Sports
Bayer Leverkusen Appoint Kasper Hjulmand As New Coach After Ten Hag’s Exit
Bayer Leverkusen on Monday confirmed the appointment of Danish tactician Kasper Hjulmand as their new head coach, bringing an end to a turbulent start to their Bundesliga campaign.
The 53-year-old has signed a deal that will keep him at the BayArena until 2027.
Speaking after his unveiling, Hjulmand said he was eager to begin the challenge.
“It is an honour to be entrusted with such a team,” he stated. “I’m motivated to shape the future of the club.”
SEE ALSO: Bayer Leverkusen Sack Erik ten Hag After Three Games
The announcement follows the dramatic dismissal of Erik ten Hag, who was relieved of his duties on September 1 after just two league matches in charge.
The Dutchman, formerly of Manchester United, had succeeded Xabi Alonso the man who guided Leverkusen to their first-ever Bundesliga crown and a domestic double last season before leaving for Real Madrid.
Sporting director Simon Rolfes admitted that hiring Ten Hag had been a miscalculation.
“Continuing with him would have been an even bigger mistake,” Rolfes said, acknowledging the club’s error.
Ten Hag, however, expressed his disappointment, describing the decision as “unprecedented” and “a complete surprise.”
Hjulmand, who stepped down as Denmark’s national coach in July 2024, emerged as the club’s preferred choice ahead of contenders such as Xavi, Ange Postecoglou, and Raul.
He is best remembered for leading Denmark to the semi-finals of Euro 2020, where they narrowly lost to England, and for taking the team to the round of 16 at Euro 2024 before bowing out to hosts Germany.
Rolfes added that Hjulmand is expected to introduce a strong identity to the squad.
The director said the new boss would “set up a clear and dominant style of play with our team” and “strive for the most ambitious national and international goals.”
The Danish manager previously won the Superliga title with Nordsjaelland in 2012 and had a short-lived spell in the Bundesliga with Mainz in 2014-15.
Hjulmand will make his debut on the sidelines this Friday when Leverkusen face Eintracht Frankfurt, before preparing for their Champions League opener away to Danish champions Copenhagen.
Sports
Tragedy Strikes as Argentine Footballer Loses Entire Family in Venezuela Disaster
Argentine footballer Lucas Trejo has been left devastated after his wife and two children were killed in the powerful earthquakes that rocked Venezuela, turning what was once a family home into a pile of rubble.
Trejo, who plays for Venezuelan second-division side Club Sport Maritimo La Guaira, was away at a training camp in Caracas when twin earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 struck the country on Wednesday evening.
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Upon learning of the disaster, the 38-year-old rushed back to his home in La Guaira, one of the regions hardest hit by the catastrophe.
Instead of reuniting with his family, he was met with scenes of complete destruction.
According to reports, Trejo spent three heartbreaking days searching through the debris for his wife, Yanina, and their two children, Aaron and Ainhoa. Rescue workers eventually recovered their bodies from the collapsed building.
In a heartfelt statement shared on Instagram, Club Sport Maritimo La Guaira expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, describing the deaths of Trejo’s wife and children as an irreparable loss.
The club also extended its condolences to the footballer, pledging its support as he mourns one of the most painful moments of his life.
Trejo’s brother-in-law, Ricardo Ardiles, recalled the emotional scene in an interview with CNN, saying the footballer returned home only to find that nothing remained of the building where his family had lived.
The devastating earthquakes have left a trail of destruction across Venezuela.
Authorities say the death toll has climbed to nearly 1,500, while tens of thousands of people remain missing as emergency responders continue rescue and recovery operations.
The tragedy has sparked an outpouring of sympathy from football fans, fellow players and clubs around the world, many of whom have offered prayers and messages of support to Trejo during his time of immense grief.
Sports
Blockbuster Mayweather-Pacquiao Rematch Thrown Into Limbo Amid Legal Crisis
The much-anticipated rematch between boxing legends Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao has been postponed indefinitely following a series of legal and financial disputes involving Mayweather’s camp.
Pacquiao’s team confirmed the development on Friday, attributing the delay to what it described as “a volatile mix of federal lawsuits, scheduling overbooks, and financial gridlock” surrounding the American boxing icon.
SEE MORE: ‘I’m Back Now’ -Tyson Fury Announces Shock Return To Boxing
The announcement came after ESPN reported that Mayweather’s planned exhibition bout against Greek kickboxing star Mike Zambidis, scheduled to take place in Athens, Greece, had also been called off after an events company linked to the Pacquiao fight sought a court injunction.
The rematch had generated global excitement, with fans eager to see the two Hall of Famers square off again more than a decade after their record-breaking 2015 showdown, which attracted 4.6 million pay-per-view buys and became one of the biggest money-spinning fights in boxing history.
However, preparations for the September bout hit a stumbling block after Mayweather insisted the contest would only be an exhibition fight, a position Pacquiao’s camp strongly disputed.
The situation worsened after events company CSI filed a lawsuit against Mayweather, seeking to recover at least $4.65 million it claims to have paid the undefeated boxer for exclusive promotional rights to both the Pacquiao rematch and a proposed exhibition fight against former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson—events that never materialised.
According to Pacquiao’s camp, the earliest the rematch could now take place is early 2027, provided the legal disputes are resolved.
The team added that if Mayweather and CSI reach an out-of-court settlement, promoters will immediately move to reschedule Mayweather’s postponed exhibition bout with Mike Tyson, tentatively targeting September 12.
Mayweather, 49, retired from professional boxing in 2017 with an unbeaten 50-0 record but has remained active through exhibition bouts.
His latest exhibition against Zambidis was expected to hold on Saturday at the Telekon Center inside the OAKA Olympic Complex in Athens before it was cancelled.
With the legal battle still unresolved, boxing fans may have to wait until 2027 to witness one of the sport’s most anticipated rematches.
Sports
JUST IN: Chelle Signs New Super Eagles Deal, Takes Over Olympic Eagles Ahead of 2028 Olympics
The Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko, has confirmed that Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle will continue in charge of Nigeria’s senior national team after agreeing new contract terms with the authorities.
Dikko disclosed this on Tuesday after a crucial meeting between officials of the NSC and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in Abuja, where major decisions on the future structure of Nigeria’s national teams were concluded.
SEE ALSO: WCQ: Chelle Unveils Super Eagles’ 23-Man Squad (Full List)
According to him, the agreement not only secures Chelle’s stay with the Super Eagles but also expands his responsibilities to include the Olympic Eagles (U-23 team) as Nigeria begins long-term preparations for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
Chelle’s previous two-year contract was set to expire at the end of 2026, but negotiations had been ongoing for months following improved performances by the senior team, including a third-place finish at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Reports earlier suggested that the Franco-Malian tactician had requested a revised salary package of about $130,000 monthly, a figure that was expected to also cover his assistants and technical crew.
Dikko, however, confirmed that a fresh agreement has now been reached, with improved remuneration and better support for the coaching staff.
“We have reached new terms with the coach about his new remuneration. We are also going to take care of his assistants, and there are other benchmarks that we have put on the table,” Dikko said after the meeting.
Beyond the senior national team, Chelle has now been handed responsibility for the Olympic Eagles, a move authorities say is aimed at creating continuity between youth development and the Super Eagles setup.
“With the NFF, we also agreed that the coach will take care of the U-23 national team because we have young players coming into the Super Eagles within that age bracket,” Dikko explained.
He added that the decision is not meant to overload the coach but to ensure a structured pathway for young talents transitioning into the senior team.
The expanded role comes with increased expectations, especially as Nigeria aims to rebuild its dominance in international football.
The Olympic Eagles have failed to qualify for the last two Olympic Games (Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024), while the Super Eagles also endured a difficult spell before qualifying for the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup.
With the new arrangement, the NSC and NFF are banking on stability, continuity, and long-term planning as Nigeria looks ahead to both World Cup and Olympic success.






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