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Real Madrid and Wales forward Gareth Bale has extended his contract with the Spanish giants until 2022. The 27-year-old arrived at the Bernabeu from Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur on a sixyear deal in 2013 for a then world record fee of £85m. He has helped Real win five trophies in the past three seasons, including the Champions League twice, and scored 62 goals in 135 appearances. Midfielders Luka Modric and Toni Kroos have also signed new deals this month. Bale’s contract is reportedly worth £600,000 per week, £350,000 after tax. The former Southampton player, who has formed an impressive attacking partnership with Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo and France striker Karim Benzema, is due to speak to the media today.

Alhaji Aliko Dangote needs no introduction. He is at present Africa’s richest man with a net worth of $10.8 billion. His business interests cover manufacturing, oil and gas, haulage services, agriculture among others. His sphere of influence transcends Nigeria as he has vast business interests across the African continent and, indeed, the entire globe. Without doubt, Dangote ranks among one of the highest employers of labour in the country. Indeed, a few analysts have claimed, either rightly or wrongly, that the economy of Nigeria is partly being sustained by Dangote. What many do not, however, know about Dangote is that he is an ardent football fan. As it is characteristic of most Nigerian soccer fans, Dangote is also passionate about the English Premier League as he keenly follows and supports the London Gunners, Arsenal FC. Dangote’s romance with Arsenal FC recently came to public consciousness with reports that the Kano born billionaire has his eyes on buying the London based foot...

Tens of thousands of men, women and children have been snatched from their homes and forced into the center of Mosul as the battle intensified yesterday to drive ISIS out of Iraq’s secondlargest city. The intent is sinister: Using civilians as human shields is ISIS’s attempt to hold onto the city, the jewel of its self-proclaimed caliphate. No one expected the militants to surrender Mosul without a hellish fight. But for Iraqis still living under ISIS control in the city and surrounding areas, every option now is grim. They can try to flee but be branded by ISIS as “apostates,” for which the penalty is death. Or they can potentially be seen as ISIS sympathizers in a new place and risk becoming victims of revenge crimes. They can try to hold out and survive the fierce fighting ahead. Or they can be forced further into the heart of Mosul and serve as human shields.

President Muhammadu Buhari is weighing options on calls for arrest of former President Goodluck Jonathan over his roles in series of corruption cases that allegedly characterized his government, National Mirror can authoritatively report. The option is being considered  even though Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, said last Friday in Houston, United States of America that the government does not believe in arbitrary arrest, but in empowerment of the nation’s security agencies to do their jobs. A source close to the president exclusively told National Mirror last Saturday that Buhari is more irked by recent activities of Jonathan’s wife, Patience. He averred that the security formations, including anti-corruption agencies in the country are given free hands and are truly being empowered to discharge their roles as claimed by Osinbajo. Mrs Jonathan, who was accused by many Nigerians of largely contributing to her husband’s loss in the 2015 presidential election, is claiming ownership ...

Yet another oil facility, “32-inch Effurun-Otor delivery line” in Ughelli North council area of Delta state was about midnight Saturday sabotaged by raging militants. Claiming responsibility for the attack, in a statement signed by their spokesman, Gen. Aldo Agbalaja, the Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate, also threatened to takedown all oil and gas assets in the Niger Delta as promised. Revealing that names are being collected from ethnic nationalities across the oil rich region of the country to negotiate on behalf of the people, it restated its lack of confidence in the E.K Clark’s Pan-Niger Delta Forum. “At about 23:30hour of Saturday, October 29, in furtherance of the OPERATION HAMMURABI CODE, our Akuma Strike Team struck and brought down the 32-inch Effurun-Otor delivery line. This is not ending soon, we shall fulfill our promise of uprooting your entire assets in our land. “We are reiterating our unflinching belief that the Pan-Niger Delta Forum, being coordinated by E.K...

Saudi Arabia says it has thwarted a plan to bomb an international football match in the western city of Jeddah. Militants had plotted to car-bomb a World Cup 2018 qualifying game between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in October, it says. The authorities also say they have foiled a second plot directed by Islamic State (IS) militants to kill security officials near Riyadh. Eight suspects have been arrested from two “terrorist cells”, officials say. Among them are Saudi nationals, two Pakistanis, a Syrian and a Sudanese, the Saudi interior ministry says. It has also published a list of several more suspects wanted for their alleged involvement in planning attacks in the eastern cities of Qatif and Dammam. Saudi Arabia has been the target of attacks by IS over the past two years.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP candidate in the November 26 governorship election in Ondo State, Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim has assured workers that their welfare will be of utmost importance to him as he said prompt payment of salaries will be his priority when elected as governor of the state. Ibrahim who was addressing a large crowd of supporters that welcomed him to the state on Sunday berated the present administration of Governor Olusegun Mimiko for its inability to pay salaries. Business mogul , Ibrahim was last Thursday listed by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as the PDP flagbearer. “My first priority is the payment of workers’ salaries. This is because it will transform the micro-economic system of the state. “If you pay salaries, the people will use it to buy their goods and services. This is a state where the father and the mother are civil servants and pensioners,” Ibrahim said. “It is criminal for the state government not to pay salaries,” Ibrahim sa...

The Nigerian Army on Sunday foiled another attempt by a suspected suicide bomber to attack the Bakassi Internally Displaced Persons camp in Maiduguri, its spokesman, Col. Sani Usman, said in a statement. Usman said, “At about 9.00a.m this morning, troops of Operation Lafiya Dole deployed behind Bakassi IDP camp, Damboa Road, Maiduguri, on security duty, intercepted a suspected male suicide bomber. “He had attempted to sneak through the troops’ inner parapet towards the IDP camp before he was shot dead.” He said that “the vigilant sentry sighted the bomber and lay in wait until the suicide bomber came close. “The sniper instantly shot and killed the terrorist as he tried to force his way to the western flank of the IDP camp fence.” Usman said the Improvised Explosive Device vest strapped on the bomber failed to detonate, adding that ‘’a combined team of military and police Explosive Ordinance Device have been called to safely detonate the IED’’. He said that the situation at the camp ...

The Presidency on Sunday frowned at those individuals or organisations attempting to link President Muhammadu Buhari to the legal travails of some judges facing corruption charges in the country. A statement issued in Abuja by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, advised journalists and other Nigerians to stop linking the name of the president to the matter. Shehu said that Buhari would be “the last person to authorise anybody to induce a judge to pervert the course of justice’’. He recalled that despite his personal familiarity with some court judges, the president had never used that familiarity to seek favours from them. According to him, from 2003, 2007 and 2011 when he was challenging the fairness of the presidential election results, from the lowest to the highest courts in the land during the periods in question, he never sought for favour from them. Shehu also explained that, “as a politician, Buhari had never once ever sugg...

A human rights group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, has described the suit filed against it by wife of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience, as grossly incompetent and urged a Federal High Court in Lagos to dismiss it. A group, the Union of Niger Delta Youth Organisation for Equity, had on behalf of itself and Patience sued SERAP for allegedly championing a campaign of calumny against Patience. The group and Patience had accused SERAP of instigating the Attorney General of the Federation to prosecute Patience in relation to a controversial $15m seized by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. SERAP, however, said it had filed a preliminary objection, seeking the dismissal of the suit on the grounds that the UNDYOE, which filed the suit, was not a registered organisation recognised by law. SERAP also faulted the mode in which the suit was commenced, saying the plaintiffs misled themselves by approaching the court through an originating summons. SERAP fur...

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ondo state has condemned the disruption of peace in Akure, Ondo state capital, on Friday by some members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW. The party said the demonstration was stage managed by those who wanted to give a wrong impression that they were popular with the people of the state. It frowned at what it described as the destructive tendencies and hooliganism of the protesters, who went on rampage making bonfires and blocking highways and major township roads with all manners of items such as logs, planks, benches, wooden tables and chairs. A statement by the Director of Media and Publicity, Yemi Akintomide, urged security agencies to fish out the perpetrators of the act, prosecute and bring them to book. “We are convinced that the action of few bad elements within the drivers’ union in the state, who led some street urchins in a stage managed protest, did not go down well with the people of the state. “They were acting...

The first set of nominees shortlisted for the 5th Nigerian Sports Award has been released by the organisers. Members of the award’s Panel who met in Lagos on Tuesday announced the shortlists for the Coach of the Year, Footballer of the Year (Men) and Team of the Year categories. According to Chairman of the panel, Mr. Ikeddy Isiguzo, the shortlisted nominees for each of the categories are Samson Siasia, Imama Amapakabo and Are Feyisetan for the Coach of the Year category; Kelechi Iheanacho, Godwin Obaje and Chisom Egbuchulam for Footballer of the Year (Men), as well as Dream Team VI and Enugu Rangers for Team of the Year. Feyisetan was the coach of the Nigerian Powerlifting Team at the 2016 Paralympics Games in Rio, Brazil, where his team won nine medals; Amapakabo led Enugu Rangers to clinch the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) title, while Siasia led the Dream Team to win a bronze medal, Nigeria’s only medal at the 2016 Rio Olympic in the Men’s football event. Footballer ...

Three-time major winner Padraig Harrington secured his first European Tour win in eight years with a one-shot victory at the Portugal Masters. He shot a final round 65 for a 23-under-par score, finishing ahead of defending champion Andy Sullivan. It was his first European Tour win since the 2008 US PGA Championship. Harrington said: “It’s a big win. I tried to be really aggressive. The golf course really suited me and I just tried to go after every pin I could.” A third birdie of the week for Harrington on the penultimate hole followed by a par on the last held off the challenge of Sullivan, who was attempting to become the first man to successfully defend the title at the Victoria Clube de Golfe in Vilamoura.

As part of Sony Music Entertainment’s expansion across Africa, the label has announced an exclusive deal with Ycee of Tinny Entertainment. The unprecedented deal will see the rapper’s first EP, The First Wave, released under the Sony umbrella. With this move, Ycee joins the likes of Nigerian superstar Davido as part of the Sony Music family. Michael Ugwu, General Manager, Sony Music West Africa, stated that “I’m extremely proud to welcome Tinny Entertainment and the amazing talent that is Ycee to the Sony Music Entertainment West Africa family. I’ve watched this team grow over the past few years and I am amazed at how they have navigated the industry to reach this stage. Ycee is the future of hip-hop in Africa and will be front and centre of SME West Africa’s strategy as we take Africa to the World.” According to Arokodare ‘Tinny’ Timilehin, CEO, Tinny Entertainment: “We are very excited about the future for both Ycee and Tinny Entertainment. This is a stamp of approval on all the ...

It’s no longer news that Yemi Alade won the best female act at the MTV Africa Music Awards which held in Johannesburg, South Africa last weekend. She has now won the category two years consecutively, and the implication is what has to be considered now. Does it mean that she’s now more recognized and respected than her rival, Tiwa Savage? Well, whether she is or not, one thing is obvious. She has had one over Savage again, and Savage will definitely scheming how to have one over her too. She wasn’t the only one who did well at the MAMAs though. Wizkid had the best night of all as he won the best male act, best collaboration of the year, and artist of the year. Patoranking won the song of the year category for My Woman, My Everything featuring Wande Coal and Tekno won the best breakthrough act category. Congrats, guys, for making Nigeria proud.

The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, says the announcement by three African countries of their intent to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) sends a ‘wrong message’ to the world. Ki-moon was quoted as saying this in a message twitted by the United Nations radio in its official twitter account @UN-Radion on Friday. Ki-moon in a message twitted by the United Nations radio was quoted as saying this in a meeting at UN Security Council Chamber on Friday. The UN chief said that pulling out of the court undermined the commitment to justice on the part of South Africa, Gambia, and Burundi. Ki-moon said that the world had made “enormous strides” in the international justice system, with the ICC as its centrepiece, which had secured “ground-breaking convictions.” He acknowledged that not all countries accepted its jurisdiction, and that, so far, only Africans had been convicted, in spite of evidence of crimes of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity elsew...

The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Friday reserved ruling in the motion filed by a factional chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ahmed Makarfi, and the faction’s secretary, Ben Obi, seeking leave to appeal against the Federal High Court’s judgment which recognised Jimoh Ibrahim as the PDP’s governorship candidate in Ondo State. The Independent National Electoral Commission on Thursday, acting on the June 29 judgment of Justice Okon Abang and another enforcement judgment of the same judge on October 14, dropped Eyitayo Jegede’s name and replaced it with that of Ibrahim. The governorship election in Ondo State is slated for November 26. The proceedings of Friday during which a joint motion filed by Makarfi, Obi, and others were heard lasted about six and a half hours. Makarfi and Obi filed their motion in the appeal CA/A/155/2016 seeking an extension of time to appeal and the leave to appeal as interested parties against the June 29 judgment. Jegede also filed similar motio...

A housewife, Tayo Afolabi, yesterday, urged an Ado-Ekiti Customary Court to dissolve her six-year marriage to Folorunso, for alleged battery. Tayo, 28, told the court that Afolabi was no longer providing for her and their five-year-old baby. She also said that her husband was a womaniser, who when challenge on the issue, often resorted to violence, adding Afolabi was not a trustworthy man. The mother of one said her husband was married to another woman, noting that “I did not know until the day of our marriage, when the woman showed up”. She said that the issue had led to many violent fights in their home, adding that her motherin-law’s intervention on the matter was abortive because the son stuck to his ways. Tayo, therefore, urged the court to dissolve the marriage and compel her husband to take the responsibility for the child’s upkeep, including his school fees. Her husband, Afolabi was not in court. The Judge, Mrs Akomolede Olayinka, adjourned the case for judgment. (NAN)

A Gudu Grade 1 Area Court, Abuja has dissolved a 17-year marriage between Hajara Ibrahim and Ibrahim Tanko, and ordered her to pay N10,000 to her ex-husband to free herself. The judge, Mallam Isah Imam, said Tanko who claimed he was still in love with Hajara was granted enough time for settlement, which did not yield positive results. He said Tanko and his counsel were absent in court severally, adding that where there is disagreement between parties, the judge has discretion to decide on the matter. Imam, however, dissolved the marriage by way of `Khuli,’ adding that any aggrieved party can appeal to the Sharia Court of Appeal within 30 days from Oct. 21. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that under Islamic law, Khuli is when a woman seeking divorce returns the dowry. Hajara in her claims accused Tanko of negligence, battery and lack of love. She agreed to refund N5, 000 which was paid on her as dowry and pleaded with the court to grant divorce by way of Khuli. The marriage p...

  T-Pain was announced as the host of the first ever Heineken ‘Live Your Music’ party in Nigeria by Sampson Oloche, Portfolio Manager, International Premium Brands, Nigerian Breweries Plc., at a press cocktail for the 2016 Heineken Lagos Fashion and Design Week held at the Heineken House. The Heineken ‘Live Your Music’ party is the official after party for the Heineken Lagos Fashion and Design Week (HLFDW) which is billed to start from Wednesday, 26 October to Saturday, 29 October. Heineken, a leader in innovative music experiences as well as technology and fashion, will also thrill music lovers with the fun and interactive music ‘Takeover’ – wherein people get to choose and dance to their own music playlist. “The Heineken Live Your Music party is a party that is bound to leave its mark in the memory of music lovers,” says Ngozi Nkwoji, Senior Brand Manager, Heineken. She pointed out that the Live Your Music party is tailored to give passionate music lovers an opportun...

A housewife, Omotayo Adewole, 35 has approached an Ikole Customary Court in Ekiti state seeking the dissolution of her 16-year marriage to one Ojo Adewole, over his addiction to gambling. The plaintiff had filed a divorce suit against the defendant, Ojo Adewole, on the grounds of drunkenness, failure in parental responsibilities, constant fighting, lack of respect for her parents and non-payment of her bride price. In her testimony before the court, the woman alleged that her husband was an addicted gambler and a drunkard. She lamented that gambling had made her husband a wretched and irresponsible family head that could not take care of the five children of the union nor provide for her as a wife. She said the defendant spent all his income on gambling and drinks, “he is so addicted to gambling to the extent that he used my three cell phones, cooking stove and other house utensils to gamble. “He started misbehaving since 2005 but I decided to cope with the situation hoping that he wi...

With tears rolling down her cheek, a housewife, Mrs Grace Olorunfemi, on Wednesday prayed an Akure Customary Court to dissolve her 11-year marriage, which, she claimed, turned her to a slave. Grace submitted that continued marriage to Abiodun would be tantamount to endless servitude. She alleged that her husband had no care for her and their two children, compelling her to engage in manual labour to fend for the family. “I prefer to be single than continue to live with Abiodun. He thought I am in his house as a slave,’’ Grace told the court. She submitted that in spite of her complaints, Abiodun failed to repent. However, Abiodun told the court that he was not ready for divorce. He promised to change his attitude and be a responsible husband. The President of the court, Mr Rotimi Olusanya, advised the respondent to turn a new leaf to save his marriage. Olusanya also urged Grace to be patient and see if her husband would change his attitude. He adjourned the case till Nov.17 for furthe...

There was breach of the peace at the Isale-Oyo Community High School, Oyo town, after some pupils of the college reportedly set ablaze some classrooms over mass failure in their examination. It was learnt that the aggrieved pupils stormed the school premises on Thursday morning charting solidarity songs. They were said to have gone haywire afterwards, set fire to blocks of classrooms and fled the premises. In the report gathered, the school authorities alerted men of the Oyo State Fire Service, who responded swiftly to put out the fire. Policemen were deployed in the school to restore peace but none of the pupils had been arrested as of the time of filing this report. The disturbance, observers noted, marked the worst phase of the unrest that began days ago over mass failure in exams. The school compound was deserted as teachers and other pupils reportedly fled for fear of being harmed. Our correspondents learnt that there had been lingering crises since Monday in some secondary schoo...

According to the information shared by human rights activist and lawyer Inibehe Effiong, Lai Mohammed yesterday flew to Delta state in a private jet despite President Buhari banning his Ministers from flying a business class.Below is what he wrote and see how Nigerians reacted above. 'I understand the Minister of Information, Aljahi Lai Mohammed travelled in a private aircraft to Asaba, Delta State yesterday. President Buhari is said to have banned his Ministers from flying in a Business Class. If government appointees are banned from using Business Class, why should a Minister be using a private jet? Who paid for it? The President should query Mr. Mohammed. If it is discovered that public funds was used to for this extravagance, sanctions should follow starting from a refund of the amount spent. However, let me say this clearly: The above statement is not intended to pacify those who are aggrieved by my earlier post about the Governor of Akwa Ibom State. It is utter nons...

Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, on Friday said that 30 per cent of the Nigeria’s demand for foreign exchange was for fuel importation. In the report by News Agency of Nigeria, Adeosun stated this in Lagos at the launch of  “FirstGem” , a product of First Bank of Nigeria Ltd., aimed at empowering women through wealth creation. She said that government was working very hard to transform the country from consumption driven to investment driven nation. Adeosun said that it was disheartening that Nigeria exports crude oil and imports petroleum. She said, “We lose a lot of money exporting unprocessed raw materials. We don’t have the power to process and that’s why we need to build infrastructure to export processed products in order to earn more foreign exchange.” She said that the Federal Government was committed at rebuilding the country’s infrastructure to boost local production for job creation. She said, “If we have an enabling infrastructure such as power, roads , among o...

Britain’s former prime minister Tony Blair said Friday there was nothing preventing a second Brexit referendum and warned that the break-up would be “very, very tough” as European leaders were in an unforgiving mood. He called on fellow “Remain” supporters to “mobilise and to organise” against proponents of Brexit, writing in The New European newspaper that “we’re the insurgents now”. “There is absolutely no reason why we should close off any options,” he later told BBC radio. “We are entitled to carry on scrutinising, and, yes, if necessary, to change our minds. This is not about an elite overruling the people. “If it becomes clear that this is either a deal that doesn’t make it worth our while leaving; or, alternatively, a deal that is going to be so serious in its implications that people decide they don’t want to go, there’s got to be some way, either through parliament, or through an election; possibly through another referendum,” he added. The Downing Street office of Prime Min...

In a tensed atmosphere on Thursday, the Senate passed a bill amending the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, which transfers the controlling powers of the bureau and the tribunal from the President to the National Assembly. As part of the amendment, the CCT shall be made up of the chairman and four other members, with three of the five forming the quorum at every sitting. The lawmakers, however, allowed the President to maintain his power of appointment into the CCB. But the appointment of the chairman and members of the bureau and the tribunal will be subject to the Senate’s approval, with the appointment of those in the bureau limited to a tenure of five years, while the second term will be subject to legislative approval, if the amendment is passed into law. The House of Representatives had passed the amendment bill in May 2016 and sent it to the Senate for concurrence. The Chairman, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, Samuel Anyanwu, while laying a ...

Yesterday, Senator Dino Melaye was blasted by Nigerians for dressing "too causal" to a cocktail event to address Nigerian professionals in Switzerland . The Federal lawmaker is among the Nigerian delegates currently in Geneva for Inter parliamentary Union meeting. The senator has reacted to the backlash as he shared new photos of himself in a cool attire while stepping out on the streets of Geneva yesterday.

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte insists it is too early to talk about a potential Premier League title challenge. The 2014-15 champions moved to within a point of leaders Manchester City with a 4-0 thrashing of Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. Former United boss Alex Ferguson did not name Chelsea among the title contenders when asked for his view this week, despite having witnessed the emphatic defeat of his old side last weekend. Yet with just a single point separating the top five after only nine matches, Conte believes it is pointless to discuss who will be challenging for the trophy in May. "A win or a defeat does not change my ideas or the confidence of the players. This system is a good fit," Conte, whose side were knocked out of the EFL Cup by West Ham on Wednesday, told a news conference. "We shouldn't look at the table but just concentrate on training and the next match - that will lead to improvement. This league is very difficult and anythin...

Both Manchester clubs are reportedly keen on landing the Barcelona forward, who has scored 10 goals in 13 games so far this season. Manchester City and United are prepared to lock horns as both clubs look to try and lure Luis Suarez back to the Premier League, according to Spanish source Don Balon. City are reportedly hoping to land Suarez, who has excelled since moving to Barcelona from Liverpool in 2014, as a potential replacement for Sergio Aguero. However, the report also claims United are keen on the Uruguay international and are willing to break the world record fee again by spending up to £135 million to secure his signature. Zlatan Ibrahimovic has stopped scoring of late and therefore Mourinho has apparently earmarked Suarez as an alternative to the Swede.

A 22-year-old  woman killed herself after her step-father was cleared of repeatedly raping her, an inquest heard. Juliet Crew left a note behind stating that she felt she had been let down by the legal system. Her 60-year-old step-father, Nigel Parkin, who is a church organist was found not guilty in 2012 of sexually abusing her for seven years from the age of nine. Juliet mother found her hung in the hall of her home in Taunton, Somerset, in August last year. She had told the court Parkin sexually touched and raped her at least ten times. Her step-father was cleared after he said Juliet and another alleged victim were both suffering from mental health problems. According to Taunton Coroners Court, the result of the proceedings took a severe toll on the mental health of Juliet, she dropped to six and a half stone, self-harmed and even overdosed on medication. The note she left behind said,”The judicial system in this country, especially for victims of sexual offen...

“Jose’s a winner, I am a winner and we both know what we want. Wherever we go we win and we will win.” f anybody was ever in any doubt as to the belief Zlatan Ibrahimovic would have in himself ahead of his first Premier League adventure in the summer, he immediately made it clear that he had every faith that he and Jose Mourinho would succeed at Manchester United. Four games into his competitive career with United, Ibrahimovic had scored four goals. A debut goal in the Community Shield had been followed by a strike on his league bow and a double on his Old Trafford debut. It seemed he was set to live up to every word of his promise. But two months on, things are not looking quite so rosy. Zlatan has netted just once in nine games, against Zorya Luhansk in the Europa League, and has looked increasingly detached for long phases of play. The Swede has never been one for covering every blade of grass but his presence even on the periphery of proceedings has become more and more negligi...

Pep Guardiola says he would not be a good fit as Real Madrid manager. It has been claimed by Guardiola’s biographer, Marti Perarnau, that Madrid president Florentino Perez approached the Catalan to take over at the Santiago Bernabeu before sacking Rafa Benitez in January. Perarnau insisted the idea was “out of the question” from the start and, on Friday, Guardiola made it clear that he would not be interested in moving to the rivals of his boyhood club Barcelona. “I am a Barcelona fan, I don’t think Real Madrid needs a manager like me and I wouldn’t fit there either,” he said. Guardiola is preparing his Manchester City side for their game at West Brom on Saturday as they look to end a winless streak that now spans six matches. City face Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday but he rejected the suggestion that he would rest certain players at the Hawthorns. "No, no, game by game, tomorrow we have to try again as soon as possible,” he added. “We have to turn as quickly as p...