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Bellingham brace helps leaders Madrid crush title rivals Girona

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Jude Bellingham struck twice as leaders Real Madrid took control of La Liga with a punishing 4-0 win over second-placed Girona on Saturday, opening up a five-point cushion.

Vinicius Junior drove home the opener and then set up Bellingham for the second as Carlo Ancelotti’s side dominated the Catalan minnows, leaving the surprise title contenders reeling.

Bellingham tapped in the third after the break from close range but limped off with an ankle problem early in the second half.

Rodrygo kept the goals flowing with a fine individual effort as the record 35-time Spanish champions taught Girona, in the top flight for only the fourth year in their history, a compelling lesson.

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Victory leaves Madrid 11 points clear of champions Barcelona, third, who host Granada on Sunday.

Madrid’s victory was convincing, with swagger at times but also sweat to keep the league’s top goalscoring side quiet, despite significant injury absences.

Carlo Ancelotti started with a makeshift central defensive pairing of Dani Carvajal and Aurelien Tchouameni, with all four of the club’s specialists in the position out.

Girona were without the suspended Daley Blind and Yangel Herrera, as well as coach Michel Sanchez, watching on helplessly from a high vantage point as his team were dismantled.

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They started well against Madrid but conceded early in a thorough 3-0 home defeat earlier in the season and committed the same mistake again at the Santiago Bernabeu.

This time Vinicius broke the deadlock in only the sixth minute, cutting in from the left and bending a vicious strike beyond Paulo Gazzaniga and in at the far post.

Back in the team after missing the Madrid derby with a neck problem, Vinicius’ drive was his seventh league goal of a season disrupted by injury.

Eduardo Camavinga, skipping forward from midfield, was shoved over by Juanpe on the edge of the box as Madrid pushed for a second, with Gazzaniga saving Fede Valverde’s low free-kick.

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Bellingham, who started the match level with Girona’s Artem Dovbyk on 14 goals as the league’s joint top scorer, doubled Madrid’s lead.

The England international rounded Gazzaniga and then stroked home from a tight angle after a superb Vinicius pass sent him hurtling in on goal.

It ended a run of just one goal in eight games for Bellingham, who had scored freely at the start of the season as he hit the ground running following his move from Borussia Dortmund.

– Bellingham brace –

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Bellingham tapped in his 16th of the season in La Liga early in the second half after Gazzaniga could only tip Vinicius’ shot into his path.

It was his last contribution, Ancelotti quickly withdrawing him afterwards for an ankle injury which he iced.

Bellingham might have sustained it when challenged by Pablo Torre, or slipping on it and colliding with Eric Garcia, both in the first half.

Madrid face RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Tuesday and will hope he is fit, after Bellingham reached 20 goals in 29 games across all competitions.

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However Los Blancos have plenty of other firepower if he needs to rest.

Rodrygo rattled in the fourth after darting into the area as Girona collapsed — and perhaps their unlikely title bid has too.

Brahim Diaz curled inches wide and Joselu hit the post with a penalty after Yan Couto fouled Arda Guler as Madrid dominated from start to finish.

AFP

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Mikel Obi arrives in Galatasaray to hold talks with Osimhen amid Nicolas Jackson’s goal drought

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Former Chelsea defensive midfielder Mikel Obi arrived in Istanbul on Monday, January 20, for showdown talks with Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen.

Osimhen’s future remains uncertain, but the striker has disclosed that he would love to end his season-long loan deal with Galatasaray.

An exit clause exists in his deal with the Turkish club, but the striker recently rejected a move to English Premier League club Manchester United.

Turkish journalist Kagan Dursun has disclosed that the Red Devils recently offered £59 million to bring the Nigerian striker to Old Trafford.

According to him, Napoli officials travelled to Istanbul recently to secure Osimhen’s commitment to the club, but their efforts were unsuccessful.

Mikel wants Osimhen at Chelsea

Meanwhile, Mikel Obi has not hidden his love for Victor Osimhen to move to join Stamford Bridge outfit Chelsea.

The club legend has been a vocal critic of striker Nicolas Jackson, who has not been convincing in front of goal.

Last summer, Osimhen was on the verge of joining Chelsea, but negotiations collapsed in the final hours of the transfer window.

According to Football Italia, Mikel stated that he would try to convince the 26-year-old, adding that disclosing that Didier Drogba is also doing his best to ensure the deal is sorted.

He said: “I hope that Chelsea fans will finally see him come to the club. I’ll make sure I send him those text messages and calls, making sure Chelsea is his top priority.

“Didier is also speaking to him, sharing his ideas and what the club means to us. We all want to see Victor come to the club. If it happens, it happens. It’s a huge transfer fee, but if we can match it and get him to the club that would be fantastic.”

Mikel arrives in Galatasaray training

Mikel was spotted at Galatasaray’s Florya Metin Oktay training facility, where he met with his compatriot, Victor Osimhen.

The Chelsea legend, who played for the Turkish club Trabzonspor, met the former vice president of Giresunspot Muzaffer Aygun and the owner of Titanic Hotels.

Reports suggest that he would use the opportunity to speak with Osimhen over a possible transfer to Chelsea.

Source: www.legit.ng

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Victor Boniface ends relationship with Norwegian girlfriend, Rikke

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Nigerian international Victor Boniface has reportedly ended relationship with Norwegian girlfriend, Rikke Hermine Jensen.

The Bayer Leverkusen striker ended his four-year relationship with the Norwegian influencer as reports indicate that the pair has unfollowed each other on social media.

Their last public appearance was in May last year during Bayer Leverkusen’s historic Bundesliga title celebrations, where they were seen together.

A source told Tribuna that the relationship has not been working for some time now, and Jensen has stopped attending Bayer Leverkusen games this season.

Yes, they were apart for Christmas, and he seemed to have a lot of fun without her. She also stopped attending his games this season. Now, they are officially done,” the source confirmed.

Boniface came down to Nigeria for Christmas and his birthday celebration last month without his partner.

Boniface and Jensen reportedly met in Norway four years ago and started dating after that.

The Bayer Leverkusen star kept their relationship private, as he barely shared details of his love life with the public.

Source: www.mynigeria.com

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CAF Confederation Cup: Enyimba bow out after defeat to Zamalek

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Enyimba have been eliminated from this year’s CAF Confederation Cup following a 3-1 loss to holders Zamalek in Cairo.

Forward Seifeddine Jaziri bagged a brace for Zamalek, while Mustafa Shalaby scored the other goal.

Enyimba got their goal through Ifeanyi Ihemekwele.

Enyimba finished third in Group D with five points from six games.

Another Egyptian club, Al Masry, joined Zamalek in the quarter-finals of the competition after they beat Black Bulls of Mozambique 3-1 to record nine points.

No Nigerian club has won the CAF Confederation Cup in the past.

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