Sports
Okoye The Match Fixer: Super Eagles Star Bans In Italy
Maduka Okoye has been under investigation in Italy for gambling breaches and sporting fraud for the last few months
According to Soccernet.ng, Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has been banned for two months by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) for a violation of fair play.
News broke in January that Okoye was under investigation in Italy for alleged gambling breaches. .
It was discovered that many punters in the Italian city of Udine, home of Udinese, staked on Okoye to get yellow-carded in the club’s Serie A fixture against Lazio on March 11, 2024 at the Stadio Olimpico.
That was just one of the two yellow cards he received that season, and it was just for time wasting. That raised suspicions that the Super Eagles star deliberately got carded.
The investigations have been on since the turn of the year. But meanwhile, Okoye, who has maintained his innocence, has been playing games.
However, on Tuesday, the FIGC ended their investigation and revealed their findings. They absolved Okoye from any gambling breaches or sporting fraud. But they handed the former Sparta Rotterdam star a two-month ban for “a violation of fair play”.
If Okoye had been found guilty of betting infractions, he would have been hit with a hefty four-year ban that would almost bring his career to an end.
Okoye’s ban does not start immediately though. It will begin on August 18, when competitive top-flight football resumes in Italy.
Although Maduka Okoye has been banned for two months, Udinese have come out to back him fully.
“The club expresses its satisfaction with the player’s proven complete non-involvement in the infamous match-fixing theory,” Udinese wrote on their website.
“The club can only reiterate its full support for Okoye, who awaits the ruling’s reasons. Udinese Calcio reiterates its full confidence in Maduka’s proper conduct.”
Okoye, who turns 26 on August 28, still has three years left on his contract at Udinese. He will look to bounce back strongly and reclaim his number 1 shirt at the end of the ban.
Atalanta put their PSG beating behind them with a dominant Serie A win, boosted by the return of Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman to the lineup for the first time in four months.
Atalanta have bounced back from a crushing defeat to PSG with a convincing Serie A victory, a match that saw the highly-anticipated return of Nigerian international Ademola Lookman to the pitch for the first time in four months.
The Super Eagles forward, whose recent absence was linked to a failed summer transfer and subsequent standoff with the club, came on for the final three minutes of the match against Torino, but it was his presence alone that signaled a shift in momentum for La Dea.
While Lookman watched from the bench, the team, under manager Ivan Juric, dominated the first half, taking a commanding 3-0 lead.
The attacking trio of Nikola Kristovic, Ghana’s Kamaldeen Sulemana, and Lazar Samardzic was in blistering form, putting the game to bed before the halftime whistle.
Kristovic was the star, bagging an impressive brace, while Sulemana found the back of the net once and provided an assist. Samardzic also contributed with a key assist, demonstrating the attacking firepower that Atalanta has at its disposal.
The emphatic win is a welcome relief for the club, which was humbled in a 4-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain just days earlier in the Champions League.
That result highlighted how much the team had missed the attacking spark of players like Lookman.
His return, even for a brief cameo, suggests that the club and player have mended their relationship, and he is now set to be a key figure in the team’s push to regain form and challenge for a top spot in Serie A.
Nottingham Forest new head coach Ange Postecoglou has revealed that he was looking forward to working with Nigeria defender Ola Aina before his injury.
The 28-year-old played 87 minutes against Rwanda at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in the first of Nigeria’s two games during the September International break.
However, he had to be taken off inside ten minutes at the Free State Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein as the Super Eagles played a 1-1 draw against South Africa, as Nigeria’s World Cup hopes hit the rocks.
Aina’s injury came as a big blow for Ange as he missed his first game in charge against Arsenal. After the extent of the injury was confirmed, the former Australian manager mentioned he’s looking forward to working with the Super Eagles defender.
Atalanta fans are furious with Ademola Lookman, unveiling banners condemning his attempted move to Inter Milan
The Super Eagles forward has been excluded from Atalanta’s 23-man Serie A squad amid escalating tensions
Club director Tony D’Amico confirms sanctions and future decision pending when the transfer window closes
Ademola Lookman’s once bright relationship with Atalanta fans has turned sour after the Nigerian forward’s failed attempt to force a move to Serie A rivals Inter Milan.
The 27-year-old Super Eagles star has become the target of intense criticism from the club’s ultras, and supporters have unveiled demeaning banners and even mocked the Nigerian forward with the new nickname “Guipiman,” a street cleaner.
The outrage has reached a point where some fans have boldly declared they would rather see Atalanta relegated to Serie B than watch Lookman don their shirt again, This Day reports.
Curva Nord 1907, one of the most vocal supporter groups, displayed a banner reading:
“The shirt must be honoured. Another piece of b*llshit will not be tolerated,” Nigeria Stories interpretes in a post.
This hostility stems from Lookman’s attempt to push through a summer transfer to Inter Milan, a move seen by fans as a betrayal given the fierce rivalry between the two clubs.
Lookman’s fallout with Atalanta escalated when Inter Milan submitted a €45 million bid earlier in the summer, only for the Bergamo club to reject it.
Frustrated, the 2024 CAF Player of the Year winner filed a formal transfer request and accused the Bergamo club of broken promises and poor treatment both professionally and personally, after Inter walked away from the deal.
In protest, Lookman reportedly went AWOL, abandoning training sessions, further souring relations with Atalanta’s management and fans.
Despite returning to pre-season training, the Nigerian forward was left out of Atalanta’s 23-man squad for their opening Serie A fixture against newly-promoted Pisa.
This exclusion signals how deeply fractured the relationship has become. Sports director Tony D’Amico confirmed that Lookman is not training with the group and admitted Atalanta’s disappointment with the situation, per Score Nigeria.
What next for Lookman and Atalanta?
The saga has cast a shadow over Atalanta’s preparations for the new season.
According to Daily Post, Sporting director D’Amico stressed that the Bergamo club will evaluate Lookman’s future only after the transfer window closes on September 1. Until then, the Nigerian forward remains in limbo.
“Right now, there’s disappointment. We are sorry for everyone, but we will make assessments at the end of the transfer window,” D’Amico said.
Inter Milan have since pulled out of the move to sign Lookman after failing to meet Atalanta’s €50 million valuation, leaving the forward’s options limited.
With two years left on his contract, the forward risks facing heavy sanctions from the club, including possible fines or prolonged exclusion from the squad.
For Atalanta fans, however, the damage appears already done. Whether Lookman stays or leaves, his once-celebrated status in Bergamo has been tarnished by a transfer saga.
Click to see Nigeria Stories interpretes in a post here
BREAKING: Atalanta supporters have erected a banner with a clear message targeted at Nigerian footballer Ademola Lookman after his return to training earlier this week saying :
“Honour the jersey, more bulls*** will not be justified.” pic.twitter.com/v5EklU4Nz9
— Nigeria Stories (@NigeriaStories) August 23, 2025
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