachukwu, Enekwechi and Amusan capped another memorable day for Team Nigeria, as the athletes combined to deliver medals, history and a world record at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
FIFA has been thrown into fresh controversy after a senior adviser to President Gianni Infantino resigned over a proposed plan to sell a stake in the commercial operations of the FIFA World Cup, describing the move as harmful to the future of football.
The resignation, announced on Friday, marks a major setback for Infantino as criticism continues to mount over the governing body’s plans to commercialize aspects of the world’s biggest football tournament.
SEE MORE: FIFA Makes Historic Change as World Cup Winners to Receive Championship Rings
Carlos Cordeiro, a former president of the United States Soccer Federation and one of Infantino’s senior advisers, said he could not support the proposal, insisting it would undermine the interests of FIFA’s member associations and the sport itself.
“As a senior advisor to the FIFA president, a former banker, and a lifelong football fan, I cannot stand by while FIFA considers selling a stake in the World Cup,” Cordeiro said in his resignation statement.
He stressed that he had no role in developing the proposal.
“Let me be clear: I had no involvement in this proposal, and I oppose it unequivocally,” he said.
Cordeiro further described the initiative as detrimental to football’s long-term future.
“It is a bad deal for FIFA’s member associations, a bad deal for football, and a bad deal for the long-term future of the game,” he added.
His resignation came just hours after FIFA announced it would continue with what it described as an “open and democratic” consultation process on the proposal, despite growing opposition.
The development represents one of the most significant internal challenges facing Infantino in recent months and is expected to intensify debate over the commercial direction of global football and the governance of the FIFA World Cup.
Brazilian football icon Neymar Jr. has officially announced his retirement from international football, ending a remarkable 16-year career with the Brazil national team and closing one of the most celebrated chapters in the country’s football history.
The 34-year-old Santos forward confirmed his decision after his side’s 4-2 victory over Universidad Central in the second leg of the Copa Sudamericana knockout round playoffs, putting an end to months of speculation about a potential return to the Seleção.
SEE ALSO: World Cup Setback: Neymar Ruled Out of Brazil’s Crucial Haiti Clash
Reflecting on his decision, Neymar said he had given everything for his country.
“My time with the national team is over. I made history, I was very happy, I gave my blood, my life. I always fought for the yellow jersey, but now I don’t want to anymore,” he said.
Neymar’s final appearance for Brazil came in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Norway. Although he converted a stoppage-time penalty, Brazil suffered a 2-1 defeat, ending their hopes of winning a sixth World Cup title.
The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star retires as Brazil’s all-time leading men’s goalscorer, having scored 80 goals to surpass the legendary Pelé’s record of 77.
Since making his senior debut in 2010, Neymar represented Brazil in four FIFA World Cups, multiple Copa América tournaments, the FIFA Confederations Cup and the Olympic Games.
He played a key role in Brazil’s 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup triumph and captained the nation to its first-ever Olympic men’s football gold medal at the Rio 2016 Games.
Despite his extraordinary achievements, injuries often hampered his international career. A calf injury sustained while playing for Santos ruled him out of Brazil’s opening two matches at the 2026 World Cup.
He later returned as a substitute against Scotland in the final group-stage match before making his final international appearance against Norway, scoring the last goal of his Brazil career.
Neymar’s retirement marks the end of an era for Brazilian football, leaving behind a legacy of record-breaking achievements, unforgettable moments and unwavering commitment to the famous yellow jersey.
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