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Nigerian Community In Libya Paying Dearly For CAF Verdict

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It appears the Libyans are venting their frustration on the Nigerian community in reaction to the recent verdict of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) over the botched African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier involving the senior men’s football team of both countries.

Recall that the Super Eagles of Nigeria went through harrowing experiences in the hands of hosts, Libya when they travelled to the north African country to keep an October 16 date with their Libyan national team counterparts.

The near-death experiences, which hit the globe spontaneously, thanks to social media, received widespread condemnation culminating in the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) withdrawing the Super Eagles from the game, reporting the matter to the CAF, who later awarded the game and three points the Nigerian national side, including a fine of $50,000.00 against Libya.

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Feeling undone, with the outcome of their gimmicks, the Libyan authorities are now seeking a pound of flesh from the Nigerian community in their country, in a manner that suggests that they have taken the football warfare from the field to the streets.

They appear focused on getting the Nigerians pay for sins of their home country in daring to seek justice from CAF through imposition of fines, new taxes, and stringent enforcement of resident/work permits, in a manner that suggest that CAF can impose a fine, but Nigerians would have to pay it.

Amidst the fines and new taxes, there’s already an outcry of mass arrest from the Nigerian community in Libya, according to the https://punchng.com/.

Recall that the Nigerian football contingent was held at the Al-Abraq Airport in eastern Libya for over 20 hours upon arrival for the second leg of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between the Super Eagles and Libya’s national team.

They were scheduled to land at the Benghazi Airport and travel for nearly four hours by road to Benina, where the match would have been played.

However, less than an hour before landing, the Tunisian pilot reportedly received a directive from the Libyan authorities to divert the flight to the Al-Abraq Airport, located 150 miles away from the destination.

The attendant public outcry compelled the NFF to withdraw the Super Eagles from the qualifying match and file an official complaint against Libya at the CAF.

In its ruling on Saturday, October 26, signed by its Chairman, Ousmane Kane, the disciplinary committee of the African football governing body awarded the Super Eagles of Nigeria three points and three goals for the abandoned match.

In addition, the disciplinary board ruled that the Libyan Football Federation (LFF) breached Article 31 of the AFCON Regulations and Articles 82 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code.

The panel also ordered the LFF to pay a fine of $50,000 within 60 days of the notification of the decision.

The LFF has expressed displeasure with the CAF’s verdict.

The LFF President Nasser Al-Suwai’I described it as “unjust and malicious,” alleging that the NFF’s influence within the CAF played a major role in the outcome.

A report on Monday by a Libyan outlet, Libyan Observer, quoted Al-Suwai’I saying the LFF would file an official appeal within hours and that if the appeal was denied, the body would resort to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to ensure “their legitimate rights are secured.”

Campaign against Nigerians

Following the CAF ruling, a popular Libyan news blog, Libya News Today 1, on Sunday, thus, “All Libyan TV channels are urging the government to arrest the Nigerian workers who are working here in Libya without legal papers. They have to pay $500 plus taxes.

“The fine that Libya is accused of will be paid by Nigerian citizens who live in Libya. We have been subjected to injustice. We have no borders with Nigeria. What benefit are they to us? They’re a burden on the Libyan people. They have to go back home.”

The blog has more than 188,000 followers on Facebook and 57,000 likes.

The post was accompanied by a video of a Libyan TV presenter, who said, “Anyone who is living in Libya and working without paying tax is eating haram, which means sinful money. The government should make every effort to arrest all Nigerians who are working in Libya so that they can pay a tax of $500 and regulate their stay in the country by obtaining residence permits.”

Another Libyan site, Libya INF.TV, reported that Libyan stations wanted the government to start arresting Nigerian workers.

“Those who don’t have Libyan papers will have to pay a fine of $500 for taxes. If you refuse deportation, no mercy. The Libyan government will pay the Nigerian government from their citizens’ money,” the post said.

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Belgium Appoints Rudi Garcia As National Team Coach

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The Belgian Football Federation has named Frenchman Rudi Garcia as the new head coach of the national team, following the sacking of Domenico Tedesco after a disappointing Euro 2024 campaign.

In a statement released on Friday, the federation confirmed the appointment of the Underworld former Napoli, Lyon, and Roma manager, who will be formally introduced to the press later in the day.

READ MORE: Nuri Sahin Fired As Borussia Dortmund Head Coach

Garcia’s task will be to rejuvenate the Red Devils after their early exit from the European Championship and underwhelming performances in the Nations League.

Belgium recently parted ways with Tedesco, who had been in charge since February 2023.

The Italian-German coach was brought in to rebuild the squad following the departure of the country’s celebrated “golden generation” under Roberto Martinez but failed to deliver the expected results.

The team now faces a critical relegation play-off against Ukraine in March, before beginning their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign with a trip to North Macedonia in June.

Garcia brings a wealth of experience, having coached top European clubs such as Marseille and Lyon.

He also made his mark at Lille between 2008 and 2013, leading the French side to a Ligue 1 and Coupe de France double in 2011.

However, his most recent role at Napoli in 2023 ended in disappointment after just five months.

 

 

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Nuri Sahin Fired As Borussia Dortmund Head Coach

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Borussia Dortmund have sacked head coach Nuri Sahin after a disappointing 2-1 loss to Bologna in Tuesday’s Champions League match, marking the club’s fourth consecutive defeat in all competitions.

The decision follows a string of poor performances that have left the club in 10th place in the Bundesliga, 20 points adrift of league leaders Bayern Munich.

Sporting CEO Lars Ricken expressed that the club had “lost faith” in Sahin, explaining that the decision was painful but necessary.

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“We have unfortunately lost faith that we will achieve our sporting goals,” Ricken said. “We value Nuri Sahin and his work very much, we hoped for a long collaboration, but after the game in Bologna, this was unavoidable.”

Sahin, who had been promoted to head coach in the summer following his role as assistant to Edin Terzic during Dortmund’s surprise Champions League final run last season, acknowledged the disappointment.

“Unfortunately, I was not able to live up to Dortmund’s sporting ambitions at this point in time. I wish this special club all the best.”

The defeat against Bologna caps a difficult season for the club under Sahin’s stewardship.

Despite their strong showing in last season’s Champions League, where they lost to Real Madrid in the final, Dortmund have struggled in the Bundesliga and were eliminated from the German Cup by Wolfsburg.

Their away form, in particular, has been disastrous, with only four wins and nine losses in 15 matches away from the Westfalenstadion.

Dortmund’s leadership, which has historically favored former players in managerial roles, now faces the task of finding a suitable replacement for Sahin.

German media reports suggest potential successors could include Erik Ten Hag, the former Manchester United boss who has been spotted attending Dortmund games recently, or Roger Schmidt, formerly of Benfica and Bayer Leverkusen.

In the interim, U19 coach Mike Tullberg has been appointed to take charge of the first team, starting with Saturday’s home match against Werder Bremen.

The sacking of Sahin is the latest chapter in a turbulent managerial history for Dortmund since the departure of Jurgen Klopp in 2015, with the club having cycled through eight different head coaches in that time. Only Lucien Favre managed to stay longer than two years.

Sahin’s tenure as manager was a significant moment for Dortmund, as he was one of the club’s own, having come through the ranks and played over 270 games for the team, including being part of the squad that won the 2011 Bundesliga title.

However, his time at the helm of the senior team has proven to be short-lived as Dortmund now seek a new direction.

 

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Man City Sign Brazilian Teenager, Vitor Reis For £29.6M

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Manchester City have completed the signing of 19-year-old defender Vitor Reis from Brazilian club Palmeiras, the Premier League champions announced on Tuesday.

The Brazilian youth international joins on a four-and-a-half-year deal for a reported fee of £29.6 million ($36.2 million).

Reis, a right-footed centre-back, expressed his enthusiasm about joining the English giants. “I’m excited to join Manchester City, one of the biggest clubs in the world,” said Reis.

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“Everyone has seen the amazing achievements in recent seasons, and I want to make my mark as we seek more trophies. Working with Pep Guardiola is something every young player wants to do, and I know he can help me to develop into the best player I can be.”

City’s director of football, Txiki Begiristain, highlighted the qualities that attracted the club to Reis.

He said, “Vitor Reis is one of the most promising young defenders in the world, and we’re delighted to have been able to bring him here. He is excellent on the ball and outstanding in the air — he has all the attributes needed to be one of the best.”

The signing of Reis is City’s second addition of the January transfer window, following the arrival of Uzbekistan international Abdukodir Khusanov.

Reports indicate that the club is also pursuing Eintracht Frankfurt striker Omar Marmoush before the window closes.

Manchester City, currently fifth in the Premier League table, have faced challenges this season due to a series of defensive injuries.

However, the team showcased their attacking strength with a dominant 6-0 victory over Ipswich on Sunday.

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