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Real Madrid Sack Julen Lopetegui As Manager

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Real Madrid have sacked Julen Lopetegui as manager after four and a half months in charge at the Bernabeu.

The Spaniard succeeded Zinedine Zidane in June but the crushing 5-1 El Clasico defeat by Barcelona on Sunday was their fifth loss in six games.

Real, Champions League winners for the past three years, are ninth in La Liga after their worst start since 2001-02.The 52-year-old will be “provisionally replaced” by ex-player Santiago Solari, coach of B team Castilla.

Lopetegui took a training session on Monday but his fate was confirmed following a board meeting.

A club statement said “there is a great disproportion between the quality of the staff of Real Madrid” and “the results obtained to date”.

Eight of the current Real squad are on the 30-man shortlist for the 2018 Ballon d’Or.

Solari has a favourable run of fixtures for the start of his tenure, beginning with a Spanish Cup match against Segunda Division B Group 4 side Melilla on Wednesday.

Real then play Valladolid – sixth in La Liga – on Saturday, Group G’s bottom side Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League on 7 November, and the mid-table Celta Vigo the following Sunday.

It is the second time Lopetegui has been sacked this year having been dismissed by Spain two days before the World Cup.

That sacking came after it emerged the Spanish football federation was unaware he was in talks to take the Real job after the tournament.

Real have 14 out of a possible 30 points in the league this season and have taken only one from their past five matches – their worst run since they went pointless in the final five games of 2008-09 under Juande Ramos.

They are now six points above the Spanish top flight’s relegation places, and seven behind leaders Barcelona.

Real problems in Madrid

  • Lost four and drawn one of their past five games
  • Seven points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona after El Clasico – with a goal difference of zero
  • Lost at CSKA Moscow in Champions League, and narrowly beat struggling Viktoria Plzen

Who next in the Real hotseat?

The favourite to replace Lopetegui in recent weeks had been former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte, who has been out of management since being dismissed by the Blues in July after finishing fifth last season.

But negotiations with the Italian are reported to have stalled and 42-year-old Solari has been given an opportunity, mirroring the appointment of former boss Zidane, another popular ex-player who had been in charge of Castilla.

Zidane took charge after Rafael Benitez was sacked in January 2016 and the Frenchman guided Real to three successive Champions League titles, before stepping down in May.

Former Real and Argentina midfielder Solari replaced Zidane as coach of Castilla, who are fifth in Segunda Division B, three points behind leaders Ponferradina.

Under Spanish regulations, an interim coach can be at the helm for a fortnight – but must be appointed officially after 15 days, or not at all.

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho – who won La Liga and the Copa del Rey during his three years at Real from 2010-13 – and former Everton boss Roberto Martinez, who led Belgium to the World Cup semi-finals, have also been linked with the post.

Analysis

“Antonio Conte is asking for so much. He is asking for two and a half years, asking to be a manager, asking for more money than Real Madrid are willing to pay. They are surprised this has not gone smoother. On Sunday, they were very optimistic Conte would replace Lopetegui.

“Florentino Perez always asks the leaders of the dressing room about managerial decisions. When he got rid of Rafael Benitez, he asked Cristiano Ronaldo and Sergio Ramos. He has asked Sergio Ramos this time and he doesn’t like the idea of Conte.

“Fans will be underwhelmed for sure. Solari hasn’t impressed in the league, but what the fans don’t realise is every year he has been given a bunch of kids in the third tier, which is all about adults and being strong mentally and physically – and his players have not been.

“But about 12 players from his team in the past two seasons now play in the first or second divisions. That means he is a good coach.

“There is a lot of hope for him, but everyone feels it is a little bit too early – even the board.”

Entertainment Gists

Josh2Funny’s Album Has Fans Talking — But Should He Stick To Music Or Skits?

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Josh2Funny’s Album Has Fans Talking — But Should He Stick To Music Or Skits? 😂🎶

 

 

Nigerian comedian and content creator Josh2Funny has taken his comedy game into music, and Nigerians are definitely having something to say about it.

The comedian released his 15-track album, “On Behalf of Josh,” on July 10, 2026, but instead of fading away after release, the project has continued to generate conversations on X.

And the big question now is:

Should Josh2Funny continue with music or go back to skits? 😂

Fans have been divided. While some listeners openly criticized the album and told him to return to comedy, others found songs they genuinely enjoyed.

One X user joked:

“Josh2Funny stopped doing skits and started music, Everybody wan chop this music money 😂”

Another simply said:

“This Josh2Funny Album no enter make he just go back skit abeg 😂”

But then came “Lembe.” 🔥

The track caught fire on X and eventually became a trending topic in Nigeria. The #LembeChallenge also gained momentum as creators began jumping on the song.

Josh2Funny later announced ₦1 million for winners of the challenge, giving the song another major push.

And it didn’t stop there.

‘INTERNATIONAL’ FT. ICE PRINCE ALSO TRENDED

On another day, “International” featuring Ice Prince generated its own buzz on X.

One fan even called it their favourite song from the album, while praising the collaboration. The post itself pulled thousands of views, showing that people weren’t only talking about Lembe.

From album criticism to trending songs and challenges, “On Behalf of Josh” has kept Josh2Funny’s name in the conversation.

Whether you love the album or think he should return to skits, one thing is clear:

Josh2Funny has succeeded in getting Nigerians talking. 😂🔥

So, let’s settle this once and for all:

Should Josh2Funny continue with MUSIC 🎶 or return to SKITS 😂?

Music or Skits? Drop your answer! 👇

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Entertainment Gists

RUAN-Badkid.96: The Unfiltered Voice Recommitting African Sound to Truth

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RUAN-Badkid.96 is a Nigerian recording artist whose music refuses to live inside a single genre. Blending Afrobeat, Afrofusion, trap, hip-hop, melodic rap, R&B, and global influences, he creates records that move effortlessly between raw street energy, soulful storytelling, and infectious melodies. Whether delivering hard-hitting bars, emotional love songs, or rhythm-driven African records, his sound is defined by authenticity rather than limitation.

Inspired by both African culture and international music, RUAN-Badkid.96 embraces the confidence and ambition of global hip-hop while staying deeply connected to his roots. His lyrics explore love, heartbreak, betrayal, friendship, social injustice, hope, and the everyday realities of life. He doesn’t create music to follow trends, he creates music to reflect truth, emotion, and human experience.

Behind his fearless image is an artist who believes in kindness, equality, justice, and genuine human connection. His appearance may be intimidating, but his message is rooted in compassion and authenticity. Every record carries a piece of his journey, proving that strength and vulnerability can exist in the same voice.

For RUAN-Badkid.96, music is more than entertainment, it’s a language, a testimony, and a lifelong mission to connect with people through honesty, versatility, and unforgettable sound.

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Entertainment Gists

Meet the Man Who Turned Hype Into a Science: Emmy Blaq, Nigeria’s G.O.A.T. of Hype

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If you have ever been at a Nigerian event and found yourself on your feet before the main act even stepped on stage, there is a good chance a hype man was responsible. But not just any hype man. Emmy Blaq, born Ikechukwu Emmanuel Chima and raised in Auchi, Edo State, has spent the last few years quietly becoming the most talked-about name in that profession, and the Nigerian press has taken notice. Punch, Vanguard, The Guardian Nigeria, The Nation, and Independent Newspaper have all sat down with him, and every conversation leads back to the same thing: this man does not just make noise; he makes moments.
What makes Emmy Blaq different is the journey behind the energy. Before the stages, the collaborations with Waje on her “Waje 2.0” album, DJ Consequence, and DJ Kaywise on the massively streamed “Joor Party Mix” series, he was repairing generators, cutting hair, and sewing clothes in Auchi. His first professional hype gig happened at a local fast food spot called Valchi, and the crowd response that night changed everything. He told The Nation directly: “My passion for entertainment and desire to make people happy led me into the craft.” Punch also captured his bigger mission when he said that hype men deserve more than what they currently earn, a statement that sparked a real conversation across Nigerian entertainment circles.
With over 1.7 million TikTok followers, 23.6 million TikTok likes, a viral “Wife Material” challenge that landed on Pulse Nigeria’s top ten social media moments of 2021, and an international performance at the Cameroon International Music Festival that Cameroonian media described as electrifying, Emmy Blaq is not building toward something. He is already there. The G.O.A.T. of Hype is not a title he gave himself and hoped would stick. It is one the rooms keep confirming every single time he grabs the mic.

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